Comments and thereby give you a perfect resolution of the Text. First then the Spirits are the same with Souls and Souls are as much as Men or Persons with bodies and souls so in the next verse eight â—souls are said to be saved i. e. eight persons who were in the Ark. This is an usual Synecdoche as Body is put for the whole man often so Soul or Spirit signifies the same Spirit is not always though most commonly applied to the Souls of the Deceased as some would perswade us Living men are call'd Spirits 1 Tim. 4. 1. 1 Iohn 4. 1 3. Seducing spirits are seducers or persons that seduce Or if you will not grant this interpretation in these places yet you must needs grant that persons may be meant by spirits as well as by souls which latter you cannot deny if you consult Rom. 13. 1. and several other places where by soul is meant a person i. e. a man consisting of body and soul or which is the same thing spirit Or if Spirits be meant of the Souls of Dead men properly then also there is reason to apply it here because they are Dead in sin and they are as it were destined to Eternal Death Those who are Spiritually dead are rightly call'd Spirits These spirits i. e. these Men are no other then the Gentile Idolaters say the above named Expositors who lived in the days of Christ and the Apostles And because it is said they were sometime disobedient Episcopius gives this account of it He reckons all the Gentiles from Noahs time as one and the same people which is a thing not unusual with the Holy Writâ—â—s and so when Christ preach'd to the Gentiles of his time and the Apostles times he may be said to preach to the Gentiles of Noahs time who were a part of the whole body of the Gentiles So that if you ask of him How could these people that lived in the Apostles times be said to be disobedient in the days of Noah his answer is that the whole race of wicked men is consfidered here as one Body and consequently what the first and chief of them did those that came after them may be said to have done These wicked Gentiles that lived in the Apostles times are justly said to have been disobedient in the days of Noah because they were a part of the whole and included in the main Body of sinners But I question whether this will be look'd upon by the Inquisitive as a Satisfactory Resolution For my part I cannot prevail with my self to think it such and therefore I shall anon offer another Interpretation Moreover I most add this why may we not understand these words who were sometime disobedient not only of the 〈◊〉 but of the Iews also The Text as I conceive speaks both of the Câ—â—version of Iews and Gentiles the Gospel being preached and Salvation offâ—red to both these I see therefore no reason why the Exposition should be confined to one only viz. to the Pâ—gan Infidels and such as were aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel Christ preached to both Iews and Heathens who were heretofore or sometime disobedient The former of these both under the Old and New Testament are noted to be such they are complain'd of as a 〈◊〉 people That forefathers even of those who we in the Apostles days were disobedient and therefore those may be said to be sometime disobedient because they are included in their forefathers Or rather this may be meant of the 〈◊〉 Lives and Manners of those individual persons who then lived And as the Iews had lived in Superstion and Ignorance and gross Rebellion against God so the Gentiles had been brought up in Idolatry and in most lewd and prophane practises Christ after his Resurrection and Ascension pitied the miserable condition of both these sorts of 〈◊〉 Sinneâ—s They had been disobedient but now Christ by his Apostles whom he sent forth to preach the Gospel effectually reminded them of it of which more 〈…〉 which we have hitherto suggested and which was the first thing to be done is this that these Iewish â—nd Pagan peoplâ— who had heretofore 〈◊〉 so â—â—gnally disobedient are the spirits or persons here spoken of who are also said to be in prison Of the Reasonableness and Consistency of which interpretation I will give you this following account They are called the spirits in prison 1. because they were shut up in Ignorance as in a spiritual Prison They refused the knowledge of God 〈◊〉 wilfully blinded themselves and so became like the Egyptians Prisoners of darkness and lay fetter'd in the bondâ— of nightâ— 2. Because they were not only shut up in the Dark Dungâ—â—n of wilful Ignorance but were as our Church expâ—esseth it tied and bound with the chain of their other grosser sins Whence you read of the cords or chains of sin Prov. 5. 22. In this respect very bad men are said to be in the bond of iniquity and to be 〈…〉 his will 3 ly This expresses the Misery they were in They were spirits in Prison that is unspeakably Distressed and Wretched This you will find to be the Stile of Scripture and accordingly the Psalmist saith The Lord despiseth not his Prisoners i. e. those that are in Distress and Misery Psal. 69. 33. And thus That in Ps. 79. 11. may be understood Let the sighing of the Prisoners come before thee And again he prays Bring my soul out of Prison Ps. 142. 8. Soul is to be taken here for the Person and Prison 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the very word used by the Septuagint for Calamity or Misery and so this is the like manner of speech with that in the Text The spirits or souls in prison We pity those poor wretches who are in Durance who can only look through the Grates but are denied the liberty of going abroad to help themselves we reckon their condition very sad and deplorable But it is certain that these poor â—ouls who are imprison'd and Fetter'd by their Sins are in a far worse case because Sin is the greatest Bondage They like Samson grind in the prison-house they are put to excessive Drudgery and Slavery which are so much the Worse because they are not Sensible of it 4. This shews their Inability to relieve themselves They are as it were in some Strâ—ng and Close Prison whence there is no delivery without Gods help and the special assistance of Divine Grace They are shut up in their Dark Cells and know not how to free themselves they are so fast in prison that they cannot get forth 5 ly and lastly As I have before suggested Hell is call'd a Prison in the Stile of Scripture Thus in Mat. 5. 25. to be cast into prison is to be cast into Hell and accordingly the Syriack Version of the word is Sheol which is the word used sometimes for Hell God cast the Angels down to hell saith S' Peter and immediately he adds that
and making this place speak of two sorts of persons when it is most apparent that it speaks but of one But now according to the Sense I have before propounded the Reason in these words is plain viz. thus For for this cause viz. that they might be judged according to men in the flesh i. e. that they might pass a severe Judgement upon themselves and mortifie all their sinful lusts but live according to God in the spirit i. e. live new and holy lives was the Gospel preached to those that are dead Here you may observe a clear Antithesis in the words being judged or condemned is opposed to living and flesh to spirit and according to men to according to God For this cause the Gospel was preach'd to them that are dead in sin viz. that being once Converted they may judge and condemn themselves and mortisie the flesh and die to sin as Judging and passing Sentence are in order to Execution and putting to Death among men or according to men but be Alive to the spirit and walk according to Gods holy laws So then these two places mutually explain each other the dead to whom the Gospel was preached are the same with the spirits in prison to whom Christ went and preach'd In both places are meant the Spiritually dead those that are under the power and dominion of their sins Thus I hope I have fully shew'd who are the spirits in prison Now it remains that I explain how Christ went and preached to these spirits The Preaching here is not Christ Personal Preaching but his preaching by his Apostles after his Resurrection yea his Ascension at which time he sent his Holy Spirit to them by which they were enabled to preach the Gospel to Iews and Gentiles By which spirit for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 poured forth on his Apostles he preached i. e. he caused them to preach to the Unconverted world Jews and Gentiles who were yet in their sins It is rightly said that He preached because what was done by the Apostles Christs Ministers is said to be done by Christ himself And this which is here inserted he went though if is thought by D r Hammond to be a mere Expletive yet it is not so but hath its particular weight and import These two things I conceive are suggested to us by it 1. the Deputation of his Apostles Christ went not in his own person but he may be truly said to have gone by his Delegates and Ministers These went and that from place to place to preach the Gospel I look upon Eph. 2. 17. to be a parallel Text with this which I am insisting on He came or he went and preached peace to you who were afar off viz. to the Ephesians who were Gentiles and Idolaters He came not to these in person but he came or went by those whom he sent to preach to them Thus he went and preached to these spirits in prison So more signally he went to the Iews yea to them indeed first as S t Peter speaks Acts 3. 26. Vnto you first God having raised up his son Iesus sent him to bless you God sent him after his Ascension not him in person but Others in his name to preach repentance to turn every one of them from their iniquities as it follows in that place Thus Christ went he sent those who went 2. This speaks the Freeness of the act Neither Christ nor his Apostles staied till the Gentiles and Iews sought for the Gospel and Salvation by it but they went to them them they freely offer'd these to them The word then is not redundant and superfluous but very Pregnant and Emphatical God offers his grace freely God the Father sends God the Son goes With what Courtship and Unparallel'd Address did he seek and woe the love of Sinners whilst he was here on earth With what Concernedness and Passion did he beseech and sollicit the degenerate race of mankind And when he left this world and went to his Father behold he sent his Spirit to actuate his Church especially his Apostles whom he appointed to instruct and convert souls throughout the whole world He inspired them with extraordinary Gifts and Graces to make them able to discharge their office And accordingly they did discharge it with great power and vigour with marvellous and unexpected success They preached to the spirits in prison and that so effectually that they set them free from their Imprisonment But here it will be Objected what is this to the purpose what reason have you to assert that These words speak of Christ preaching by his Apostles to the Unbelievers both Jews and Gentiles in those times when as the Text plainly refers to the days of the Old World only for the preaching to the spirits in prison is said to have been when once the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah while the ark was preparing How then can this belong to the times of the Apostles and their preaching to unbelieving Iews and Gentiles To solve this I have told you already that the words do not altogether refer to those Antediluvian Transgressors but in a Latitude and by way of Analogy they comprehend all that have sometime been disobedient But because what the Learned Episcopius hath offer'd viz. that the several generations of the Wicked are look'd upon as One Body of men and in this Large consideration the Preaching to those who lived in the days of Noah may reach even to them in the Apostles times because I say this may seem Unsatisfactory I will offer That which will abundantly satisfie all persons It is this that in these words there is an Ellipsis which is a Figure that is commonly made use of in the Scripture and therefore it ought not to seem strange in this place That this Ellipsis or Leaving out of a word is very frequent you may satisfie yourselves from those Writers who have made it their bufiness to treat of the Stile and Phraseology of the Bible they will let you see at one view what a number of Defective speeches there are in the Holy Writ So it is here and there being a Defect a Supplement must be made And what is that The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to be inserted before the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the words are to be read thus By which he went and preach'd to the spirits in prison who were sometime disobedient as when once the long-suffring or patience of God waited in the days of Noah This word as which is a note of Similitude or Comparison being left out in the Greek ought to be supplied in the Translation That it ought to be so to make the sense entire will appear by setting before you some places of Scripture for I will not trouble you with instances of the Ellipsis of this particle in Prophane Writers
do here and thereby render the meaning of the words full and entire However take the words which way you will and if you pitch upon any Particular Sense I hope I have suggested that which will give light to it I here adjoyn something concerning the Custom of Covering and Uncovering the head among the different People and Nations of the world The summ of what I say is that the Eastern people went â—lways with their heads covered and the Greeks were always â—â—covered but the Romans took a middle way for they thought they were bound as to this matter to distnguish between the times of Worship and of Common Conversation and that the behaviour which was used in the one ought to be different from that of the other Accordingly they always covered their heads in the time of Worshipping from whence as well as from what is recorded of them we may gather that their practice was contrary when they were about their ordinary business that is that they were Uncovered But from the Jews covering their heads when they worship'd we cannot infer that they did not do so at other times and the reason is because they made no distinction at all between one time and the other as to this behaviour Only I desire the Reader that he may not misinterpret me to distinguish between the Ancient Romans and those that came after them for as to this usage as well as to some others these two exceedingly differed from one another uea the Latter Romans were strangely enclined to shift their customs and differ'd from Themselves as well as the Old Romans as I have shew'd This I thought fit to mention here lest any man should mistake me and the Truth it self I have added something likewise concerning the custom of the Other Sex and there you 'l find that there is no Variation at all the Women of all Nations generally cover'd their heads when they were abroad and the Apostle is not willing they should lay aside so Landable and Catholick an usage In my Third Vndertaking which is an interpretation of those so much controverted words What shall they do that are baptized for the dead I recite the various opinions of Authors concerning the meaning of this place not that I delight to muster up whole Armies of Writers some Antient and some Modern some at home others abroad but because the present affair requires it There being several Expositions of these words it was necessary to acquaint you with them before I offer'd that which I conceive to be the true and genuine sense of the Apostle Accordingly after I have rejected the interpretations of Others on the place and have all along given you the Reasons why I do so I at last expose my own sentiments in a plain and easie interpretation such as every one may see is the genuine import of the words viz. that to be baptized for the dead is no other then to be baptized because of the dead or for the sake of the dead i. e. of those Holy Martyrs who lay'd down their lives for Christ and his Blessed Cause The courage and bravery which these shew'd at their death did effectually invite great numbers of Infidels who took notice of their Christian behaviour to lay aside their false and idolatrous religion and to imbrace the Faith of Christ and to desire to be admitted members of the Church by Baptism By reason of the admirable carriage of those dying Martyrs there were Converts daily gained to Christianity many Iews and Pagans were stirred up to own the same Holy Religion which they saw them defend so undauntedly This made them eager of being baptized This I take to be the plain meaning of their being baptized for the dead i. e. they were baptized and became Christians for the sake and on the account of those deceased Saints who they saw attested the truth of Christianity with their bloud How probable this Interpretation is yea how preferable to all others I hope I have convinced the Reader in the Discourse it self to which I remit him In my Last Effort where I undertake to shew who are the spirits in prison to whom Christ preached I do as before enumerate the several Glosses which have been made upon the words Some have fetsh'd the sense of them from Heaven others from Hell and some from a Middle place as they fancy between both and many others have presented us with their Conjectures on this Text. But when I have discovered the invalidity of them I proceed to let you see what Other more true account may be given of the words And that is this Christ by his Spirit in his Apostles and Ministers preached the Gospel to Sinners and to whom else should be preach it to Vnconverted and Vnregenerate persons whether Iews or Gentiles and hereby many of them were converted to the faith and were saved This is the plain sense of this Text which hath been so differently handled by Protestants and Papists and this interpretation as I think I have made it evident but the Reader is to judg is conformable to the scope of the Context suitable to the Phrase and Language both of the Old and New Testament and most agreeable to the Thing it self which is here represented by the Apostle For there could not be a more Easie and yet a more Significant expression to set forth the state of men in their fins then This of the spirits in prison Those persons are in a Religious and Spiritual way of speaking which is the constant stile of the Holy Ghost in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles Prisoners and Bondmen shut up in a miserable Durance they sit in darkness and in the shadow of death being bound in affliction and iron as the Psalmist describes Poor Captives Psal. 107. 10. This is a plain and obvious Metaphor and at the very first propounding of it we are able to apprehend its meaning Poor distressed souls that are under the bondage of sin and vice are spirits in prison but the Blessed Iesus cometh and preacheth to them by the Ministry of his Apostles and servants and thereby brings them out of darkness and the shadow of death and breaks their bonds in Sunder as the same Divine Poet speaks in that place Certainly then Sâ— Peter who had been a Prisoner and bound with and knew the hardships and misery of this sort of men could not have made choice of any Similitude could not have used any Expression whereby it was possible to give us a more Compendious Character a more Lively and Natural Idea of the Deplorable Condition of Vnconverted Sinners then this here doth Which makes it somewhat strange that such multitudes of Expositors and Comment ators have not taken notice of it but have rather chosen to give us some farfetched and strained interpretations of these words This is the short Account which I thought good to premise before the following Exercitations In the whole I hope I have faithfully
such like place that speak of the Branch These were the Two Opinions of old concerning this Text and they have been taken up by Modern Expositors both of the Church of Rome and of the Reformed perswasion Among these latter are Grotius and Hammond to name no more the first whereof merits that Title which the Greeks gave Alexander Aphrodisaeus the Antientest Commentator on Aristotle viz 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Interpreter by way of Eminency For certainly no man hath excell'd him in giving the Literall sense and interpretation of Scripture For this he is Incomparable and speaks more Good Sense in one line then some others in a dozen long Periods The second of these Modern Expositors is our Countryman one of the Greatest Divines and Criticks of this last Age a person of equal Learning and Piety and therefore worthy to be what he most Eminently was a Son or rather one of the Fathers of the Church of England The former of these Excellent Writers refers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the word Nazar seperavit whence the Nazarites are stiled and so Christ saith he was foretold in the Old Testament to be an Abstinent Mortified person a True Nazarite The second refers the word Nazarene to that sacred and venerable title of 〈◊〉 the Branch often applied to the Messias and thinks that our Evangelist speaks of this here But I cannot Subscribe to either of these Excellent Persons in what they offer concerning the meaning of this word Nazarene It is my perswasion that neither of these references were intended by the Evangelist and my reason is this because they are nothing at all to the purpose Mark how the words are brought in He came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophets He shall be called a Nazarene Is it not plain to any common understanding that Nazarene refers to Nazareth and that Christ should be called the former because he divelt in the latter Certainly there can be nothing more evident then this and therefore it is impertinent here to talk of his being Netzer the Branch spoken of in the Old Testament or of his being a Nazarite which is no where said of him Or if he were a Nazarite in any sense as Nazar may fignife a Holy Separate person as our Learned Lightfoot and before him Beza and Heinsius have observed on this place yet this is nothing to the purpose because that word hath no reference at all to the city Nazareth which is heâ—e spoken of I have therefore sometimes wondred that very Learned men have contented themselves with these impertinent Notions and that they could prevail with themselves to think that either of these were the true meaning of the place Can any man reconcile this to sense that the places in the Old Testament which foretell of Christ as the Branch or as a Nazarite if there were any such thing were fullfilled in his dwelling in a town call'd Nazareth Can any man of any accuracy of reason see the Accomplishment of the one in the other or find any Affinity between these But now if we take a Nazarene for one of the city Nazareth or one that dwelt at Nazareth the words are plain and easily understood and any one may see the Fulfilling of the Prophecy here spoken of This then is that which I offer as my sentiment concerning this Controverted Text viz. that neither Christ being called Netzar not his being in any sense a Nazarite are so much as to be thought of in this place because they are wholly impertinent and foreign here but the true genuine and unforc'd meaning of the place is that it was foretold of old by the Prophets that our Saviour Should be called a Nazarene i. e. a man of Nazareth and accordingly when he came and dwelt in the city called Nazareth that which was thus spoken by the Prophets was fulfilled Here is no straining of the words here is no need of far fetched Criticisms but the sense of the Text is facile and obvious and he that runs may read it and understand it But you will ask where is it foretold that he shall be call'd a Nazarene i. e. one of Nazareth Here then is the greatest Difficulty if it may be called so to prove that this was Prophesied concerning Christ Or rather there are these two things to be proved before I can hope to gain the Readers assent to what I have offered First I must make it appear that this was foretold by the Prophets viz. that Christ should be call'd a Nazarene i. e. a man of Nazareth and Secondly I am obliged to shew that he actually was called so Both these are very Evident in so much that I cannot but wonder again that Expositors have overlooked a thing which is so plain and obvious First it was foretold that our Saviour should bear the Name of a Nazarene and that first as it is a Name referring to a Place and secondly as it is a Name of Reproach taken from his inhabiting in such a place First it was foretold as a Name derived from a Place as it denoteth our Saviour to be one of Nazareth But you will ask where doth any Prophet say that he shall be an Inhabitant of Nazareth I answer This is not the very thing which the Text asserts and the observing of it will lead us to the right understanding of the words It is not said it was spoken by one particular Prophet but by the Prophets by whom may be understood not only those that were the Penmen of the S. Scripture of whom afterwards but others of a like Prophetick spirit who used to foretell the Coming of the Messias and particularly to assign the Place of his generall Abode as well as that of his Birth and Crucifixion And therefore though we find not in the Sacred Writings these express terms He shall be called a Nazarene i. e. he shall be and be called One of Nazareth yet S t Matthew's words are true that this was spoken by the Prophets for it was the General Saying among them when the Iews enquired of them where the Messias's habitation should be the greatest part of his life that it should be at Nazareth a Town in Galilee This was a Received Report among the Iews and passed for a Prophetick Saying and thence the Evangelist makes use of it and applies it here very appositely when he was relating how Ioseph being warned of God turned aside into the parts of Galilee and came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth This saith he was spoken of long before by the Prophets by the Holy Men that discoursed of the Messia his Coming and we have received it from them For without doubt they had many things delivered to them from the mouths of Prophetick persons which were transmitted from age to age Thus we find S t Iude quotes Enochs Prophecy which he had only by Tradition Behold the Lord cometh with ten
forced to quit our Lives that we may secure our Religion and our Consciences Blessed be God we can enjoy these here and carry them with us into another World afterwards But if ever the Divine Providence shall call us to lay down our Lives and spend our Bloud in the service of our Lord and Saviour let us not count our Lives dear unto us so that we may finish our course with joy and testifie the Gospel of the grace of God as our Apostle speaketh Let us like the Primitive Saints rejoyce that we are counted worthy to suffer shame and even Death for the Name of Christ. Let us chearfully sacrifice our Lives for the sake of him who Died for us let us drown our Affections to the world in our own Bloud thereby propagating our Holy Religion and therein following the Pattern of the Blessed Apostles and Primitive Saints who manfully and undauntedly died for the faith on whose account and by virtue of whose Example it was that Thousands of Converted persons flock'd to the Waters of Baptism and were ambitious to Assert that Cause for which they saw those Excellent Christians lay down their Lives The Death of an Eminent Saint made a great number of Disciples in those days the Bloud of a Holy Martyr baptized whole Cities This I conceive was to be baptized for the dead This I offer as the most Plain and Easie the most Natural and Genuine Meaning of the Text. The fourth TEXT Enquired into viz. 1 S t Peter III. 19 20. By which also he went and preached unto the Spirits in prison which sometime were disobedient c. THIS is another Difficult Text of Scripture and in order to the Clearing of it I will give you a brief account of the Chapter It begins with the Peculiar and Proper Duties of Man and Wife which take up the first 7 verses but the rest of the Chapter treats of the Common Vertues and Graces which are required in all Christians as Meekness Patience Mercifulness and all the obliging and indearing offices of Love The Apostle chiefly exhorts to Patience that is to suffer with submission and chearfulness what ever should be inflicted on them And here he shews particularly how they ought to behave themselves towards their Persecutors They must not be Revengeful and render evil for evil v. 9. and he subjoins the Reasons of it in the following verses Again They must not be afraid neither be troubled v. 14. They must take courage maugre all their distresses and strive to banish all Fear and Cowardice all Disorder and Perplexity of mind Moreover they are obliged to sanctifie the Lord God in their hearts and to be ready to give an answer to every one that asketh them a reason of the hope which is in them and that with meekness and fear v. 15. The meaning is that they were not to disguise their perswasion but to make open profession of their Religion even before their Persecutors Further the Apostle tells them that they must not only profess Christianity but lead Holy Lives that thereby they may shame their Adversaries who falsly accuse them as evil doers v. 16. Lastly therefore he bids them be sure that they look to their Lives and Conversations that they suffer for well-doing not for evil-doing v. 17. And that they may not be unwilling to suffer thus here is set before them the Example of Christ who suffered for them For Christ also hath once suffer'd for sins the just for the unjust v. 18. This highly commends the Sufferings of the Blessed Iesus that he was himself an Innocent person and that he suffer'd for those that were Guilty whereas no Christians that suffer can altogether plead Innocency they all in some measure deserve what they suffer And now the Apostle takes occasion to expatiate on Christs suffering and the Happy effects of it to the end of this Chapter and in part of the next He shews the Design of our Saviours Passion viz. that he might bring us to God v. 18. that he might make us Holy and Righteous and indue us with the Divine and Godlike nature and that he might at last lead us to Heaven and Eternal Glory And this He was effectually enabled to do because though he suffer'd death yet he soon rose from the dead as you read in that 18. v. Being put to death in the flesh but quickned by the Spirit To pass by the Notion of those men who think they find some ground here for their Aethereal or Spiritual Vehicles understanding the words thus Put to death in his Terrestrial body but quickned or enliven'd with a Spiritual one for Christs soul and the souls of all the Saints after death say they are clothed with Subtile and Aetherial bodies To let this pass the Plain Meaning of the place is this and it is confirmed by several of the Fathers that this Iesus though he suffer'd and was put to death for us in the flesh as a Man as he had a Humane Body yet he was quickned by the Spirit that is he rose from the dead by the vertue and power of the Holy Spirit who was ever with him Or thus he was put to death in the flesh i. e. crucified in his Humane Nature but he was quickned in the spirit i. e. he was raised from the Dead by his Divine Nature A Parallel place is that in 2 Cor. 13. 4. Though he was crucified through weakness his body being but Weak and Frail and subject to death as all Humane bodies are yet he liveth by the power of God he reassumed his soul and lived again and still liveth by vertue of his Divine Power He died as Man but restored himself to life as he was God It was by Christs Divine Spirit that his separated soul and body were reunited which you find thus asserted by S t Paul Rom. ◠4. He was declared to be the son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead The humane spirit of Christ was joyned again to his body by his Eternal Spirit By Christs Divinity his Humanity was raised up and restored And now our Apostle inlarges here further upon this Quickning Power of Christs Spirit or Divinity in these words By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison which sometime were disobedient c. The Greek which is here translated By which is rendred by others wherefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ideò saith Oecumenius and so t is thought that these words bring in the Reason of what was said before But there are few that follow this Interpretation Our own Translation is more Plain and more Probable for those that are acquainted with the stile of the New Testament know that By is the frequent signification of the Praeposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it is most obvious and rational to refer the Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the word
which immediately preceded it and that is the Spirit nor have we any reason to think that it relates to any thing else By this Spirit Christ did great and wonderful things after he was risen from the dead by this he went and preached But to whom To the spirits in prison and moreover it is added that these spirits were sometimes disobedient when once the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah c. This is differently understood by Expositors for 1. some apply it to those who were Alive before and at the time of the Floud 2. Others understand it of the Souls of the dead And what dead these are you shall hear when I come to inlarge on this head 3. Others apply it to the Preaching of the Gospel in the Apostles times I. It is applied to those who were alive before or at the Floud And here there are These two Opinions first Arias Montanus is singular and by himself who holds that the spirits in prison were those that were shut up and as it were Imprisoned in Noahs Ark. Those eight souls as they are called in the 20 th verse are these Prisoners they were kept by God in the Ark as in Safe Custody But this Notion was started merely because there is mention here of Noahs Ark and the eight souls saved by it This without doubt gave the rise to this wild fancy And besides there are several things which may hinder us from entertaining it for 1. it is said they were sometime disobedient which we cannot apply to any of these eight It is true we read that afterwards C ham proved a Wicked person and was justly Cursed for being so but this hath no reference to what was before 2. The Preaching to the spirits in prison here spoken of was whilst the Ark was preparing but they were not Imprison'd in the Ark till it was made and finished therefore this passage cannot be understood of the persons shut up in the Ark. 3. It appears from the Context that this Preaching of Christ was after his Resurrection and consequently can't be meant of any Preaching to those in the Ark. Secondly Others understand it of those sinners of the Old World who lived all the while the Ark was building which was a hundred and twenty years The long-suffering of God waited thus long on these Antediluvian sinners who are called the world of the ungodly 2 Pet. 2. 5. These are the spirits in prison say the Learned Grotius and D r Hammond And S t Augustin long before had this notion and the Venerable Bede and Aquinas and others borrowed it from him It is true Christ may be said to preach to these by the Spirit that is the Holy Spirit strove with these sinners whilst Noah preached to them This is plainly intimated in Gen. 6. 3. My Spirit shall not allways strive with man The Spirit then did strive with the men of that Age though at last the Allmighty declareth that he will put a period to his Spirits solliciting and striving with them But the forenamed Expositors understand these words not of the Spirit of God but of the spirit of man put into him by God And accordingly they think that this phrase of the spirits in prison alludes to those very words Because S t Peter was about using a Similitude boâ—rowed from Noahs time he makes use saith Grotius of the very words of that History But then you must note that he reads not the words as we do i. e. my Spirit shall not strive with man but according to the Septuagint and Vulgar Latin My Spirit shall not abide or rest with man or those men And because the Hebrew word Iadon comes from another that signifies a Sheath or Scabbard therefore he renders that place thus according to Xantes Pagninus who herein follows R. Kimchi My spirit shall not be detain'd in man as in a Scabbard And then the meaning of the words is that the spirit of soul which I gave and put into man shall not be useless and produce no effect as a Sword in a Scabbard which doth nothing of that it was made for A Scabbard is as it were a Prison to the Sword and the Body is as 't were a Sheath or Prison to the Soul So the Souls of the Antedilâ—vian sinners were immersed in their Bodies Imprisoned and Useless to any good purposes Or thus my Spirit shall not abide as a sword in a sheath it shall no longer be sheathed in man it shall not be Imprisoned and conâ—ined in him i. e. I will destroy him he shall not live any longer for so it follows v. 7 13. This is Grotius's Notion and he is of opinion that the spirits in prison refer to this And among the Fathers S t Ierom favours this Interpretation This Criticism is further confirmed some think by observing that the Chaldee word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a sheath signifies also a body as is evident from Dan. 7. 15. And hence perhaps that Rabinical saying All bodies are Sheaths blessed is that which deserves to be the Sheath of the Law From all these things put together some infer that the Apostle here alludes to this Notion and that the spirits in prison are Souls sheathed shut up imprisoned in their bodies Christ came and preached to these souls viz. the sinners that lived in Noahs days and he preached unto them by the Preaching of Noah But this Interpretation is by no means to be admitted for 1. This quaint notion of the Sheath and the Body is a plain force upon that Text in Gen. 6. 3. which is truly and uncorruptly rendred according to the Hebrew My Spirit shall not strive that is I will no longer concern my self with these men I will give them up to their own lusts and lewd desires my Spirit shall not strive as formerly with them they shall not be convinced by Noahs Preaching nor wrought upon by the foresight of those Judgments which they cannot but see hang over their heads and when I have thus given them up to their own vile imaginations I will cut them off in their sins and bereave them of all hopes of mercy for the future This is the True import of those words and consequently all that the foresaid Criticks suggest is nothing to the Text but is a mere Distorting and Perverting of it 2. Suppose this place of Scripture might be rendred as they have done it yet who sees not that it is far from their purpose What likeness is there between a sheath and a Prison It must be strong fancy that perswades a man to think that the latter is put here for the former and consequently that the words I am now treating of have reference to those in Genesis Or 3 ly suppose it were so yet all we learn from this strange expression is that the sinners before the Floud had souls in their bodies for that is the English it seems of
the spirits in prison it is no more then souls in bodies 4. This phrase might be made use of with more reason to prove the Platonick Praeexistence and the Detrusion of souls into bodies which they so much talk of I wonder the Platonists never took notice of this Text. Their Hypothesis cannot be expressed more fully then t is here If I were one that favour'd the Doctrine of Praeexistence I should prize this place exceedingly there is none like it For the spirits in prison are the souls which are thrust into these Bodies as into Prisons For the Body of man as they are wont to speak is but Eygastulum animâ— the Prison or Dungeon of the Soul here it is inclosed or imprison'd as a Sword in a Sheath And these Spirits which are thus immersed into Humane Bodies were sometime disobedient i. e. they sinn'd in the state of Praeexistence and therefore are sent into these bodies and there Imprisoned Thus this place may be alledg'd in favour of that Hypothesis but any man who duly weighs the scope of the words may see that they intend no such thing as this The Defenders of that opinion might as well make use of that place Psal. 142. 7. Bring my soul out of prison and thence prove that humane souls are thrust into the prisons of these bodies and that These are the spirits in prison meant by our Apostle But 5 ly that which unanswerably consounds This Opinion viz. that the words are to be understood of the Sinners before the Floud and of Christs preaching to them by his Spirit is this that the Text speaks not of something done by Christ before his Resurrection as his Descent into hell when he was dead but it speaks of something which Christ did after his Suffering and Resurrection when he was indued with an extraordinary power therefore it cannot be thus meant This is plain from the Context and the Words themselves and therefore nothing can more powerfully overthrow this Assertion then This doth this ruines that Opinion without remedy Besides it is said here of those spirits that they were sometime disobedient as much as to say they were not so then when Christ preached to them But because this is not a Necessary Consequence I will not urge it for they might be disobedient before and then too as I willingly grant and shall have occasion to say more of it afterwards Therefore Others seeing the Levity of this Opinion though they hold that by the spirits in prison are meant the sinners that lived before the General Deluge in Noahs days yet they understand their being in prison in another sense as thus Christ by his Spirit in Noah who is call'd a Preacher of righteousness did once preach to that generation of men who lived before the Floud whose spirits are now in prison i. e. in Hell for their former disobedience These spirits were imprisoned in Hell at the time when S t Peter wrote this Epistle but they were not in that Prison when Christ preached to them by the Spirit The short is Christ preached to these men in the days of Noah who were in this infernal Prison in the days of the Apostles and have been ever since S t Peter speaks of the spirits now in prison or then in prison when he wrote not of the spirits in prison when Christ preached to them This Interpretation is approved of by many but it is very Harsh and much Forced For if you understand the words fairly and without straining them they must necessarily signifie something which Christ did 〈◊〉 to the spirits in prison Now to say they were not in prison when he did it to them in prison is Absurd and Ridiculous at least it is Wresting the words and not taking them in their Genuine sense which they appear to us in And why we should abandon the Genuine and Plain sense for a Forced and â—ar-Fetched one I can see no reason at all therefore this sense must not have our Approbation though it be so generally received II. Others apply it to the Souls of the Dead And here there is a great Difference both among those of the Popish and Protestant perswasion 1. Some will have these spirits in prison to be the Souls of those Deceased sinners who lived before the Floud and perished in it and were sent to Purgatory 2. The Souls of all the Saints and Righteous men who had been from the beginning of the world till Christ are â—eem'd by others to be these spirits in prison and this Prison is 〈…〉 3. Some interpret it of the Damned Souls in Hell Nay 4 ly the spirits in prison are the souls of the Blessed in Heaven saith another First 〈◊〉 and some other Roman Catholicks understand this Text of Purgatory This is the Prison wherein the souls of the Antediluvian sinners were kept for these persons were Unâ—â—lievers and Iâ—penitent all the time before the Floud came but then they believed and repented S t Ierom Austin and Hilary lean this way interpreting the words to This purpose that Christ went to deliver those poor â—ouls who when Noah preached to them and God patiently expected their repentance a hundred years remain'd Incredulous and Disobedient but afterwards when they saw the Floud coming upon them became very Penitent and hated their former evil ways To these Christ being Dead went and preached So then in short the Prison of Purgatory is meant here by the Apostle and Christ went persoâ—â—lly down thither and preached to the people of that place But I answer 1. They must evidently prove that there is such a Place and State as Purgatory otherwise we have no ground to believe that This Text is meant of it For this being but an Obscure place of Scripture as all grant we cannot lay any stress on it And though some of the Fathers seem to understand it of Purgatory yet it is to be remembred that the Mystery of Iniquity began to work long before their time and it is no wonder that This and other Corrupt Opinions crept into the Church and that even some of the most Learned and Pious men were misled by them for they were but Men and so were liable to Mistake and Error 2. The Patrons of this Opinion hold that Christ went personally to Purgatory but no such thing is mention'd here yea another sort of Going is expresly named for it is said by which i. e. by the Spirit he went which seems to exclude a Local and Personal Going 3. How inconsistent is this opinion with their doctrine of Purgatory for they hold that those impure souls are sent to be purged in the other world who had some Punishment yet remaining to undergo and who were not sufficiently Purged in this world But this was not the case of the sinners who perished in the Floud Never was there such a Punishment and Judgment and never shall the like be again And therefore according to the notion of these men those persons were
sufficiently Punished and there was nothing left to undergo And then as to their Moral Purgation if those persons repented at all it is reasonable to think that their Repentance in those unparallell'd circumstances was exceeding Great and that it proved on all accounts Effectual and Complete Those Waters were able to cleanse them sufficiently so that they needed not to be sent to these Purging Flames 4. This is against the received opinion of the Torments of Purgatory for they are said to end in a much shorter time The Offenders of the Old World had lain shut up in this Prison almost three thousand years according to these mens Interpretation of the Text and yet it is the general doctrine of those that assert the Pains of Pâ—rgatory that they are much sooner over and that it was not intended that these Torments should be of very long continuance 5. Why did Christ go and take the Antediluvian Wretches out of the Prison of Purgatory and none else For these are only mention'd here and we read of no others any where else Why did not 〈◊〉 Saviour clear that place and set open the Prison-doors to all and make a General Jail-Delivery Or will these men say that none went to Purgatory but those poor creatures who lived in 〈◊〉 time This they will hardly assert These and several other reasons may induce us to believe that by the spirits in prison are not meant the souls in Purgatory Secondly some imagine that Limbâ—â— Patrum is meant there by S t Peter Christ went to this place say they and fetcheâ— thence all the Souls of the Saints who died before his Coming Some of the Fathers as Athanasius Ambrose Cyrâ—l of Alexandria and others interpret the Apostle's words thus and it is their known Assertion that all the souls of the righteous as soon as they were separated from their bodies were impâ—isoneâ— in some Low Place under ground and there were detain'd till our Saviour came and inlarged them These are the spirits in â—â—ison 〈…〉 these words telling us that the spirits in prison whâ—â— Christ 〈…〉 were Separate Souls sent to that foresaid Apartment and Receptacle And whereas it is said Christ was quickned in the spirit he saith this is meant of Christs Separate Soul this being quickned went strait way to Limbo to visit the separate souls there But 1. Bellarmin talks very wiâ—dly on this point for the Soul being Immortal can't be said to be quickned or made alive and therefore it was unwarily and groundlesly said by him that Christs soul was quickned But 2 ly I answer to what he and others alledg concerning Limbus Patrum that there never was such a place for the separate souls to go to This according to those of the Church of Rome is that place where the souls of the Patriarchs and Faithfull under the Old Testament were lodged But this is a mere Fiction for the spirits of the deceased Saints go presently to Heaven and are not detain'd in any Prison much less so Long a time before they reach that place of Bliss Therefore we ought not to credit the Romanists when they tell us with great confidence that Christ went and preached to Abraham and the rest of the Patriarchs when he left this world and that he acquainted them that the work of Redemption was finished and that he took them up with him to Heaven Let them first prove that there was such a Prison for they confess it is now demolished and hath been ever since Christ and then we shall attend to what they say and not before 3. This Exposition is faulty because it is too Wide for the Text which refers only to those of Noahs days Now supposing Christ preach'd to them in prison how is it gather'd from the Text that Christ went and redeem'd All from that place And on the other side if they assert that Christ redeem'd only those who were before the Floud it would be proper to ask how they came to have this Priviledge above the rest but it will be hard to give a Reason of it So that one way or other it is Improbable Thirdly there are Others who by the Spirits in prison understand the Damned spirits or souls in Hell Here I will not deny that the word Prison hath respect unto the Place of the Damned as I shall shew you afterwards but that Christ went into Hell and Preached there to the inhabitants of that place I am not convinc'd how it can be made good from This Text Though I grant that some of the Antient Fathers make use of this place of Scripture to prove that Christ descended locally and personally into those infernal regions Particularly S t Augustin indeavours to prove it from these very words and concludes at last who but an Infidel will deny that Christ was in Hell As for several Other Writers of the Church they are divided in their Comments on this Text some think it refers to Limbus Patrum others to Purgatory and a third sort conceive it speaks of Hell that place where the souls of the Wicked and Reprobate are tormented This is the Prison the Apostle here means say they But how did Christ preach to the spirits there This Preaching is interpreted after a different manner for some say our Saviour went to Punish and Affright the devils to Triumph over the damned and to shew himself a Conqueror over Satan and all the Infernal Powers But these men grosly abuse S t Peter's words when they expound them thus i. e. when they interpret Christs Preaching to the spirits in prison of his Tâ—iumphing over the damned in hell the word preaching being never in the Sacred Writings understood in such a manner but all that are acquainted with the Holy Stile must needs acknowledge that 't is taken in a far other meaning therefore this must be look'd upon as a downright perverting of the Apostle's words only to serve their own ends Others are not content to say that Christ went to Triumph over the damned but they talk of something Higher viz. the Relieving yea the Delivering of the damned out of hell This say they is the Preaching here spoken of This is a Bold Flight and but few of the Fathers have ventured to soar so High But who would expect any such thing as this from the Learned Author of the Mystery of Godliness Yet there you will find him giving This Interpretation of the words viz. that the spirits in prison i. e. the Disobedient souls in Hell were redeemed by Christs Preaching they were a glorious spoil taken out of the hands of the devil But it doth not follow saith he there is any Redemption out of Hell now much less any Purgatory For there were two Notable Occasions for This such as will never happen again For it respects the souls of them that were suddenly swept away in the Deluge and the Solemnity of our Saviours Crucifixion and Asâ—â—nsion He undermined the Prince of death in
the midst of death and at his Ascension victoriously carried away those first-fruits of his suffering into heaven At the solemn Coronaâ—ion of a Great Prince the Prison-doors are flung open This is the interpretation of D r Henry More But I am sorry this Worthy person hath given those men an occasion to think well of their doctrine of Purgatory and even Redemption from the pains of the Bottomless Pit those men I say whom he doth not use to gratifie at other times by his too lavish concessions He hath open'd the door here and All as well as those Antediluvian sinners may go forth If Hell be not a fixed place or state if it be not a Close-Prison then there is hope that Every man at length may be set free from it and walk at large And this is that which S t Augustin tells us some indeavour'd to prove from This Text viz. that All shall at last be freed from Hell-Torments But the Doctor declares he intends no such thing but is perswaded only that the words speak of a Singular and never to be Parallell'd Instance But in answer to what he and others before have asserted I will briefly make It good that the words speak not at all of Christs going down to Hell or of his Preaching there For 1. These words refeâ—ring to the souls of those who lived in Noahs time what was the reason that our Saviour went into Hell to preach to These rather then the rest how came these despisers of Noahs preaching to have this Priviledge above all other persons that Christ should descend to the Infernal Pit to relieve them particularly Why did not the Sodomitâ—s and others share in the like kindness 2 ly It is here intimated that the words are not meant of Christ's Local Descent into hell for 't is said he went by the spirit which signifies another thing and what that is I have told you But I have mention'd this before 3. It can't be spoken of Christs going to Hell because the words are of something that he did after his Resurrection as hath been before suggested The order of the Apostle's words is this first Christ was put to death then he was quickned or rose again and after that he went and preached therefore it is impossible that this Preaching should be meant of any sort of Preaching to those in Hell unless you will make Christs Descent into hell follow his Resurrection from the dead which was never dreamt of yet Let this therefore be remembred that the Text speaks of something which our Saviour did after he was risen from the dead and then it must be acknowledged that this is a plain conâ—utation of the Adversaries Opinion 4. This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spoils their Interpretation for when 't is said they were sometime disobedient it is implied I do not say absolutely inferred that they are not so now Fourthly and which shews the vast Difference between the Judgements of men on this place whereas some Protestants and most Papists think Hell is meant here Calvin believes the contrary and vouches Heaven to be understood by this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is not a Prison according to him but a watch-tower and so indeed the word signifies sometimes The spirits or â—ouls of the faithful were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in specuâ—a on their watch-tower viz. in Heaven Thither Christ ascended and there he found the Saintâ— of the Old World very Incent on the Salvation promised by Christ they confidently hoped for it and his Coming and as it were Look'd for these as from some Watch tower But I confess I do not see what reason that Learned Writer had to alter the ordinary Translation of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to render it here a Watch-tower He might have retain'd the Other Translation and yet have kept his Interpretation entire For what better word could there be to express Heaven then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it signifies a 〈◊〉 a Hold a place of Safety like 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which some render Abraham's Port or Haven Christ being raisd from the grave went and preached to the spirits in safe custody 〈◊〉 in Heaven there he declar'd to them what Great things he had done and how he had finished the work of mans Redemption As the words before spoke of Christs Death and Resurrection so these of his Ascension and Exaltation This is the sense of that Learned Man and if he had not alter'd the usual version of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it would have done as well But against his interpretation I alledg first his Wavering in the solution of this Text for in his Institutions 〈…〉 and upon the Place he expounds it of the souls of the Faithful but in his Psychopannychia he tells us that Christ went and preach'd not only Remission of sins to the spirits of the Godly but also Confusion to the spirits of the ungodly thus he takes in both Heaven and Hell Secondly to what purpose did Christ go and preach to the Saints in heaven when they could not but know the certainty of their Salvation by Their being in that place It was needless to preach to them what they knew already Therefore I can't see how this word can be applied to Heaven But the main thing which hinders my Assent to his Interpretation is This that the words have relation to Noahs days and the particular people of that time Now 1. It is probable that the greatest numbers of them perished everlastingly as the Scripture when it speaks of the sinners of the Old World doth more then intimate These were so far from being placed in a High Watch-tower a place whence they might look for and espie a Saviour that they were plunged into the Lowest Abyss of misery and despair 2. Supposing that people were Saved and in Heaven yet wherefore did Christ when he ascended thither preach to These rather then others And why were These separate souls above all the rest continually upon their Watch in hopes of the promised salvation I do not apprehend any ground for this and consequently I cannot admit of this Exposition These are the several Judgments of those Expositors who understand the words concerning the souls of the deceased Now I proceed to the Last Claâ—â—is of Interpreters III. Others apply the words to the Preaching of the Gospel to unbelievers in the Apostles times understanding by the spirits in prison the Heathens and by Christs Preaching to them his Sending his Disciples and Apostles to preach to them Episcopius and Limborch are the men who offer this Interpretation and I take it to be the Fairest of all those which have been named But yet as it is delivered by those persons I cannot wholly subscribe to it therefore I shall only proceed on the main and general ground which they have laid and I shall make bold to add several things which I find wholly wanting in those Aâ—thors
he delivered them into Chains of darkness 2 Pet. 2. 4. and S t Iude v. 6. speaks after the same manner Hell implys Chains and that those who are in that place are Bound in the house of their prison So Satan is said to be bound with a great chain Rev. 20. 1 2. i. e. he was Confined to Hell and afterwards he was loosed out of that Prison v. 7. Now Wicked and Ungodly men are deservedly said to be in This prison even before they are actually cast into it because they are as sure to be there i. e. to be Damned as if they were actually so They are as certainly to be shut up in the Prison of Hell as if they were now in it In this sense Infidels and Unbelievers are said to be condemned already John 3. 18. All wilful sinners are clapt up in the Prison are consign'd as it were to Hell unless they hearken to the Preaching of the Gospel and Repent and be Converted and so escape the damnation of Hell From all these particulars you may be satisfied how Fit an expression this is how Appositely those Vnbelievers and Idolaters to whom the Gospel was preached are stiled spirits in Prison I will yet further observe to you how the Scripture delights in This way of expression As I have shewd you from thence how Sinners are Imprisoned persons so I have This likewise to take notice of from Scripture that the Converting of souls by Christs coming and preaching is expressly set forth to us by Freeing them from prison Which confirms This notion and the Use of this Phrase that â—inners whilst they are in their Unregenerate state whilst they are they are under the power of their sins are in prison for they cannot be taken out thence unless they had been in it To this purpose we may observe the prophet Isaiah's words ch 42. v. 7. where describing the Office of the Messias he makes this the summ of it to bring out the prisoners from the prison and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house And again speaking of the blessed design of the Messias he expresseth it thus ch 49. v. 9. That thou mayest say to the prisoners Go forth And further in ch 61. v. 1. he introduceth the Messias himself declaring with his own mouth that he was sent to proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to them that are bound Which as well as the former passages is meant of the Spiritual Loosing of men from their sins by the saving coming of Christ and preaching of the Gospel as is evident from what our Saviour said when he read these words of Isaiah This day saith he is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears Luke 4. 21. As much as if he had said This is the grand end and purpose of my appearing in the world and of all my undertakings for mankind namely to set them at liberty to save them from their sins This was long since foretold by the prophet Isaiah and now behold it is accomplished in me at this time who speak unto you and preach the Gospel of Salvation I came to seek and save that which was lost I came to bless you in turning you from your iniquities I came to rescue you from the bondage of sin and Satan This is the meaning of opening the prison to them that are bound of saying to the prisoners Go forth of bringing the prisoners out of the prison house We see then that from the stile of this Evangelical Prophet we are directed to a right understanding of S t Peters words we are informed that the spirits in prison are men in their sins Jesus by his Spirit in his Apostles went and preached to these Prisoners he proclaimed Liberty to these poor miserable Captives And these are the dead to whom the Gospel was preached 1 Pet. 4. 6. A place of Scripture which hath mightily puzzled Expositors D r Hammond and others understand by these dead the sinners of the Old World for these were dead say they when Peter wrote this Epistle though they were alive when they were preached to So that place Ruth 1. 8. is interpreted The Lord deal kindly with you as you have dealt with the dead i. e. my sons and your husbands who are now dead when Naomi spoke this to her daughters in law but were alive when the kindness was shewd to them But I have observ'd before that this is a Strain'd sense and therefore where a more Natural one offers it self we ought to accept of it The most Plain and Proper meaning of the dead here is that they were dead at that very time when the Gospel was preached to them I understand it of Spiritual death which brings Eternal death with it without repentance The widow that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth 1 Tim. 5. 6. It is usual to call Sinners dead men because as the same Apostle saith they are dead in trespasses and sins Eph. 2. 1. Yea it were easie to shew that this way of speaking was not unusual with the Gentile Moralists So the dead here to whom the Gospel was preached were such as were Spiritually dead Otherwise you can't make sense of the Reason or End of the Gospels being preached to them viz. that they might be judged according to men in the flesh but live according to God in the spirit Castalio after his modest way in the like cases professes that he knows not what to make of these words Some tell us that they speak of Penitent sinners involved in a Common Ruine that though they were judg'd in the flesh i. e. in respect of their Bodies as far as Men can see yet in their Spirit or Soul they rest and live with God But it cannot be proved that the Apostle here refers to any such Common Calamity and therefore this Exposition is not to be admitted Others alter it a little thus These words say they are added to remove the scandal laid in the way of Religion by Infidels and Pagans who as you read v. 4. thought it strange that the Christians ran not with them to the same excess of riot and spake evil of them on that account They censured defamed and even condemned them because they were not like themselves But though they were condemned as to their flesh their outward man yet their spirits their in ward man obtain'd favour and even eternal life with God But how this is brought in as a Reason as it is here For for this cause c. no man can discover and therefoâ—e we cannot satisfie ourselves with this interpretation of the place Others would understand it thus That they might be judged according to men in the flesh i. e. that those who lived carnally and wickedly might be damned and live according to God in the spirit i. e. that those who lived godlily and righteously might be saved But this is a manifest perverting of the words turning the but into and
by means of the water viz. by the waves lifting up the Ark and carrying it aloft and so saving them from being overwhelmed The waters of the floud bore up the Ark and thereby kept the persons in it from drowning The like figure or Antitype whereunto even Baptism doth also now save us v. 21. That is the holy Ordinance of Baptism resembleth the Ark in the Floud for as This was the happy means of saving Noah and his family so That was appointed by Christ under the Gospel to be the blessed instrument of Salvation Unless you will take the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here for a Contrary Figure as it signifies sometimes according to the different rendring of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and then the sense is that Saving is now by water as heretofore it was by escaping it The Water of Baptism is now the means of our Safety as of old the water of the Deluge was the means of Destruction Thus the Comparison holds good in all these particulars It was without doubt design'd that one shold be a Representation of the other I had reason therefore to insert the Note of Similitude as to give you the true meaning of the words And you see there was ground for inserting it there being several Examples of the like nature in the Holy Scriptures Now then let us read the words Christ hath once suffer'd for sins being put to death in the flesh but quickned by the Spirit by which also he went and preach'd unto the spirits in prison who sometime were disobedient as when once the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah while the Ark was preparing wherein few that is eight souls were saved by water The like figure whereunto even Baptism doth also now save us The plain meaning of all which is This that Christ after his Crucifixion was raised from the dead by the Spirit of God and by the same Spirit communicated to the Apostles he preached the Gospel to the stubborn Jews and the Idolatrous Gentiles And upon this preaching to them most of those poor wretches who were Shut up in darkness and ignorance who were Imprisoned by Satan and Bound with the chain of their sins remain'd still in the same miserable condition rejecting the Gospel and in that were like unto the disobedient sinners in Noahs days who refused the preaching of Noah and of the Spirit by him But as there were some though a few in that age who attended to that Preacher of righteousness and found favour with God so was it likewise in the times of the Apostles Preaching a small company that is Small in respect of those who refused the tenders of Salvation but otherwise very Great and Numerous were so effectually wrought upon that they believed in Iesus and forsook their sins being washed from them by the waters of Baptism which was prefigured by Noahs Ark. This is that which the words present us with and it is no other then the Great Mystery of Godliness as it is set forth in 1 Tim. 3. 16. God was manifest in the flesh justified in the spirit preached unto the Gentiles believed on in the world This is the substance of the words which I have been treating of this is the High and Noble Theme which S t Peter here briefly handleth Though the Generality of men both then and since refuse the offers of Grace and Mercy in Christ Jesus yet the Preaching of the Gospel is not ineffectual and succesâ—ess both in those first ages of the world and in these of late there have continually been added unto the Church such as shall be Saved But because the Old World was the Greatest Example and Instance of Gods Long-suffering as well as of the Impenitence and Refractoriness of sinners therefore Gods sparing the Iews and Gentiles afterwards and sending the Apostles to Preach the Gospel to them are very fitly parallel'd with the Preaching of Noah and Gods Long-suffering towards the people of that time The Apostle here to give a Remarkable Instance of Gods Patience chooses out the days of Noah a most Polluted and Degenerate Age as you will find it decipher'd in Gen. 6. Hence among the Rabbins the Age of the Floud is used to express the most Wicked and Prophane generation of men for of all sinners those Antediluvians are reckoned to be the Worst and Vilest It is like the Age of the Giants noted among the Pagans especially their Poets For this reason S t Peter particularly mentions That Age and makes the Preaching of Noah to them to be a Figure and Representation of Christ and his Apostles Preaching to the sinners of their time They that in these days were disobedient and believed not the Gospel whilst the Christian Church was building up are represented by Those Sinners of old who believ'd not whilst the Ark was building And so likewise Those that believed in the Apostles times and were saved by Baptism were prefigured by those who in Noahs days were saved in the Ark by water Yea I am bold to say that Noahs Preaching to the sinners of that first age is a figure of the Preaching of the Gospel even to the end of the world which was intimated by S s Augustin who tells us that the Age of Noah was a Type of the Ages to come Let Vs then on whom the ends of the world are come think our selves concern'd here The Long-suffering of God hath waited in Our days calling us to repentance and Amendment of life O that we may not abuse this Patience of the Almighty but that we may before it is too late attend to the Preaching of Christ by his Holy Ministers and by his Sacred Spirit in our hearts and that we may be willing to come out of prison to leave our sins in which we have been Fetter'd to be set Free and to be Saved Thus I have finished the task I undertook which was to explain this Obsâ—ure Text. I know there are Other Solutions of the words but I cannot think that they will be of any weight with lntelligent Readers Some will read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in stead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and thereby alter the sense but this is against all the Greek Copies and the Syriack Others tell us there is an Hyperbaton in the words that the Grammatical Order of them is transposed and thence they proceed to point them after another manner and then to raise a New Sense but this is generally exploded A late Author from Geneva would have the words read thus He went and preached with the spirits in prison Christ went with the Angels those Good Spirits c. and thence he frames a very odd interpretation of the Text. But these and some others I have forborn to trouble you with because I believe you would look upon them as very extravagant If any one shall entertain the same thought of that Exposition which I have offered I shall not be offended on condition he
will shew me good reason for his thinking so Otherwise I shall not attend to what he saith but shall be the more confirmed in the Sense of the words which I have offered In brief I have rejected the Wild Comments and Gemara's which have been made on this Text and I have seriously applied my self to the giving you the True and Uncorrupted Meaning of the words i. e. to shew you who these spirits in prison are I have I hope let in some Light to them yea I have Opened their Prison-doors which were so fast lock'd up by the seveal Mistaken Glosses on there words But in this as in the Other Expositions of Scripture which I have tendred I am always ready to submit to those who are of more Sagacious Judgments FINIS ERRATA PAg. 21. line 9. read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 61. l. 27. r. lost p. 67. l. 9. r. deviations p. 72. l. 21. dele 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 75. against l. 12 add in the Margin de Pallio p 76. l. 21. dele the. p. 81. 1. 9. r. Cynick p. 94. l. 23. r. curl * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hom. 36. in 1. ad Corinth * Me tam caecutire sentic â—t nihil omnino videam Selden de Dâ—s Syr. Syntag. 2. c. 14. * Acts chains 12. 16. a Adv. Marcion l. 4. b Demonstr Evang. l. 7. c. 1. c Nazarenus Sanctâ—â— interpretatur Sanctam autem Dominum futurum omnis Seripturâ—commemerat d Illud quod in Evangelio Matthâ—â—i omnes quaerunt Ecclesiastici non inveniunt ubiscriptum sit quoniam Nazarenus vocabitur eruditi Hebraecrum de hâ—c loco assumptum putant Hieron Comment in Esai cap. 11. v. 1. and again Possuâ—us aliter dicere quod etiam iisdem verbis juxta Hebraicam veritatem in Esâ—iâ scriptum sit Exiet yirga de radice c. Comment in Mattâ— cap. 2. v. 23. e Antiqu. Iud. l. 12. c. 14. a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Philopatr f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Adv. Hâ—res l. 1. Hares 29. g Thence it is sometimes Nazara as well as Nazareth according to that of Iuvencus lib. 1. ubi Nazara felix a Viro mediâ—â—te veluticapite subordinato Estius in loc b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Natuâ—â— Ã naseâ—â—do c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Homil. in 1 Cor. 11. d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c Lev. 21. 5. f Bonfrerius Bochart Grotiâ—â— Heinsius h In Thaliâ i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. cap. 36. k Gen. 41. 14. l Lib. 1. m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 n Iliad â— o In Theseâ— p In Aâ—ibus q ' Ev 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rbet l. 1. c. 9. r Hom. Iliad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 s Plutarch in Thes. t 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quaest. Roman u Lib. 1. x De animal sacr y In vitâ Apollon l. 7. z Cyprian Epist. 77. a Vt ego â—odie raso capite calvâ—s accipiaâ— pileum Plaut in Amphâ—â—r b Dere rustic l. 2. c His French Dictionary d Fratres Crinitos De opere Monach. cap 31. e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Sub Syâ—vesâ—â—â— f Cap. Vxcratûs g Matth. Westm. A. D. 1127. h 〈◊〉 i Persâ—â—s k ch 14. last v. l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plutarch m De Câ—mâ n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro velamine o Sat. 8. p Lib. 2. Ode 5. q Lib. 1. cap. 3. r Hâ—res 80. s De opere 〈◊〉 cap 31. t Ps. 96. 10 110 3. u Quod decet honesâ—um est quod honesâ—um est decet Cic. x 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 y Fâ—rmâ— vites neglâ—cta decet Ovid. z 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De Fâ—rtiludine a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. c Stobaeus iâ— Serm. 164. d Nonvidentur tibi â—â—ntra Naturam vivere qui câ—mmutant cum 〈◊〉 vestem Ad Lucil. Ep. 123. e De Câ—mâ f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lib. 1. cap. 3. g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Ale â—and Paedagâ—g l. 2. h Harmony of the N. Test. 1 Corinth 11. i Sueton. in Jul. Caes. k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quaest. Rom. l 2 Cor. 12. 16. m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cedren Hist Compeâ—â— n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 velum à Radad dominari potestatem in aliquem exercere So I could ' observe that the word Sadâ—k is used for petestas and â—egumentum o Harmony of the N. Test. a 2 Pet. 3. 16. b S t Ierom Chrysostom Theodoret Primasius Sedulius c Melanchton Cajetan c. d Philip. à Limborch Theolog. Christian. l. 6. c. 10. e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Homil in 1 Epist ad Corinth 15. cap. f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not. in 18 Can. Concil Carthag g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In lâ—cum h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i Qui jam mortui censeantur qui de vitâ â—mnino desperaverint k Peter Martyr Iudâ—viâ—us Capellus Estius l Hâ—res 28. m Socrat. Eccl. Hist. l. 1. c. 26. Sozom. l. 2. â— 32. n De vit Constant. l. 4. c 61. o Damas 〈◊〉 Pontif p D r Burnets Travels q Constantine's Life book 4. â—h 61 62. r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athanas de Syn. Arimini Seleuc. s Socrat. l. 5. c. 25. t Oros. l. 7. c. 33. u Orat. de baptismum differentibus x Orat. 40 de Baptismo y Hom. 1 23 in Act. Apost z Serm. 97. de Temp. a Orat. de baptism differentib b Epist. 7 ad Magnum c Eccl. Hist. l. 6. c. 43. d Iohn 3 28. e Iohn â— 23. f Justellus ad Can. 12. Câ—ncil Neceâ—sar Scaliger l. 3 Epist. 236 237 Epist. Erasmus Casaubon Grotius g De Satis factâ—â—â—â— h Nemo ita lâ—quitur quâ—dsâ—iam Heins Exerc Sâ—â— i De Resurrect carn 〈◊〉 48. 〈◊〉 Mareion l. 5. c. 10. k Hâ—res â—8 l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 n Not. in N. T. o Câ—ntr Marcion l. 5. p Disputat 17. de Baptismo q 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 6. 4. r Balsamon Zonar as s Syâ—agoga t In Exercitat Sacr. in locum u Quod videlicet plerumque putelur exclusus vitalis spiritus qui calidac aquâ—e ablutione veluti sopitus excitatur In Aeneid 2. x Aeneid 6. y Iliud 9. z Mark 16. 1. a Ioâ—n 19. 38 39 40. b Homil. 84. in Iohan. c Poslqâ—am peperit pueros lavare jussit In Amphitrâ—on d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plutarch Sympos l. 8. Ammian Marcellin e Quid facient qui propersonis mortuis baptizantur f In Cipp Hebraiâ— g Thes. de Resurrect caâ—â— h Harmony of the N. Test. i De Dâ—ctrinâ Christianâ l. 3. c. 10. k Psal. 44. 22. For thy sake we are killed c. which the Apostle renders by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8. 36. Gen. 37. 8. 43. 18 2 Sam. 1. 26. and in many other places The Paaepositions gnale magnan lemagnan are used after the same manner and are accordingly translated either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the 70. l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 7. m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lib. 2. o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Publiccolâ p Cloppenburg Syntagm Select Disput 14. Spanhemius in locum q Acts 20. 24. r Acts 5. 41. a Athanasius Augustin Oecumenius b Epist. 99. ad Eucd c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 d Non permanebit e Nadan vagina f Non erit ut in vagina spiritus mens cum homine g Omnia corpora vaginae sunt beatum illud quod meretur ut sit vagina Legis Talm. Sanedr h 2 Pet. 2. 5. k Quis ergo nisi infidelis negaverit fuisse apud inferos Christum Epist. 99. 1 Clemens Alexand. strom 6. Origen câ—nt Cels. l. 2. With whom may be reckon'd Cyril of Alexandria and Oâ—cumenius who seem to favour this opinion m De hâ—â—res ad Quâ—d vult deum o Luke 17. 26. 2 Pet. 2. 5. p Institut l. 4. c. 30. q Theolog. Christian. lib. 3. cap. 13. r 1 Wisd. 17. 2. s 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 70. t Acts 8. 23. u 2 Tim. 2 26. x Hunc locum nâ—n intellingâ— y Epist. 99. ad Euodium z David Cleric Quâ—str Sacr.