there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord. Paraphrase 45. Thy beliefe v. 38 of that message which the Angel delivered unto thee from God v. 28. and 36. shall never be repented of by thee for it shall certainly be performed in every particular exactly 46. And Mary said My soul doth magnifie the Lord 47. And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my âaviour Paraphrase 46 47. Upon this Mary also brake out into a divine hymne of thanksgiving to God saying All the faculties of my soule my affections and my rationall faculty have all reason to blesse and praise the name of God 48. For he hath regarded the low estate of his hand-maiden for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed Paraphrase 48. For he hath done an honour the greatest that was ever done to any to me the unworthiest of all his servants In which respect all posterities shall look upon me as the happiest person the most highly dignified by God of any 49. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things and holy is his name Paraphrase 49. For the omnipotent God of heaven hath honoured me above imagination his name be blessed for it 50. And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation Paraphrase 50. And his mercy and gracious acceptance and abundant kindnesse is to those that serve and obey him humbly from time to time to all eternity 51. He hath shewed strength with his arm he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts Paraphrase 51. Whereas the proud and great designers of the world are so farre from being favoured that they are opposed and confounded by him 52. He hath put down the mighty from their seates and exalted them of low degree Paraphrase 52. Nothing is more ordinary with him then to debase the lofty Atheist and to advance the humble person though of never so low degree 53. He hath filled the hungry with good things and the rich he hath sent empty away Paraphrase 53. The poor that calls to him is replenisht by him and the rich man that trusts in his wealth is often brought to beggery 54. He hath holpen his servant Israel in remembrance of his mercy 55. As he spake to our fathers to Abraham and to his seed for ever Paraphrase 54 55. He hath now perform'd his promise to Abraham and to his seed hath exhibited to them the Jewes and all the believing world that great promised mercy and so made a provision for them which shall never fail sent the Messias the Saviour of the world so long expected a mercy that shall never be taken away from us 56. And Mary abode with her about three moneths and returned to her own house 57. Now Elizabeths full time came that she should be delivered and she brought forth a son 58. And her neighbours and her cousins heard how the Lord had shewn great mercy upon her and they rejoiced with her Paraphrase 58. God had shewn a miracle of mercy to her in giving her a child thus in her old age and when she had been barren so long 59. And it came to passe that on the eight day they came to circumcise the child and they called him Zacharias after the name of his father Paraphrase 59. on the eighth day whereon it was the custome to circumcise children and to give them names the kindred and neighbours met to that purpose and they intended to call him by his fathers name Zachary 60. And his mother answered and said Not so but he shall be called John Paraphrase 60. and Elizabeth being also inspired by God v. 41. and having by that means received knowledge of the name appointed by God and not from her husband who was now dumb and so had been ever since the Angel spake to him v. 22. see Titus Bâstrensis p. 771. B. 61. And they said unto her There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name 62. And they made signes to his father how he would have him called 63. And he asked for a writing table and wrote saying His name is John and they marvailed all 64. And his mouth was opened immediatly and his tongue loosed and he spake and praised God Paraphrase 64. and his tongue restored to him as before 65. And fear came on all that dwelt round about them and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill-countrey of Judaea Paraphrase 65. And great astonishment and reverence 66. And all they that heard them laid them up in their hearts saying What manner of child shall this be and the hand of the Lord was with him Paraphrase 66. Certainly this child will prove some notable person And God in a speciall manner was present to him to assist and prosper him 67. And his father Zacharias was filled with the holy Ghost and note n prophecyed saying Paraphrase 67. And Zachary by especiall motion of the Spirit of God coming on him sung this hymne 68. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for he hath visited and redeemed his people Paraphrase 68. hath performed his promise often mentioned see Gen. 21. 1. and 50. 24. Exod. 3. 16. and 4. 31. of visiting and bringing Israel out of Aegypt in this spirituall as formerly he did by way of temporall deliverance and by the Christ the Messias now to be born hath 69. And hath raised up an note o horne of salvation for us in the house of his servant David Paraphrase 69. a King a Ruler and eminent deliverer for his people and although the kingdome be not a secular one yet is he to be borne of Davids family 70. As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets which have been since note p the world began 71. That we should be saved from our enemies and from the hands of all that hate us 72. To performe the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant Paraphrase 72. the promises made to our fathers wherein not only they but especially their seed was concerned Gen. 22. 16. 73. The oath which he sware to our father Abraham 74. That he would note q grant unto us that we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies might serve him note r without fear 75. In holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the days of our life Paraphrase 74 75. give us power ability grace that we being secured and rescued from danger of enemies might obey and attend him in a sincere performance of all duties toward God and man and cheerfully and constantly persevere therein 76. And thou child shalt be called the Prophet of the highest for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his wayes Paraphrase 76. And this John shall be a prophet of God foretelling judgments on the nations if they repent not speedily or rather of an higher ranke pointing out Christ see Mat. 11. note d. and as his forerunner by the preaching of
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
bear the burthen of the people with thee that is take part of the burthen of ruling them So v. 25. The Lord took of the Spirit that was upon him and gave it unto the Seventy and when the Spirit rested upon them they prophecyed c. that is some gifts extraordinary attended this commission partly to signifie that they were thus set apart and endowed with authority by God and partly to fit them for the discharge of their office conferred on them So v. 26. the Spirits resting on Eldad and Medad was Gods conferring this authority on them to which were joyned also those gifts of the Spirit and they prophecied also and so ver 29. Would God all the Lords people were prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them that is communicate that power to them which he had given to Moses and qualifie them with extraordinary gifts accordingly So at the making of Saul King the Spirit of the Lord shall come upon thee 1 Sam. 10. 6. some extraordinary change wrought on him by which his commission was evidenced to himself and others and so ver 10. And proportionably in the New Testament Christs Prophetick commission was thus conferr'd on him The Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting or resting on him and above what had before been done to any a voice from heaven proclaiming this Commission to be given to him from his Father and this from Isa 61. 1. is called the Spirit of the Lord being upon him and that explained by his being anointed to preach Luk. 4. 18. and by the Spirit of wisedom c. Isa 11. 2 3. which signifies a commission and all other extraordinary gifts and powers conferred upon him and is called his being anointed with the holy Ghost and with power And so of his Apostles Act. 2 4 their being fill'd with the holy Ghost is their being endow'd with commission from heaven for that sacred function and accordingly they spake with tongues as the Seventy and Saul after the Spirits coming on them prophecied as the Spirit gave them utterance and this as the completion of that promise of Christ that they should be endued with power from on high Luk. 24. 49. or receive ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the power of the holy Ghost coming upon them And so ever after the ordaining of a Bishop in the Church was expressed by his receiving the holy Ghost Other uses there are of the word Spirit which will be discernible by the Context and be reducible to one or more of these but are too long to be more particularly set down here CHAP. X. 1. AFter these things the Lord appointed other seventy also and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place whither he himselfe would come Paraphrase 1. beside the twelve Apostles chose seventy others to be to him as disciples were wont to be to Prophets that is to go on his errands as he should appoint them which they did by turns two at once as harbingers proclaiming his approach in every city whither he meant to come 2. Therefore said be unto them The harvest truly is great but the labourers are few pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest that he would send forth labourers into his harvest Paraphrase 2. The province is large and there be many that are ready to receive the Gospel when it shall be preached to them It is needfull therefore to pray to God to incline mens hearts to undertake this office of going and revealing it to them for as yet there are very few for so great a task 3. Go your wayes behold I send you forth as lambes among wolves Paraphrase 3. But when ye go ye must expect to meet with dangers and ill receptions 4. Carry neither purse nor scrip nor shooes and salute no man by the way Paraphrase 4. Yet let not that deterre you or put you upon making provisions before-hand for your journey And as you go spend no time in civilities with any Intend and mind that one business you go about 5. And into whatsoever house ye enter first say Peace be to this house 6. And if the sonne of peace be there your peace shall rest upon it if not it shall turn to you again Paraphrase 6. any to whom peace properly belongs any pious person called by an Hebraism the sonne of peace as the wicked Apostate traytor is the sonne of perdition Joh. 17. 12. any pliable person capable of the blessing of the Gospel dwell there 7. And in the same house remain eating and drinking such things as they give for the labourer is worthy of his hire Go not from house to house Paraphrase 7. Remove not out of one house to goe to another in the same city 8. And into whatsoever city ye enter and they receive you eat such things as are set before you Paraphrase 8. receive without any scruple the entertainment which they offer you 9. And heal the sick that are therein and say unto them The kingdome of God is come nigh unto you Paraphrase 9. See Mat. 3. note c. 10. But into whatsoever city ye enter and they receive you not go your ways out into the streets of the same and say 11. Even the very dust of your city which cleaveth on us we do wipe off against you notwithstanding be ye sure of this that the kingdome of God is come nigh unto you Paraphrase 11. as a testimony of your obstinacy and usage of us Mat. 10. 14. and Luke 9. 5. and as a token to assure you that your destruction is very neer falling on you 12. But I say unto you that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodome then for that city Paraphrase 12. when that judgment comes v. 14. 13. Woe unto thee Chorazin woe unto thee Bethsaida for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon which have been done in you they had a great while ago repented sitting in sack-cloth and ashes Paraphrase 13. Woe unto you ye cities of Jewry among whom so many miracles have been shewn to work faith in you and so to bring you to repentance and all in vain Had the like been done in heathen cities neer you they in all likelihood would have been wrought on by them 14. But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment then for you Paraphrase 14. And accordingly their portion in the vengeance approaching shall be more supportable then yours 15. And thou Capernaum which art exalted to heaven shalt be thrust down to hell Paraphrase 15. destruction and desolation See Mat. 11. 23. 16. He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me Paraphrase 16. The not hearkning to your preaching the despising of these warnings of yours is the despising of me that have sent you and so of God that sent me and hath destin'd this only
understanding of this Epistle and that which hath superseded the necessity of multiplying the Annotations on all the dark passages which would much more have lengthned the work and have been lesse intelligible by the vulgar reader The prime things that must here be care of are first that the occasions of the severall parts of the Apostles discourse be adverted to viz. some objections of the Judaizers against his doctrine and practice which are secretly insinuated and require great and diligent care to discern them And then secondly that the rationall importance of every part of this Epistle the relation it hath to the conclusion which it is designed to inferre and the connexion of one part with another be weighed and permitted to have its due influence on the interpretation and then the bare sound of some few incidentall passages will not be of force to misguide any The Epistle of PAUL the Apostle to the ROMANS CHAP. I. 1. PAul a servant of Jesus Christ called to be an Apostle separated unto the Gospell of God 2. Which he had promised afore by his Prophets in the holy Scriptures Paraphrase 1 2. one that hath received this speciall singular mercy from him to be an Apostle authorized and set apart Act. 13. 2. to that office of preaching the Gospell which God had promised by the Prophets that it should now be revealed to the Gentiles as well as Jewes to all the world by the ministery of the Apostles 3. Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord who was made of the seed of David according to the flesh 4. And declared to be the Sonne of God with power according to the spirit of holinesse by the note a resurrection from the dead Paraphrase 3 4. Concerning the Messias the Son of God by him sent into the world who according to the flesh was born a Jew of the stock of David but according to the spirit of holinesse or in respect of that other nature in him called his eternal spirit Heb. 9. 14. far above all that is flesh and blood that I say which shone in him most perfectly after and through and by his resurrection from the dead 2 Cor. 13. 4 was set at God's right hand the Sonne of God in power to whom accordingly as to a Sonne all power was given by the Father even Jesus Christ our Lord. 5. By whom we have received grace and Apostleship for obedience to the faith among all Nations for his name Paraphrase 5. Who hath afforded me the favour or honour to be sent as Apostle of the Gentiles to all the Nations of the world to reveal to them and work in them obedience to the doctrine of the Gospell called the faith Act. 6. 7. in his name and to his glory 6. Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ Paraphrase 6. In which number ye also are as many as have received the faith of Jesus Christ see note on Mat. 20. c. 7. 7. To all that be in Rome beloved of God called to be Saints Grace be to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ Paraphrase 7. To all the Christians that are in Rome Jewes and Gentiles both beloved of God and which have received that speciall mercy from him to be from a state of all unworthinesse brought in and received by him to be Christians and Saints I send greeting and thereby my heariest wishes and prayers that all the divine mercies and goodnesse and all manner of prosperity from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be multiplyed upon you 8. First I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world Paraphrase 8. And the beginning of my greeting to you must be my acknowledgement of the great goodnesse of God unto you all which is an infinite mercy also to me who do exceedingly desire the advancement of the Gospell amongst you that the report of your submission to the Gospell of Christ is spread far and neer over all the world 9. For God is my witnesse whom I serve with my spirit in the Gospell of his Sonne that without ceasing I make mention of you alwayes in my prayers 10. Making request if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you Paraphrase 9 10. For God knowes and will bear me witnesse whom I inwardly and sincerely serve in the preaching of the Gospell of Christ how daily constant I am in mentioning all your wants to God and whensoever I pray making this one solemne request that what I have so long designed and desired may happily if it seem good in Gods eyes be accomplished at last viz. that I may come personally unto you 11. For I long to see you that I may impart unto you some spirituall gifts to the end you may be established Paraphrase 11. For I earnestly and passionately desire to see you that what ever part of my Apostolical office or of the gifts which God hath endued me with may contribute any thing toward the confirming of you in the faith who are Christians already may be by me freely communicated unto you 12. That is that I may be comforted together with you by the mutuall faith both of you and me Paraphrase 12. That by my affording you some spirituall aide you may receive comfort and advantage and I also by your being thus confirmed by my means and so we may be mutuall comforts to one another by the communicating of my knowledge and the encrease of yours 13. Now I would not have you ignorant brethren that oft times I purposed to come unto you but was let hitherto that I might have some fruit among you also even as among other Gentiles Paraphrase 13. And truly brethren I desire you should know that it hath been no fault or omission of mine that I have not come all this while many resolutions I have had but from time to time some obstacle hath interposed that I might have the comfort of seeing you and imparting somewhat to you which may tend to your advantage and proficiency as I have in the rest of the Nations that have been either converted by me or whom I have since visited and confirmed as I desire to do you at this time v. 10. 14. I am a debter both to the Greeks and to the Barbarians both to the wise and to the unwise Paraphrase 14. I count my self obliged to do whatsoever I can either in the preaching of the Gospell or confirming them which have received it to all sorts of men in the world both those of the Churches in Asia Ephesus c. which are in Greece and others which are most distant from them and by the Greeks called Barbarians and so I count my selfe to owe to you Romans the taking a journey to you at this time from which I have hitherto been hindred v. 13. 15. So as much
over a great sinner and expressed your sorrow in complaining of him and using meanes that he might be excommunicated see c. 12. 21. 3. For I verily as absent in body but present in spirit have note d judged already as though I were present concerning him that hath so done this deed Paraphrase 3. For I though I am not present among you yet by that authority that belongs to me and being sufficiently assured of the truth of the fact have already passed sentence on him that hath thus offended 4. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ when ye are gathered together and my spirit with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ 5. To note e deliver such an one unto Satan for the note f destruction of the flesh that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus Paraphrase 4 5. That in a publick assembly gathered in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in which you are to suppose me virtually present among you by the authority of Christ committed to me and you ye proceed to excommunicate and deliver him up into the power of Satan who may inflict some disease upon him that may be a means to bring him to a sight of his sinne and reformation and so to salvation also 6. Your glorying is not good know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump Paraphrase 6. Such a teacher as this is not fit for you to follow or favour for as a little sowre dough gives a tast to all the bread so will such a sinne as this permitted in the Church have an influence on you all both by discrediting that Church where this is permitted and by corrupting the company by the example 7. Purge out therefore the old leaven that ye may be a new lump as ye are unleavened for even Christ our passeover is sacrificed for us Paraphrase 7. As therefore it was the manner of the Jewes on the day of the Passeover that being the day of preparation or the Eve to the feast of unleavened bread most diligently and sollicitously to inquire if there were any crumme of leavened bread left in their houses and to remove it all see note on Mar. 14. c. so doe ye at this time deale with that heathen or Gnostick perswasion among you of the lawfulnesse of fornication most contrary to the Lawes of Christianity that you have undertaken and whereby ye have obliged your selves to have none of that sowre unchristian doctrine among you but on the contrary to fit your selves to celebrate a Christian Passeover which as the Judaicall was a signe of their deliverance out of Aegypt must be kept with our departure out of sinne 8. Therefore let us keep the feast not with old leaven neither with the leaven of ãâã and wickednesse but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth Paraphrase 8. Doe ye therefore consecrate your selves to the service of Christ by reforming all your former sinfull courses particularly that of uncleannesse and villany see v. 13. and by the practice of all Christian purity and holding faât the truth which hath been delivered to you 9. I wrote unto you in an Epistle not to note g company with fornicators 10. Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world or with the covetous or note h extortioners or with note i idolaters for then must ye needs goe out of the world Paraphrase 9 10. What in this Epistle v. 2. I have written of not communicating with fornicators and not conversing famillarly with them I mean not of the heathens among you which have not given up their names unto Christ nor in like manner of those heathens that are guilty of those other sinnes of unnaturall lusts see note on Rom. 1. i. and violence or those filthinesses which are ordinary among Idolaters and are used as parts and rites of their religion for these are so ordinary among them that if ye abstain from the company of all those heathens that are so guilty ye must depart out of their cities 11. But now I have written unto you not to keep company if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator or covetous or an idolater or a note k railer or a drunkard or an extortioner with such an one no not to eate Paraphrase 11. But the purpose of my writing is onely to interdict you that free encouraging converse with Christian professors that are guilty of retaining any of these sensuall heathen sinnes used by Idolaters and to command that with such an one you doe not enter any friendly commerce so much as to eat with him see note g. much lesse to admit him to the Sacrament or the feast that attends that untill he doe reform 12. note l For what have I to do to judge them also that are without do not ye judge them that are within 13. But them that are without God judgeth Therefore put away from among you that wicked person Paraphrase 12 13. What have mine or the Churches censures to do with them that are not members of the Church Ye know 't is the practice among you to inflict censures on Church-members onely leaving all others to Gods tribunal And by doing thus ye shall remove the accursed thing from among you free your selves from those punishments that the neglect of your duty permitting such offenders to go unpunished and unreformed may bring upon you Annotations on Chap. V. V. 1. Fornication ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã fornication in this place is a generall word to comprehend all unlawfull desires of the flesh acts of whatsoever prohibited carnality under it For it is observable that the precept given by Gods positive command to the sonnes of Adam and Noah and so to all mankinde which is styled by the Jewes ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã of disclosing nakednesses under which style all the marriages within prohibited degrees Lev. 18. and all the unnaturall sinnes are contain'd is Act. 15. express'd by abstaining ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã from fornication And that by the infusions of the Gnosticks and remainders of their heathen customes there was an Epidemical guilt of this sin of many sorts among them is the meaning of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã fornication is universally heard that is found among you for the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã seemes to be all one with ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in universum and so perhaps it is to be rendred c. 6. 7. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã there is a defect generally among you and being here joyned with ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is heard among you may signifie that 't is an universall guilt of theirs or else being joyned with ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã it will sound thus fornication altogether or fornication in grosse containing the severall branches of it is heard that is found or met with among you and of the many sorts thereof one that had not been practised or indured to be
are guilty of them nor of any other injustice shall without reformation ever be capable of inheriting the crown which is by Christ promised to Christians 11. And such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the name of our Lord Jesus and by the spirit of our God Paraphrase 11. And such sins as these were ordinary among you in time of your heathen state but now you have given up your names to Christianity which denounceth judgement against all these your baptism is a renouncing of them all your sanctification by the Spirit directly contrary to it your justification by what Christ hath suffered and done for you see note on Mat. 7. b. utterly incompatible with such impurities and injustices spoken of either in the last or this chapter 12. All things are lawfull unto me but all things are not expedient all things are lawfull for me but I will not be brought under the power of any Paraphrase 12. And whereas your teachers to allure you to sensuall practices tell you first that all meat is freely to be eaten and so sooth you up in luxury and then proceed and perswade you that use of venery is as necessary for your bodies and so as lawfull as eating of meat is I shall tell you first that supposing them lawfull yet it will befit a Christian to abstain from many things that are not utterly unlawfull and secondly that if indifferent things begin to get a dominion over any ãâã men upon conceit that meats are lawfull come to be enslaved to their bellies as of the Gnosticks 't is affirmed that they serve their bellies and that they are lovers of pleasures more then of God this is then absolutely unlawfull 13. Meats for the belly and the belly for meats but God shall destroy both it and them Now the body is not for fornication but for the Lord and the Lord for the body Paraphrase 13. 'T is true that meats are by God and nature appointed for the use of men and that the body of man here in this life hath absolute necessity of them And yet to take off our hearts from them we may also consider that in the next life which is a spirituall life this eating and desiring of meat shall be taken away and therefore even here we should keep the flesh in such a subordination to the spirit that we may be able to deny our selves even lawfull pleasures sometimes especially when any occasion makes it more expedient v. 12. But then for fornication whatsoever your former heathen principles or present false teachers the Gnosticks teach you that is no such lawfull or indifferent thing your bodies are to be consecrated to God either in lawfull wedlock or in chaste single life and by being kept pure here must be made capable of rising to everlasting life with Christ hereafter v. 14. 14. And God hath both raised up the Lord and will also raise up us by his own power Paraphrase 14. And then God that raised up Christ's pure sinlesse body out of the grave and hath made it a spirituall body shall also doe the same for us though we lye down in the grave also 15. Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ shall I then take the members of Christ and make them the members of an harlot God forbid Paraphrase 15. And this one consideration may have force on you Your bodies expect to rise with Christ as members with the head ye must not then in any reason pollute a member of Christ a devoted consecrated person by such unclean embraces 16. What know ye not that he which is joyned to an harlot is one body for two saith he shall be one flesh Paraphrase 16. That which was said at the institution of marriage in paradise that the man and the wife become one body concludes that the fornicator makes himself one body with a whore 17. But he that is joyned unto the Lord is one spirit Paraphrase 17. As on the other side he that keeps close to Christ's commandements and so cleaves to him Deut. 10. 20. hath a spirituall union with him minds the same things that he minds and so is very farre from these carnall base joyes in which all the Gnosticks religion consists 18. Flee fornication Every sin that a man doth is without the body but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body Paraphrase 18. Be sure therefore that ye keep your selves farre removed from that sinne Most other sins are committed against God or the neighbour but sinnes of uncleannesse are against one's selfe a defiling of his flesh a polluting of that which by chastity and single life is set apart to be a temple of God a place of sanctity and purity v. 29. 19. What know ye not that your body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you which ye have of God and ye are not your own Paraphrase 19. Your bodies are by your being Christians consecrated to the service of his Spirit and the Governours of the Church of which sort the incestuous person is thought to be see c. 5. 2. set apart in all purity to discharge that function to which they are consecrated by receiving the holy Ghost This benefit of the Spirit ye have received from God and it is an engagement to you to think your own bodies are not now at your own disposall to use them as you please as in your state of Gentilisme or without that engagement ye might be tempted to imagine 20. For ye are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your body and in your spirit which are God's Paraphrase 20. For God hath pai'd dear for the purchase of you hath given his sonne out of his bosome and his very Spirit to this purpose to purchase unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works by this price making purchase of our bodies as well as our soules and so engaging us to serve and glorifie him in both and not leaving either of them at liberty for us to dispose of as we please V. 2. To judge That the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã signifies not matters but places of judicature appears by Hesychius ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and authors and Glossaryes generally and so in the sacred style Susan 49. where we read the place of judgement So Judg. 5. 10. sit in judgement and Dan. 7. 10. the Judgement was set that is the Court of Judges And Jam. 2. 6. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã are distinctly and necessarily rendred Judgement-seats And so here the Arabick interpreter renders it by words which are thus in Latine Subsellia Judicii ad mundum pertinentis seates of judgement belonging to the world V. 7. A fault The word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is used Rom. 11. 12. and is opposed to ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã fulnesse noting there the great paucity of the Jewish converts to
CHAP. III. 1. DOE we begin again to commend our selves or need we as some others note a epistles of commendation to you or letters of commendation from you Paraphrase 1. Why should I again be forced to mention the uprightnesse of my dealing toward you the orthodoxnesse and purity of my doctrine after the manner that is usual in the Church in commending from one Church to another those that are strangers to them have I any need of commendations to you or from you to other men 2. Ye are our epistle written in our hearts known and read of all men Paraphrase 2. The works of conversion that we have wrought among you of which our own conscience gives us testimony will serve us abundantly in stead of letters commendatory from you to all others who cannot but have heard the same of it 3. For as much as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministred by us written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God not in tables of stone but in fleshy tables of the heart Paraphrase 3. And you that is your faith are most conspicuously an epistle of Christ of the writing of which we have only been the instruments the Spirit of God supplying the place of ink and your hearts of the writing tables and by this epistle this testimony Christ that great Bishop of our souls doth recommend us to all men 4. And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward Paraphrase 4. Thus confident am I by the strength of Christ to speak boldly and in a manner to boast of my behaviour and happy successe in my Apostleship c. 2. 14 c. 5. Not that we are sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves but our sufficiency is of God Paraphrase 5. Not that we are able to to doe or so much as to think or enter upon any thing of this nature in order to the conversion of men of our selves as by our own strength but what ever we are able to doe it is of God whose title that is Isa 13. 6. to be Shaddai almighty or sufficient 6. Who also hath made us able ministers of the new Testament not of the letter but of the spirit for the letter killeth but the Spirit giveth life Paraphrase 6. And that sufficiency of his he hath express'd in the powers and methods with which he hath furnish'd and to which directed us the preachers and dispensers of the new Covenant see note on the title of these books that is not of the law see note on Mat. 5. g. written and brought down in Tables by Moses but of the Gospel called by this title of the Spirit first because it comes near to the soul and requires purity there secondly because the holy Ghost came down both on Christ and on the Disciples to confirm this new way thirdly because Grace is a gift of the Spirit and now is joyned to the Gospel but was not to the Law which administration of the Spirit and annexation of it to the word under the Gospel gives men means to attain eternal life when the law is the occasion and by accident the cause of death to them in denouncing judgment against sinners and yet not giving strength to obey 7. But if the ministration of death written and ingraven in stones was glorious so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance which glory was to be done away Paraphrase 7. And if the delivery of the Law which brought nothing but death with it when it was written in tables of stone see note on Mat. 5. g. was with the appearance of Angels and a bright shining which cast such a splendor on Moses's face that it would dazle any mans eyes to look on it and yet now that glory and that law so gloriously delivered is done away 8. How shall not the ministration of the Spirit be rather glorious Paraphrase 8. How much rather shall the preaching of the Gospel be matter of reverence to all see Mat. 5. g. 9. For if the ministration of condemnation be glory much more doth the ministration of righteousnesse exceed in glory Paraphrase 9. For if the delivery of the Law which could help men to condemnation but could not absolve any man were in so much glory God by his Angels appearing so dreadfull in the mount then much more the Gospel which brings with it justification and pardon of sin is to be counted exceeding glorious to be look'd on and received by us with all reverence 10. For even that which was glorious had no glory in this respect by reason of the glory that excelleth Paraphrase 10. For the Law though otherwise glorious yet being compared with the Gospel hath no glory at all in it as the moon compared with the sun is so utterly outshined by it that it appears not in the presence thereof 11. For if that which is done away was glorious much more that which remaineth is glorious Paraphrase 11. For if that which was it self to be abolish'd being but the cover that contain'd the true jewel under it were yet deliver'd dreadfully and by a glorious appearance then much more shall that which endureth for ever that jewel it self the Gospel or substance contain'd under those coverings or shadows and so which is never like to be abolished and hath a durable fruit belonging to it Grace which the other had not deserve to be esteemed glorious 12. Seeing then that we have such hope we use great plainesse of speech Paraphrase 12. Upon these grounds I say mentioned from ver 5. to this verse I cannot but speak boldly and confidently to you in vindication of my Apostleship ver 4. 13. And not as Moses which put a vaile over his face that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the note b end of that which is abolished Paraphrase 13. Having no need to imitate Moses who vailed his face which was a type of the dark not clear proposing of the Gospel which is the end or principall part of the Law and the jewel contain'd under that covering to them of old 14. But their minds were blinded for untill this day remaineth the same vaile untaken away in the reading of the Old Testament which vaile is done away in Christ Paraphrase 14. And accordingly so it continues remarkable to this present the Jewes see not Christ in the reading of the old Testament and so the cover still remains upon Moses face as it were but by the Christian clear doctrine or by faith is removed 15. But even unto this day when Moses is read the vaile is upon their heart Paraphrase 15. And so though they have heard it over and over many times yet still they doe not understand the true sense of the Law 16. Neverthelesse when it shall turn to the Lord the vaile
were of the same latitude with the Hebrew ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is made use of to signifie all these severals For that of sin I need not instance for that of legal uncleannesse see Num. 6. 2. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã he was unclean by the touch of a dead body For that of sacrifice of explation among many others see Lev. 4. 25. the blood of the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã sin that is sin-offering And in the last for purification either of a leaper or a woman after child-birth or after the touching of a dead body the word generally used is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã for sin so in the New Testament Rom. 8. 3. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã for sin is the sacrifice of propitiation and so Heb. 10. 6. and 13. 11. and so here ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã sin without ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã most distinctly Then for the opposition wherein ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã sin is here set to ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã righteousnesse Christ made ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã sin that we might be made ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã righteousnesse that is an argument that as our being ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã righteousnesse signifies our being sanctified first and then accepted by God justified so his being ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã signifies his being condemned that is consecrated as a sacrifice is wont to be devoted for the sins of the people CHAP. VI. 1. WE then as workers together with him beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain Paraphrase 1. And we whose office it is to labour for that for which Christ hath laid down his life c. 5. 21. doe exhort you not to frustrate all these gracious methods of God not to permit the Gospel see note Heb. 13. d. to be cast away upon you 2. For he saith I have heard thee in a time accepted and in the day of note a salvation have I succoured thee behold now is the accepted time behold now is the day of salvation Paraphrase 2. For the Prophet saith in the person of God Isa 49. 8. In a season which I had chosen I have hearkened to thee and in the fittest time for deliverance to come I have interposed my help It seems God hath his times and seasons to give deliverances and such is this wherein I now speak a point of time wherein God hath resolved to deliver all his persevering faithfull servants out of their persecutions And this in all reason ought to be laid hold of by us to escape out of the sins of the world and so out of the wrath that belongs to them that remain therein 3. Giving no offence in any thing that the ministry be not blamed Paraphrase 3. And one especial part of our labour and care is to abstain strictly from all things that may avert any man from the faith indeavouring to approve our selves to all that all men may look on our behaviour in the Gospel with reverence and not with censure and so be attracted to Christian life not deterred by us 4. But in all things approving our selves as the ministers of God in much patience in affliction in necessities in distresses Paraphrase 4. Approving our fidelity in the discharge of our office by all proper means first by the constant patient enduring of all sort of afflictions viz. pressures wants exigencies 5. In stripes in imprisonments in tumults in labours in watchings in fastings Paraphrase 5. Scourgings imprisonments seditions by pains taking denying our selves our ordinary sleep and food 6. By purenesse by knowledge by long-suffering by kindnesse by the holy Ghost by love unfained Paraphrase 6. By continence by the study of the divine Law in the more secret sense see note on 2 Pet. 1. c. by long-suffering by bounty by the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit prophesying languages c. by sincere charity and zeal to the good of souls 7. By the word of truth by the power of God by the armour of righteousnesse on the right hand and on the left Paraphrase 7. By preaching the pure Gospel of Christ by the power of God in doing miracles c. by weapons evangelical of all sorts for the temptations of a prosperous and an adverse condition the spears in time of prosperity to repell the temptations of the world resolution against all the assaults of carnality and the shield in order to dangers and approach of evil patience constancy and perseverance to defend us from them 8. By honour and dishonour by evil report and good report as deceivers and yet true Paraphrase 8. Through the various fates of being contumeliously used by some as well as reverently by others vilified as well as commended counted as deceivers when yet we are most faithfull dispensers of the truth of God 9. As unknown and yet well known as dying and behold we live as chastned and not killed Paraphrase 9. Esteemed and look'd on by some as if they knew us not by others own'd and valued some judging us as lost men that by our needlesse zeal had brought destruction on us whereas by Gods help we are still alive permitted by God to be afflicted and chasten'd but not yet to be put to death though of some of us 't were verily purposed that we should 1 Cor. 15. 32. and 2 Cor. 1. 8. 10. As sorrowfull yet alway rejoicing as poor yet making many rich as having nothing and yet possessing all things Paraphrase 10. Our lives pitied and look'd on as made up of nothing but sadnesse whilst yet we are alwaies cheerfull and rejoicing in the testimony of a good conscience as poor our selves and yet enriching whole multitudes of men with that which is the most valuable true riches and though we are deem'd and that truly to have nothing yet are we so provided for by Gods good providence as to want nothing that is necessary or usefull for us 11. O ye Corinthians our mouth is opened to you our heart is enlarged Paraphrase 11. I have spoken clearly and freely to you O Corinthians and my heart as well as my mouth hath been enlarged to you also so great is my kindnesse and affection to you 12. Ye are not straitned in us but ye are straitned in your bowels Paraphrase 12. Ye are not pent up in us as in a narrow room my whole soul is open to you and at your service you have no small place in my affections but you doe not retribute as ye ought ye are somewhat straitned in your affections toward me 13. Now for a recompense in the same I speak as unto my children be ye also inlarged Paraphrase 13. And truly it were but a just return as from children to your parent if ye would be back again as kind and affectionate to me as I have been to you 14. Be ye not note b unequally yoked together with unbelievers for what fellowship hath righteousnesse with unrighteousnesse and what communion hath light with darknesse
note on Gal. 2. c. 2. If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward Paraphrase 2. Which you cannot chuse but know if you understand see note on c. 1. f. any thing of my Apostleship my commission to preach and constitute Churches among you Gentiles 3. How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery as I wrote afore in few words 4. Whereby when ye read ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ Paraphrase 3 4. To wit that Christ shewed to me by revelation or vision that great secret of sending the Gospel to the Gentiles of which I have said a little already in this Epistle c. 1. 9 c. by which you may discern if you read and consider somewhat of that secret or mystery which I speak of 5. Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men as it is now revealed unto his holy Apostles and Prophets by the Spirit Paraphrase 5. Which mystery in the former ages was so farre from being revealed to men that it was generally thought unlawfull to converse or have any thing to doe with the Gentiles till now the contrary hath been revealed as to Peter Act. 10. so particularly to me v. 3. and generally to the Apostles and others that received visions to that purpose and extraordinary gifts for the benefit and use of the Church the gifts of tongues c. on purpose that they might preach to all nations 6. That the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs and of the same body and partakers of his promise in Christ by the Gospel Paraphrase 6. viz. That the Gentiles were to be taken in with the Jewes into the same inheritance and have part in all the pardon and grace acceptation and reward which is now made over to believers in Christ that they were to be members of Christ and so receive influences from the head as well as the Jewes that they were to partake of all the promises made in Christ and that the preaching of the Gospel to them was to be a means of all this 7. Whereof I was made a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power Paraphrase 7. In which work I have been made use of as an instrument God out of his free grace to me that was a persecutor being thus pleased to employ me and by the gift of tongues and miracles c. fitting me for the discharge of it 8. Unto me who am lesse then the least of all saints is this note a grace given that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ Paraphrase 8. I I say who am the unworthiest person and most unfit for such an office have yet had this dignity this favour this commission vouchsafed to me to make known to the Gentiles this bounty of Christ's toward them in receiving them freely into covenant without those impositions of circumcision c. which were required of the Jewes A thing which could not by any clue or search have been found in the Jewish Law if Christ had not commanded and I and other Apostles received revelation to doe it 9. And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God who created all things by Jesus Christ Paraphrase 9. And to let all men see what this mystery is which hath so long lain hid in God who as he created all things at first by Jesus Christ so hath now wrought this great work of new creation of regenerating the Gentiles calling them out of their heathen idolatries by Christ also but is now communicated to the world see note on Acts 2. d. 10. To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the Church the manifold wisdome of God Paraphrase 10. That by what is now done in the Church the very Angels may now come to know that which before they knew not the great variety of God's wise dispensing of things as in his dealing formerly with the Jewes so now in calling the Gentiles to the light of the truth and knowledge and practice of all Christian virtue 11. According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord Paraphrase 11. According to that which he had before-hand decreed in Christ of the several ages of the world to dispose things after that manner that in the last age these worst of men the heathen idolaters should have Christ revealed to them 12. In whom we have boldnesse and accesse with confidence by the faith of him Paraphrase 12. Through whose mediation the Gentiles all that believe have now boldnesse given them and liberty to approach see note on Joh. 7. a. and addresse themselves to God with confidence of reception and acceptation 13. Wherefore I desire that you faint not at my tribulation for you which is your glory Paraphrase 13. And therefore I that am persecuted for this reason peculiarly because I preach to the Gentiles which the Jewes think to be unlawfull and 't is not strange they should when it was a mystery not formerly revealed to the very Angels v. 10. doe desire and pray first for my self as after he prayes for them v. 16. that I be not amated at any thing that befalls me in this cause or I doe beseech you and pray for you that you be not discouraged or stopt or amated see note on Luk. 18. a. in your course upon consideration of the sufferings that have fallen on me for your sakes that is because I converse with and preach to you or assert this dealing of God toward the Gentiles which should be rather matter of glorying or rejoycing to you 14. For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Paraphrase 14. For this cause I humbly beseech God daily for the sake of his dear son Christ Jesus our Lord 15. Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named Paraphrase 15. Through whom it is that the whole world of men Gentiles as well as Jewes see note on Col. 1. c. are now acknowledged and owned by God as children called after his name Christians received into his family upon their receiving of the faith 16. That he would grant you according to the riches of his glory to be strengthned with might by his Spirit in the inner man Paraphrase 16. That according to the abundance of that power by which he hath called you to the faith and wrought in you obedience to it he will also by his Spirit give you to grow in all inward strength and abilities of the soul to perform all holy duties 17. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith that ye being rooted and grounded in love Paraphrase 17. That ye may continue constant in the faith of Christ and
to you Job 1. 21. For this is the condition of the Evangelical covenant which is the covenant of sufferings that we should rejoice in them Mat. 5. 12. and give God thanks for them 1 Pet. 3. 15. and 4. 16. 19. Quench not the Spirit Paraphrase 19. This gifts of tongues healing c. which were given in form of fire must be used accordingly not quenched with neglect vanity wicked life but preserved by prayer thanksgiving and holy life and when ye see gifts in others by which they appear to be true teachers ye must not have the same aversion to them that ye would to false prophets 20. Despise not prophesyings Paraphrase 20. And for that faculty of interpreting scripture ye ought to set a special value upon it 1 Cor. 14. 5. 21. Prove all things hold fast that which is good Paraphrase 21. Trie all those who pretend to extraordinary gifts and examine whether they have them or no by that gift of discerning of spirits and make use of those who approve themselves to have what they professe 22. Abstain from all note e appearance of evil 23. And the very God of peace sanctifie you wholly and I pray God whole note f spirit and soul and body be preserved blamelesse unto the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ Paraphrase 23. And that God which is the author of all good things and particularly of that peaceablenesse recommended to you v. 13. and appointed to be secured by the following means work all kind of purity in you that of the flesh and spirit And I heartily pray that all and every part of you may be kept immaculate that whensoever Christ comes either in his signal punishments here forementioned or in that judgment after death ye may be approved and rewarded by him 24. Faithfull is he that calleth you who also will doe it Paraphrase 24. And I doubt not but that Christ who hath called you to the knowledge of his truth afforded you such privileges and advantages advanced you thus farre will farther enable you to persevere spotlesse unto the end 25. Brethren pray for us 26. Greet all the brethren with âan holy kisse 27. I charge you by the Lord that this Epistle be read unto all the holy brethren Paraphrase 27. I require you with all the weight of adjuration that this Epistle be read and divulged to all the Christians of your Church and so likewise to all the Churches under the Metropolis of Thessalonica and to all the Churches of all Macedonia See note on Phil. 1. 2. 28. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you Amen The first Epistle unto the Thessalonians was written from Athens Annotations on Chap. V. V. 1. Times and season What ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã times and seasons here signifie appears sufficiently by v. 2. where in another phrase the same thing is expressed by ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the day of Christ cometh which is without question the same which is so oft called the coming of Christ for the destroying the enemies of Christianity which he should do ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in the proper seasons 1 Tim. 6. 15. the day approaching and day in all languages signifies judgment so 1 Cor. 3. 13. the day shall declare that is the judgment that shall sit upon them and so diem dicere is to call a man into any court of judicature and a dayes-man among us is a judge and so the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã season is used Rom. 13. 11. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã knowing the season and that season expressed in the end of the verse as here by ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the approaching of the day So Mat. 16. 3. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the signes of the times were the signes of that approaching destruction and accordingly Luk. 12. 56. it is called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã this time or season And to this matter plainly set down before c. 2. 16. the full vials of Gods wrath falling on the persecuting Jewes the rest of this discourse to v. 12. doth evidently belong and the suddaianesse and unexpectednesse of it and the surprize of all carnal men which joyned with the persecutors or went on in unchristian sinnes described as it is frequently in the Gospel Mat. 24. Luk. 19. and in the Epistles Rom. 13. 2 Pet. 3. and elsewhere And that it cannot belong to the last coming of Christ to judgement or finall doom appears both from hence that that was the subject of the former discourse cap. 4. 13 c. and this as a distinct matter is entred upon with a ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã c. But concerning the times and seasons and secondly by the end to which this discourse is here designed by the Apostle viz. to comfort the Christians that were under persecution and give them patience and constancy for which this was a fit consideration that this judgment of God would come suddenly and when it was least expected and so would surprize them if they were not watchfull And this but a transcript of Christs words on this matter Mar. 13. 32. and the very word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã season there made use of v. 33. and more punctually under the phrase of the thief in the night Mat. 24. 43. All which belonged peculiarly to this doom upon the Jewes and not to the general judgment which it is to us certain that those that then lived were not concern'd in but only in this other And if it be here questioned how this destruction of the Jews should concern the Christians in Macedonia and so be matter of such particular advertisement to the Thessalonians I answer that the Jews being at this time dispersed into several parts much farther from Judea then Macedonia did likewise wheresoever they were oppose the Apostles preaching to the Gentiles and not onely so but persecuted those that received the saith with all bitternesse and how peculiarly this was observable at Thessalonica see Note on c. 2. i. The Jewes were the fountains of persecutions saith Tertullian and as they prosecuted the Christians before the heathen powers so all the false-hearted temporizing carnal Christians that were not willing to bear persecutions complyed and joyned with them against the pure and Orthodox and all that did so being engaged in the same course were involved also in the same destruction and so the Jewes and Gnosticks which at this time were the cockle among the wheat in every Christian plantation overran all the Churches of Asia c. as appears by the Apostles and Christs Rev. c. 2. 3. Epistles to them and infested this plantation in the Churches of Macedonia also as oft appeared in the Epistle to the Philippians another Church of Macedonia It was most fit then for the Apostle to forewarn them of their dangers which were likely to assault their constancy and to fortifie them against timidity on one side and the carnal baites on
their own confession he had evidenced his Power Will sufficiently in giving them streams of water out of the rock and v. 42. they tempted God c. which is explain'd v. 43. by They thought not of his hand and of the day when he delivered them how he had wrought his miracles in Egypt v. 44. i. e. by their forgetting or not considering the arguments they had had for the beleiving and depending on him and so again after he had cast out the nations c. done all for them imaginable yet v. 57. they tempted the most high God c. so Isa 7. when Ahaz saith he will not tempt the Lord the words signifie that he needed no farther arguments to ascertain him of the truth of what there was promised Where yet Ahaz seems to have spoken Ironically he will ask no more signes beleiving the thing impossible and therefore is reprehended by the Prophet for incredulity and wearying of God and making it necessary for him to give a sign v. 13 14. And thus clearly the phrase is used in this place where the Devil perswading Christ by casting himself down from the Battlement to make tryall whether God would deal with him as a Son i. e. preserve him or no Christ that needed no such evidences of his being the Son of God Mat. 3. 17. replies that this is that tempting God which is forbidden in Deut. So Mat. 16. 1. and Luke 11. 16. the Pharisees asking a sign from heaven to demonstrate that he was the Messias are said ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to tempt Christ a note of their infidelity and so censured by Christ an evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign Mat. 16. 4. and beyond the miracles which he had already done among them he will now show those Pharisees no more but only that great convincing one of his Resurrection from the dead v. 5. Sometimes this phrase is used in a notion a little different from this not in relation to any promises of God but of any other part of his Will revealed notes any act of infidelity any contrariety to the revealed Will of God whether in point of Doctrine or Practice Of Doctrine so Acts 15. 10. When Peter had given them convincing evidences and arguments from the example of God toward Cornelius that God required not the Christian Gentiles to be circumcised he adds Now therefore why doe you tempt God to lay a yoake c. i. e. your continuing to desire to lay that yoake on the Gentile Christians after such evidences of Gods Will to the contrary is an act of infidelity and a kind of tempting of God So also of Practice 1 Cor. 10. 9. Neither let us tempt Christ i. e. let us not by our provoking sins dare God trie his patience whether he will make good upon us his threats against sinne so Mal. 3. 15. they that tempt God are all one with the proud sinners contumacious offenders which are also said to weary him c. 2. 17. Acts 5. 9. Why have ye agreed to tempt the Spirit of the Lord i. e. to commit a sin which is in effect a trying or experimenting whether the Apostles Peter c. had the Spirit of discerning their fraud or no and consequently of punishing V. 15. By the way That which is here ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is in the Greek Isa 9. 1. whence this verse is cited ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the rest that dwell by the sea side Now for this whole place that is here cited out of the Prophet and said to be fulfilled by that which here happened it must first be remembred what hath been said Note on c. 1. k. That Prophecies besides the literal sense of them have sometimes another affixed to them to which when they are accommodated they are said ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to be fulfill'd i. e. to have a more eminent accomplishment And so here For these words had in Isaiah c. 9. 1. a clear literal sense belonging to that time viz. That God having threatned by his Prophet a sore calamity to Judah and Jerusalem from Sennacherib King of Assyria begins in these words a little to soften it thus Neverthelesse the dimnesse or mist or twylight shall not be to her to whom the vexation shall be i. e. to Jerusalem which shall be thus afflicted according to the first time wherein he lightly afflicted the land of Zabulon and the land of Nephthali and the latter time wherein he more grievously afflicted the way of the sea beyond Jordan Galilee of the nations i. e. this that shall befall upon Judah though sharp shall not be comparable to either of those two other the First the more tolerable of the two when Zabulon and Nephthali c. were carried into captivity by Tiglath-Phalassar King of Assyria 2 Kings 15. 29. the Second not them come which should be much more heavy when the rest of the tribes should be carried away by Salmanassar into Assyria 2 Kings 17. The people that walk in darknesse i. e. Judah and Jerusalem wasted and besieged by Sennacherib have seen i. e. should see a great light i. e. have an illustrious remarkable deliverance the siege being raised by an Angel and Sennacherib's army destroy'd and to them that were in the shadow of death i. e. expected verily to be destroyed hath the light appeared i. e. this deliverance is befall'n This whole passage belonging to that matter is here by the Evangelist applied to Christ's preaching in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthali only by way of Accommodation This preaching of his being the great light and the state of ignorance that before they were in the shadow of death and the darknesse All the difficulty is to give any account how this should here be applied to Zabulon c. when in Isaiah they were not to have this deliverance but only Judah and they were only mention'd to comfort Judah that they were and should be more terribly afflicted then Judah and had none of the light or comfort But the account must be that such Prophecies as these thus accommodated to Christ are accomplish'd in an higher sense then that wherein they were literally spoken and here this light i. e. the preaching of Christ came and shone on these as well as on Jerusalem nay in the first place before he went thither and consequently in the application here the great light is applied to them though in the letter of the Prophecy it belonged not to them Which being perfectly true is all that is said by the Evangelist only the words of the Prophet not in the literal but an higher sense applied to them by way of Accommodation which differs from the citation of a testimony To which this may also be farther added that now that land of Zabulon and Nephthali was not inhabited by Israel for they were carried captive never to return again 2 Kings 17. 20 23. and none left but the tribe of Judah only 18. and so that
the law of commandements Ephes 2. 15. though ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the unwritten law therefore as the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or law is used so in the same notions the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã writing is used also Sometimes in the first notion of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã for the law or religion of the Jewes So Rom. 2. 27. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã thee that hast literally observ'd the law of Moses and art circumcis'd and v. 29. with a little change ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã gives life enables to gain life to come to Justification or salvation And so again v. 7. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the Spirit Thus much in this place of the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã law and by occasion of that of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is answerable to the Hebrew ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which signifies not only ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to perform but ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Ordinance of the Law circumcision c ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã here So S. Basil on Psal 15. calls Christ ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã See the Author of the Constitutions l. 6. c. 23. So in Chrysostome Tom. 3. p. 93. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã And that Christ's giving of Lawes was ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and that Christ did not here recite all the Commandements of the Decalogue because he meant not ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã So that it was then ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã So Theophylact that Christ came not ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã And ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã When Christ was come our contentions became easier wherefore we had also greater tasks as having greater assistance afforded us And ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã having a Law more sublime then the old Law viz. the Law of Christ And
the Prophets in the Old Testament and not seldome used in the Writers of the New So Mat. 12. 22. the blind and the dumb both spake and saw that is the blind saw and the dumb spake and c. 18. Christ having mention'd the three degrees of Admonition by one alone by two or three and by the Rulers in the presence of the assembly v. 15 16 17. he then resumes to speak somewhat farther of each of these and begins first with the last what in case of such refractarinesse the Rulers of the Church are to doe Verily I say unto you Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth c. v. 18. And then v. 19. in reference to the second thing mention'd the admonition in the presence of one or two v. 16. Again Verily I say unto you that if two of you shall agree upon the earth c. it shall be done unto them of my Father From which before he proceeds back again in the first place to the first of the private admonition Peter asks a question which introduces the discourse which was proper to have been deliver'd on that subject So c. 23. 16. Christ having mention'd swearing by the Temple first and then by the Altar v. 18. he after refuming them both again v. 20. begins first with that of the Altar and then that of the Temple after it So in that c. 23. 25. having mention'd first the outside of the cup and platter and then the inside v. 26. he returns first to the cleansing of the inside then the outside of it So Rom. 212. S. Paul having affirm'd two things the first of the Gentiles that had not the Law that they should perish without it the second of the Jews that had the Law that they should be judged by it he v. 13. speaks first of the second for the hearers of the Law c. and then v. 14. of the first For when the Nations c. So Rom. 14. having set down two heads of discourse that the strong should not set at nought the weak Nor secondly the weak judge or condemn the strong v. 3. he resumes the latter first v. 4. who art thou that judgest and then v. 10. returns to the former and thou why dost thou set at nought thy brother So 1 Cor. 6. 11. After the general of washing which contains the two subsequent sanctifying and justifying the mention of our Lord Jesus Christ which is first named belongs to the latter that of Justification and the Spirit of our God to the former that of Sanctifying So 2 Cor. 2. 15. Having mention'd the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã first them that are saved and then ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã them that perish he goes back v. 16. first to the latter to those a savour of death unto death then to the former to those a savour of life unto life So Philem. 5. hearing of thy love and faith which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus and toward all Saints 't is apparent that the Saints are the object of the Love and the Lord Jesus of the Faith So Heb. 5. where in the four first verses there are three things propounded of an high-Priest 1. that he offer for sin 2. be compassionate to sinners and to that end be himself infirm and offer for himself as well as the people 3. that he be called to this office by God himself To these three all applied to Christ the Apostle speaks particularly and to the last first So likewise Christ glorified not himself to be an high-Priest c. v. 5. 6. Then to the second v. 7 8. who in the daies of his flesh offer'd up prayers c. and then to the first last v. 9. being made perfect he became the author of eternal salvation c. So Heb. 9. 1. having named two things the ordinances of worship and the worldly sanctuary he dilates first on the last of them v. 2 3 4 5. For there was a tabernacle made c. and then after comes back to the former v. 6. Now when these things were thus ordain'd the Priest went alwayes c. So Heb. 10. 33. having mention'd two acts of suffering in them the first personal in themselves by reproaches and afflictions the second by way of sympathy with the Apostles in the next verse he resumes both but first the latter for ye had compassion on me in my bands and then the former took joyfully the spoiling of your goods So 2 Pet. 3. where the Atheists objection consists of two parts 1. that God hath not made good his promise concerning his coming v. 4. 2 ly as a proof of that that there had been no sensible mutation since the beginning of the world in the latter part of the verse The Apostle makes answer first to the latter v. 5 6 7. and then comes back and satisfies the former also v. 8. c. And to instance no more two examples of this there are most clearly here in this place The first in the sixt and seventh verses for having mention'd two things v. 5. pulling out the beam in thine own eye that is reforming a mans own sins secondly casting out the mote out of thy brothers eye that is reprehending faults in other men he speaks first to the latter of these the matter of reprehension v. 6. and then v. 7. returns to the former the means that must be used for the reforming our selves prayer for grace which shall so surely bring it The second here in the sixt verse where having mention'd the Dogs and the Swine he first speaks of the Swine and after of the Dogs for certainly the treading belongs to the Swine and the rending to the Dogs for the Swine doe not use to turn and rend but the Dogs doe and therefore Munster's Hebrew reads it ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and the Dogs returning c. and Dogs doe not tread under their feet what is cast to them as Swine doe These are both proverbially spoken to expresse how sure good charitable reprehensions are to be cast away upon incorrigible sinners according to that of the Satyrist vitia ultima fictos Contemnunt Scauros castigata remordent Enormous vices if they be chastised or reprehended will contemn and bite again V. 9. Will he give ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is here no more then will he give The Greek ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã being oft all one with the Hebrew ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã nunquid as in the Gemara ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã nunquid scriptum est is it written V. 23. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã here and in some other places hath a peculiar notion neerer an Expletive then a Causall and is best rendred by the Latine scilicet the English Thus or the like as a form only of introducing the speech that comes after He shall say unto them what shall he say Why or thus he shall say I know you not c. So c. 10. 7. and so c. 26. 72. He denied with an oath
thus 't was sure the power of the true God and not any virtue in the words that did it This Christ uses as an argument ad homines that they who themselves profess'd to cast out Devils by the God of Abraham had no reason to say Christ did it by the Prince of Devils V. 32. Speaketh a word It is ordinary in the Hebrew dialect for speaking to signifie doing and word to signifie thing and so here to blaspheme or to speak a word against the son of man and again against the Holy Ghost is to oppose and resist them Now the phrase Son of man here belongs unto Christ as he appear'd in the weaknesse of humane state the son of Mary considered without any such light shining in him to convince all men that he was the Messias viz. Christ abstracted from the great power of his doctrine and miracles which when they did appeare convinced the Auditors to an acknowledgment that never man spake as he spake and the beholders here v. 23. and elsewhere that sure he was the Messias This power of his doctrine and here particularly of his miracles is in the parallel place Luc. 11. 20. called the finger of God which what it signifies is cleare by Exod. 8. 19. when that is said to be truly the finger of God that is a work of Gods own power which the Magicians by their sorcery were not able to doe and here v. 28. the spirit of God which two phrases finger of God and spirit of God appeare by these two parallel places compared to be all one and consequently To oppose or to speak against the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the holy spirit or the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Spirit of God is in this place to oppose the power and convincing light of these miracles of his which manifested him to act by the power of God so were the Testimonies of God himself that Christ was what he affirm'd himself to be the Messias promised And that shews the ground of difference betwixt these two sinnes speaking against the Son of man and speaking against the Holy Ghost the first was the not beleiving him to be the Messias when though he affirmed himself to be so yet there was not that convincing light and manifestation of his being so but the second was resisting this light thus brightly shining in him acknowledging the miracles which he did Joh. 11. 48. but rather then they would acknowledge them to be done by God because if they did that they must receive him as the Messias which they would not doe because he was not such an one as they had fancyed and desired he should be a temporall deliverer affirming them to be done by the Devill v. 24. which being their onely possible evasion and that here confuted by Christ by three arguments the first v. 26. the second v. 27 28. and the third v. 29 and 30. he now tells them that this if they continue in it must needs bee a wilfull blindnesse and so not capable of that excuse of ignorance or blinde zeale of which the former sinne was capable Ib. It shall be forgiven him The difference of these two sinnes being set downe note h. it followes now that the former of these was a sinne for which under the Law of the Jewes there was place for sacrifice and and so for forgivenesse upon a generall confession of all unknowne sins and asking pardon for them of God It did not incurre that sanction of Death or Excision from the people and proportionably in the Christistian anagogy it was in the number or of the nature of those sins by which the sinner if before living spiritually doth not ipso facto become spiritually dead nor incurre present obligation to death eternall but by Christs sacrifice is preserved from it and if before he were spiritually dead yet is not this such as is to him imputed so as to fill up the measure of his iniquities and bring utter desertion upon him but as a sin ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or unaffected ignorance Num. 15. 28. is accordingly pardonable by a generall repentance such was that of Nathaniel Joh. 1. 4. 5. Can any good come out of Nazareth which was speaking a word against the son of man and yet easily pardonable Ib. It shall not be forgiven As that former kind of sin was capable of mercy so this second was of a farre higher nature none of those ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Ignorances for which only sacrifices were appointed under the law Heb. 9. 7. Num 15. 18. but parallel to those for which there was no Sacrifice accepted see Heb. 10. but just vengeance and punishment under the Law to which death without mercy was to be expected on the impenitent opposers the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã adversaries and despisers Heb. 10. 27 28. Those that sin thus are the soul that doth ought presumptuously or with a high hand Num. 15. 30. a hand lifted up saith the Hebrew a hand against Gods finger Lu. 11. 20. or against the holy Spirit here and so that reproaches the Lord there as the spirit Heb. 10. 27. which is just the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or blaspheming the spirit here and so the Hebrew ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã reproach there is rendred blasphemy by the Greek 2 Kin. 19. 22. and so must be cut off from the people And proportionably now under the Gospel such a sin as this shall not be forgiven the offender thereby if he were before spiritually living certainly dyes spiritually and so is cut off from Gods true Israel and by the Apostles and the Churches discipline is to be cut off from the congregation by censures the sacrifice of Christs death typifyed by the legall sacrifices doth not obtain that such sinners should not fall into present spirituall death and present obligation to eternall death nor doth the spirit of meeknesse but the rod of Excommunication belong to such Or if the offender were not before spiritually living this addes unto his dead works and so brings on him a new obligation to eternall death Though the sacrifice of Christs death if they repent of such sin particularly and actually God giving them space of life to do so may and certainly doth raise them up from this spiritual death and obligation to eternall by Justification But without such particular speciall repentance from their sin particularly retracted they shall continue in death spirituall here till they fall into eternall hereafter which is now by Christ most clearly revealed against all wilfull sin centinued in impenitently though it were not before so clearly revealed under the Law The issue of this whole matter as farre as concern'd the Pharisees there was this that unlesse their sinne were particularly retracted by repentance and Christ received and acknowledged upon these miracles of his or afterwards by the conviction which the Holy Ghost should work upon the crucifiers they can never have pardon or
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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Caesar Augustus such a year after the taking of Judea This latter no question is that which is here meant by the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 saâd 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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã of which the Sadducees ask v. 23. and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã goes no farther for ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is standing or subsisting and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in composition signifies re or again so ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã of the flesh or ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã of the body or ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã of the dead in the neuter as ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã signifies cadavera or dead bodies or when without any of these the context of the Author doth appear to restrain it
and told them Elias verily cometh first and restoreth all things and how it is written of the son of man that he must suffer many things and be set at nought 13. But I say unto you that Elias is indeed come and they have done unto him whatsoever they listed as it is written of him Paraphrase 12 13. And he answered them saying It is no doubt prophecied of Elias Mal. 4. 5. that he should come before the great and terrible day of the Lord that is the destruction of the Jewes on purpose to convert and deliver them from it v. 6. But let me tell you John Baptist is this Elias and he ye know is come already as well as I and they have used him as Ahab used Elias when he was here on earth stood out obdurate against all his threats And as they have done with him so shall they deale with me persecute despise and put me to death according to the predictions of the old prophets concerning the Messiah and as was intimated by John Baptist in those words of his Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world meaning that I should beare your punishments as a lamb be sacrificed and slain by and for you See Mat. 17. 11 12. 14. And when he came to his disciples he saw a great multitude about them and the Scribes questioning with them 15. And straightway all the people when they beheld him were greatly amazed and running to him saluted him 16. And he asked the Scribes What question ye with them Paraphrase 16. About what doe you question the disciples ver 14. 17. And one of the multitude answered and said Master I have brought unto thee my son which hath a dumb spirit Paraphrase 17. a disease which when it is upon him takes away his speech an Epilepsy Lu. 9. 39. and hearing v. 25. 18. And wheresoever he taketh him he note b teareth him and he foameth and gnasheth with his teeth and pineth away and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out and they could not 19. He answereth him and saith O faithlesse generation how long shall I be with you how long shall I suffer you bring him unto me Paraphrase 19. He said to his disciples or In his answer to the man he said to his disciples See Mat. 17. 17. 20. And they brought him unto him and when he saw him streightway the spirit tare note c him and he fell on the ground and wallowed foaming Paraphrase 20. put him into a fit 21. And he asked his father How long is it agoe since this came unto him And he said Of a child 22. And oft-times it hath cast him into the fire and into the waters to destroy him but if thou canst doe any thing have compassion on us and help us Paraphrase 22. so as to endanger his life 23. And Jesus said unto him If thou canst beleive all things are possible to him that beleiveth Paraphrase 23. If thou canst beleive me to be able to doe it thou mayest then be capable of this miracle For 24. And straightway the father of the child cryed out and said with teares Lord I beleive help thou mine unbeleif Paraphrase 24. and whatever degree of faith is wanting in me I beseech thee to pardon and repair it in me 25. When Jesus saw that the people came running together he rebuked the foule spirit saying unto him Thou dumb and deaf spirit I charge thee come out of him and enter no more into him Paraphrase 25. commanded the devil that inflicted that disease saying Thou evil spirit which afflictest this person so sorely that he can neither speak nor hear 26. And the spirit cryed and rent him sore and came out of him and he was as one dead insomuch that many said He is dead Paraphrase 26. And he fell into a sore fit of Epilepsy and therewith was forever freed of the disease 27. But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up and he arose Paraphrase 27. recovered 28. And when he was come into the house his disciples asked him privately note d Why could not we cast him out Paraphrase 28. His disciples thinking verily that they were not able to cure this disease asked in private what the reason was 29. And he said unto them This kind can come forth by nothing but by prayer and fasting Paraphrase 29. And he told them that to the curing of this disease they ought to have fasted and prayed and their not using that means which they ought to have used was it that made them not able to doe it and that was the culpable omission which he reprehended in them v. 19. See Mat. 17. 21. 30. And they departed thence and passed through Galilee and he would not that any man should know it 31. For he taught his disciples and said unto them The son of man is delivered into the hands of men and they shall kill him and after he is killed that he shall rise the third day Paraphrase 30 31. And Christ now determined to be more private seeing and telling his disciples how little good was now likely to be done by his farther miracles it being certain that the chief of the Jewes would instead of believing on him put him to death but as this should be so within three days he should rise again and that would be a proper means to convince some See note on Mat. 8. b. 32. But they understood not that saying and were afraid to ask him 33. And he came to Capernaum and being in the house he asked them What was it that ye disputed among your selves by the way 34. But they held their peace for by the way they had disputed among themselves who should be the greatest Paraphrase 34. they had as they went along fallen into a contention which of them was to be preferred before to take place of the rest 35. And he sate down and called the twelve and saith unto them If any man desire to be first the same shall be last of all and servant of all Paraphrase 35. The precedence among my disciples all that they are capable of that of being governours of the Church brings no advantage to him that hath it but to be more the servant of other men more work and business being the only advantage of that precedence which shall befall you and your successors in the Church 36. And he took a child and set him in the midst of them and when he had taken him in his arms he said unto them 37. Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name receiveth me and whosoever shall receive me receiveth not me but him that sent me Paraphrase 36 37. To which purpose he gave them a significative embleme in shewing them a little child and having done so taking him into his arms and embracing him By the former part intimating what was before exprest v. 35. that he that will expect
ãâã ãâã ãâã repentance and remission of sins must be preach'd to all nations From whence not onely appears that ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is literally ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã creatures but clearly signifies men and so ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 ãâã 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 âe 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
when the eighth day was come wherein 't was the law and custome for children to be circumcised and named he was circumcised and his name imposed on him which was Jesus according as he had been 22. And when the dayes of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished they brought him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord Paraphrase 22. they brought him as their first-born to present him to the Priest and then to redeem him as Num. 18. 15. is appointed 23. As it is written in the law of the Lord Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord. Paraphrase 23. According to that law given to the Jews that as the first-born male of other creatures so the first-born son in remembrance of Gods slaying all the first born of the Aegyptians to deliver them should be consecrated to God Exod. 13. 3. and since the Levites were by God taken in stead of the first-born it is to be redeemed Num. 3. 12. 46. 24. And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord a pair of turtle doves or two young pigeons Paraphrase 24. And then for her own purification after child-birth Lev. 12. 6. to offer her pair of turtles being not able to offer a lamb which is an argument that the Magi had not yet brought their presents Mat 2. 11. according to the commandement of God that he which is not able to bring a lâmb shall bring a pair of turtles c. Lev. 12. 8. 25. And behold there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon and the same man was just and devout waiting for the consolation of Israel and the holy Ghost was upon him Paraphrase 25. an upright and godly man looking for and expecting the coming of the Messias see v. 38. whether in a spiritual onely or as most expected in a temporal kingdom to restore their liberty to the Jews 26. And it was revealed unto him by the holy Ghost that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ Paraphrase 26. And he had received revelation from the holy Ghost that before he died the Messias should come and he should see him 27. And he came by the Spirit into the Temple and the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him after the custome of the Law Paraphrase 27. And at this very time he came by the guidance and dictate of the Spirit into the Temple and when Joseph and Mary brought in Jesus to perform those things which were according to the law usual to be done 28. Then took he him up in his armes and blessed God and said Paraphrase 28. recited this hymne 29. Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy word Paraphrase 29. Lord now thou hast fulfilled thy promise revealed to me v. 26. I am heartily content to die 30. For mine eyes have seen thy salvation Paraphrase 30. For I have with these fleshly eyes of mine beheld the Messias 31. Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people Paraphrase 31. Whom thou hast so long promised and at last exhibited in the sight of all the congregation 32. A light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of thy people Israel Paraphrase 32. A light afforded to the Gentile world Isa 49. 6. to reveal to them Gods righteousnesse or the way of living which will be acceptable to God Psal 116. 18. and after he hath reformed the religion of the Jews taught them the substantial in stead of the Ceremonial observances to bring the Gentiles to the receiving of that religion and so to bring much glory and honour to that nation to those at least thaâ do receive him or in case they will do so 33. And Joseph and his mother marvailed at those things which were spoken of him 34. And Simeon blessed them and said unto Mary his mother Behold this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel and for a sign which shall be spoken against Paraphrase 34. is appointed by God to be a means of bringing punishment and ruine upon all obdurate impenitents and on the other side to redeem restore recover those that will be wrought on by him throughout all this people and he shall be vehemently opposed so holy and severe in his precepts and practise that he shall be a butt or sign such as are mention'd Isa 8. 18. a mark for all obdurate sinners to set themselves against 35. Yes a note f sword shall pierce through thy own soul also that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed Paraphrase 35. And that opposition shall bring upon thee either death it self or some sore affliction that the machinations and designes of men see note on Mat. 15. e. which are now kept secret may come forth and be discovered by their dealings with him by the judgments which they passe upon him some receiving him as the Messias others not See note on Rom. 8. f. 36. And there was one Anna a prophetesse the daughter of Phanuel of the tribe of Aser she was of a great age and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity Paraphrase 36. very old and had lived in the matrimonial estate but seven years unto which she came a pure virgin 37. And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years which departed not from the Temple but note g served God with fastings and prayers night and day Paraphrase 37. And being now a widow of about 84 years old she constantly frequented the Temple see note on Act. 1. d. and performed all acts of piety praying and fasting constantly at the prescribed and accustomed seasons of performing those duties fasting twice a week see c. 18. 12. and observing the dayly houres of prayer 38. And she coming in at that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem Paraphrase 38. sang an hymne to him and expresly affirmed him to be the Messias and this she did to all those in Jerusalem which expected the coming of the Messias See v. 25. 39. And when they had performed all things according to the Law of the Lord they returned into Galilee to their own city Nazareth Paraphrase 39. they returned to Bethlehem and there continued till they were warned to remove into Aegypt Mat. 2. 14. from whence returning they came to their own dwelling at Nazareth in Galilee Mat. 2. 23. 40. And the child grew and waxed strong in spirit filled with wisdome and the grace of God was upon him Paraphrase 40. And Jesus grew in stature of body and faculties of mind his divine Spirit assisting and strengthning his natural faculties and was indued with great wisdome through the grace and power of Gods Spirit upon him 41. Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the Passeover 42. And when he was twelve years old they went
and the ruine of the house was great Paraphrase 49. But he that sinketh not down my precepts into his heart Annotations on Chap. VI. V. 1. Second Sabbath after the first This phrase ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã hath been matter of trouble to Interpreters The most probable conjecture concerning it is that of the learned H. Grotius which I shall thus explain and confirme When any of the solemn yearly feasts fell on the Sabbath day that Sabbath had a speciall extraordinary respect attributed to it and was called sometimes ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a great Sabbath and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a great day of Sabbath Jo. 19. 31. Now three of these feasts there were the Passover Pentecost and the feast of Tabernacles Of these feasts some dayes there were dayes of holy assemblies ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã wherein the assemblies were called together as the first day of unleavened bread Lev. 23. 7. and the seventh day of it v. 8. the day of Pentecost Lev. 23. 21. the first of the feast of Tabernacles Lev. 23. 35. and the eighth v. 36. And these being dayes of rest as 't is appointed in every of those places were a kind of Sabbaths and distinguish'd from the other dayes of the feast and therefore called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the great day Is 1. 13. And ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the great day of the feast Jo 7. 37. And accordingly Tertullian cont Marcion l. 5. speaking of the observation of dayes mentions jejunia dies magnos Fasts and great dayes But when any of these great dayes fell on the Sabbath too then that was not only a great day but a great Sabbath Now this great Sabbath was called also ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a prime or first Sabbath as ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã are all one and consequently three of these prime or great or first Sabbaths there were 1. When the Passover that is either of the great dayes of that feast but especially the first fell on a Sabbath and 2 ly when the day of Pentecost and 3 ly when the great day of the feast of Tabernacles fell on a Sabbath day and these prime or great Sabbaths were thus distinguish'd one from another The first of them call'd ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the first prime Sabbath i. e. when the first day of the feast of Passover fell upon a Sabbath day The second of them ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the second prime Sabbath that is the day of Pentecost falling on a Sabbath The third of them ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the third prime Sabbath that is the great âay of the feast of Tabernacles falling on a Sabbath of which Josephus saith that 't is then ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a Sabbath most adored or reverenced By all this appears that by this phrase ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is meant on the day of Pentecost falling on a Sabbath at that time That ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã should be all one as if it had been ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã appears to be according to Analogy by the like use of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã used frequently by Josephus not as 't is conceived for the tithe of tithes payed by the Levites to the Priests but the second tithing which was sold and the price carried up to Jerusalem and spent in festivity there Tob. 1. 7. which in Tobit is called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in two words the second tithing V. 12. Praier ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã signifies an oratory a place where men are wont to pray and so seems to be used in some places of the Scripture especially in S. Lukes writings So Acts 16. 13. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the Syriack read ubi conspiciebatur ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã where a house of prayer was seen a praying place by a river side as here on a mountain such an one there was in Mispah 1. Mac. 3. 46. where upon occasion of the victory gotten by Joshua in that place Jos 11. 3 8. they were wont to meet to pray and to deliberate on any great affair and there was an Altar built by Joshua and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã an house of prayer or ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã an house consecrate for prayers which prayers and consecration being both made unto God it is very agreeable that those places so consecrated to him should be called as here ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Oratories or praying houses of God Of these ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã we find frequent mention in Josephus in his own life the people convened in a ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã as they call it a house of prayer ample and capacious of great multitudes and speaking of Tiberias I found the people convened in a ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and Epiphan t. 2. l. 3. c. 80. There were ancient places of prayer both among the Jewes without the city and among the Samaritans as we find saith he in the Acts of the Apostles Such a place there is in Sichem which is now called Neapolis without the city in a plain region And some such place it may seem to be wherein Jesus coutinued all night in this verse V. 13. Apostles The title ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Apostles which is here by Christ said to be given to the Twelve is a name of power and dignity and authority in the Church and how it doth signifie so will deserve to be explained That the Government of the Church of God was now setled on the son of man upon earth that is upon Christ incarnate had been foretold Is 9. 6. the Government shall be upon his shoulders and Is 61. 1. the spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings c. he hath sent me to bind up c. to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord c. see Lu. 4. 18 21. In which place as the Anointing and the Spirit of the Lord being upon him so the sending is a setling the Government upon him And the sending is a solemn word noting a Diploma or Commission sealed to him as it were by God in heaven by the Spirits descending on him Mat. 3. 17. and that supplyed the place of the solemn unction the ceremony of advancing to any office which is therefore paraphrased by the Chaldee by ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã exaltation which was now out of fashion under the second Temple and was to be supplied by Gods testimony from Heaven as to Christ it was and is accordingly styled Gods anointing him with the holy Ghost Acts 10. 38. and simply Gods anointing Acts 4. 27. Hence it is that Christ is said to be sent by his Father Joh. 20. 21. to have power on earth to forgive sins Mat. 9. 6. to have all power in heaven and earth delivered to him Mat. 28. 18. to be the teacher and Lord of his Church or Disciples Joh. 13. 1. and as the High Priest of our profession so ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã
healed the child and delivered him again to his father Paraphrase 42. he fell into a fit of that disease which by the power of the devil was brought upon him and fell down and after his manner it made an horrible agitation or tumult within him and Jesus cast out the devil and freed the man from the disease 43. And they were all amazed at the mighty power of God but while they wondred every one at all things which Jesus did he said unto his disciples 44. Let these sayings sink down into your eares for the son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men Paraphrase 44. Mark what I say unto you It is this I shall shortly be put to death by the Jews and Romans and shall suddenly rise again Mat. 17. 23 24. 45. But they understood not this saying and it was hid from them that they perceived it not and they feared to ask him that saying Paraphrase 45. what he meant by those words though they thought much upon it yet could not they imagine what it meant and yet they durst not ask him the meaning 46. Then there arose a reasoning among them which of them should be greatest Paraphrase 46. But by occasion of them thinking Christs kingdome should shortly begin they fell into a dispute among themselves who of them should have the highest dignity at this revelation of Christs kingdom 47. And Jesus perceiving the thought of their heart took a child and set him by him Paraphrase 47. And Christ either being asked by some of them Mat. 18. 1. or else of his own accord discerning by his divine knowledge the debate they were engaged in though now they were ashamed that he should know it Mar. 9. 33 34. and being willing to cure this vain ambition in them took a little child and set him in the next place to himself 48. And saith unto them Whosoever shall receive this child in my name receiveth me and whosoever shall receive me receiveth him that sent me for he that is least among you all the same shall be great Paraphrase 48. And said unto them The dignity that from me or in any kingdom accueth unto any belongs to such as these the humblest and meekest The dignity which from my Father is communicated to me and from me to others is the portion of the meekest See Mat. 18. 4. 49. And John answered and said Master we saw one casting out devils in thy name and we forbad him because he followeth not with us 50. And Jesus said unto him Forbid him not for he that he is not against us is for us Paraphrase 50. for though he keep not company with us yet if he do it in my name he is one that believes in me and not to be forbidden See Mar. 9. 39. and Mat. 12. 30. 51. And it came to passe when the time was come that he should be note d received up he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem Paraphrase 51. when the time was come see Acts 2. a. when he was to be crucified not being terrified with that danger he resolved firmely to go up to Jerusalem 52. And sent messengers before his face and they went and entred into a village of the Samaritans to make ready for him Paraphrase 52. some of his disciples before as harbingers which was part of the disciples office 53. And they did not receive him because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem Paraphrase 53. And the Samaritans would not give him reception because he appeared to them to be a going to Jerusalem and they never do so but worship in mount Gerizim Joh. 4. 20. and so separate from all those that think Jerusalem the onely place of worship 54. And when his disciples James and John saw this they said Lord wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven and consume them even as Elias did 55. But he turned and rebuked them and said Ye know not what manner note e spirit ye are of Paraphrase 55. The Christians spirit the oeconomy or course prescribed them differs much from that of a Prophet in the Old Testament moved by zeal against the enemies of God The course which you must take with such is that of sweetnesse and perswasivenesse and this proposal of yours is very contrary to that 56. For the son of man is not come to destroy mens lives but to save them And they went to another village Paraphrase 56. For I came not to kill any but to preserve and rescue from death and from all that is ill And all the revenge that Christ thought fit to act upon them was to leave them and go to another village 57. And it came to passe that as they went in the way a certain man said unto him Lord I will follow thee withersoever thou goest 58. And Jesus said unto him The Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests but the son of man hath not where to lay his head Paraphrase 58. you had best to consider what you do for doing so will be far from advancing any temporal interest of yours Mat. 8. 20. 59. And he said unto another Follow me But he said Lord suffer me first to go and bury my father Paraphrase 59. And there was another ãâã of his who had already undertaken his service and attended on him Mat. 18. 21. who came unto him and said Sir before I betake my self wholly to attendance on thee spare me so long till I have buried my father either now newly dead of which the news is now come to me or very old whom I would attend while he lives and give him that civility of burial and then come and follow thee Theophylact. 60. Jesus said unto him Let the dead bury their dead but go thou and preach the kingdom of God Paraphrase 60. But Jesus replied unto him The Nazarite Num. 6. 7. being consecrated to God was not to pollute himself with his dead father but leave that work of burying him to others and so the Priest also and therefore thou that hast by the tender of thine attendance consecrated thy self to me must referre that office of burying thy father to others that have not undertaken that attendance and set presently about thy task of preaching the Gospel See note on Mat. 8. 22. 61. And another also said Lord I will follow thee but let me first go bid them farewell that are at home at my house 62. And Jesus said unto him No man having put his hand to the plough and looking back is fit for the kingdom of God Paraphrase 62. He that holds the plough must follow it close and not make errands home or betake himself to any other businesse till his dayes work be done if he do he will not be fit for that imployment So thou if thou wilt undertake my service must not defer or procrastinate but presently set to it without any delay and then follow it with the same
ãâã ãâã and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã any administration or discharge of any office by going in and going out Which if it be applyable to the latter of them taken alone as it is both here and in that place of S. Chrysostome then 't is a farther account of the propriety of this sense which I have affix'd to it this coming of Christ to the destruction of his crucifiers being an eminent act of administration of his regal office and thence oft called the kingdom of God in the executing judgement on such traiterous opposers of his kingdom V. 51. Received up ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã here applyed to Christ may possibly belong to his assumption up to heaven out of this world which then might be said to draw near but 't is somewhat more probable that it should signifie his Crucifixion which was to be at Jerusalem toward which place he is here said to go because his time was come And to this the expression agrees which is used by Christ Joh. 12. 32. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã if I be lifted up which the text saith was a testification of the kind of his death that is of his crucifixion and indeed the Syriack word for the Crosse being ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã from ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to erect or lift up noting the tignum or palus which was in sublime erectus to be crucified in the Syriack expression will be to be exalted or lifted up V. 55. Spirit The word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Spirit is very diversely taken in the New Testament 1. sometimes with the addition of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã God or Christ or ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã holy and sometimes without it for the eternal Spirit of God the holy Ghost the third person in the sacred Trinity Mat. 28. 19 into which we are baptized And from thence 2dly for the graces and gifts of that Spirit whether those that are of use to all sorâs of men as the Spirit of supplication Zach. 12. 10. that is zealous ardent prayer and accordingly we read of praying ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Ephes 6. 18. in or with the Spirit and Iude 20. with the addition of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in or with the holy Spirit praying as those do that are by the Spirit of God enabled or raised to perform this duty with some ardency So Eph. 5. 19. being filled with the Spirit in opposition to being drunk with wine is expressed by speaking in Psalms and hymnes and spiritual songs in or with the heart zealously and cordially Or whether those which belong not to all but onely to those which are thus to be qualified for any office whether Regal or Prophetick or Evangelical So the Spirit of prophecy Act. 2. 18. and the double portion of Elias's Spirit that is the right as of primogeniture of succeeding him in his prophetick office So 1 Cor. 14. 12. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã zealous of Spirits that is of those gifts of tongues c. that were given the Apostles for the planting of the Gospel So v. 2. he that speaks with tongues ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã speaks in an hidden unintelligible manner by that gift of tongues see v. 19. and 23. for no man heares that is understands him and in the same sense v. 14. my Spirit that is my gift of tongues prayeth I make use of that gift which no body but my self understands c. 3 ly 'T is taken for an Angel whether good or bad good Revel 1. 4. bad Mar. 1. 23. 5. 2. and unclean that is diabolical or evil spirit as appeareth v. 9. From the ambiguity of which it is that ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 1 Cor. 12. 1. is taken in the latitude both for those that are acted with an evil and which are inspired with a good Spirit the Spirit of God which is looked on as a fountain of all supernatural revelations 1 Cor. 2. 12. and opposed there to the spirit of the world that which the world knows or can reveal to us see Note on Rom. 9. a. To this I suppose must be reduced another notion not farre distant wherein the word Spirits signifies teachers pretenders to inspiration from God whether truely or falsly so 1 Ioh. 4. 1. Believe not every spirit but trie the spirits whether they be of God Give not heed to every teacher but examine all such pretenders whether they be truely of God or no for as it followes many false prophets have gone out into the world where those false prophets are one sect of those spirits which must be examined So v. 2. by this ye know the spirit of God that is a truely inspired teacher sent by God Every spirit which confesses Jesus Christ which is come in the flesh is from God And v. 3. Every spirit which confesseth not c. the spirit again is the teacher for to him onely it belongeth to confesse or not confesse And this is that of Antichrist the Antichristian teachers which cometh and now is in the world which cannot be affirmed again but of a person Which is yet more manifest v. 5. They are from the world ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in the Masculine therefore they speak from the world and the world heareth them You are from God he that knoweth God heareth you Where the spirits before are now described as teachers worldly or divine and again expressed in the end of ver 6. by the Spirit of truth and the spirit of errour either orthodox or erroneous seducing teachers the latter of which are distinctly called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã deceivers or impostors 2 Ioh. 7. and those with the same character affix'd to them that belonged to the spirits which were not of God 1 Ioh. 4. 3. From whence it will be most reasonable to interpret the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã seducing spirits 1 Tim. 4. 1. of persons also though the doctrines of devils that are joyned with them would incline to interpret them of doctrines taught by such 4 ly 'T is taken sometimes for an apparition the shape or seeming of a body without any real corporeity in it So Luk. 24. 37 39. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã they thought they saw a spirit for which Mat. 14. 26. and Mar. 6. 49. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a phantasme is used 5 ly It is taken for the spirit of man the supreme diviner faculty opposed to the body of flesh Gal. 5. 17. 1 Thess 5 23. and set higher then ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the soul common to man with other sensitive creatures So 1 Cor. 2. 11. the spirit of a man that is in him to which it belongeth to search to the secrets and bottome of him So 1 Pet. 3 19. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã are the spirits and souls of men of the meaning of which place see Note on 1 Pet. 3. f. So Ioh. 6. 63. the spirit that enliveneth is the soul that animates the body as Jam. 2. 26. And from
fright thinking it had been a vision of some spirit without any reall body joyned unto it 38. And he said unto them Why are ye troubled and why doe thoughts arise in your hearts Paraphrase 38. yee doubt or suspect me to be a spirit without a body 39. Behold my hands and my feet that it is I my self handle me and see for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have Paraphrase 39. it is very I body and soul together 40. And when he had thus spoken he shewed them his hands and his feet Paraphrase 40. gave them leave to see and feel the prints of the nails in his hands and feet 41. And while they yet believed not for joy and wondred He said unto them Have ye here any meat Paraphrase 41. And the greater and more transporting their joy was the lesse confident were they of the truth of it and therefore to confirm them in the certain belief of it he called for some meat 42. And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish and of an honey comb 43. And he took it and did eat before them 44. And he said unto them These are the words which I said unto you while I was yet with you that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses and in the prophets and in the Psalms concerning me Paraphrase 44. What you now see I did foretel when I was among you before my crucifixion is agreeable to all the severall images and predictions of me in all the books of God which were of necessity to be fulfilled 45. Then opened he their understanding that they might understand the scriptures Paraphrase 45. Then by the speciall operation of his spirit he gave them the understanding of the Scriptures in those things especially which concerned the Messias 46. And said unto them Thus it is written and thus it behoved Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day 47. And that repentance and remission of sinnes should be preached in his name among all nations beginning at Jerusalem 48. And ye are witnesses of these things Paraphrase 46 47 48. The summe of which he declared to be this that the Messias was thus to be put to death and rise again and that his Apostles the witnesses thereof should after his resurrection preach repentance and upon that remission of sinnes to Jerusalem and through all Judea first and then to all the nations of the world 49. And behold I send the promise of my Father upon you but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem untill ye be indued with power from on high Paraphrase 49. To which end he promised immediately to send them the holy Spirit promised by God the Father to descend from heaven upon every one of them and so to install them to succeed him in his office till which time he commanded them all to stay and not to stiree out of Jerusalem 50. And he led them out as farre as to Bethany and he lift up his hands and blessed them 51. And it came to passe while he blessed them he was parted from them and carried up into heaven Paraphrase 51. Act. 1. 9. 52. And they worshipped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy 53. And they were continually in the Temple praising and blessing God Amen Paraphrase 53. constantly at the times of devotion see note on Act. 1. d. in some of the chambers of the Temple Annotations on Chap. XXIV V. 18. Cleophas This Cleophas saith Hegesippus was the brother of Joseph Marys husband and so the reputed uncle of Christ whose son Simeon saith Eusebius there was by the joynt consent of all the Apostles then living made Bishop of Jerusalem after James as being neerest of kin to our Saviour The Gospel according to S. JOHN CHAP. I. 1. IN the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God 2. The same was in the beginning with God 3 All things were made by him and without him was not any thing made that was made Paraphrase 1 2. In the beginning of the world before all time before any thing was created the son of God had a subsistence and that subsistence with his Father of whom he was begotten from all eternity and was himself eternal God and being by his Father in his eternal purpose design'd to be the Messias who was among the Jews known by the title of the Word of God see note on Luk. 1. b. he is here fitly express'd by that title The word Paraphrase 3. This eternal word of God I mean by which all things were at first created 4. In him was life and the life was the light of men Paraphrase 4. He brought with him that doctrine which is worthily called life c. 6. 63. and 12. 50. because it leads to holy life here such as God will be sure to accept of through Christ and to reward eternally whereas the law was the bringing in of death see c. 10. 10. and this vivificall doctrine was the means designed by God to lead and enlighten all mankind especially the Jews to tell them their duty and therefore is called the light of life c. 8. 12. 5. And the light shineth in darknesse and the darknesse comprehended it not Paraphrase 5. Though through the darknesse of mens hearts the greatest part of the Jews themselves had no fruit or benefit by it 6. There was a man sent from God whose name was John Paraphrase 6. There came a man with commission from God to preach repentance to the lews 7. The same came for a witnesse to bear witnesse of the light that all men through him might believe Paraphrase 7. He was by God sent on purpose to testifie that Christ was the Messias the true teacher sent from heaven that so by that testimony of his all men might believe on him 8. He was not that light but was sent to bear witnesse of that light Paraphrase 8. This Iohn was not the Messias but the whole end of his mission into the world was to 9. That was the true light which lighteth every man note a that cometh into the world Paraphrase 9. That word which now I speak of that is Christ is that true light eminently that which light is defined to be able to refresh and warm the coldest and to enlighten the darkest heart And he as the sun after a long darknesse of night is now risen in our hemisphere see v. 10. and c 9. 5. and 12. 46. and being manifested to the world shineth forth to every man therein 10. He was in the world and the world was made by him and the world knew him not Paraphrase 10. This word was from the beginning in the world in so eminent a manner that indeed the world was made by him but the generality of men did not take notice of him 11. He came unto his own and his own received him not Paraphrase 11. And therefore
and were baptized Paraphrase 23. a place chosen by him as commodious to that purpose by reason of the pooles of water and thither the people came and were baptized of him there 24. For John was not yet cast into prison 25. Then there arose a question between some of John's disciples and the Jewes about purifying Paraphrase 25. his receiving of proselytes and using the ceremony of baptisme on which occasion mention was made of Christ's using the same ceremony 26. And they came unto John and said unto him Rabbi He that was with thee beyond Jordan to whom thou barest witnesse behold the same baptizeth and all men come unto him Paraphrase 26. Hereupon they come and tell John that Christ describing him to him receiveth proselytes with this ceremony and there is a great recourse to him 27. John answered and said A man can receive nothing except it be given him from heaven Paraphrase 27. I can doe no more then I have commission from God to doe and that commission doth not equall me to him 28. Ye your selves bear me witnesse that I said I am not the Christ but that I am sent before him Paraphrase 28. And therefore you cannot but remember that I alwaies said of my self that I am not the Messias but only his harbinger 29. note b He that hath the bride is the bridegroom but the friend of the bridegroom which standeth and heareth him rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegrooms voice This my joy therefore is fulfilled Paraphrase 29. When the bridegroom hath the bride in secret conference to consummate the marriage and the friend of the bridegroom hearkens at the doore to hear whether all succeed well or no if the bridegrom signifie by some form of speech that was usuall to that purpose that all succeeds prosperously then that friend rejoices exceedingly and thus is it with me in my attendance on Christ at this time 30. He must increase but I must decrease Paraphrase 30. And of him I shall farther foretell you that he shall increase daily in splendor and fame and I proportionably decrease 31. He that cometh from above is above all he that is of the earth is earthly and speaketh of the earth he that cometh from heaven is above all Paraphrase 31. And it is all reason that it should be so For he cometh from heaven and so must needs be superiour to all such as I who am an earthly man having my originall from the earth made up or compounded of earth and therefore what I say or doe is but of an earthy but what he of a much higher originall my baptizing is but like the rest of your Jewish baptismes see v. 12. only with water but his with the holy Ghost also 32. And what he hath seen and heard that he testifieth and no man receiveth his testimony Paraphrase 32. And the thing which he teacheth he knowes to be true having received it from his Father but the multitude of men in the world receive not his testimony believe not that he is sent from God 33. He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seale that God is true Paraphrase 33. He that doth receive it doth in effect no more but bear witnesse unto and acknowledge the veracity of God himself it being as impossible that one so sent from God as Christ should lie as that God should lie himself 34. For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him Paraphrase 34. The former prophets had the Spirit in a limited measure bestowed on them by God to goe on such or such an errand on which God sent them and 't is therefore Thus saith the Lord to all their prophecies But on Christ the Spirit descended once for all and commanded belief of all that he should say 35. The Father loveth the Son and hath given all things into his hand Paraphrase 35. Christ is the welbeloved of his Father and by him God hath revealed to us all things fit to reveal see Mat. 3. 17. And therefore 36. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him Paraphrase 36. Whosoever gives up his faith and obedience to him is in a course which will bring him to all felicity eternally and on the contrary he that stands out contumaciously against his doctrine continues immutably and inevitably under the wrath of God due to him both for his former sins and this addition of his standing out against this powerfull method of Gods for the recalling him Annotations on Chap. III. V. 5. Born of water The nature of Proselytes among the Jewes and the difference of them hath been spoken of Note on Mat. 23. d. and also the manner of initiating them by washing or Baptisme Note on Mat. 3. a. as also their putting off all their former relations of kindred and consanguinity and so being as it were new-born Note on Mat. 19. 28. d. From hence it is that at the receiving of Christian religion which is the nobler Proselytisme and hath in the ceremony of initiation not only the washing in water but also the baptisme of the Spirit too that is the communication of that Spirit of Christ in some measure that descended on the Apostles Act. 2. a. man is here said by Christ to be born anew of water and the holy Ghost And when Nicodemus a learned Jew and a Master among them seems to be ignorant and wonders how this can be and asks this grosse question to that first part of it how one that is of age can be born again Christ wonders at him v. 10. intimating that this is the very doctrine of Proselytisme which no knowing Jew can be ignorant of to wit that he is to be wash'd and circumcised and being so is by the Jewes counted as one recens natus new born brought forth by another mother so that he who was kin to him before is now no longer kin to him This ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã washing of regeneration Tit. 3. 5. is in effect a being new born and he that so follows Christ in this regeneration or new birth Mat. 19. 28. if that be the right punctation he leaves brothers and sisters father and mother wife and children v. 29. and Mar. 10. 29. and Lu. 18. 29. And to the same purpose belongs that which follows v. 11 12. intimating that speech of Christ which Nicodemus so little understood of being born anew of water to have been a thing ordinarily seen and known among the Jews ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã an ordinary inferior earthly thing in comparison with the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã those higher celestial doctrines so much more contrary to the Jewish customs and laws that should be revealed and to the baptizing with the holy Ghost of which also he here speaks referring still to this custome of Proselytes
and evidences of his omniscience 17. The woman answered and said I have no husband Jesus said unto her Thou hast well said I have no husband 18. For thou hast had five husbands and he whom thou now hast is not thine husband in that saidst thou truly 19. The woman saith unto him Sir I perceive thou art a prophet Paraphrase 19. thou canst reveal the secrets of ones life hast prophetick knowledge If so then I pray tell me or satisfie me in this difficulty 22. Our Fathers worshipped in this mountain and ye say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship Paraphrase 20. Iacob and the Patriarcks before the law whose successors the Samaritans pretended to be and so pleaded a greater antiquity for their schisme then the Iewes had for their true worship but this falsly being indeed Assyrians transplanted by Salmaneser into the cities of Samaria when the tribe of Ephraim and the rest of the kingdome of Israel which inhabited there were by him carried into Assyria 2 Kin. 17. 24. worshipped in mount Ephraim at Shiloh in the countrey of Samaria where antiently the tabernacle and the ark of God were long before the building of the temple at Ierusalem And yet ye Iewes say that 't is not lawfull to perform the solemn worship of God in any place but Ierusalem 21. Jesus saith unto her Woman believe me the houre cometh when ye shall neither in this mountain nor yet at Jerusalem worship the Father Paraphrase 21. the worship of God shall be so farre from being confined to this place that it shall not be confined to Ierusalem it self nay a desolation shall shortly overwhelm both 22. Ye worship ye know not what we know what we worship for salvation is of the Jewes Paraphrase 22. Ye worship the God of the land 2 Kin. 17. 26. without any knowledge who that is and your own Gods with him We Iewes worship the eternall God of heaven who hath revealed himself to us For the speciall revelations of God beyond that which other nations enjoy belong to the Iewes and so all manner of advantages toward our eternall good 23. But the houre cometh and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth For the Father seeketh such to worship him Paraphrase 23. But now the time of Reformation approacheth and God will be worshipped and obeyed neither in the Iudaicall rites which are oft called carnall and consisted in externall performances nor according to the Samaritane false worship who worshipt their own idols together with God 2 Kin. 17. but in a pure spirituall manner extending to the very heart and such as was typified by those shadows and the son of God now comes to draw all men to this way of worship to the Christian from the Iudaicall or Samaritane way See note on Lu. 9. d. 24. God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth Paraphrase 24. is especially delighted with the Christian worship which is taught to joyn the soul with the externall performances and to worship the true God now revealed by Christ after that manner wherein Christ reveals him 25. The woman saith unto him I know that Messias cometh which is called Christ when he is come he will tell us all things Paraphrase 25. This reformation thou talkest of we know shall be wrought when the Messias or Christ comes and him we doe expect 26. Jesus saith unto her I that speak unto thee am he Paraphrase 26. I am that Messias 27. And upon this came his disciples and marvailed that he talked with the woman yet no man said What seekest thou or Why talkest thou with her Paraphrase 27. As he said this the disciples came back from the city v. 8. and thought it strange that he should thus discourse with this woman yet no man was so curious as to ask him the reason or require of him an account of this action 28. The woman then left her water-pot and went away into the city and saith to the men 29. Come see a man which told me all things that ever I did Is not this the Christ Paraphrase 29. many things of my life which were so secret that it is not imaginable how he should know them were he not the Messias 30. Then they went out of the city and came unto him Paraphrase 30. the people of Sychar 31. In the mean while his disciples note c prayed him saying Master eat 32. But he said unto them I have meat to eat that ye know not of Paraphrase 32. I have somewhat to doe more valuable to me then eating 33. Therefore said the disciples one to another Hath any man brought him ought to eat 34. Jesus saith unto them My meat is to doe the will of him that sent me and to finish his work Paraphrase 34. My doing the office for which I was sent is as pleasant and more necessary to me then meat or drink 35. Say not ye There are four months and then cometh harvest Behold I say unto you lift up your eyes and look on the fields for they are white already to harvest Paraphrase 35. 'T is not with my harvest as 't is with that in the fields four months yet to that time Consider and ye shall see the great inclinations and forwardnesse of men to receive the Gospel if it may be preached unto them 36. And he that reapeth receiveth wages and gathereth fruit unto life eternall that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together Paraphrase 36. And they that will but goe out and preach to them shall receive reward for their pains and by converting others advantage themselves eternally and come to reap the fruits of all that seed that the prophets c. from all time have sowed 37. And herein is that saying true One soweth and another reapeth Paraphrase 37. So that to this may the proverb be applied One soweth c. that is the prophets sowed this seed of the Gospel in foretelling Christ's coming and the Apostles they reap the harvest of converts to him 38. I have sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour other men laboured and ye are entred into their labours Paraphrase 38. The prophets have so prepar'd mens hearts to receive the Gospel that there needs very little pains of yours you may at first preaching of the Gospel reap a whole harvest of proselytes 39. And many of the Samaritanes of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman which testified He told me all that ever I did Paraphrase 39. He told me the secrets of my life which he being a stranger could not know if he were a meer man 40. So when the Samaritanes were come unto him they besought him that he would tarry with them and he abode there two daies Paraphrase 40. And though Mat. 10. 5. he forbad his disciples at that time to goe into any city of the
me hath me abiding in him is so made a member of me that by the life which is in me he shall also be enlivened by God by whom I live See note on c. 14. c. and this is one preeminence over corporall food which corrupt in the stomach before they nourish any man 57. As the living father hath sent me and I live by the father so he that eateth me even he shall live by me Paraphrase 57. For as I that came down from the Father the fountain of life his son by eternall generation must needs derive life from him so also he that believeth on me and so hath digested my precepts as the nourishment of his soul must needs derive life from me 58. This is that bread which came down from heaven not as your fathers did eat Manna and are dead he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever Paraphrase 58. This bread from heaven is not like that Manna which they that eat did dye for all that 59. These things said he in the Synagogue as he taught in Capernaum 60. Many therefore of his disciples when they had heard this said This is an hard saying who can hear it Paraphrase 60. Many therefore of those that had hitherto followed him said this doctrine of his is very hard and unintelligible how he should be said really to have come down from heaven and how his flesh should feed men to life eternall 61. When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it he said unto them Doth this offend you Paraphrase 61. Doth this deterre you from my doctrine 62. What and if ye shall see the son of man ascend up where he was before Paraphrase 62. And asked them whether it were not as credible that he should have come from heaven as that he should goe up thither telling them that they should ere long see him doe so and that in reason would assure them that he came down from thence 63. It is the spirit that quickeneth the flesh profiteth nothing the words that I speak unto you they are spirit and they are life Paraphrase 63. And for the other particular of eating his flesh he tells them they cannot but know that it is the soul that enliveneth and not the body and agreeably that it is not the grosse carnall eating of his body of flesh that he could speak of when he talk'd of their eating and his feeding them to life eternall see note on Lu. 9. d. but certainly a more spirituall divine eating or feeding on him which should bring them a durable eternall life his words see v. 68. that is his doctrine being spiritually fed on by them that is being received into their hearts not only their ears will quicken them to a spirituall life here and that shall prove to them an eternall life hereafter so S. Chrysostome expounds the flesh that is the fleshly hearing profits nothing 64. But there are some of you that believe not For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not and who should betray him Paraphrase 64. But for this spirituall feeding sinking down this spirituall food into your hearts there are some of you that are far enough from doing so For Jesus knew at first before he received them as disciples whether they believed sincerely or no and also which of them would prove false to him and conspire with the Jewes to put him to death 65. And he said Therefore I say unto you that no man can come unto me except it were given unto him of my Father Paraphrase 65. And indeed this was the reason that I told you v. 44. that no man cometh to the faith of Christ sincerely or continues stedfast in it but he that by Gods preventing grace is qualified and disposed for it see note d. because I saw that many that follow me doe not truly believe on me that is doe not intend to live as I command them but one keeps his love of money and for that will betray me and others retain their other interests and their other sins 66. From that time many of his disciples went back and walked no more with him Paraphrase 66. This speech of Christ's made many of his followers forsake him seeing he was not such a Messias as they lookt for and would not be content with every kind of following him 67. Then said Jesus unto the twelve Will ye also goe away 68. Then Simon Peter answered him Lord to whom shall we goe Thou hast the words of eternall life Paraphrase 68. Thy words as was said by thee v. 63. will to those that obey thee and keep close to them be a means to bestow eternall life 69. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ the son of the living God Paraphrase 69. And thou hast demonstrated to us that thou art the Messias the eternall son of God and therefore t is not possible there should be any other fit to draw us from thee to him 70. Jesus answered them Have not I chosen you twelve and one of you is a devil Paraphrase 70. I have of all the followers that have believed on me chosen but twelve to be my constant attendants and one of them proves a traitor a false treacherous person that will joyn with my enemies against me see note on Mat. 4. a. 71. He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon for he it was that should betray him being one of the twelve Paraphrase 71. He spake of Judas for Christ foresaw that though perhaps yet he did no such thing yet he would deliver him to the Jewes and to that end combine with them which was the greatest falsnesse imaginable in one whom Christ had assumed to be so neer to him as to be one of the twelve Apostles whom he sent out to preach his Gospel to all people Annotations on Chap. VI. V. 15. Make him a King The Jewes expected a Messiah whom they called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the prophet v. 14. about this time Tacitus and Suetonius say it was a received opinion that about this time a great King should arise in Judah but this a glorious one and a powerfull King one that should work their deliverance free them from and revenge them on the nations who had gotten the dominion over them By this miracle of Christs in feeding such a multitude with so small provision they conjectured rightly that he was able to sustain and feed the greatest and most numerous army with very little charge and thereupon were ready to come and take him by force to be their King that is their judge or leader to fight their battails for them like Gideon c. and this afterwards they again referre to when they put him in mind of Moses's giving them Manna in the wildernesse v. 31. which if he will doe or any thing equall to it they will believe on him This faith of theirs being unduly founded and
and till that time be past and so that providence withdrawn I shall be safe As long as I am about my business on which I was sent I shall fear nothing no not though I go to Judea where I have by frequent experience found that they seek to kill me 11. These things said he and after that he saith unto them Our friend Lazarus sleepeth but I go that I may awake him out of sleep Paraphrase 11. I will go 12. Then said his disciples Lord if he sleep he shall do well Paraphrase 12. his sleeping is a very good and known signe that he will recover 13. Howbeit Jesus spake of his death but they thought that he had spoken of taking rest in sleep Paraphrase 13. sleeping in the ordinary acception of the word 14. Then said Jesus unto them plainly Lazarus is dead Paraphrase 14. in words without all obscurity Note on chap. 7. a. 15. And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there to the intent ye may believe nevertheless let us go to him Paraphrase 15. that you may have the benefit of the miracle to confirm your faith 16. Then said Thomas which is called Didymus unto his fellow disciples Let us also go that we may die with him Paraphrase 16. Either Let us go along with our Master and run any hazard that he runneth Or if we go we may very probably be stoned and die as well as Lazarus referring to the danger mentioned by them v. 8. the latter is the more probable interpretation 17. Then when Jesus came he found that he had lien in the grave four days already 18. Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem about fifteen furlongs off 19. And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary to comfort them concerning their brother Paraphrase 19. And Martha and Mary being in great sadness and so keeping themselves up in a close retirement many of the Jews came to the house to those that were neer them to get access to bewail the loss and to rescue them from this great sadness 20. Then Martha assoon as she heard that Jesus was coming went and met him but Mary sat still in the house 21. Then said Martha unto Jesus Lord if thou hadst been here my brother had not died 22. But I know that even now whatsoever thou wilt ask of God God will give it thee Paraphrase 22. enable thee to do it 23. Jesus saith unto her Thy brother shall rise again Paraphrase 23. I will raise thy brother again to life see ver 40. 24. Martha said unto him I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection of the last day 25. Jesus said unto her I am the resurrection and the life he that believeth in me though he were dead yet shall he live Paraphrase 25. I am able to raise the dead to life again whensoever I please whether now or hereafter One that is a believer and faithful disciple of mine such as thy brother Lazarus was I can though he be dead and buried raise him presently to life again 26. And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die Believest thou this Paraphrase 26. And he that is now alive and so not capable of such a present miracle shall if he receiveth and obeyeth my doctrine though he dies after the manner of other men rise again unto life immortal The latter of these thou sayest thou believest v. 24. But dost thou believe the former also 27. She saith unto him Yea Lord I believe that thou art the Christ the son of God which should come into the world Paraphrase 27. Messias known by the title of He that cometh see Matt. 11. a. the son of God who consequently hast power of life and death and so canst raise him how and when thou pleasest 28. And when she had so said she went her way and called Mary her sister secretly saying The Master is come and calleth for thee 29. Assoon as she heard that she arose quickly and came unto him 30. Now Jesus was not yet come into the town but was in that place where Martha met him Paraphrase 30. continued 31. The Jews then which were with her in the house and comforted her when they saw Mary that she rose up hastily and went out followed her saying she goeth unto the grave to weep there 32. Then when Mary was come where Jesus was and saw him she fell down at his feet saying unto him Lord if thou hadst been here my brother had not died 33. When Jesus therefore saw her weeping and the Jews also which came with her he groaned in the spirit and note a was troubled Paraphrase 33. was very passionately affected with it and appeared to be in a great perturbation of minde which soon broke out into tears ver 35. 34. And said Where have ye laid him They say unto him Lord come and see 35. Jesus wept Paraphrase 35. And although he had resolved to raise him from the dead v. 23. and though at other times when he meant to do so he had suppressed the mourners tears Luke 8. 52. and Luke 7. 13. yet now he indulgeth so much to the justice of their sorrow as himself to weep with them 36. Then said the Jews Behold how he loved him 37. And some of them said Could not this man which opened the eyes of the blind have caused that even this man should not have died 38. Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave It was a cave and a stone lay upon it 39. Jesus said Take away the stone Martha the sister of him that was dead saith unto him Lord by this time he stinketh for he hath been dead four days Paraphrase 39. this is the fourth day since his death and so according to experience of dead bodies which after a revolution of the humors which is completed in seventy two hours tend naturally to putrefaction he must needs be putrefied and so stink before this time 40. Jesus saith unto her Said I not unto thee that if thou wouldest believe thou shouldst see the glory of God Paraphrase 40. a glorious miracle wrought on him by raising him to life again v. 23 and 25. 41. Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid And Jesus lift up his eyes and said Father I thank thee that thou hast heard me Paraphrase 41. fastned his eyes on heaven 42. And I knew that thou hearest me always but because of the people which stand by I said it that they may believe that thou hast sent me Paraphrase 42. they hearing me acknowledge it to be done by thy power in answer to my prayers may by that be convinced that I came by commission from thee 43. And when he thus had spoken he cried with a loud voice Lazarus come forth 44. And he that was dead came forth bound hand and foot with grave-clothes and his face was bound about with a napkin
59. And they stoned Stephen calling upon God and saying Lord Jesus receive my spirit Paraphrase 59. And all the time that they cast stones he continued in prayer to God and at the last concluded in these words 6. And he kneeled down and cried with a loud voice Lord note k lay not this sinne to their charge And when he had said this he fell asleep Paraphrase 60. gave up the ghost Annotations on Chap. VII V. 6. Foure hundred years That the four hundred years here mention'd as also Gen. 15. 13. or the four hundred thirty Exod. 12. 40. are not to be interpreted of the space wherein the Israelites continued in Aegypt so as to begin at Jacobs and his sons coming thither and to end at Moses's carrying them out is sufficiently manifest by all story of those times The Chaldee paraphrast and the generality of the Jews determining that space to be but two hundred and ten only Josephus defining it two hundred and fifteen years First then it must be observed that the words here and in those other places being not strictly restrained to their dwelling in Aegypt but so as to contain also their sojourning in Canaan the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã strange land here may fitly comprehend both of them and the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã shall sojourn may doe so too for Abraham sojourned in Canaan before his posterity were sojourners in Aegypt yea and himself first sojourned in Aegypt Gen. 12. 10. And so the words in Gen. 15. 13. are in the same latitude thy seed shall be a stranger in a land which is not theirs and shall serve them Where the land which is not theirs distinctly the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a strange land here is common to both those lands where they sojourned and where they were servants And in the place Exod. 12. 40. the words in our English the sojourning of the children of Israel who dwelt in Aegypt are reconcileable with this also their sojourning being defined to be so many years part of which they dwelt in Aegypt but not their sojourning in Aegypt so many years And therefore when the Septuagint read it ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the sojourning of the children of Israel which they sojourned in Aegypt they adde by way of necessary paraphrase ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and in the land of Canaan and so the Samaritan Pentateuch read and Solomon Jarchâ in terris aliis and in other lands in stead of it Secondly it must be observed what latitude belongs in that place of Exodus 12. 40. to that phrase children of Israel not so as to denote the posterity of Jacob only but inclusively them and their fathers Jacob and Isaac the posterity of Abraham This is done by a figure Synecdoche ordinary in all languages and therefore the Septuagint to expresse it more plainly thought fit to enlarge their paraphrase and having added Canaan to Aegypt they adde also to the children of Israel ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã both they and their fathers and so read that whole verse thus ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã The sojourning of the children of Israel which they and their fathers sojourned in the land of Aegypt and Canaan was four hundred and thirty years And though some copies of the Septuagint have not that latter addition of they and their fathers yet S. Augustine in Exod. qu. 47. acknowledgeth both additions Mean while the words both here and Gen. 15. 13. have no need of such a paraphrase assigning it to Abrahams not to Jacobs seed And so saith Josephus Antiq. l. 2. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã they left Aegypt in the month Xanthicus on the fifteenth day four hundred and thirty years after our father Abraham came into Canaan So that now the only difficulty behind is to accord the four hundred years here and in Genesis with the four hundred and thirty in Exodus And that must be by distinguishing of the beginning of the account which may be either from Abrahams leaving of Chaldaea and receiving the first promise of Canaan or else from the birth of Isaac Abrahams seed If the account be begun from the leaving Chaldaea Abrahams own countrey when his sojourning did begin then it falls right to be four hundred and thirty years as it is in Exodus for Abraham being born in the year of the world 2007 and the warning of God to him to goe out of his countrey being in the seventieth year of his age that is in the 2077th of the world four hundred and thirty years added to that number make up 2507 and in the next year after that is the departure out of Aegypt placed by the best Chronologers But if the account begin from Abrahams seed that is from the birth of Isaac which we know was in the hundredth year of Abrahams age and so thirty years after his departure from Chaldaea then it must consequently be thirty years lesse from thence to the departure out of Aegypt and so that will accord exactly with the four hundred years here and in Genesis which are assigned to his seeds sojourning in a strange land Thus the Jewes in Seder Olam collect from that place in Genesis thy seed shall be a stranger four hundred years that is Isaac from his birth and his posterity till the delivery cut of Aegypt by Moses Of which space the servitude and oppression of the Israelites in Aegypt came not say they to much above an hundred and thirty years but their stay after Jacobs descent to two hundred and ten to which adding one hundred and ninety years from Isaacs birth to Jacobs going down into Aegypt which is accordingly placed by Chronologers An. M. 2298. the whole four hundred years are made up exactly V. 14. Threescore and fifteen The difference of the number of those which are here said to have gone down into Aegypt from that computation which we find Gen. 46. 27. Deut. 10. 22. where they are but threescore and ten hath made some writers think fit to change the reading Th. Beza from Cor. Bertram is willing to believe ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã five mistaken for ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã all Others rather pharâsie ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã all together but without any pretense of antient or later copie for either nay on the contrary the Syriack and Arabick and Latine translations are all for that which we now have and so make those conjectures unseasonable The matter sure is to be imputed to another Original S. Luke we know was one of those which made use of the Greek translation of the Old Testament and accordingly citeth his testimonies constantly out of the Septuagints reading Now in the Septuagint Gen. 46. where this account is made it is clear that the summe set down ver 27. is not seventy as we now read out of the Hebrew but seventy five and that that is no mistake of the transcriber by confounding of
that is bringing on the person that which is ruinous to himself or on others that which is poysonous or infectious to them And such most eminently was the heresie of the Gnosticks at that time Ib. Bond of iniquity The word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã signifies in the Septuagint of the old Testament treason 2 Kin. 11. 15. and 12. 20. and Jer. 11. 9. a conspiracy league or covenant and by it the Hebrew ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is rendred Jer. 11. 19. where Symmachus reads ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã conspiracy The Hebrew ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which Isai 58. 6. is rendred ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is saith David de Pomis aequivalent to ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and so signifies a binding together of minds and both there and here with ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã unrighteousnesse added to it it denotes by an hypallage a most unrighteous impious treason or treachery a villanous piece of hypocrisie as ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the mammon of unrighteousnesse is all one with the false or deceitfull mammon Simons designe in this proposall being not to advance Christs kingdome by his having that power of giving the holy Ghost but to set up for himself as he after did in opposition to Christ and to have this addition of miracles superadded to those which by his sorcery he was able to doe V. 29. The Spirit said It may here be question'd what is meant by ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the Spirit 's saying unto Philip. Some kind of extraordinary revelation it certainly was but whether in a vision by appearance of an Angel or 2dly by a voice from heaven or 3dly by afflation of the Spirit of God after the manner that Prophets received Revelations it is uncertain Of the first sort there are examples in this book ch 10. 3. Cornelius in a vision saw an Angel of the Lord coming and saying to him and so here v. 26. the Angel of the Lord spake unto Philip Of the second at the Baptisme of Christ and at the conversion of Saint Paul And of the third chap. 10. 19. where after his Vision of the sheet as he thought thereupon the Spirit said unto him and the same is repeated again ch 11. 11. so ch 13. 2. as they were ministring that is praying and fasting the holy Spirit said Separate to me Barnabas and Saul Which as it was not in any dream or vision so that it was by voice from heaven doth not appear probable by any argument discernible in the story but on the other side the frequent testimonies of the Spirits revealing by way of Prophetick afflation who should be set apart for the offices of the Church are evidences that it was so here Thus Clemens tells of those times that they ordained Bishops ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã discerning by the Spirit who should be ordained and again that they did it ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã having received perfect foreknowledge who should be constituted Bishops as Moses saith he foreknew by revelation from God that Aaron should have the Priesthood and accordingly that without the direction of the Spirit they advanced none to this dignity So saith S. Paul of Timothy that the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or Episcopal office ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã was given him by prophecie 1 Tim. 4. 14. ch 1. 18. that is by Revelation as Prophesying is of things presently to be done as well as predictions of the future and signifies no more 1 Cor. 14. 24 31. then having somewhat revealed to him v. 30. So saith S. Chrysostome ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã c. The Episcopal dignity being great wanted Gods suffrage to direct on whom it should be bestow'd see Note on 1 Tim. i. e. Thus Act. 20 28. it is said of the Bishops of Asia that the holy Ghost had set them over the flock And in this sense it may fitly be affirmed of Philip that being full of the holy Ghost ch 6. 3. he had the afflations of the Spirit of God such as Prophets and by such an afflation the Spirit here bad him c. Thus Agabus signified by the Spirit that is by prophetick revelation that there should be a famine ch 11. 28. Thus the holy Ghost witness'd in every city that is prophets foretold c. 20. 23. 21. 11. that bonds and afflictions did abide Paul One onely objection I foresee against this exposition in this place that ver 39. it is said that the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip which probably is to be understood of an Angel carrying him away out of his sight and then why should not the Spirit here as well as the Spirit of the Lord there signifie an Angel also especially when there is mention of an Angel speaking to him ver 26. But to this the answer will be very sufficienââf the reading of the Kings MS. be accepted in that verse and that is attested by many other copies own'd by Eraesmus Beza and so cited by S. Jerome Dial. Orthod Luciferian the holy Spirit fell upon the Eunuch c. but the Angel of the Lord caught away Philip see Note i. For then as the Angel bad him go to the Eunuch so he carried him away again which no way hinders but that the Spirit here may be taken in that other sense V. 31. The place of Scripture ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is the Hebrew ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the name of a section or lesser division of Scripture of which there be two in the first chapter of Matthew and so forward The Greeks call them ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã partitions or sections V. 33. In his humilition This verse is acknowledged to be a citation of Isa 53. 8. not out of the Hebrew but the Septuagints translation which therefore must be interpreted by looking back on the Original there And that will be best rendred thus ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã by an assembly so the word is used Jer. 9. 2. and rendred ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã synode that is by the Sanhedrim of the Jewes who had determined to have him put to death and made the people cry out against him ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã away with him away with him whereas the Greek seems to have read ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and by judgement ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or the sentence of the Roman Procurator Pilate ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã he was taken away distinctly signifying the manner of his being put to death which being so foul and irrationall and strange that he that came to save should not onely not be believed but be also put to death by them be entertained so coldly and used so barbarously the Jewes and Romans both conspiring in it the exclamation that followes ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã who shall describe his generation will most probably signifie what an accursed wicked generation was that wherein he was born for so the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã his generation signifies
sufficiently appears to denote not a naturall sleep such as men dis-spirited with fasting may be thought apt to fall into which the mention of Peters fasting in the beginning of the verse hath made some men apprehend of it but a transportation or trance into which he was cast by God or a binding up his outward senses which is answerable to a deep sleep such as Adams was Gen. 2. when the rib was taken out of him to make him capable of the vision or revelations of Gods will which here he was to receive To which purpose 't will be observable that Gen. 17. 3. when the Hebrew text saith Abraham fell on his face and God talked with him the Hierusalem Talmud reads Inclinavit se Abram super faciem ejus obstupuit Abraham bowed himself upon his face and was astonish'd where the obstupuit and was astonish'd is clearly the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã here the Hebrew word signifying as was said both astonishment and trance wherein God talked with him by way of vision to his understanding not to his senses V. 38â Anointed That the use of oyle among the Jews was for festivals hath been said Note on Mat. 26. c. and consequently the custome of anointing notes a solemn entertainment of any one water to wash the feet and bread to eat was allowed to every of the guests but not so the fatted calf but when they would expresse a great joy and welcome and making merry as in the return of the prodigal And so in like manner the anointing or powring oyle on the heads of the guests is the highest expression of acknowledging and testifying the greatest joy and so called the oyle of gladnesse Psal 45. 8. that is to be found among them This anointing therefore from hence came to denote the preferring one before another and the Targum generally renders it by a word which signifies preferring or advancing and so became the ceremony of consecrating to any speciall office and so was ordinarily used in the installing men to offices of any eminence From hence as in many other things doth the word come to be used Metaphorically for any that is preferred before or set over others Abraham and the Patriarchs that must not be touch'd in the Psalmist are called Gods anointed that is persons by God preferred and advanced before others taken into his speciall care and so signally testified to be by Gods dealings towards them And so the anointed of the Lord are those whom God hath set over other men Agreeable to this is it that that eminent person prophesyed of by Moses whom God should send and whom they were to hear is generally known by the name of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the anointed the Messias or Christ because he was thus preferred by God Psal 45. and Heb. 1. 9. above his fellowes men and Angels themselves According to this notion it is that when the Holy Ghost came down on Christ and thereby by a voice from heaven Thou art my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased mark'd him out as the person whom God had sent of whom John therefore said that he was greater then he and preferred before him it is express'd by the Prophet in these words The spirit of the Lord is upon me because the Lord hath anointed me to preach c. Isa 61. 1. and Lu. 4. 18. that is the Lord hath preferred me before others and set me apart to this office as he hath no other man So again Act. 4. 27. Thy son Jesus whom thou hast anointed that is marked out to be that beloved sonne of thine which was done at the Spirits coming down upon him which therefore must be resolved to be the meaning of anointing him in that place And so 't is evidently in this place How God hath anointed him with the holy Spirit and with power that is whom God by those two meanes the descent of the Spirit upon him and the power of miracles as by privileges and markes of prelation preferred and dignified beyond all others that ever were in the world and demonstrated him to be that promised Messias This use of the phrase being so remarkable of Christ and so particularly applyed to this respect of the Holy Ghosts testifying of him and setting him apart for his office for the very testifying that he was Gods beloved son who was to be heard before all others is the enstalling or consecrating him to his prophetick office to teach the world is farther enlarged to the Apostles of Christ on whom the Holy Ghost afterward descended in like manner and even to all other faithfull Christians also 2 Cor. 1. 21. where with the phrase of confirming them into Christ that is giving them assurance of the truth of Christs being the Messias as an oath is said to be ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã for confirmation is joyned also Gods having anointed them which signifies Gods having afforded them such speciall favour and giving them such evidences and testimonies of the truth of that they were to believe viz. the Holy Ghosts descending upon the Apostles which was one assurance of Christs being the true Messias and the Miracles which they wrought was another which being not so peculiar to the twelve Apostles but that like the oyle on Aarons head it descended to the beard and to the skirts of his clothing it is communicated by S Paul to himself and the believing Corinthians also see Note on c. 2. d. From this last place thus understood will appear also what is meant by the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or unction 1 Joh. 2. 20. which the Christians or believers to whom he writes are by him said to have ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã from the Holy that is I conceive from the holy Ghost The Holy Ghost by descending on the Apostles had taught them all things that is given them assurance that what Christ had preached was true and consequently that he being the true Messias all other contrary teachers were false-teachers and to be avoided This testimony from heaven afforded the Apostles and attendant on that the power also of doing Miracles in Christs name allowed to many others in the Church of the first times was the foundation of beliefe to that and the whole succeeding Church and therefore that privilege as it was allowed them being call'd ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or unction is said there to belong to these believers They have it that is either the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit in the Church or else the benefit of it the evidence of those truths which the coming of the Holy Ghost confirmed belongs unto them and therefore as that descent of the Holy Ghost was said to teach them all things so here they which have this ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã know all things that is have sufficient evidence thereby of the truth v. 21. that is of the Gospel or that Jesus is the Messias v. 22. and that what they had received
probable for this place and for the rendring it messenger and not Angel I shall only say that the story will thereby be very clear and intellâgible thus That Peter knowcked at the dore and Rhode asking who was there he answered Peter thereupon she knew his voice and assured them within that Peter was there they having not heard the voice but only hearing her affirm confidently that he was there thought that some messenger had come from Peter and made use of his name and that she had by mistake believed it to be Peter himself and so they thought they must reconcile the difficulty betwixt the conceived impossibility of Peters being there on the one side and the maids affirming confidently that he was there on the other side viz. by this medium betwixt both that a messenger sent from Peter was at the dore who made use of his name to obtain admission Whatsoever can be said for the other rendring will I conceive have more difficulty in it And it is not impossible or improbable that the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Joh. 5. 4. that went at a certain season to move the water of Bethesda may be so rendred also not for an Angel of God in a visible shape but for an officer servant messenger that was wont to be sent at certain seasons of the year probably at the feasts to move the water upon which it became medicinable see Note on Joh. 5. a. CHAP. XIII 1. NOw there were in the Church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers as Barnabas and Simeon that was called Niger and Lucius of Cyrene and Manaen which had been brought up with Herod the Tetrarch and Saul Paraphrase 1. And there were at that time in Antioch some eminent persons or Bishops of the Churches of Syria of that age see note on 1 Cor. 12. c. and of them some having the gift of prophesie see note on ch 15. c. 2. As they ministred to the Lord and fasted the holy Ghost said Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them Paraphrase 2. And as they were upon a day of fast performing their office of prayer to God see note on Lu. 1. i. the holy Spirit of God by some afflation or revelation see c. 8. note f. commanded them to ordain or consecrate Barnabas and Saul to the Apostleship to which God had already designed them 3. And when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them they sent them away Paraphrase 3. And accordingly they observed a solemn day of fasting and prayer and so by imposition of hands see note on 1 Tim. 5. f. ordained them and sent them away about the work designed them by God 4. So they being sent forth by the holy Ghost departed unto Seleucia and from thence they sailed to Cyprus Paraphrase 4. And having thus received their commission from the holy Ghost or by the appointment of God himself see ver 2 they went immediately to Seleucia 5. And when they were at Salamis they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jewes and they had also John to their minister Paraphrase 5. they proclaimed the Gospel in the synagogues of the Jewes and they had with them John surnamed Mark ch 12. 25. who was with them as an attendant to doe any thing wherein they had use of him and by them to be sent on any part of their charge see note on Joh. 20. 21. whither they could not goe 6. And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos they found a certain forcerer a false prophet a Jew whose name was Bar-Jesus Paraphrase 6. Paphos where the Temple of Venus was 7. Which was with note a the Deputy of the countrey Sergius Paulus a prudent man who called for Barnabas and Saul and desired to hear the word of God 8. But note b Elymas the sorcerer for so is his name by interpretation withstood them seeking to turn away the Deputy from the faith Paraphrase 8. But Bar-Jesus that Elymas or Magician as Elymas signifies 9. Then Saul who is note c also called Paul filled with the holy Ghost set his eyes on him Paraphrase 9. having a great incitation of the Spirit of God upon him looked earnestly on him 10. And said O full of all subtilty and all note d mischief thou child of the devil thou enemy of all righteousnesse wilt thou not cease to pervert the right waies of the Lord Paraphrase 10. O thou vile sorcerer which like the devil by whom thou workest art an enemy of all goodnesse wilt thou persist in sorcery in defiance of the faith of Christ which comes armed so with much more power of miracles then those to which thou falsly pretendest 11. And now behold the hand of the Lord is upon thee and thou shalt be blind not seeing the sun for a season And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darknesse and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand Paraphrase 11. It is most just that thou that holdest out perversly against the light of the Gospel shouldst lose thy sight which therefore by the immediate power of God shal be taken from thee for some time And immediately he was struck blind and was not able to goe without leading 12. Then the Deputy when he saw what was done believed being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord. Paraphrase 12. And this act of miraculous blindness upon the sorcerer convinced the Proconsul and converted him to the faith 13. Now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos they came to Perga in Pamphylia and John departing from them returned to Jerusalem Paraphrase 13. And Paul and all that were in his company except John who returned to Jerusalem went by sea from Paphos to Perga a place famous for the Temple of Diana 14. But when they departed from Perga they came to Antioch in Pisidia and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day and sate down 15. And after the reading of the Law and the Prophets the note e Rulers of the synagogue sent unto them saying Ye men and brethren if ye have any word of exhortation for the people say on Paraphrase 15. And after the reading of the lessons one out of the Law the other out of the Prophets it being the custome for the Jewish doctors to expound and apply some part of Scripture to the instruction of the people the chief persons of the assembly which were present sent to Paul and his associates to know whether they were prepared to doe so 16. Then Paul stood up and beckning with his hand said Men of Israel and ye that fear God give audience Paraphrase 16. And Paul stood up and having called for silence see ch 12. 17. bespake all both Jewes and Proselytes to give audience 17. The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Aegypt and with an high arm
commission immediately from him such were the Twelve and extraordinarily called S. Paul also The Evangelists were those which were sent by the Apostles whither they could not goe themselves and the Dioecese that belonged to these was the whole world or those speciall parts of it which the Apostles had allotted to one another Beside these the Prophets were those that in particular Churches rueld and taught as Bishops ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã see Note on 1 Cor. 12. d. and over and above had that speciall ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã of expounding Moses and the Prophets and demonstrating out of them the truth of Christian religion This was the exhorting and confirming that here is spoken of and which is attributed to them as Prophets not excluding but containing the gift of foretelling things to come also as of Agabus we read c. 11. 28. Agreeably these that are here called prophets are also called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ver 22. governours of Churches see Note on Heb. 13. b. and are accordingly to be resolved persons intrusted with the power of Bishops in particular Churches of Judaea and so members of the Councel at Jerusalem And so when 't is said that there were at Jerusalem Apostles and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Elders ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã signifies not the Presbyters of Jerusalem but Bishops of Judaea and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã of them are these two which are here Judas and Silas and that Elder or Bishop of the Church of Jerusalem mentioned Rev. 7. 14. who is said to interpret the vision to John there CHAP. XVI 1. THen came he to Derbe and Lystra and behold a certain disciple was there named Timotheus the son of a certain woman which was a Jewess and believed but his father was a Greek Paraphrase 1. His father was a Greek but his mother an Hebrew named Eunice and a Christian 2 Tim. 1. 5. He therefore a Gentile as appears both by his name which is Greek and by his not being circumcised the eighth day 2. Which was well reported of by the brethren which were at Lystra and Iconium Paraphrase 2. Who was a Christian approved of all in 3. Him would Paul have to goe forth with him and took and circumcised him because of the Jewes which were in those quarters for they knew all that his father was a Greek Paraphrase 3. Him Paul chose to goe and accompany and assist him in preaching which because the Jewish Christians would not let him doe the Proselytes of the gates or uncircumcised being not permitted to come into the same court of the Temple with the Jewes at least they would never hearken to or benefit by his preaching having a special aversion to such he therefore circumcised him his father being a Greek and consequently his not being circumcised in his childhood being known to all 4. And as they went through the cities they delivered them the decrees for to keep that were ordained of the Apostles and Elders which were at Jerusalem Paraphrase 4. which had assembled at Jerusalem in Councel ch 15. 5. And so were the Churches established in the faith and increased in number daily Paraphrase 5. And thus they confirmed the Churches and every day converted many to the faith of Christ 6. Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia and were forbidden of the holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia Paraphrase 6. by a revelation such as was mention'd ver 9. see ch 18. 5. to preach 7. After they were come to Mysia they assayed to goe into Bithynia but the Spirit suffered them not Paraphrase 7. over against Mysia they purposed to passe by Bithynia but they received a revelation which forbad them 8. And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas Paraphrase 8. And therefore not coming to v. 7. but passing by Mysia they 9. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night There stood a man of Macedonia and prayed him saying Come over into Macedonia and help us 10. And after he had seen the vision we endevoured to goe into Macedonia assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the Gospel unto them Paraphrase 10. upon discourse resolving from the vision 11. Therefore loosing from Troas we came with a streight course to Samothracia and the next day to Neapolis Paraphrase 11. had a very fair gale that brought us directly 12. And from thence to Philippi which is the chief city of that part of Macedonia and a colonie and we were in that city abiding certain daies Paraphrase 12. a metropolis of one part of Macedonia and this city a colony of the Romans v. 21. 13. And on the Sabbath we went out of the city by a river side note a where prayer was wont to be made and we sate down and spake to the women which resorted thither Paraphrase 13. where by a river side there stood an oratory and thither we went and going in found many women together and to them Paul preached the Gospel 14. And a certain woman named Lydia a seller of purple of the city of Thyatira which worshipped God heard us whose heart the Lord opened that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul Paraphrase 14. a Proselyte of the Jewes was an auditor and by the grace of God she received the faith 15. And when she was baptized and her houshold she besought us saying If ye have judged me to be faithfull to the Lord come into my house and abide there And she constrained us Paraphrase 15. If ye believe my conversion to be sincere doe me the favour to 16. And it came to passe as we went to prayer a certain damosell possessed with a note b spirit of divination met us which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying Paraphrase 16. to the oratory see note a that a young maid that had a prophetick spirit by being possest by some devil Lev. 19. 31. which spake from within or out of the belly of her which had gained her masters a great deal by telling of strange things whether future or otherwise met us 17. The same followed Paul and us and cried saying These men are the servants of the most high God which shew unto us the way of salvation 18. And this did she many daies but Paul being grieved turned and said to the spirit I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her And he came out the same houre Paraphrase 18. that evil spirit that possest her 19. And when her masters saw that the hope of their gaines was gone they caught Paul and Silas and drew them into the market-place unto the rulers Paraphrase 19. the place of judicature 20. And brought them to the magistrates saying These men being Jewes doe exceedingly trouble our city 21. And teach customes which are not lawfull for us to receive neither to observe being Romans Paraphrase 20 21.
and skill in the Scriptures of the old Testament see v. 28. 25. This man was instructed in the way of the Lord and being servent in the Spirit he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord knowing only the baptisme of John Paraphrase 25. This Apollos had been instructed in the Gospel and being in respect of knowledge not so perfectly instructed in all things as yet see v. 26. yet being very zealous in the way wherein he was entred he began to preach the Gospel among them out of the Prophets instructing them in the Christian doctrine very truly and agreeably to the rule taught by the Apostles as farre as his instruction went and this before he was baptized with the Christian baptisme being only received by John to the believing in him that was to come so as the Ephesian disciples c. 19. 2. 26. And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard they took him unto them and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly Paraphrase 26. And he entred into the synagogue of the Jewes and there publickly confidently see note on Joh. 7. a. preacht the Gospel And Aquila and Priscilla hearing that what he preached was all true but yet wanted somewhat of that knowledge which they had attained to he having never ascended above John's baptisme but they higher they communicated it unto him 27. And when he was disposed to passe into Achaia the brethren wrote note d exhorting the disciples to receive him who when he was come helped them much which had believed through note e grace Paraphrase 27. the Christians there exhorted him to goe and wrote to the Church of Corinth and all Achaia commendatory letters by him And he when he came thither did a great deal of good among them farther instructed and confirmed those that by the preaching of the Gospel had formerly been converted to the faith 1 Cor. 3. 6. 28. For he mightily convinced the Jewes and that publickly shewing by the Scriptures that Jesus was Christ Annotations on Chap. XVIII V. 5. Pressed in spirit That which is in the ordinary printed copies ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in the two great MSS. that of the Kings Library that was sent from Constantinople and the Gr. and Lat. one at Cambridge sent them by Theo. Beza And which of these is the most probable reading is not easily defined ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã signifies to be press'd or held fast Mat. 4. 24. Lu. 4. 37. Act. 28. 8. So ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to be press'd or held with fear Job 3. 24. and Luc. 8. 37. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in Jeremy to be held fast by wine to be overcome by it ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã saith Hesychius and again ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to be intangled or held fast which as it really notes being in the power of another so it may be applied to sorrow or any other passion as well as to fear and peculiarly to sorrow So ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Luc. 21. 25. is used for anxiety and 2 Cor. 2. 4. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã anguish of heart and so ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã how am I streightned or pained Luc. 12. 50. And thus according to the nature of the word it may be proper enough for the place with which soever it be joyned If with ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã then 't is either his own spirit or the Spirit of God If his own then it may signifie him to have had some such extraordinary sorrow or grief upon him to think of his obdurate impenitent countreymen to whom he was then preaching with very little success And so of Apollos we read v. 25. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that he burned in spirit as when David saith his heart was hot within him and at last he spake with his tongue And so if the Spirit of God then 't is that he was stirr'd up carried or incited by God by revelation But 't is most ordinary for the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã holy to be prefix'd to the word Spirit when 't is taken in this sense as c. 16. 6. and so this last is not so probably the meaning so likewise if it be ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in speech it will then signifie no more then that he spake very earnestly and that is the importance of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã following he testified and earnestly insisted on it and prov'd that Jesus was indeed the Messias which the Jewes denied That this may be the meaning appears not improbably by another parallel expression ver 28. for there as Apollos was doing the same thing that Paul here earnestly labouring to convince the Jewes that Christ was the Messias so the expression peculiarly belongs to ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã speech not ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã spirit ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or as I suppose it should be ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã he did publickly with intention or earnestnesse of speech convince the Jewes demonstrating by the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ Where the force and power of his speech and arguments contained in it was that which was meant by ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã To what hath been said may be added that the antient Greek and Latine MS. after ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in the end of the verse hath annexed these words ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and having had much speech and interpreted the Scriptures which as it makes it more fully parallel with that of v. 28. so it enclines to the reading of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã not ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã speech not spirit V. Had a vow The ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã had a vow here is not to be referr'd to Paul but to Aquila for with his name is conjoyned ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã c. shaving his head without so much as a comma between in some printed copies And it is not improbable that when it is said v. 19. that Paul went to Ephesus and left them there the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã there should not denote Ephesus to which but Cenchrea from which he came for why should his leaving them at Ephesus be immediately subjoyned to his coming thither and this on this occasion to purifie himself and to be shaved to which some stay at least seven daies was necessary This vow was without all question the vow of the Nazarites among the Jewes Num. 65. which was not alwaies for life but sometimes for a determinate time wherein they did ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and not suffer the razor to come upon them but when that time was past then one part of the vow was to be shaved v. 18. and to offer up the haire called the haire of his separation to put it in the fire which is under the sacrifice of the peace-offerings and accordingly here is shaving himself for he had a vow But because
ãâã ãâã ãâã their heads were cut off A privilege which belongs to such in stead of more ignominious punishments So Josephus the Historian born at Jerusalem of the sacerdotal family ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã of priests and himself a priest saith Photius Ep. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã had the privilege of a Romane and was called by a Romane name Flavius the praenomen of the Emperour Vespasian CHAP. XXIII 1. AND Paul earnestly beholding the councell said Men and brethren I have lived in all good conscience before God untill this day Paraphrase 1. I have all my life long both when I was a propugner of the Mosaical Law against Christ's reformation and since I have been a preacher of the Gospel acted sincerely and uprightly according to my conscience and consecrated my life to Gods service 2. And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by to smite him on the mouth Paraphrase 2. And Ananias the chief person among the Jewes see note on Lu. 3. c. 3. Then said Paul unto him God shall smite thee thou whited wall for sittest thou to judge me after the law and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law Paraphrase 3. God will punish thee by way of retaliation deale with thee as thou hast done with me thou hypocrite Dost thou sit like a Magistrate or distributer of legall justice and dost thou break the law thy self and command me to be punish'd before thou hast heard the cause see c. 22. 25. 4. And they that stood by said Revilest thou Gods high priest Paraphrase 4. Dost thou speak such contumelious words to him who is the high priest of Gods appointment a sacred person and under God the chief Magistrate among the Jewes 5. Then said Paul I wist not brethren that he was the high priest for it is written Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people Paraphrase 5. I did not know that to be true which thou tellest me that Ananias was an high priest of Gods appointment that he was not so nor yet the high priest put in by the Roman Procurator at this time see note on Lu. 3. c. however knowing him to be a person in authority placed in a judicature as Paul confesseth v. 3. I acknowledge I did amisse and am sorry I did revile him for that is unlawfull by that place of Scripture Exod. 22. 28. 6. But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees he cried out in the councel Men and brethren I am a Pharisee the son of a Pharisee of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question Paraphrase 6. And Paul discerning the Sanhedrim to consist partly of Pharisees who believe another life after this partly of Sadducees that doe not said aloud I am as my father was of the sect of the Pharisees and the main thing that I am question'd for is my believing that there is another life after this which is a pure Pharisaical doctrine which all of that sect hold as well as I. 7. And when he had so said there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees and the multitude was divided 8. For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection neither Angel nor Spirit but the Pharisees confesse both Paraphrase 8. no life after this no immortal Spirit nor soul of man subsisting without a body 9. And there arose a great cry and the Scribes that were of the Pharisees part arose and strove saying We find no evil in this man but if note a a Spirit or an Angel hath spoken to him let us not fight against God Paraphrase 9. Doctors of the Law which were generally of the Pharisees opinion took his part and profest to think he had done nothing amisse and that 't was possible that he had received some infusion or incitation from Gods Spirit or else some voice from heaven or vision by an Angel and if he had 't would not become them to resist his doctrine lest if that were truly revealed to him by God they should fight against God himself 10. And when there arose a great dissension the chief captain fearing lest Paul should have been pulled in pieces of them commanded the souldiers to goe down and to take him by force from among them and to bring him into the castle Paraphrase 10. to goe to him at the barre where he was as a prisoner answering for himself 11. And the night following the Lord stood by him and said Be of good cheer Paul for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem so must thou bear witnesse also at Rome Paraphrase 11. Paul saw a vision again and God appeared to stand by him and encourage him telling him that he should now receive no farther harm there but as he had defended and avowed the faith of Christ there at Jerusalem so he should live to doe at Rome also 12. And when it was day certain of the Jewes banded together and bound themselves under a curse saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul Paraphrase 12. And he had soon a notable testimony of the virtue of Gods protection over him promised him in that vision for early in the very next morning 13. And they were more then fourty which had made this conspiracy Paraphrase 13. thus bound themselves by oath and execration on themselves 14. And they came to the chief priests and elders and said We have bound our selves under a great curse that we will eat nothing untill we have slain Paul Paraphrase 14. And they came to the Sanhedrim and told some of them what they had resolved on 15. Now therefore ye with the councell signifie unto the chief captain that he bring him down unto you to morrow as though you would enquire something more perfectly concerning him and we or ever he come neer are ready to kill him Paraphrase 15. And therefore desired that the whole Sanhedrim would signifie their desire to the Colonel that he would on the morrow bring Paul down to them to examine him upon some interrogatories And said they by the way before he come neer the Councel-house we will lie in ambush and be sure to kill him 16. And when Paul's sister's son heard of their laying in wait he went and entered into the castle and told Paul 17. Then Paul called one of the Centurions unto him and said Bring this young man unto the chief captain for he hath a certain thing to tell him Paraphrase 17. Captains of the guard and desired him to conduct that young man to the Colonel to deliver a message to him 18. So he took him and brought him to the chief captain and said Paul the prisoner called me unto him and prayed me to bring this young man unto thee who hath something to say unto thee 19. Then the chief captain took him by the hand and went with him aside privately and asked him
the letter of the Law art outwardly circumcised but dost not perform that purity which that ceremony was set to signifie and to engage all that are circumcised to observe it 28. For he is not a Jew that is one outwardly neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh Paraphrase 28. For he is not the childe of Abraham such as to whom the promises pertain who is born of his race or seed and no more nor is that the availeable circumcision which is externall that mark imprinted on the flesh 29. But he is a Jew which is one inwardly and circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit and not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God Paraphrase 29. But he is the Jew indeed the true childe of Abraham who shall be accepted by God though he be not so by birth who in the purity of the heart performs those substantiall Lawes required by God of the Jewes revealed to them more distinctly then to other Nations and the availeable circumcision is that of him who cuts off all superfluities and pollutions which are spiritually though not literally meant by the Law of circumcision and so becomes pure in heart see note on Mat. 5. g. who hath that Law of which circumcision was the sign and seal the law of purity or abstinence from those unnaturall sins c. printed in his spirit or inner man his soul that is that practises it not he who hath literally obeyed it and been circumcised outwardly in the flesh even he whose praise is not of men who see the outside onely and among whom 't is counted a great dignity to be a circumcised Jew but he who so behaves himselfe whether he be a Jew or Gentile that God may accept of him as a sincere performer of his commands an obedient servant of his Annotations on The Epistle to the Romans Chap. II. V. 1. Whosoever thou art that judgest ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã thou that judgest here and in the end of the verse and v. 3. is clearly the Gnostick Judaizer who teaches the observation of the Mosaical Law and accuses the Orthodox Christians who are not circumcised for breakers of the Law and yet himself runs riotously into those sinnes for the abstaining from which Circumcision was designed and instituted by God This judging and condemning of the Gentile-Christians was by them taken up from the Jewes who having themselves guilt enough of sinnes as well as the Gentiles would yet discriminate themselves from all others by this or the like character of legal observances as by that which should justifie them or free them from judgment under which the Gentiles which knew not the Mosaical Law and were not circumcised were to lie and be accursed This was the thing that John Baptist warns them of to bring forth meet fruits of repentance and not to say within themselves We have Abraham to our father which they were apt to believe should stand them in stead in the absence of all those fruits This was the great error of that people consequent to their opinion of their absolute election whereby they resolved that 't was not their just or pious performances that were looked on by God or required to their Justification but their being Abraham's seed within the Covenant and having the signe of the Covenant in their flesh which they looked on as engagements if not allurements and motives of the favour of God to them howsoever they lived by this means making God a ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã one that chose or accepted or favoured ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã persons that is men barely considered with some outward advantages to set them off without any intuition of their qualifications or demeanours Which was the thing that is distinctly disclaimed here ver 11. and which S. Peter discerned to be so false by the revealing of the Gospel to the Gentiles Act. 10. 34. Thus is the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã used c. 14. 4. of the Jewish Christian that abstained from some sorts of meats v. 2. and though he doth that either out of weakness as that signifies disease erroneous seduction or at least out of infirmity and ignorance as thinking himself bound to it by the Mosaical Law which he believes still to oblige and so ought not to be despised or set at naught by him that understands Christian liberty better yet doth very ill in judging all others that do not abstain as he doth For this is the very same error that is here reprehended in the Jews and Gnosticks of judging all others as men out of Gods favour because they doe not what they doe or pretend to doe that is observe not the ritual parts of Moses's Law And this being an error which the Jewes and Gnosticks were so guilty of and consequently of this sinne attending it of judging and condemning all but themselves is particularly mark'd in the Jewes Mat. 7. 1. and beaten down by Christ as here in the Judaizers by the Apostle as an irrational sinne the grounds of which were quite contrary to the prime attribute of God his justice and rewarding all that diligently seek him Heb. 11. 6. and every man according to his works here ver 6. and justifying the doers not hearers of the word v. 13. V 2. Truth The Hebrew ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã signifies both truth and justice and is rendred by ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and here one of them is put for the other ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã truth for ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã justice so as on the other side ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the unjust mammon is opposed to the true riches See Note on Mat. 23. f. V. 15. Their thoughts the mean The ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã here are the practical ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã common notions of good and evil which are among the generality of men even heathens without any light from the Mosaical Law and are called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã reasonings because reason when it comes to a maturity if it be not precorrupted with false doctrines and prejudices will be able to conclude that this ought to be done and not that and so give us the principles of all Moralactions V. 16. My Gospell Paul's preaching every where whither he came is literally to be styled his ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or Gospel so it seems to signifie here So in the Epistle of Clemens Romanus contemporary to that Apostle ad Corinth after the mention of Blessed Paul's Epistles he bids them mark ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã what he hath first written to you Corinthians in the beginning of the Gospel that is at the time when the Gospel was by him first preached among them V. 17. Called a Jew ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is somewhat more then ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã it signifies an addition to ones proper name and so it was here The Gnosticks assumed to
after the Spirit Paraphrase 4. That so all those ordinances of the Law circumcision c. which were given the Jewes to instruct them in their duties might in a higher manner more perfectly be performed by us see note on Mat. 5. g. which think ourselves strictly obliged to abstain from all that carnality that that outward ceremony was meant to forbid them and now to perform the Evangelical obedience that he requires and will accept from us without being circumcised 5. For they that are after the flesh doe mind the things of the flesh but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit Paraphrase 5. For they that are carried by their own carnal inclinations or by customes and habits of sin and the carnall affections consequent thereto do generally mind and meditate on carnal things but they that are led by the Spirit of Christ the duct of the Gospel study and mind those things wherein inward purity and sanctity doth consist 6. For to be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace Paraphrase 6. And as the Gospel is of force to free from sin more then the Law was so to free from death too v. 2. For that study or appetite or desire of the carnal man bringeth death ch 7. 5. but that will or desire that the Spirit or Gospel infuses into us or the desire and pursuite of Spiritual things see Theophylact brings life and peace that is a vital state of soul under God here and eternall salvation hereafter 7. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be Paraphrase 7. For the carnal appetite is a downright opposition to the Law of God too unruly to obey the commands of God neither indeed can it be brought to that obedience by a bare prohibition of the Law for the swinge of passions and lusts are much more violent then so 8. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God Paraphrase 8. And so these men carnall Jewes though they know the Law are very farre from pleasing God see note on Mat. 12. e. from ãâã acceptable to him the Law doth nothing to the justifying of them that are thus farre from obeying the true meaning of the Law 9. But ye are not in the flesh but in the Spirit if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his Paraphrase 9. But ye Christians under the Gospel if ye have any of that spiritual divine temper which Christ came to infuse by his doctrine and example are thereby engaged to all manner of sincere inward purity to mortifie the flesh with the affections and lusts and if ye doe not so ye live not according to the Gospel and if not so ye may thereby know that ye are no Christians Christ will not own you for his however ye have received the faith and are admitted into that number 10. And if Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin but the Spirit is life because of righteousnesse Paraphrase 11. But if ye be Christians indeed translated and raised above the pretensions of the Jew to the purity of the Gospel of Christ and your lives be answerable thereto then though being sinners the punishment of sin that is death befall you and so your bodies die and return to dust which is the punishment of sin yet your souls shall live for ever an happy and a blessed life as the reward of your return to Christ in the sincerity of a new and righteous life to which the Evangelical justification belongs 11. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by the Spirit that dwelleth in you Paraphrase 11. And then even for your dead bodies they shall not finally perish neither they shall be sure to be raised again For the Spirit of God by which you are to be guided and led is that divine omnipotent Spirit that raised Christ's dead body out of the grave and if ye be guided by that animated and quickned by that liveâ pious and holy life there is no doubt but God will raise your mortal bodies out of the graves also by the power of that same Spirit that raised Christ's 12. Therefore brethren we are debtors not to the flesh to live after the flesh Paraphrase 12. By these so many obligations therefore and interests of yours the eternall well-being both of soules and bodies ye are engaged to give over all care of satisfying or gratifying your flesh in its prohibited demands to live no longer in your former habits of sin now ye have received the faith of Christ 13. For if ye live after the flesh ye shall die but if ye through the Spirit doe mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live Paraphrase 13. For if consenting your selves with the external performances of the Mosaical law circumcision c. ye still continue to commit those sins which that was set to prohibite this will bring all destruction upon you 't is not the Mosaical Law will keep you from ruine But if by the faith and example and withall the grace and assistance of Christ ye shall actually mortifie all the polluted desires of the flesh and live spiritually according to what Christ now requires ye shall certainly rise to the life immortal or live eternally 14. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the sons of God Paraphrase 14. For this being led by the Spirit of Christ living after Christs example and doing what he commands and enables us to doe is an evidence that we and not only the Jewes who challenge it as their peculiar are not onely the servants but the children of God and consequently that God will deale with us as with children bestow the inheritance upon us 15. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear but ye have received the Spirit of adoption whereby we note d crie Abba Father Paraphrase 15. Nay the truth is the condition of a Jew see note on Lu. 9. 10. is so farre from making men sons of God that at the best it is but a slavish condition to be obliged to those performances which being external as circumcision c. and having nothing of goodnesse in them are done meerly for fear of disobeying and being punished by stoning and the like see Theophylact. Which is just the condition of servants who must doe what the master commands or be beaten if they doe them not and so was fittest for the Jewes an hard stubborn people and accordingly had effect among them they observed what came so back'd but what did not they observed not which is it that denominates the Law weak through the flesh v. 3. But our Christ now hath engaged and drawn us with
ordinary and in opposition to some other servitude and the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that followes will incline to interpret it an assumption and delivery out of that that then lay upon the body the persecutions a kinde of Aegyptian servitude which lay then sharply upon the Orthodox Christians and that partly by rescue here out of them granting them Halcyonian dayes as upon the destruction of the Jewes their persecutors they had and partly by the resurrection of the body for those that were not thus rescued in this life Ib. Redemption ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã signifies deliverance generally and that from pressure or calamity present or approching ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã escaping release and so ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã may well be the bodies escaping from those pressures and perils that lye upon that and make it groan also though in another sense then that wherein the word is used v. 22. according to the use of Scripture-style and the figure ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã of using a word that had been used before in a different sense Thus Luk. 21. 28. your ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã redemption deliverance from persecutions draweth nigh and so it seems to be used here of which he saith v. 24. that in hope they are escaped and in the mean time with patience expect v. 25. And of these distresses and the advantages of and deliverance from them he continues the discourse from hence to the end of the Chapter as he had begun it v. 17 18. as that wherein our conformity with our elder brother consisted to suffer as he did and wherein their delivery so glorious and remarkable would be a first preparative conformity to his resurrection But this not to exclude but include also the farther deliverance of the body from death it self by the resurrection which is answerable to Christs resurrection also and promised as the onely means to support their faith and patience who should not be delivered here but lose their lives for the faith of Christ Thus the word is used 1 Cor. 1. 1. V. 26. Infirmities The word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã weaknesse weak and being weak in the New Testament oft signifies diseaset distresse miseries afflictions that befall our humane state so Mat. 8. 17. it signifies the disease that Christ cured and so Luk. 13. 11 12. Joh. 5. 5. and 11. 4. Act. 28. 9. and so ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã sick Mat. 25. 39. Luk. 10. 9. Act. 4. 9. and 5. 15 16. 1 Cor. 11. 30. as on the contrary ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the strong Mat. 9. 12. signifies the healthy and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Mat. 10. 8. 25. 36. Mar. 6. 56. Luk. 4. 40. 7. 10. 9. 2. Joh. 4. 40. 5. 3 and 7. so c. 6. 2. 11. 1 2 3 6. Act. 9. 37. 19. 12. Phil. 2. 26 27. 2 Tim. 4. 20. Jam. 5. 14. and very oft for sin the disease of the soul And so it signifies here even all the sad particulars mention'd v. 35. and which if the Context be observed will appear to belong unto this place and will be agreeable to the notion of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which signifying ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã labour sorrow is frequently used for disease distress and rendred by the word here used ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã weaknesses so is the word used 1 Cor. 2. 3. referring to the persecutions and dangers that Paul at Corinth had met with in his preaching See note on 1 Cor. 8. b. and on Gal. 4. â V. 28. According to his purpose The phrase ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã according to purpose is by Cyril of Hierâsalem thus interpreted that it signifies ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã every mans genuine choice and resolution of mind that love of God that casts out feare that courage that is not daunted with sufferings not as Grodecius interprets it cujuslibet propriam voluntatem in opposition to God's but I say every man's genuine that is sincere choise or purpose in opposition to the hypocritical temporary outward profession of some that enter into Christianity For as in him it followes ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã if thy body be present among the disciples of Christ or the illuminate but thy mind go not along with thy body it profits thee nothing Thus saith he Simon had his body baptized with water but not his heart illuminated by the Spirit his body descended into and ascended out of the water but his soule was not buried with Christ nor raised again with him And so he concludes ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the purpose of mind when it is genuine or intire all one with ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã purpose of heart Act. 11. 23. not as the interpreter reads propositum cùm adest proprium renders thee called that is puts thee in number of those who are styled the called of God that is sincere disciples of his to whom this Gospel-privilege here belongs that all things tend to their good from tribulation to death it self So in the same author a little before ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a good purpose and resolution consequent to the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã having their names enrolled and their persons entred into the military calling is used as a phrase to expresse them to be Christians that had resolvedly taken that calling upon them And so indeed ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is oft taken in the Old Testament for a follower adherent subject servant especially in an army 1 Kin. 1. 41 49. 2. Sam. 14. 11. This is clearly the interpretation of that very ancient Father making our sincere embracing of Christs discipleship or the being called that is wrought upon by Christs call effectually and not bringing onely the body to Christ and leaving the mind behind the condition without which the promises and advantages of the Gospel doe not belong to any In the same sense as Clemens Alexandr Strom. 7. speaking of the one true Church in opposition to heretical mixtures saith ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã into which those that are just according to purpose are admitted in the sense that elsewhere ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã every mans purpose and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a purpose or resolution of single life is used by him In like manner Theophylact ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã A man becomes called according to purpose that is according to his own choice for saith he ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Calling is not sufficient for then all should be saved for all are called but there is need of our will and choice in obeying the call But if the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã purpose be applied to God which calls and not to them which are obedient to the call then the meaning must be those that are called according to purpose that is those that according to Gods counsels revealed in the Gospel are the men to whom Gods favour and so his promises belong That the former of these is
10. 22 23. thus Though the number of the people of the Jewes be as the sand of the sea the number of earnall Israelites never so great yet a very few of them shall believe in Christ see Act. 2. 47. or as it is in the originall return that is convert from their rebellions to Christ 28. note k For he will finish the work and cut it short in righteousnesse because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth Paraphrase 28. For the Lord shall deal in justice with or upon the land of Judaea the people of the Jewes as one that perfects or makes up an account and casts off that is which in making up an account of a stewardship having ballanced the disbursements with the receipts leaves some small sum behinde be there never so many of that people there shall but few be left the farre greater part being involved in infidelity first and then in destruction 29. And as Esaias said before Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed we had been as Sodome and been made like unto Gomorrha Paraphrase 29. And as Isaiah saith again c. 1. g. of the same people Unlesse the Lord of the hosts of Angels and starres in heaven and of the whole frame of the world had left to us Jewes a seed in which as other things when they are dead use to revive so that people almost utterly destroyed might have some possibility of springing up again or as the originall in Isaiah hath it a very small remnant we had been as utterly destroyed as Sodome and Gomorrha were 30. What shall we say then that the Gentiles which followed not after righteousnesse have note l attained to righteousnesse even the righteousnesse which is of faith Paraphrase 30. To conclude therefore that which all this while hath been a proving and to the proving of which all that hath been said in this Chapter must be referr'd as premisses to infer this conclusion and no other is this That the Gentiles that strove not for justification that did not so zealously pretend that they were the favourites of God did attain to it by receiving the faith of Christ upon which though they had formerly been Idolaters they were justified 31. But Israel which followed after the Law of righteousnesse hath not attained to the Law of righteousnesse Paraphrase 31. But the Jewes that did most diligently contend to be justified by the Law did not yet outrun the Gentiles attain the goale or get justification before them but on the contrary the Gentiles have gotten the advantage of them very much 32. Wherefore because they sought it not by faith but as it were by the works of the Law for they stumbled at that stumbling-stone Paraphrase 32. And why not why because they sought it not by Christ or by the Evangelicall way nay could not endure that when it was revealed to them but onely by the privileges of being Jewes and performance of externall legal observances and so fell down in the midst of their race being not patient to believe that their law should be abolished or that Christ that was born lived and dyed in a mean condition should be the Messias of the world 1 Cor. 1. 23. but upon that one prejudice casting off all Christianity 33. As it is written Behold I lay in Sion a stumbling stone and a rock of offence and whosoever believeth on him note m shall not be ashamed Paraphrase 33. According to that which is written Is 28. 16. Behold I lay in Sion a stone tryed and pretious see note on Mat. 10. b. but such an one as the Jewes should stumble at thinking it contrary to the Mosaicall way and so falling off from and persecuting Christianity which notwithstanding the true orthodox faithfull Christian will still adhere to and hold fast and never forsake or deny Christ see c. 10 11. and 1 Pet. 2. 6. nor consequently shall he ever be denyed or forsaken by him The summe then of this whole chapter will be reduced to these five heads first the privileges of the Jewes and among them especially Christ's being born of that stock secondly that those of them which resisted and believed not in Christ were delivered up to obduration by God and the Gentiles taken in in their stead thirdly that 't was most just in God to deal thus with them fourthly that some of the Jewes at that time believed in Christ fifthly that the cause that the rest believed not was that after a Pharisaicall manner they sought justification by the works of the Law circumcision c. despising the faith and doctrine of Christ and that Evangelicall way of justification and so stumbled at the Christian doctrine which they should have believed were the worse for him and the preaching of the Apostles by whom they should have been so much the better Annotations on Chap. IX V. 1. In the holy Ghost This speciall expression of God in or by the holy Ghost which in stead of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã God c. 1. 9 is used in this and some other places doth denote the speciall office and prerogative of that holy Spirit as to plant purity and sincerity in the heart contrary to all kinde of pollution and mixture especially that of deceit and hypocrisie so to be privy to the secrets to take notice of the motions of the heart And this in proportion with the spirit of a man of which as Solomon saith that it is the candle of the Lord searching the inner parts of the belly so saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 2. 11. The Spirit of a man knoweth the things of a man so as no man else knowes them by analogy to which he infers that there is no other way of knowing the things of God but by his Spirits revealing them to us For the Spirit searcheth all things even the depths of God v. 10. in which respect the spirit of the world v. 12. is set to denote the meanes which the world hath to instruct us in any thing the wisdome of the world v. 13. which is there set opposite to the spirit of God Thus Act. 5. Ananias that had in heart and resolution consecrated his estate to the service of Christ and broke this resolution or promise of his heart is said to ly to or to have deceived the holy Ghost peculiarly v. 3. because he had done contrary to the vow of his heart which though not under mans yet was under the Holy Ghosts privity And so here beside the witnesse of the conscience the Holy Ghost is appealed to as he that knowes the inmost secrecies and consequently that that is the testimony of his conscience which he pretends to be so V. 3. Accursed The phrase ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to be a curse in this place is capable of many significations each of which may be applyable to the matter in hand to expresse the Apostles fervent affection towards his countrymen First it may
Christian faith by my coming and telling you what I have been able to doe and consequently that I shall bring as much blessednesse to you and be cause of as much Christian joy as is possible 30. Now I beseech you brethren for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake and for the love of the Spirit that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me Paraphrase 30. And now I beseech you for our Lord Christ Jesus sake and upon that obligation of Christian love which he requires and his Spirit works in your hearts that you will with great earnestnesse and intention joyn your prayers with mine to beseech God 32. That I may be delivered from them that doe not believe in Judaea and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be accepted of the saints Paraphrase 31. That I may be deliver'd from that danger which I foresee in Judaea from some refractary men that though they have received the faith are violently bent against me as an opposer of the Mosaical Law and that the relief which I bring to the poor Christians at Hierusalem and Judaea may be taken by them in good part though it come from those Gentile provinces 32. That I may come unto you with joy by the will of God and may with you be refreshed Paraphrase 32. This would be a means to make me come cheerfully to you if it please God to grant it to our prayers and to have a cheerfull being with you 33. Now the God of peace be with you all Amen Paraphrase 33. And the God of all unity and concord blesse you and preserve unity among you all Amen Annotations on Chap. XV. V. 12. Reigne over the Gentiles That which is out of the Hebrew rightly rendred for an ensigne is by the Greek translators rendred ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to bear rule or dominion because it being the office of the King to defend and by armes to protect the people and the power of warre being as the power of the sword a branch of imperial authority and that no way competible to any but either to the supreme ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ch 13. 1 2. power or prince or to him that is sent by him that is hath commission from him this being for an ensigne is all one in effect with ruling and one is but a phrase to expresse the other and the Apostle according to his manner maketh use of the Greek translation not of the Original CHAP. XVI 1. I Commend unto you Phoebe our sister which is a note a servant of the Church which is at Cenchrea Paraphrase 1. I pray take speciall notice of the bearer hereof Phoebe a pious person who relieveth those Christians which be in want at Cenchrea 2. That ye receive her in the Lord as becometh saints and that ye assist her in whatsoever businesse she hath need of you for she hath been a succourer of many and of my self also Paraphrase 2. And entertain her Christianly as she is wont to doe others and give her your best assistance in the dispatching the businesse which she hath at Rome for she hath been very liberal to divers Christians and particularly hath assisted me in an eminent manner 3. Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus Paraphrase 3. Mention my love to Priscilla who though a woman hath joyned with Aquila a man to promote the Gospel of Christ and done their best to bring many to the faith 4. Who have for my life laid down their own necks unto whom not onely I give thanks but also all the Churches of the Gentiles Paraphrase 4. And have ventured their lives to save mine for which cause I am not onely bound to thank them but all the Churches of the Gentiles who were obliged by them 5. Likewise greet the Church which is in their house Salute my well beloved Epaenetus who is the first fruits of Achaia unto Christ Paraphrase 5. And all the Christians that belong to their family see note on 1 Cor. 16. c. My love to Epoenetus the first convert I had in all Achaia 6. Greet Mary who bestowed much labour on us Paraphrase 6. See note a. 7. Salute Andronicus and Junia my kinsmen and my fellow-prisoners who are of note among the note b Apostles who also were in Christ before me Paraphrase 7. who are either known men of great estimation with other Apostles as well as me or else themselves Apostolical men 8. Greet Amplias my beloved in the Lord. 9. Salute Urban our helper in Christ and Stachys my beloved 10. Salute Apelles approved in Christ Salute them which are of Aristobulus houshold Paraphrase 10. who hath shew'd himself a faithfull sincere Christian 11. Salute Herodion my kinsman Greet them that be of the houshold of Narcissus that are in the Lord. Paraphrase 11. that have received the faith 12. Salute Tryphaena and Tryphosa who labour in the Lord. Salute the beloved Persis which laboured much in the Lord. Paraphrase 12. doe good offices in the Church see note a. 13. Salute Rusus chosen in the Lord and his mother and mine Paraphrase 13. a choice person a sincure Christian and his mother which is to me as a mother also 14. Salute Asyncritus Phlegon Hermas Patrobas Hermes and the brethren which are with them Paraphrase 14. Christians 15. Salute Philologus and Julia Nereus and his sister Olympias and all the saints which are with them Paraphrase 15. Christians 16. Salute one another with an note c holy kisse The Churches of Christ salute you Paraphrase 16. with that Apostolical form of benediction 2 Thess 3. 17 18. of which a kisse was wont to be the ceremony 17. Now I beseech you brethren mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned and avoid them Paraphrase 17. Now of this I warn you brethren to watch diligently and as out of a watch-tower men are wont to observe the enemy approaching so to observe and take notice of them which teach new doctrines either contrary or different from what we have taught you and so break the peââe of the Church and discourage or drive away others from the faith from such hereticall teachers ye are to separate that others may not be deceived by taking them for men as orthodox as any See note on 1. Cor. 5. g. 18. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ but their own belly and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple Paraphrase 18. Such are the Gnosticks who in stead of serving of Christ serve their own lusts and interests and by plausible pretences and undertakings corrupt and seduce those who are of a temper ready to follow and obey and so become easie and seducible contrary to wise ver 19. 19. For your obedience is come abroad unto all men I am glad therefore on your behalf but yet I would
by his Spirit which knowes all the secrets of God as perfectly as our own spirit knowes our secrets 11. For what man knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of a man which is in him Even so the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God Paraphrase 11. For as among men the thoughts and great concernments and designes of a man though none else knoweth them yet his own spirit doth so these divine matters though none else can reveal them to us yet his Spirit can 12. Now we have received not the spirit of the world but the Spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God Paraphrase 12. And this is that Spirit which we have received the very Spirit of God not the Spirit which suggests worldly things to us that instructs us in those to the end that we may reveal to you the infinite mercies of God toward you which being bestowed on you should not in any reason be concealed from you 13. Which things also we speak not in the words which man's wisdome teacheth but which the holy Ghost teacheth comparing spirituall things with spirituall Paraphrase 13. And as the matter of our preaching is divine and such as was kept secret in God till his Spirit revealed it to us so we proportionably preach it to you not in an humane but divine manner not by using ordinary humane means of perswasion but by such arguments as the Spirit of God in the prophecies of the old Bible and in his descent upon Christ Mat. 3. and by coming down upon his Apostles hath directed adapting spirituall divine arguments to the proving of divine matters 14. But the naturall man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned Paraphrase 14. But such things as these they that are led onely by the light of humane reason the learned Philosophers c. doe absolutely despise and so hearken not after the doctrine of the Gospel see note on 1 Tim. 1. c. for it seems folly to them c. 1. 23. nor can they by any study of their own come to the knowledge of them for they are onely to be had by understanding the prophecies of scripture and other such means which depend on divine revelation the voice from heaven descent of the holy Ghost miracles c. 15. But he that is spirituall judgeth all things yet he himself is judged of no man Paraphrase 15. But he that hath made use of all these afforded him by the Spirit of God viz. prophecies and voices from heaven and such other evidences of divine revelation v. 13. he will be able to understand all these secrets perfectly and being not himself perswaded by any other arguments but onely by those that he hath thus received from the Spirit of God he cannot reasonably be refuted by any other sort of arguments taken from humane reason or worldly wisdome 16. note b For who hath known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him But we have the mind of Christ Paraphrase 16. For who can be imagined to know more of God's mind then he doth who is informed by the Spirit that so he should teach him God's mind Certainly no body And consequently no body can teach you more of the truth of God then we to whom Christ hath revealed his whole will as farre as concerns any man to know have or are able to doe Annotations on Chap. II. V. 4. Demonstration of the Spirit and power That ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã spirit and power may here signifie the same thing as 't is ordinary for two words or phrases to be conjoyn'd the one onely to explain the other may seem probable from the next verse where one onely of them is mention'd ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the power of God But there is no necessity that we should so interpret it because the power of God in the fifth verse being set opposite to the wisdome of men that is the humane waies of perswasion or eloquence must signifie Gods powerfull waies of perswading the belief of the Gospel and signifying so will contain under it the Spirit and power with the severall notions that may well belong to them as first taking the spirit for the prophecies of the old Bible inspired by the Spirit of God and Power for the miracles done by Christ Thus hath Origen express'd the meaning of them the demonstration of the Spirit that is saith he ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the prophecies which were sufficient to give the reader assurance of the truth of the things that belong to Christ And of power that is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the miraculous stupendious actions of which the footsteps yet remainâ Cont. Cels p. 5. But beside this notion of the Spirit some others it is very capable of as 1. that it signifie the descent of the Spirit of God on Christ joyned with that voice from heaven Mat. 3. This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased and after This is my beloved son hear him This may here fitly be called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the demonstration of the Spirit an evidence afforded by God immediatly from heaven of the truth of the Gospel which being joyned with the power of Christ both in respect of his doctrine and his miracles were two heads most fit to be insisted on by S. Paul for the confirming the truth of the Gospel But it may yet farther be applied not to Christ personally but to the Apostles after him and then the Spirit will be the descent of the Spirit upon them and by their imposition of hands the holy Ghosts coming down upon others also Act. 8. 18. and this together with their power of doing miracles may well be their ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or demonstration of the truth of the Gospel and be the thing that is meant here V. 16. For who hath known the That this is a citation from Isa 40. 13. there is no question as also that the first words ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã for who hath known the mind of the Lord are set down after this Apostles manner out of the Septuagint Now the same Apostle citeth that place again Rom. 11. 34. and there in the latter part also sets down the Septuagints words ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and who hath been his counsellour which words being not here read but to ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã these other immediately subjoyned ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã who shall instruct him there will be no reason to think these latter words to be another rendring of that second part of the verse in Ifaiah For when the Septuagint had translated it truly out of the Hebrew why should the Apostle who constantly useth the Septuagints translation and that sometimes when that varies from the Hebrew here use a new rendring
is good for a man so to be Paraphrase 26. First then my opinion is that 't is best in respect of the distresses that are daily to be look'd for on Christians I say that 't is best for men and women supposing them not contracted to continue unmarried 27. Art thou bound to a wife seek not to be loosed art thou loosed from a wife seek not a wife Paraphrase 27. But if thou art engaged or betrothed to a woman this is no excuse for thee to seek to get loose again for that cannot be done so as to be free to marry another as long as she lives All that I say is that it is not now the prudentest way to think of marrying if thou art not already engaged 28. But and if thou marry thou hast not sinned and if a virgin marry she hath not sinned neverthelesse such shall have trouble in the flesh but I spare you Paraphrase 28. Yet not so that if thou dost 't is a sin to marry or that the virgin that now marries commits any sinne onely in such times as these the married state is likely to be fullest of trouble and therefore my kindnesse to you makes me perswade you not to marry 29. But this I say brethren the time is short it remaineth that both they that have wives be as though they had none Paraphrase 29. But by the way let me tell you that within a short time now 't will come to passe that they that have wives shall be as they that have none all in great and equall dangers 30. And they that weep as though they wept not and they that rejoice as though they rejoiced not and they that buy as though they possessed not 31. And they that use this world as not abusing it for the fashion of this world passeth away Paraphrase 30 31. And they that weep for the losse of husband or wife as those that have lost neither and those that rejoice for being newly married as those that are not married at all and rich men and purchasers as those that keep nothing at all for themselves those that deal in the world as those that are wholly taken off from it for as a scene which is turned and shewes a new face so doth now the fashion of this world begin to appear the times are turning into very troublesome 32. But I would have you without carefulnesse he that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord how he may please the Lord. Paraphrase 32. All the advantage therefore I wish you is to be as uncompounded as may be that you may have the lesse perplexity before-hand and be able to attend the service of God more then you would be if you were married He that is unmarried hath but one obligation of care how he may serve God most acceptably 33. But he that is married careth for the things of the world how he may please his wife Paraphrase 33. But the married man hath another obligation of care lying on him viz. the pleasing of his wife and by this means he is divided and distracted 34. note h There is difference also between a wife and a virgin the unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord that she may be holy both in body and spirit but she that is married careth for the things of the world how she may please her husband Paraphrase 34. The widow and virgin being both unmarried have no diversion nothing else to doe but to serve God and to take care to render themselves acceptable to him whereas domesticall affairs are part of the married womans care and it is part of her calling to be very carefull to please her husband 35. And this I speak for your own profit not that I may cast a snare upon you but for that which is comely and note i that you may attend upon the Lord without distraction Paraphrase 35. But all this while I speak onely of that which is expedient for you in respect of worldly convenience not as if marriage were in any kinde unlawfull but that if you can contain from marriage and if no such unfitnesse be in it as is mention'd v. 36. you may have the advantage of the lesse distractions in attending the service of God 36. But if any man think that he behaveth himself uncomely toward his virgin if she passe the flower of her age and need so require let him doe what he will he sinneth not let them marry Paraphrase 36. As for the last part of your question that of being betrothed that I confesse is a circumstance which will much alter the case For in case a man be betrothed but not married see note on Mat. 1. f. to a virgin and she begin to grow in yeares so that if in respect of the present condition of the times approaching marriage be deferr'd 't is necessary that she must passe her prime in this case I lay no restraint upon him so much as in prudence let him doe what he likes best let them marry 37. Neverthelesse he that standeth stedfast in his heart having no necessity but hath power over his own will and hath so decreed in his heart that he will keep his virgin doth well Paraphrase 37. But he that hath made a firm resolution to stay a while and finds himself able to doe so and neither from any necessity arising from himself nor from the condition of the virgin to whom he is betrothed is any way obliged to present marriage but hath free power in all respects to doe what he will and hereupon judges it fit and determins to keep his virgin that is not yet to marry her for a time but at last in a better season to doe so this is a very commendable resolution 38. So then he that giveth her in marriage doth well but he that giveth her not in marriage doth better Paraphrase 38. So that the conclusion is that he that marries even at this time doth that which is absolutely lawfull and in the case mention'd v. 36. expedient also and again he that in the case set v. 37. doth deferre and for a time abstain from marriage makes a more prudent choise in the respects foremention'd v. 35. of attending the better on the service of God and for avoiding of distraction 39. The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth but if her husband be dead she is at liberty to be married to whom she will onely in the Lord. Paraphrase 39. As for her that is once married she is by that obliged to her husband as long as he lives but if he dye 't is absolutely lawfull for her to marry another so that in the doing of it there be no other circumstance that make it unlawfull or so that considerations of piety be taken in in the doing of it and not onely carnall desires gratified thereby 40. But
that were the true reading some probable account might be given of it as that ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã might signifie Onely or the like yet when other copies have read it in a forme thus perspicuous and free from all question it will be more reasonable therein to acquiesce especially considering that if it should be as our copies have it ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã not ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã yet joyning that to the end of v. 16. and not transferring it to the beginning of v. 17. as 't is certain the antient copies were not divided into verses or so pointed as ours now are then still there will be as little difficulty in it for so the words will be very current ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã What knowest thou o man if thou shalt save thy wife if not that is whether thou shalt or whether thou shalt not V. 18. Become uncircumcised ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã signifies attraction and particularly belongs to a practice of some Jewes who under the Aegyptian tyranny first then under Antiochus and lastly under the Romans being oppress'd for being Jewes of which their Circumcision was an evidence used means by some medicinal applications to get a new praeputium And these were called by the Talmudists ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã attractores And that it is possible to be done is affirmed by Cor. Celsus the famous Physician but easier saith he in a boy then a man So saith R. Aleai of Achan that he made himself a praeputium in Excerp Gemar Sanhedr c. 6. § 2. This the author of the books of the Maccabees affirms 1 Mac. 1. 15. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã they made themselves foreskins So under the tyranny of the Romans there were many who therefore were circumcised again by Bar-chuziba when he took upon him to be the Messias and got power among the Jewes two years and an half and was at last slain under Aelius Adrianus This also Epiphanius observes of the Jewes when they turned Samaritanes and of the Samaritanes when they turned Jewes for in both those cases there was use of the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã attraction that they might be capable of being initiated by Circumcision of which number Symmachus is said to be one the Greek Translator of the Old Testament when being hated by the Samaritanes he betook himself to the Jewes in the reigne of Severus the Emperor Now that this practice is here forbidden the Corinthians by the Apostle may seem to be from hence because some that were converted to Christianity from Judaisme did so zealously renounce all their Judaical rites that they used means to attract the praeputia again which was an act of too much superstition and curiosity and so is censured here V. 23. Bought with In this place the whole Context perswades to read ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã interrogatively for so will it best answer ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Art thou called being a servant or is thy calling that of a servant Thus ver 18. both parts of the speech are delivered interrogatively ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Is any man called being circumcised and presently ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Is any man called in uncircumcision For the confirming of this reading 't is to be observed first That as before and after those two questions ver 18. the rule is given that every man walk in or abide in that calling or condition wherein God hath placed him contentedly without making advantage of Christianity for his pretence of a change so 't is here likewise before v. 21. where the interrogation is varied Art thou called being a servant and after this verse which assures us of the continuing the same manner of speaking and so that this latter is by way of interrogation also Secondly That after the first question and the short answer to it Art thou called being a servant care not for it all that followes as far as to this v. 23. is but as in a parenthesis but if thou mayest be free use it rather For he c. and so what here followes v. 23. answers to that by way of parallel ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã c. Which yet will not be a parallel or answerable to the former question unless as before uncircumcision was opposed to circumcision and the mention of the latter was interrogative as well as of the former so here the being bought with the price be opposed to being called a servant which it cannot be unless it signifie manumission from service and the forme of delivering it interrogative also Lastly 't is apparent that the designe of the whole place is to assure Christians that they are not to expect secular immunityes or privileges by being Christians that their being spiritually redeemed by Christ doth not make them free men that before were servants and this 23. verse is a medium to infer that and the conclusion repeated immediately upon it v. 24. Let every one c. Yet such a medium it would not be but the contrary if speaking still to the person or persons last spoken to v. 21. that is to servants he should here tell them they were bought or redeemed by Christ as the same phrase evidently signifies ch 6. 20. and therefore must not be the servants of men And that he speakes to any other viz. to free men it can no way be collected from any words unless from these v. 23. nor yet can it from these unless ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã signifie being bought out from humane servitude by some summe of money c. as we know it was ordinary to buy freedome from heathen Masters Therefore in all probability that is it which is here meant and then that is best express'd by forme of interrogation V. 34. There is difference For the right understanding of the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã it will first be necessary to set down out of the Kings MS. a various reading of this whole place which differs much from that which is vulgarly received and seems very probably to be the truer It is thus ver 33. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã v. 34. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã c. He that is married careth for the things of the world how he may please his wife and is divided or distracted And the unmarried woman that is the widow and the unmarried virgin careth for the things of the Lord that she may be holy both in body and spirit Here ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã signifies being divided between two the service of God which lies upon him as a Christian and the pleasing his wife which lies upon him as an husband and contrary to this is the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã without distraction v. 35. which belongs to the unmarried Thus the Hebrew ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to which ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is punctually answerable signifies ordinarily to divide an inheritance but among the Rabbines in
naturae that which was but the law of many nations ut qui nascitur sine legitimo matrimonio matrem sequatur which though it held among the Grecians and Romans did not among other nations is called lâx Nâturae the law of Nature as on the other side Dâ Chrys ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã of custome comprehends the law of Nature under that style Fourthly by the use of the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in the New Testament as Ephes 2. 3. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã children of wrath by nature applied to the national universal custome of idolatry among the Gentiles as appears v. 2. in which you Ephesian Gentiles sometimes walkâd and ver 3. among whom we all we Romans from whom he wrote ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã sometime conversed ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã as the rest also of the heathen world Just as the same Idolaters Wisd 13. 1. are called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã âain that is idolatrous by that general custome among them To this matter the testimony of Suidas is most clear on the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã where having enlarged on the signification of it in Philosophy he adds ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã but when the Apostle hath those words which were by nature c. he takes not the word Nature in this notion but for an evil durable disposition or chronical custome So when the Apostle saith of the Gentiles that ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã beside nature they were graffed into a good olive tree being but a wild olive themselves Rom. 11. 24. he sure means by Nature the custome of the Jewes which by analogie with Levit. 19. 19. was extenâed to a prohibition of graffing one fruit-tree into another kind or else he referres to the constant custome and rules of gardening never to graffe an ill fruit upon a good stock And so sure 't is in this place either the universal custome of all nations or the fashion of the place or of the generality of people for men and women to distinguish their sexes by cutting or not cutting of the haire V. 29. Discerning The Hebrew ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã signifies two things to sanctifie and to discriminate and is accordingly sometimes rendred by ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and once by ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Jos 20. 7. From hence it seems to be that ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã here being the literal rendring of one notion of the Hebrew ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is taken for the other of hallowing or sanctifying the Lord's body that is eating the Lord's supper in a different manner from that of eating our ordinary meale or ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã our own supper viz. as the institution of Christ to represent his death for the world and the diffusive mercy of that by our Christian liberality and furnishing a common table where the poor aswell as rich may âeast and not the rich eat all to themselves which is the profaning of that feast of the body of Christ CHAP. XII 1. NOW concerning note a spiritual gifts brethren I would not have you ignorant Paraphrase 1. Now to that other part of your letter concerning those that are moved and acted by the Spirit whether good or ill see c. 14. 37. and note on Lu. 9. d. and foretell c. by that means I desire to admonish and direct you brethren and to give you some characters to discriminate one from the other when they come into your assemblies as sometimes some with evil spirits did Fuseb Hist l. 4. 16. and as âimon the Magician is said to have contended with â âeter 2. Ye know that ye were Gentiles carried away unto these dumb idols even as ye were led Paraphrase 2. When ye were heathens ye know the ãâã pretended to foretell things to come and by your desire to know such things ye were seduced to idols which were so farre from being able to presage that they were not able to speak and the answers that were given you there were neither given you by the idols nor their priests but by the devil in them 3. Wherefore I give you to understand that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost Paraphrase 3. The way therefore to discriminate them is this that no man who pretends spiritual gifts in the Church who is led or speaks by the Spirit of God will ever speak evil of Jesus and no such man again hath any of those extraordinary powers of miracles c. and doth them in the name of Christ but he is acted by the holy Spirit the doctrine and commands of Christ being so contrary to and destructive of the evil spirits and their designes among men that the devil will never assist men with his power to set up that 4. Now there are diversities of gifts but the same Spirit Paraphrase 4. But of the gifts that come from the Spirit of God there are differences and though all men doe not the same things yet in them all the âpirit is the same â and therefore they that have not these extraordinary gifts in so high a degree as others should not be sadned for that as long as they have sufficient to demonstrate that they have the Spirit 5. And there are differences of administrations but the same Lord. Paraphrase 5. And there are diversities of offices and ministeries but all performed to the one true God 6. And there are diversities of operations but it is the same God which worketh all in all Paraphrase 6. And there are diversities of afflations or inspirations but the God that worketh all these in all men is the same 7. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withall Paraphrase 7. But the exercise of these spiritual gifts whereby the Spirit manifests it self to be ãâã any man is designed still for some benefit or advantage of the Church and therefore those powers that tend to no use or advantage in the Church are to be suspected not to come from the Spirit of God 8. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdome to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit Paraphrase 8. The gift that one man hath from the Spirit is the special ability of speaking parables and veiling wiâe conceptions Another hath the understanding and interpreting the mysteries of Scripture see note on ch 1. c. and note on â Pet. 1. c. 9. To another faith by the same Spirit to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit Paraphrase 9. Another hath a miraculous faith or by which he works all kinds of miraclââ another hath from the same Spirit a peculiar power of curing diseases without the help of physick 10. To another the working of miracles to another prophecie to another discerning of spirits to another diverse kinds of tongues to another the interpretation of tongues Paraphrase 10. Another
and being hindred from doing it then and going another way viz. by Troas c. 2. 12. I have had a second resolution of visiting you at my going from Macedonia into Greece Act. 20. 16. 2. that so I might have been conducted by some of you toward Judaea whither I am a going with contributions to the poor Christians there 17. When I therefore was thus minded did I use lightenesse or the things that I purpose doe I purpose according to the flesh that with me there should be note b yea yea and nay nay Paraphrase 17. And though I did not come yet have my calumniators nothing to lay to my charge for this as if I did make resolutions lightly rashly and inconstantly as men use ordinarily to doe 18 But as God is true our word toward you was not yea and nay Paraphrase 18. No I assure you as God is faithfull there was no levity or inconstancy in my resolution 19. For the Son of God Jesus Christ who was preached among you by us even by me and Silvanus and Timotheus was not yea and nay but in him was yea Paraphrase 19. As little as there was in our preaching of Christ Jesus the Son of God among you which is also calumniated by some as if it were light uncertain liable to inconstancy but that most unjustly for what was preached by us there among you was confirmed by Christ himself that is by miracles wrought by his power among you 20. For all the promises of God in him are yea and in him Amen unto the glory of God by us Paraphrase 20. For as all the promises of God proposed by him are undoubtedly true so accordingly in this particular he gave us power to confirm by miracles what we taught from him and this I hope hath and will tend to the glory of God by our ministery 21. Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ and hath anointed us is God Paraphrase 21. Now he that confirms both you and us in the truth acknowledged by us and which hath given us such testimony for the proof and confirmation of the Gospel see note on Act. 10. e. is God 22. Who hath also sealed us and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts Paraphrase 22. Who hath as it were set his seal or signature upon us marked and secured us sealed us up for his own and already given an assurance of his future dealing with us by giving us his Spirit the gifts and graces thereof a pledge of the full promise which shall after be performed see note on Ephes 4. i. 23. Moreover I call God for a record upon my soul that to spare you I came not as yet unto Corinth Paraphrase 23. As for that of my not performing my first resolution of coming to you in my way to Macedonia v. 17. and according to my promise 1 Cor. 16. 5. I shall tell you the clear reason of it besides or over and above that of the spirits disposing me otherwise contrary to my resolution intimated v. 17. see Theophylact I had heard of such enormities among you that if I had then come I must have been forced to use a great deal of severity âmong you in case my former Epistle were not obeyed of which I had not particular knowledge till I met with Titus c. 2. 13. which was at my coming to Macedonia And that was then the only reason of my forbearing that I might not be forced to exercise that Apostolical sharpnesse against you As for the other the reason of the change of his resolution is plain Act. 20. 3. 24 Not for that we have dominion over your faith but are helpers of your joy for by faith ye stand Paraphrase 24. That severity of discipline I mean that must not be look'd on as an act of dominion of designing any advantage to our selves by you see Mat. 20. 25. and note on 1 Pet. 5. a. but that which Christ hath commanded and prescribed us by that means to reform and amend to work faith and hope and rejoicing and all good things in you For by faith that is the doctrine of Christ it is that you were first brought in to the service of the true God and wherein you continue ever since and we desire you should doe so still not relying on any doctrine of ours as it differs from that Annotations on Chap. I. V 11 By the meanes of many persons The Greek ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is ordinarily parallel and proportionable to the Hebrew ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã facies which coming from ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã respexit signifies oftentimes respectus and so ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã de facie signifies for or in respect of and agreeable thereto ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã of or from many faces here signifies in respect of many in relation to many for the saâes of many or in any of those formes of speech by which ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã would be rendred V. 17. Yea yea and nay nay The meaning of yea and nay or of yea yea and nay nay is distinctly this when we doe not agree or are inconstant to ourselves now yea and anân nay in our words or actions Whence is that old word naucus for a light or frivolous person from ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã as 't is deduced by Festus The difference of this from the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Jam. 5. 12. is cleared by the construction Let your yea be yea and your nay be nay that is let your words and actions accord so that the second yea and the second nay is not joyned with the first as here but as the praedicate affirmed of it whereas here the two yeas being all one and so indeed express'd by a single yea v. 18. are the Subject of the speech and the two nayes being all one again the praedicate To this agrees that proverb of the Jews The just mans yea is yea and his nay nay A third expression there is that of Mat. 5. which is in sound very near this and yet distant from it Let your communication be yea yea and nay nay that is let there be no other language but this or the like used by you in opposition to the more licentious forms of oaths there mentioned CHAP. II. 1. BUT I determined this with my self that I would not come again to you in heavinesse Paraphrase 1. And now that in stead of coming I write again I was resolved to deferre it so long till I should hear of some reformation among you that so this might not be as formerly my letters were to punish to afflict to censure you see note on 1 Cor. 5. c. 2. For if I make you sorry who is it then that maketh me glad but he that is made sorry by me Paraphrase 2. For when you are check'd or censured by me this is so farre from being pleasant to me that it is
indeed at the same time matter of such grief that I cannot be comforted by any thing but by the same you by seeing that the Censures have wrought some good on you caused the reformation of that in you for which I had meant them to you 3. And I wrote this same unto you lest when I came I should have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice having confidence in you all that my joy is the joy of you all Paraphrase 3. And this severity of proceeding v. 1. which now I speak of I did rather choose to send you in a letter 1 Cor. 5. then to deferre it till my coming in hope to find your faults amended to have all the sorrowfull matter that of censure past before that time that so I might have nothing to doe then but to absolve and receive penitents and so to rejoice among you not to inflict censures upon you and that I was confident would also be most acceptable to you all 4. For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many teares not that ye should be grieved but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you Paraphrase 4. For that which I wrote with some sharpnesse and was matter of grief to you was so much more to me at the very writing of it was a most heavy pressure upon my heart and fetch'd abundance of tears from me by which you may know that what I did was not out of any pleasure that I take to censure or afflict you but as an effect of the greatest love to you all which could be imagin'd 5. But if any have caused grief note a he hath not grieved me but in part that I may not overcharge you all 6. Sufficient to such a man is this note b punishment which was inflicted of many Paraphrase 5 6. But for the incestuous person the author of all this sadness and severity sadness not to me alone but in some measure that I say no worse to all you it is now sufficient which he hath suffered by the delivering him up to Satan 1 Cor. 5. and the sad consequence thereof 7. So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him and comfort him lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow Paraphrase 7. And it is now more then time that he be absolv'd by the Church and forgiven the offence committed against it and by absolution be cheer'd up again lest the continuance of such sharp punishments should not have a benigne but noxious influence upon him 8. Wherefore I beseech you that you would confirm your love towards him Paraphrase 8. And therefore my present counsel is that by prayers for his release you expresse your reconciliation to him and so absolve him from the Censures 9. For to this end also did I write that I might know the proof of you whether ye be obedient in all things Paraphrase 9. And this I now write that I may see whether you are as ready upon my appointment to restore penitents as to inflict punishments upon offenders which is another branch of your Christian charity 10. To whom ye forgive any thing I forgive also for if I forgave any thing to whom I forgave it for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ Paraphrase 10. Whom you are willing to have restor'd from excommunication as being satisfied with his penance and expression of repentance I appoint or give leave to doe it For if I have absolv'd any man I have done it by the authority I have from Christ but yet in respect unto you or with consideration of what may be best for you that is for your whole Church 11. Lest Satan should get an advantage of us for we are not ignorant of his devises Paraphrase 11. That the too long continuance of the punishments upon the penitent offender may not be made use of by Satan to the hurt and ruine of the Church either by swallowing him up by desperation v. 7. or by heightning your zeal against sin into an unreconcileablenesse with the sinner v. 9. for Satan hath many hidden secret arts to mischief souls which we think not of 12. Furthermore when I came to Troas to preach Christs Gospel and a dore was opened to me of the Lord Paraphrase 12. when Act. 20. 1. see note on the title of this Epistle I came to Troas to preach the Gospel of Christ and my preaching had a very happy reception there and brought many to the faith 13. I had no rest in my spirit because I found not Titus my brother but taking my leave of them I went from thence into Macedonia Paraphrase 13. I was much troubled in mind that I could hear no tidings of Titus by him to be advertised of the successe of my Epistle among you and in pursuit of him I left that city and went into Macedonia in hope that I might find him there 14. Now thanks be unto God which alwaies causeth us to triumph in Christ and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place Paraphrase 14. And having met with him he hath given me the good newes of the happy successe of my Epistle among you and that obligeth me to blesse that God who hath hitherto prospered us exceedingly see Mark 14. f. in the propagating of the Gospel and by us hath made piety and Christianity famous and well reputed of in every place 15. For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ in them that are saved and in them that perish Paraphrase 15. For by our preaching the Gospel we perform a very acceptable service to God and bring in glory to his name offer up a sweet smelling sacrifice unto him among all sort of people both among the penitent believers which receive the faith and live according to it and the impenitent unbelievers that receive it not 16. To the one we are the savour of death unto death and to the other the savour of life unto life and who is sufficient for these things Paraphrase 16. For though this sweet perfume to the obstinate impenitent hath been the most perfect poison as high perfumes sometimes are they have grown the worse for the Gospels coming among them yet to all that have forsaken their old courses of sin and obeyed this call to a new life it hath been the most comfortable vitall savour that ever came to them This is a weighty imployment and unlesse God did particularly enable us we could never be fit for it 17. For we are not as many which note c corrupt the word of God but as of sincerity but as of God in the sight of God speak we in Christ Paraphrase 17. This we are sure of that we have not designed any secular advantage to our selves in preaching the Gospel as the Gnostick heretical teachers are observed to do 1 Tim.
shall be taken away Paraphrase 16. But when Israel v. 13. or their heart v. 15. shall accept of the Gospel of Christ then they shall see and understand plainly what now is so obscure to them 17. Now the Lord is that Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty Paraphrase 17. Now Christ is besides his humane nature indued with a divine Spirit and the Gospel of Christ is called the Spirit v. 6. and where the Spirit of Christ or the Gospel is there is freedome and consequently the vaile a token of subjection also 1 Cor. 11. 10. is taken away 18. And we all with open face beholding as in a glasse the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord. Paraphrase 18. And so all we that believe in Christ have that vail done away and doe clearly though not yet so perfectly behold Christ and by beholding him are changed to be like him the doctrine of the Gospel received into our hearts changeth us into other men to such a vision of Christ here in imitating his purity c. as shall be attended with eternal glory hereafter the same Spirit of Christ which worketh the one in us being certain to produce the other also Annotations on Chap. III. V. 1. Epistles of commendations ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in this place are an intimation of an antient custome in the Apostolical primitive Church which ordinarily gave their testimonies to all Christians that travailed from one place to another and recommended them to an hospitable reception The original of this custome seems to have been taken from the heathens who had their tesseras hospitalitatis which from one friend to another help'd them that brought them to kind entertainment and Tertullian continues the phrase contesseratio hospitalitatis Many mentions of this custome we find amongst antient writers In Synesius ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã I commend Thaumasius to your friendship c. And in Phaverinus ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã I commend to your friendship and kindnesse Laurentius who of a long time hath been my scholar And again ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã one commends a man to another when he gives a good testimony of him This was done among Christians by testifying the piety and orthodoxalnesse of any and the agreement with them from whom they come in the same faith And therefore when Fortunius a Bishop of the Donatists affirmed and boasted that their Church was the Catholick Church S. Austin Ep. 163. ad Elâusium convinceth him by asking him whether a Donatist could by his Literae formatae or communicatoriae gain a man entertainment or reception in any Church that he would name to him being confident he could not doe it Thus saith Nazianzen of Julian ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that he imitated many of the Christian rites ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã all humanity charity to them that wanted ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that way of it especially which consisted in sending letters and tâkâns with which saith Nazianzen we use to furnish them that are in want from one nation to another The same saith Zozomen l. 5. c. 5. and Nicephorus Callistus l. 10. c. 21. almost in the same words ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã He especially imitated the tokens or tesserae of the Bishops letters by which they are wont mutually to commend those that travell any whither and by that testimony obtain for them all friendly entertainment as for their most familiar acquaintance The same we may find in Lucian in his Peregrinus By which also will appear the antient notion of the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã not to signifie as Baronius ad an 314. and out of him Binius t. 1. concil p. 271. and Ferrarius De antiq Eccles Epist genere l. 1. p. 45. would have them Epistles by which men were testified to be in communion with the Church of Rome which they never did but when they were written by the Bishop of that Church and neither then any more then those that were written by the Bishop of any other particular Church signified that mans agreement in faith and communion with that particular Church but onely Letters commendatory from one place or Church to another to recommend a person that should travell thither and so obtain for him an hospitable reception lodging diet and all things else that are contained in Zozomen under the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã provision or necessaries that they wanted and this according to the notion of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã formerly mention'd see Note on Act. 2. c. for liberality and beneficence though there is no question but among other degrees of charitable reception that of admitting them to their Churches and Sacraments was included also proportionably to the forms of their testimonies which saith Mat. Blastares were wont to mention the uprightnesse of the persons faith unreprovablenesse of his life and his degree in the Church if he had any See Justell in cod Can. Eccl. Un. p. 132. V. 13. End of that which is abolished If the reading be ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã then must Christ which is the end of the law that is the Christian precepts and promises typified by the Mosaical rites and shadows be meant by it but if the reading be ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã then will the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or second part of the resemblance be more perfectly answerable to the former thus Moses put a vaile over his own face to signifie that the Israelites would not see the face that is discern clearly the most eminent and principal part of the Law which is now abolished that is of the Ceremonial law For certainly the principall part of that was the inward purity and piety signified and adumbrated by those ceremonies and now taught by Christ more distinctly and plainly and so that covering taken away ver 14. only the Jewes will not see it but as yet their understandings are blinded in the beginning of the verse CHAP. IV. 1. THerefore seeing we have this ministery as we have received mercy we faint not Paraphrase 1. Being therefore intrusted by God with so honourable a charge the preaching of this divine and glorious Gospel of Christ c. 3. 4 and 18. we have been diligent in attendance on our work 2. But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty not walking in craftinesse nor handling the word of God deceitfully but by manifestation of the truth commending our selves to every mans conscience in the sight of God Paraphrase 2. And have been farre from using any of those vile arts which shame might make us disguise and conceal but dealt simply and plainly mixing nothing of our own with the word of Christ but contenting our selves
for we also are weak in him but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you Paraphrase 4. For as Christ appeared to be a weak and frail man in being crucified but was evidenced to be omnipotent God by his resurrection so I also may appear weak and a meer ordinary man fit to be despised and contemned by you as you look upon me in my self and in respect of the afflictions which have been and are upon me but yet I shall shew that I am an Apostle of Christ armed with commission and power from God which I have already both by preaching and miracles and shall farther by censures upon the contumacious evidence unto and among you 5. Examine your selves whether ye be in the faith prove your own selves know ye not your own selves how that note b Jesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates Paraphrase 5. Make triall by what you please whether I am not an Apostle of Christ and have planted Christ among you taught you the true faith Have there not been such evidences of my Apostleship c. 12. 12. such assurances of Christs giving me authority of his presence among you in my ministery that you your selves cannot chuse but acknowledge it yes certainly there are if you are not the most senslesse wretched persons in the world the most unfit for God to approve or wink at 6. But I trust that ye shall know that we are not reprobates Paraphrase 6. But whatever you are your selves or whatever ye think of me you shall find I doubt not that I am not disapproved by Christ but abundantly owned by him 7. Now I pray to God that ye doe no evil not that we should appear approved but that ye should doe that which is honest though we be as reprobates Paraphrase 7. Now I pray God to preserve you from every evil way from all corruption or seduction not that I may have occasion to approve my Apostolical power among you by punishing offenders but that you may live like Christians whatsoever opinion you have of me 8. For we can doe nothing against the truth but for the truth Paraphrase 8. For though we have no ability to doe any thing in ease we should set our selves against Christ and his Gospel yet in defence of it we are able to doe somewhat by his assistance and blessing or we have no power or authority to punish those who do not offend or if we do God cooperates not with us in that act Theophylact. 9. For we are glad when we are weak and ye are strong and this also we wish even your perfection Paraphrase 9. And in this sense the weaker we are that is the less severe the less proofs we give of our Apostolical power the better we are pleased and the stronger that is the more innocent and blameless ye keep your selves having no delight in inflicting censures on offenders but much rejoiced to see your innonce and there is nothing that we more desire then that you be made up into such a form or frame which shall be acceptable in Gods sight or that ye live together in communion undivided see note c. no one of you being broken off by excommunication 10. Therefore I write these things being absent lest being present I should use sharpnesse according to the power which the Lord hath given me to edification and not to destruction Paraphrase 10. And that is the reason of my giving you these wholsome warnings before I come that when I come I may not proceed to excision according to the authority given me by Christ but deal with you according to that milder way of instruction not of excommunication which is to take place among contumacious offenders such as I desire not to find you at my coming 11. Finally brethren farewell note c be perfect be of good comfort be of one mind live in peace and the God of love and peace shall be with you Paraphrase 11. And now I take my leave of you beseeching God's blessing upon you and I pray be ye carefull to keep together in the united profession of the fame faith and if there fall out any thing crosse among you support it cheerfully be all mutually kind and peaceable without any divisions or schismes among you And that is the way to have that God who so much values and so strictly commands love and peace among all to be for ever among you by his grace 12. Greet one another with an holy kisse Paraphrase 12. Greet one another from me with all kindnesse see Rom. 16. c. 13. All the saints salute you Paraphrase 13. All the Christians here send you greeting 14. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the note d communion of the holy Ghost be with you all Amen Paraphrase 14. bounty or liberal effusion of the graces of Gods sanctifying Spirit The second Epistle to the Corinthians was written from Philippi a city of Macedonia by Titus and Luke Annotations on Chap. XIII V. 1. This is the third time In the method prescribed by Christ to prepare for the censures of the Church Mat. 18. 15. there is a threefold admonition the first by one man alone the injured person if it be a matter of that nature going and reproving him And if that doe not succeed then take with thee ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã farther or over and above one or two that in the mouth of one or two witnesses every word may be established that is that the thing which thou layest to his charge be so confirmed according to that of Job 8. 17. The testimony of two men is true that is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã true in the sense of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã fit to be credited of sufficient authority in law to be heeded and proceeded upon that by the testimony of these as of witnesses he may be convinced and no longer able to deny the fact as Heb. 6. 16. an oath is said to be ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã for establishing or confirmation as being ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã an end of contradicting that is of affirming and denying The thing so establish'd ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã by oath cannot longer be denied or the parties deniall will not stand him in any stead Or secondly that the offendor may by authority of these be induced as the judge is on the accused person Deut. 19. 15. Heb. 10. 28. to give sentence on himself and so think fit to reform what he is admonish'd of Now that this place distinctly referres to this part of discipline this second admonition appears most probable by his reciting of the very words in the iâstitution In the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established and proportionable to that ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã I foretold and foretell which notes the first and second admonition And though there precede a ãâã ãâã
ãâã ãâã ãâã I come to you this third time yet that referres evidently to this his third resolution personally to appear among them c. 12. v. 14. having resolved it twice already and before that time comes this second Epistle is to supply the place of a second admonition as his first had been a first And so the words will be rendred thus ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã I have foretold or admonished you once in my first Epistle and doe now so again the second time and both those ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã as present these Epistolarie warnings being to have the same force with them as if he were present among them And if this method answerable to the first and second admonition instituted by Christ doe not prevail with you then that which remains is that he proceed to censures and that he is resolved to doe ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã I will not spare Where the Apostolical power which he had over them maketh it improper for him to proceed to any third admonition that of telling it to the Church in S. Matthew So Bishop Titus is appointed to deal with an heretick After the first and second admonition reject him Tit. 3. 10. without any third degree intervening immediately to proceed to censures V. 5. Jesus Christ is in you That Christs being among them signifies the presence and power of the Gospel among the Corinthians or in their Church through S. Pauls Apostleship may appear not only by the Context which wholly looks that way but by that place Exod. 17. 7. to which these words seem to referre where the tempting contumacious Israelites after all the signes and miracles shewed among them doe still remain infidel and ask in these very words ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is the Lord among us or no So that the meaning of the Apostles question here is Many miracles of Christ and his Spirit have been wrought among you by me so that if you doe not yet believe that I am an Apostle of Christ and so that Christ is among you you are sure of the number of those Israelites who after so many miracles still required more signes or of the Pharisees who did the same Mar. 8. 11. which being put in form of a question Discern you not that Christ Jesus is among you the answer is in the next words ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which cannot be more distinctly and literally rendred then thus ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã referring to the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã precedent if ye doe not that is if ye doe not discern it in some degree ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã doubtlesse ye are reprobates senslesse obdurate persons most impious and uncapable of faith or any thing that is good What the notion of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is hath been formerly mentioned See Note on Rom. 1. g. V. 11. Be perfect The proper original notion of the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is to compact or knit together either members in a body or parts in a building Thus it is applied to a building Exod. 15. 17. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the place which thou hast made for thee to dwell in and to walls Ezra 4. 13 16. to a body Psal 40. 6. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a body thou hast framed or compacted for me From hence it doth more largely signifie to prepare or make ready in the same kind as builders doe fit one part to another and make it ready for use and so again to corroborate and strengthen as that which is well compacted and knit together is made strong by that means and lastly to perfect as the building of an house is the perfecting of it especially in the passive voice because that which is compacted and built is perfected and completed by that means Answerable to these severall notions is the Glossarie of Hesychius ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã not as it is corruptly read ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the word signifies to prepare to perfect to strengthen or corroborate In the New Testament the word is variously used but so as will by the circumstances of the Context be appliable to one or more of these three notions Mat. 4. 21. and Mar. 1. 19. it is applied to the mending of the fishers nets knitting them together and so either strengthning or preparing them for use Mat. 21. 16. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in reference to the childrens Hosannahs or testimonies of Christ Thou hast out of their mouths compacted or made up or made ready a song of praise or confession or testimony Lu. 6. 40. Every servant shall be ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã made up perfected fitted for his crown after the same manner as his master Christ is So 1 Thess 3. 10. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to make up or perfect or repair defects and Heb. 13. 21. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã perfect you build you up and so perhaps v. 9. of this chap. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã I pray for your being perfect in all goodnesse as v. 7. I beseech God that you doe no evill So Rom. 9. 22. vessels of wrath ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã it signifies formed or framed or made fit So Heb. 10. 5. out of the Septuagint of the Psalme ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a body thou hast framed me and Heb. 11. 3. by faith we conceive ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that the ages of the world were framed that is the world created But besides all these places one sort more there is wherein by reason of the affinity between the Church of Christ and a building or body the word hath a peculiar signification to compact Christian people the stones in the building or the members in the body of the Church together into a society where they may live and publickly serve God together and that either 1. by first forming those societies uniting men in the profession of the same truths and performance of the same services or 2dly by recovering or restoring any that hath been broken off from the Church by any fault or criminous commission especially if he have been for that cause cut off by the Governours of the Church that is cast out by Ecclesiastical Censures or 3dly by reducing him that hath voluntarily broken himself off by schisme c. or 4thly by Gods restoring peace and tranquillity to the Church that they may thus freely meet together In the first sense we have it Ephes 4. 12. where he speaks of the severall offices ordained in the Church and the first end which he assignes of so doing is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã for the compacting of the saints that is for the holding the body of the Church together to frequent puâlick assemblies c. In the second sense 't is clearly used Gal. 6. 1. where the spiritual or Governours of the Church are advised to indulgence and tendernesse not too much sharpnesse or severity toward offenders or lapsed persons and accordingly are appointed ãâã ãâã
nor uncircumcision but a new creature Paraphrase 15. the renewed regenerate heart c. 5. b. 16. And as many as walk according to this rule peace be on them and mercy and upon the Israel of God Paraphrase 16. all renewed regenerate persons which whether circumcised or no are equally the people of God and acceptable in his sight 17. From henceforth let no man trouble me for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus Paraphrase 17. For the time to come I should be glad if they that are Christians or would be esteemed so would not cause trouble or vexation to me for I am now otherwise employed then to need that trouble and have greater evidence of my being a servant of Christ then to doubt of the sincerity of the discharge of my office and my acceptance with him howsoever I am looked on by you for I have on me those afflictions which are marks and notes of a servant of Christ and which testifie me to belong to him and that 't is not long before he will seise me as his own peculiar 18. Brethren the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit Amen Unto the Galatians written from Rome Paraphrase 18. the favour and loving kindnesse Annotations on Chap. VI. V. 1. Spiritual What is meant by ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the Spiritual here may appear by what hath been said of the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Spirit Luk. 9. d. which signifies not onely the Spirit of God whereby men are reformed and the deeds of the flesh in the precedent chapter mortified but also the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the powers and gifts which were bestowed on men in the Church in order to Ministerial functions or offices there And that ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Spiritual are here thus to be understood in proportion to and by Analogie with these may be guess'd by the severals which here follow first the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Spirit of meeknesse which these Spiritual men are to use This clearly belongs to the power of the keyes vested in the Governours of the Church and is therefore set opposite to ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the rod 1 Cor. 4. 21. where as coming with the rod evidently signifies proceeding to discipline to Censures of Excommunication so coming in the Spirit of meeknesse and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã disciplining in meekness 2 Tim. 2. 24. is admonishing those meekly that have offended and to whom that method of fraternal reprehension is first necessary as perhaps also admitting to repentance and absolution those that have reformed upon the infliction of the Censures And accordingly this Spirit of meeknesse here is this milder part of the Apostolical office which is to precede the more severe and to prevent it if it be possible first Admonitions and Reprehension which if they prevail there is no need of proceeding any farther and secondly an easy admission to penitence in case the Censures have pass'd upon him without proceeding to any higher degree of Censures as in case of obstinacy might be seasonable To this second the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã may incline which we render Restore but signifies properly to put in joint any member of a body which is dislocated and so it fitly belongs to the restoring an Excommunicate person to the society and peace of the Church but yet not onely so but signifies also to recover the offender to a sense and reformation be it by admonition reprehension or any such milder means see Note on 2 Cor. 13. c. And the doing of this being proper to the Governours of the Church it follows that these be here meant by the Spiritual V. 11. How large a letter What ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã signifies Theophylact hath express'd his opinion S. Paul saith he was accused to preach in other places for the observation of the Mosaical Law contrary to what this Epistle contains This forced him to testifie what here he saith under his own hand that he did no where preach for the Law c. 5. 2. and c. 6. 14. And therefore whereas his other Epistles were oft written by an Amanuensis and onely the salutation with his own hand yet here saith he he was forced to write all himself and that as he will conjecture though he was not very well skilled in writing ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã saith he And this as he thinks is noted by ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is by Hesychius rendred ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã not how long or how great but of what manner what sort noting the quality rather than quantity And ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã are letters meaning the letters of the Alphabet and not so properly an Epistle And accordingly saith Theophylact ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã it is not to denote the length or magnitude but the deformity of the letters or characters in which this Epistle was written S. Paul being necessitated to write it all with his own hand But now granting as we have reason this to be the right notion of the single words yet there is no necessity either this should be thus applyed to the illness of the character or inlarged to the writing the whole Epistle with his own hand that is not so much as intimated in any other place or in any antient record and this one place cannot conclude it for ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã notes the sort or kind of the hand indefinitely not defining what it was save onely that it was such as was known to be his For so 2 Thess 3. 17. the writing the salutation some few words in the close with his own hand was saith he ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the token in every Epistle that by which it was known to be his And so if here it be supposed that the whole Epistle were written by an Amanuensis as far as to c. 6. v. 11. and then the pen taken into the Apostles own hand and used by him to the end of the Epistle he may well begin thus ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã you see and know with what kind of letters I have written you know the character that it is my own hand under which it is that I testifie all that is before written in the Epistle particularly that which is in answer to the calumnie against me as if I preached circumcision c. in other places which I have assured you and demonstrated by my persecutions from the Jewes that I do not and to this purpose I here adde again under my own hand a character of your Gnostick seducers v. 12 13. and the profession of my own opinion and practice v. 16 18. and again an evidence of my doctrine and practice from my sufferings v. 17. And thus the whole difficulty is sufficiently explicated without imagining any more Or if the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã I have written be thought to conclude that he had written that which went before and so the whole Epistle I answer that it is
secret will of his of which there can be no cause or motive rendred but his own free mercy and purposed resolution which till now hath been kept as a mystery no man imagining that God ever intended any such thing but which he had long since proposed to himself and referred in his wise dispensation to be performed and delivered out at this season in these last and worst times when the sinnes of men being advanced to such an height it might rather have been expected that God should proceed to execute vengance on them This I say which was the just time that God had resolved on for this purpose to gather together his dispersions as it were and to unite all in Christ to bring into the pale of the Church a whole world of believers the very Gentiles see note on Col. 1. c. all discrimination being removed by Christ through his death and resurrection 11. In whom also we have note c obtained an inheritance being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things according to the counsel of his own will Paraphrase 11. Through the same Christ I say by whom we Jewes have had the will of God revealed to us now above all that we ever had before the Gospel being first preached unto us Act. 3. 26. and those of us which have believed taken possession of as of a patrimony or portion assigned and set apart to God to serve him in holinesse according to the secret counsel of him who had long since decreed and determined this of his own free mercy to us 12. That we should be to the praise of his glory who first trusted in Christ Paraphrase 12. To this end that we that were first converted to Christianity might publish and preach and make known the Gospel to all others and set it out as illustriously as might be 13. In whom ye also trusted after that ye heard the word of truth the Gospel of your salvation in whom also after that ye believed ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise Paraphrase 13. By whom also it is that ye Gentiles though after called yet now also having heard and believed the Gospel by which you are escaped out of your idolatrous sinfull course are in like manner secured and marked out by God for good by receiving that Spirit which is promised to believers and which is the mark of all those whom God receives see note on c. 4. 30. k. 14. Which is the note d earnest of our inheritance untill the note e redemption of the purchased possession unto the praise of his glory Paraphrase 14. Which is given by God as a pledge or first part of payment of that inheritance which he hath destined to us grace pardon salvation and all the inheritance that God will instate upon his children and this on purpose to purchase to himself a peculiar people living gracious and godly lives which tends so much to the illustrating of his grace and glory 15. Wherefore I also note f after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and love unto all the saints Paraphrase 15. Considering therefore this mercy of God as to others so particularly to you both knowing my self the good successe of my preaching the faith among you and having received advertisement of your great proficiency in it since the time I was among you and of that insâparable effect and branch of it your great charity to all Christians that want your assistance 16. Cease not to give thanks for you making mention of you in my prayers 17. That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ the father of glory may give unto you the Spirit of wisdome and revelation in the knowledge of him Paraphrase 16 17. I cannot choose but as I pray for you continually so give thanks for you to God continually also farther beseeching the same God who is known now to us by a more glorious title then that of the God of Abraham even the God of our Lord Jesus Christ whom he hath own'd on earth and now raised and set at his right hand in heaven and who is the author as of raising Christ gloriously from the dead so of all grace and blisse and glory to all that are obedient to the faith that he will bestow on you all things needfull to a Christian Church the gift of understanding the highest natural and spiritual truths the skill of veiling the highest conceptions speaking parables c. and of understanding and interpreting prophecies and discerning Christ and his doctrine in them See note on 1 Cor. 1. c. 18. The eyes of your understanding being inlightened that ye may know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints Paraphrase 18. That by this means of illumination ye may be furnish'd to all spiritual uses discerning throughly what is the benefit of his calling us to Christianity and what the glorious blessed condition of those graces of his which are distributed among Christians here as also of those endlesse joyes which are now instated on all penitent obedient faithfull servants of his as an inheritance to the children infinitely above that Canaan that was bestowed on Abraham's posterity 19. And what is the exceeding greatnesse of his power to us-ward who believe according to the working of his mighty power 20. Which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places Paraphrase 19 20. And withall the infinitenesse of his power that hath been engaged in this work toward us believers in subduing our enemies sin and death the punishment of sin and raising us sinners first to a new and then to an eternal life which was a work of the same omnipotence with that which he first evidenced in that miraculous raising of Christ from the grave and exalting him to the highest degree of glory next to himself in heaven An embleme and essay of the methods which he hath now used toward us by the preaching of the Gospel to raise us from the grave of sin to a new Christian life and from thence to a glorious eternity 21. Farre above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named not onely in this world but also in that which is to come Paraphrase 21. Farre infinitely farre above all those rulers and potentates that have but fading power by whom he was here put to death ye above the highest degree of Angelical powers that inhabit heaven to all eternity 22. And hath put all things under his feet and gave him to be head over all things to the Church Paraphrase 22. And by so doing gave him victory and superiority over all his enemies and constituted him the Prince of his Church who should till the day of doom have in his hands the sole disposing of that every one that is placed in any power therein moving regularly
God in Christ hath designed to elevate the Christian and wherein in a manner all Christianity doth consist and to which we are engaged by his love to us V. 21. In the church The variety of reading either with or without ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and makes it doubtfull how this verse should be rendred If it be without ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and then it must first be observed that the preposition ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã signifying sometimes in as in a place and so it may possibly be here in the assembly of Christians for ever signifies also through and by and so it may most probably signifie here and be all one with ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã by the Church v. 10. that as there the various wisdome of God was demonstrated by the Church that is by Gods dealing in it so here that various wisdome and mercy of his should be acknowledged with thanksgiving And then though 't is possible ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã may adhere to ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and so be rendred the Church in Christ Jesus that is the Christian Church yet because probably if that were it it would be expressed by repeating the article ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã after ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã as it is 1 Cor. 1. 2. therefore it will be more reasonable to render ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã through Christ as the mediator through whom as we pray Rom. 1. 8. so we give thanks and praise to God also And so the meaning will be All honour and glory be unto God through Jesus Christ by whom these mercies are conveied to us for or by or through the Church that is through those gracious and wise disposals of his that are now wrought by receiving the Gentiles into the Church a thing which is likely to have main influence upon all posterities of the world for ever But if the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã be taken in as in that antient MS. it is then as that must necessarily connect ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Church and Christ whether it be rendred and or even so the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã cannot signifie in as in a place because that cannot be applied to ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in Christ but must necessarily be rendred by or through and the Church and Christ must be the two means though perhaps those two knit into one by rendring ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã even whereby this glory is to come in to God and so is ascribed to him thus All glory be to God the Father the wise disposer of all through that which is now done in the Church and or even through what hath been done by Christ in reconciling the Gentiles and bringing them into the same fold with the Jewes making up one Church of both CHAP. IV. 1. I Therefore the prisoner of the Lord beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called Paraphrase 1. I therefore the Apostle that am at this time a prisoner for the cause of Christ ch 3. 1. from whence to this place seems to be one long parenthesis see note on Gal. 2. c. doe exhort you to behave your selves like parsons that have been vouchsafed by God that great mercy of revealing Christ to you in your Gentile state 2. With all lowlinesse and meeknesse with long suffering forbearing one another in love Paraphrase 2. And that must be by the exercise of that Christian charity and those many effects of it 1 Cor. 13. 4 5. a lowly opinion of your selves a mild behaviour toward others a patient bearing opposed to revenging of injuries much more of weaknesses and ignorances 3. Endevouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace Paraphrase 3. Labouring your utmost to preserve that unity in the Church which is kept in the body by being animated by the same Spirit and by being joyned one member friendly and peaceably to another by sinews c. that is unity of charity as the Spirit and of outward communion as the sinews to knit you all together into a peaceable Church loving and living peaceably one with another 4. There is one body and one spirit even as ye are called in one hope of your calling Paraphrase 4. That as ye are one society one body of Christians so ye may have one soul as it were one Spirit of love to animate that body according to that one aime in which you all conspire and to the obtaining of which Christianity gives you all the same pretension and hope viz. eternal life 5. One Lord one faith one baptisme Paraphrase 5. And according as ye have but one master whose commands ye are bound to obey one body of Creed to be believed by all and the same form of initiation the same vow of Baptisme appointed to be administred to all 6. One God and father of all who is above all and through all and in you all Paraphrase 6. And as having all of you the same God which created and now owneth you for his children who overseeth all actions pierceth through all secrets powerfully worketh in you by his gifts and graces 7. But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ Paraphrase 7. But these gifts and capacities and qualifications for the serving of Christ in the Church are not in the same manner and measure given to all but severally and in diverse degrees such as Christ in his several distribution of gifts is pleased to dispense 8. Wherefore he saith When he ascended up on high he led captivity captive and note a gave gifts for men Paraphrase 8. According âo that of the Psalmist Psal 68. 18. that at his ascension he carried Satan sin and death captive and scattered many several gifts and extraordinary graces by sending the holy Ghost upon his Disciples as Elias did upon Elishah at his ascent 9. Now that he ascended what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth Paraphrase 9. And what doth this his ascent to heaven signifie but that he first descended from heaven to these lower parts of the world called the earth or to the Virgins womb to be conceived there in humane flesh which is by the Psalmist also styled being fashioned beneath in the earth Psal 139. 15. see Paulus Fagius on Targum Gen. 37. 36. or else to the grave called The lower parts of the earth Psal 63. 9. 10. He that descended is the same also that ascended up farre above all heavens that he might fill all things Paraphrase 10. And as his descent was on purpose to doe us good to bestow and scatter his graces among us so his ascending again though it were for a time the leaving of us yet it was designed to the sending down the holy Ghost upon the Apostles by that means to supply all our wants to doe what was necessary to be done to
most acceptable to God and so cannot be better compared then to a meat-offering or drink-offering which being offered for our sins unto God and of the former a part burn'd upon the altar and the rest for the use of the Priest Lev. 2. 3. but the latter wholly consumed on the altar is said to be of a sweet savour unto the Lord and Gen. 8. 20. to satisfie for us and work our peace 3. But fornication and all uncleannesse or covetousnesse let it not be once named amongst you as becometh Saints Paraphrase 3. And for the Gnostick noisome foule practices unlawfull unnaturall riotous lusts let them never get the least admission among you but be utterly detested by you according to that obligation that lies on you as Christians in opposition to the heathens 4. Neither filthinesse nor note b foolish talking nor jesting which are not convenient but rather note c giving of thanks Paraphrase 4. And so all unclean gestures and obscene talking or unsavory jests to cause laughter which are all unbeseeming a Christian but purity chastness graciousness of language opposite to the filthiness before or else blessing and praising of God a far fitter subject for our rejoycing 5. For this ye know that no whoremonger nor unclean person nor covetous man who is an idolater hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ of God Paraphrase 5. For by the Christian doctrine ye are assured that he that is guilty of any unlawfull especially unnaturall inordinate lust see Rom. 1. note i. those sins which were used in the mysteries of the heathens is an absolute Gentile person hath no portion in the Church of God under Christ nor inheritance in heaven See note on 1 Cor. 5. 1. 6. Let no man deceive you with vain words for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience Paraphrase 6. Let no man flatter you that these are tolerable for a Christian for they are the very sins for which God hath so plagued the heathens as he did Sodome c. 7. Be not ye therefore partakers with them Paraphrase 7. Doe not ye then joyn in their sins that ye may not in their punishments 8. For ye were sometimes darknesse but now are ye light in the Lord walk as children of light Paraphrase 8. For though ye were formerly heathens yet now ye are become Christians and that layes an obligation on you and all such as you to live like Christians 9. For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodnesse and righteousnesse and truth Paraphrase 9. For that Spirit that God hath sent among us in the preaching of the Gospel being the Spirit of God must bring forth all kindnesse justice fidelity and such like Gal. 5. 22. 10. Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. Paraphrase 10. Searching and approving and accordingly practising whatsoever you shall find acceptable to God see note on Rom. 2. f. 11. And have no fellowship with the unfruitfull works of darknesse but rather reprove them Paraphrase 11. And goe not ye to their heathen mysteries comply not with their close dark abominable practices but oppose and help to bring them to light that they may leave them the secrecy being the onely thing that secures and continues them in them 12. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret Paraphrase 12. For those secret practices are such that they dare not appear in the light and therefore are by the devill who prescribes them as parts of his worship appointed to be used in close recesses which are called their mysteries as the highest but indeed the vilest part of their religion see note on Rev. 17. c. 13. But all things that are approved are made manifest by the light for whatsoever doth make manifest is light Paraphrase 13. But Christianity is a means to discover and display these abominable cheats and villanies as light is the direct means to discover what darknesse hath hid and to make them renounce and forsake it when they see it is seen and abhorred by men 14. Wherefore he saith Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ shall give thee light Paraphrase 14. According to that saying of Isaiah c. 60. 1. Arise be enlightned for thy light is come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee that is this Christian estate is a lightsome condition and engages every man that expects to have his part in it to get out of all these horrible dark secrecies which are put to shame and discomfited by the light 15. See then note d that ye walk circumspectly not as foole but as wise Paraphrase 15. See therefore and consider how ye may walk most exactly and inoffensively to which end ye will need great circumspection as being placed in the midst of such temptations and dangers by one or other ready to be insnared on every side If your circumpection be not intense enough ye will be insnared as fools in their lusts and complyances which bring such carnal temptations along with them and if ye be over earnest in admonishing them and vehement unseasonably ye will exasperate and incurre the danger Mat. 7. 6. of being rent by the swine 16. note e Redeeming âhe time because the dayes are evill Paraphrase 16. And therefore as you must be sure to preserve the innocence of the dove so ye have need of prudence and warinesse and wisdome of behaviour because the world is at this time full of corruption and of contumacy and persecuting of all good and orthodox Christians 17. Wherefore be ye not unwise but understand what the will of the Lord is Paraphrase 17. And therefore see that ye be not corrupted by their insinuations but let the knowledge of your Christian duty so fortifie you that ye be not befooled or insnared by them 18. And be not drunk with wine wherein is note f excesse but be filled with the Spirit Paraphrase 18. And do not ye like those heathens in their Bacchanals inflame your selves with wine to which all manner of inordinate lust is consequent and then think ye are inspired and able to prophesy by that means but let your hearts be filled with zeal and devotion see note on Luk. 9. c. 19. Speaking to your selves in note g Psalms and Hymnes and spiritual songs singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord Paraphrase 19. And let all your mirth and jollity be express'd in the several kindes of hymnes c. that are used among Christians after a pious manner singing and inwardly in your hearts rendering praises to God and not finding out such grosse carnal wayes of expressing your joyes as the heathens use 20. Giving thanks alwayes for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ Paraphrase 20. Upon all occasions acknowledging the great and fatherly mercies of God to you through our
Leontius de sect ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã speaking of the heresie of the Manichees which chose the worst things ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã out of each heresie he addes ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the dust of the earth that visible masse the flesh or members that is the body then secondly ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the living soul the animal or sensitive faculty common to man with beasts and other sensitive creatures and that is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the soul which therefore in the New Testament ordinarily signifies the life Luk. 12. 20. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the breath of life the rational faculty capable of divine illumination and so called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the whole of us and so Marcus Eremita ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã soul Gen. 23. 8. is by the Chaldee paraphase rendred ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã free to gee whither she will This Thalassius Cent. 2. 27. calls ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the practical soul viz. the beginning of Action for such the Will is And that this is the notion of the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the passions ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã sensual desire ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the common people of the soul in Maximus Tyrius ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the woman-part in Philo ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the child in us in Simplicius on Epictet p. 70. and again p. 296. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the lower foot-part of the soul by which the soul communicates with the body ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the unreasonable affections generally among the Stoicks and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã unreasonableness ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the horse in Socrates ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the beast in Plotinus or ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the body enlivened ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the beasts and fourfooted creatures of the soul which still allure us to bestial things ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã not of man as man saith Nemesius de Nat. Hom. c. 1. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã but of the living creature primarily and consequently of the man in that man is a living creature For the Spirit they set to ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the leading faculty of the soul ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the intellectual faculty ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the rider of that horse in Socrates ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the paedagogue that modulates the irrational appetite and sets it right to that which is profitable in Simplicius ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the God in us in Julian ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the masculine part in Philo ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the man in others the inward man in Saint Paul and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the mind ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the understanding Mar. 12. 30. and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in the same sense v. 33. Betwixt these two then as in the middle of them is placed ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã as that signifies the will the elective faculty called by the Ancients ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the will or choice This Philosophy concerning the parts and division of man Nemesius cites from Plotinus ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 flâsh fals into earthly concupiscences So Origen l. 1.
sup Epist ad Rom. Triplex hominis portio Corpus seu caro infima nostri pars cui per genitalem culpam legem âuscripsit peccati serpens ille vererator quáque ad târpia provocamur ac victi diabolo nectimur Spiritus quo divinae Naturae similitudinem exprimimus in qua Conditor optimus de suae mentis archetypo aeternam istam honesti legem insculpsit digito h. e. spiritu suo hoc Deo conglutinamur unúmque cum Deo reddimur Porrò tertia inter ea media Anima quae velut in factiosa republica non potest non alterutri partium accedere hinc atque hinc sollicitatur liberum habet utrò velit inclinare si carni renunâians ad spiritûs partes sese induxerit fiet ipsa spiritalis sin ad carnis cupiditates semet abjecerit degenerabit ipsa in corpus There are three parts of a man the Body or flâsh the lowest part of a man on which the Serpent by original sin inscribed the law of sin and by which we are tempted to filthy things and as oft as we are overcome by the temptation are joyned fast to the devil the Spirit by which we expresse he likenesse of the divine Nature in which God from the pattern of his own mind engraved the eternal law of honest with his own hand or spirit by this we are joyned fast to God and are made one with him then the Soul which is the middle betwixt these two which as in a factious commonwealth cannot but joyn with one or other of the former parties being solicited this way and that and having liberty to which it will joyn If it renounce the flesh and joyn with the spirit it will it self become spiritual but if it cast it self down to the desires of the flesh it will it self degenerate into the body All most distinctly and largely to the same purpose when the Soul or Will thus consents to the body or flesh then lust is said to conceive bring forth sin Jam. 1. 15 Thus the flesh or lower soul like the harlot solicites the Will the middle faculty of the man to impure unlawfull embraces ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã invites aitract it with somepleasant baite ãâ¦ã it hath obtained is consent by this means it conceives sin which when by some degrees it is grown to perfection proceeds from consent to act from conception to birth from act to delight from delight to frequent iteration thence to habit from habit to obduration and at last it self is able to bring forth again it brings forth death with which agrees that of the Poer ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Aeschyl ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã That which is sin in the field is death in the harvest And ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Id. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Lust blossomes and fructifies sin from whence comes a lamentable harvest So again when the Spirit gets the consent and the embraces the fruits of the spirit follow also And so Thalassius having compared the Will under the title of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the practical soul or beginning of action to a woman addes ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã with which when the mind joynes it brings forth vertue To this is referred the spirits lusting against the flesh and the flesh against the spirit and many the like passages of the New Testament and in Julian Or. 4. p. 267. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the double nature that is at strife mingled together viz. soul and body one divine the other dark and black from whence saith he rises the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the strife dissension in man THE note a SECOND EPISTLE OF PAVL THE APOSTLE TO THE THESSALONIANS THis second Epistle seems to have been written not many months after the former about the 51. of Christ whilst the Apostle yet remained at Corinth or was removed to Athens perhaps For having in the former express'd his intentions and desire to visit them again in Macedonia 1 Thess 3. 10 11. it no where appears that he did find an opportunity to doe so and then it is not improbable that being by the interveniency of affairs and perhaps of dangers hindred from making good his resolution he should thus hasten to send this Epistle to supply that defect to confirm their minds and to correct an errour which he saw they were in concerning that coming of Christ mentioned in the former Epistle c. 2. 16. and 5. 3. for the acting revenge upon his enemies the Jews which they either from the words of his Epistle see ch 2. 2. note c. or by some other means had perswaded themselves would come more speedily that in truth it was likely to come The ill consequence of this mistake the Apostle foresaw viz. that if they depended on it as instant ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and should find their hopes of immediate deliverance which was to attend it frustrated this would be sure to shake their faith and their constancy And therefore discerning their error he thought it necessary to rectifie it by mentioning to them some things which were necessarily to be precedent to it and reminding them that this was exactly according to what he had told them when was among them And this is visibly the summe of the two first chapters the third being enlarged occasionally to some particulars CHAP. 1. 1. PAUL and Silvanus and Timotheus unto the Church of the Thessalonians in God our father and the Lord Jesus Christ 2. Grace be unto you and peace from God our father and the Lord Jesus Christ 3. We are bound to thank God alwaies for you brethren as it is meet because that your faith groweth exceedingly and the charity of every one of you all toward each other abounde h. Paraphrase 3. We count our selves bound to give God especial thanks for his mercy and grace afforded you by the help of which it is that your adherence to the Christian faith grows every day more constant for all your persecutions ch 2. 14. and so also your mutual love and charity unity and amity one toward another without any breach or schisme among you 4. So that we our selves glory in you in the Churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulatious that ye indure Paraphrase 4. And accordingly we expresse our joy by boasting of you to other Churches of Christians that you have with great patience enduied fore persecutions and yet continued firm and constant in all 5. Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God that ye may be counted worthy of the note a kingdome of God for which ye also suffer Paraphrase 5. Which is a notable means of evidencing the great justice of God's providence and dispensations of the things of this world when all the persecutions that fall on you tend but to the trial and approving of your constancy and fidelity to Christ and so to the making
consequently 't will not be yet so sit a season for the Gnosticks to discover their venome against them 7. For the note i mysterie of iniquity doth already work onely he who now letteth will leâ untill he be taken out of the way Paraphrase 7. And therefore though this sort of men be already formed into a sect under their ringleaders Simon and Carpocrates c. yet at this time 't is carried more closely they are not broken out into such open renouncing of and opposition to Christ and Christians they have no occasion as yet to side with the Jewes against the Christians nor shew of quarrel whereupon to exasperate the Jewes against them because the Christians walk warily and doe nothing contrary to the Mosaical Law which is the thing which holds them from breaking out v. 6. But as soon as ever that which withholdeth is removed that is as soon as the Apostles depart v. 3. go prosess'dly to the Gentiles give over the Jewes and permit not Christians to Judaize but call them off from observing the Law 8. And then shall note k that wicked be revealed whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth and shall destroy with the brightnesse of his coming Paraphrase 8. Then immediately shall this sect of Gnosticks shew it self joyn with and stirre up the Jewes and bring heavy persecutions upon the Christians and having this opportunity to calumniate them to the Jewes behave themselves as their professed opposers And Simon Magus shall set himself forth in the head of them whom as a profest enemy of Christ Christ shall destroy by extraordinary means by the preaching and miracles of S. Peter and for all the Apostatizing Gnosticks that adhered to him they shall be involved in the destruction of the unbelieving Jewes with whom they have joyned against the Christians 9. Even him whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signes and lying wonders Paraphrase 9. This person whom now I speak of and his followers are such as by Magick doe many strange things to deceive men into an admiration of themselves 10. And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved Paraphrase 10. And by baits of lust c. they work upon the generality of wicked carnal Christians and this as a punishment for their not being brought to sincere repentance and true faith by the Gospel but preferring the satisfaction of their own humors and passions and prejudices Joh. 8. 45. before the doctrine of Christ when it came with the greatest conviction and evidence and authority among them Tit. 2. â1 11. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusions that they should believe a lie Paraphrase 11. And this is the cause why God suffers meer Magicians to deceive them by false miracles and by that means to bring them to believe all kind of falsnesse false gods false waies of worship deceitfull cheating false miracles to get autority to those and all manner of heathen licentious vicious practices the consequents of those errors and the most contrary to Evangelical truth 12. That they all might be damned who believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousnesse Paraphrase 12. That so filling up the measure of their obdurations they may fall under condemnation or be judged and discerned to be what they are impenitent infidels and accordingly remarkably punished 13. But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you brethren beloved of the Lord because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth Paraphrase 13. The more of truth there is in all this the more are we bound to blesse and praise God for his goodnesse to you brethren that he hath been so favourable to you above others as to appoint the Gospel to be preached to you and you to be called to the faith of Christ so early so these being Jewes at Thesâalonica are said to have believed before others Ephes 1. 12. and so to be taken out of that wicked generation by the preaching of the Gospel and that grace which is annex'd to it and by your receiving of the truth by which means you are safe both from the Apostasie v. 3. and the delusions v. 10. and from the destruction that shall shortly come upon the Jewes and Gnosticks v. 1 8 12. 14. Whereunto he called you by our Gospel to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ Paraphrase 14. Unto which honour and advantages God hath by our preaching advanced you that thereby ye might have your parts in all the glorious effects of Christ's power in his servants and over his enemies 15. Therefore brethren stand fast and hold the traditions which ye have been taught whether by word or our Epistle Paraphrase 15. To conclude therefore Doe you brethren take care to retain constantly all the doctrine which I have both at my being with you for the preaching of the Gospel to you and since in mine Epistle delivered to you all such I mean as I have truely told or written to you not such as are unduly put upon you under that pretence v. 2. 16. Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God even our father which hath loved us and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace Paraphrase 16. And I beseech that Lord and Saviour of ours Jesus Christ and God the Father who out of his meet love to us hath thus given us his Son and through him afforded us matter of endlesse comfort even the hope of eternal joyes to reward our temporary sufferings and revealed this to us in the preaching of the Gospel see note on Heb. 13. c. 17. Comfort your hearts and stablish you in every good word and work Paraphrase 17. That he will now in your tribulations and persecutions refresh and cheer you up and confirme you to persevere stedfast and constant in the profession of the truth and in all Christian practices Annotations on Chap. II. V. 1. By The Preposition ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is oft taken in the notion of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã of or about or concerning or for as that denotes the matter of the ensuing discourse as when we say in English Now for such a matter or point or question which is the form of entring upon any discourse And thus it seems to be understood here making the coming of Christ c. the things which he proceeds to discourse of which having been touched upon in the former Epistle c. 5. 1. and it seems that which was said in that Epistle misunderstood by them in some circumstances he proceeds as in a known matter to speak of it and so ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã will be best rendred concerning Ib. Coming of our Lord ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the coming of the Lord hath been
his just reward for such injuries 15. Of whom be thou ware also for he hath greatly withstood our words Paraphrase 15. The reason why at this time I mention him is that thou mayst beware of him avoid him look upon him as an excommunicate person delivered up to Satan 1 Tim. 1. 20. for he stands out contumacious against all our reprehensions and admonitions to repent 16. At my first answer no man stood with me but all men forsook me I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge Paraphrase 16. At my coming to Rome when I was to plead for my self all my acquaintance all that were able to have stood me in any stead either by their power at Rome or by their testimonies in my defence forâook me for feat of suffering I pray God to pardon them for it 17. Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me and strengthened me that by me the preaching might be the mouth of the lion Paraphrase 17. Yet God assisted and vindicated my innocence that the Gospel might be preached by my means and so the Romans the Gentiles might receive it see Phil. 4. 22. and to that end I was at that time delivered from a most considerable present danger though not freed from prison 18. And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdome to whom be glory for ever and ever Amen Paraphrase 18. And I am confident that God will at this time so guarde me that I shall be delivered from every enterprise against me however that he will keep me from doing any thing unworthy of an Apostle and servant of his that so when I lose this miserable life I may attain to that eternal kingdome of God 19. Salute Prisca and Aquila and the houshold of Onesiphorus Paraphrase 19. See c. 1. note a. 20. Erastus abode at Corinth but Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick 21. Doe thy diligence to come before winter Eubulus greeteth thee and Pudens and Linus and Claudia and all the brethren 22. The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit Grace be with you Amen The second Epistle unto Timotheus ordained the first Bishop of the Church of the Ephesians was written from Rome when Paul was brought before Nero the second time Annotations on Chap. IV. V. 7. I have fought These two verses are wholly Agonistical ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is any of the four famous games Olympick c. and of that as it signifies suffering of afflictions see 1 Thess 2. b. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is one sort of combaâe in either of those four that of racing The ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã good either as being in a good cause or as ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã c. 2. 5. according to the laws of the agones and so his fighting a good fight is suffering Christianly and valiantly ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is to perform and so ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to run or perform the race see Note 2. on Act. 21. Then ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã not referring to his whole life but this one combat here insisted on his danger at Rome And then ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to keep the faith is to observe the Gospel rules and so not to offend against the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã laws of the combat see Note on the title of this Epistle Thus in those writings that go under Trismegistus's name we have ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã l. 4. p. 2. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the soul that hath undertaken and performed this strife or combat of piety Then the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã crown that is the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the reward and that is here called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã crown of righteousnesse possibly in the notion that theHebrew ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to which ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã righteousness is answerable is taken Isa 48. 18. Nehem. 2. 20. Psal 35. 27. that is for felicity As Prov. 8. 18. where wealth and righteousness are put together Abenezra interprets it felicity or prosperity and so ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is used Rom. 6. 16. and opposed to death by which it there appears to signifie eternal life But it may also signifie a righteous life which is thus rewarded and crowned by God Then ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the righteous judge is the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã who gives the crown to the conquerour V. 13. Cloake The authority which I have for rendring ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the roll is from the antient Glossaries Thus Phavorinus ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which without question should be written thus ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and so the explication of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã will be a little piece of parchment folded up which perhaps may be all one with the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã hereafter mentioned because they being added with a ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã but especially seem to denote somewhat which had been formerly mentioned rather than any new thing See S. Hierome Ep. 125. ad Damas q. 2. V. 14. The Lord reward Of this form of speech ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 't is not here omiss to note that the full importance of it is no more than a Prophetical denuntiation or prediction that should in the just judgement of God befall Thus some of the best MSS. read ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the Lord shall reward others of the antients who read ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã reward yet expound it ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã shall reward So the Author of the questions and answers assigned to Justine making it ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a prediction So Chrysostome and Theophylact ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã it is instead of the future shall render adding that pious men do not rejoice in or desire to hasten the punishemnts of the wicked but that they foretell them he Gospel and weak believers having need of such comforts To this may be added that it is a vulgar Hebraisme for the Imperative and Future tense to be used premiscuously the one for the other ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Psal 7. 9. in the future cemplebitur or consumetur shall be consumed or fulfilled is yet by the antient Interpreters rendred in the Imperative ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã say the 72. Let it be accomplish'd and so the Chaldee Syriack Arabick and Aethiopick and onely the Vulgar Latine retains consumetur shall be consumed Thus on the other side Mat. 10. 13. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Let your peace return to you is sure a promise from Christ or prediction that their peace shall return to them and thus is it innumerable times in the sacred dialect of these Books V. 17. The mouth of the Lion ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the mouth of the Lion is commonly thought here to signifie Nero so styled because of his cruelty But as there is no reason to believe that Paul was now admitted to Nero's own hearing
and had stolne and run away from him and coming to Rome while Paul was prisoner there was converted by him v. 10. and is now returned to his Master with this Epistle of commendation to obtain a pardon and reception for him which consequently was written and sent from Rome where he now was in prison An. Chr. 59. And this at the same time that the Epistle to the Colossians was sent as may be conjectured by these characters common to them 1. Timothy joyned with Paul in the beginning 2. the same saluations in the conclusion Epaphras Marcus Aristarchus Demas and Lucas and 3. Archippus called upon in both to take care and look to the trust committed to him CHAP. I. 1. PAUL a prisoner of Jesus Christ and Timothy our brother unto Philemon our dearly-beloved and fellow-labourer 2. And to our beloved Apphia and Archippus our fellow-souldier and to the Church in thy house Paraphrase 2. those Christians that are with thee 3. Grace to you and peace from God our father and the Lord Jesus Christ 4. I thank my God making mention of thee alwaies in my prayers 5. Hearing of thy love and faith which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus and toward all saints Paraphrase 5. thy charity to all the saints and thy faith in Christ see note on Mat. 7. d. 6. That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus Paraphrase 6. That your liberality charity to others that are in want flowing from thy faith in Christ Jesus see note on Act. 2. c may be able to demonstrate to all the zeal of your charity and kindnesse toward Jesus Christ 7. For we have great joy and consolation in thy love because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee brother Paraphrase 7. This liberal charity of thine is matter of great joy and comfort to me to consider how many Christians are in their wants refreshed comforted by thee my beloved Philemon 8. Wherefore though I might be much bold in Christ to injoyn thee that which is convenient Paraphrase 8. And therefore though from my experience of thee I have great freenesse of behaviour toward thee in or through Christ see Joh. 7. a. and am not shie or backward to lay it upon thee as an Apostolical command knowing that thou wilt readily obey it 9. Yet for love's sake I rather beseech thee being such an one as Paul the aged and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ Paraphrase 9. Yet I chose rather to make it my request upon the score of thy love toward me who as an old man and a prisoner shall obtain some kindnesse and affection from thee 10. I beseech thee for my son Onesimus whom I have begotten in my bands Paraphrase 10. And my request is not for my self but for Onesimus one whom I have converted to the faith since I was a prisoner 11. Which in time past was to thee unprofitable but now profitable to thee and to me Paraphrase 11. A person that formerly injured thee when he ran away from thee but is now if thou wilt receive him again according to the signification of his name likely to be profitable to thee and if thou please to me also see v. 13. 12. Whom I have sent again thou therefore receive him that is mine own bowels Paraphrase 12. He is thy servant and therefore I have remitted him to thee I pray receive him and entertain him with all kindnesse as one dearly beloved by me 13. Whom I would have retained with me that in thy stead he might have ministred unto me in the bonds of the Gospel Paraphrase 13. Had it not been for the reason specified v. 14. I would have kept him here with me that he might attend and doe me all those good offices while I am in prison for the doctrine of Christ which I know thou wouldest doe if thou wert here 14. But without thy mind would I doe nothing that thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity but willingly Paraphrase 14. But I would not doe so till thou hadst given thy consent that thy charity to me may be perfectly free and so thy kindnesse in affording him to me if thou thinkest meet 15. For perhaps he therefore departed for a season that thou shouldst receive him for ever 16. Not now as a servant but above a servant a brother beloved specially to me but how much more unto thee both in the flesh and in the Lord Paraphrase 16. Being now so improved that he will not only deserves to be looked on as a servant usefull to thee so but more then so as a fellow-Christian and usefull to thee in those best thinges one very usefull to me and therefore in any reason to be so much more to thee who hast a double relation to him as one of thy family and one of thy faith 17. If thou count me therefore a partner receive him as my selfe Paraphrase 17. If therefore thou lookest on me as a friend if all be common between thee and me as between friends treat him as thou wouldst doe me if I should come unto thee 18. If he hath wronged thee or oweth thee ought put that on mine account Paraphrase 18. And if at this coming away from thee he purloined any thing from thee or hath any thing of thine in his hands I will be answerable to thee for it 19. I Paul note a have written it with mine own hand I will repay it albeit I doe not say to thee how thou owest unto me even thine own self besides Paraphrase 19. I give thee this bill under my hand whereby I oblige my self to pay it though I might put thee in mind that a greater debt then that need not be stood on between me and thee who owest thy conversion and so thy soul and wel-being and so thy self to me 20. Yea brother let me have joy of thee in the Lord refresh my bowels in the Lord. Paraphrase 20. give me cause of rejoicing to see thee doe as becomes a true charitable Christian to doe 21. Having confidence in thy obedience I wrote unto thee knowing that thou wilt also doe more then I say 22. But withall prepare me also a lodging for I trust that through your prayers I shall be given unto you Paraphrase 21. that by the benefit of the prayers of you and others for me I shall have liberty from my bonds and be permitted to come and visit you 23. There salute thee Epaphras my fellow-prisoner in Christ Jesus 24. Marcus Aristarchus Demas Lucas my fellow-labourers 25. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit Amen Written from Rome to Philemon by Onesimus a servant Annotations on Philemon V. Written it with my own hand These words are to be explained by the Roman laws that of Ulpian among their Axiomes Si quis scripseris se fidejussisse omnia
his riches is as fading and transitory a thing as the greennesse of the grasse not worth the valuing and the care of keeping and perpetuating it unto him will bring him a great deal of temptation and vexation and little of joy or advantage 10. But the rich in that he is made low because as the flower of the grasse he shall passe away Paraphrase 10. But let the rich man that falls into a low condition through the afflictions to which this world is subject be as well pleased and thank God as heartily for his being reduced to this low estate as a poor man is wont to be when he is preferred and exalted see note on Mat. 9. d. Or thus It is no unhappy state for a man to have lost all to be brought low in the world and so to have nothing left to lose or secure Nay this he may really look on as a dignity or preferment that he hath reason to be very glad of and not to mourn for And so likewise may the rich man look with joy upon the plundrings and violences that befall him because his riches is as fading and transitory a thing as the greennesse of the grasse not worth the valuing and the care of keeping and perpetuating it unto him will bring him a great deal of temptation and vexation and little of joy or advantage 11. For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat but it withereth the grasse and the flower thereof falleth and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth so also shall the rich man fade away in his note c waies Paraphrase 11. For as it is with the green grasse on the ground as soon as ever the sun riseth and scorcheth it it makes it wither and all the florid part and beauty vanisheth presently and there is no possible preserving it at such a time so the rich man when afflictions and devourers come upon him doth in a small time wither and fall away his riches leave him or he them if God see fit to send or permit afflictions he will not by all his dexterities by any means but prayer and fidelity and constancy ver 5 6 7. be able to avert them 12. Blessed is the man that endureth temptation for when he is tried he shall receive the crown of life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him Paraphrase 12. Whereas on the other side for the true constant pious Christian it is a blessed thing for him that he meets with afflictions which are but means to trie and exercise his Christian vertues which being done he shall receive approbation from God and with it a reward such as in the Gospel is promised to all that adhere and cleave fast to God if not deliverance here eternity hereafter 13. Let no man say when he is tempted I am tempted of God for God cannot be tempted with evil neither tempteth he any man Paraphrase 13. Let no man that by afflictions is brought to any sins say that God is the author of this for as God cannot himself be brought to sin by any means so doth not he by sending affliction seduce or insnare any cause him to fall by that means as appears by the sincere Christian whose sidelity is not betrayed but approved by afflictions 14. But every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and inticed Paraphrase 14. But every mans falling into any sin comes from himself his own treacherous sensual appetite which being impatient of sufferings suggests and tenders him some sensitive carnal baits and so by them draws him out of his course and intices him 15. Then when lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sin and sin when it is finished bringeth forth death Paraphrase 15. And when his consent is joyned to that proposal or invitation of his sensual part against the contrary dictates of his reason and the Spirit of God then that and not the affliction and temptation ver 13. begetteth sin every such consent is the engaging the soul in sin and such sin when by repetition of acts or indulgence it comes to some perfection it engageth the soul in eternal death see note on 1 Thess 5. f. 16. Do not erre my beloved brethren Paraphrase 16. 17. Doe not permit your selves to be deceived by the Gnosticks that creep in among you and flatter you with hopes that they by their compliances will be able to preserve you from suffering here No certainly it is God must secure you or ye are not likely to be secured the present avoiding of persecutions by not confessing of Christ will stand you in small stead involve you only in the destruction that attends the persecutors and this will be a sad deceit when it befalls you How much better and safer will it be to adhere to God when every good thing that is given to men whether of the lower or higher sort the ordinary prizes in their spiritual exercises and the most illustrious crowns see note on Phil. 3. d. come from heaven descend to us from God who is the great spring and fountain of all good things who like the sun sends out light to all that want but then is not like that in its changeablenesse as in the several appearances of the sun when it riseth when 't is high noon and when it sets whereas God is constant in the same powring out his raies on us hath no rising nor setting nor again in his yearly removing or going from us which causes different shadows on the earth God sends forth his light without mixture of shade his gifts without all niggardlinesse or restraint 17. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and cometh down from the father of lights with whom is no note d variablenesse neither shadow of turning 18. Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth that we should be a kind of first-fruits of his creatures Paraphrase 18. He hath now begotten us in a more excellent way and manner then when we were called his children being Israelites begotten us by the Gospel to be Christians and heirs of salvation and therein he hath allowed us the favour of being the first that have been called to this dignity Ephes 1. 12. and that out of no consideration of any thing in us but only of his own free will and pleasure which being an evidence of his free goodnesse toward us we have little reason to misdoubt him 19. Wherefore my beloved brethren let every man be swift to hear slow to speak slow to wrath Paraphrase 19. Seeing therefore God hath been so gracious to us let these advantages be made use of to reform every thing that is amisse let it engage us to those moral duties oft recommended to us as to be very ready to hear and learn and yet very deliberate and warie in our words so to be very hardly brought to anger or impatience whatever the wickednesse of men whatsoever
his body what is he the better for your words 17. Even so faith if it hath not works is dead being alone Paraphrase 17. So if faith be by it self without actions consequent and agreeable to it 't is as fruitlesse and livelesse as those words were 18. Yea a man may say Thou hast faith and I have works shew me thy faith without thy works and I will shew thee my faith by my works Paraphrase 18. And any man that looks on this uncharitable believer will be able to reprove him thus Talke as much of thy faith as thou wilt no man will believe thee thy works must be superadded to the confession of thy faith to approve the sincerity of it 19. Thou believest that there is one God thou dost well the devils also believe and tremble Paraphrase 19. One act of thy faith is the believing one true God and this is most absolutely necessary to thee But if thy life be not answerable to this part of thy faith and that evidenced by piety and charity thou art then to remember that the believing there is one God is such a good quality as is common to thee and the devils also and if it have no more joined to it will bestead thee no more then them 20. But wilt thou know O vain man that faith without works is dead Paraphrase 20. 'T is a meer vanity to conceive that faith without Christian obedience can be effectual to justification and you may discern it by this 21. Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he had offered his son Isaac upon the altar Paraphrase 21. Abraham was the father of the faithfull the great example of faith and justification but 't was not upon his bare believing God's promise that he was justified but upon that high act of obedience to God in being ready to offer up his only son in whom the promises were made to him 22. Seest thou how faith wrought with his works and by works was faith made perfect Paraphrase 22. And so you see his obedience to God's commands as well as belief of his promises concurred to the rendring him capable of the continuance of God's favour and approbation And through the performance of that ready obedience it was that his faith came to attain the end designed it 23. And the Scripture was fulfilled which saith Abraham believed God and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse and he was called the friend of God Paraphrase 23. And by this triall of his obedience it was that Abraham was most eminently said to be approved by God 1 Mac. 2. 52. and look'd on as a friend by him Gen. 22. 15. and in which that place of Scripture before delivered Gen. 15. 6. concerning God's imputing his faith for righteousnesse was most eminently completed 24. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified and not by faith onely Paraphrase 24. And so this is one great testimony that to a mans approbation with God obedience is required and not faith deemed sufficient that hath not that joyned with it 25. Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works when she had received the messengers and had sent them out another way Paraphrase 25. Another evidence of this truth is to be fetch'd from that we read of God's approving and rewarding of Rahab a proselyte and stranger no native Jew whose faith is set forth Heb. 11. 30. and she in a special manner rewarded by God Jos 6. 25. and what was it that was thus rewarded in her why her care and charity to those that were sent to view the land Jos 2. 4. 26. For as the body without the spirit is dead so faith without works is dead also Paraphrase 26. And so the conclusion is clear and infallible that as the body of man without the soul inlivening it exercises no actions of life so doth not faith profit to our justification without works of obedience to the commands of Christ Justice and charity c. v. 1 8 14. Annotations on Chap. II. V. 1. Faith of our Lord ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the glory of Christ we have explained often to belong to the Shechinah that again to his ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or appearance in the flesh his Incarnation and all that was consequent to that This being here improved with the addition of the words Lord Jesus Christ doth more set out the necessity of obeying and observing all those things which this Lord and Saviour the Messias of the world hath commended to his Disciples that is to all Christians believers faithful persons of which nature especially is charity in the following verses and impartial strict justice supposed and conteined in that in thâ present verse Then for ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the faith of the glory for so the Syriaâk construes the words it signifies this Christian faith this faith or profession ofâ or believing this Incarnation Resurrection of Christâ and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to have this faith in or with respect of persons is to look on those that professe this faith not as they are Christians but as they are rich or poor preferring partially one before the other accordingly as he comes into your courts in greater spendour And so the meaning of the whole verse is that they that are professors of Christianity and are here supposed to âe so and are put in mind of it by the title of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã my brethren ought not to have any such unchristian temper in them as in their Judicatures for so ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã signifies an assemblie for Judicature and that for Ecclesiastical as well as Civil affairs and so it seems to signifie here ver 2. to prefer or favour one Christian before another onely in respect of his wealth or fine cloathes when Christ hath equally received them both or if any hath preferr'd the poor v. 5. V. 2. Assembly That ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã signifies all kind of assemblies meetings in the market-place Mac. 6. 2. Consistories for Judicaeture Mat. 10. 17. and 23. 34. and not onely places for the publick service of God hath been formerly said Note on Mat. 6. d. That it may doe so also among Christians and that it doth so here appears first by the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã acceptation of persons partiality ver 1. which especially respects Judicatures secondly by the fooâstool v. 3. which was proper to great persons Princes on their Throne or Judges on their Tribunal thirdly by the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ye become Judges v. 4. they were Judges it seems fourthly by the mention of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Judicatures ver 6. which clearly signifie such Consistories 1 Cor. 6. 4. and lastly by v. 9. where their partiality particularly that of preferring the rich to a better place then the poor is said to be a breach of the Law For so by a Canon of the Jewes it is provided that when a
ãâã ãâã to doe or make peace proportionable to the phrases ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to doe righteousnesse and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to doe or commit sin signifies to use all diligence of endeavour and industry to attain it ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to pursue peace ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to be emulous ambitious of quiet studiously to contend for it and so is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã peace-makers used see Mat. 5. Note d. But then it doth also signifie according to the notion of the Hebrew ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã all happinesse and prosperity as when Peace be to you is the form of salutation and contains all the blessings in the world spiritual and temporal under it and so by the ordinary figure of sacred Rhetofick ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã see Note on Mat. 8. k. it seems to signifie here in the former place in peace that is in a most happy gracious manner or with a confluence of all felicity attending it CHAP. IV. 1. FRom whence come wars and fightings among you come they not hence even of your lusts that war in your members Paraphrase 1. All the open wars among the Jewes at this time see note on c. 5. c. and all the lower strifes and dissentions and emulations wherein the Christian Judaizers are now engaged against others see Zonar in Can. Ap. 65. are far from any pious or divine supernal principle c. 3. 17. they proceed visibly from your own carnal hearts your desires and pursuits of those things that are matter of satisfaction to your lusts within you those sensual lusts which first war against your reason and upper soul and then against the directions of Gods Spirit first move a strife within your own breasts rebelling against the law of the mind Rom. 7. and then disquiet all others near you 2. Ye lust and have not ye kill and desire to have and cannot obtain ye fight and war yet ye have not because ye ask not Paraphrase 2. All your coveting and envying and contending and fighting brings you in no kind of profit because praying to God which is the only means of attaining is neglected 3. Ye ask and receive not because ye ask amisse that ye may consume it upon your own lusts Paraphrase 3. And for them that doe pray to God 't is yet among many of you only or principally for such things which may be instrumental to your lusts and therefore God who hath promised to grant all things that we pray for if it be for our advantage that he should doth not grant you such prayers as these 4. Ye adulterers and adulteresses know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God Paraphrase 4. And ye that thus behave your selves to God as adulterers or adultersses to their mates that receive other loves into competition with him that think to love God and the world too must know that this cannot be done the loving of the world the pursuing of worldly ends or advantages is not the loving but the hating of God whosoever therefore is a lover of the world is by that to be presumed to be a profess'd enemy of God's 5. Do ye think that note a the Scripture saith in vain The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy Paraphrase 5. This odiousnesse of carnal minds in the sight of God was long since expressed in the Old Testament concerning the old world Gen. 6. where as the cause of the threatned deluge is mentioned that the spirit that was in the men of that age v. 3. that is their souls or minds were insatiably set upon their own lusts imagined evil continually 6. But he giveth more grace wherefore he faith God resisteth note b the proud and giveth grace to the humble Paraphrase 6. To those God then gave time of repentance an hundred and twenty years and pardon if they would make use of it and so God doth still but that still available to men only upon condition of repentance and reformation according to what is said in another Scripture Prov. 3. 34. God setteth himself against the stubborn vitious person but is gracious and merciful to the obedient and penitent 7. Submit your selves therefore to God resist the devil and he will flie from you Paraphrase 7. By this it appears how necessary it is for all that expect any mercy from God to be wholly conformed to his will and whatever suggestions to envy strife emulation the devil and that wisdome which is not from above c. 3. 15. shall offer to you do you repell them and it is not in his power without your consent to hurt you but he will certainly being repelled depart from you 8. Draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh to you cleanse your hands ye sinners and purifie your hearts ye double-minded Paraphrase 8. Make your humble addresses in prayer to God and faithful obedience to him and he will be ready to assist you against all temptations mentioned ver 8. As for all you Gnosticks that are for God and the world too ver 4. see note a. on ch 1. which will professe Christ no longer then 't is safe to doe so ââconstant cowardly wavering hypocrites your hearts must be purified from that profane mixture and wholly consecrated to Gods service 9. Be afflicted and mourn and weep let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to heavinesse Paraphrase 9. Your reformation of such sins as these must be joyned with great humiliation and mourning and lamenting them And that but seasonably at this time for there be sad daies approaching on this nation utter excision to the unreformed to the unbelieving obdurate Jewes and to all the Gnostick hereticks among them see c. 5. 1. and Jude note a. 10. Humble your selves in the sight of the Lord and he shall lift you up Paraphrase 10. The only way to get into the number of those that then shall be delivered is timely to repent and return unto Christ 11. Speak not evil one of another brethren He that speaketh evil of his brother and judgeth his brother speaketh evil of the law and judgeth the law but if thou judge the law thou art not a doer of the law but a judge Paraphrase 11. Speak not against them which do not observe those legal ceremonies which some of you Jewish Christians do still retain nor condemn any man for not observing them for he that doth so speaketh in effect against the law by which that Christian rules his actions that is the law of Christ the Gospel censures that for imperfect in that it commands not those things and if thou dost so then in stead of obeying the law of Christ thou undertakest to over-rule and judge it and canst not truly be called a Christian 12. There is one law-giver who is able to save and to destroy who art thou
that judgest another Paraphrase 12. Christ and none else hath authority to give laws unto us and punish the refractary and it is not for you to impose observances where he hath given liberty 13. Goe to now ye that say note c To day or to morrow we will goe into such a city and continue there a year and buy and sell and get gain Paraphrase 13. And as now the times are a suddain destruction approaching the Jewes one admonition will be very seasonable for those that use these or the like arrogant forms of speech To day c assuming to themselves power over the future 14. Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow for what is your life it is even a vapour that appeareth for a little time and then vanisheth away Paraphrase 14. Whereas beside the Atheisticalness of it in taking themselves off from depending on God it is certain they do not know what they shall be able to doe tomorrow For even your life it self on which all your designes must necessarily depend is but a most frail mortal transitory thing short and presently vanisheth 15. For that ye ought to say If the Lord will we shall live and doe this or that Paraphrase 15. And therefore your forms of language ought to be of another making never mentioning any purpose of yours but with subordination to the good pleasure of God 16. But now ye rejoice in your note d boastings all such rejoycing is evil Paraphrase 16. And for you to take pleasure in such insolent speeches as these is a wicked Atheistical thing 17. Therefore to him that knoweth to doe good and doth it not to him it is sinne Paraphrase 17. And for Christians to be guilty of this who have received so much light and knowledge to the contrary this will render you the more inexcusably guilty and punishable Annotations on Chap. IV. 5. The Scripture saith There is no place of Scripture of the Old Testament which can own so much of this citation as that Gen. 6. where in the Septuagints reading there is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã spirit and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã abideth and the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã abiding there is all one with the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã sojourning here Now whereas 't is here added of that Spirit that it doth ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã desire to envy first 't is clear that the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã my spirit there is the spirit or soul of man given him by God and so called God's in respect of the original see Note on 1 Pet. 3. f. but signifies the mind of man as it is in him and is corrupted by an habite of worldly and wicked desires which cannot be affirmed of Gods holy Spirit and for any evil Angel it will be hard to say either that such dwell in or that it is they that lust in us It is our own corrupt hearts even when the devils move us to which the lust and all the sin is to be imputed and 2ly this is parallel to what Gen. 6. 3. is said of that old world that man is flesh and the thoughts of his heart alwaies evil that is his carnal or worldly desires are insatiable bent to all manner of wickednesse the desires here being distinctly noted by ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã desiring and either the wickednesse or insatiatenesse of them by ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã envie which sometimes in Authors is the contrary to liberality and signifies all manner of covetousnesse pining to see any man have what we have not and elsewhere signifies malice violence and the like As for the addition here ver 6. But he giveth more grace that seems to be the Apostles own observation of that place in Genesis that when the world so provoked God yet he gave them time of repentance as it there follows Neverthelesse his daies shall be an hundred and twenty years they shall have that space allowed them to reform and escape punishment and so God in Christ doth now and upon repentance there is yet mercy and pardon to be had upon which is superstructed naturally that which follows Wherefore he saith c. V. 6. The proud The word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã here notes not particularly the vice of pride and haughtinesse but a general disobedience and resistence against the Law of God which is called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã contumeliousnesse and superbia pride in opposition to obedience as in Virgil Regum est Parcere subj ctis debellare superbos It is the part of Kings to spare those that submit and subdue the proud a place directly parallel to this here out of the Proverbs and which S. Augustine conceives to be had from thence The place in the Proverbs reads God scorneth the scorners because scorners use to repell with scoffs all good counsels and admonitions And so saith AEschylus ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã God is the just and heavy punisher of the proud V. 13. To day or to It was an old saying of the Hebrews mentioned by Ben Syra Let no man say he will doe any thing unlesse he first say If the Lord will On which occasion there follows in him a story of a man who when he said Tomorrow I will sit with my spouse in the marriage-chamber was admonish'd that he ought to say ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã If God will and he answered Whether God will or not I will sit there Of whom saith he it followed that he sat with her all the day but at night when they were going to bed before he knew her they were both dead Wherefore they said The spouse went up to her marriage-bed and knew not what would befall her therefore whosoever desires to doe any thing let him first say If God will V. 16. Boastings ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã signifies boasting or assuming to ones self more then belongs to him and differs from ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã self-pleasing or insolence Tit. 1. 7. in this that that is a great love or high opinion of ones self ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã self-love 2 Tim. 3. 2. being puffed up 1 Cor. 13. 4. being wise in ones own conceit Rom. 11. 25. and 12. 16. but this is a fastuous speaking and as this is ordinarily expressed in magnifying ones own abilities or power above other men so hath it here a notion little different from it speaking in such a form as if he depended not upon God himself and so it belongs to the fault reprehended v. 13. when a man promises or affirms that simply which is not in his power but as God is pleased to enable oââoncur with him And thus it is used Prov. 27. 1. ãâã not thy self of to morrow that is assume not to thy seâââarrogantly that thou wilt doe this or that to morrow for saith Solomon thou knowest not what a day may bring forth These kind of speeches then
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 âaith 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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is defined ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Grace that is gift and so Hesychius ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã So in Callimachus ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã I wish you may suffer no ill for this mercy to me but that you may be rewarded for your Charity where ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã God's love and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã communication after it So Joh. 1. 16 we have received ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã grace mercy liberal effusion of goodnesse ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which the ordinary English render My spirit shall not alwaies strive with man the Greek ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã my Spirit shall not abide in these men perhaps reading ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã from ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to lodge or abide The English render the Hebrew ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã as if it came from ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã disceptavit judicio contendit to contend or goe to law but the word comes from ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is literally to be rendred shall not abide as a sword c. in a sheath For the removing all improbablenesse of thus reading ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã not ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã shall not abide and so the Latine non permanebit shall not abide This is a strong argument that they who when they meet with ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã uniformly render it ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã c. by words of judging yet rendring this in so distant a manner did not read that word or in that sense but ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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
meet with it The second thing is that though ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã were not the reading nor by the LXXII and the other interpreters believed to be so yet 't is so ordinary for words of affinity in sound or writing to have a nearnesse of signification that these Interpreters which did not alwaies render literally but oft by way of Paraphrase might probably enough have an eye to the notion of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã for abiding and so render it ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to remain or abide for which in this matter Saint James useth ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to sojourne or abide as in an Inne for a night Jam. 4. 5. for after this manner of liberty it is that the Jerusalem Targum on this verse evidently takes in both the interpretations of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã In the latter sense from ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to judge their Paraphrase thus begins Non adjudicabuntur generationes que futurae sunt post generationem in diluvio perditioni vastationi aut deletioni universali The generations which shall be after the generation of the flood shall not be adjudged to an universal perdition vastation or blotting out A truth indeed secured by Gods promises at large chap. 8. 21. and 9. 11. but no way pertinent to this place where the Deluge it self is threatned Onely on occasion of the affiââity in sound and writing of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã not judging here to ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã this part of the Paraphrase though aliene to the place seems to be begotten But then for the former as the words are undoubtedly read ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã so the Paraphrase proceeds in relation to them Annon spiritum meum filiis hominum indidi Have I not put my spirit into the sonnes of men an evident proof of their understanding ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in a notion of putting one thing into another which consequently may be resolved to be the general acception of the active Verb and then that which is so put doth abide in it as in a repositorie of some sort or other such is a sheath to a sword a prison to him that is put into it a cabinet to that which is laid up in it the body to the soul as long as the man lives As for ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã my spirit or breath that sure is that breath breathed by God into man Gen. 2. 7. by which he became a living soul see Jam. 4. a. Spiritum meum filiis hominum indidi I have given my breath or spirit afflatus Dei in Tertullian to the sons of men saith the Hierusalem Targum there according to that of Seneca Ep. 66. Ratio nihil aliud est quà m in corpus humanum pars Divini spiritûs mersa Reason is nothing else but a particle of the Divine spirit immersed in a man's body and so in the Poet is a man's soul called divinae particula aurae a particle of the divine breath or spirit From hence the meaning of those words is clear My spirit shall no longer be shâathed in man that is the souls which I have breathed or given to men the sons of Adam and which are sheathed in them imprisoned detained unprofitably shall no longer continue or abide in them so saith S. Chrysostome ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã My spirit shall not alwaies abide among these men is in stead of I will not suffer them to live any longer and this as a figurative obscure expression is twice afterward set down more clearly the Lord said I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth v. 7. and the end of all flesh is come before me and I will destroy them from the earth v. 13. It must here be farther observed that in the latter part of that third verse is added first the reason of that sentence of God secondly the space in his long-sufferance designed before which was past it should not be executed The former in these words For that he also is flesh that is extremely given to the satisfying of the flesh that Age being a most carnal and abominable Age used ordinarily by the Jewes under the phrase of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the age of the deluge for an example of all impiety and that I suppose here meant also by the earth was corrupt before God ver 11 and 12. the corruption there as ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in the Apostles signifying all manner of unnatural lust and villanie And for the latter it is evident that they were allowed six-score years to repent in and avert the judgment and that Noah was sent to preach repentance to them by denouncing the judgment and building the Ark. Ecce dedi ut resipiscentiam agerent Behold I have given them that space that they might repent saith the Hierusalem Targum And accordingly this Age is ordinarily and by way of Proverb used by the Jewes as an evidence and example of God's ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã his patience and long-suffering to sinner's before he comes to punish them And when the judgment came upon that world of ungodly men yet a remnant was delivered Noah and his family in the Ark from perishing in the waters By this explication of that verse in Genesis as it already appears how perfect a parallel that was of God's dealing with the Jewes giving them time to repent delivering all that did repent and destroying the whole nation besides so it is evident that from thence this verse of S. Peter's may be interpreted For the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the spirits in the prison or custodie or sheath here ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã signifying any kind of receptacle Rev. 18. 2. are those souls of men that lay so sheathed so uselesse and unprofitable in their bodies immersed so deep in carnality as not to perform any service to God who inspired and placed them there and 't is elsewhere a figurative speech to express wicked men who are called prisoners in prison that is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Isa 42. 7. and ch 49. 9. and bound in prison Isa 61. 1. they the thoughts of whose hearts were evil continually v. 5. To these Christ that is God eternal ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã went and preached in or by that Spirit by which he was now raised from the dead where first the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Christ is used not ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã God according to the generall opinion of the antient Fathers of the Church that he which of old appeared to the Patriarchs was not the first but the second person in the Trinity Christ the Sonne not God the Father and that those appearances of his were praeludia incarnationis prelusory and preparative to his taking our flesh upon him And accordingly those verses of the Sibylline Oracle which introduce God speaking to Noah about the Ark and setting down the speakers names by Numbers ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã
for a thousand years and after that the breaking out of the Turk and harassing the Eastern Churches briefly touch'd together with their destruction and the end of the world most rhetorically described from chap. 20 th to the 6 th verse of chap. 22. and from thence to the end of the Book a formal conclusion of the whole matter All which it somewhat proportionable to that which old Tobit prophetically spoke of the times that were to follow him c. 14. 5. which he divided into three distinct spaces First the re-building of the Temple which was now long past and this Book hath nothing to doe with that Secondly the consummations of the seasons of the age that is the destruction of the Jewish state which is the first main period here This is not so clearly set down in out ordinary English version as in the Greek it is for that reads not as the English doth untill the time of that age be fulfilled confining the continuance of the second Temple to the time of that age but ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã till the seasons of the age be fulfilled a phrase near of kin to those many which are used in the New Testament for the destruction of this people the latter days or seasons ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the consummation or conclusion of the age Mat. 24. 3. But in the Hebrew copie set out and rendred by Paulus Fagius which appears to be translated skilfully by some Jew out of the Original Chaldee there is a very considerable addition to this purpose ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã And again they shall go into a long and captivity noting the greatnesse and duration of this beyond all the former That these words in that Hebrew copy are the true reading appears by the subsequent mention of a return which cannot be sense without this precedent mention of a captivity And that it belongs to that destruction of them by the Romans appears by another passage added also in that Hebrew copie and directly parallel to Mat. 24. 31. For as there after the destruction of Jerusalem v. 29. is mention of the Angels sent to gather the elect Jewes from the four windes parallel to the vision of the sealing Rev. 7. so it follows in Tobit but God holy and blessed shall remember them and gather them from the four corners of the world After which follows thirdly the state of Christianity the glorious building of Jerusalem and the house of God foretold by the prophets and that building set down c. 13. 16 17. with Sapphires Emrods precious stones pure gold Beryll Carbuncle stones of Ophir in the same manner as 't is described in these Visions c. 21. 18 19. and that to continue for ever or as the Hebrew reads for ever and ever and as a prime branch of that period the converting of the nations and burying their idols which is here the second main period v. 6 7. This parallel prediction in Tobit may be of some force to authorise the interpretation of these Visions in all which as there may be several particular passages either so obscure from the nature of prophetick style as not to be easily explicated or so copious and capable of more then one explication as to render it uncertain which should be preferr'd in which respect I hope and expect that much more light may be added to it by more strict survaies and comparing the expressions in this Book with the like phrases or passages in the Prophets of the Old Testament so for the general matter of these Visions I suppose upon pondering the whole there will be little doubt but these are the true lineament of it And it hath been matter of much satisfaction to me that what hath upon sincere desire of finding out the truth and making my addresses to God for his particular directions in this work of difficulty without any other light to go before me appeared to me to be the meaning of this prophecie hath for the main of it in the same manner represented it self to several persons of great prety and learning as since I have discerned none taking it from the other but all from the same light shining in the prophecie it self Among which number I now also find the most learned Hugo Grotius in those posthumous notes of his on the Apocalypse lately publish'd And this is all that seemed useful to be here premised concerning the interpretation of this Book THE note a REVELATION OF John note b the Divine THE title of this Book as it is ordinarily set ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the Revelation of John the Divine hath in it some seeming difference from the first words of the Book which were written by S. John himself Whereas that other as the rest of the titles of the Books of the New Testament was by the Church of the first ages affix'd unto it ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the Revelation of Jesus Christ And this difference is to be reconciled not by making one of them to refer to the person that received the other to him that gave the Revelation for as John received it from Christ so Christ also received it from his Father and therefore 't is here added v. 1. which God gave him but it must be by distinguishing of the time and manner of these revealings God formerly revealed these future events to Christ the Son of man as the Mediatour by him now designed to conveigh all knowledge and grave to us and this he did when Christ entred on his Prophetick office long before the time here specified from whence it was that Christ whilst on earth forethold in the parable of the King and the Husbandmen Luk 20. 16. and Mat. 24. and sparsim at other times many of the particulars represented in this prophecie especially that of the destruction of the unbelieving Jews And in this respect this whole Book is entituled the Revelation of Jesus Christ that is that prophecie which Jessus Christ received from his Father as the vision of Isaiah c. is the Prophecie which Isaiah received from God or that God gave to Isaiah But then as Christ thought fit to give a representation of this to his beloved disciple John and so John received it as a prophecie to deliver to others so 't is fitly styled here in the titile the Revelation of John who received it in visions or extasie v. 10. by the Angel from Christ as Christ received it from his Father For this is the meaning of the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Revelation a word ordinarily used in Daniel to signifie any knowlege extraordinarily communicated any by God Thus is the word used 2 Cor. 12. 1. where he puts together visions and revelations of the Lord and perhaps expresses it v. 2. by ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a man in Christ as here ver 10. by being in the Spirit snatch'd into the third Heaven so again ver 7. abundance of Revelations So. Gal. 2 2. I went up by Revelation
Ib. The seven spirits There is some question what is here meant by the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã seven spirits Some interpret them to be the holy Ghost in respect of the seven graces of that Spirit some the several operations of God's providence which they conceive to be mentioned ch 5. 12. and noted by the seven eyes Zach. 4. 10. and Rev. 5. 6. which are there called the seven spirits of God sent unto all the land but ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 'T is more reasonable to understand the Angels by them saith Andreas Caesariensis So Clemens Alexandrinus Strom. 6. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã there are seven which have the chiefest power the first-begotten princes of the Angels where the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã first-born princes is sure taken from Dan. 10. 13. where the Hebrew reads ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the chief princes of which Michael is there said to be one or of the first So Tobit 12. 15. Seven holy Angels which present the prayers of the Saints And there appears no reason why the seven eyes in Zachary and here chap. 5. 6. interpreted the seven spirits of God should not be the Angels of God the same that stood before God chap. 8. 2. as here they are before his throne it being ordinary for the Officers employed by persons to be called eyes These seven Spirits we find again ch 4. 5. where in reference to the number of the lamps on the candlestick in the Sanctuary they are called seven lamps And they there seem to referre to the seven deacons in the Church of Jerusalem God being before likened to the Bishop and the Saints to the 24 Elders And if it be thought strange that John should pray for Grace and Peace from the Angels which here he seems to doe from the seven Spirits I answer first that these and the like words Peace be to or with you are but a form of greeting or salutation which includes in it all good wishes of the things mentioned but not a solemn praier to those persons named in the form This may appear by Christ's taking leave of his Disciples Joh. 14. 27. where he tels them he leaves peace with them and gives his peace to them that is he takes his leave of them greets them at parting and bids them not be troubled at it nor affrighted adding that he gives it to them not as the world gives it that is he greets them heartily and affectionately and in doing so doth more then in the world is wont to be done by such salutations Men are wont to use these words Peace be to you c. formally and by way of civility but oft doe not wish it when they say it and can never doe any more then wish or pray for it but Christ bestowes it by wishing it Where first Christ uses this greeting and yet doth not pray to his Father in doing so but actually bestows it and saith he gives it them nay the men of the world are said to give it though not as Christ doth Both which note a difference betwixt such salutations and praiers But then secondly supposing it a praier yet the action of praier being not address'd to the seven spirits whether immediately or terminatively there can be no inconvenience from thence to define the spirits to be Angels For 't is certain that the Angels are used by God as instruments to conveigh his mercies to us and the word Peace as the Hebrew ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in salutations especially signifies all kind of mercies all prosperity and then those mercies come from the Angels immediately though originally from God And accordingly Jacob in blessing Joseph's sons having mentioned God before whom his fathers did walk the God which had fed him all his life Gen. 48. 15. adds ver 16. the Angel which redeemed me from all evil that is the Angel by whom as by an instrument or servant God had done this for him and which had so often appeared to him blesse the lads c. where though he praies not to the Angel but to God yet he may and doth pray that God would continue to use the Angel's service in blessing the lads which he had used in blessing him And if it be farther objected that these spirits here are named before Christ and therefore must not be Angels I answer first that the order of setting down is no note of dignity or priority in the Scripture In these benedictions the Lord Jesus is generally named before God the Father And secondly if the spirits should signifie the various operations of the Divine providence as some or the graces of the Spirit as others would have them signifie this inconvenience will also hold against either of those that they should be named before the second person in the Trinity and a farther inconvenience also that grace should be said to come from graces or from operations or that any thing but persons God or Angels should have to doe in conveighing grace and peace unto us But then thirdly the reason why the mention of Christ is left to the last place is evident First because the Angels being God's attendants are accordingly joyned with him not as one equal with another but as servants following the Master And secondly because there was more to be said of Christ then the bare naming him as appears v. 5 6 7. which made it more convenient to reserve his mention to the last place in which that might most commodiously be spoken V. 6. Kings and priests This phrase ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is taken out of the Jerusalem Targum Exod. 19. 6. There the Hebrew reads ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a kingdome of priests but that Targum reads ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Kings and priests and the Septuagint ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a royal priesthood From the Septuagint S. Peter 1 Pet. 2. 9. reads ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a royal priesthood writing to the Jewes of that dispersion which had the Septuagints translation in their hands and S. John here and ch 5. 10. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Kings and Priests in respect of those Jewes again who had that Targum in their hands also And the meaning of both the phrases is to be conceived the same agreeing with the first notation of the Hebrew phrase a kingdome of priests that is a nation not going on in the waies or customes of other people but populus alius a several distinct people as the Targum reads it v. 5. consecrated as it were and set a part for the service of God as the Priests office is to wait upon God's service continually Such were the Jewes to be by God's command and by their entring into covenant with God Exod. 19. 6. And such must the society of Christians be now with Christ who requires them to perform these offices of Devotion and that in publick assemblies instituted for that turn not only at some few set feasts or times but continually morning and
the heretical Gnostick corruptions of uncleannesse c. see note on ch 2. n. and that held out constant against all terrors of persecutions and so were rescued from the sins of that wicked age the pure primitive Christians 5. And in their mouth was found no guile for they are without fault before the throne of God Paraphrase 5. That never fell off to any false Idolatrous or heretical practice but served God blamelesse 6. And I saw another Angel flie in the midst of heaven having the note b everlasting Gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth and to every nation and kindred and tongue and people Paraphrase 6. And methought I saw another Angel none of those before mentioned flying or hastning about the world carrying good newes with him happy tidings for the time to come to all nations Jewes and Gentiles viz. to the Christians of all 7. Saying with a loud voice Fear God and give glory to him for the hour of his judgment is come and worship him that made heaven and earth and the sea and the fountains of waters Paraphrase 7. And thereupon admonishing all now to stand out firmly and constantly to adhere to the true God and the Christian faith in opposition to the heathen idolatry which should now shortly be destroyed 8. And there followed another Angel saying note c Babylon is fallen is fallen that great city because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornications Paraphrase 8. And as ver 7. it was foretold that Idolatry should suddeny be destroyed so presently another Angel methought brought news that t' was done that that whole impure city of Rome heathen under the 9. And the third Angel followed them saying with a loud voice If any man worship the beast and his image and receive his mark in his forehead and in his hand Paraphrase 9. And methought a third Angel followed on purpose to confirm all weak seducible persecuted Christians and to fortifie them in their patience and constancy under the present or yet remaining persecutions ver 13. and this he did by denouncing the judgments that the inconstant should fall under the direfull ruine which attended all Apostatizing complying Christians that after the manner of the Gnostick compliers for fear of persecutions had or should forsake the Christian purity and joyn in the worships or practices of heathen Rome denouncing positively that whosoever should doe so see note on chap. 13. m. n. 10. The same shall drink of note d the wine of the wrath of God which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy Angels and in the presence of the Lamb. Paraphrase 10. He should have his portion with heathen Rome in the bitter punishments or effects of God's wrath such as fell upon Sodome and Gomorrha Christ being the Judge and the Angels the Executioners of it 11. And the smoak of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever and they have no rest day not night who worship the beast and his image and whosoever receiveth the mark of this name Paraphrase 11. Even utter destruction to all that shall have been guilty of this in any degree see ch 13. note n. and doe not timely repent of it 12. Here is the patience of the Saints here are they that keep the commandements of God and the faith of Jesus Paraphrase 12. And herein shall the sincerity of mens hearts appear and be made manifest by the bloody persecution now approaching ver 13. if they shall venture any persecutions from the heathens rather then thus fall off and deny Christ if whatever the hazard be they shall adhere close to the precepts of Christian constancy and the purity of Christian practice and neither really nor seemingly comply with the persecuters 13. And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me Write Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord note e from henceforth yea faith the Spirit that they may rest from their labours and their works doe follow them Paraphrase 13. And to that purpose there came a voice from heaven saying That there should now come a great trial indeed viz. in the times of Diocletian that cruel tyrant and the persecutions should lie so heavie on the Christians within a while that they should be happy that were well dead who were come to enjoy their reward of peace and blisse and are not left on earth for such combats and storms as these 14. And I looked behold a white cloud and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man having on his head note f a golden crown and in his hand a sharp sicle 15. And another Angel came out of the Temple crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud Thrust in thy sicle and reap for the time is come for thee to reap for the harvest of the earth is ripe Paraphrase 14 15. And presently upon this vision of those sharp persecutions which generally were means to call down Gods judgments on the persecuters methought I saw a bright shining cloud and one like Christ upon it in a regal attire with a sicle in his hand all this noting the judgments and excision of heathen Rome which in respect of their cruelty against the Christians and their other heathen sins was now as a field of corn ready for harvest And another Angel called to him and bad him proceed immediately to this excision their sins being come to maturity and having fitted them for destruction 16. And he that sate on the cloud thrust in his sicle on the earth and the earth was reaped Paraphrase 16. And he did accordingly and this vengeance befell heathen Rome 17. And another Angel came out of the Temple which is in heaven he also having a sharp sicle Paraphrase 17. And another Angel or officer of Christ's vengeance was sent out by him on the same errand and methought he came from God in heaven as out of the sanctuary the place where incense is offered an effect of the prayers of the Saints again with a sharp sicle in his hand an embleme of excision 18. And another Angel came out from the altar which had note g power over fire and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sicle saying Thrust in thy sharp sicle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth for her grapes are fully ripe Paraphrase 18. And another Angel came from the altar of burnt-offerings by which the wicked are represented having the execution of God's wrath upon the wicked intrusted to him and he cried aloud to him that had the sharp sicle and bid him set about this work as if it were a time of vintage cutting down the clusters of grapes of the vine of the land that is destroying this idolatrous cruel city and people as having filled up the
or diminish 948. 2. Added nothing to me 601. 1. Adjure 134. 1. first and second Admonition 721. 2. Adoption 479. 1. spirit of Adoption 479. 1. Adversary 21. 1. 523. 2. full of Adultery 815. 2. Aegypt 919. 2. the Aegyptian 121. 1. 419. 2. 828. 1. Affectionately desirous 666. 2. fight of Afflictions 753. 2. After 562. 1. 599. 1. Aged men 718. 1. Agree 29. 2. witnesse Agreed not 179. 1. beat the Aire 540. 1. Alabaster box 129. 2. before All 350. 1. All men 463. 2. 477. 1. All the righteous bloud 11â 2. All things 63. 2. 187. 2. 616. 2. 651. 2. 656. 2. All these things 172. 1. Allegory 608. 1. Almâs 34. 1. Already 683. 1. Altar 115. 2. 884. 1. 906. 1. under the Altar 891. 2. Ambassadours 578. 2. Amen 558. 1. Ananias high-priest 200. 2. Anathema 483. 2. 873. 1. Anathema Maranatha 566. 1. 948. 2. Angel 281. 2. his Angel 384. 1. a spirit or an Angel 424. 1. Angels 869. 1. with his Angels 545. 2. 677. 2. 852. 2. because of the Angels 584. 1. better then the Angels 727. 1. their Angels 92. 1. Angels of the Churches 384. 1. 869. 1. be Angry 625. 2. Annas 344. 1. Annas and Caiaphas 198. 1. Anoint thy head 36. 2. Anointed 367. 2. Anointed with the holy Ghost 367. 2. Anointing with oile 785. 1. that which is Anothers 244. 1. 245. 1. Answer of a good conscience 491. 1. Answered 145. 1. Answereth to 608. 1. Antichrist 680. 2. 681. 2. 828. 1. 829. 2. Antichrist cometh 828. 1. Antichrists 828. 829. now are there many Antichrists 822. 1. Antipas 859. 876. 1. Apollyon 901. 2. Apostle 770. 1. Apostles 209. 1. 399. 2. 326. 1. 508. 2. 551. 1. say they are Apostles 872. 1. Appearance 674. 1. 683. 2. graves that Appear not 116. 2. things which doe Appear 757. 2. Appeared 221. 1. Appii forum 435. 2. Appoint 350. 1. Appointed 794. 2. not Appointed us to wrath 794. 2. Apprehended 644. 2. Approve 444. 2. 449. 2. Aprons 412. 1. Archippus 662. 1. Areopagite 406. 1. Areopagus 405. 2. Aretas 590. 2. Arimathea 139. 2. Armageddon 926. 2. As of the 270. 1. Ashamed 487. 2. 867. 1. Asia 865. 1. Ask 210. 2. 491. 2. Ask according to his will 840. 1. Ask in faith 841. 1. shall Ask 92. 1. 317. 2. Asleep 670. 2. Assembled together 132. 2. 350. 2. Assembly 776. 1. general Assembly 764. 2. Assos 416. 1. Assure our hearts 832. 2. Attained 487. 1. 644. 1 2. Availeth much 610. 2. Avoid 709. 1. Author and finisher 763. 1. Azor 7. 1. B. Babler 405. 2. vain Bablings 709. 2. Babylon 806. 2. 919. 1. error of Balaam 851. 2. way of Balaam 815. 2. Bands 625. 1. I have a Baptisme 234. 2. Baptist 14. 1. Baptize with water 17. 1. 332. 1. Baptized in the cloud 544. 1. Baptized for the dead 563. 1. Baptized with the holy Ghost 332. 1. Bartholomew 271. 1. Baskets 83. 1. Bear 17. 1. 872. 2. Bear our sins 795. 2. Bear his crosse 138. 2. canst not Bear evill 872. 1. Bear long 250. 2. Beareth all things 556. 1. another Beast 914. 1. who is like unto the Beast 913. 1. Beast which was and is not 858. Beast out of the bottomelesse pit 907. 1. Beasts 780. 1. fought with Beasts 564. 1. four Beasts 884. 2. 885. 1. Beautifull outward 114. 1. Beelzebub 68. 2. Before him 460. 2. Before and behind 886. 1. was Before me 270. 1. Began 145. 1. judgment must Begin 804. 1. from the Beginning 296. 1. 826. 1. Beginning of sorrows 891. 2. Beggerly elements 604. 1. Beguile 655. 1. good Behaviour 718. 2. Behold 779. 2. 795. 1. â Beholding his natural face 773. 2. could not Believe 307. 1. surely Believed 186. 1. they which have Believed 722. 2. Believeth all things 556. 1. Believing masters 703. 1. out of his Belly 292. 1. 338. 2. slow Bellies 717. 1. Beloved 703. 2. Beloved son 19. 2. Benefactors 260. 1. Benefit 704. 1. due Benevolence 531. 1. Beside himself 147. 1. Bethesda 280. 1. Betrayed 88. 2. Better then the Angels 727. 1. some Better thing 759. 2. Bewitched 604. 1. goe Beyond 699. 2. Bind 326. 2. 523. 2. Bishops 636. 1. 795. 2. Bishoprick 334. 2. Bitter zeal 779. 2. Bitternesse 360. 2. 455. 1. was to be Blamed 601. 2. name of Blasphemie 912. 1. Blasphemies 80. 1. Blesse 76. 2. Blessed are 210. 1. Blessed are the barren 264. 1. Blessed are they that keep 856. in thee be Blessed 605. 1. son of the Blessed 179. 1. Blessing 739. 2. cup of Blessing 545. 2. Blind-folded 261. 2. Bloud 456. 1. sweat like drops of Bloud 260. 2. price of Bloud 131. 1. abstain from Bloud 397 2. born of Bloud 269. 1. resist unto Bloud 540. 2. 764. 1. Bloud and water 323. 2. came by water and Bloud 324. 1. Bloud of Christ cleanseth 823. 2. Boanerges 147. 1. Boards 433. 2. Boasteth great things 779. 2. Boasting 538. 1. 782. 2. Boasting of things without our measure 587. 2. Body 465. 1. 625. 1. 674. 1. my Body 131. 1. 465. 1. Body of Christ 465. 1. 851. 1. by the Body of Christ 469. 1. Body of death 465. 1. Body of his flesh 652. 2. Body of sin 465. 1. Body flesh bones 818. 2. Body of Moses 851. 1. Bodies 935. 2. Bodily 465. 1. 654. 2. Bold 586. 2. Boldnesse 834. 1. Bond of iniquity 360. 2. bring into Bondage 600. 1. Bondage of corruption 478. 1. spirit of Bondage 223. 1. Book of life 646. 1. 881. 1. 913. 2. Borders of their garments 111. 1. inlarge the Borders of their 111. 1. Born of bloud 269. 1. 832. 2. Born of God 269. 1 2. 831. 2. Born of water 275. 1. in the Bosome 45. 2. Abrahams Bosome 45. 2. Bosor 815. 2. Bottles 49. 2. deny the Lord that Bought them 873. 2. Bound 422. 2. 902. 1. Bound in spirit 417. 1. Brake the box 176. 2. fine Brasse 868. 2. Breaking of bread 339. 2. true Bread 288. 2. Breast-plates of fire 902. 1. Breath of his mouth 683. 2. Brethren 350. 1. 703. 2. Brethren with me 597. 1. Bride-chamber 49. 1. 275. 2. friends of the Bridegroom 275. 2. Brightnesse of his coming 683. 2. Brimstone 902. 2. Brought forth 149. 2. Bruised reed 68. 1. Buffet 523. 2. Build the house 731. 1. Build thereupon 518. 1. Burned in spirit 409. 1. Burning â19 1. Burst asunder 334. 1. heavy Burthens 111. 1. Busie-body 804. 1. no man might Buy or sell 916. 1. By 450. 2. 679. 1. 818. 2. C. tribute to Caesar 170. 1. Caesarea 409. 2. Caesarea Philippi 83. 1. Caiaphas 198. 1. 344. 1. a Calfe 885. 2. Call by their names 301. 1. Call upon the name 512. 1. Called 99. 1. 704. 2. Called Christians 380. 1. Called a Jew 449. 2. to be Called 11. 2. 26. 1. Calling 811. 1. Camels haire 16. 1. woman of Canaan 80. 2. Simon the Canaanite 54. 1. Candlesticks 869. 2. a Canker 709. 2. Cannot sin 832. 1. Captain 382. 1. Captain of our
347. 2. Remember 191. 2. Remission of sins 456. 1. Remit 326. 2. Remnant 487. 1. Remnant were affrighted 907. 1. Remove the wicked person 523. 1. 524. 1. Remphan 356. 2. Renew 739. 1. Renew to repentance 739. 1. Rent his clothes 134. 1. Rent off their clothes 403. 2. Repent 14. 2. Repentance 241. 1. 739. 2. vain Repetitions 35. 1. obtained a good Report 759. 2. Reproach you 298. 1. Reprobate 444. 2. 541. 2. them of Reputation 599. 1. of no Reputation 640. 2. Resist not evil 30. 2. in Respect 655. 1. have Respect 777. 1. Rest 677. 1. 731. 2. Restore 612. 2. Restore all things 88. 1. Resurrection 107. 1. first Resurrection 939. 2. Resurrection of the dead 108. 1. 442. 1. Resurrection of the just 108. 1. Jesus and the Resurrection 405. 2. Return 120. 1. Revelation 559. 1. 862. Revelation of Christ 677. 1. Revealed 681. 1. ready to be Revealed 501. 1. with Reverence 641. 1. Reward 852. 1. I have Reward 538. 1. the Lord Reward 714. 1. a certain Rich man 245. 2. will be Rich 704. 1. Right hand of power 134. 1. Righteous Judge 713. 2. Righteous scarcely be saved 804. 2. Righteousnesse 442. 1. 476. 2. Righteousnesse by the law 442. 1. Righteousnesse by works 442. 2. of Righteousnesse 316. 1. counted for Righteousnesse 605. 2. Riot 803. 2. Rioting 501. 2. 629. 1. Rising of the Sunne 182. 1. Rivers 338. 2. thought it no Robbery 640. 1. Rock 83. 2. Rocks 893. 2. Rock that followed them 544. 2. Rod 521. 2. 523. 2. 612. 1. iron Rod 878. 2. beaten with Rods 589. 2. a Roman 422. 2. to the Romans 438. Romans will come 304. 1. Round about and within 886. 1. Round about the throne 883. 1. 884. 2. Royal priest-hood 866. 2. Rudiments 654. 1. Rule in 662. 2. measure of the Rule 587. 2. same Rule 644. 2. them which have the Rule 768. 1. Rulers 49. 2. 151. 2. Rulers of the Synagogue 151. 2. 388. 1. Run 539. 1. so Run 539. 1. Running over 211. 2. Rust 37. 1. S. Lord of the Sabbath 67. 1. second Sabbath after the first 208. 1. Sackcloth 16. 2. Sacrifice 628. 1. Sacrifice of praise 769. 2. offered upon the Sacrifice 641. 2. remains no more Sacrifice 753. 1. 841. 2. Sad countenance 36. 2. Sadducees 83. 1. it hath been Said 30. 1. Saints 619. 2. ten thousand of his Saints 545. 2. 852. 2. Salt 162. 2. Salted with fire 162. 2. Salvation 56. 2. 500. 2. 580. 1. 728. 2. 895. 2. common Salvation 501. 1. horn of Salvation 190. 2. Samaritan 296. 2. from Samuel 342. 1. Sanctify 301. 2. 748. 2. Sanctified 532. 2. Sardis 881. 1. Satan 85. 1. deliver to Satan 523. 1. Satans seat 876. 1. Satisfie the flesh 656. 2. Save with fear 519. 2. Save the sick 786. 1. Saved 56. 2. 236. 1. 489. 1. 673. 1. 804. 2. 895. 1. few Saved 895. 1. they that be Saved 794. 1. Saved in child-bearing 690. 1. Saved from their enemies 760. 1. Saved yet so as by fire 518. 2. Saving of the soul 754. 1. Saviour 348. 1. Saul 387. 2. a sweet Savour 628. 1. Scarcely 804. 2. School of Tyrannus 166. 2. 412. 1. Scoffers 817. 1. 820. 1. Scourge 263. 1. Scourging 422. 1. Scribes 74. 2. 151. 1. 291. 1. 513. 2. their Scribes 206. 2. Scrip 55. 1. Scriptures 152. 1. search the Scriptures 514. 1. Sea 218. 1. 257. 2. 894. 1. through the Sea 544. 1. way of the Sea 21. 2. Sea side 894. 1. Seal up and write not 904. 1. as many as have not the Seal 901. 1. Sealed 626. 1. Sealed in their foreheads 894. 2. for a Season 682. 1. at a certain Season 281. 2. Seasons 333. 1. times and Seasons 672. 1. Second appearing 729. 2. Secret chambers 123. 2. See God 26. 1. Seek death 901. 1. it Seemed good 296. 1. Seen 34. 1. Seen God 832. 2. Self-willed 782. 2. in your Selves 777. 1. Send 301. 2. so Send I you 326. 1. Send her away 81. 1. Sensual 853. 2. Sent unto him 213. 1. as my Father Sent me 878. 2. Separate 210. 1. 298. 1. 680. 1. 699. 1. Separated 597. 2. build the Sepulchres 229. 2. whited Sepulchres 114. 1. old Serpent 910. 1. Serpents 780. 1. like Serpents 902. 2. take up Serpents 182. 2. Servant of the Church 508. 1. Servant of Jesus 847. 1. Servant of sin 601. 2. Servants 92. 2. 538. 2. to be Served 805. 2. Served God with fastings 196. 2. Service 748. 1. Serving the Lord 497. 1. Set 794. 2. Set up false witnesse 134. 1. Seven spirits 866. 1. 884. 1. Seven thunders 904. 1. Shadow 654. 2. Shadow of change 773. 2. Shadow of death 192. 2. Shaken in mind 680. 1. suffer Shame 349. 1. seen his Shape 832. 2. use Sharpnesse 594. 1. Sheep 287. 1. 301. 1. Sheep-market 280. 1. Shew the Lords death 132. 1. Shew thy self to the priests 44. 1. Shew of wisedome 656. 2. whose Shoes I am not 17. 2. Shod 632. 1. Shortly come to passe 855. Shrines 413. 1. Shunne 709. 1. Sharp sickle 920. 1. Signe 435. 1. Signe of the sonne of man 124. 2. Signes 350. 2. 915. 1. Silence in heaven 187. 1. 896. 1. first Simon 271. 1. Single eye 37. 2. Sin 752. 1. committeth Sin 831. 1. law of Sin 472. 2. 476. 1. man of Sin 680. 2. Sin to death 841. 1. of Sin 316. 1. Sin for us 578. 2. Sin not 625. 2. these that ye Sin not 824. 2. if we say that we have no Sin 823. 1. Sin that doth so easily beset us 763. 1. Sins 830. 2. committed Sins 786. 2. some mens Sins are open before 701. 2. Sinner 213. 1. 601. 2. Since 817. 2. Sincere milk 792. 1. elect Sister 843. 1. Sit 34. 2. Sit down with Abraham 45. 1. Slain 891. 2. Sleight 624. 1. whom ye Slew 115. 2. 859. let them Slip 728. 1. Slumber 494. 1. Smell of sweet savour 628. 1. Smoke 902. 2. Smoke of her burning 804. 1. Smoking flax 68. 1. Smote him 134. 2. Smyrna 874. 2. be Sober 719. 1. spiritually Sodom 856. Soft raiment 31. 2. Sojourn 354. 2. Sold under sin 470. 2. seemed to be Somewhat 599. 2. Songs 630. 1. if Sonnes then heires 477. 1. a Sop 309. 1. Sorrow 192. 1. 554. 1. Sorrows 891. 2. the king was Sorry 76. 1. Souldier that kept him 436. 1. a good Souldier 688. 2. Soul 674. 1. Souls under the altar 856. Souls of those slain 891. 2. Souls of men 935. 2. their Sound 490. 2. Sound in the faith 874. 1. Sounding brasse 554. 1. I will not Spare 593. 1. Speak 765. 2. Speak against 69. 2. Speak evill of dignities 842. 651. 1. Speak the word 359. 2. Spear-men 425. 2. Spikenard 176. 1. Spirit 28. 2. 222. 1. 360. ãâã 2. 674. 1. 800. 2. in the Spirit 591. 1. 862. by Spirit 679. 2. bound in the Spirit 417. 1. burned in Spirit 409. 1. pressed in Spirit 409. 1. my Spirit 782. 1. Spirit of God 804. 1. Spirit
* or the superlative love of the knowledge of Christ for the Ks. MS. reads ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â to ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * super a bââdantly ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â to ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â which is wrought among us ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or among you for the Ks MS. reads ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * or and or even by Christ for the King's MS. reads ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * in ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â exhort ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * One body ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â or in all the King's MS leaves out ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * or Having ascended to the height and led captive he gave for the King's MS. reads ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â unto ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * fulfill ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â compacting or knitting together ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * of ministration ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â acknowledgment ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * subtilty of men through their craftinesse for the managing of deceit ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â keeping the truth ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * increase in him ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â compacted cemented together by every joynt of supply according to its power in proportion of every part works * the rest of the Gentiles ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â their own ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * because of the ignorance ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â hardnesse ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * benummed â inordinate desire see note on Rom. 1. i. * ãâã â lusts of deceit ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * holinesse of the truth ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â calumniator see note ãâã Mat. 4. a. * instruction of use ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * Tom. 3. p. 879. l. 4â ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * imitators ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â inordinate desire see note on Rom. 1. h. * And filthinesse and foolish speaking or jesting which are things unseemly but rather graciousnesse * or light for the King's MS reads ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã see v. 8 and 11. â Examining ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * discover them ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â being discovered by the light are mâde manifest ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * shine upon thee ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â how ye walk exactly ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * dissolutenesse â chanting or with thanksgiving chanting for the King's MS. reads ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Col 3. 16. and singing ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * even ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â or Christ for the King's MS reads ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * it having cleansed it ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â husbands ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * âleave ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â fear ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Tom. 4. p. 148. l. 12. p. 146. â 33. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * just ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â thou shalt have a long time on the land ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * discipline and nurture ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â or from the soul with good will doing them service for the King's MS points it thus ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Ex ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * or the Lord both of them and you for the King's MS reads ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â complete armour ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * contivances ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â the worldly rulers of this age ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * spiritual parts or spirits for the Syriack appears to have read ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â in heavenly places humane * in the readinesse â Unto all ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * the wicked me ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â at every season ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * to this very purpose watching ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â or concerning all holy things ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * with authority see note on Joh. 7. a. â â chain ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * what I due ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â or compassion for the King's MS. reads ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * incorruption ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * in Captiv ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * p. 331. lin 634. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * communication toward ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â among you ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * perfect ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â to have this care for ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * as those that are all my copartners of grace ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â acknowledgment all sense ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * pure ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that concerned me ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * hall or place of judicature â to all others ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * or stir up for the Ks MS. reads ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â by occasion or by â to salvation ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â living is Christ and dying gain ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * But if it be living in the flesh ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â to me worth my labour and â to goe home or returne * for this is much rather to be preferred or better ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â But ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * this I know I hope that â through me ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * behave your selves worthy of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã * Epist 247. * Vid Anton. August Itipââar p. 103 * Net Hist l. 1. c. 13. * Nat. Plist l. 5. c. 29. * In Peripl p. 26. * p. 74. * De situ Orâ l. 11. c. 2. * c. 11. * In L. in Lusitan * Tom 4.