Whereas indeed it is but only a leaving it to him See Rev. 13. 2 7. V. 13. For a season untill such time as he openly set upon him and assaulted him at the time of his passion See Luk. 22. 53. Iohn 14. 30. V. 14. In the power carryed in this voyage by a divine power and peradventure by a swiâ—t motion As by the same power he had beene maintained in the desert without any food V. 16. And stood up it was the fashion amongst the Iewes that if any one did come to their Ecclesiasticall meeting who was knowne to have the gift of understanding the holy Scripture which was read every Sabbath day Acts 13. 27. and 15. 21. they would inâ—reate him to make them partakers of it for their common edification See Acts 13. 15. 1 Cor. 14. â—9 30 V. 17. He had opened for bookes in those dayes were made of parchment or some such like stuffe rolled up about a stick V. 18. That are bruised with troubles and torments in their slavery and captivity V. 19. The acceptable that is to say the yeare or time of grace and reconcliation in which God hath shewed himselfe propicious and hath layd open his good will to mankinde Ver. 21. Is this this is a summary of the Lords Sermon shewing that those things which had beene spoken by the Prophet were now accomplished by the Gospell which hee had begun to preach unto them V. 22. The gracious divinely pleasing and gracious words attracting soules by a secret perswasion as proceeding from the grace of the Holy Ghost of which hee was full Iohn 1. 14. and words which brought them tydings of Gods grace where of hee was the Mediatour Psal. 45. 2. Cant. 4. 3. Isa 50. 4. Ioh. 7. 46. See Ephes. 4. 29 Col. 3. 16. and 4 5. V. 23. Physician an ordinary proverb meaning respect those that are neere thee more than strangers thou hâ—st wrought many miracles in other places and here thou workest none Whereupon thou art not here so much honoured nor accepted of as thou art elsewhere Which things they spake because hee wrought never a miracle in Nazareth Marke 6. ver 4. V. 25. I tell you these examples are to shew that God oftentimes in the communicating of his graces preferres strangers and such as are far from him before those that are neerer unto him if they prove unworthy V. 30. Passing having miraculously dazled their eyes or restrained their power V. 36. What a word that is to say doctrine accompanied with so many miracles Or this kinde of operative word which is so effectuall that it presently produceth its effects V. 38. They besought namely his Disciples or those of Peters houshold V. 39. He stood that is to say he came and stood nigh her and bowed himselfe over her V. 41. Suffered See upon Mar. 1. 25. To speake or to say what they knew c. CHAP. V. VER 8. DEpart Peter finding in Christ a divine and extraordinary vertue did presently feel within himselfe the naturall terrors of the soule of a sinfull man when he drawes neere to God Which terrors being overcome by faith in his grace are changed into an humble reverence and adoration See 1 King 17. 18. V. 17. The power that is to say God whose actions are free in a superlative degree would shew his power in delivering them there thorow Christ who also told them so See Acts 11. 21. V. 39. No man the meaning is that all manner of change of life though for the better must bee done by little and little and by a deliberate using ones selfe to it By which meanes those things which seemed very harsh doe grow more pleasing to man Even as they use to let Wines settle before they pierce them or make use of them CHAP. VI. VER 1. THe second as it was commanded Lev. 23. 14 15. to count seaven weekes or Sabbaths from the day after the Passeover at which time corne especially the first kind of graine did begin to ripen in those places to Pentecost V. 15. Zeloâ—es See upon Mat. 10. 4. V. 19. There went see Mar. 5. 30. V. 22. Shall separate you the Italian Excommunicate you namely from the externall communion of Gods people as prophane whose names were blotted out of their register This ought to â—ee understood of the Iewish persecutions and those persecutions which were wrought by them who carryed the name of being the Church and the heads thereof See Iohn 16. 2. V. 24. That are rich that is to say worldly that doe set all your delight love confidence and glory in your riches which is the false wealth opposite to poverty in spirit Luk. 12. 21. â—o ye have you shall have no other but temporall happinesse which you have so much affected and desired See Matth 6. 2. V. 26. When all men when you shall have the generall applause and favour of the world which you cannot obtaine without framing your selves to their wicked workes and to the wronging of Gods service Iohn 15. 19. V. 27. Which heare which have the gift of my Spirit to receive my doctrine into your hearts by the internall eare of the faith V. 30. Aske them not namely by unlawfull violent and scandalous wayes Suffer the wrong that is done to thee rather than to transgresse against the lawes of christian charity and equity V. 32. What thanke what approbation or reward from God who doth not hold that to be a good work and done for love of him which is done for carnall and civill respects and thorow a meer naturall motion 35. Hoping for with an intent to lose whatsoever ye lend if your neighbours want do require it and that you cannot get it againe without violating the lawes of charity and giving scandall and offence Or without any respect to your selves to expect a recompence or an equall curtesie for requitall Ye shal be you shall shew your selves to bee such in effect See upon Matthew 5 45. 1 Iohn 2. 29. and 3. 9 10. V. 38. Into your bosome See upon Psal. 79. 12. V. 40. Shall be the Italian Ought to be that is to say must or ought to content himselfe to be so V. 43. For a good or the Tree is not good which bringeth forth evill fruit And this is the reason of the precedent exhortation As if he should say to beare the fruit of judging thy brother uprightly cleanse thy selfe from thine owne vices CHAP. VII VER 3. HE sent Saint Matthew saith that he came himselfe But that which was done in his name was attributed to himselfe V. 5. A Synagogue a place for our meetings for exercises of piety This Centurion was of the third kinde of proselites noted upon Matthew 23. 15. V. 21. And plagues see Mar. 3. 10. V. 29. Justified namely these men acknowledged and defended Gods honour in the truth of his doctrine of grace preached by Iohn and confirmed by Christ against the accusations and reproofes of the Pharisees and Doctors after they
other places humane nature in its corruption and sinne Is flesh that is to say carnall and viâ—ious and therefore uncapable of the kingdome of heaven 1 Cor. 15. 50. Is Spirit that is to say spirituall in senses motions and actions altogether holy and divine V. 7. Marvell not do not let this doctrine of regeneration move you to any wonder of doubt or incredulity Iohn 5. 28. for although the nature thereof be supernaturall and incomprehensible yet the effects thereof are very apparent and sensible as the winde See Eccles. 11. 5. V. 10. Knowest not though they have been cleerly set forth by the Prophets Psal. 51. 10. Ezek. 11. 19. and 36. 26 27. V. 11. We speake namely I and my Disciples doe teach doctrines that are certaine and are not of human invention as your traditions are Because that I as I am true God know all the fathers secrets and do faithfully manifest them as being sent from him v. 32. And ye he speaks to the Iewes in generall V. 12. Earthly things which all beleevers ought to know and practise in this world Heavenly namely the highest mysteries the knowledge and fruition of which are reserved for the heavenly life V. 13. No man you ought to beleeve me in both for no man of himselfe hath knowledge thereof nor the charge of declaring them but I alone who though I have taken humane flesh upon me and have so farre abased my selfe yet my Godhead doth still reside in heaven having the same essence and glory as my father hath Matth. 11. 27. Iohn 1. 18. and 6. 46. Rev. 5. 5 7. Hath ascended to gaine the originall knowledge of these things V. 14 And as my abasement shall be followed by the exaltation of my humane nature into heaven that by the sending of my Spirit and by my word I may set up a cleere signe of the salvation which I shall have obtained to apply to all by faith Ephes. 4. 9. 10 11. V. 16. The world namely mankinde in its generality though with a distinction of his elect according to his good will and pleasure He gave appointed him out of meere grace for a redeemer sent into the world at the appointed time exposed to all necessary sufferings and at the last applied and really conferred with all his benefits to beleevers by the inward operation of the holy Ghost who creates in them the faith for to apprehend him livelily V 17. For God the proper end for which the Sonne of God was sent was to save not to condemne the world for he needed not for that effect to have taken humane flesh upon him True it is indeed that hee doth accidentally aggravate the curle of unbeleevers who reject the light of his grace to remaine in the darkenesse of ignorance and sin See Iohn 16. 9 v. 17. Sent not that is to say it was appointed by the Councell of the whole Trinity that the Sonne should in his owne person and immediately take humane flesh upon him in the world and in the same flesh fulfill the worke of redemption and so must alwayes the se words of sending the Son and the spirit bee understood for accomplishing that act in their proper person which was proper to each of them the councell and advice whereof is common to all the persons together observing the order of operating V. 19. The condenmation namely the cause and subject of it And men namely a great part of them all worldly and unregenerate men Because namely one of the chiefe causes of this incredulity is because that man delighting in sinne abhorres the light and power of the Gospell which discovers the foulenesse of sin and argues the malignity of it for to bring man to repentance V. 21. Doth truth the Italian Workes 〈…〉 uth namely loyall and sincere works in which the conscience is assured of Gods approbation whereupon the more they are exposed to light the more joy and content they doe bring to them as doe them See Psalm 37. 6. In God according to his will which is as it were the forme and modell of good workes Romans 6. 17. Or the roote and beginning of which is the communion which man hath with God by his Spirit V. 22. Into the land namely from Ierusalem Iohn 2. 23. he came into the territories of Iudea Baptized by the ministery of his Disciples Iohn 4. 2. V. 23. Anon it is thought that these two Cities were on this side Iordan and neere unto it in the halfe tribe of Manasses and it appears by Iohn 10 40. that Iohn went away from Bethabara which was beyond Iordan unto this place which was on this side V. 25. There arose from that which followeth it appeares that the question was which of the two baptismes Christs or Iohns was of greater power or whether they were both equall to purifie the soule from sin Iohns Diseiples or by some of his Disciples The Iewes which went to Christs baptisme Some texts have it with a certaine Iew. V. 26. They came namely Iohns Disciples moved by jealousie or by a desire they had to be instructed V. 27. A man the meaning is I cannot nor ought not to be more then God would make me he hath made me a servant and therefore both you and I ought to containe our selves within our degree and measure and yeeld the soveraigne honour to the Lord which is Christ. Or I having received what I have by Gods gift there is no cause of glory for me nor of ambition for you 1 Cor. 4. 7. V 29. He that hath Christ in all these things comes in in the quality of a head and principall person as the bridegroome in a wedding solemnity but I am there but an accessary and a servant admitted by favour and therein have I a perfect joy without any disturbance of jealousie V. 30. D. Decrease my person must decrease till death and this my extraordinary and preparing office must â—eâ—ld to the full manifestation of Christ and of his Gospell V. 31. That is of earth namely a mortall man such a one 〈◊〉 I am cannot adde any thing to his deeds and sayings above that which he is himselfe Therfore I cannot give any efficacy to my Baptisme and preaching for the purification and conversion of the soule Christ only can doe 〈◊〉 Is above al namely in power and operation which depends all upon him and thereâ—ore hâ—e addâ—s it to the operation of his ministeâ—s according to his pleasure V. 32. Test fieth the same must bee said of the truth as is spoken of the power he hath it wholly to himselfe as it were in his owne spring his Ministers have it but onely out of his bounty and by his communication v 32. No man there is but a very small number of men that beleeve him V. 33. He that hath that is to say all true beleevers doe ratifie and confirme as much as in them lyeth the â—â—uth of Gods word which Christ teacheth in perfect purity because he
Believe mee upon the word which I speake to you and upon the assurance which I give you of it upon the knowledge which you have of mee V. 12. That beleeveth Christ speakes not of the common sort of beleevers in all ages but of his Apostles and other his Ministers who in the beginning of his Church should convert the world cast downe idols overthrow all contrary power obtaine the Holy Ghost by their prayers Workes of more high esteeme and of a more excellent nature then those miracles as Christ wrought in the world Because I for by my going up into heaven I shall obtaine that abundance of the spirit by which I shall shew forth my power in my kingdome which at this time is not fiting for my state of humiliation V. 13. Whatsoever though it be never so high and so difficult so it be convenient and agreeable to your vocation and to the advancement of my kingdome of which things hee had spoken in the precedent verse so you desire them in faith In my name by vertue of my intercession and for the love of me That the Father that obtaining such things as you have desired you may yeeld him honour praise and service for it by my means V. 16. Another because that the Holy Ghost is distinct from the Son in his personall subsistence and in the manner of working in beleevers by way of seale and inward application of Christs benefits Comforter the Greeke word signifies sometimes an Intercessor and an Advocate and in this sence it is attributed to Christ 1 Iohn 2. 1. Sometimes a person who by his discourses comforteth an afflicted one or a Mediator of Grace and good will Isaiah 50. 4. and both the one and the other effect is attributed to the Holy Ghost who doth sweetly bring in the promises of God into beleevers hearts and frameth in them unspeakeable breathings â—oâ—th of holy prayers Rom. 8. 25. 26. V. 17. Of truth Namely the true Author of all divine inspiration opposite to the lying spirits of false Prophets and Doctors Or the Spirit of God which accompanieth the truth of his word to seale it and perswade it Whom the world worldly men and unbeleevers having neither the life nor light of God cannot receave this continuation nor increase of it by this spirit of comfort no more than a dead man can bee nourished Matth. 13. 12. Or plainely he meanes Neither having in them nor being willing to receave the light of knowledge they can not have any part in the comfort of the spirit which is not obtained nor made use of but only by the understanding Ye know him by all reason you should know him by the effects of his residence and power in you though you have not yet received that abundance whereof I speake Ver. 18. Come to you Not by my Resurrection only but especiallie by the presence of my spirit which shall be an assured pledge unto you of my last returne to your full redemption V. 19. Ye see me The Italian Yee shall see me Namely by corporall sight after my Resurrection with the eye of faith in my spirituall presence with you and with an everlasting sight in glory Iob 19. 27. Because Namely as your head having overcome death by my Resurrection and obtained the fulnesse of the spirit by my going up into Heaven I will viviâ—ie you with a spirituall life which at the appointed time I will make full in the eternall life in my owne Kingdome Iohn 6. 57. V. 20. A 〈…〉 t dâ—y when you shall have reccaved the Holy Ghost you shall be cleerly instructed concerning the truth of my divine person in regard of which the Father is in mee by unitie of offence and perpetuall beginning of life and of operation and 〈◊〉 in him by subsistencâ—e in the divine essence which I have from him by eternall generation without division or distraction of the being or of the operation And also concerning the most perfect communion which I have with him as Mediator by vertue of which hee is in mee by the sustentation of my person and by the full influence into it of every grace life and vertue and I in him by an entire conjunction and dependencie And likewise concerning that communioÌ„ which you have with me in all my benefits righteousnesse life and and spirit I being in you as beginning foundation and roote of all your spirituall being and you in mâ— by an engraftment of faith and a mysticall incorporation in spirit Iohn 17. 22. Vnlesse hee meane that they shall have perfect knowledge of all these high mysteries in Heaven 〈◊〉 his last comming Ver. 21. Hee that hath the foresaid Communion with mee begins by light of knowledge but must be accomplished by love and the love verifie it selfe by voluntary obedience on your part and on my part shall be alwayes recompenced with new effects of Gods love and with greater light Shall bee loved still more by new increase of graces for oherwise God loveth first Romans 5. 8 10. 1 Iohn 4. 10 19. V. 22. How â—â—it a question very likely not so much out of humility as out of some secret presumption wherewith the Apostles were almost alwayes touched presuming to have some proper worth above others of which they desire here of the Lord some assent U. 23. If a man Christ according to his custome leaves the question without any answer and thereby sheweth sufficiently that it did not deserve any and so goeth on with his discourse Wee will come this loyall love of the beleever shall cause the habitation that is to say the lively and perpetuall operation of the Holy Ghost in his heart to bee more and more increased and confirmed by my Father and mee to make the grace and love of my Father and the righteousnesse satisfaction and all other benefits of mee his Redeemer to be alwayes more present with him that is to say secure and enjoyable by faith and by feeling his own consciousnesse Eph. 3. 17. Or plainly it shall cruse the communion which he hath with the Father and the Son to be firm and everlasting 1 Ioh. 1. 7. Revel 3. 20. V. 24. Loveth me not out of this love there can bee neither true nor acceptable obedience in man Is not mine I am not the first nor the only author of it The Father doth propound it by me I having every thing common with him and doe nor say 〈…〉 thing without his will and command V. 26. But the it is true that I teach you by my outward word which as yet you doe not very 〈◊〉 apprehend but the spirit shall give you a lively â—â—d and internall understanding of it V. 27. Peace namely grace and blessing Nâ—â— as the world vainely in words without truth or vertue V. 28. If yee loved me Namely with a true spirituall love ayming at my glory and your owne good and salvation which two things cannot be obtained but only by my departure out of the world Is
of the full comming of his Kingdome in the totall ruine of the wicked and in the last and finall judgment V. 11. Were given that is to say they were admonished to content themselves with the first and most excellent part of Gods justice which is to reward those with glory which have suffered for him which is signified by these robes Rev. 3. 4 5. expecting till in his appointed time he doth accomplish the other which is to cause vengeance to come upon the persecuters see Heb. 12. 13. Should be fulfilled namely untill all the elect of all mankind were gathered together which must be before the last judgement see 2 Pet. 3. 9. V. 12. There was a description of the last judgement V. 15. And the Kings namely the enemies of Christ and prosecuters of his Church CHAP. VII Vers. 1. STanding ready to execute Gods great judgements upon the earth which notwithstanding are not specified in this Chapter Holding peradventure to intimate the peace and ease in which God suffereth worldly men to live and be overtaken even upon the point of his great judgements 1 Thess. 5. 3. V. 4 Of all the Tribes excepting Dan left out in this place for some unknowne cause as also in other places of Scripture Now by these who are marked among the Tribes of Israel are meant the elect in all the externall Church marked with Gods and Christs Character Rev. 14. 1. V. 8. Of Joseph that is to say of Ephraim the the Sonne of Joseph who having gotten the right of first borne above Manasseth Genes 48 13 19. the name of Joseph is often attributed unto him for precedency V. 9. Palmes in signe of victory on the divell and his whole Kingdome see Rev. 13. 5. V. 10. To our God the Italian belongeth to our God that is to say as it is his proper worke to save men so all the honour therefore is due to him V. 12. Amen namely to that which the multitude had said V. 14. Which came out namely that are taken up into Heaven after they had suffered great afflictions and persecutions in the world Have washed that is to say preserved themselves in innocencie of life and in the purity of the profession of the Christian faith by which having put on Christ with all his righteousnesse and merits have likewise been adorned by him with the graces of his Spirit in this World and of his glory in the everlasting life 2 Cor. 5. 4. V. 15. In his Temple namely in Heaven shadowed by the ancient materiall Temple Heb. 9. 23 24. Shall dwell among them the Italian Shall stretch forth his Tabernacle amongst them or shall overshaddow them that is to say shall cover and defend them everlastingly from all evill A manner of Speech taken from the Pillar of Cloud in the Wildernesse CHAP. VIII Vers. 1. THe seven it is likely that here are meant the chiefe and neerest Ministers of God as questionlesse there are distinctions in the degrees of Angels see Rev. 1. 4. 4. 5. V. 3. Angel the description of a kind of Heavenly service correspondent to that which was in the Temple namely that the people being without at prayer the Priest offered Incense within upon the Altar Luke 1. 10. to signifie that beleevers prayers have alwaies need to be helped and sanctified by Christs Intercession see Heb. 9. 24. and here the Angel holds the place of inferiour Priest under Christ who is the high Priest Now the end of all this is to shew that beleevers doe avoid all the horrible evils of this World by faith and prayer Luk. 21 36. Should offer it that is to say should present it in the behalfe of the Saints or beleevers prayers and make them to penetrate sweetly before God V. 11. Wormwool that is to say most bitter and deadly according to the meaning of the Hebrew tongue V. 13. An Angell some copies have it an Eagle CHAP. IX Vers. 1. TO him according to some we must understand it to be the Angel himself that had sounded Others referre it to the starre which was fallen which may signifie an evill Spirit Rev. 12. 29. Of the bottomlesse pit namely of Hell All this is very obscure and hidden under the Key of Gods secrets V. 11. Abaddon both names signifie destroyer which is the divels title see Exod. 12. 23. V. 13. Foure hornes as he had in vision seen the Altar of perfumes Rev. 6. 9. 8. 3. he saw also the foure hornes or pinnes at the foure corners of it to the likenesse of Moses and Salomons called the Golden Altar because it was covered with golden plates and was set before God that is to say before the Sanctuary the great Curtaine being between see Exod. 30. 13. 1 King 6. 20. 7. 48. CHAP. X. Vers. 1. ANgell this was the Sonne of God himselfe as it appeares by Rev. 1. 15 16. 4. 3. Of fire that it to say of that exceeding fine Brasse Revel 1. 15. bright and sparkling V. 2. A little Booke it seemes we must conceive and understand it to be the same booke which the Sonne of God had unsealed and opened Rev 5. 1. 7. V 3. Seven thunders whereof hath not beene spoken untill now peradventure he meanes the seven Angels who strongly sounded with their Trumpets Revel 8. 2. And in all this there are many things known to God onely V. 4. And write them not other Copies have it and thou shalt write them afterwards V. 6. That there should be namely that the end of the world should come in its prefixed time and that the succession vicissitudes and measure of times and all temporall things should cease and that all prophesies should be fulfilled V. 7. The mystery namely these singular revelations of Christs comming to judgement of the resurrection of the end of the world and of Christs everlasting Kingdome with his Father Mat. 24 30. 1 Cor. 15. 24 51. 1 Thess 4. 15. 2 Pet. 3. 10. V. 11. Before many the Italian against many others concerning many CHAP. XI Vers. 1. WAs given me this Chapter also contains many very obscure things not yet revealed V. 3. Will give commission and authority V. 7. Their testimony namely the time of their preaching and defending of the heavenly truth V. 8. Spiritually resembling in spirituall things the carnall and worldly qualities of Sodom and Egypt which were the figure of it Sodom in its abominable impurities and abominations of Idolatry Egypt in her tyranny and violence against the Church Crucified this also sheweth that it must be understood in a spirituall sence that is to say he is there wronged persecuted and slaine in his Members Word Spirit and Worship see Heb. 6. 6. V. 11. Entred that is to say that which is to come was shewed me in vision as if it were present V. 15. The Kingdomes that is to say now God raigneth with his Sonne and that absolutely having destroyed all his enemies 1. Cor. 15. 24. V. 18. Of the dead namely that
did wholly dedicate himselfe to Gods service and to all exercises of pietie without any distraction of worldly affaires or digressing into any vices by some expresse profession and rule of living See Gen. 6. 9. and 17. 1. and 24. 40. And begat So it appeareth that the use of matrimony in its purity may stand with the strictest rule of holinesse V. 24. Was not That is God by miracle gathered up his soule into the glory of heaven by a sweet separation from the body without passâ—ng through the horrors and pains of death or hee might also transport him into heaven both body and soule cloathing him in a moment with the qualities of glorified bodies as hee did Elias See Hebrewes 11. 5. V. 29. Noah That is to say rest or refreshing This same It is like that Noah's father had divine Revelation that by him man-kind should bee saved from the generall deluge which he mis-understanding might believe that Noah should be the Saviour of the world through whom Gods curse should bee annihilated V. 32. Begat That is began to beget CHAP. VI. VERS 1. VVEre After the world was peopled and that through the multitude of women mens concupisences were excited the faithfull themselves took leave to use poligamy and mariyed themselves into strange kindreds out of the blessed generation V. 2. The sonnes That is many of the sacred stock and members of the Church Gen. 4. 26. â—f men of the accursed progeny of Cain that had no part in the spirituall regeneration nor in the Sacraments thereof Faire More curious in the enticements of the slesh and in the art of setting forth that gift of nature with painting ornaments and â—alliances c. which was always ordinary among prophane people And by this circumstance it is noted that the end of their marriages was onely pleasure and not a desire of holy company and issue which without using any distinction for spirituall matters or religion which common piety and reason did intimate was to be done and had questionlesse beene either commanded or inspired by God and was afterwards renewed Gen. 26. 35. Exod. 34. 16. 1 Cor. 7. 39. 2 Cor. 6. 14. From this mixture came the holy races corruption in Religion and manners wherefore God determined to destroy the world by the floud seeing the world subsisted but onely for the elect and they being almost all failed the cause of the worlds preservation seemed also to faile V. 3. Spirit Which through the Prophets teachings 1 Pet. 3. 19. and by internall motions reproved the world and pressed it to repentance For that They are altogether incorrigible the light of my regenerating spirit being quite extinguished in them and all his power smothered up whereby the externall action and benefit thereof is in vaine imployed about them By the word flesh opposed to the spirit in Scripture is understood the corrupt nature of man and deprived of Gods life the true subject of death and corruption as the flesh without soule or spirit is See Joh. 3. 6. Rom. 8. 5. His dayes The time which I will give them to bethink themselves V. 4. Giants Men of extraordinary stature and strength of a fierce disposition which violently usurped and tyrannically exercised domination over other men And also There did arise such tyrants in the Church of God after the mixture of the two generations V. 5. Imagination Internall conceits and secret discourses which are as it were the modell of all externall humane actions V. 6. It repented There can bee no repentance in God which is a sorrow for a fault committed and an alteration of his mind towards the selfe same subject 1 Sam. 15. 11. but bythis word taken from men is meant an alienation of Gods will and liking towards a thing which of good was become evill V. 7. Beast Because that being created for man and given to him God would punish him not onely in his person but also in his goods and instruments V. 9. In his That is all the time that hee lived before and after the deluge which was a new age of the world Or else amongst the men of his time Walked See above Gen. 5. 22. V. 12. Flesh That is man or person V. 13. Before me I have already decreed it and will shortly put it in execution the thing is already present before me God opposeth his certain knowledge to che worlds conceit concerning their happinesse and security and the decree of his will to naturall likely-hoods With the earth As much as concernes the beauty of it the fruits and goods but not the substance of it nor yet the highest and strongest plants V. 14. An Arke A great Vessell on the inside like a great Chest of a slangrell forme with divers partitions and inclosures The briefenesse of the narration leaves it doubtfull whether this bodie was not contained within some other more apt to swimme above the waters and preserve this Gopher It seems to be a generall name for all trees that have Rozen in them some hold it to be the Cedar anciently used in building of Ships Ezek. 27. 5. V. 16. A window The Italian hath it Give light It is likely that this light was taken from the top of the Arke by an opening which is called a Lanthorn through which the ayre and light came in and so was distributed into divers stories and rooms of the Arke by windowes and other overtures Whereof see Gen. 8. 6. Some translate it make a window Above The roof raised in the middle a cubit to cause the falling off of the raine-water V. 18. Establish I will take thee into my charge and protection as by an expresse covenant which I doe now make promise of and will assuredly keep my word V. 19. Of all Flesh Of every kind of creatures Two That is generally of all sorts of beasts for of those that are cleane hee commandeth Gen. 7. 2. That he should take seven couple of each V. 20. Shall come By a secret instinct and by Gods motion As Gen. 2. 19. CHAP. VII VERS 1. RIghteous That is righteousnesse of faith Heb. 11. 7. which consists not in perfection of works and merit but in the acceptation of Gods grace followed by true obedience and holinesse produced by the spirit of grace yet never without infirmities defects and combats in this life and therefore alwayes joyned with humble confession and recourse to the same grace V. 2. Clean Not in regard of the use of cating but for the use of sacrificing for the Lord had set downe what kind of creatures he accepted of and required in sacrifices which afterwards was renewed and set downe by Moses Such were Oxen Sheep and Goats Doves Turtles and Sparrowes Lev. Chap. 1. Verse 3. 10. and verse 14. 4. and verse 22. 19. By sevens That is three paires and one over this greater number of cleane beasts was ordained for provision for sacrifices Gen. 8. 20. and peradventure also to increase the race of tame beasts more then the
inclosed under the cover and interposeth himselfe as Mediator between the Law which accuseth us and God our judge as the cover was between the said Tables and the Majesty of God which resided upon the Cherubins V. 18. Cherubins Human figures winged representing those Angels which stand before God in his Celestiall glory as the Sanctuary signified heaven and the Arke Gods throne in it See upon Gen. 3. 24. V. 19. Of the mercy seat Italian Of the cover Sothered together with the cover as if they were all of one piece V. 22. Between the two Which with their wings stretched forth made as it were a kind of a seat upon which God appeared and spake 1 Sam. 4. 4. Psalme 80. 2. and 99. 1. Whereupon the Arke is also called the foot-stoole of Gods feet 1 Cron. 28. 2. Psal. 99. 5. and 132. 7. V. 23. A table These three ornaments namely the Table the Candle-stick and the Altar of Incence shewed how that in the Church there were alwayes these three benefits namely a distribution of spirituall goods by the nourishing of a new life in the soule of the faithfull Joh. 6. 27. A perpetuall light of the word and doctrine and a continuall service of good works and prayers offered unto God in Christs name and sanctified through his intercession Or otherwise the gift of life by Gods spirit the light through his word and the expiation through Christs intercession V. 24. With pure gold With little plates of Gold A Crowne An out-jetting which did rise from the edges of the Table in manner of a Cornice V. 25. A border This was the girt that went about the foure feet below V. 27. Over against So farre distant from the top of the table as the border was from the lowermost part of the feet V. 29. To cover withall The Italian hath it For the pouring out that is to say for the offering of liquid things as wine oyle and the like See Genesis 35. 14. V. 30. Shew-bread So called because it was to stand continually before the Ark of the Lord which was as it were his face V. 31. Of the same The Italian hath it Of one peece Seeing the Candlestick was to be of beaten worke it could not really be of one piece as if it had beene cast but the meaning is that all the parts and pieces of it were sothered together that they could not be disordered nor dis-joynted V. 32. Six branches to beare the six Lamps and in the middle of those six was the chiefe stemme which also had one Lamp upon it verse 37. a type of the diversity of the gifts of the holy Ghost in the Church as Zac. 4. 2. Rev. 1. 4. V. 33. Like unto Poynted at the bottome and bread bellyâ—d at the top V. 34. Foure boules the first was upon the foot upon the first forking and the second upon the last V. 35. Vnder two The meaning of this seemeth to be that the Candlestick in those places should bee made in this manner that under a boule there should be a flower and upon the flower the knop which being just under the forking or parting of two branches made as it were the basis thereof V. 37. Shal light This was the Priests office and these Lamps were to be sighted between two evens Exod. 30. 8. 2 Chron. 13. 11. and were to stand so lighted all the night Exod. 27. 21. Lev. 24. 3. then be put out in the morning 1 Sam. 3. 3. Give light the Nosels and Cotten Wykes being turned towards the North and the Candlestick was to stand in the fouth part of the tabernacle Exodus 26. 35. Numbers 8. 2. V. 38 Snâ—ffeâ—dishes Little vessells to gather out any foulnesse that was in the Lampe V. 39 A Talent Which as we may gather by Exodus chap 38 verse 25. was three thousand Shekels and one hundred and five and twenty pounds of 1â— ounces a peece V. 40 After their As God did also afterwards give one in writing for the building of the temple 1. Chr. 28. 19. Now the Apostle Heb 8 5. referreth this model also to the meaning of what it signifieth it perfectly agreeing with the first patterne oâ— heavenly things either the mysteries of these correspondencies being revealed to Moses or the Apostle speaking onely by allusion CHAP. XXVI VERS 1. THe Tabernacle The overthrow of the wooden Fabrick hereunder described Blew That is to say with wooll of these colours With cunning works That is to say it must not be woven but wrought with a needle in manner of pictures like your Arras works V. 4 The coupling That is to say of the first five Curtains sowed one to the other because that for the more commodious taking downe and carrying this covering was of 2 great pieces consisting of five Curtains a peece and these two pieces were joyned together in the middle of the Tabernacle with certain hooks or catches fastned to the strings which were upon the last Curtaines V. 7 A covering The Italian hath it A Tent This was a second covering of the Tabernacle to preserve the first which was very costly Haire that is to say of some stuffe woven with Goats haire as your Chamlets are V 9 Shall double Let the one half of this eleventh Curtaine which shall be more than was in the first covering be folded up before and the other half to be spared for the hinder part v 12. V. 13 A Cubit For this second covering was thirty cubits in length whereas the first was but eight and twenty that the first might the more perfectly be covered on every side a type of the severall degrees of the Church as the Politick Ecclesiasticall and mysticall which are like divers circles in this heaven whereof the mysticall and spirituall is the most precious and layd open to Gods view alone Psal. 45 14 the others serve but only for a â—hrouding and preservative V 17 Tenons in the bottome to thrust them into the holes of the Pedestalls V 24. Coupled The Hebrew Twinnes made in the corners to front two wayes The head upon the front of the corner where it seemeth there was a ring to receive the two barres which ran along the two sides of the said corner and they locked into it in some manner which is not expressed A ring although these corner plankes doe face two wayes yet they shall have but one ring for every rank of rings of the other planks through which the barres must be put because that ring was just in the corner and did inclose and joyne together the barres with some Key or pin and with the bars the whole body of the building V 25 Shall be In the bottome on the west side V 26 Bars which put into the two rings which were in each plank joyned them together Now it is a question whether these rings and bars were on the out-side or the inside of the Tabernacle but it is not likely they were on the out-side V 28 In the middest
upon them for not performing their duty or because the Tabernacle was built with that money Ex. 38. 25 and afterwards the daily offerings were bought therewith and those for holy days and other offerings for the attonment of all the people in general 2 Chro. 31. 3. which were the ordinary sacraments of the redemption of soules through Christ. V. 13 Halfe a shekel Which was the diâ—rachma Mat. 17. 24. which was a quarter of an ounce weight Now by the Jewish history it plainly appeareth that this tribute was paid every year though there were not always a solemn setting down of the people but it is likely that without that all those that were come to be 20 years of age gave in their names into the register or muster books of their commonalties and from that time begun to pay this tribute to God which was gathered and kepâ— in the treasures of the Temple see 2 Kin. 12. 4. 2 Chro. 24. 9. Neh. 10. 32. Of the sanctuary Some believe that there was an ordinary shekel of two drammes and another holy one of foure Others with more likelyhood hold that there was but one kind of shekel which is cal'd of the Sanctuary because that of these holy taxes there was one invariable estimation and weight whereof there was a proof kept in the Sanctuary to prevent the abatement of coine And it is thought that this is the same shekel as the Kings shekel is 2 Sam. 14. 26. See upon 1 Chr. 23. 29. V. 15 Therich Because that before God all soules are equall the debt equall and the price of Christs bloud likewise equall V. 16 A memoriall A perpetuall signe of obedience and of a faithfull homage given to God bestowed towards the use and means of attonement V. 18 The altar of the holocausts which was in the court V. 19 Shall wash The water running down through pipes this signifieth that no service can be acceptable to God if the person be not first purified by faith in the bloud of Christ Heb. 9. 14. V. 25 Holy ointment which signified the gifts of the holy Ghost without measure wherwith Christs human nature was endowed which is the Churches true altar and Tabernacle and was a figure of the consecration of his whole person to the office of Mediator see Ps. 45. 8 9. and 133. 2. Isay 11. 2 3. and 61. 1. Dan. 20. 24. John 3. 34. V. 30 Aaron It appeareth by Lev 4. 3 5 16 and 16. 32 that this unction was used only for the high Priests when they came to succeed and not for the inferior ones Exo. 40. 15. V. 32 Upon any strangâ—r the Italian hath it The flesh of any man out of the prâ—estly line true it is that by Go s expresse command the Kings were also anointed with it in case of the election of a new liâ—age or some notable alteratioÌ„ in the successioÌ„ see 1 Kin. 1. 39. Ps. 89. 21 V. 33 Like it To shew the reverence due to sacred things also that it is not lawfull for man according to his own fancy to frame unto himselfe any other means of sanctification but by the Spirit of God nor any other intercession but throuâ—h Christ. V. 34 Stacte the Italian hath it Storax others have it Stacte which is a liquor that issueth out of incisions made in a Myrrhe or Cinamom tree or a certaine fatnesse which comes out of myrrhe new pressed Onâ—cha the Italian hath it sweet â—nglâ—a ancient Authors make mention of this Uâ—glia or 〈◊〉 and say that it was the shell of a fish which fed upon Spâ—â—enard in certain ponds and thereby did get its sweet smell Now a dayes there is none at least not known Gaâ—banum A drug of evâ—â— sent but sure it was not meant of this ordinary sort or else it served only to temper and sharpen the other perfumes or else there was some mystery in this mixture to shew that even the best of our works have some defect in them With pure that is to say bright transparent and cleansed from all â—regs and soulnesse V. 35. Tempered together Exactly well incorporated and mixed the Hebrew hath it salted which seem take in the proper sense Pure made all of selected drags without any corruption oâ— defect V. 36 Some of it As much as will serve to make the daily incese Before the that is to say upon the Altar of incenses which was before the Arke wherein the Tables of the Law were called the testimony Exo. 30 with the great cuâ—tain between CHAP. XXXI VERS 2. I Have called That is to say I have ordained him by name or namely V. 3. With the Spirit Which sheweth that this was a knowledge and industry insused by God and not gained by art study or imitation V. 8. The pure Made of most pure gold and kept most cleanly through the Priests care V. 13. Veriy The Italian hath it Neverthelesse As much as to say though I will have these utensiles that are for my service to be carefully made yet will I not have my Sabbath broken A signe A holy document which I have set down for my Church by which I continually put her in mind of the benefit which she receiveth from me regenerating of her through my Spirit that resting from fleshy workes shee may apply her selfe to them of the Spirit which is the true spirituall Sabbath and this ceremony being holily observed by the Church sheweth that she consenteth thereto and employeth her selfe therein V. 16. Covenant By an enterchangeable bend it being correspondent to the benefit which I dispense and grant unto them by the externall Sabbath v. 13. V. 18. The singer A humane kind of speech meaning that it was done without any art of man only by divine operation and work CHAP. XXXII VERS 1. Gods Visible images which we will consecrate and then yeeld divine honour unto them It is likely that the greatest part of this people inclined to idolatry after the manner of Pagans and that they did desire many images but that Aaron in part consenting to their wicked demand would have them to acknowledge and worship the true God in this image which therefore he will have to be but one which shall go Shall be our guides in this v yage as the Lord hath been hitherto in the Pillar which having stood still all the time that Moses had beene in the mount it is likely that the people wearied with this long stay would substitute 〈◊〉 other signes of the Godhead which should move at their pleasure V. 2. Eare-rings By Gen. 35 4. and Judg. 8. 24. It seemeth that there was some pâ—â—fanenesse in the use of these earâ—-â—ings which Aaron would by this meanes root out take away one sâ—n by bringing in a worser V. 4. Calfe The Egyptians worshipped their Apis in the shape of an Oxe and their goddesse Isis had a Cows hornes and it should seem the Israelites tooke this shape from thence See 1 King 12. 28. Ezek. 20 7
place of the Arke did penetrate also into the Sanctuary like an obscure darknesse Lev. 16. 2. 1 Kin. 8. 12 Isay 6 4. V. 36. In all All their voyage through the desert because that afterwards the cloud appeared no more without because they had no more need of guiding nor of safeguard from the heat but only the darknesse remained within the Sanctuary V. 38. And fire The same pillar which appeared in the day time like a cloud appeared in the night time like fire See upon Exo. 13. 21. THE THIRD BOOK OF MOSES called Leviticus THE ARGVMENT THe name of Leviticus given by the Greek Interpreters to this Booke giveth an inkling of what is the chiefest matter it treateth of namely the forme of the ceremoniall worship which God prescribed his people in the desert after the Tabernacle was erected especially about offerings and sacrifices which indeed had been established by God from the beginning after mans sin and the promise that he should be re-established into grace by the Messias had been continually use in the Church and were of two sorts and for two ends The one sort was expiatory being visible signes and sensible documents of the only purgation of sin by the bloud of Christ that the faithfull might always be occupied in the expectation thereof and directed to seeke by faith in him the only remedy against sin and the condemnation thereof and that through these ceremonies accompanied with the power of Gods Spirit in their lawfull use the feeling of Gods grace might be dispenced unto them and their consciences assured of peace and reconciliation The other were Eucharisticall or to give thanks to make a publick acknowledgement of Gods benefits as well generall as particular But after the comming out of Epypt God willing to cut off all past abuses and to give a firme and perpetuall forme to his service to banish all arbitrary licence and shew that he is pleased with nothing but with obedience by which alone he can and ought to be lawfully served both kinds of sacrifices were regulated by certain laws and circumstances of rites times and places And especially by the appointing of certain persons consecrated and elected by God according to his free choyce who tooke the tribe of Levi in generall for his service and one of that tribe Aaron and his race particularly for sacrifices whereof the eldest from father to son should successively hold the place of high Priest bearing the image of Christ the only eternall spirituall and effectuall Priest of his Church To these observations were added that of the fire which at first fell from heaven and was continually preserved upon the Altar to burn all sacrifices For a figure to shew that Christ the only true Expiatory offering should be touched and burned by the fire of Gods wrath against sin the burthren of which he should take upon him And also that all the Churches spirituall worship ought to be done and sanctified by vertue of the Spirit of God given from heaven As contrariwise by the refusall of the strange fire rashly used by two sons of Aaron and by the severe punishment of that fact is taught that no worke no motion no endeavour that is meerely human can be acceptable to God for the purging of sin nor apt for his true service but that he is contrary-wise offended and provoked by it Besides this first and principall part this Book containeth also the Laws of the distintions of meates clean and uncleane lawfull and unlawfull As well for an exercise and absolute proofe of obedience to God as for a document of holy discretion to abstaine from any thing as God sheweth to be displeasing unto him and may staine the conscience And the declaration of all ceremoniall uncleannesses by meates corporall infirmities and accidents and the purification required in every one of them together with the appointment of a generall purgation or atonement to be made once a yeare of all the peoples uncleannesses Were signes and figures of the ordinary vices and defects which the faithfull cannot avoyd in this wretched life who notwithstanding never want continuall expiation by the application of Christs bloud nor the correction and cure by the working of the spirit untill the time of their full deliverance from sin by death In this Book are also established the Laws of the deg 〈…〉 of affinity and consanguinity forbidden in marriages and also diverse other preceptâ— of justice charity and piety of the purity required in Priests of Feasts of the resting of the earth every seven yeares of the Jubily of vowes of things consecrated to God and the ransome of them Thigns which have all been used in ancient times by an order of Ecclesiasticall discipline and have likewise some reasonable correspondency with the mysteries of the Gospell whereof the Levites were the ordinary teachers sacred ministers and publick expounders Finally all these commandâ—ments were sealed by the Lord with solemne promises to them that should keep them and threatnings to the breakers thereof ANNOTATIONS CHAP. I. VERS 2. AN offering Namely a voluntary one V. 3. At the doore Presen 〈…〉 it in that place before he offer it upon the Altar or it is a generall prohibition of offering it any where but only upon the Altar which was before the said doore and did also sanctifie the offering Mat. 23. 19. Before the Lord the Ital hath more That it may be accepted before the Lord For the obeying of Gods order was that which made the sacrifice acceptable and effectuall to make an attonement with him see Lev. 7. 18. Deut. 12. 13. 26. 1 Sam. 15. 22. Others translate it Let him offer it of his own free will V. 4. Atonement Both ceremoniall sacramental figuring the true and internall attonement of the soul with God by Christs offering apprehended by faith by all beleevers in their sacrifices V. 5. Shall kill Namely the Levites shal kill it see 1 Chron. 23. 28 31. 2 Chron. 30. 16. and 35. 11. V. 7. Shall put Seeing that fire which once fell from heaven Dev 9. 4 was to be continually kept and preserved upon the Altar Leviticus 6. 12. and the use of all other fire was forbidden in sacrifices Lev 10. 1. putting of fire upon the Altar in this place could signifie nothing but kindling of it V. 9. Shall he wash Before they be laid upon the fire And the Priest Not the high Priest but some of the inferior ones whosoever it is that serveth at that time for even at that time or presently after it was ordered they should serve by turnes weekâ—y see Lev. 10. 9 2 Kings 11. 5. Now this was a figure of Christ by whom the faithful are sanctified and presented to God with all their spirituâ—ll service Heb. 13. 15. V. 16. By the place The ashes which fell down from the grate of the Altar were first taken up on the East side thereof and then were carried out of the camp See Lev. 6. 10. V. 17.
With the wings thereof Cleaving of it long-ways without disjoyning the peeces so that there may be a wing on each side see upon Gen. 15. 10. CHAP. II. VERS 1. A Meat offering Of which there were two kinds The first when these meale things were offered by themselves The second when they were joyned of beasts with their pooring offrings Numbers 15. 4 6. 9. Here is spoken particularly of the first Oyle oyle and incense containe a figure of what was required in good workes which are spirituall offerings to make them acceptable to God namely that they should be watered with the gift of the Spirit likened unto oyle and that they should be accompanied with Christs intercession which is the only acceptable smell unto God Ephes. 5. 2. Rev. 8. 3 V. 2. The Priest Namely he that supplies the place The Memoriall An ordinary terme in sacrifices and offerings to intimate that part which is offered to God as presenting before his Divin Majesty with its sweet savour the favorable remembrance of the offerer see Ex. 30. 16 and 34. 19. Lev. 6. 15. Num. 5. 26. Acts 10. 4. V. 3. Most holy So are called in the Law these sacred things which ought not to be touched and those meates wherof none were to eate but only the Priest in a holy place neare the Altar See Exod. 29. 37. Lev. 6. 26. and 7 6. 9 and 10. 12. Num. 18. 9 10. See the difference between holy and most holy things Lev. 21. 22. V. 6. It is Now in all such offerings there was oyle required v. 1. V. 8. Shall bring it Let him lay in one in signe that it is offered to the Lord yet shall but part of it be burnt V. 11. No heaven Which was forbidden in all free will offerings to signifie that all leaven of malice hypocrisie and pride ought to be laid aside in all the faithfuls spirituall offerings which are good works See Luke 12. 1. 1 Cor. 5. 8. Nor any honey according to some because that honey will leaven Or it may be God would intimate that the sweets and pleasures of the flesh do spoyle the study of good works V. 12. Ye shall offer The Iahan hath it You may may offer these things that is to say leavened dough or mixed with honey Of the si â—t frâ—its which were not offered to God by fire but after they were consecrated were for the Priests use Num. 18. 13. Deu. 18 4. There was also an offering of thankesgiving wherin leaven was admitted Lev. 7. 13. V. 13. With salt A signe of the incorruptibility of the Spirit of God in the faithfull man 1 Pet. 3. 4. and of the savour of grace which it giveth to all good works Col. 4. 5. Of the Covenant A signe of confirmation of the Covenant which God hath with thee a phrase taken from the common saying that familiar friends do use the same salt that is to say feed at one table So anciently salt was a signe or token of friendship and of an inferiours duty whereby he was bound to his Superiour whence comes the word salary or wages Exodus 4. 14. Or salt is here set downe for a signe of the everlastingnesse of Gods Covenant Num. 18. 19. V. 14. First fruits whereof there were two sorts the one commanded at Easter Lev 23. 10. Deut. 16. 9. the other voluntary at the same time both different from them which were offered in Harvest time at the Pentecost Num. 15. 9. Deuterono 26. 2. Of full ears The Italian hath it Of the flower of the wheat Thâ— Hebrew word signifieth properly a certaine kind of wheat which grew upon mount Carmel of an exquisite goodnesse Others translate it well corned and full eares rubbed out with hands CHAP. III. VERS 1. PEace offering The Italian hath it A Sacrifice of thankesgiving Not for an attonement for sinne but only for a thankesgiving for benefits received either in generall or particular See Leviticus 7. 12 16. Oâ— female The female sex was not admitted in burnt offerings but only in sacrifices of thanksgiving and in one kind of sacrifice for sin Lev. 4. 28. Before the Lord That is to say before the Tabernacle V. 2. And kill it see upon Lev. 1. 5. V. 5. The burnt Sacrifice Dayly one or other for the sacrifices did never begin with the sacrifices of thankesgiving but with them of expiation or attonment to shâ—w that no worke of service or homage can be acceptable to God if the expiation or attonment for sin go not before V. 11. The food the sacrifices which were burned with fire were so called especially the bloud and the fat Leviticus 21. 6 8. and 22. 25. Ezekiel 44. 7. Mal. 17 12. to intimate that God did feed thereon that is to say he tooke delight therein and required them as his part of the sacrifices V. 16. All the fat Namely that which is solid and is at the end of the muscles V. 17. Throughout all Not only in Gods Temple but also in your privat houses where those kinds of fat being not offered to God it is very likely were thrown away as the bloud was and not eaten Levit. 7. 24. CHAP. IV. VERS 2. THrough ignorance of the Law or unawares or through plaine weaknesse without malice or deliberation Ezech. 45. 20. A figure of the faithfulls weaknesses and ignorances which notwithstandingare sins seeing they had need of expiation see Psa. 19. 13. Gal. 6. 1. Heb. 5. 2. V. 3. That is anointed The high Priest see upon Exod. 40. 15. According to the sin The Italian hath it Whereby the people come to be guilty God often times did punish the people for their rulers faults and also the people is induced to sin by their example or being scandalized by the Priests sin do absent themselves from Gods service see 1 Sam 2 17. 24. V. 7. Of sweet incense See upon Exo. 30. 10. V. 12. A clean place No dunghill nor filthy place as Lev. 14. 40. Where the See upon Lev. 〈◊〉 16. V. 15 The Elders The rulers and Magistrates which were seventy in number Exod. 3. 16. and 24. 1. V. 18 Which is in By this meanes is intimated the altar of sweet incense which was before the Sanctuary in the holy place V. 20 It shall be forgiven them They shall be purged from their sin according to the Ecclesiasticall and externall judgement and exempt from the punishment imposed by the Law in signe of the internall absolution of the conscience before Gods judgement by vertue of the reall and spirituall expiation through Christ. V. 21 At the burned As he was appointed to burn it A sin offering Now all such sacrifices as were sin offerings were to be burned without the camp see upon Exod. 29. 14. V. 29 In the place At the entrance of the Tabernacle where the burnt offerings were killed see Lev. 1. 5. V. 35 According to the offerings See upon Lev. 3. 5. CHAP. V. VERS 1. OF swearing The Italian hath it Of a
continually nor ordinarily V. 21. For what if you tell mee that at the last God sheweth his vengeance upon the children of the wicked I answer you that the wicked man can not have any notice of that after his death see Iob 14. 21. and 24. â—0 V. 22. Teach these wayes of God are incomprehensible the action it selfe is manifest but the hidden reason of it is not subject to mens censures nor corrections hee judgeth hee is the soveraign Lord and judge of the world above all worldly power and greatnesse wherefore he ought to be acknowledged to be the absolute rule of all wisdome and righteousnesse Gen. 18. 25. Iob 8. 3. and 34. 12. 17. 19. Rom. 3. 5. V. 23. One namely the wicked V. 24. His breasts the Italian his milke pailes figurative termes meaning that hee enjoyeth all good things at his will and pleasure V. 25. And another namely a good man as I my selfe am V. 26. They shall after so many differences between them in this life they come both to be alike in their death namely for bodily death and outward appearance see Iob 14. 19. Eccles. 9. 3. V. 27. I know I doe foresee what you meane to say to mee namely that at the last the wicked are destroyed after some transitory prosperity and I tell you contrariwise that prosperity doth not forsake them till death V. 29. Have ye not asked men of experience such as have gone many voyages will shew you that for the most part the wicked doe prosper in the world V. 30. Of wrath namely Gods wrath by generall and expresse judgements V. 31. There seemes to bee no witnesse nor iudge against him contrary to Zophars saying Iob 20. 28. V. 32. Remaine in the tombe the Italian watch nothing but the heape hee hath lost all knowledge and feeling of worldly things as Iob 14. 22. V. 33. The clodds hee lieth sweetly in the ground or in monuments made of clodds after the ancient fashion and troubles himselfe no more with worldly affaires Iob 24. 20. after him he is followed by many in his death as many have gone before him V. 34. In vaine proceeding with mee thus thou art grievously afflicted therefore thou art wicked convert therefore and thou shalt be restored Wherein are two falshoods the one that all those who are afflicted are wicked and the other that God doth alwayes corporally relieve the penitent see Iob 16. 2. there remaineth you are alwayes possessed with a bad opinion of mee only thinking to make yourselves thereby acceptable to God Iob 13. 7. CHAP. XXII VER 2. CAn a man as when God rewardeth mens good works it is not in regard of any profit hee reaps thereby so must his punishments be attributed to no other reason but only to his iustice contrary to that as Iob seemed to doe hee that is wise namely the spirituall wise man who by the light of Gods spirit apprehends the end of eternall life and follows the true and sure meanes to obtaine it V. 4. For feare of thee because that Iob had termed his afflictions to be a strong and secure watch Iob 7. 〈◊〉 V. 6. For thou that is to say wee must suppose by thy punishments that thou art guilty of some or all these sinnes not that Eliphaz had any proofe that Iob had done any such thing for nought through meere hardnesse and inhumanity for covetousnesse to get his goods though thou wert otherwise sufficiently secured for what thou diddest lend Or taking of his goods to pawn and lending him nothing or much lesse than his goods which he pawned to thee were worth the naked that is to say the ill clothed or those who are now brought to poverty by meanes of thy extortion V. 8. The earth through thine acceptation of persons when thou wert a publick officer none but great and mighty men could quietly enioy any thing or thou diddest assist them in their uniust purchases V. 9. The armes thou and the ministers of thy tyrannie have oppressed them and taken from them all meanes whereby they might subfist V. 10. Are round about God hath stayed the course of thy violence by these afflictions as a ravenous beast is catched in toiles see Iob 18. 8. 11. V. 11. Darknesse namely a trouble and confusion of understanding want of counsell and advice V. 12. Is not God although God be infinite in his essence and that from his throne of glory hee seeth and iudgeth all things yet hast thou prophanely smothered up in thine heart all apprehension of his providence and iudgement V. 14. Walketh hee enioyeth his blessednesse in idlenesse and takes no care of worldly things V. 16. Out of time before the end of their naturall course and before they were come to maturity of amendment or repentance see Iob â—5 32. Psa. 55. 23. and 102. 24. Eccl. 7. 17. foundation being in outward appearance happy well founded and established V. 17. VVhat can the Italian what had in what particular could they complaine of God that they shewed themselves so alien from him Isa. 5. 4. Ier. 2. 31. Mic. 6. 3. V. 18. Is farre Eliphaz repeateth the same words as Iob spake Iob 21. 16. as if hee meant to say that which thou speakest with thy mouth I speak it from mine heart and in verity V. 20. VVhereas our as God hath spared us and others that were like us namely that feared him even so hath hee destroyed the wicked V. 21. Acquaint now get into his favour again and by prayers humility and turning to him get thy selfe free accesle unto him see Isa. 27. 5. V. 24. Lay up gold a hyperbolicall phrase as much as to say thou shalt make pavements of gold see 2 Chron. 1. 15. Psal. 68. 30. Ophir the name of a countrey Gen. 10. 29. 1 Chron. 1. 23. where there was excellent good gold grew and therefore this name is taken absolutely for the finest gold V. 25. Shall be thy desence the Italian thy gold his grace and blessing shall bee to thee in stead of a deare treasure Or it will abundantly enâ—itch thee V. 28. The light that is to say God will inspire thee with good counsell and direction in all thine affaires or will shine over them with his blessing V. 29. VVhen thou art when thou thinkest thine affairs goe to decay then shalt thou re-assure thy selfe by thine inward confidence in God which will not deceive thee the humble namely thy selfe who shalt have humbled thy selfe before God who will not regard thy past sins but the sincerity of thy repentance and thy prayer free from hypocrisie Iob 11. 15. Isa. 1. 15. 1 Tim. 2 8. CHAP. XXIII VER 2. EVen to day after so many protestations and justifications of mine doe you still continue in your sinister misconstructions of my laments though they doe no way equall my torments as to terme them mournings and â—ebellions against God see Iob 6. 2. my stroke the Hebrew my hand Others translate it though my hand be aggravated
16. 34. The simple that is to say every man in generall naturally blinde and ignorant in divine things and more particularly him who doth not oppose the presumption of carnall wisedome to this pure light of the word of God but in humility and simplicity submits himselfe to believe and obey all that which hath been revealed unto him see Pro. 1. 4. and 8. 5. Mat. 11. 25. 1 Cor. 3. 18. V. 9. The feare that is to say the rule of his feare and of all true religion contained in his word Enduring that is say it is invariable and incorruptible and produceth the effect of eternall life in them that observe it The judgements that is to say the statutes and lawes according to which he judgeth man V. 11. There is great in the first covenant made with Adam God did indeed promise eternall life to the perfect observer of his Law but this condition being become impossible by reason of sinne Rom. 8. 3. the Gospel which is the covenant of grace promiseth man the same life by vertue of the merit of Christs perfect obedience so that he follow the way and direction to holinesse and sincere and true obedience though unperfect in this life V. 12. Who can understand that is to say this externall revelation by his works and by his word is not sufficient of it selfe to salvation unlesse the operation of Gods internall grace and spirit bee added to it to remit man his sinnes whose greatnesse and weight exceeds all humane sence and power and to regenerate him in newnesse of life V. 13. Keepe back by thy spirit represse the motions and affections of my flesh which doe yet dwell end combat in those who are regenerate that they may not get the victory over me and command me and come to the heigth of untamed and presumptuous rebellion called pride which is incompatible with the spirit of regeneration Lev. 26. 21. Num. 15. 30. Iob 15. 25. and is opposite to the infirmity ignorance and inconsideracie of Gods children see Deut. 3â— 5. Heb. 5. 2. V. 14. My strength the Italian my rock see Deut. 32. 4. PSAL. XX. VER 1. THe name the true God who hath revealed himselfe unto his people by his name by which he is worâ—hipped and known Others his famous power Defend thee the Itaâ—ian raise thee on high in safety as it were on a high and inaccessible place out of all danger V. 2. From the Sanctuary which upon earth was the ordinary place of Gods presence in grace and power and the figure of heaven V. 3. Accept the Italian turne to ashes let him shew that it is acceptable to him for God in extraordinary Sacrifices did often give a signe of his approbation by sending fire from heaven to consume the offering Levit. 9. 24. Iudg. 6. 21. 1 Kings 18. 38. 1 Chron. 21. 26. 2 Chron. 7. 1. Or give thee grace to desire his convenient aide for thine offerings so that thou mayst feele the effects thereof V. 5. Banners that is to say tokens of victory set up to the honour of God V. 6. Know I words of faith and of a prophetick spirit of the whole Church represented by the Priest offering prayers and sacrifices His holy heaven the Italian the heaven of his holinesse the throne of his most sacred majesty With the with miracles and glorious effects of his omnipotencie V. 7. Will remember wee will call upon him and and will have all our hearts and intentions fixed upon him of whom we have such exccellent proofes through the remembrance of which wee will take courage V. 8. Stand upright we have stoutly withstood all their assaults and have obtained a full and firme victory V. 9. Heare us the Italian answer us make our King who is the figure of Christ a ready and assured instrument of our deliverances every time that we shall be in danger and necessity PSAL. XXI VER 3. PReventest him thou hast prevented him with thy graces and benefits which thou hast bestowed upon him of thine owne free will V. 4. Length this is to be referred to eternall life which David had assurance of by Gods spirit besides temporall blessings Mat. 19. 29. 1 Tim. 4. 8 see Ephes. 3. 20. Or else to the continuance of his Kingdome in his posterity untill the comming of Christ who should change it into an everlasting Kingdome 2 Sam. 7. 19. V. 6. Most blessed the Italian thou hast set him in blessings that is to say to bee every way blessed to be an instrument of blessing to thy people and a formulary and solemne example of blessing see Gen. 12. 2. With thy see Psal. 16. 11. V. 9. Thou shalt thou shalt consume them with the fire of thy wrath like wood put into a furnace V. 11. They intended the Italian they have warped the Hebrew have bent or stretched a similitude taken from Weavers who warpe their yarne before they weave or from archers who when they have bent their bow and put in their arrow doe take their ayme V. 12. Shalt thou make them turne their back the Italian set them as a but see the like similitude Job 7. 20. 16. 12. Lam. 3. 12. PSAL. XXII THE title Aijeleth Shahar that is to say a hinde or strength of the morning according to some it was the beginning of a song to the tune of which this Psalme was to be sung according to others it was a full singing or the great morning quier because that every morning and and evening there was musick in the temple 1 Chro. 9. 33. 23. 30. V. 1. My God in respect of David they are words of faith fighting against some great terror when hee did not feele the present effects of Gods grace But in respect of Christ shadowed by David they are expressions of his humanity on the one side fully assured of Gods love and on the other side brought into extream agonies to give his wrath satisfaction for the sinnes of the world to which end the God-head did not onely for a time suspend the influence of its power so farre as it was fitting to let him suffer the incomprehensible paines even in an exteame manner though it never forsooke him insomuch as was necessary to vanâ—uish and overcome them Isa. 42. 1. Iohn 16. 32. but did also make him feele the horror of Gods wrath against sinne for which hee had undertaken see Matth. 26. 38. 39. Luke 22. 44. Gal. 3. 13. V. 3. O thou that inhabitest the Italian the constant that is to say immutable in thine essence councels and promises Psal. 102. 12. 27. and therefore thou canst not vary in thy grace towards mee But in respect of Christ these words doe meane that the truth of Gods promises and the confidence of all the ancient Fathers being grounded upon his victory in this combat he desired his fathers power with confidence that hee should bee heard the prayses the subject of the thanks and blessings which thy people yeeld unto thee Or
of the flesh but view mine inward spirituall beauty with the eyes of the Spirit Psal. 45. 13. which beauty consists in the purity of the soule through the remission of sinnes the renewment of regeneration and by the ornaments of the gifts of the Spirit Ephes. 5. 26. 27. O daughters The Church directs her speech to the particular elect the children of the spirituall Jerusalem Gal. 3. 26. Rev. 3. 12. The tents Which on the outside were of poore and base stuffe but withinside were richly adorned and full of treasure Of Kedar namely the Arabians who dwelt in tents yet were very rich and glorious Isay 21. 16. V. 6. The sonne That is to say God from above hath as it were burnt and scorched me up with afflictions and troubles Mothers children here on earth worldly men that are of the same humane race as I am being vexed at my profession and my separation from them have set upon me and persecuted mee Were angry They have contended with me They made me They have set me to laboursome and unfitting worke to serve mine enemies which hath drawne me away from the care of my selfe who am the Lods vineyard and kept me from the governement and care of particular Churches which was committed to me V. 7. Tell me being weary of the troubles which I undergoe in this world my recourse is to thee O Christ who art the soveraigne shepheard to have thee bring me to the enjoyment of thy heavenly glory where in the high and firme point of the eternall day of thy happinesse thou thy selfe immediately feedest thine elect with the full communication of thy goods and grantest them rest from all their labours Rev. 7. 15 16 17. For why Were it sitting that I should corrupt my selfe here in the world by reason of thy being too long from me or that the world should take me to be a poore vagabond creature whom thou hadst forsaken Because that the fashion of unchaste women was to be in the fields covered over with vailes Gen. 38. 14. The flockes Amongst other nations who vaunt themselves saying they enjoy the presence of their Gods termed though falsely heads of nations deliverers and guardians of men which thou indeed and truly art See Isay 53. 12. V. 8. If thou The bridegroome shewes himselfe according to his brides desire and tels her that she must understand that the onely way to come to his everlasting rest is to come out of the world in heart and affection imitating the Churches example in all ages And â—eed Whilest thou art in this world employ thy selfe in the worke of the ministery and the gathering together of the Saints And never doe thou stray from the example of those great shepheards namely the Prophets first and then the Apostles See Eccl. 12. 13. V. 9. Compared thee That is to say in the course of thy heavenly vocation my Spirit shall carry thee with untired swiftnesse like unto the swiftnesse of Pharaoh King of Egypts Chariot-Horses the horses of that countrey being very famous for their goodnesse 1 Kings 10. 28. Isay 31. 3. See Canticles 6. 12. Isay 40. 31. And in this booke in praysing of the Church he often joyneth strength with beauty Canticles 4. 4. and 6. 4. 10. and 7. 4. V. 10. Thy cheekes Thy face is faire not so much by reason of thy naturall gifts as by reason of the ornaments of my grace and Spirit Cant. 4. 9. and 7. 1. which I will still increase in thee untill such time as I doe crowne them in the eternall life V. 12. While the King this is the bride who saith that whilest Christ is in heaven enjoying eternall pleasures Isay 53. 11. she endeavours to present unto him the exercise and practice of her vertues and especially the pure preaching of his Gospell 2 Cor. 2. 15. Which are like sweet odours wherein he delighteth See Luke 7. 38. John 12. 3. V. 13. My well beloved All these sweet smelling odours of good workes proceed onely from Christ who dwelleth and reigneth in my heart by his Spirit V. 14. Camphirâ— the Italian Cypresse A rare plant like to the Woodbine which bringeth forth a white flowre in very sweet clusters and groweth onely in the land of Jurie or as some say in Egypt see Cant. 4. 13. Of Engedi A pleasant place in the land belonging to the Tribe of Judah Iosh. 15. 6â— V. 15. Behold thou art This is the bridegroome Doves eyes The sight of thy faith wherewith thou doest contemplate in Spirit is sweet amiable simple and chaste V. 16. Behold This is the Bride Pleasant Faire of a sweet and pleasing beauty not terrible nor majesticall Our bed I have prepared thee an habitation in my heart full of joy and feasting Like unto a bridall-bed decked with garlands and greene boughes In middest of the assembly of the faithfull as in a palace built with precious stuffe V. 17. Of fiâ—re the Italian Cypresse the Hebr. signifieth a particular kind of cypresse which spreadeth the boughs abroad contrary to your ordinary cypresses and smells very sweet and yieldeth very exquisite Timber and is not to be found but onely in the Levant or Easterne Countries in Latine is called Bruca a name very neare the Hebrew name CHAP. II. VERS 1. I Am This is the bride-groom as if he should say as I am perfect in beauty and holinesse represented by these flowers so have I made my Church like me by my sanctifying spirit 1 John 4. 17. Sharon A most fruitfull and pleasant plaine Isaiah chap. 35. vers 〈◊〉 V. 2. Among the Namely amongst all other Nations and Assemblies which in their owne naturall corruption are but like thornes and barren and hurtfull plants which are destinated to the fire V. 3. As the Apple-tree This is the Bride The sonnes Namely amongst the other heads or false gods of prophane nations I sate downe The Italian I have desired to be under I receive a double benefit from Christ as from a faire and fruitfull tree for first he is my protection and safeguard especially against the heat of Gods wrath and secondly hee filleth mee with good things for the food of my soule V. 4 He brought me Hee hath brought me into the communion of himselfe and all the Saints where he unfoldeth and bestoweth upon his elect all manner of spirituall gifts Proverbs chapter 9. verse 〈◊〉 Matth. chap. 22. verse 〈◊〉 Who through faith are already in heaven enjoying the fulnesse thereof Matth. chap. 26. verse 29. Luke chapt 13. verse 29. and 22. 30 Rev. 19. 9. His Banner That is to say from heaven whither he is ascended for me he sheweth mee evident signes of his love to the end that I should alwayes look and goe towards him and that I should not goe astray in the world but retire and draw nigh unto him as souldiers doe unto their Banners V. 5 Stay me The Italian Coâ—fort me a figurative description of the fervent enterchangeable love of the Church which can
was sweetly fallen asleep in the injoyment of this his so much desired presence and the meditation of these divine graces and the bridegroom withdrawing himself desires to have her left to this holy rest without any disturbance till shee bee moved of her owne accord to seek him againe V. 6 Who is this The bridegrooms friends namely the holy Angels are brought in here as ravished with admiration seeing the Church lift her selfe up in this manner towards God in holy meditations and desires and in the actuall exercise of all vertues and gifts of the spirit Ephes. 3. 10. 1 Pet. 1. 12. The wildernesse That is to say the world which is a barren savage and terrible wildernesse to the children of God in comparison of heaven See Canticles 8. 5. Pillars of Hee seemes to have a speciall reference to those grosse smoaks which did rise from the sacrifices where there was great store of incense burnt See Psal. 141. 2. V. 7 Behold his The Church was represented as asleep upon his bed in her celestiall raptures the Angels extolling the bed of this divine rest which is nothing but the faithfull soule Cant. 1. 16. in which Christ dwelleth Rom. 8. 9 10. Ephes. 3. 17. Solomons Namely Christ signified and figured by this peaceable happy and most rich King Valiant man Or of those selected bands of great Captaines set downe 2 Samuel 23. 8. 1 Chron. 11. 11. Are about it As Solomon had his watchmen set about him in the night time so is the Church guarded with Angels which doe watch about her Psalme 34. 7. Daniel 4. 13 17. V. 8. Hold swords They are sword men and have both experience and skill in handling their weapons V. 9. King Solomon A figurative description of â—e faithfull soule regenerated and fashioned by Jeâ—us Christ to be a place of sweet habitation and re 〈…〉 se for him Of the wood Of Câ—dar which was 〈…〉 on in Lebanon and is not subject to wormes and corruption to shew the incorruption of a faithfull mans meek and quiet spirit 1 Pet. 3. 4. V. 10. The pillars by the pillars may be understood the firme perseverance of the godly The pavement the Italian the Beds head by which is meant faith in Christ upon which the conscience resteth The covering the Italian the tester of the bed by which he signifieth hope The midst by the middle is meant a good and upright conscience the true looking-glasse and resemblance of the new man created by Christ in justice and holinesse of truth V. 11. Yee daughters the Angels exhortation to all the elect to cause their hearts to forsake the world to contemplate Christ by faith in the glory of his Kingdome after his resurrection which was as it were the time of his marriage As God brought Adam his wife after he awaked Gen. 2. 21. 23. see Isa 33. 17 Heb. 2. 9. His Mother according to the letter this is meant by Solomon who was the figure of Christ for when Solomon was married hee had no father and his mother was shee that did set the regall crown upon his head having procured it him 1 Kings 1. 16. and put on his nuptiall garments But in respect of Christ by mother is meant the father who crowned him as Cant. 8. 5. Psal. 110. 1. Phil. 2. 9. CHAP. IV. VER 1. BEhold the bridegroome of his own accord sheweth himselfe to his spouse and finds her well disposed in all manner of holinesse and exercises of piety from whence growes this approbation and prayse of her Thou hast doves eyes a description of the Churches pure and simple faith Cant. 1. 15. within thy locks locks are a womans naturall vaile and modest covering 1 Cor. 11. 15. and here are signes of modesty and humility That appeare from Gilead is a hilly countrey fitting to pasture such cattell in and being high they may be seene a great way off So the Churches modesty must be known to all men Philip. 4. 5. V. 2. Thy teeth this belongeth to the accomplishment and perâ—ection of beauty which requireth a just proportion in all parts and doth distinguish the Church from violent and ravenous worldly men who have sharp crooked teeth made like sawes like unto wilde beasts and doe alwayes hunt after prey and blood By these descriptions of beauty in all parts is signified that the spirit of regeneration worketh upon the whole man in all manner of vertue Which came up and are cleane and white V. 3. Thy lips thinne and vermilion lips are a most remarkable part of corporall beautie and are a signe of health and grace to represent the purity and spirituall grace of the Church in her speech Ephes. 4. 29. Col. 4. 6. Thy Temples which are the true seat of the signes of modesty to shew the holy and inviolable chastity of the Church and the tendernesse of her conscience V. 4. Thy neck a figure of the uprightnesse and stedfastnesse of the Church in elevating her selfe in heavenly thoughts lively hope good conscience free and confident conversation Lev. 26. 13. 2. Sam. 2. 22. Iob 11. 15. Psal. 3. 3. to which is opposite the hanging downe of the head and a dejected countenance Gen. 4. 5. Luke 18. 13. Lo here againe strength and greatnesse joyned with perfect beauty as Cant. 1. 9. 7. 4. Build the Hebrew word is very ambiguous peradventure it was some great tower or strong place where Captaines did exercise youth in the handling of their weapons and other warlike exercises and it might bee that house of fathers mentioned Neh 3. 16. Others built with battlements or for an Armory or store-house of Armes Of mighty men see 2 Sam. 23. 8. 1 Chron. 11. 11. V. 5. Thy two which sheweth the uniformity of the heart without variation of hypocrisie or dissimulation And the similitude of these beasts without gall doe shew the mildenesse simplicity and purenesse of it see Prov. 5. 19. which fed that is to say which are tame and have put off all manner of wildenesse to shew that all the righteous mans vertues proceed from the sincerity without fraud of Gods word wherewith he is fed 1 Pet. 2. 12. V. 6. I will after I have so sweetly visited thee I will goe up againe into heaven which is the habitation of my glory my seat of immortality and incorruption figured by these spices which doe preserve the body from putrefaction untill the last great day in which thou shalt bee perfectly joyned unto mee 1 Thes. 4. 17. Rev. 19. 7. V. 7. All faire in regard thou art pardoned thy sinnes which maketh God look upon his Elect in grace as holy and cleane from all spots and also in regard of regeneration by the spirit which reformeth the whole man to the likenesse of Gods image Now Christ considereth and approveth of this his work and not of the reliques of the old man which he covereth with the cloak of his justice and anniâ—â—lates by little and little with his Spirit untill shee
bee quite freed thereof in heaven see Num. 23. 21. Isa. 1. 18. Ephes. 5. 26. 27. V. 8. Come with mee raise thy selfe up through faith and desire to mee and my heavenly Kingdome Cant. 2. 10. 13. From amidst the world which is likened to those high hills that are full of wilde beasts and so is the world full of violence and cruelty against the Church see Psal. 76. 4. Zach. 4. 7. V. 9. Thou hast ravished thy lively faith in mee hath caused mee to bestow my whole heart and love upon thee Psa. 45. 10. 11. With one chaine to shew that those gifts which are acceptable to Christ in his Church are those gifts of grace which hee hath bestowed upon her and adorned her with and not her naturall gifts of themselves Cant. 1. 10. and 7. 1. Ezech. 16. 10. 11. 12. V. 10. My sister as well by reason of the communion of humane nature as by the heavenly fathers adoption Ioh. 20. 17. Heb. 2. 11. thine Ointments that is to say the exercises of the gifts of the holy Ghost which are poured down upon the Elect and figured by the unctions used in ancient times 2 Cor. 1. 21. and 2. 15. Philip. 4. 18. 1 Iohn 2. 20. 27. V. 11. Thy lips thy sanctified mouth bringeth forth words of invocation praise and confession and preacheth my word which are things most pleasing to mee and doe much edifie and comfort the faithfull Of thy garments namely of the gifts of the holy Ghost with which I have cloathed thee see Gen. 27. 27. Psal. 45. 13. 14. Ezech. 16. 11. 13. Lebanon a hill of Cedars and other odoriferous plants Hos. 14. 6. 7. V. 12. A garden a description of the Churches inviolable spirituall chastity of Gods secure watch which hee guardeth her with V. 13. Thy plants namely the true Elect which are now termed young and tender in comparison of the ripenesse and perfection which they shall attaine unto in the Kingdome of Heaven see Isa. 5. 7. and 60. 21. and 61. 3. Camphire the Italian Cypresse see upon Cant. 1. 14. Now by those aromatick plants joyned to fruits to eat is meant the variety and sufficiencie of the Churches graces and vocations whereof some are more ordinary but necessary other some more rare and exquisite for the Churches ornament recreation and enrichment but especially for the glory of God see 1 Cor. 4. 7. and 12. 7. 8. V. 15. A fountaine the Italian O fountaine here the Bride speaks and it is an exclamation of the Church who acknowledgeth herâ— life and spirituall nourishment 〈…〉 her gifts and vâ—rtues to proceed from her Bride-groomes grace who is to her as a living spring in a garden which he had termed her to bee verse 12. Now Christ may be termed a spring in his eternall Godhead a well in his Office of Mediator the Father having gathered together in him all the waters of grace and all the running streames in the communication of the spirit Isa. 12. 3. V. 16. Awake that is to say O holy Ghost doe thou animate and vivifie in me the gifts and vertues which I have received from my bridegroome that they may not remaine idle and buried in me but may be stirred up to beare fruits pleasing to God untill they come to full ripenesse and perfection seeing they are imprinted in mee by thy power see 2 Tim. 1. 6. North South by these two wiâ—deâ— of opposite qualities is signified the same spirit working either coolnesse and refreshment of comfort or heat and servencie of zeale CHAP. V. VER 1. MY Spouse this is the bride groome who answering his brides precedent desires comes by a speciall grace to visit her taking a singular delight in her good works proceeding from the ground of his grace and the manuring of his Spirit whereby they are properly his own and consecrated unto him by the Church O friends that is to say yee holy Angels and blessed Spirits rejoyee with mee for the fruits which my Church Militant bringeth forth in the world Luk. 15. 7. Iohn 3. 29. Yea drink abundantly the Italian be drunken with love that is to say receive yee new matter of being ravished in the love of God in that eternall glory which you are in by considering the grace and vertues which are in your brethren and members upon earth and by the enjoying of that common happinesse with them in perfect charity V. 2. I sleep this is the bride which relateth a new visit of the bridegroomes with circumstances differing from the other the meaning whereof is I had a little laid aside my divine thoughts and meditations still keeping the eye of faith open and the care of the heart attentive when the Lord returned That knocketh moving my heart by secret inspirations to give full admittance and entrance to his grace and vertues Revel 3. 20. Open to me receive mee in thine heart by a lively act of faith for it is mine onely place of refuge and abode upon earth out of which I finde nothing but annoyance and displeasure in the world V. 3. I have put off I have for a time laid aside this deep meditation wherein my soule was wholly enfolded how can I then betake my selfe to it againe so soone my weaknesse in this life will hardly endure it I have washed like a traveller that is newly come home The meaning is how should I then so suddenly fall a running after thee which thou doest exhort mee to doe in all thy visites V. 4. Put in his hands a description of Christs power to work that inwardly by his Spirit in a faithfull man which he outwardly commandeth by his word Acts 16. 14. which notwithstanding he never accomplisheth unlesse the faithfull man doe concurre thereunto with his will and action as is set down afterwards My bowels all my affections being stirred up by this working of God were moved to answer to his call see Luke 24. 32. V. 5. My hands this signifieth that the grace of the holy Ghost doth alwayes accompany these endeavours of the faithfull in these actions of faith even as a look that is oyled openeth the easier V. 6. My beloved or Christ did suspend and keep back this rich communication of his grace and spirit which hee offered me if so bee I had received it in time My soule â—aâ—â—ed repenâ—ances and confessions of her defect of spirituall understanding for that shee had not in time taken notice of Gods visite as Psal. 73. 2â— Luk. 19. 44. V. 7. The watchmen that is to say the great ones and Princes of the world and preservers of the peace thereof Cant. 3. 3. Seeing mee inflamed with zeale to seek after Christ did persecute and torment me through Gods permission for punishment of my negligence V. 8. I charge you the Italian I adjure you words of the generall body of the Church directed to the faithfull souls or to the particular Churches to which sometimes the Lord doth particularly communicate himselfe whilest the
Church in generall doth want these comforts and they also sometimes by their prayers doe represent unto God the faith and sufferings of it V. 9. What is these are the brides companions who ask the Church this question to trie whether shee doth continue in the true knowledge of Christ and in the choyee which shee hath made of him amongst all other religions and in her faith and love towards him Or to shew that every faithfull person learnes to know Christ of the Church Cant. 6. 1. V. 10. My beloved this is the bride who by the divine prayses of the bridegroome testifieth that shee knoweth him from others and that her love is wholly settled upon him Is white a mixture of the colours of a lively beauty Psal. 45. 2. which may be applyed thus namely that Christ came with bloud to expiate sinnes and with water to wash away the spots of it and amend the defaults of it 1 Iohn 5. 6. The chiefest the Italian carrying the standard that is to say a man of note and eminency amongst all the other heads of people Cant. 1. 7. and 2. 3. Or he is the head of the militant Church Exod. 17. 15. Cant. 2. 4. V. 11. Fine gold that is to say it glistereth in divine glory Black as smooth and shining as a Raven in the Sunne V. 12. His eyes that is to say his judgement is most pure Isa 11. 3 Or his looks are most gracious and amiable Cant. 1. 15. and 4. 1. By the rivers washing and cleansing themselves from dust and all other manner of uncleannesse Fiâ—ly set the Italian set as it were in in the foile of a ring being in his divine face they are like unto a precious jemme curiously set in a â—ing of great value V. 13. His cheeks that is to say his aspect apprehended by faith in this world and by cleer sight in life everlasting containes in it the fulnesse of life and joy Psal. 16. 11. and 17. 15. and 42. 5. Lillies namely in candidnesse of perfect purity and truth and in sweetnesse of benignity and odor of divine grace Psal. 45. 2. Esay 50. 4. V. 14. His hands a signe of his possession and distribution that is to say he hath those precious jewels namely the gifts of his holy Spirit in his own hands and doth most liberally bestow and distribute them Psal. 16. 11. His belly the seat of his bowels and signe of most tender naturall affections Isa. 16. 11. Ier. 4. 19. which in Christ are most pure and abundant in precious gifts V. 15. His legs a signe of Christs firmnesse in his Kingdom works words and government and of his strength to trample upon his enemies and of his untired power to accomplish the course of his office Lebanon a high and famous hill full of excellent plants V. 16. His mouth the Italian his palate namely his word and Spirit which is as it were the breath of Christs mouth CHAP. VI. VER 1. WHither is the brides companions that is to say all true believers and the particular Churches answering to the brides question Cant. 5. 8. by saying they have no other guide to bring them to Christ out the Church its selfe and their communion with her And that the spirit of zeale which works in the whole body is the same as works in every particular member V. 2. My beloved this is the bride who teacheth every true believer that they ought to seek Christ in heaven whither hee is gone perfectly to enjoy his everlasting goods and from thence soveraignly to governe his Church Luk. 24. 5. Col 3. 1. Gone down a terme taken from the scituation of Solomons gardens in Ierusalem which were in the low valley of Hinnom whereas his palace stood in the higher parts of the City see Neb. 3. 15. Of spices which in this book are taken for a figure of spirituall and celestiall goods it being the property of spices to preserve from putrefaction To â—eed the Italian addeth his flock see upon Cant. 2. 16. V. 4. O my love the bridegroome who is here brought in shewing himselfe to the Churches faith in heaven it selfe where she hath sought for him together with all believers And in this act of faith and zeal accepting and praysing her as a fine City a mighty Army and a compleat body politick which are the three principall qualities of the Church answerable to Christs three properties he being her Head chief Captaine and king Tizab a City belonging to the Tribe of Manasseh faire and pleasant by reason of the excellencie of her scituation for which cause it was made choyce of to be the abode of the Kings of Israel 1 Kings 14. 17. and 15. 21. and 16. 6. 18. Terrible namely to her enemies as she is delightfull to her children see concerning this mixture and conjunction of beauty and force Cant. 1. 9. 4. 4. 7. 4. V. 5. Turne away poeticall termes which signifie nothing but Christs extreame love moved or rather as one should say forced thereunto by the Churches faith V. 8. There are to shew the excellencie of the Church above all other Nations of the world over which also Christ reigneth in his power Solomon useth these kinds of speech taken from his own Court in which at that time as hee composed this Canticle hee might have this number of married wives called Queens and so many Concubines V. 9. Is but one and incomparable above any other assembly in my love and favour in the gifts of my Spirit see Psal 147. â—0 Of her Mother she is only in all the generation of men Amongst whom there is no other holy Nation joyned to God by a Covenant of peace but onely the Church The daughters this may be referred to the knowledge that other Nations had of the Church by meanes of the Gospel whereby they were drawne to joyne themselves to her V. 10. Who is she words of admiration uttered by these daughters namely the Nations of the world V. 11. I went here the bride sets down her motion through faith into the heavenly Paradise seeing shee could not finde her bride-groome upon earth Down as verse 2. Of nuts namely nutmegs by which name are understood all other sorts of aromatick plants verse 2. To see the that is to say to taste by a lively faith the first fruits of eternall life and to advance my selfe towards it by the lifting up of my heart and by a holy desire Phil. 3. 14. V. 12. Or ever I was I felt my selfe beyond mine expectation ravished up into heaven by an unspeakable violence of the spirit Ephes. 5. 20. Amminadib this should seeme to be some famous Chariot driver of Solomons who in the race of horses and Chariots could out drive all the rest see Cant. 1. 9. V. 13. Returne the brides companions which are those Nations or persons that desire to bee joyned unto her and therefore desire that shee may not bee so soone gathered up into heaven without
them but that shee might remaine in the world to the end they also in time might be admitted into her fellowship Sâ—ulamite as Christ in this book is named Solomon that is to say peaceable by the name of that King who was the type and figure of him so the Church is called Sâ—ulomite by the name of her bridegroome to shew the communion which shee hath with him and the benefit of the true spirituall peace which shee enjoyeth through his grace and therefore also the forming of the Hebrew word is rather passive then active What will yee the bride asketh what their reason is that they so much desire to have her kept here in the world As it were her companions answer that they doe desire it because they may one day enjoy that incomparable happinesse of seeing the Iewes and Gentiles united into one Church Ephes. 2. 15. moving in gladnesse of Spirit with a measured pace and mutuall consent solemnly to meet the Bridegroome according to the manner and custome of joyfull entrances 1 Sam. 18. 6. Psal. 68. 25. CHAP. VII VER 1. HOw beautifull the Bridegroome speaks still more and more extolling the praises of his Bride listed up to him by faith and fervent love as hath been set down in the former chapter Thy feet namely all the parts of thy soule evâ—n the lowest and most abject being adorned and sanctified by the gifts of the Spirit fitted to each part of them see Cant. 1. 10. 4. 9. Joh. 13. â—0 O Princes daughter namely Gods who is supreme King of the Vniverse and hath adopted thee to be his Daughter and regenerated thee by his Spirit to make thee capable of being joyned with me in spirituall matrimonie Psal. 45. 13. 14. The joynts or the compasse or the golden bindings and ornaments for the ancient ornaments which they did weare about their feet especially women were very pompous and stately Isa. 3. 18. and all this is referred to the Churches handsome and vigorous manner of gate V. 2. Thy navill thy belly is the place of thy bowels which signifies the Churches hearty charity accompanied with the gifts of liberality figured by the heap of wheat of comfort and consolation figured by the boule of wine of unfained and sweet humanity signified by the Lillies see Cant. 5. 14. V. 4. Thine eyes thou haste a great divine sight which receivs the celestial objects as the heaven is seen as it were in a looking-glasse in still and â—leer waters The fish-pooles the Scripture makes mention no where else neither of these fish-pooles nor of this gate Heshbon a City of the Moabites which fell to the Tribe of Ruben 〈…〉 he tower of this tower there is no mention made else where It might be some beacon or high watch tower upon Mount Lebanon the Northern frontier of the Countrey Iosh. 1. 4. by which here may be understood the Churches watchfulnesse against the dangers of her forraign enemies V. 5. Thine head that is to say thou art exalted in dignity thoughts knowledge and in goods and gifts above all the rest of the world like unto Carmell a high and most fruitfull hill and of a most curious aspect Isa. 35. 2. Like purple the Italian addeth Royall purple for purple was the colour of Kings and Princes V. 8. I will goe up a figurative descripion of Christs perfect conjunction with his Church in the Kingdome of heaven and of the unspeakble pleasure which Christ will take in her for ever V. 9. That goeth downe the Italian that goeth straightly to my friend an Hebrew manner of speech taken from men who shew their valour courage by the bravery of their gate The meaning is that it makes its strength and genâ—â—oâ—ity appear in a banquet made to friends Prov 13. 31. To speak it doth waken and enflame the spirits so that the most slow and dull are thereby made good and eloquent speakers V. 10. I am there the Bride speaks V. 11. Come the brides desire to have Christ come and gather her up to himselfe into heaven in the day of the blessed resurrection which will be as it were the morne of the great day and the spring of the everlasting yeare in which the fruit of life and glory for the Church shall bee made manifest and shee shall have the full fruition of it see Cant. 12. 11. 17. and 4. 6. V. 13. The mandrakes a kinde of fruit which is most beautifull to the eye and sweet to the smell Gen. 30. 14. which here signifies the pleasing fruits of justice and repentance by which the Bride prepares her selfe to receive the Bridegroome at his last comming New and old a phrase signifying great abundance as Levit. 26. 10. Or the perseverance of the Saints which bring forth fruit in all seasons without failing Psal. 1. 3. 92. 14. Isa. 65. 22. see Matth. 13. 52. CHAP. VIII VER 1. O That the Bride speaketh the meaning is I would desire to have thee present and familiar with 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 man during this life to enjoy thy sweet communication and not bee scoffed by the world because I repose all my trust and love in thee being absent then might I receive from thee the fruit of thy doctrine and thou reciprocally take delight in my services faith and good works But since I cannot obtaine this doe thou beare me up in my weaknesse by the power of thy Spirit V. 4. I charge you the Italian I conjure you the Bridegroome finding the Bride fallen asleep languishing in these holy desires will have her let alone to rest awhile untill shee awake againe of her own accord to entertaine his visit V. 5. Who is this these are the Bridegroomes friends namely the holy Angels who doe admire the Church wakened out of her sleep and by a lively faith embracing her Bride-groome and lifting her selfe up out of the world to him Cant. 3. 6. I raised thee the Italian I awakned thee this is the Bride who saith that shee hath with her prayers and zeale â—â—oved the Bridegroome to come and visite her from heaven where Gods Paradise is and the repose of Christs glory where hee was ingendered from everlasting Thy mother by this name is understood the everlasting father who hath engendred the Sonne of his own proper substance as Cant. 11. V. 6. Seâ—â—ee that is to say keepâ— mee straightly and dearly joyned unto thee Isa. 49. 16. Ier. 22. 24. Hag. 2. 23. and so appease the great fervour of my heart and the feare of being deprived of thee which would cause me to faint if I were not refreshed by the comfore of the presence of thy grace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which swalloweth up every thing V. 7. Many waters all otherâ— meanes pleasant and delightfull objects are not able to quench this love thy presence onely can doe it V. 8. We have words of the Iewish Church to Christ concerningâ— the Gentiles Church both sisters amongst themselves by the Covenant of the Gospel and Christs â—â—stors
And shew us seeing that the certaine foretelling of things to come which have no assured naturall cause nor signe belongeth onely to God Let the Idols prove their deity by revealing Gods secret Councels to the world concerning Christs comming and the salvation of the world through him God alone had made them manifest by his word The former that is to say doe but tell us the beginnings and we will looke out the sequels by discourse and reason unlesse your Idols will relate all from the beginning to the ending Ironicall kinds of speeches V. 23. That we may be dismayed the Italian We will looke upon it with delight Or we will talke of it V. 24. Ye are you have neither Godhead nor power all your being is nothing but the idolaters imagination That chooseth you namely for their God to whom they cleave V. 25. I have raised words of God the Father declaring that he alone hath advised and taken counsell from everlasting to send his Sonne into the world and hath revealed him in his due time Wherefore he alone ought to be acknowledged and worshipped for the true God One the Italian him namely Christ Jesus the Redeemer From the North that is to say from one end of the world that so passing through all parts of it by the preaching of his Gospell he may subdue them and bring all Kingdoms and powers under the obedience of his faith V. 26. Righteous that is to say the true God lawfully taking upon him this title V. 27. The first as I have foretold these things by my Prophets so will I at mine appointed time send John the Baptist to preach the accomplishment of them first to the Jewes V. 28. For I Gods Word is a Judge before whom the party summoned hath not appeared or when it did appeare had nothing to answer Amongst them namely amongst the Idols of which he had spoken before No Counsellor that could plead for them in this cause see Isa. 45. 21. V. 29. Behold Gods definitive sentence against Idols and Idolaters CHAP. XLII Vers. 1. BEhold God the Fathers words concerning the sending of his Sonne into the world My servant namely my Sonne who in his humane shape tooke the form of a servant upon him Phil. 2. 7. insomuch as he subjected himselfe to the Law of God which was the coâ—â—nant of servants for to be judged and recompensed of God according to his workes to the extremity of all rigor and in this manner hath accomplished the work of God to his glory and the salvation of man without any respect to himselfe I uphold whom I will strengthen by my Spirit in the accomplishment of his office in regard of his humane nature Psal. â—10 4. Shall bring forth he shall exercise his jurisdiction as King not onely amongst the Jewes but also amongst all other Nations of the Earth V. 2. He shall not cry his Empire shall not be with violence of command nor in â—oughnesse of threatnings as worldly Empires are but in the mildnesse and stength of the Spirit V. 3. Not breake he shall lovingly beare with the infirmitie and ignorance of his poore children and shal not rigorously punish them neither shall he winke at their faults but shal correct them for their amendment And shal not endure hypocrites nor prophane men but shal punish them severely V. 4. He shall not the meaning seems to be this He shal use his elect in such sort that they shall never want light nor strength even as he who is their head could never be quite extinguished nor beaten down in his humilâ—ation Yea was by means of it raised to glory and to the possession of his Kingdom over all the world V. 6. In rightâ—â—uâ—nesse that is to say by a just establishment contrary to worldly Kingdoms which are all grounded upon violence Or by an order established by my will which is the rule of all manner of righteousnesse Give thee that is to say I will make thee an acceptable and effectuall mediator between me and my Church upon which I have founded my â—ovenant Isa. 49. 8. For a light to invite and bring the Gentiles into the same covenant of grace V. 7. To open to illuminate their understanding by the power of my Spirit The prisoners namely those men which were slaves to sin death the divel and damnation V. 8. â—â—â—ill I not give for to establish my Sonnes Kingdome I will beate downe all manner of idolatrie V. 9. The former things he seemes to meane the whole order of nature which was established in the creation and hath been so preserved without varying Psalm 119. 89 90. to which he opposeth that of grace in Christ Jesus Or the particular prophecies which were from time to time prophecied to the Church and accomplished in their due seasons V. 10. Sing let all the world rejoyce and give God thankes for these things for the benefits thereof shall be scattered abroad indifferently every where V. 11. That Kedar namely the people of Arabia that dwell in Tents and Cabins V. 13. The Lord an allâ—goricall description of Christs spirituall victories by the powerful voice of his Gospel V. 14. I have I have endured and dissembled the injuries which Satans kingdome hath for a long while done to me Acts 17. 30. Rom. 3. 26. but now I will destroy it by the power of my Gospel which is the cry of a travelling woman that is to say accomplishment of all Gods promises V. 15. I will make waste that is to say I will destroy all high powers that shall rebell against my kingdome and send the fire of my curse upon them Luke 12. 49. V. 16. I will bring I will safely and rightly conduct mine elect enlightning them by my grace who otherwise by nature are blinde I will I say conduct them in the way of their spirituall vocation by means unknown and incomprehensible to the fleâ—â— V. 18. Ye deaf the Lord directeth his speech to his people whom he reproveth for their hardnesse and rebellion and chiefly for their idolatâ—y V. 19. Who is blinde namely through a voluntary ignorance see Isa. 32. 3. Ezech. 12. 2. My servant namely my people My messenger namely the Priests and other Governours of my people which should have taught my people my will and have brought them tidings of my grace towards them Mâ—l 2. 7. 2 Cor. 5. 20. That is perfect namely in all Gods gifts and graces Ezek. 16. 14. V. 20. Opening he makes shew of lending the eare of the body but my word entreth not into his heart V. 21. For his namely to shew the loyalty of his promises and his equity and beneficence towards those that doe fear and serve him He will magniâ—ie that is to say by his innumerable benefits towards his elect he did gain much honour to his Law and Covenant because the observers and keepers thereof were so highly recompensed V. 23. Who an outâ—ry or exclamation to call the people to repentance CHAP. XLIII
or remedy for others like a fire of Flax which quickly goeth out and leaves no embers behind it V. 15. Merchants namely strangers who had any trading of states businesse with thee see Revel 18. 11. CHAP. XLVIII Vers. 1. COme forth like streames from a spring Sweare which acknowledge and professe the true God for every Nation did sweare by that God which they worshipped Deut. 6. 13. Psa. 63. 1â— Isa. 45. 23. V. 2. Stay themselves they doe rest upon that outward profession see Micah 3. 11. Rom. 2. 17. V. 3. I have as formerly I did beforehand tell my people what benefits I would doe for them that afterwards when those things came to passe their incredulity and inclination to idolatry might be suppressed and altered so now I have foretold them their miraculous deliverance from Babylon that they may acknowledge serve and worship me for their onely God V. 6. Will not that is to say would you be so ungrateful as not to celebrate the memory of it in all ages and not give unto God perpetual honour and praise for it Hidden things the Italian New things concerning the Babylonian deliverance and the ruine of the Empire V. 7. Created that is to say brought to light by my revelations and predictions V. 8. For I I had reserved this excellent proofe of mine eternal deity for this time to convince thee more lively for thine apostacy and idolatry thou being more licentiously addicted to it now then at any other time Called thou hast at all times shewed thy selfe inclined to this vice of Idolatry V. 9. Mine anger that is to say I will moderate my wrath and wil not vent it all upon thee Psa. 78. 38. And for because I would not be scorned nor abused by mine enemies Deut. 32. 26 27. but praised and extolled for mine infinite mercy towards my children V. 10. I have I have chastised and tried thee by the Babylonians yet not to the uttermost as they use to doe your most precious mettals which will not perish by fire for I have had a regard to thy weaknesse and imperfection Psal. 118. 18. V. 11. Polluted by the enemies blasphemies V. 12. My called namely to the participation of my grace and covenant in my Church V. 14. All ye namely idolatrous Jewes Among namely among the false gods after which ye have gone astray Loved namely he hath favoured Cyrus and his enterprises His arme namely the worke and efficacy of his power V. 16. From the I have at all times given you by my Prophets publique cleare and undoubted predictions of many things for your deliverance and have punctually put them in execution that you might cleave to me the onely true God and your benefactor From the time I have from everlasting been the author of that counsell by which all these things have had as it were their first beginning and afterwards in their appointed time I have brought them forth by my power Now that is to say at this present time I doe 〈◊〉 like by these admirable prophecies Hath sent me some hold that the Sonne of God speakes in his owne proper person in this sence The holy Trinity having consulted and decreed to reveale these things to the Church I the Sonne of God whose personall property it is to be the fathers word wisedome and Interpreter doe bring this worke to passe by my Prophets who have all spoken by Christs Spirit 1 Pet. 1. 11. see Zech. 2. 9 â—1 Others referre it simplie to Isaiah sent by God and inspired by the holy Ghost V. 18. As a river abundant and continuall without any interruption Thy righteousnesse that is to say my blessings upon thy piety and loyalty or the right and well ordered establishment of all thy businesses V. 21. Thirsted not that is to say he did not onely deliver them but did also provide for them all things necessary as he did in the wildernesse at the comming out of Egypt from whence these termes are taken see Isa. 43. 19 20. V. 22. There is no this seemes to be added for to exclude wicked men and hypocrites from the generality of the aforesaid promses made to the Church Or to oppose Gods implacable judgements upon his enemies to the Churches deliverances or to his fatherly chastisements CHAP. XLIX Vers. 1. ISles that is to say Provinces afarre off Which have no communication with the Jewes as the places beyond the Sea see Isai. 41. 1. whereby are meant the Gentiles Hath called me that is to say God the Father shal make known his everlasting decree concerning the sending of me his Sonne and concerning mine Office whilest I shal yet be in the Virgins wombe from whence I shal take flesh upon me see Matth. 1. 20 21. Luke 1. 31. V. 2. Made my mouth he shal adde to my Word and Doctrine the power of his Spirit to make it of efficacy to destroy any thing that shall oppose it see Isa. 11. 4. 2 Thes. 2. 8. Heb 4. 12. Rev. 1. 16. 2. 16. 19. 15 21. Hid me that is to say he is my defender and Keeper in the infirmities of the flesh which I shal take upon me V. 3. Servant in regard of my humane nature and voluntary tying of my selfe to fulfill the Law see Isa. 42. 1. Phil. 2. 6 7. Israel I wil by thy meanes unfold and lay open my glorious power for the safeguard and deliverance of my people before any other V. 4. Then I said the Sonne of God his words complaining to his Father of the Jewes incredulity and obstinate rebellion against his word which he hath so faithfully preached My judgement the Italian my right that is to say God knoweth with what uprightnesse and in what perfection I have accomplished his worke And therefore he wil crowne me with eternall glory though my labour hath beene in vaine with the most part of the people V. 5. To bring Jacob namely that I should reconcile Jacob unto him by meanes of his faith and conversion to me Israel though the body of the Nation doe remaine in its naturall errors Isai. 53 6. My strength that is to say my glory Or his divine vertue shall not therefore be taken away from me but shal rather shew it selfe so much the greater in calling of all Nations whereby my glory shal also increase V. 6. The preserved namely this poore Nation preserved unto Christs time and delivered out of so many calamities Others to restore the desolations of Israel V. 7. To him namely to Christ contemned and hated by the Jewes and who voluntarily submitted himselfe to humane power into whose hands they delivered him see Psa. 22. 7. Isa 53. 3. Kings that is to say I wil cause Kings and Princes to acknowledge thee and submit themselves to the command which I shal give thee by the preaching of the Gospel Because of because they shal see God maintaine thy vocation and Crowne thy perfect obedience with glory according to the loyalty of his justice
onely gather all Nations indifferently into my Church but this shall last untill such time as all mine elect be gathered together V. 12. For the Nation they shall all come to thee because that cut of the Church there is no salvation That will not namely that will noâ— submit themselves to Christs Kingdome established in thee and administred by thâ—e by meanes of his Word V. 13. The glory the faire Cedars of Lebanon and other Trees of value shall be made use of in the building and beautifying of my Temple that is to say whatsoever is good in the World either in understanding vertue or doctrine shall be sanctifyed and employed for the building up of the Church see Isa. 41. 19. Of my feet namely of mine ordinary residence in grace He hath a relation to that the Arke was called the Lords foot-stoole 1 Chro. 28. 2. Psal. 132. 7. V. 15. Thou hast been that is to say thou Church whilsâ— thou wert restrained within the compasse of the Jewish Nation onely which suffered so many evils and reproaches from the World V. 16. Thou shalt the Princes and Nations which are converted to Christ shall maintaine thee with their substance and wealth V. 17. I will bring my graces under the Gospel shall be farre more excellent and precious then they were under the Law Also make whereas heretofore thou wert tyrannized over by those that were thy Governours I will now have thy government be in peace and justice V. 18. Thou shalt call thou shalt be every way defended by my protection And thy gates the meaning seemes to be that God will continually come to thee with new benefits and thou shalt goe forth to meet him with thankesgiving Psa. 89. 16. V. 19. Shall be no more thy true light shall be Gods grace in this world and his glory in Heaven both which are firme and without variation V. 21. Thy people all the true members of the Church shall be justified through faith in Christ and sanctified by his Spirit Isa. 35. 8. 52. 1. The Land the world in the estate renewed by Christ and the good things thereof as well in this life as in the life everlasting V. 22. A little one that is as much as to say the Church shall increase wonderfully CHAP. LXI Vers. 1. IS upon me Christs words Anointed me in my humane nature God the Father hath endowed me with the gifts of his Spirit above measure John 3. 34. and in my whole person hath consecrated me to be King Prophet and Priest of his Church for the ancient holy unction was applied to these three offices Good tidings namely the Gospel of grace which hath a reference to his Office of Prophet Unto the meeke the ordinary title of true beleevers for this quality is required in true faith and is a true token of the Spirit of regeneration To bind up to heale those soules that are afflicted by the feeling of their sinnes and contrite through repentance which belongeth to the Office of Priest Liberty from the bondage of the divell sinne and death John 8. 36. Which belongeth to the Kingdome and Kingly Office of Christ. V. 2. The acceptable yeere namely the new and happy age of Gods grace answerable to the ancient yeere of Jubile where in all bondages and morgages of Lands were freed see Isa. 49. 8. and Tit. 3. 4. Of vengeance upon the Churches enemies This seemes to be added to shew that the spirituall jubile hath a great advantage of benefit over the ancient ceremoniall jubile for in the old jubile a man had no way to complaine or have right of a master that had abused his servant during the time of his bondage But here Christ punisheth the divell and all his ministers V. 3. For ashes which they were wonted to cast upon their heads in time of mourning Job 2. 12. Lam. 2. 10. The Oyle according to the fashion of the times wherein they used to anoint their faces with Oile in the time of rejoycing The garment namely festivall garments which were worne onely in those daies that they offered Sacrifices of praise and solemne thankesgiving Psal 30. 11. 132. 16. Eccl. 9. 8. Be called they shall be like unto faire great Trees well rooted by faith in Christ firme and abounding in fruits of good workes V. 5. And strangers namely those that shall joyne themselves to the Church only by an outward profession and shall not be incorporate into it in Spirit and truth like unto the Gibeonites Jos. 9. 21. and they shall also doe service in Gods Church in secular businesses V. 6. Ye shall be all true beleevers shall attend upon the spirituall service Offering up through Jesus Christ their owne bodies and persons their goods praises and thankesgivings c. Ro. 12. 5. Heb. 13. 15. 1 Pet 2. 5. V. 7. Double that is to say extreame as Isa. 40. 2. Jer. 17. 18. Or full of misery within themselves and subject to contempt from others Their portion namely the beleevers The double that is to say the fulnesse of goods and glory Zech. 9. 12. V. 8. For I that is to say I will doe all beleevers this good because I will have them by reason that they shall be truely converted to me renouncing all manner of hypocrifie for which they were heretofore abominable unto me Robbery for that is to say all outward profession and exercise of religion which is not joyned with inward righteousnesse and justice Matth. 23. 25. V. 9. Shall be knowne by its vertue and good workes and also by Gods singular blessings upon them V. 10. I will the Churches words acknowleding Gods benefits Hath clâ—athed me he hath compassed me round about with glory by the deliverance which he hath sent me and by the effects of his righteousnesse and grace see Psa. 132. 9 16. Decketh himselfe c. the Italian decked with a Crown the Hebrew word signifieth a Priestly garment for peradventure a bridegrooms head ornaments had some resemblance to the Priests ornaments V. 11. Cause righteousnesse namely the effects of his grace and bounty followed by the Churches acknowledgements and thankesgivings CHAP. LXII Vers. 1. FOr Zions sake the Prophets words in the name of all the other Prophets ver 6 7. by which he protesteth that because of his zeale for the good and safety of the Church he wil continue in declaring of Gods promises concerning the Messias and in praying him to fulfill them The righteousnesse that is to say the defence of the Churches right against her enemies and the communication of Gods in benefits to her V. 2. Thou shalt be called thou shalt be set into a new estate which the Lord himselfe shall create V. 3. Thou shalt also be that is to say he shall keep thee as a most precions thing or thou shalt be the subject of his glory V. 4. Forsaken namely by Gods grace and presence like unto a woman that her husband had put away see Isa. 54. 6 7. Beulah the
that there being four beasts there were also four wheels and so there was the whole frame of a cart or wagon see Ezek. 10. 9 Vâ—â—n the earth namely upon the floor which appeared in this vision Faces that is to say Sides so that two Cherubims flew before the two first wheels the other two by the chariot side before the two last wheels V. 16. â—s a wheel not in manner of a sphere two circles cutting one another by direct angles which would be absurd in a chariot but one wheel being doubled upon the other to signifie as it shâ—uld seem either the severall sphericall compasses of the Heavens upon which Gods Majestie is carried Or the two orders of Gods manner of working nâ—mely the order of nature and the order of grace Or his two orders of government namely the temporall and spirituall order joyned together in his Church V. 17. They returned not they did not move cut of the direct tract wherein the beasts did lead them but even as the beasts were led by their chief so did they also guide the wheels see vers 20. A figure of the consonant harmony which is in all the works of Gods providence towards his Church V. 18. â—â—ll of in stead of great nails wherewith Charet wheels are garnishâ—d here were eyes for to represent either the stars of Heaven or more particularly the providence of God in all parts of this government or the gifts of the Spirit in the instruments which are thereunto imployed see Zach. 3. 9. Reu. 4 6. V. 20. The Spirit see vers 12. For the Spirit that is to say The same divine inspiration which did drive the beasts did also give a motion to the wheels to signifie that God is present and effectuall in all the instruments of his providence and â—â—at 〈◊〉 â—â—st doth do all in all in his Church 1 Corinth 12. 16 Ephes. 1. 11 Colos 3. 11. V. 22. The sâ—â—mâ—mâ—nt see Gen. 1. 6 by this is meant Christs celestiall glory who is King of the Church V. 23. Straight namely when they did flie for when they stoâ—d still they did 〈◊〉 down their wings V. 24. As the voyce namely like thâ—nder V. 26. A maâ— which represâ—nted the Son of God Head of the Church and King of the universe who at the appointed time was to take upon him humane flesh see Isa. 6. 1. Ioh. 12 41. and was the same who was personally present upon the Ark of the covenant V. 28. I sell astonished and affrighted at the sight of Gods Majestie alwayes terrible to sinfull men during this mortall life see Dan. 8. 17. Revel 1. 17. CHAP. II. Vers. 2. THe Spirit the holy Ghost did work powerfully in me for to strengthen and embolden me in mine affâ—igâ—tmâ—nt and to restore me to the free and entire use of my senses to hear and apprehend those things which were spoken to me V. 4. Impudent the Italian hard of forehead that is to say Such as are not ashamed of any thing Ier. 6. 15 and 8. 12. V. 9. A roll namely a book or a volume wrapped and rolled up upon a stick according to the ancient fashion Isa. 8. 1. Now this book did set forth the subject of these ensuing prophecies â—ull of threatnings and curses CHAP. III. Vers. 1. HE said namely he that had spoken to him in the precedent chapter which was very likely to be he that sate upon the throne Eat all this was done in vision to represent the deep impression of the word of God in the heart of his Ministers who must apprehend it by Faith and disgest it by Meditation â—or to utter it not as a meer narration but as a quick and lively doctrine That thou 〈…〉 st namely that I give thee whatsoever it be sweâ—â— oâ— bitter hard or soft pleasing or displeasing to signifie that one ought to follow their vocaâ—ion freâ—â—y without contradiction or doubt V. 3. It was the office of a Prophet at the first seemed pleasing to me by reason of the excellency of revelations the communication with God the profit that might from thence come to the Church and the honour which God did therein do me by the seal of his grace but the bitternesse followed afwards vers 14. V. 5. For thou that is to say I will not employ thee in preaching to strange and barbarous nations as â—onas and others but thou shalt preach only to thine own Nation which should be a pleasure and a confort to thee and should strengthen thee in zeal and vertue V. 9. Though they â—e or Because they be V. 12 The Spirit namely Gods Spirit by which the Prophet was taken up and corporally transported from the place where he had seen the vision to the chief residence of his countrey men which were captives in Babylon a thing which did often befall the Prophets 1 Kings 18. 12. 2 Kings 2. 16. Acts 8. 39. F 〈…〉 his namely out of Heaven where the Aâ—gels and blessed Spirits do uncessantly glorifie the Name of God V. 14. In bitternâ—ssâ— after I had well thought upon the subject of my Prophesies and of my Commission finding them full of miseries for my Nation and of danger and troubles for my self the hand that is to say the power of Gods Spirit made me to overcome all these fleshly apprehensions Isa. 8 11. Ier. 19 V. 15 Tel-abib the name of some chief place or plantation of the Iews in captivity astonished by these dolefull prophesies and mine unlookt for vocation V. 18. I say When I shall have given thee commission to say so to him from me die by some notable punishment or casualty which is asigne and forerunner of eternall punishment Will I require I will in part hold thee to be guilty of his death and shall make thee beaâ— the punishment of it V. 20. A stumbling block namely some casualty danger or occasâ—on of death into which he shall run himself His righteousaâ—sse seeing it is not accompanied with perseverance shall be of no esteem with me to free him from my judgements neither shall the evill which came after be satisfied nor counter-poised by the good which was done before V. 25. Binde thee in vision thou shalt think that thou art bound with cords for a signe of Gods straitly forbidding thee Others think that God foretelleth him that he shall be shutup by those of his own houshold as if he were beside himself as Prophets often seemed to be V. 26. Dumb a token of a propheticall extasie Ezek 24 27 Luke 1 22 V. 27. But when thou shalt remain thus dumb untill I come to thee again by prophetick revelation It should seem that this continued but till the next vision see Ezek. 14 7. CHAP. IV. Vers. 1. TAke thee it is likely that all this was inspired too and done by the Prophet whilst he was in extasie V 2. And lay draw a design of a very strait siege Battering rams namely to batter the walls according to the ancient manner V. 3. An
spirituall enemies V. 26. And I will I will blesse them and their habitation and their pasture abundantly V. 27. When I have broken when I have freed and redeemed them by the bloud of my sonne from the spirituall captivity of the devill and sinne V. 29. A plant Jesus Christ glorious in his divine Majesty and force who shall make his Church famous through his gifts and graces being her true tree of life See Isa. 11. 1. Jer. 23. 5. V. 31. Are men all the aforesaid things are to be understood spiritually with a relation to the soule of the elect and the salvation of it so that the correspondency which is betweene the sheep a bruit beast and the shepheard which is man is found in spirit between man and his God CHAP. XXXV Ver. 〈◊〉 MOunt towards the land of Idumaea or Edom. V. 5. Hatred against Israel See Ezek. 25. 15. Amos 1. 11. Of the children the Italian overthrowne the children that is to say hast assisted the Caldaeans in making a horrible slaughter of my people Psal. 137. 7. Ezek. 25. 12. that their the Italian at the fulnesse of their iniquity at which time the measure of my peoples sinnes being full I also caused my judgements to fall violently upon them Ezek. 21. 30. 31. V. 6. And bloud namely the sword and violent death V. 10. Two Nations thou hast perswaded thy selfe that thou shouldest possesse the land of Judah and of the ten Tribes Whereas the Lord the Italian though the sword though the Lord have taken it for his owne proper habitation placing his people there and his Temple with the signes of his presence V. 11. Make my selfe I will make my selfe knowne to my Church by new trials of my justice and power against her enemies and of my love and mercy towards her V. 14. So shall the Italian when the whole earth rejoyceth namely when I shall give all the world cause to rejoyce at my peoples deliverance and their re-establishment in their countrey then will I increase thy desolation This was partly verefied in the Idumaeans but hath been accomplished in the enemies of the Church whose curse and condemnation increased when salvation appeared to the elect and beleevers through Christ. CHAP. XXXVI Ver. 2. HAd said hath triumphed and scoffed at your desolation The high places the Italian the everlasting hils an epithet ordinarily given to high hils Gen. 49. 26. Deut 33. 15. Hab. 3. 6. by reason of their immovable firmenesse but by this figure is chiefly meant the Church founded upon Gods promises V. 3. And ye are taken up ye have been derided by prophane Nations V. 7. I have lifted that is to say I have heaven V. 8. Shoot forth you shall be endowed with new fruitfullnesse which my people shall enjoy being shortly to come out of captivity A figurative description of the happinesse which shall be in the world under the Messias in the behalfe of the Church V. 12. Thou shalt no more he attributes the desolation which happened to his people by hunger pestilence and warre to the countrey by a similtude of evill women that doe kill their burthen in their wombe V. 13. Devourest up as who should say an accursed countrey condemned to all manner of misery the inhabitants of which cannot live the Canaanites having first been rooted out of it and since that the Israelites V. 14. Thou shalâ— thou shalt no more be subject to those frequent calamities which have made thee infamous V. 17. As the uncleannesse which is extreamely abominable V. 20. They prophanâ—d Through their misery and slavery occasioned by their owne sins they have given their enemies occasion of blaspheming me as if I their God could not have saved them or as if I were not faithfull in my promises V. 21. I had pity For to free my Name from these imputations I have resolved to forgive my people and to re-establish them V. 23. Sanctifie I will cause my divine perfections to be knowne by the effects contrary to those slanders that my holy name may be respected and honoured by all men as it ought to be V. 24. I will take you By the returne from Babylon is figured and comprehended the salvation oâ— the Church by the Messias together with the abundance of all spirituall graces V. 25. I will sprinkle I will largely communicate my grace â—nto you and grant you pardon for all your sinnes parchased with the price of my Sonnes blood which was shed for the sinnes of the world Ephes. 5. 26. Heb 9. 14. 1 John 1. 7. V. 26. The stony heart namely The hard heart which hath beene inflexible to my spirit insensible of my Word and Judgements and impeneâ—â—ble to my grace Of flesh pliable and capable of being vivified and governed by my spirit as amongst naturall bodies there is none fitting nor apt to receive and containe the vitall spirit but â—nely the fleshly body V. 29. Save you By my free Justification I will free you from that punishment which your filthinesse deserves and by the sanctification of my spirit I will free you from the corruption and slavery of sinne I will call By mine Almighty Word I will cause all manner of good things to be brought forth unto you V. 32. For your sakes Not for any desert or worth that is in you V. 37. Be enquired that is to say The abundance of goods shall be such that they shall desire nothing but for to have a number of men sufficient to enjoy those goods V. 38. As the holy flocke Which was brought into Jerusalem at the three solemne feasts for sacrifices in innumerable quantity CHAP. XXXVII Vers. 1. IN the spirit namely In extasie and rapture of minde Bones Dead mens bones V. 3. Can these bones By any way or naturall power that thou knowest V. 4. Prophecie Be thou the instrument of mine Almightie Word by which in vision these bones shall seeme to thee to have life put into them for a signe that by my power my people shall be re-established in their former estate V. 7. Aâ—â—oyse A signe of Gods glorious presence shewing his power in a miraculous and supernaturall worke To his bone Joyning themselves againe to thir naturall joynts V. 9. To the wind the Italian To the spirit According to some to the soule of man and according to some to the holy Ghost it selfe whose personall property is to vivifie and cause all things to live Psal. 104. 30. From the foure For to signifie the restauration of the people from all those places where they had been scattered Breathe upon Send the soule and spirit of life into every one of these dead bodies by the operation of thy divine power Hee seemes to intend to represent the manner of the creating and infusing the soule into Adam described Gen. 2. 7. V. 11. Our bones Wee are destroyed beyond hope of restauration Wee are in Babylon like dried bones in sepulchres Psal. â—41 7. V. 16. One sticke Some little piece of boord or
all See Deut. 32. 34. Job 14. 17. V. 13. An unwise Son If this people were not foolish they would imitate little Infants which comming into the World doe help themselves and strive to free themselves out of the straights and dangers of the birth so should they likewise have endeavoured to free themselves out of their mortall dangers and travailes by true repentance V. 14. I will if they would but repent indeed Repentance my goodnesse towards them should never alter V. 15. Be fruitfull namely Ephraim He hath a relation to the signification of the name of Ephraim and to the blessing which Jacob gave him Gen. 41. 52. and 48. 19. His brethren namely the other Tribes East winde an impetuous and inavoydable desolation by the Assyrians who assaulted the Land of Israel towards the Wildernesse See Ezek. 19. 12. His Spring figurative termes whereof the meaning is that every one of Gods blessings which are the well-springs of all good things shall be taken away from them and consequently all manner of happinesse shall faile them He shall namely the Enemy signified by the East-winde CHAP. XIV Ver. 2. TAke with you I desire neither sacrifices nor offerings from you but doe you present before me a sincere Confession of your sinnes fervent Prayers to obtaine forgivenesse and sincere Actions of grace Take away pardon through thy Grace and alter by thy Spirit Receive accept out of thy fatherly favour the true witnesses and effects of our conversion Others grant c. Of our lips in stead of sacrifices of beasts we will yeeld unto thee the true and spirituall ones of praise and thanksgiving See Ps. 50. 14 23. and 69 30 31. and 116. 13 14. V. 3. Ashâ—r we will not put our confidence any longer in any humane meanes or power but in thee only See Hos. 5. 13. and 12 1. Upon horses to seeke reliefe from Egypt Isa. 30. 16. To the worke namely to the Idols The fatherlesse namely every person that wanteth a guide reliefe and sustenance as we doe V. 5. I will be I will water them with my graces and heavenly blessings V. 6. Lebanon A hill full of sweet smelling plants Cant. 4. 11. V. 7. Returne namely from their exiles where they were scattered and shall come together into the Church in Alessius his time and there they shall be safe under Gods protection Revive they shall increase and have children The sent thereof the Italian the remembrance of him namely God Hos. 12. 6. He meanes that the knowledge of Him and His Doctrine shall be alwayes most pleasing to his people like unto excellent wine Cant. 1. 2 3. Or God shall love the memory of his people very dearly V. 8. Ephraim shall c. the Italian O Ephraim what have I any more to doe with thou shalt joyne me no more with Idols as thou hast done heretofore I will alone be served in Spirit and truth 2 Cor. 6. 16. I am like the Italian I will be to thee like c. they shall finde all the good they desire in me As when a Tree bringeth forth good fruit and a pleasant shade Cant. 2. 3. Thy fruit this may be understood of the Elects good works brought forth in Them by the only power of Gods grace and Spirit John 15. 2 4. V. 9. The wayes the whole guide of his providence his works and judgments and also his Word and Doctrine are most holy things and good for men But they become an occasion of ruine and perdition to the wicked which doe abuse them through their incredulity and wickednesse Prov. 10. 29. Luke 2. 34. 2 Cor. 2. 16. 1 Pet. 2. 7. The Booke of the Prophet IOEL ARGUMENT THe holy History doth not specifie neither the time nor the occasion of Joels Prophecie The subject of which is to denounce the people 〈◊〉 generall dearth and famine caused by an extreme drought and by a generall spoile made by anextraordinary mixture of 〈…〉 sects Whereupon he calleth all persons of all age and conditions to mourne and humble themselves before God by Fastings Prayers and repentance Whereby he doth in Gods Name prophecye unto them that they shall obtaine ease and deliverance from that terrible scourge promising them that their afflictions and losses which they had endured for many yeares before should be restored them by a mighty plenty But especially according to the manner of Prophets he promises the Church abundance of the gifts of the Holy-Ghost under the Messias whereof the temporall goods were but only a token and pledge And withall the deliverance from all those evils which should happen in the World as well before Christs comming to judgement as also at the very comming by the finall condemnation of all Gods enemies which he most lively describes by a Propheticke Spirit And lastly perfect redemption sanctification and eternall happinesse in the Kingdome of Heaven CHAP. I. Ver. 2. YE old men who by reason of your old age have seen and heard many things V. 4. The Locust A description of a most great spoile made by these small vermine which joyned with an extreme drought had caused a most cruell dearth V. 6. A Nation A terme unproperly attributed to those insects Prov. 30. 25 26. V. 7. Cast it away having thus made them unprofitable men care not now for dressing them or to looke for any fruit from them V. 8. Lament O thou Jerusalem or Judea A virgin espoused and not yet had home or presently after her espousals V. 9. The meat offering the extreme dearth hinders them from furnishing the sacred offerings with Bread Wine and Oyle c. See Exod. 29. 40. Lev. 2. 1. Mourne partly because Gods service is interrupted partly also because they want their ordinary food which they got from the offerings and sacrifices V. 11. Husbandmen Or the Husbandmen are confounded and the Vine-dressers howle V. 12. Joy is he hath a relation to the feasts and merriments which were in harvest time and in time of vintage Isa. 16. 10 Jer. 48. 33. V. 14. Sanctifie appoint a time for this holy exercise and prepare your selves unto it by â—ll acts of piety and devotion The Elders namely the Magistrates and chiefe of the people V. 17. Is rotten because it could not bud up by reason of the extreme drought v. 19 20. V. 18. Of Sheep which otherwise feed in the most dry and barren places V. 19. The fire the drought hath burnt up the Countrey as if fire had gone through it The Pastures or the heards V. 20. Cry by reason of extreme drought A terme taken from Deere and other beasts CHAP. II. Ver. 1. BLow As it were to give notice of the comming of these insects that every one may prepare themselves to prevent the scourge by repentance and prayer to God to beare it constantly and patiently and to overcome it by faith in his grace V. 2. Of darknesse that is to say of most grievous calamity And may be he hath a relation to the comming
Mitre a Priestly ornament for the head Exod 28. 4. to shew that God besides his grace which was common to all the members of his Church did also adorne him with the gifts of his Spirit befitting his priestly charge Stood by as it were to have this his sentence put in execution Whereby is signified Christs assistance to the worke of the ministery in power and Spirit As to that also seemes to be referred his speaking alone in this place to shew that he alone doth all this worke and doth all things in all men and that he can alone pronounce the sentence and comfort the soule by his Spirit V. 7. Judge I will keepe thee in the Priestly degree of which the two chiefe parts were the government in Ecclesiasticall businesses and concerning the worship of God according as it is set downe in the Law Deut. 17. 12. 2 Chro. 19. 11. And the chiefe and continuall Ministery of holy things I will give thee After all this I will gather thee up into my heavenly glory with mine Angels the likenesse of which thou beholdest here in this vision V. 8. Thy fellowes namely The inferiour Priests For they are the Italian For you are I have appointed you to be in your own persons and actions a signe and representation of my Churches re-establishment by the Messias of which I will give you a particular instruction For behold He gives a reason why he had termed them signes and figures namely Because that in Christ was the accomplishment I will bring I will shortly send my sonne into the world who shall take upon him the forme of a servant to accomplish the worke of redemption Phil. 2. 7. The branch A frequent name of the Messias See upon Isa. 4. 2. V. 9. For behold The end of the sending of my Sonne shal be to lay the foundation of my Church upon him who was the fundamentall and corner stone Psa. 118. 22. Isa. 28. 16. figured by some especiall stone which was solemnlie put into the fabrick of Temple and in the presence of the Priests when it begun to be built up ugaine See Zech. 4. 7. 10. Upon one the Italian Upon that one As that materiall stone hath been set in the sight of Joshua and of other Priests So shall the eyes of my providence 2 Chro 16. 9. which is infinite and universall here signified by the number of seven Zech. 4. 10. and 5. 6. and 9. 1. be alwayes fixed upon Christ to maintaine favour and cause him to prosper in his Kingdome See Isa. 24. 6. and 49. 8. and 51. 16. I will engrave Words of God the Father who hath appointed his Sonne to be Mediator and hath confirmed upon his humane nature all the gifts of his Spirit for to performe it See Dan. 2. 34. 44. Heb. 9. 11. I will remove As in Joshua namely made fitting to undertake the Priesthood againe I have sanctified all my Church so by one onely oblation of my Sonne who was eternally consecrated high Priest I will purge all the sinnes of my Church See Heb. 9. 12. and 10. 12 24. In one day This is opposite to your figurative sacrifices which were namely times reiterated see Heb. 7. 27. and 9. 26 28. and 10. 10. V. 10. Shall yee call A figure of the spirituall peace and rest of the Church redeemed and reconciled to God by Christ Mich. 4. 4. CHAP. IV. Vers. 1. CAme againe It is likely that there was some space of time between those visions during which time the Prophet in his extasie was as it were asleepe that is to say without any light of Propheticke revelation without any action or motion of the spirit to him V. 2. A candlestick It seemes he would shew the mysticall meaning of Moses his candlestick Exod. 25. 31. to the description of the making whereof here are some parts added belonging to the mysterie The Candlestick is the Church the bowle above it is Christ who hath received of the Father the fulnesse of the Spirit signified by the oyle to powre it upon his Church Joh. 1. 16 and 3. 34. Acts 2. 33. And as the oyle is pressed out of the Olive which is as it were the lively spring of it so all these gifts and graces proceed from that Christ hath been annoynted and consecrated for an everlasting King and Priest the seven lamps are the severall operations of the Spirit in the faithfull all in fervencie of life and motion and in light of faith and understanding whose chiefe use is to carry the lampe of Gods Word in the world and to cause his glory to shine therein Mat 5. 15 16. Phil. 2. 15. The seven pipes are the severall meanes of the communication of the spirituall and mysticall power of Christ to his members Ephes. 4. 16. Seven pipes Which you must imagine to be in the bottome of the bowle to distribute the oyle to each lampe V. 3. By it the Italian Over it that is to say On the side of it but in such manner that the branches might hang above the bowle V. 5. Knowest thou not This is spoken to inflame the Prophets desire to know the truth of it and to shew him that this was the meaning of Moses his ancient candlestick of which he might by some meanes have learned the signification V. 6. This is This vision is especially directed to Zerubbabel to strengthen him in his charge of politick head of the people as the other was for Joshua the Ecclesiasticall head Not by night I have caused thee to see in this figure that the subsistance of my Church is not in the same kind as that of worldly Empires in force of armes and might but in a lively internall action of my Spirit wherefore be not dismaied in thy mind O Zerubbabel if worldly strength doe faile thee my spirit and power shall supply all as well for the re-establishment of the materiall temple as for the spirituall conduct and preservation of the Church see Hos. 1. 7. V. 7. Who art thou The Empires which oppresse the Church though they be great yet shall they be beaten downe by the stone Dan. 2. 34. which is Christ figured by Zerubbabel See Zech. 14. 10. Shall bring forth It shall be shewen to the world at the appointed time and exalted above all worldly greatnesse Dan. 2. 35. The head stone Or corner stone or front-stone see Psal. 118. 22. With The Angels the faithfull and all creatures rejoycing at Christs Kingdome established in the world shall desire God the Father to heape all manner of blessing and happinesse upon it See Psal. 118. 26. or they shall acknowledge and preach that the Father hath laid up in him all the treasures of his grace and gifts of his Spirit V. 9. That the Lord Seeing the Lord v. 8. is he that saith That the Lord hath sent him we must of necessitie conclude that there are here two persons the one the Sonne who is sent and the other the Father that
in this life Rom. 8. 3. V. 18. Till heaven a proverbiall kinde of speech as much as to say never whilest the world lasts as Iob 14. 12. Psal. 72. 5. till all till Gods will revealed in his word be perfectly fulfilled Isay 40. 8. Romans 3. 31. V. 19. Whosoever therefore hereproveth the Pharisees false doctrine who made a difference of Gods Commandements as if some were great and some small the transgressing of which should be of small moment Mat. 22. 36 and he sheweth that they have all the same character of divine authority and that they all binde equally though the degrees of the matter be diverse shall be called though he retaine the good foundation yet he shall lose much of Gods approbation and of the good esteeme of true beleevers who shall judge spiritually by my Gospell in the renewed state of my Church see 1 Cor. 3. 15 He opposeth this to the Scribes and Pharisees dignities which were grounded upon those arbitrary definitions of cases of conscience V. 20. The righteousnesse which was all set upon vaine ceremonies in arbitrary disciplines and in false shewes and in dead works without Gods spirit enter you shall not be true members of my spirituall Kingdome which I have established in my Church nor attaine to the Kingdome of glory V. 21. That it was said in the Text of the Law by Moses and then afterwards in the glosse which hath beene added thereunto by the Doctors which came after according to their owne carnall meaning whosoever in this glosse the Pharisees erred in two points first in that they only comprehended the full exterior act in the Commandement and not the inward motions nor the lesser acts of the same kind Secondly because they restrained mens consciences only in reverence of humane lawes and feare of the punishment inflicted thereby and did not direct them to God and his justice and so they did set all the observation of the Law in an outside of externall and hypocriticall discipline without any true pietie or uprightnesse of heart the judgement namely the sentence and punishment of three and twentie Iudges who had the cognizance of all criminall caules amongst the â—ewes V. 22. But I Christ doth not bring up a new meaning of the Law but only re-establisheth the internall and spirituall meaning which is eternall and was forgotten and unknowne See Rom. 7. 7. Whosoever to shew that the very first motions of sinne are deadly in rigour of Law though there be some diversity in the degrees of punishment hee makes use of the diverse degrees of capitall judgments which were in use amongst the Iewes and by judgment he meanes that of the three and twentie Iudges which had the cognizance of ordinary crimes by the consistory that of the seventie one Iudges who had the cognizance of crimes of a higher degree which concerned the publike as of a false Prophet a High-Priest an apostasie or the like and by hell fire or Gehenna he meanes that great Anathema by which the Malefactor besides his corporall death was accursed and appointed for the torments of hell without a cause that may be approved in Gods judgement Racha a Syriac word which signifieth voyd of understanding witlesse hell fire the Italian the Gehâ—nna of fire an Hebrew word which signifieth the valley of Hinnom which was a place by Ierusalem where Idolaters did burne their children to Molech whereupon by reason of the cruelty of this Idolatry the same name was attributed to hell See 2 Kings 2. 3. 10. Isay 30. 33. V. 23. Ought any cause of offence for any injury he hath receaved V. 24. And go to shew that mens wrath and hatred are so displeasing to God that he disalloweth of any service done him by any that are so disposed See Job 42. 8. V. 25. Agree as one that hath offended another doth very well to make a friendly composition for the injury giving some reasonable satisfaction before the judge gives his sentence seeing that afterwards he should be forced to pay what he is amerced without any remission so you men make your peace whilest you are in the world before God doth give his irrevocable sentence against the obdurate offender V. 26. Till thou hast that is to say never for man hath not wherewith to give satisfaction to Gods justice Mat. 18 25. V. 29 Offend thee do intice thee by thy lookes to offend God pluck it out this must be understood by way of comparison thus thou hadst better pluck it out then to be thereby induced to offend God and be in danger of losing thy soule and theréfore seeing there is nothing more deere to thee then thine eyes mortifie thine old man and renounce thy concupiscences that thou mayest save both body and soule See Mat. 19. 12. Rom. 8. 13. 1 Cor. 9. 27. Col. 3. 5. V. 30. Thy right hand the hand properly doth not induce to sinne but doth commit it and therefore by this so necessary and deere a part are meant and understood all manner of vehement affections and passionate motions and each deere and inticing respect all which things ought to be cut off rather then to sin V. 31. Let him give her this law doth not permit nor approve of divorces made without a cause but they being already in use amongst the people God tollerating them or taking no notice of them he hath in some manner set downe a rule therein to provide for the credit of the women which were put away by this writing which did cleere them from adultery and did set them at liberty that the husband breaking the bonds of marriage on his side the poore woman might also on her side be free to marry againe seeing that the returning to her first husband was utterly denied and forbidden her Ier. 3. 1. which was a curbe to that temerity V. 32. To commit before God and in respect of their conscience though not before men and in the civill and externall judgement V. 33. Forsweare the Pharisees had falsified the meaning of this law two wayes First in restraining it to false oathes sworne to harme other men without comprehending vaine and frivolous oathes then by reputing such for indifferent and as nothing which were not conceaved in Gods owne name but were sworne by creatures see Matth. 23. 16. 18. unto the Lord either directly in performing such things as thou hast vowed unto him or indirectly in all such things as thou hast promised thy neighbour in his name V. 34. Not at all seeing that an oath is an instrument of truth and of proofe and oftentimes very necessarie we must restraine this Commandement of Christs to voluntarie oathes not required by them who have authority vaine frivolous vitious and ill conceived c. Seeing those things which are set downe here have a relation to such oathes By heaven by way of assertion as in saying so sure as there is a heaven or as sure as there is light in heaven Or by way of execration
right according to Law ended controversies and punished exorbitancies V 23. The minstreâ—s they were certaine hired people which did play mournefull tunes at funeralls according to â—he custome of the Iewes 2 Chron. 35. 25. and of other Nations Verse 24. Is not dead In respect of mee and of my Dâ—vine power this death is but as sleepe I will revive her with my meere word as if she were but a sleep See Acts 20. 10. Verse 28. To doe this Namely to restore your eye sight unto you which was all their desire V. 30. See that See upon Matth 8. 4. V. 32. A dumbe either naturally dumbe and besides that possessed with an evill spirit or dumbe onely by the working of the evill spirit which possessed him Verse 34. Through the Prince Namely by Magicke art and by a covenant made with the chiefe of Devills called elsewhere Beelzebub by whose authoritie and power hee driveth out inferiour Devills Verse 36. Moved with compassion Not so much for their corporall labour in following of him as because hee knew them desirous to heare Gods Word which was not preached to them by their ordinary Teachers and Pastors V. 37. The harvest There are many who by the inward operation of the Holy Ghost are as it were already ripe and disposed to receave the Gospell and to be gathered into the Church as it were into the Lords barne V. 38. Send forth the Italian thâ—ust forth a terme which representeth Gods powerfull operation in stirring up and moving men to the painefull worke of the holy ministery See Jer. 20. 7. and also the necessitie which is imposed upon them of preaching the Gospell 1 Cor. 9. 16. and also the promptitude which is required therein CHAP. X. VER 2. APostles A Greeke word which sig 〈…〉 fied sent or deputed to doe some businesse Ambassadours So were the twelve called because they were to have no certaine abode and that their ministery was to be about the world as in a strange Country out of the Church to carry the Ambassage of Gods reconciliation and to gather his Elect together the first not onely in the order of the list as eldest and first called with Andrew Matth. 4. 18. but also as it should seeme in conduct and presidencie by the Lords owne disposing for the time they lived together for when they were separate there is no such thing spoken of and all without any superiority in degree and much lesse in domination is called by a sur-name given him by Christ Himselfe V. 3. Lebbeus Who is the same as is called Iudas the sonne of Iames the sonne of Alpheus Luke 6. 16. whos 's the Epistle is intituled of Saint Iude. It is thought that Lebbeus the Hebrew word and Thaddeus the Syriacke word are of one and the same signification that is to say a man of heart or of breast V 4. The Canaanite which is according to some of the Citie of Cana according to others it is the name of a Religion or Sect Namely of Zelotes or Zelautes as it is set downe Luke 6. 15. Wherewith the Hebrew Word may very well agree Iscariot it is not certainely knowne from whence this surname is taken Some interpret it a mercenarie Apostata Or the man that doth revolt or shall revolt â—or profit or for reward It may be he was so named by way of anticipation for his avarice which did appeare afterward Others a man of Cheriot a City of Juda Ios. 15. 25. V. 5. Goe not This and those things which follow are but onely concerning this mission or time they were senâ— Samaritans it was a mixture of Pagan Nations who after the captivitie of the tenne Tribes were brought in and seeled in their Country where they set up a false worship in the mountaine of Garzim See a King 17. 24 29. Iohn 4. 20 Whereupon it was but as a bastard Nation and held as Pagans V. 6. The lost That are in the way of perdition thorow their ignorance and by meanes of the false doctrines and evill conduct of their teachers Isaiah 53. 6. Ier. 5â— 6. V. 9. Your purses The Italian Girdles wherein anciently they carryed their money as in purses V. 10. Neither shooes In Saint Marke the Lord suffereth them to take shooes and a staffe in their hands Whereby it appeares that the meaning was plainely that they should speedily and freely take their journey without any pâ—eparation for to furnish themselves being sure that God would provide for all their wants being his Ministers V. 11. Is worthy That is to say prepared by Gods inward grace and vertue to receave the preaching of the Gospell with doâ—ilitie humility and a servent desire See 1 Cor. 3. 5. There with such a man yee goe the 〈…〉 namely out of that Citie or Castle V. 13. Returne Those desires and well wishings of yours being unprofitable to the house let them be as a witnesse before God of your zeale and good will V. 14. Shake off in token that you will have no communion with that Nation and also that Gods curse and vengeance shall bee powred downe upon them See Neh. 5. 13. V. 16. Aâ— Serpents See Gen. 3 1. the meaning is mix your simplicity and cleernesse of conscience towards me with warinesse towards men dâ— no man wrong and see that there be none done to you Provoke ye no man and keepe your selves from the worlds indignation by milde wayes retiring your selves and going away Finally beware of offering or suffering any violence which is incompatible with the true profession and preaching of the Gospell and if that both these vertues will not free you then remit your selves absolutely to God Harmelesse or sincere and innocent V. 17. But beware trust not nor associate not your selves with any that are against the Gospell suspect them alwayes for the hatred against the Gospell iâ— above all naturall or civill respects Beware therefore of them so farre as conscience and your vocation will suffer you Councels the Italian Consistories they were the Iewes Courts of judgement to whom it was permitted by the Romans to proceed against those who offended and did contrary to their law so farre as scourging but not to any capitall judgement nor punishment Mat. 23. 34. Acts 5. 40. and 22. 19. V. 18. For a testimony God shall suffer it and so dispose of it to the end that the Iewes who shall give you up and the Gentiles to whom you shall be given up may by your free confession of my name and truth have notice thereof and so be convinced and made inexcusable for their obstinacy V. 23. Flee ye quickly go into another place where you may performe your charge and doe not think it to be a lost labour to runne so up and down from place to place for in a short time I shall make the truth of my comming appeare Till the Sonne till it doth cleerely appeare especially to the elect that the promised Messiasis come in the flesh such sâ—all the power of
to whom the Prophets had denounced their extreame desolation Isay 23. Ezek 26 and 27. and 28. Repented not with a generall internall and spirituall repentance which the working of miracles cannot bring forth but is an effect of Gods Spirit co-operating with his word but only with an exteriour and disciplinary kinde of repentance which is nothing but being displeased and a forsaking of those great grievous sins which do fight against nature and civill and morall justice and do violate common society for which sins the Lord destroyed those nations Now this was sufficient to condemne the Iewes insensible and inflexible rebellion V. 22. But I say we must suppose those nations aâ—e indeed perished for their grâ—evous sins but at the last judgement the malignâ—ty of these rebels shall appear to be more cruâ—l shall be severely punished V. 23. Exalted by that incomparable blessing of having bin the place of aboad and ordinary conversation of the worlds Saviour V. 25. I thanke thee to the glory of thy divine Majestie I acknowledge thy Soveraigne power accompanied with justice wisdome and mercy in so much that thou hast not wrought upon the mindes and hearts of wise worldly men to give them a lively light of the mysteries of eternall salvation but upon soules of a weake understanding in worldly matters upon simple weake ignorant and contemptible people 1 Cor. 1. 27. V 26. Even so I doe not only acknowledge this truth but do also consent unto it and approve of it V. 27. Are delivered he meanes the universall Kingdome which he hath receaved from God his Father in the qualitie of a Mediator and especially over his Church to accomplish the salvation of it according to the Fathers everlasting decree No man knoweth namely the mystery of the sonnes person and consequently of the Holy Trinity As likewise his In carnation and all the properties of his office of Mediator is onely knowne by God by a proper naturall and perfect knowledge And all that men and Angells know thereof they know it but only of his meere good will and that which is revealed is done by the Sonne to whom it onely belongeth to reveale it as knowne to him by knowledge of nature and he onely having that property of being the Word of God Iohn 1. 1. and revealer of his secrets Psa. 2. 7. Iohn 1. 8. 1. V. 28. That labour in your soules and consciences by a lively feeling of your sins by the terrour of Gods judgments and the hardnesse of his scourges and punishments And also by a painefull and fruitlesse enquirie how you might satisfie Gods justice and obtaine his favour by your own proper works Isa. 55. 2 V. 29. Take Yeeld and submit your selves to me by obedience of saith laying aside all pride and rebellion 1 Cor 7. 22. and 9. 21. 1 Pet. 2. 16 Learne imitate my example in these vertues which are fitting and necessary for every Christian. V. 30. Is easie the Italian is pleasing or easie Namely to those that are regenerate whose sanctified will enclined by Gods Spirit doth no more oppose Christs Law which in the corrupt man is the only cause of the lawes severity towards him but rather consents unto it and sets his whole delight therin Rom. 7. 22. and 8. 7. and this yoake of Christs is opposite to the rigorous yoake of the law unsufferable withâ—u Christ Acts 15. 10. to the intolerable yoke of Pharisaicall orders Matth 23 4. and to the cruell and tyrannicall yoake of the Princes of the world Isa. 9. 3. and 10. 27. CHAP. XII VER 1. TO plucke according to the permission of the Law Deut 23. 25. V. 2. Is not the law did forbid them to dresse anâ— food upon the Sabbath day Exod. 16. 23. which the Pharisees did superstitiously extend to these petty actions of plucking and rubbing of eares of corne V. 3. Have ye not the meaning is the rigorous observation of ceremonies must yeeld to necessity when there is no contempt nor profane rebellion as David did without being reproved for it V. 5. Or have ye not Seeing God hâ—th not tied the officers of his Temple to the observation of the Sabbath they doing that day their most painfull and laborious services my servants and officers following me and serving me may also be free from the observation of it seeing that I am true God with my father and that my service sanctifieth these actions as the service of the Temple sanctified those V. 6. Is one namely I my selfe everliving God Lord of the Temple and the Messias who really and in truth am all that was figured by the Temple and the service belonging to it V. 7. If ye had another reason which hath a relation to the Pharisees cruell hypocrisie who thorow an ostentation of externall discipline went against charity not pittying the Apostles distresse who did eat ears of corne for meer necessity V. 8. For the he yeelds a reason for the Apostles innocency for if there were any sin in their act he was to judge of it being the Soveraigne Lord of all exteriour service and of the due observance of it And therefore since he did not finde fault with it they were not to cavill about it V. 10. To heale The Pharisaicall tradition did forbid the use of artificiall and naturall phisick upon the Sabbath day unlesse it were in cases of extreame necessity and now they doe superstitiously and malignantly apply the same to miraculous cures and healings See Luke 13. 14. Iohn 9. 16. V. 15. Them all that had need of being healed V. 16. And charged See upon Mat. 8. 4. V. 19. Not strive he shall not seek after worldly glory whereupon arise great strifes in the world hee shall proceed in all humility in himselfe and mildnesse towards others V. 20. Till he send till he be entred into possession of his everlasting kingdome to overcome and subdue all his enemies Vnto victory or everlastingly according to the phrase of the holy language V. 22. Blinde by the meanes of the devill which possessed him as Mat. 9 32. 17. 15. Luke 13. 11. V. 23. The Son the Ital. addeth the Christ the Son namely the promised Messias of Davids progeny V. 25. Beclzebub See upon Mat. 10. 25. V. 26. If Sathan the ground of this reason is because the Lord did drive devils out of mens souls by his saving doctrine as well as out of their bodies by his Almighty word wherefore one could not imagine that there was any collusion with the evill Spirit as Impostors often times do at whose instance the Devill comes out of a body to gaine any soules by seduction superstition false doctrine c. V 27. If I You shew your malice in judging evill of me because that having exorcists of your own nation which make profession of driving Devils out of men Acts 19. 15 and do not condemn them though you have no more reason to condemn mine actions thentheirs Now it is uncertain whether
these lewish Exorcists mentioned also in other histories did operate by any gift of God and calling upon his name or by some unlawfull art Christ also doth not approve of them nor reprove theÌ„ but is content with confuting his adversaries by the example of these V. 28. But if I if you do plainly perceave that I dispossesse the Devill of the tyrannie which he hath usurped over soules and bodies Acknowledge that I am that great and onely King of the Church who onely have power to subdue mine enemie and take away his prey from him which otherwayes and to every other man would be impossible V. 29. Or else if the kingdome of God were not come the devill could not be overcome and consequently could not be spoiled Enter words taken out of Isay 49. 24. V. 30. He that here Christ begins another discourse The meaning is all those that are not joyned to me are mine enemies there is no mean between these two waies yet some sin through ignorance and those may be pardoned 1 Tim. 1. 13. others through hatred and malice against the light motion of the H. Ghost and in such the sin is irremissible Gathereth not he that doth not concurre with me in my work doth spoile and undoe it as far as in him lieth Or he that seekes his salvation any where but in me shall lose it everlastingly V. 31. Wherefore because that in this contrariety between you me you may fall in an extream degree which is irremissible I will give you notice of what nature this sin is that you may take heed of it Forgiven may be pardoned by true conversion in faith and repentance Against the that is to say against his action and proper operation which is to enlighten inwardly and to seale Gods truth within the heart giving it some relish there of and exciting some motion of Gods grace in it See Heb. 6. 4. 10 29. Shall not the cause whereof is Gods will who hath not appointed two regenerations or spirituall resurrections Nor hath not promised to begin again the work of his grace which was brought so farre as the gift of the Spirit when it is once destroyed by a generall apostacy and utter extinguishing of the gift V. 32. Speaketh shall out of his ignorance without illumination of the Spirit have thought or uttered blasphemy against Christ. See 〈◊〉 Tim 1. 13. Against the Son not only against his person and his offices but chiefly against that which iâ— his proper operation namely his word which he doth outwardly reveal and teach as being the word and wisdome of God But whosoever that hath loosened the reines to the extreame wickednesse of his heart in words of blasphemy and outrage against God and his truth of which he hath had the seale and knowledge in his heart by Gods Spirit which is the extreame sinne of the devill and the damned and the very height of the wickeds malice Neither in this world that is to say never as S. Mark saith Or in this world by the effectuall application of the ministery of the Gospell and by finding the peace of conscience nor in the other by Christ his sentence at the last judgement See Acts 3. 19. 1 Thess 3. 13. U. 33. Make the that is to say put the case or grant that the tree be good or bad the fruits will be like it therefore seeing you are perverse you can neither thinke nor speak but perversely of me and of my workes V. 36. Idle word vaine and unprofitable word which serveth neither for the glory of God nor for the edifying of ones neighbour how much more then of blasphemous words V. 37. By thy this seemes to be taken from such judgements in which malefactors are absolved or condemned according to their answers and confessions But the Lord doth extend it to a more generall sense namely that in Gods judgement man shall be judged by his words as the neerest and most ordinary effects and signes of what is in his heart V. 38. We would see a demand for curiosity or for a prophane cloak for their incredulity As much as to say worke some miracle as may be beyond all exception doubt or contradiction V. 39. Adulterous that is to say disloyall in Gods service Isay 57. 3. or a bastard and degenerate generation But the signe instead of the miracle which you desire I will give you an instruction by the figure of Ionah For as he after he had beene three dayes in the fishes belly went out to preach the will of God to the Ninivites so three dayes after my death I will rise againe Or by my resurrection Rom. 1. 4. I will convince all that shall contradict me and it shall be an undoubted evidence of the truth of my word V. 40. In the heart that is to say in the earth a popular kinde of speech for Christs sepulcher being hewne out of a rock was rather above then under ground V. 41. Shall condemne it that is to say their example shall serve to aggravate this peoples rebellion See Ier. 3. 11. Ezek. 16. 51. Rom. 2 27. V. 43. When the after Christ had confuted his malignant adversaries upon the occasion of the possessed mans deliverance he instructeth the people wishing them to beware that the devill have not any occasion to returne by Gods just judgement upon any new sinne for in that case the precedent benefit will aggravate the new ingratitude And under this figure he teacheth all them who have been delivered from the devils spirituall tyranny to beware left they fall into it againe for that he being driven out of his old habitation will endeavour to come into it againe with greater fury and ruine Now this threatning set forth to terrifie all men takes effect in none but only in such whose faith is but only for a time not lively nor soundly rooted as the elects is in whom Christ dwelleth and never departeth from them Dry places receptacles of evill spirits which are driven out of heaven and are not yet shut up in the infernall cloisters See Isay 13. 21. and 34. 19. Rev. 18. 2. and wandring in this lower part of the world to tempt seduce and hurt men taking no delight nor rest but in doing evill See 1 Pet. 5. 8. V 44. Empty Of Christ and of his Spirit to whoÌ„ as to the stronger he had yeelded the place Swept figurative tearmes as much as to say made ready to receive him all vertues which are hinderances and odious to the devill being rooted out and vices established thereâ—n instead of them V. 45. Seven that is to say a great number many spirits often possessing one body See Mark 5. 9. and 16. 9. V. 46. His brethren according to some they were his neerest kinsmen But yet some ancient write 〈◊〉 have beleeved they were some of Iosephs children which he had by a former wise and so commonly held to be Iesus his brethren seeing that Ioseph was held to be his
Palestine and Syria was for the most part inhabited by the reliques of the ancient Canaanites who in those dayes used the Greeke tongue and rites which were brought into that Countrey by Alexander and his successors Kings of Syria V. 23. Answered her not to try and sharpen her faith the more Send her away granting her request V. 24. I am not sent my fathers will is that whilest I am in this world I should direct my ministery and distribute my favours only upon the Israelites Rom. 15. 8. V. 26. To dogges To prophane and uncleane persons such as the Pagans were in their false religion and customes in respect of the people of God which were adopted and sanctified by him V. 27. Truth Lord a confession of her unworthinesse not to be quite put off without any hope as the wicked are when they be convinced but to come on with a more fervent invocation joyned with a deepe humility V. 29. Vnto the sea namely unto the lake of Genazereth V. 32. Three dayes in which time it is likely they had spent all their provision which they had brought with them V. 36. Gave thanks by this word is meant the same as by the word blessing Matth. 14. 19. namely the act of piety which was used before meales as an acknowledgement and praise to God for his benefits CHAP. XVI VER 1. TEmpting not with an upright intention to be instructed and conformed but with a temerary essay to try Christs power whose ordinary miracles they did vilifie and cavill at and for to have a pretence for their incredulity if hee denied their request as hee had formerly done Matthew 12. 39. as if it had beene for want of power V. 3. Ye can though the conjecture of the future temper of the aire be of it selfe very uncertaine yet men by long custome have observed certaine naturall signes which doe seldome faile Why doe not you then use the same industry to gather the signes of the Messias his comming which signes are given by the Prophets by the succession and termination of times and in Saint Iohn Baptists preaching by the properties and circumstances of my person and of my workes and doctrines if so bee you doe sincerely desire to bee cleered of it But all that you doe is nothing but meere hypocrisie V. 5. They had They found they had forgotten Verse 7. They reasoned as wondering at it Or they argued as laying the blame upon one another by a double errour First because they thought Christ had forbidden them to make use of the same bread as the Pharisees did Secondly because that they mistrusted they should want food because they had not then provided any V. 13. Philippi this 〈◊〉 set downe to make a distinctio between two Cities oâ— one name whereof one hath bin built by Heroâ— the Great and the other by Philip the Tetrarch his â—on neere unto Lebanon V. 14. Iohn risen againe from the dead V. 17. For slesh that is to say no humane light understanding or vertue which is in thee or any man else Thus often times is called all that is in man and that proceedeth from him through his own pure naturall beginnings which without the work of regeneration and oâ— Gods Spirit are in regard of spirituall things like unto a body without light understanding and motion V. 18. I say also in exchange of that thou hast confessed me I tell thee that as I have given thee this sirname of Peter Iohn 1. 42. for a signe of the stedfastnesse of faith which I will grant thee Luke 22. 32. and of the office of Apostle accompanied with the infallible light and guide of the holy Ghost I will cause the doctrine of this selfesame faith to be the foundation of my Church authenticall truth worthy to be beleeved without any further proofe as immediately inspired by God and the rule oâ— every ones doctrine Now as Pet 〈…〉 hâ—d spoken in the name of all the Apostles for a signe and proofe of their unity of faith So Christs answer belongeth to them all in regâ—rd of their common doctrine and equall Apostleship See Rom. 15. 20. 1 Cor. 3 10. Ephel 2. 20. Rev. 21. 14. The gates that is to say according to the phrase of Scripture the Devils Citty opposite to the City of God spoken of before and 〈◊〉 the gates thereof spoken of hereafter and thereby is meant his kingdome his endeavours his deceipts his plots and the devices of his whole faction V. 19. I will give unto thee I will make thee the steward of my Gospell and of the spirituall goods of my house an office signified by carrying the keyes Isay 22. 22. Rev. 3. 7. So is the doctrine of faith called he key of the kingdome of heaven â—uke 11. 52. and the Ministers of the Gospell the Steward 's Luke 12. 42. 1 Cor. 4. 1. Tit. 1. 7. 1 Pet. 4. 10. Bâ—nde a similitude taken from masters of great houses who had authority over their â—lâ—ves to punish them with imprisonment stockes or any other way to shew the authority of the ministery of the word Mat. 18. 〈◊〉 Iohn 20. 23. over the members of the Church for to exercise a reasonable discipline over them to tye and captivate their consciences by censures and denunciations of Gods judgements and exclude them from the externall communion of the Church by excommunication for their errours or to restore them and set them free upon their conversion and repentance and all this ministerially and declaratively by power of and according to the rule of their commission not absolutely and out of a full liberty and power Others understand the word binding for to declare a thing to be unlawfull and by the word loosing to suffer a thing that is lawfull the conscience being bound by the forbidding and loosened by the permission V. 20. Charged he it should seeme he did it because hee would remaine unknowne for that little space of time untill his death and to make as it were a pause in manifesting himselfe to the world to give way to the execution of Gods councell concerning his rejection and suffering by the Iewes V. 22. To rebuke him driven thereunto by his love to Christ more carnall than spirituall and thorow his naturall â—ervencie which savoured of rashnesse and presumption and the false hope â—ee conceaved of Christs worldly kingdom and being fearfull of the Crosse. V. 23. Satan a proverbiall kind of speech used when one would reject an evill and pernicious councellour who either wittingly or ignorantly made himselfe and instrument of the Devil See 2 Sam. 19. 22. An offence a disturber and hinderance as fat as in thee lieth of my vocation Thou savourest not thy judgement and affections are yet but carnall both groveling as yet upon the earth and not enlightned by the Spirit of God in divine and heavenly things V. 24. Deny that is to say let him lay aside all manner of presuming upon his owne understanding and for sake all
effects of these my predictions And if these evils doe last long persevere in saith and be watchfull to expect my comming ever◠houre and to prepare your selves for 〈◊〉 for my words shall be fulfilled I give you no particular signe of the moment of it for that is a secret which God will not have revealed to men V. 36. My father Mark 13. 32 The sonne excludes himselfe from this knowledge not that he wanteth any divine perfections 〈◊〉 of knowledge or any other Iohn 5 20 but because his office of Doctor of the Church would not beare him out in the declaring of it V. 40. Then shall there shall be this dissimilitude betweene these dayes and Noahs dayes that the distinction of those who shall be saved and of those who shall perish shall not be by companies or families as Noah and Lot saved all their families but every one shall be saved by his own faith and pure conscience and shall perish by the vices which are contrary thereunto See Hab. 2. 4. Matth. 25. 9. Be taken gathered up by the Angels into the kingdome of heaven V. 41. Be grinding according to the custome of those dayes which was to imploy their bondmen and bondwomen in grinding at handmils Exod. 11. 5. Isay 47. 2. Now it seems that the Lord would shew that Gods election doth extend it selfe to all sorts of persons and separates the most joyned V. 42. Watch be in a perpetuall actuall exercise of faith and be fittingly prepared to receive your Saviour V. 43. What watch See upon Mat. 14. 25. V. 45. Hath made these words are directed to the pastors of the Church and teachers of Gods word and ministery of his grace Matth. 16. 19. whereof the two principall vertues are also pointed at faithfulnesse in the substance of the ministery and prudency in the manner of exercising of it to salvation and edifying V. 47. Shall make him by the figure of the custome of men in preferring faithfull servants to be overseers of a great houshold he points at the state of glory to which faithfull sheepherds shall be exalted in the kingdome of heaven above the ordinary members of the Church V. 48. If that evill the Lord seemes to point at some singular particular person that should usurpe a tyrannie over the Church and should change the spirituall service into a temporall domination and carnall delights Rev. 18. 7. V. 51. Cut him asunder from all communion of his house and from his favour See Deut. 29. 21. With the hypocrite who having been till then mixed with the true beleevers and hidden under faire shewes like unto that disloyall servant under the cloak of being Christs minister shall be punished with eternall punishments See Mat. 25. 32. CHAP. XXV VER 1. THe kingdome namely the state of the Church wherein God reigneth in his Sonnes person Tenne Virgins a similitude taken from the fashion used at weddings at which anciently the maidens which were the brides kinswomen and acquaintances went forth with Lampes and Lights in great troopes to meet the bride-groome when hee came to the brides house to have her away to his owne house which was commonly done in the night time Now the bride-groome is Christ the time of the wedding is at his last comming the night is the Churches estate in the world the Virgins are they that make profession of the purity of the Gospell the wise Virgins are they that are provided in their hearts with instructions in faith and prety and with the gift of the Spirit which is the oyle that burneth not howsoever alwayes in actuall exercise The foolish ones are they that have neglected to gaine or preserve the foresaid gift of the Spirit in the Church the lampes are the hearts the sleeping and slumbering is the slackning or ceasing from continuall exercises of piety and expecting of Christ which is caused by the infirmity of the flesh thorow Christs long staying V. 9. Not so whereby is shewed that every one shall live by his owne faith and not by other mens Hab. 2. 4. Goe ye provide some yet if you can from him that furnisheth every one namely from God for every one receaveth onely for his owne share Not that that minute of time will suffer any such new providing And buy see upon Isay 55. 1. V. 14. Travelling into this voyage is a figure of Christs ascent and abode in heaven Matth. 21. 33. And delivered whereby is showne Christ his distribution of the gifts and graces of his Spirit 1 Cor. 12. 7. Ephes. 4. 8. to be imployed to the advancement of Gods glory to the edification of his Church and increase of gifts in him that hath them◠whereof at his comming must be given a most strict account V. 15. According to proportionably according to his calling accompanied with some speciall gift for to manage it V. 21. Into the joy namely into everlasting happinesse Heb. 1◠2. V. 24. That thou art this is spoken onely for the making up and framing of the parable and cannot be any wise applyed to Christ unlesse it be to shew that he is a severe judge against those that lose or do not cause his graces to increase unlesse here be some mark of Gods right in demanding of man obedience and service at the fruit of originall justice which was conferred upon Adam in his first creation which he lost by his owne default though God do not give it againe to every one as he commeth into the world V. 27. Thou oughtest this also is only spoken for to make up the similitude V. 34. From the an ordinary phrase to say from all eternity before any time was Ephes. 1. 4. 2 Tim. 1. 9. V. 35. For I was not that workes are indeed the cause of salvation Rom. 3. 20. Ephes. 2. 9. 2 Tim. 1. 9. Tit. 3. 5. but because they are the true fruit of a lively faith in Christ the onely author of salvation in whom and by whom the faithfull are the children of God and their persons are made acceptable and their works brought forth by Christs Spirit are approved of and crowned through grace V. 37. When saw we to shew that the Lord worketh in this reward of grace beyond all humane apprehension and imagination and how much more beyond the worth of any worke and without any merit of the person See Ephes. 3. 20. V. 40. Vnto me for you have done it for my sake and in regard of me Mat. 10. 40. 42. and that all beleevers are one and the same spirituall body with Christ their head V. 41. For the devill from hence as well as from other passages may be gathered that there is a chiefe of the apostated and evill spirits See Mat. 12. 24. CHAP. XXVI VER 3. Assembled together in publike Senate or great Councell which judged of the most weighty matters as of a false Prophet such an one as they judged Christ to be And this Senate consisted of seventy Iudges besides the High Priest and
singing the third verse of the twelfth Chapter of Isaiah and from thence it should seeme that the Lord took this occasion of speaking of these spirituall waters V. 38. Haith said these words formally are not set downe in Scripture but seeme to be gathered from divers places as Isay 35. 15. and 44. 3. in which under the figure of waters are promised the abundance of the gifts of the holy Ghost which should be powred upon the Church by the Messias whereby there should be as it were a living spring of all manner of good works framed in each beleever V. 39. The holy Ghost namely this rich abundance of the graces of the spirit as well those which were common to every beleever under the Gospell in regeneration illumination c. as the particular ones to certaine persons in the Church in power of doing miracles in prophecying in speaking of strange languages c. See Acts 19. 2. Because that See upon Iohn 16. 7. V. 40. Many namely by a certaine confused and obscure inspiration from God to judge of Christ as of a divine person V. 42. David was where the residence of his fathers houshold was V. 52. Of Galilee of whence they judged Christ and his Disciples to be by reason of their ordinary abode in that place CHAP. VIII VER 6. TEmpting him to overtake him howsoever he had answered For if according to his wonted clemency in pardoning penitent beleevers their sins he had spared the woman they would have accused him for sparing malefactors and doing things contrary to the law And if he had condemned her they would have taxed him with contradicting his own doctrine and his ordinary practise Or that he usurped the publike authority Wrote he seemes to do it as it were in signe of contemning those things which they alledged unlesse there be some more secret sense in it As for to shew that sinne which is written before God Isay 65. 6. and graven as it were with a steele Ier. 17. 1. is pardoned and blotted out by Christ by means of faith and repentance even as easily as a writing slightly made in the dust V. 7. He that is Christ here makes no law for the Judges and witnesses that they should not prosecute malefactors unlesse they be altogether guiltlesse But leaving the law of God in iâ—s force the execution of which did not belong to him hee contents himselfe with doing his office in convincing these hipocrits severe censurers of others and in the meane time they themselves spotted with many sins and wicked tempters of Christ and in correcting this woman Cast a stone according to the law Deut. 17. 7. V. 11. Neither do I namely for the externall and corporall judgement which did not belong unto him Insisting only upon the inward condemnation of the conscience to bring her to repentance wherein he fulfilled the worke of the law and of the Gospell together V. 13 Is not cannot be held valuable and certaine V. 14. â—oâ— I know and a witnesse must speake of certaine knowledge But ye your resusing to receive my witnesse proceeds from that you malitiously suppresse the notice which I have given you of my divine calling and of the full accomplishment thereof by my future glorification And thus ought to be reconciled Iohns saying 7. 28 with this V. 15. Yee judge yee taske me with false or not sufficient witnesse and I have more and better reason to reprove you for your false and perverse judgements of things belonging to God without any light or guide of his spirit but only out of your own fleshly understanding but I doe forbeare as he saith afterwards I judge in mine office of Mediatour I doe not proceed against you nor against any one else as arigorous and criminall judge as mine authority would well extend unto it mine end is to save by instruction exhortation conversion and not to lose by judgement and condemnation See Iohn 3. 17. V. 16. Alone that is to say separate from God my Father Which ought to be understood as well in regard of the unitie of the essence as of the perfect union of the will of the Father in his glory and of the Son in his quality of Mediator V. 17. Is true that is to say sufficient to be believed in judgement V. 18. Beareth witnesse namely by his Prophets but especially by his divine power wherewith hee hath endowed my person and accompanieth my ministery as well in words as in deeds V. 19. Yee neither know yee neither have nor will receave any light nor knowledge of my person office and doctrine by which only you might gaine the saving knowledge of God and therefore it is in vaine to speake to you of my Father Verse 20. In the Treasury See upon Marke 12. 41. V. 22. Will be kill that is to say will hee goe out of the world as Iohn 7. 35. they had said wil he goe into a farre Country V. 23. Yee are from being worldly by birth by nature and affection you are uncapable of raising your selves up to heaven from whence I am and whither I go directing all my beleevers thither V. 25. That I said that is to say even from the beginning of my vocation I told you that which I tell you still that I am the Sonne of God the Messias the Saviour V. 26 I have I could by many reasons convince your malice and prove the truth of my word but because you are unworthy of it by reason of your hardnesse I will content my selfe with the witnesse my Father beareth of mee and mine owne proper knowledge Ver. 28. When yee that is to say after yee have crucified mee I shall make you finde by the effect what my person and power is Rom. 1 4. V. 29. And hee hitherto my Father heareth witnesse sufficiently of the office which hee committed to mee and of my faithfullâ— executing of it V. 30. Believed with a transitory faith and for a time without any lively roote as appeares by the Lords ensuing discourses See Matthew 13. 20 21. V. 32. Yee shall know yee shall be enlighthed by the Holy Ghost in the lively knowledge of the truth of the Gospell by which you shall bee freed from the bondage of sin the devill and death See Rom. 8. 2. V. 33. Were never wee are of the blessed progeny to whom liberty and domination is promised Gen. 25. 23. and therefore nobody hath any right to bee Lord over us but only God The subjection wee now are in and have bin in at other times hath alwayes been by oppression and violence and not by any just title V. 34. Is the servant you thinke upon nothing but onely upon the right of temporall liberty but I speake to you of the spirituall liberty whereof man depriveth himselfe giving himselfe over to sinne which makes him his slave and takes away from him the title of Sonne of God and excludes him oâ—â— of Gods house and inheritance aâ— it is seene in you
nameth because tâ—at Christs life was knowne by all men but not his Resurrection V. 24. Which knowest that knowest what every man is inwâ—rdly either by his owne nature or by the working of the Spirit in gifâ—â— and qualities proper for any vocation Chosen not onely destinated by thy will in thy Councell but also marked and endowed with proportionable and necessary gifts whatsoever which are the foundation of a lawfull calling V. 25. To his owne place Namely of eternall damnation V. 26. They gave forth inspired thereunto by God Himselfe that the vocation might come from him that governeth the lots Prov. 16. 33. for the immediate vocation from God was one of the qualities required in the Apostleship Gal. 1. 1. Was numbred Not to be made an Apostle but onely to be acknowledged for such a one CHAP. II. V. 1. PEntecost a greek name which signifieth the fiftieth day Namely after the Passe 〈…〉 For as fiftie dayes after the first Passeover celebrated in Aegypt God gave his Law for a certaine form of his service and to governe the people whom he had gotten Exodus 12. 6. and 19. 1 11. So fifty dayes after the slaying of Christ the true Lambe of God the Holy Ghost was sent to bring in the spirituall service and to governe the Church after bee had redeemed it by the spirit of grace and liberty disannulling the predanticalnesse of the Law with its figures and in its bondage Gal. 4. 6. Were all it seemes this should be restrained to the Apostles â—â—ly called to the service of the Gospell and the use of tongues therein Verse 2. There came to move them to coâ—â—der of the comming of the HOLY GHOST as a divine and miraculous worke and dispose thâ—â— to receave it in humilitie and reverence and to shâ—â— them the force of it in their owne ministerie Iohn 3. 8. with some conformitie to that which happened in mount Sina when the Law was given Exod. 19. 16. V. 3. Cloven tongues a figure of the office and Talent of preaching the Gospell in diverse 〈…〉 ges miraculously infused into the Apostles and 〈◊〉 in one language as anciently under the Law Aâ—â— that for a remedy to the curse of the division of lâ—â—guages Genesis 11. 7. by which a great part of the world was separated from the communion of God and of the Church and all in the purenesse and power of the Holy Ghost represented by the 〈◊〉 See Isa. 6. 6 7. Ier. 5 14. V. 4. With the Holy Ghost Namely with the gifts and graces of it Gave them not only 〈…〉 ing in them the sounds of strange words but giving them also the understanding of the meaning 1 Cor. 14. 4. and it should seeme that it was not an habituall and perpetuall qualitie imprinted in them as in thâ—se languages that are learned by studie and practice but an actuall gift which shewed it selfe when the motion of the H. Ghost came upon them seconding their sanctified desire Verse 5. Were dwelling there were come thither and staid there for the feast Or were come thither to dwell thorow devotion Acts 6. ver 9. and 9. 29. Every Nation Namely out of every Countrie the IEWES being dispersed into diverse provinces though they were all of the very same Nation V. 6. Noised abroad the Italian That sound Namely the sound mentioned verse 2. which questionlesse was heard about the Citie Other the report thereof being noised abroad Were confounded that is to say they wondred and were sore amazed Verse 7. Galileans Of birth and ordinarie remaining there and therefore hold to be simple and grosse people Ioh. 1. 46. Verse 9. Elamites people of Persia. V. 10. Strangers dwelling in Rome though Iewes by Nation Jewes it should seeme they did thus divide all the soresaid Nations into these two generall kindes namely into native Iewes and proselyte Iewes which were Iewes by profession Mat. 23. 15. V. 11. The wonderfull workes the high mysteries of Gods doctrine See Hos. 8. 12. Verse 14. Hearken to The Italian Receave that is to say give mee audience and conceave well what I speake V. 15. The third houre Namely before noone an houre not very convenient for drunkennesse See Eccl. 10. 16. Isa. 5. 11. V. 24. Having loosed that is to say having delivered him from the dolorous estate of death in which hee was held as in bonds For calamities are called bonds or prisons Iob 13. 27. and 42. 10. Psal. 69. 33. and therefore in the Hebrew there is great affinitie betweene the word paines and bonds Because it was not Seeing his perfect righteousnesse accomplished in his voluntary death and his God head Whereof the first is the meriting cause and the second the efficient cause of his life and Resurrection V. 27. My soule namely my person considered in its mortall part which is the body In Hell the Italian In subterraneall places by this word is often meant the grave and the state of the dead To see to suffer that totall destruction of a putrified body reduced to dust by death Verse 28. With thy that is to say fully discovering unto mee and communicating unto mee the fruition of the glory of thy Kingdome Which is called seeing the face of God Psal. 17. 15. 1 Cor. 13. 12. V. 29. Patriarch that is to say a head of a Nation So were the chiefe amongst the ancient Fathers called Acts 7. 8 9. Heb. 7. 4. Dead therefore those so pregnant termes of the 16. Psalm can not belong to him in their proper and naturall sence Ver. 30. According to the in his humane nature whereby wee ought to inferre that in Christ there is another nature which is his divine nature V. 33. By the right hand that is to say by his infinite power this may bee referred either to the full possession of the gifts of the Holy Ghost in his humane nature glorified Iohn 3. 34. Or to the power which hee hath obtained in his whole person after he went up into heaven to be the giver out or distributer of Gods Spirit This which those gifts and that vertue of the H. Ghost by which we speake and operate Ver. 34. Is not bodily nor to bee established head of the Church raigning from Heaven over it V. 37. They were pricked convinced with griefe and with remorse of Conscience V. 38. In the Name not only for a signe of the profession of Christians but also to participate of his spirituall vertue in the washing away of your sins with which he accompanieth and ratifieth the externall Ceremonie of those who are his The gift that is to say those first motions of the spirit of regeneration shall bee followed by a great increase of light and vertue and also by miraculous gifts which God communicated in those primitive dayes to those which receaved Baptisme Acts 4. 3â— and 8. 15. and 10. 44. and 19. 6. Ephes. 1. 13. V. 39. The promise Seeing that as you are Abrahams children you are within Gods covenant You ought to
acknowledge Christ to bee the head and foundation of this covenant and by this meanes hope for the benefit thereof and especially the gift of the Spirit Shall call Namely by his Gospell So he doth restraine the Israelites to whom the promises are directed onely to those who by Gods gift beleeve in Christ. See Rom. 9. 8. Gal. 4 28. Ver. 40. Save your selves quickly joyne your selves to the Church withdrawing your selves from the corrupt societie of unbeleeving Iewes that you may not participate of their sinnes and plagues Rev. 18. 4. V. 41. Were added namely to the body of the Church V. 42. Doctrine in the hearing publike exercisâ—s and profession thereof Fellowship of holy assemblies and other sacred actions And generally in christian societie and all the duties thereof both spirituall and temporall In breaking a phrase taken from that which God did at his last Supper Matth. 26. 26. used to signifie the celebration of the holy Supper together with which in those dayes were made certaine feasts of Charity Sec Acts 20. 7 11. 1 Cor. 11. 21. 2 Pet. 2. 13. Iude 12. V. 43. Feare came they were all dismaied at this new and miraculous estate increase gifts miracles and power of the Church whereupon no man durst to molest or hinder them V. 44. Common this community was not of all the goods of all beleevers but of that part which every one would consecrate for the publick necessities or of thole of particular persons Acts 5. 4. and was used only in Ierusalem in those first beginnings And we doe not reade that it was made a president for other times and places V. 27. Asshould be according to the everlasting election Others those who saved themselves namely those who according to the exhortation of v. 40 did reduce themselves into the Church there to seek for their salvation CHAP. III. VER 1. THe ninth namely three a clock in the afternoone Of a prayer the Iewes having three houres in the day appointed for prayer Whereof see up on Psal. 55. 17. and of this ninth houre Acts 10. 3. 30. V. 2. Beautifull by v. 11. it appeares that it was the gate which was in the first Court towards the East where Solomons Porch was See upon Iohn 10. 23. V. 4. Looke on us a word which questionlesse was accompanied by some internall motion of the Holy Ghost to kindle in him some spark of 〈…〉 i th V. 6. In the name I speake by his authority and commission and by his power my word shall take effect V. 11. Held thanking them and witnessing his acknowledgement and affection The Porch which was at the comming in of the Easterne gate of the Temple where the greatest concourse of people was See Acts 5. 12. Ver. 13. Denied him that is to say you refused him for your King Iohn 18. 40. and 19. 14 15. V. 16. His Name that is to say he himselfe his power Through faith through the faith of us Apostles and of the lame man himselfe faith being a disposition and condition necessary in man for to have the work of God take effect in him See Phil. 3. 9. Which is by him which is his gift by his spirit Or which hath all its being and power from him who is the true object and foundation of it V. 17. Ye did it he speakes of the common sort of people for otherwise a great many had sinned against their owne conscience Ioh 7. 28. and 15. 22. And not altogether excusing their offence he doth notwithstanding give them hope of pardon which is altogether denied to those as reject or deâ—y Christ out of pure malice against the light and internall motion of the Spirit Matthew 12. 31. See 1 Tim. 1. 13. V. 19. When the times not that the remission of sinnes be put off till then but because it shall be publikely declared and shall bring forth its eternall effect of life and glory See upon Mat. 12. 32. Of refreshing a figurative terme taken from worke-men who in the evening doe retire into the shade and to rest after the labours and travails of this life Luke 16. 25. Revel 7. 15. 16. From the presence Namely that eternall happinesse being granted to all the elect by the full revelation of Gods face 1 Corin. 13. 12. 1 Ioh. 3. 2. V. 20. Shall send againe into the world to judgment to gather up all his Church into Heaven 〈◊〉 preached that is to say was set before you and p 〈…〉 as it were into your hands by the preaching of the Gospell V. 21. The Heaven his humane nature residing in heaven and no more upon earth Of re 〈…〉 Namely of the accomplishment of Christs Kingdome by which all the disorders and ruines which sinne hath brought into the world shall be repaired and restored See Rom. 8. 20. Since the the Greek after the age which may also be translated from ancient times V. 24. Of these days namely of the Messias his spirituall Kingdome and especiallie of the accomplishment of it in heaven V. 25. The children of the stock of the Patriaches their heires and fellowes of the covenant made with them for all their posterities V. 26. Sent him presented him for your salvation by the preaching of the Gospel To blesse you the Italian First to bless you be fore the Gentiles Mat. 10. 6. Act. 1. 8 and 13. 46. with that spirituall and heavenlie blessing which was promised to Abraham Christ being the holy seed which is the foundation and roote of that blessing which was to bee spread over all the earth Gâ—l 3. 9 14. CHAP. IV. VER 1. THe Captaine the Italian The chieâ—â— See of these chiefes or Captains of the Temple upon Luke 22. 4. The Sadduces whose sect emulating that of the Pharisees was so increased in dignitie that it was admitted into pâ—â—like judgements especially in criminall ones wherein they were exceeding severe whereas contrariwise the Pharisees were very clement and milde See Acts 5. 17. and 23. 6. V. 2. Through Jesus propounding him for a Soueralgne example Or by the power of Iesus and by whome as the head being rison againe all those that belieued in him should likewise rise againe 1 Cor. 15. 21. Or by his authoritie and command The Resurrection denied by the Sadduces Mat. 23. 6. V. 5. Scribes See upon Mat. 2 4. V. 10. By the Name by his power required by ouâ— prayer V. 12. None other any other person or power in all the world V. 17. In this name namely as for Christ preaching of his doctrine V. 20. We cannot neither in reason having Gods command for it nor in effect being driven thereunto by the Holy Ghost V. 22. Was above and therefore could himselfe testiâ—â—â— with that firmenesse as befitted his age and set forth all the circumstances thereof Or having beene so long in that misery hee was knowne by all â—en and they all did the more rejoyce at his being healed because hee had suffered for so long a time V. 27. A 〈…〉
to wash and annoynt dead bodies leaving them afterwards for some time in the house in all mens sight that they might come and performe their last duties to them untill they were carried to burying V. 39. The Coals Which shee gave for almes which is noted as her praise for a double vertue of industry and charity CHAP. X. VER 1. OF the band or Cohort which was a Squadron of Roman footmen to the number of about six hundred which made the tenth part of a Legion whereof every one as well as the Cohorts had its perticular name V. 2. Devout namely a proselite in beleife and religion Not by circumcision and open profession which the Romans were forbidden by their Lawes see upon Mat. 23. 15. V. 3. Evidently Not in an extasie or rapture of the Spirit or in a dreame but waking ocularly and sensibly The Ninth three a clocke in the afternoone which was one of the houres of daily prayers Acts. 3. 1. V. 4. Are come up A kinde of speech taken from ancient sacrifices See Levit. 2. 2. and 24. 7. Psal. 141. 2. To signifie that these worke of piety in Cornelius had as one should say kept his memory alive before God and had excited him to remember him to conferre his full knowledge and grace upon him by his Gospell after he had prepared him by those Initiall operations of his Spirit V. 9. Vpon the House made in the manner of a terrate according to the custome See Matth. 10. 27. others take it to be a roome in the vppermost storie of the house as Dan. 6. 10. the sixth at midday which was also an houre of prayer Psa. 55. 17. V. 10. Into a trance a divine and supurnaturall eleuation of the minde and abstraction therof from the sences and Organs of the bodie to be altogether attentiue to the reuelation which was presented unto him under the following shapes V. 13. And eate indifferentlie without makeing anie difference of meats cleane or uncleane according to the Law Lev. 11. 2. Deut. 14. 4. Now it should seem that God had caused that hunger ver 10. in him as a fitting preparation to the vision which hee ment to shew him V. 14. Common or uncleane the Italian Vncleane or dâ—fâ—ed it should seeme that by these two words are signified two kindes of uncleannesse whereof one was of all the kinde the other of some particular accidentally V. 25. Worshipped him hee did him an hommage not altogether holie as unto God but yet in some parte Religious as to one of his ministers with Some notable excesse of humilitie corrected by Peter See Rev. 19. 10. and 22. 8. V. 28. To keepe companie by the Law of God this was understood of everie streight bond of matrimonie societie couenant or familier conversation but by tradition it was wrested even to eating with them Acts 11. 3. Gal. 2. 12. Unto one of Namely to a Pagan that was not a Iew. Commonor in regard of the diversitie of Nations Now the Apostles and believers knew as well by the prophecies as by Christs instructions that the Gentiles should be called but it appeares that they believed it should be done by being incorporated into the Iewish nation by means of circumcision of which doubt Beter and others by him were now cleared Verse 34 Is no respecter that is to say he judgeth of men for to accept of them to be his not for outward respects as of nation condition c. but for the essentiall ground of piety and of uprightnesse of the heart Now he speaketh not here of that original will and pleasure of God by which he taketh one into favour who of himselfe is as unworthy as the other Rom. 9. 11. 1. Cor. 4. 7. but in that consequent degree of his love towards the worke of his grace in what nation or quality of person soever it be found to maintaine it encrease it and make it up Verse 36 The word the Italian addeth According to the word that is to say of which indifferency of nations hee hath given the Iewes cleare instructions by the Gospell which was first preached unto them revealing in it the bestowing of his grace now otherwise then he did under the law Peace Namely the reconciliation of men with God and the receiving of all nations indifferently into Gods covenant Isa 57. 19. Ephes. 2. 14. 16. 17. Col. 1. 20 He is the Italian Who is who or he hath bin established universall King of the world and not of one nation onely wherefore he will also gather his elects out of them all See Rom. 3. 30. and 10. 12. Verse 38. Annointed hath in his humane nature endowed him with the fulnesse of the gifts of his spirit and hath consecrated his whole person to the office of mediator which are the two things signified by the ancient annointment Psal. 2. 6 Was with him in fulnesse of God-head as he was everlasting Sonne Col. 2 9. and in power grace and favour as hee was man and mediator Ioh. 8. 29. and 16 32. Verse 42. Of quicke as well of them which at his last comming shall bee yet found living as of them which being dead before shall bee raised againe 1. Thes 4. 15. See Rom. 14. 9. 2. Tim. 4. 1. 1. Pet. 4. 5. Verse 43. Through his name through him his vertue and merit and for his sake Verse 44. The holy Ghost his miraculous gifts were in an instant conferred upon some and that of sanctification to be of the true elect and that of common il lumination to all Verse 45. Of the Namely the circumcised Iewes Verse 46. Tongues the Italian Divers tongues Namely strange tongues which before they knew not See Acts 2. 4. Verse 47. Can any man seeing God hath conferred upon them the toward and spiritual grace who can hinder us who are his ministers from communicating unto them the externall signe by joyning of them to the body of the Church Verse 48 Commanded that is to say he appointed them to receive baptisme at his hands CHAP. XI VER 15. As on us in like vertue though not in the same likenesse of fierie tongues nor in the same degree Verse 20. Vnto the Grecians See Act. 6. 1. Verse 21. The hand God accompanied their ministerie with the power of his spirit Luke 1. 66. some coppies after those words Was with them adde these words for to heale them that is to say God manifested his power by them in working of miracles by healing such as were sicke amongst those that heard them Luke 5. 17. Verse 28. By the Spirit Namely by divine revelation Dearth histories make mention of two deaths under Claudius within the space of three yeares And it is likely that here is meant the first Verse 29. The brethren as well because they might be in greater want by reason of the Iewes hire and persecution As also by reason of the respect which Christians bore to the Church of Ierusalem as to the mother Church of all the rest
Apostle particularly speakes The truth Namely the knowledge and light of some morall good imprinted in their soule See Rom. 1 18 25. Ver. 9. Of the Jew without any distinction of nations or persons but yet in such sort that Gods Iudgement shall begin with his owne houshold and that those who have had most knowledge shall bee most grievously punished Now the Apostle makes here a sweet digression to the Iewes to include them also in the universall condemnation of the world and into the necessitie of having recourse to Christs righteousnesse and to Gods grace in the Gospell The Gentiles the Italian The Gentiles namely the heathen Rom. 1. 14 16. V 11. Of persons namely to the outward qualties of Nation condition or otherwise which make nothing to the cause V 12 Without Law namely which was written by Moses Without namely without being judged by Moses his Law but onely by the inward Law which is imprinted in their hearts Verse 13. For not as much as to say I speake thus because that the Law cannot bring any salvation to man by the knowledge or profession therof as the Iewes beleeve but by the perfect observing of it which being performed by them more than by other Nations they are also comprehended 〈◊〉 the generall curse and bound to seeke after Christs Righteousnesse Justified that is to say declared iust and worthy of the reward according to the covenant of the Law V. 14. For when the knowledge of Moses his law gives the Iew no great advantage above the Gentiles for the Gentile hath also his naturall law though lesse perfect imprinted in his soule by which he is instructed and bound to doe well and debarred from doing evill which are the two properties of all lawes V. 15. The worke namely the two aforesaid propreties bearing witnesse for the conscience is but an answering of a many spirit unto the law either to bind or unbind him to accuse him or excuse him to condemne or absolue him wherefore seeing the pagans have a conscience they have also a law V. 16. In the day it seemes this ought to be added to the 12th verse the secrets he saith this because v. 12. he had spoken of the false Iewes who hid their wickednesse under the cloake of prosessing the Law by Jesus to whom God hath given all iudgment Iohn 5. 22. Acts. 17. 31. according to as it is revealed in the Gospell whereof I am a minister V. 17. Behold hee now falls fully a convincing the Iewes reflest thou art confident and groundest the estat of thy conscience before God upon that thou last his law and makest profession of serving him according to it See Isa. 48. 2. Mic. 3. 11 makest thy least thou boastest thou art his people and that thou at comprehended in his covenant V. 18. And approvest the things that are more ex 〈◊〉 the Italian and discernest contrarie things that is to say canst iudge of what is allowed and of what is forbiden Other discornes what is best namely that which in the deliberation of thine understanding thou oughtest to follow as the true good in stead of the false good which carnall reason or sence presents unto thee V. 20. The former of namely the perfect modell not onely of what is concerning Gods true service in itself but also concerning what thou thinkest and judgest thereof within thy self V. 21. Thou therefore the Apostle speakes thus verily supposing that there was no Iew but was stained with some of these vices or with all of them V. 24. For the name that is to say these reproofes therewith the prophets reprove the Iewes shew this which I lay to their charge to be true enough V. 25. For circumcision that is to say O thou Iew I ranke therein the number of all other men in sinne and condemnation not withstanding all the signes thou bearest of Gods covenant for seeing thou apprehendest no other covenant but that of workes I tell thee these signs would be avail able unto thee if thou diddest perfectly observe the covenant which thou 〈◊〉 doing thou art in the sight of God like and vncircumcised and a heathen V. 26. Therefore if the to shew him unprofitable and vaine without the effects of obedience these signes are Let us put the case saith the Apostle that there were on the one side an uncircumcised heathen who should observe the law in it◠substance and on the other side a lew that shoul break it beeing circumcised who can make any question but that before God the heathen should be accepted and the Iew reproved And this is spoken by way of supposition and not for a truth nor absolutly as if anyheathen could perform that which is here spoken V. 27. And shall not that is to say such an uncircumcised heathen working according to his naturall motions observing the law in this kind would shew how much more thou Iew art to be condemned who hast received greater gifts and helps at Gods hands for to serve him See Matth. 12. 4. the letter namelie Moses his written law which represents Gods will more cleerlie and faithfullie then that light much obscured and darkned by finne which is in man V. 28. For he that which I say is grounded upon this that before God outward signes and names are of no value but the inward reality of the heart only Rom. 9. 6. Gal. 6. 16. V. 29. Inwardly namely in the inward part of his soule which is knowne to God alone of the heart namely the sprituall purification of the soul wherein consisted the true substance of the circumcision of the bodie in the letter namely in the externall signe or cerimonie like unto a writing or a picture without any vertue life or motion See Rom 7. 6. 2. Cor. 3. 6. 7. CHAP. III. VER 1. VVHat advantage seeing that he is liable to malediction as much as the Gentile or rather more what profit if so be it be of no efficacie if it want the perfect observance of the covenant of the law whereof it is the sacred signe V. 2. Chiefly because the Iewes anciently received Gods promises in Christ whereof circumcision was the seale according to Gods true order Rom. 4 11. though the degenerate Iewes did understandit otherwise See upon Rom. 2. 25. whereby that which they had not of themselves was offered unto them through grace to be receaued by saith from the promised Messias were committed like unto a deposited thing and a precious pawne which they haue kept for the whole church untill the accomplishment thereof V. 3 for what if if it be said that this advantage hath been lost by the inereualitey of a gret part of the nation I answere that Gods loyaltie in his promisers and covenant hath alwayes bin verified in his elect in respect of whom it was made Notwithstanding their defects which God through his grace hath alwayes overcome and therefore his glorie hath been so much the more exalted V. 4. Let God be let him be
from it Matth. 6. 24. Of obedience to the law of God unto righteousnes namely to be approved by God under which is also comprehended the reward of life V. 17. That ye were that having heretofore bin slavs to sin God through grace hath freed you by the Gospel to which you have willingly submitted your selvs as to the pattern model of your regeneration like unto a mettal which is melted or some other soft kind of stuffe which taketh its forme from the mould into which it is cast V. 19. I speak this similitude of corporall slavery doth not perfectly agree with the necessity and â—e of serving God wherein there is no force at all used and where Gods spirit inclineth the soule to a milde and voluntary obedience but the weaknes of your understanding in wel apprehending this liberty alien from al manner of licence and indifferency and in wel using of it requireth to have the matter laid open to you under such terms See 1. Cor. 7. 22. and 9. 21. 1. Pet. 2. 16 your flesh namely the natural vice of ignorance and perversnes of understanding which remaineth inbelievers and makes spiritual things hard for them to apprehend in their own naturall sence and to make good use of them unto iniquity namely actual iniquity V. 20. For when you must not divide your service for when you were under the yoak of sin righteousnes had no power over you therefore likewise now that you are under the kingdome of righteousnesse you must utterly renounce the tirannie of sin V. 21 What fruit consider what was the reward of your bondage then it was nothing but death therfore by the lamentable and horrible state that you were in then you may judge what a happy state you are now brought into to cleave unto the one and altogether flye the other See Rom. 7. 5. V. 22. Yee have you reap this good by your subjection to God that you are even in this world sanctified and regenerated to newnes of life a true beginning and pledge of the everlasting and glorious life V. 23. The gift namely of these 2. works of Gods grace towards you and in you namely of the free justification and spiritual sanctification wherof the first is the cause and the 2. the beginning and introduction into eternal life thorow Christs benefits who got you the first by his blood and obedience and the other by his spirit CHAP. VII VER 1. FOr I speak he speaks this to shew that hee did specially direct his speech to the Iews who in all reason should have bin best instructed in al the effects of the law Now all this is to declare and confirm what he had spoken Ro. 6. 14. that believers are no more under the law and the effect of sanctification no more then the benefit of justification cannot be expected nor hoped for by the law but onely by Gods grace in Christ The law this may be understood of all laws obligations or personal covenants the power whereof ceaseth upon dead men as the marriage bond doth which is the strictest of all V 2. From the laws from the tye of marriage and from that bond wherein right she was tied to her husband V. 4. Ye also Christ hath ingrafted us into his mistical body and hath appropriated us unto himself to be the sole master of our consciences and the beginning of spiritual life in us by vertue of his resurrection by which he was really made the head of his Church hath received the fulnesse of his spirit to distribâ—â—e it unto the Church and produce in it the resemblance of his resurrection Ro. 6 4. and so he hath losed us from the hard command of the law which only condemned our consciences and by its inexorable vigor and impossible instances did drive men toâ— desperate rebellion are become al this former right which the law had to condemne and the power of kindling sin is annihilated in your behalfe even as if you were dead Ro. 6. 7. V. 5. For when it was convenient that wee should be thus appropriated to Christ to obtaine the end of directing our actions to God and to his service for whilest we were in our natural corrupted state having no other guide but the law the perverse affections which are the roots of sinnes being pricked forward rather then corrected or repressed by the law did produce their effects in all the parts of our soule whereupon there grâ—w nothing else but multiplication of causes of death By the law because it did exasperate and inflame that which it could not correct even as one contrary which is not able to overcome the other contrary doth strengthen it 1. Cor. 15. 56. In any members Sâ—e Rom. 6. 13. V 6. Delivered freed from that harshnesse of the law by which sinne being brought to dispaire did kindle more and more Wherein namely in sin Ro. 6. 2. whereupon the kingdome of sin being destroyed in beleivers the aforesaid accidentall effect of the law doth also cease namely of provoking the malignity of it Hold like slaves in iroâ—s Should serve namely God In newnesse moved and driven thereunto by this new power of the holy Ghost whereas the law did nothing but shew man his duty as in writing or picture without giving him any lively and effectual power therefore whereupon this old means of righteousnesse and holinesse hath been annihilated as impotent and unprofitable V 7. Is the that is to say is the law cause of sin or hath it any malignity or vice which of it own nature doth produce any such effect as to exasperate sin nay I had contrariwise the law discovers and condemns sin perfectly even in its first and smallest motions now the Apostle here doth represent himselfe in his former state of Pharisee very zealous of the law and how by it in his serious meditations and exercises hee could never obtain any victory upon sin but there alwayes was bred a furious provocation of sin by it V. 8 But sin that is to say considering the extreme rigor of this commandment which condemned me to death for this concupiscence which is unavoidable my natural vice was too far from being corrected or extinguished threby that did I through despair abandon my self to an indifferent desire seeing that all my labour to represse some part thereof was in vaine Was dead as it were a sleep and deaded if it were not kindled again by the law working lively upon the conscience for then the opposition of it against the evil which raigneth in sin causeth one to grow obstinate against 〈…〉 nd the aforesaid despaire for not being able to give it full satisfaction drives a man to give over all manner of endeavour and affection of studying to doe it V. 9. I was namely in the time of my Pharisaisme when I considered nothing but only the bark and out-side of the law and the outward discipline of it without entring into this profound cogitation of the spiritual
and internall observation Alive I held my selfe assured of Gods love and of everlasting life and salvation by means of mine owne righteousnesse which I thought to have fulfilled I found my selfe strong enough to perform the external works of the law and my erring conscience thought it selfe to be in perfect health Without the namely when the law did not wound my conscience and that I did not represent it so lively to my self When the namely when I did deeply meditate upon and applied to my conscience that absolute forbidding of all manner of lust Revived it was not onely found living and not put out in me as I thought it had bin by my pharisaical disciplines but it was rather exasperated and enraged And I died I did contrarywise fed the stings and terrors of condemnation I found my self utterly unable and insufficient to yeeld perfect obedience and to be far from Gods love and from confidence in him wherein consists the life of the soule V. 10. I found namely I did by experience finde out this effect of the law which before was unknowne to mee Which was ordained namely which being kept would bring life and salvation to man according to Gods first ordinance V. 11. For sin through my natural corruption I framed to my selfe this damnable illusion namely that seeing I could not with all my works and cares satisfie the law I would then let loese the raines to all maner of iniquity and then the law gave me the mortall stroke of unavoideable condemnation V. 13. Made death namely the cause of death and perdition That it might that is to say I speak thus of it to shew the malignitie of this naturall vice of man which gathereth strength from its contrarie which is the law most just and most holy but not powerfull nough of it self to change or annihilate that vice that sin by as much as to say to shew that the law in its most powerful operation can produce no other effect in a corruptee man but madnesse for to withstand it V. 12. For we know all these aforesaid effects proceed from the contrarietie which is betweene Gods law and mans corruption Ro. 8. 7. 1. Cor. 2. 14 which contrarietie the Apostle comprehends under these 2. terms of spiritual and carnal by the first according to his custome he means all whatsoever is of God wâ—â— lives in him and is according to his nature and will by the second all whatsoever is not of God and contrary to his life and is odious and repugnant to him Sold subjected as a slave bought for a certaine price 1. Kings 21. 20. V. 15. For that the proofe of this contrariety is seen also in Gods children and in regenerate persons in whom the reliques of that precedent perversity do yet fight against the spirit as I finde it in mine own person even now that I am in Gods grace and out of that former damnable state I allow not I am confounded within my selfe and know not what to judge of my motions and actions so mixed and counterpoised between these two contraries the flesh and the spirit Or I doe not approve of mine owne workes as perfectly correspondent to the inspiration of Gods spirit and to his law See Iob. 9. 21. That doe I not namely I doe not all that good nor in that purity as I should desire according to the motion of the spirit Or likewise many times I sinne through frailty though I doe it with griefe and lamentation V. 16. If then namely by this motion of a regenerate will which agreeth very well with the law and by which I doe resist evill though not alwaies with a full effect I doe learne to know that the evill effect whereof I spake v. 8. 13 doth not proceed from any vicious quality of the law but onely from mans malice who is repugnant to the law and likewise by this conformity to the law which regeneration produceth in the spiritual part of my soule that wicked effect of desperately rebelling against the law is no more in me V. 17. Now then besides that I doe not feare being rejected by God for these defects which remaine in me for God judgeth of his children who are thus divided between the flesh and the spirit by the better and sounder part which is that of the spirit which predominates in them and to which they cleave with heart and will and which hath a subsistancy and root of a durable life and not by the flesh which they renounce and resist as a strange thing which by little little goeth away from them and cometh to nothing That dwelleth that is to say which remaineth yet in me but disarmed of its mortall sting of condemnation by Christ and of its vigour and Kingdome by the holy Ghost and is now but a let to a believing man Heb 12. 1. So that wee must distinguish of these three things the Kingdome the Dwelling and the opposition of sin The first is aninhilated and brought to nothing in believers the other two remaine for their exercise and humiliation V. 18. In mee namely in my nature such as it is by its carnall generation without the gift of regeneration there is no true spirituall good by which I can be capable to obey God For to will the certaine proofe that this evill is yet remaining in mee after my regeneration is that I finde my selfe unable to answere perfectly those holy motions which Gods spirit doth oftentimes raise in me V. 19. For the this ought to bee understood of the errours into which Gods children do oftentimes fal and of the perpetuall defects which are in their good workes not that they alwaies sin or that they never doe any good thing Ver. 21. I finde then I have a triall of this un 〈…〉 dable necessity V. 22. After the namely after mine understanding and mine affections and motions which are regenerated by the spirit who hath possessed the inward part and as one should say the center of my heart from whence hee hath rooted out sinne which being driven out of its hold remaines upon the out-sides and as it were upon the brinkes of the soule from whence hee yet fights against the spirit untill such time as by the death of the body it be utterly destroyed V. 23. Another law namely a strong contrary naturall inclination which transportes me in despight of my self In my membersy namely in my naturall and vicious inclinations and affections of which the members of the body are the instruments And he seems to use this word members to signifie the fore-said expulsion as it were to the superficies of the soul Against the law namely against that strong impression of the knowledge of truth and of the will of God which the holy Ghost hath made in my minde by which he strictly bindes my conscience and fraâ—â—es all mine actions to holinesse for the holy Ghost worketh in the soule of man by an order fitting for the nature thereof
seeking all meanes and occasions to performe that charitable office toward strangers putting your selves forward in offering it as Genesis 18. 2. or striving to doe it V. 15 Rejoyce be touched with your brethrens good or evill as if it were your own Ver. 16. Of the same minde or affection Of 〈◊〉 estate to the humble and meane condition and estate of the Church See 2 Cor. 12. 5 10. Ver. 19. Give place let it passe and vanish away without putting it in practice or retaining and hatching it within your selves Others understand it of Gods wrath in this sence leave it to God to inflict the punishment himselfe without preventing him with thy private revenges V 21. Be not overcome that is to say be not put besides thy patience or mildnesse by other mens wickednesse But overcome breake and tyer the perversity of others by thy greater suffering Or the more they offend thee the more good doe thou to them CHAP. XIII VERSE 1. Highest powers Namely to Magistrates established to governe other meâ— The powers God is the Author of this order in the world And all those who attaine to these dignities attaine unto them either by his manifest will and approbation when the meanes are lawfull Or by his secret providence by meere permission or toleration when they are unlawfull Now it is hitting that man should approve and tolerate that which God approves and toleranes V. 3. For Rulers though the power of Rulers have some terror in it yet we must not hate them as harmefull persons and oppose violence to violence as we doe against theeves or wilde beasts for they are a terror but onely to evill men and are for the good and protection of good men The Apostle here hath a relation to Gods order and not to the most wicked vices and abuses of publicke power which were brought in by men and he speakes it because that many Christians thought themselves to be freed from all humane subjection by the spirituall liberty of Christs Kingdome See Cor 7. 〈◊〉 Iude 8. V. 4. To thee for the defence and quiet of every one that liveth justly and vertuously A revenges appointed to inflict vigorous punishment upon malefactors V 5. For wrath For feare of receaving bodily punishment from the Prince For Conscience sake by bond of Conscience towards God because of his Commandement Eccl. 8. 2 1 Pet. 2. 13. V. 6. For hee gives a reason for what hee had said namely that Princes were Gods Ministers seeing hee hath inspired that common consent in all N 〈…〉 ns to pay them tributes as tokens of subjection aides to their office and recomâ—ence of their paines taken for the good of the people V. 8. Owe no man performe all your duties â—â—wards men and after all that know that there is one dutie from which you can never be freed namely that of charitie which hath no certaine limitation of time nor of actions For hee the Law of Charitie ought to bee the singular estimation with all beleevers For it is as it were a summary of all the Law and especially of the second Table Or doe not beleeve that ever you can be unbound from the command of charitie no more then you can bee from the observation of the Law which is comprehended in Charitie and can not bee fulfilled in any such kinde that man be absolved from producing the effects of it any more That loveth holily and perfectly according to the true meaning of the Law V. 10. Worketh no ill doth not suffer any man to doe any harme or offence to his neighbour but contrary-wise inciteth him to doe him any good Verse 11. And that these words have a relation not onely to this last precept of charitie but also to all other precepts which hee hath given before The time Namely the time of the Gospell which is as it were the dawning of that great everlasting day which encreaseth and riseth more and more and therefore is the true time to forsake the sleepe of sinne and ignorance in which man was before drowned with a totall cessation from good workes See 2 Corinthians 6. ver 2. Our salvation namely the accomplishment thereof in the life everlasting Verse 12. The night Namely the time of this worlds lasting which is but a darke night in respect of the world to come and is already for the greatest part spent the everlasting day drawing neere See 1 Cor. 7. 29. Of darknesse Namely dishonest and wicked workes to doe which men doe shunne the day and the light Or workes befitting mans naturall wickednesse and ignorance Put on let us bee adorned and furnished with Christian vertues engendred by the light of GODS Spirit and becomming the brightnesse of the Gospell by the meanes of which you may fight against all contrary vices Verse 14. Put yee on That is say be possessed and guided by CHRISTS spirit which may adorne you with the true and lively resemblance of him To fulfill the lusts to satisfie the desires of it which is spoken to distinguish this vicious desire or curiositie from the reasonable care for the necessities and lawfull eases of this morall life CHAP. XIIII VER 1. Him that is weake him that hath not yet a full knowledge nor is not fully perswaded of the Christian liberty in the point of meates dayes and other Mosaicall observations the annihilation of which in those first beginnings could not be beleeved by many Receave you into the communion of the Church into the charitie of your hearts and into sweete Christian conversation as a true brother But not but beware of disquieting him with troublesome questions under the pretence of convincing him of his error which would bee to no purpose considering his present weakenesse and incapacitie and besides it might endanger the wounding of his conscience and subversing of his faith To Doubtfull or to ambiguities and perplexities Ver. 2. Beleeveth is thorowly perswaded by the doctrine of the Gospell that his conscience is no more tied to these differences of cleane or uncleane meates Matthew 15 11. Herbes in which Moses had appointed no difference concerning the purenesse Now this was for feare of unadvisedly eating any uncleane or forbidden foode See Dan. 1. 12. Ver. 3. That eateth that hath a certaine knowledge of this liberty and makes use of it Despise as a novice and superstitious person Iudge him holding him for a prophate person For God seeing God hath receaved both the one and the other into his church and accepteth of them for his servants and children because of their common beliefe in the essentiall heads man ought neither to contemne the child nor condemne the servant V. 4. He standeth this is an anticipation of an objection which these disputers might make concerning such indifferent things saying Such a one is weak in his faith therefore it is fitting to strengthen him by taking away these scruples otherwise there is some danger that hee may fall Saint Paul answereth leave the care of it to God
3. V 19 With God seeing God is â—n adversary to this worldly wisedome and that it doth not bring forth any fruit of salvation to those that trust in it wee must conclude that it is but a folly in Gods judgement V. 20. Of the wise the Psalmist saith only of men but Saint Paul to make it the stronger doth restraine it to the wise and understanding V. 21. Let no man a generall conclusion exhorting every one not to acknowledge any minister for head of a faction nor to bragge that he is one of his followers Seeing the Church is not made for them but they for the Church at the good and profit of which all things ought to ayme both iâ— life and in death in the present and in the everlasting time it not being subject to any but to Christ who is its head whose office is likewise to b 〈…〉 Mediatour to guide and unite men to God his Father who is the supreame head of Christ and of his Church Iohn 14. 28. 1 Cor. 11. 3. and 15. 〈◊〉 so farre is it from having any Ministers usurpe the dominion over consciences CHAP. IIII. VER 1. SO account after hee had reproved the excesse of honour done to his Pa 〈…〉 in taking them for heads now he gives them a right temperature how farre they should esteeme of 〈…〉 according to the properties of their office which 〈◊〉 equally binde them and their flocke Stewards namely in the communication of knowledge and 〈◊〉 the singular application of the use for nourish 〈…〉 and Physicke of the soule all out of Gods go 〈…〉 and not of their owne and according to his commandement not according to their owne will 〈…〉 pleasure V. 3. But with â—e if a Pastor hath the wi 〈…〉 of this loyalty in his owne conscience he 〈◊〉 not to make any account of mens sinister judâ—ments who do assigne degrees of honour accord to their owne minde Now the Apostle propounds himselfe for example because that his person and ministery was fallen into contempt with the Corinthians by the cunning of corrupt Pastors 2 Cor. 10. 10. Yea I judge not I doe not enter into consideration nor doe not examine what degree of honour I am worthy of amongst them or about them V. 4. For I know nothing hee gives a reason why he so little cared for mens judgments Not hereby ju 〈…〉 d that is to say esteemed and declared just before God and worthy of the reward as having fullâ— accomplished his worke because that even in the holiest there are defects which are hidden even from their owne consciences but manifest to God Iob 34. 32. Psalm 19. 12. 〈◊〉 Iohn 3. 20. And besides that the person is not receaved into grace by reason of the workes but contrariwise the workes are accepted for love of the person which is already justiâ—â—d That judgeth me to whom it only belongeth to absolve me of my faults and to assigne me praise and reward for my service according as out of his grace hee shall bee pleased to accept of it and crowne it V. 5. Judge nothing namely with such kinde of judgements as cannot chuse but be rash seeing that 〈◊〉 esteeming of men we ought principally to looke to the heart and to the conscience which in this world is knowne to God only who will not make it manifest but only at the last judgement V. 6. Tranâ—erred in these reproofes of your partialities I have represented the heads of them under the names of us Apostles 1 Cor. 1. 12. and 3. 4. not that in deed we had any part therein but only to spare your guiltie Pastors and to shew them by our example how to correct the root of evil which is the affectation of worldly knowledge eloquence which raiseth diversitie of passionate judgments and draweth on followers by a foolish admiration after it and to conforme themselves to the perpetuall stile of the Holy Ghost in Scripture as all we most conformably doe whereupon also amongst us there groweth â—o subject of division Be puâ—â—ed up that yee doe not grow proud by reason of the excellencie of the Pastor with whom each of you holds to the depressing of another Pastor and his followers V. 7. For who hee directeth this speech to the Pastors as saying Who hath given thee this preheminence which thou affectest oâ— by whom hast thou beene chosen out of the communitie of the Church to so excellent a calling is it not by God and by his grace and not by men containe thy selfe therefore in humility and serve God and not mens passions V. 8. Now yeare an ironicall reprehension of the presumption wâ—â— raigned in the Corinthian Church Would to God hee continueth in his Ironia The meaning is yee are indeed happier and in better estate then we poore Apostles who are afflicted persecuted and contemned in the world wee might indeed have good cause to desire that wee might bee partakers of your goods if they were true and reall seeing that our life is like unto the life of wretched malefactors who doe daily expect their punishment after they have according to the custome of those times beene ignominiously lead up and downe round about the market places and theators V. 9. The Apostles last the Italian The last Apostles Saint Paul speaketh of himselfe alone or of Apollo also called to the Apostleship after all the rest which was made matter of contempt against Paul as it should seeme here implicitly to reproove the Corinthians for Aspectacle a solemn example of strange sufferances and troubles in the fight of men and Angels who are as spectators and witnesses of beleevers combates in the theater of the world See upon Heb. 12. 1. Ver. 10. We are fooles renouncing all humane wisdome to give way only to the motions of the spirit and preaching Christ in vertue of it wee are accounted to bee madde Acts 17. 18. and 26. 24. See a Kings 9. 11. But yee are namely mingling worldly wisdome with the Gospell you hold your selves to bee therefore very wise and full of knowledge and doe thereby purchase honour before the world V. 11. Are buffeted a kind of an ignominious outrage Acts 23. 2. See Lamen 3. 30. Mic. 5. 〈◊〉 Mat. 5. 39. 1 Pet. 2. 20. V. 14. To shame you to scoffe at your vanitie by comparing mine estate with yours V. 15. Instructers plaine teachers of Christian doctrine as your Pastors are without any fatherly bowels or care Fathers namely such as I am as well by reason that I have beene the first that have brought you the good tydings of the Gospell as also by reason of my fatherly affection towards you Begotten you that is to say I have been an instrument of your conversion to the faith by meanes of which yee are become members of Christ and of his Church 17. In the Lord namely in his worke and service Or in the communion of Christ and by his Spirit these termes being very frequent in Saint Paul to
sacred ceremonie which hath its whole relation to unity and charity V. 21. In eating namely in these feasts of charity at the end of which they celebrated the Lords supper you doe not observe the true ecclesiasticall communion but every one beeing come to the place of the assembly doeth presently si t downe to eate what he hath brought in the company of those of his part leaving the other whereupon this action is not celebrated neither at the same time by al nor in holy concord nor in communion of goods which is contrary to the truevnion of Christians which is sealed by this sacrament is drunken that is to say filled with wine and meate V. 22. What have yet not here we ought to supply there is prophanesse in what you do for yow celebrate these religions feasts like untowordinary meales though you have your owne house for that end without being tyed to make use of any holy places for that purpose where all things ought to be done religiously with a respect to the soul and not to the body shall I praise you I praise you not one whit for that V. 23. For I have because that these abuses are contrary to the Lords institution who hath ordained the holy supper for a sacrament of his body and bloud and for a bond of union and not for a bodily meale nor for occasion of diuisions to which vse you put it V. 24. Which is broken all overthrowen and broken with extreame pains See Isa. 53. 4. V. 25. This cup even as Gods covenant with his elect is renewed and ratified by mydeath and passion so it is sealed to every belever by the Lords cup. V. 26. For as after Saint Pauls words ye doe shew that is to say ye shall doe a sacred act whereby ye shall publish the truth and shall acknowledge and preach the benefit of Christs death and shall protest to take part thereof by a lively faith V. 27. Wherefore whosoever namely seeing that this sacred supper is appointed for this sacred use vnworthyly without being fittingly disposed thereunto according to the diginity of this sacrament but especially having no charity nor reverence which were he two vices for which the Corinthians were taxed before the body namely of having through his unreverence prophaned the remembrance of the Lords death and undervalued the meanes by him appointed to participate of it V. 28. Examine the Italian trie let every man examine his own conscience to known wither he be well disposed to participat of this sacrament by faith repentance charity purity of heart c. For to abstaine from it in case hee bee not so untill such time as by renouncing the contrary vices and by prayers and conversion to God he have obtained grace to do it V. 29. Damnation thâ— Italian Iudgement namely the cause and sudiect of a grieveous punishment Form God which the Apostle in regard of believers distinguisheth from the everlasting condemnation of the wicked not discerning bearing no greater respect to the Sacrament of the communion of the body of Christ then to any other corporall and common kinde of food V. 30 For this cause this pâ—opliannesse hath cau'ed amongst you many visitations of popular diseales and mortalities this the Apostle speakes by divine revelation sleepe that is to say are dead according to the stile of the Scripture in hope of the blessed relurrection V. 31. would judge the Italian did examine truely to acknowledge our faults and desire pardon and grace at Gods hands thorow repentance wee should 〈◊〉 that is to say we should prevent Gods judgments V. 32. Wee are namely wee believers V. 33 To eat namely in the Church at feasts of charitie but especially at the Lords table V. 34. Hunger be constrained to take meat which seemes was their excuse who committed the foresaid error CHAP. XII VIR 1. GIfts namely those miraculous ones which were in those first times of the Christian church confetred by Gods spirit for the confirmation of the doctrine and for the founding of Churches See Acts. 2 38 Ignorant of the onely author and of the true end of them that you may not abuse them to pride and to divisions which were the Corinthians chief defects V. 2. Yea knâ—w the remembrance of what you were may make you acknowledge that all you have received is out of Gods meere grace and the worke of his spirit to humble you and cause you to give him all the glory therefore dumbe opposite to the true living God who speaketh in his word even as following blindly and like bruite beasts the false customes the inventions and commandements of men V. 3. Wherefore by your former condition you may conclude that the holy Ghost alone is he that hath freed you from the heathens blasphemies and keepes you from Apostasie and worketh in you the sincere confession of the name of Christ and finally by vertue of it alone ye are Christians and therefore the glory thereof is due to God and not to you And if he be the only author of those gifts which are common to all beleevers much more ought we to acknowledge him to be such in these other singular and miraculous ones Iesus this was a forme of detesting and abiuring of Christianity which was used amongst the Iewes accuâ—sed See Romans 9. 3. 1. Cor. 16. 22. Gal. 1. 8. V. 4. But the same therefore his gifts ought not to be drawen to divisions and partialities as the Co. rinthians did V. 5. Admâ—rations namely ecclesiasticall offices Lord namely Iesus Christ. V. 6. Operations namely supernatuall gifts and â—â—â—lties of working diverse great miracles V. 7. The manifestation namely some singular gift of the holy Ghost shewing it selfâ— in some person and by him manifesting his power to profit namly for the common good of the Church to which only end all ought to be referred V. 8. The word of namely the gift of treating of Christian doctrine with the application to all the uses of beleevers which seemes to have speciall relation to the pastors charge Rom. 12. 8. Of Knowledge namely of the pure and plaine exposition of the said doctrine without any application which is the doctors office Rom. 12. 7. Ephes 4. 11. V. 9. Faith he meaneth not the common gift of Christian faith but the singular and miraculous referred to the working of miracles Matth. 17. 19. 1. cor 13. 2. without which it had bin rashnesse to undertake it and the effect would not have followed but he that felt himself to have this gift might lawfully exercise it with certainty of successe by the same namely by his power of healing of bodily diseases See Mark 6. 13. and 16 18. Iames. 5. 14. V. 10. Working of miracles the Italian working of powerfull operations that is to say some singular gift appropriated to certaine higher and more noted miracles as of the casting out of devills raising of the dead changing or staying of the course of nature prophecie that is to say
See Luke 2. 34. Iohn 9. 39. 1 Peter 〈◊〉 ver 7. V. 17. For wee he gives a reason for what hee had said ver 15. of the sweete Saviour of his Aposâ—leship Corrupt the Greeke word is taken from higglers Vintners and Wine Merchants who adulterate wines and other wares In the sight taking God continually for a witnesse and judge of our actions In Christ in the power of Christ being alwayes guided by his spirit in whose communion we live and who worketh in us CHAP. III. VER 1. AGaine hee seemes to have a relation to some reproofe of vaine glory given him by his adversaries V. 2. Our Epistle the meaning is The state of your Church such as it is by our working witnesseth our fidelitie and answereth our owne consciences and the judgement of all men Ver. 3. For as much as all those that have any light of God may easily perceave that the Lord hath by his spirit imprinted in your hearts the doctrine of the Gospell which wee have preached unto you whereby hee hath as one may say sealed the loyaltie of our ministery accompanying it with such evident efficacy In tables of as Moses Law was written Flishly that is to say living and sensitive ones V. 4. Such tâ—ust namely to glory as confident in the effect of our ministerie Through Christ from whom proceeds all the vertue of the worke and through whom both our persons and our works are acceptable to God To God-ward who is the only Iudge of consciences V. 6. Not of the letter which consisteth not only in word and in writing without conferring any inward or spirituall vertue to bring to effect in man that which it represents unto him but hath the vertue of the Holy Ghost joyned unto it which worketh in the heart and there ratifieth and lively imprinteth that which it propoundeth and promiseth For the he gives a reason of this introduction of a new covenant namely because that the first covenant of the Law could not saue a sinner yea served onely to denounce confirme and aggravate his condemnation to him Rom. 3. 20. and 4. 15. and 7. 9. whereas the Gospell by vertue of the spirit gives life by faith and nourisheth it by perpetuall comfort and communication of grace V. 7. If the ministration if God by many glorious proofes and especially by the shining of Moses his face Exod. 34. 2â— 30. would authorize the ministerie of the Law which of it selfe had no power but to condemne and not to save it is much more fitting that the ministery of the Gospell which is all spirituall and effectuall to salvation should bee made illustrious and admirable by the evident rayes of divine light as it in in us and by us Apostles v. 2. 3. Was to be that is to say which glory was not to be perpetuall whither it were that the beame of divine Majestie was in Moses but for a certaine time Or that this doing away be meant to have happened by Moses death to oppose it to Christs face in which God had eternally manifested his glory 2 Cor. 4. 6. V. 9. Of righteousnesse Namely of Evangelicall righteousnesse in Christ given by grace and applyed to man by faith to the sinners justification Ier. 33. 16. Daniel 9. 24. Romans 1. 17. and 3. 21. 22. V. 10. For even that that which I speake appeares therby that in comparison of the glory of the Gospell which is full everlasting and immutable that little brightnesse which appeared in Moses his face was as nothing being that all that ministery was to give way to the Gospell Gal. 33. 2 25. Heb. 8. 13. V. 11. Was glorious the Italian Was by glorie and aftarwards in the same verse Is glorious the Italian Shall be in glory the Apostle seemes to point at that difference of transitorie and permanent glory by these two kindes of speech by glory and in glory V. 12. Hope namely a certaine confidence that our ministery is and shall be alwayes authorized by glorious proofes of Gods vertue Plainenesse the Italiau Libertie that is to say holy freedome fully to discover the mysteries of the Gospell though they be scandall and folly to carnall sence V. 13. And not namely that we do not hide that divine light as Moses did whose ministery kept the people under the shadowes of ceremonies without letting them contemplate the mysteries which were figured by them to the bottome which was reserved from the time of the Gospell Heb. 10. 1. wherof was a figure that vaile upon his face to hide the divine splendor which was imprinted in it That the children not that this was in the end of that act of Moses but of that which the Apostle saith may be allegorically understood thereby namely of the obscure dispensation of the Law To the end namly in the accomplishment of those transitory figures See Rom. 10. 4. Gal. 3. 23. V. 14. But their this is an answer to an impliâ—d objection from whence commeth it then that at this present time the Iewish Nation doth not beleeve the revelation of the Law made by the Gospel and seeth nothing therein The Apostle answers the vaile is not upon the Gospell but up on their hearts by a malicious and voluntary hardning Ioh. 9. 39. and 12 40. Rom. 11. 7. 25. as who should say the light shineth but they that should behold it are blind The same they are as blinde and as ignorant as if Christ who hath put away all the shadowes were not yet come V. 16. When it the Italian when Israel when the body of the nation shall be brought to receave the Gospell God shall also cause the accomplishment of ancient figures in Christ to be cleerly seene V. 17. The Lord the Author of this vertue of the Holy Ghost which displaies it selfe in the Gospell ver 8. is the Sonne of God Himselfe who also produceth in us that holy freedome of preaching the Gospell without feare of refusall or conjunction of falsehood and vanitie being assured that he will perswade it to his elect and will therewith convince his adversaries Ver. 18. We all now that God hath given his Church the cleere glasse of his Gospell in stead of the vaile of Mosaicall figures all beleevers do freely by faith contemplate the glorious light of his mercy truth power c. and by meanes of it they are made like unto him in glory of holinesse and newnesse of life by the spirit of regeneration which hath its progresses in this life untill such time as it come to its perfection in the life everlasting CHAP. IV. VER 1. AS wee have namely at the Lords hands who hath called us to this office of Apostles notwithstanding our unworthines We faint not wee strengthen our selves by faith in our ministery though it be contemned by some and hated by others V. 2. The hidden things namely feares faigningâ— and dissimulations which those men use that are ashamed of what they doe daring not to appeare in the cleare light this
〈…〉 s. V. 7. In faith this may be understood of 〈◊〉 common faith of those who beleeve in God and in his truth and grace or of the faith of working of miracles Rom 12. 3. 1 Cor. 12. 9. In all Namely in holy zeale and fervencie and in all other parts of the duty of Christians V. 8. By occasion rather than absolutely to command you your duty in this I have chosen to make use of the Macedonians example to induce you to give a reall proofe of your true charitie towards the members of Christ in acknowledgement of the benefits receaved from him who is the head V. 9. Rich in the possession of a perfect happinesse and glory in his divine nature He became he hath taken upon him our nature with all the miseries wants and obligements Philip. 2. 7. for â—o gaine for you the treasures of Gods grace righteousnesse and eternall life V. 10 I give was concerning a thing which is not only of duty but also for your profit by reason of the large reward which is promised to charitie To bee forward the Italian To will namely the constant will to continue in doing these almes being once begun as it appeares by 2 Cor. 9. 2. for it is likely that they were gathered by little and little untill the sum grew to bee such that is was worthy to be carried to those Churches which were i◠〈◊〉 See 1 Cor. 16. 2. V. 11. Which you according to your power V. 12. To that a man the meaning is The quantitie of the gift is not that which maketh the giver acceptable but the good will accompanied with the effect according to the means and abilitie See Luke 21. 2 3. V. 13. For I in this contribution the inâ—eat is not to impoveâ—ish the one to enrich the other but onely to make a just temperature and communication amongst beleevers those that doe 〈◊〉 gi 〈…〉 to them that are in necessitie at the same time 〈◊〉 at another time the like may be done to them V. 16. The same earnest care as I have used in this businesse V. 17. The exhortation whereof ver 6. V. 18. The brother namely Saint Luke as it appeâ—es by the end of this Epistle In the Gospell namely in the gift and office of preaching it unlesse hee also meane the Gospell which was written by Saint Luke V. 19 To travell namely to Ierusalem to carry those almes which were gathered for the beleevers of Iudea Declaraâ—ion by delivering of it to them for whom you had gathered it V. 20. Should blame us should have occasion to suspect any disloyaltie in me if I alone should have the managing of the businesse V. 22. With them namely with Titus and with the forenamed brother Our brother who was a third man Which I have namely that you will be willing to be bountifull in your almes not shame those who gather them nor frustrate their hopes through scarcitie V. 23. Messengers the Italian Apostles that is to say more generall Pastors of some Country as the Evangelists were See Rom. 16. 7. Others sent or deputed by the Churches for this commission The 〈◊〉 namely such in pietie holinesse and other gi 〈…〉 of Gods Spirit that Christ whom they represent as his servants is glorified thereby CHAP. IX VIR 1. AS touching I doe insist more in recommending these brethren unto you then in recommending the contibution it selfe for I know that you are sufficiently inclined thereunto of your selves V. 2. Achaiah a province of Peloponnesus or â—orea whereof Corinth was the chiefe Citie Your zeale the Italian Your jealousie that is to say your example hath stirred up a great emulation in many wo do not desire to be out gone in well doing Ver. 4. They of Macedonia who accompanied Saint Paul in this voyage See Acts 20. 4. V. 5. Bountie the Italian Blessing that is to say almes and bountie As a matter namely as may deserve the title of liberalitie both in abundance and speedie performance not savouring of scarcity neither in the quantitie nor in the manner of doing it Ver. 6. But this in this case is verified the common saying according to the Scripture namely that Gods reward both in this life and in the other shall be according to the measure of the bounty so that there bee in them all upright will and intention though the effect be in different degree V. 7. Everyman this which I say is not to impose a Law or to force any one but to stirre up your wills without which nothing can bee pleasing â—o God in this action V. 10. He that as God blesseth the increase of the earth so largely that it sufficeth both for the nourishment of man and also to sow againe So I beseech him to supply all your wants and besides grant you meanes to use liberalitie and that he will bee pleased to reward it abundantly with his grace Righteousnesse namely your almes and bountie See M 〈…〉 h. 6. 1. Ver. 11. Bountifulnesse Greeke simplicitie as 2 Cor. 8. 2. Through us namely being by us dealt amongst true beleevers Or being accompanied with our exhortation to acknowledge it all from God and from the working of his spirit in their brethren for the maintaining of the communion of Saints V. 12. Service almes being a part of the spirituall service under the Gospell See Phil. 4. 18. Heb. 13. 16. Unto God namely to his honour and glory V. 13. Subjection because you have voluntarily submitted your selves to the faith and to the sincere profession of the Gospell and to all the duties of loyall Christians and especially to communicate to your brethrens necessities CHAP. X. VER 1. BY the meekenesse as you desire to bee partakers of the Evangelicall elemencie of which Châ—ist hath made me steward Rom. â—2 1. Among you according to the vaine opinion and saying of the false Apostles mine adversaries aâ—d slanderers who misconster the humblenesse and modestie of my presence to bee an abjectnesse of minde and on the other side the severitie and vehemenciâ— of my letters to bee a proud and insufferable kinde of command V. 2. I may not namely that I may not be bound to exercise mine Apostolicall power in punishing those that contemne my ministerie without any humane respect or feare 1 Cor. 4 21. 2 Cor. 13. 2. Confidence undaunted firmenesse of mind We walked that wee proceeded in our Apostleship by humane and ordinary meanes without any divine and miraculous power and assistance V. 3. We walke for though we are men and live so farre as concernes this life as other men do with much weakenesse and basenesse Yet in our publicke office and especially against rebellious persons and enemies of the Gospell we have a divine and invincible power to repreâ—â—e all presumption beate down all rebellion and discover and confound all manner of deceipt and machiâ—ation All which seems to have a relation to those judgments of God executed upon the Apostles words Act. 5. 5. 13.
by Saint Paul being the Gentiles Apostle who abhorred circumcision and other ceremonies whereas it was expedient for the other Apostles for a while to accomodate themselves therein to the Jewes who were brought up in them and used to them In Christ namely by his benefit and by faith in him V. 5. By subjection submitting our selves through fear to their perverse intention which was to draw a consequence from thence to force the Gentiles to the foresaid observation contrarie to that for which Paul circumcised Timothie namely through wisdom charitie and compassion upon the infirmitie of weak ones Acts 16. 3. See Rom 15. 1 2. 1 Cor. 9. 19. The truth namely that the substance of Christian doctrine might remain pâ—re and that ye might have no occasion to withdraw your selves from it by reason of this hard bondage V. 6. Whatsoever they though they conversed with Christ in the world and though they were made Apostles before me yet are they not above me in their Apostleship as the false Apostles do suggest for God respecteth not these outward considerations in the conferring of his gifts and his vocation V. 7. The Gospell namely the charge of preaching the Gospell especially to the uncircumcised Gentiles not that I was straightly limited to that but onely in generall and for the most part V. 9. Iames See Gal. 1. 19. Pillars chief in order and esteem amongst the Apostles 2 Cor. 11. 5. and 12. 11. though indeed all the Apostles were equall in that gift of the infallible conduct of the Holie Ghost in regard of which they were the pillars of the strong fabricke of the Christian Church and of the Doctrine of it See Matth. 16. 18. 1 Cor. 3. 10. Ephes. 2. 20. Rev. 21. 14. The grace namely the office of Apostle and the gifts fitting for it Rom. 1. 5. and 12. 3. and 15. 5. Ephes. 3. 8. They gave they did not only assent to our preaching but did also acknowledge us and accept of us for fellowes in office in equall degree and authoritie V. 12. That certain it is likely to be some of those false brethren V. 4. From Iames namely from Jerusalem where Iames the Lords brothers residence was Acts 12. 17. and 15. 13. and 21. 18. Though they were not any way sent or imploied by him Acts 15. 24. Did eat did not hold the Christians which were amongst the Gentiles to be prophane according to the Jewish institution which was to abstain from eating with Heathens Acts 10. 28. and 11. 3. He withdrew fomenting therein the error of those false Doctors namely that without circumcision man could not be held for just and holie nor a member of the Church which on the one side subverted the Doctrine of mans perfect righteousnesse in Christ who hath disanulled all vertue and use of circumcision by baptisme and on the other side troubled the Gentiles consciences who did abhor circumcision Fearing whereby it appeares that in Peters act there was no error of minde but onely some defect of humane affection not in the Doctrine but in outward actions not by any firme and setled purpose but by a suddain weaknesse being overtaken with fear of the hatred slander and persecution of his Nation which was zealous of ceremonies and by some imprudencie in not throughly knowing the qualitie and intention of these false brethren who were not weak for such ought to be pleased in indifferent things but malicious and ignorant who ought to be resisted and in not counterpoising their affected offences with the scandall of the true brethren which were amongst the Gentiles V. 13. And the other namely those which were turned Christians and were sufficiently perswaded concerning Christian libertie and were not superstitious nor scrupulous concerning ceremonies With their or in their V. 14. The truth See V. 5. Before them publikely and before the face of the Church for Saint Peters error was publike and might have been of consequence in respect of many See 1 Tim. 5. 20. If thou if thou in thy conscience doest hold thy selfe to be freed from Jewish ceremonies and doest ordinarily live in this libertie why doest thou upon this occasion wherein thou oughtest to have opposed thy selfe against these false Doctors who seek to impose this necessitie upon the Gentiles authorize their error and confirm their designe by thine example V. 15. We this seemes to be a new discourse directed to the Galatians upon those things which spoken tâ— Peter The meaning is if we Apostles were and other converted Jewes though borne of the holie race to whom the Law was especially given knowing that it cannot justifie us before God have had recourse to Christs onely righteousnesse and satisfaction how much more ought the Gentiles to do it who are laden with faults and are wholly prophane of themselves and by the Law can obtain nothing but damnation and an expresse curse V. 16. Knowing that is to say being instructed by the doctrine of the Gospell and by the feeling of our own consciences after long experience Of Iesus that is to say whereof he is the onely object and foundation V. 17. But if upon occasion of the ordinarie objection and calumnie that the doctrine of righteousnesse by faith doth slacken mens endeavours to good workes and brings man to a licentious kinde of sinning Saint Paul proposeth the second benefit namely of sanctification in spirit which is inseparable from the justification by Christ. While we seek namely whilest we make profession of seeking all our righteousnnsse in Christ by meanes of the faith which unites us to him and applies his satisfaction to us Are found namely that Christians themselves are prophane and given to evill doing Is therefore ought it therefore to be said or thought that the doctrine of Gods grace in Christ serves for a bait and nourishment of sin V. 18. If I if man doth willingly re-establish the kingdom of sin in himselfe which he made shew that he would disanull by having recourse to Christ who doth not onely cancell the Bond but mortifieth the strength and livelihood of it by the spirit of regeneration Rom. 6. 2. 6. 1 Iohn 3. 8. the fault is not in Christ nor in the doctrine of grace but in man who transgresse the Law of the Spirit under which all Christians live V. 19. For I he proves that there is a formall transgression in that which he hath said namely because that through Christs benefit every Christian of whom the Apostle gives an example in himselfe is in a manner freed from the curse and extreme rigor of the Law and passeth under another new Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Rom. 8. 2. 1 Cor. 7. 22. and 9. 21. which the milder it is the faster it bindeth to holinesse of life Am dead to the Law the Italian Am dead to another Law not in regard of the substance which is alwayes the same but in regard of the manner of commanding and of the end of the commandment Of the manner
because that the Law of Moses gives a man no strength nor helpe towards the accomplishing of it and yet doth inexorably require perfect obedience the Law of Christ contrariwise worketh in man the power of doing that which it commands and besides commandeth with mildnesse tempered according to mens weaknesses and ignorances In regard of the end because Moses his Law is to gain a right to life or to be condemned by it the Law of Christ to frame and direct man to the exercise and actions of life which is already given him by grace V. 20. I am I participate of his death as well in the expiation of my sinnes as in the gift of his Spirit which mortifieth in me the strength of sin and ingenders a new life in me of which Christ is the Root and Spring and that by vertue of the communion which I have with him as member of his bodie the band and tie whereof in this life is faith Ephes. 3. 17. V. 21. I do not that is to say I teach this that the Doctrine of Gods grace in Christ which is the onely cause of salvation may remain safe and untouched Rom. 4. 14 16. Righteousnesse namely the meanes whereby man is justified before God By the Law either wholly according the Pharisees opinion or in part according the error of those false Doctours now these two meanes of Faith and of Workes cannot either by Gods order or by the nature it selfe of the things be mixed together in causes of justification Rom. 4. 4. and 5. 6. 11. Wherefore if the least cause of righteousnesse and life be attributed to Workes it must wholly be attributed unto them and so Christ profiteth nothing Gal. 5. 2 3 4. And so likewise whosoever hath a recourse to Christ must absolutely renounce all considence in his own proper Workes Phil. 3. 8 9. CHAP. III. VER 1. SEt forth lively represented unto you with his death and passion and with the vertue and use thereof V. 2. Receivâ—d you you have not received the spirit of regeneration from God nor the miraculous gifts thereof by meanes of the Jewish doctrine of Workes nor by your endeavouring to do them nor your adhering to them but by meanes of the Gospell embraced by faith then seeing that God hath ratified this Doctrine onely by this divine seal you ought not any way to doubt of it and you do very ill to varie therein V. 3. Begun the course and state of your vocation in Christianitie In the Spirit namely by faith regeneration and other effects of the Holie Ghost in which consists the substance and truth of the Gospell Iohn 4. 23. 2 Cor. 3. 6. 8. Made perfect you let the false Apostles perswade you that you may receive some addition of perfection by the observation of legall ceremonies as by a thing necessarie to mans righteousnesse and holinesse By the flesh by externall and corporall things such as those ceremonies were especially after their figurative and sacramentall use was nullified by Christ to establish new Sacraments See Phil. 3. 4. Heb. 7. 16. and 9. 10. V. 4. In vain namely for a Doctrine which now you renounce for the Jewes sakes who were the first authours of the Christians persecutions or without any fruit for the reward is promised to them which persevere If it be and not rather to your greater condemnation being that the abandoning of the truth after such great progresses therein and such strong proofes cannot chuse but be imputed for a far greater fault as there being greater violence and ruine therein as in a building alreadie raised to a great height more malignitie ingratitude towards God and more scandall towards men V. 5. Miracles the Italian powerfull workes that is to say high and noted miracles which in those beginnings were frequent in the Churches See 1 Cor. 12. 10. V. 7. Know yee the Italian yet you know that is to say this Doctrine is clear and resolved upon amongst Christians that the true children of Abraham comprehended in the covenant which God made with him and his posteritie are not the carnal Jewes which are borne of him or joyned to him by circumcision and by the professing of their ceremonies but all such as according to Abrahams example do renounce all confidence in their own proper Workes and put it wholly in Gods promises and grace in Christ as Abraham was made a father example and paragon of faith to all those to whom the covenant made with him was to appertain Of faith namely of the number and on that good side of those which follow that onely meanes of salvation See Rom. 4. 16. V. 8. The Scripture namely God speaking by it Rom. 9. 17. Gal. 3. 22. did formerly reveal his intent to Abraham to call the Gentiles at his appointed time through faith in his Son Preached before the Gospell namely he did propound unto him this Euangelicall promise In thee namely in so much as they shall be thy children and joyned to thee by communion and imitation of faith V. 10. For as many seeing there never were but these two meanes of obtaining Gods blessing but Workes and Faith and that through sin man hath made himselfe utterly uncapable of the first and therefore remaines accursed there is no way for him but either to remain in perdition without redemption or to have recourse unto the other meanes which is Faith Of the Workes namely of the number of their opinion and of their side who found the confidence of the righteousnesse and life upon their own Workes Rom. 4. 4 and 10. 3. For it is he doth presuppose it as a clear thing that no man after sin can persevere that is to say can accomplish the course of obedience in all its heads V. 11. But that no man let no man deceive himselfe in believing that the aforesaid sentence is onely pronounced against wicked men who are altogether given to evill the most righteous and holie do not live before God and consequently are not justified but onely by Faith seeing that righteousnesse is the onelie and perpetuall cause of life See Rom. 1. 17. as it appeares by this passage of Hab. 2. 4. V. 12. And the Law the Italian but the Law let everie one also beware of thinking to mix both the meanes together namely of Workes and of Faith in causes of life and justification for in this regard and for this effect Workes have no communitie with Faith neither in their own nature seeing they present to God mans own righteousnesse and Faith receives Christs righteousnesse for a gift nor by Gods order which makes these two meanes incompatible one with the other Rom. 4. 4 5. and 10. 5 6. and 116. But the man that is to say the substance and sum of the Law consists in mans own proper Workes contrarie to this reception by Faith in meer gift V. 13. Christ now he comes again to shew how a blessing comes upon the spirituall children of Abraham by Faith v. 9.
the members and they likewise in right and in vertue of the infallible cause and in certainnesse of hope are already raised up and glorified and at the appointed time shall be so in effect 1 Cor. 15. 12 15 20 22. Through Christ namely in the benefit of our redemption through him V. 8. By grace which holds the place of principal cause as faith is the meanes on mans side to receive and applie unto himselfe the feeling and fruition of that salvation which is presented unto him in Christ. Of your selves of any merit worth invention or worke of yours V. 10. For we are He proves that our own workes cannot be the cause of our salvation for we our selves that do them have been made that is to say regenerate and sanctified by his grace and have been made fit to do them by his Spirit besides that the use of them is not of merit to acquire right to salvation but onely a way to come to the fruition of it Before ordained to worke them in us and to be wrought by us God having by one and the same will and councell ordained the end of salvation and the meanes to attain to it V. 11. Wherefore seeing God hath done us al in generall so many favours you Gentiles who were furthest off and most unworthy of them ought to thinke your selves most obliged for them In the flesh wanting the circumcision in your flesh which was the Sacrament of Gods Covenant and therefore likewise under the name of uncircumcised you were abhorred of the Jewes who for their honour were called the circumcised people so that you had no part nor communion with Gods Church neither outwardly nor spiritually v. 12. V. 12. Ye were ye had neither union nor communion with Christ Head of the Church Founder and Mediatour of the Covenant and Spring of all spirituall and everlasting blessings Aliens and therefore separate from the bodie of it namely of the Church to which onely he communicates his grace and which at that time was restrained within the Jewish nation onely See Ezech. 13. 9. Strangers Having no interest nor portion in the goods promised in the Covenant of grace which was made with Abraham and so many times reiterated and confirmed Of promise namely of grace See Rom. 4. 13 14. and 9. 8. To hope of salvation and eternall goods Without God without any knowledge or worship of the true God 1 Corinth 8. 5 5. wherein consists the interchangeable dutie of those who are in this covenant V. 13. In Christ not onely by his meanes but also by vertue of the union which you have with him by faith Farre off namely from God from his Covenant and from the Church as he had said vers 12. By the blood by his death which he suffered for you and hath been applied unto you by faith you have been reconciled to God and re-united into one bodie of a Church with the believing Jewes this seemes to be added to shew that the Gentiles were no more engrafted in the Church by circumcision and by ceremonies as anciently the proselites were but by Christs passion shadowed by those figures V. 14. Our peace the tie and foundation of the true union of the Gentiles with the Jewes into one and the same Church The middle wall He hath questionlesse a relation to the wall which was in Solomons Temple between the peoples and the Gentiles court which hindred all manner of passage sight or communication between them Ezech. 42. 20 the meaning is that the Gentiles have by the Gospell gotten free accesse to the Church and the goods thereof being no more held to be prophane persons V. 15. In his flesh namely in the sacrifice of his bodie by which he hath disannulled all ancient ceremonies which were a signe and a meanes of the separation of the two people Gentiles and Jewes and the occasion of great hatred betwixt them the Jewes detesting the Gentiles and their manner of worship as unclean and prophane and the Gentiles abhorring the Jewes and all their observations as absurd and contrary to those of all other nations Acts 10. 28. To make the Italian to create that is to say to make by a manner of new creation these two nations regenerated by his Spirit a new bodie of a Church united in Christ who is the Head thereof and the Foundation of all its subsistencie V. 16. In one being so united to shew that none can have part in Gods peace unlesse he be united to the Church seeing that there being but one covenant and one head thereof namely Christ it is impossible it should be made with men that were divided By the crosse namely by his sacrifice upon the altar of the crosse Slain having by vertue of his death which was the destruction of the kingdom life of sin Rom. 6. 6. Gal. 6. 14. taken away the cause of Gods enmitie with sinfull men and of the Church with life of unbeleevers and heathens which is no other but only the uncleannesse of sin and hath established the true foundation of peace which is righteousnesse and holinesse considered in its reall truth of Faith and Spirit and no more in the ancient outward signes of Mosaicall Ceremonies Gal. 6. 15. Thereby the Italian in himself namely in his own death or in it namely in the Crosse. V. 17. And came in his own person by taking upon him humane flesh and the office of a messenger of pence and afterwards by sending his Apostles Luke 24. 47. see 1 Pet. 3. 19. Unto you namely to the Gentiles in generall who were separate from God from his covenant and salvation To them to the Jews a people joyned to God by a speciall covenant V. 18. For through he proves that peace is truly made with God because he now admits all nations indifferently unto him to present their prayers and worship to him By one namely by vertue of the holy Ghost which is one and the same in all beleevers and works all the foresaid things in them by the same consent and will V. 20. Are built your faith by which you subsist in the communion of Saints hath for its foundation for infallibility immoveable rule the doctrine of the old and new Testament the principall subject whereof is Christ who in his person is the essentiall foundation as it were the corner Stone in which consists the chief strength of a building binding the two walls together which are the two nations of the Jews and the Gentiles whereof the Church is composed and alwayes bearing and withstanding all manner of dangerous encounters which are more dangerous at the corners of buildings then at any other part of them see Cant. 8. 9 10. V. 21. In whom upon whom or by vertue of whom and of the conjunction with him Groweth advanceth and raiseth it self untill it come to its perfection in Heaven Revel 21. 3. V. 22. In whom this seems to be added to shew that whilest the mysticall Temple
of God out of Christ as Infidels do CHAP. IIII. Vers. 1. OF the Lord the Italian prisoner exhort you in the Lord namely in his name and authority or from him Others I the prisoner of the Lord exhort you namely I that am in this state for his cause as his beleever V. 3. To keep to keep the union of all the members of the Church entire united together by the holy Ghost in a form of spirituall and mysticall body In the bond as the union of the soul with the body is preserved by the good temperament of the body and by avoiding the outward wounds and hurts of it V. 4. One body namely mysticall and spirituall composed of Christ the head and all beleevers his members In hope the Italian in one onely hope being by your common vocation united in hope of the same goods and eternall life V. 6. Who is who hath the soveraign command and power over all things and is present every where but is in an intimate way joyned to his beleevers residing in them by a perpetuall operation of grace and spirit V. 7. Grace some singular gift dispensed by Christ more or lesse as he pleaseth of one kinde or another V. 8. He saith namely the Spirit of God by David Psal. 68 18. V. 9. Now that he because he had said That all was of Christs gift he proves it by these words of David That he that distributeth these gifts unto his Church is one that is ascended which inferreth that he was first descended namely that he had humbled himselfe by taking humane nature upon him and the shape of a servant now amongst the persons of the sacred Trinitie that properly is peculiarly Christs who was to be abased to be exalted in soveraigne glorie and from thence to distribute the gifts of his Spirit Acts 2 33. 1 Pet. 1. 11. V. 10. Above all namely into the highest heaven the seat of eternall glorie above all that which the Scripture cals Heaven See 1 Kings 8 27. 2 Cor. 12. 2. He might fill namely that he may powre down the gifts of his Spirit in all abundance upon his believers who are all that is to say the whole bodie of Christ as Iohn 6. 45. and 12. 32. Ephes. 1. 23. or that he might fill all the world with his knowledge and glorie Isai 11. 9. or that he may shew himselfe present every where in divine vertue in the administration of the power which he hath received from God in Heaven and Earth Matth. 28. 18. V. 11. Some Apostles He doth not particularly number up all the gifts but onely touches the principall publike Offices of the Church whereof the three first were extraordinary for those primitive times and the two last ordinary and perpetuall V. 12. For the being the Church is to be considered either as a communaltie of a sacred common-wealth or as a spirituall Temple or as a mysticall bodie the ministerie of the Word ought likewise to be referred to these three Heads namely that every Believer be prepared and framed by doctrine discipline c. to come into and remain in the communion of Saints without any breach deformitie disturbance or contrarietie that the service of God be truely practised therein and that this bodie do increase and grow strong in faith and other kinde of vertue V. 13. Till we so he intimates that the use of the holy ministerie shall last untill the end of the world and that then it shall be brought to nothing 1 Cor. 13. 8. All come in namely untill we be perfectly united with Christ our Head in full knowledge and fruition of presence as we begin in this world by faith 1 Cor. 13. 12. 2 Cor. 5. 7. Unto a perfect that is to say being come to the state and degree of perfection in the life everlasting which shall be to the bodie of the Church as its ripe and compleat age in respect of its childhood here in the world 1 Cor. 13. 10 11. Unto the measure a similitude taken from bodies which are grown to their full growth V. 14. That we this depends upon v. 12. and sheweth another use of Gods Word namely to defend and keep men from false doctrines V. 15. In love the Italian in charitie in such sort that the knowledge of the truth may be lively and active in charitie and good workes Into him namely in the communion and vertue of Christ who is as the root of spirituall subsistencie and the spring of the influencie of life and of the spirit as he sets it down in the next verse In all things namely in all the parts of the spirituall life which we have from Christ which is also taken from living bodies which grow equally and proportionably in all their parts and dimensions V. 16. By that which he seemes to mean the divers gifts and callings especially ecclesiasticall ones by which the Church is kept in its unitie and which according as they are stored by Christ himselfe v. 11. do likewise serve for channels and instruments of communication by which Christs life and spirit and the spirituall nourishments are parted and distributed amongst all the members According to according to the proportion of the efficacie of the Holy Ghost distributed to every believer in a certain measure See Rom. 12. 3. 1 Cor. 12. 7 11. Of the bodie as a living bodie doth which hath a limited time of its growing Unto the edifying namely each part contributing all it hath and all that it can do for the common good and advancement of the whole bodie through charitie which doth not look to it selfe onely V. 17. In the Lord See v. 1. In the vanitie namely false discourses which have much seemingnesse in them but no ground of truth and are fruitlesse V. 18. From the life namely from that communication of his Spirit by which he regenerates his children to his image Ephes. 2. 1. and by a continuall influence thereof he doth bear them up in this spirituall life Through the ignorance he gives a reason of this privation namely because of the darknesse of their understanding and the untamed malice of their heart whereby they make themselves uncapable of Gods working in them Iohn 1. 5 9 11. and 14. 17. Rom. 1. 18 19 28. or he meanes that they are wilfully ignorant wilfully refusing the light of God which is proffered them Iob 24 13. Ezech. 12. 2. Iohn 7. 17. and 8. 43. V. 19. Past feeling Having lost all remorse of conscience all fear of Gods â—udgement and all just feeling of their punishments With greedinesse the Italian with an insatiable desire or as it were striving how to do most evill or with greedinesse to signifie the two most common desires of men namely pleasures and goods V. 21. If so be that See upon Ephes. 3. 2. By him the Italian in him namely in his truth faith and example or being in him namely making profession of your communion with him in faith and spirit
care to provide for the Apostles wants had sent Epaphroditus their Pastor to Rome to visit him and present unto him from them some honourable assistance whereby Saint Paul having by him understood the state of their Church thanks God for their faith and holy perseverance and declares unto them a hearty feeling of it with prayers unto God that the blessing may be firm and perpetuall to them as he doth firmely hope by reason of their former trials Then he telleth them of his sufferances and captivity and the great fruit which proceeded from thence for the advancement of the Gospel And his onely griefe for the perversnesse of some small preachers who took occasion through his imprisonment to falsifie the doctrine of the Gospell and to withdraw the Churches affections from the Apostle declaring notwithstanding what his faith constancy joy and firme disposition was against all events having neverthelesse some hope to see them again to take away from them all matter of offence to comfort assure and prepare them against the time of the like afflictions Then he exhorteth them to holinesse of life and especially to peace and concord modesty and humility by the most perfect example of Christ and staying untill such time as he could send Timothie unto them he sends back Epaphroditus to them adorned with deserved praises and recommendations Afterwards he warneth them to beware of false Apostles who imposed the necessity of Mosaicall Ceremonies upon them to gain favour and renown amongst the Iews and sheweth by his own example how much every beleever ought to contemn those carnall and externall observations to cleave to Christ onely aiming at the mark of the heavenly vocation in the communion of his life and resurrection And at the last having again exhorted them to concord and to the laudable imitating of him and to all Christian vertues thanking them for the relief they had sent him he blesseth and saluteth them CHAP. I. Vers. 1. THe Bishops it seemes that by this name ought to be understood such of the sacred Ministers whereof the Ecclesiasticall Senate was composed which had the government of the Church the censure of manners c. see Acts 20. 17 28. Rom. 12. 8. 1 Cor. 12. 28. 1 Tim 5. 17. And by Deacons not onely those who took care of the poor Acts 6. 2. Rom. 12. 7 8. 1 Tim. 3. 8 12. but also the plain ministers of the Church Deacons or ministers V. 3. Vpon every namely for all the good which I have known in you which I do most pleasingly keep in my memory Others â—every time I think upon you V. 5. Which you for the holy manner wherein you have participated of the doctrine and grace of the Gospel ever since it was preached to you V. 6. Vntill the day untill Christs last comming at which time the salvation of all beleevers shall be accomplished by the blessed resurrection ver 10 1 Thes. 3. 13. and 5. 23. Or he speaks thus because that every beleever ought to be prepared each moment for the comming of the Son of God as if he were thereby to finish the course of his life see 1 Cor. 15. 52. 1 Thes. 4. 15 17. V. 7. Are partakers have through a speciall favour and honour done you by God vers 29 30. suffered the same calamities for the Gospell as I have done and have maintained and sealed it by your faith and constancy or you have joyned with me by open profession and by all manner of Declarations and communications as well in my sufferings as in mine actions and speeches for the maintenance of the truth see Phil 4. 14. Heb 10. 33. V. 8. In the bowels with that intimate and boundlesse spirituall love as Christ engenders by his Spirit in all his members towards him and one towards the other which hath also no other foundation reason nor end but onely Christ himself V. 9. Judgement namely a sound and stedfast spirituall judgement in the truth of the Gospell Heb. 5. 14. or a lively apprehension experience and sensible application thereof V. 10. Without offence namely the offence which it gives to the sinner himselfe and is a trouble and hinderance to others in the course of their heavenly vocation Till the day the Italian for the day that you may then be approved of by the Lord and obtaine the reward promised to those who persevere in faith and holinesse Others untill the day as Ver. 6. V. 11. The fruits namely holy works and deeds by Jesus Christ namely which are brought forth by you and in you by veâ—tuâ— of the mysticall conjunction that you have with him through his Spirit which regenerates the person and guids its actions V. 12. The things which namely mine imprisonment and all that hath followed to this houre V. 13. My bonds the fame of me a prisoner hath spread it selfe abroad not by a popular cry nor by a human celebration or applause but by a cleere manifestation of Christs power which accompanieth me and worketh in me and by me The Pallace The Italian the Praetorium the Roman Emperours Palace see Phil. 4. 22. Or the Praetorian Fort where the cohorts or companies of the Emperours ordinary Guard were lodged as it is likely that the Souldiers which kept Saint Paul Acts 28. 16. did publish many great matters of him of his doctrine acts and miracles V. 14. In the Lord namely of that spirituall brotherhood whereof the common faith in Christ and he himselfe by his Spirit are the only tyes By my bonds namely by the example of me that am a prisoner and by the comfort of the Spirit and by the power of God which sheweth it selfe in me V. 15. Some he meanes some adversaries of his especially amongst the Jewes who were jealous of the degree which he held in the Church and were heads of faction against him who seeing him in prison shewed great zeale in preaching the Gospell to gaine themselves as much credit as Saint Paul had had wronging not onely his authority but even the very truth it selfe which they falsified Phil. 3. 2 18. Of good will with a godly and upright intention without any passion or proper interest Or for good will towards me to comfort me faithfully seconding my labours and joyning themselves with me in the cause for which I suffer V. 16. Not sincerely namely in regard as well of the substance wherein they were of a different opinion from the Apostle as of the perverse affection and intention V. 18. In pretence namely to cover their owne passions of ambition jealousie hatred avarice c. Oâ— upon occasion to make themselves a way of admittance to practice those passions V. 19. This shall namely that by these tryals God will confirme me in faith constancy and perseverance in my vocation to finish the course thereof for my salvation Through your as by a help appointed by God to obtaine the assistance of his Spirit from him whereby I may obtaine the power of persevering In Jesus
and foment this light and this fire of the gift of the holy Ghost and especially of those gifts which have a relation to the holy ministery See 1 Thes. 5. 19. 1 Tim. 4. 14. By the putting for God did joyn his grace and power to his sacred Ceremony which was appointed by Christ did then likewise begin the miraculous gifts of his Spirit Act. 8. 17. 19. 6. Of my hands it should seem that by the imposition of St. Pauls hands Timothy received the miraculous gifts and by the imposition of the Colledge of Elders hands 1 Tim. 4. 14. he was installed in the ministery with a publique blessing V. 7. For God the meaning is kindle up Gods gift and doe not let it goe out nor be smothered up through bodily feare For such a kinde of feare is no wife the worke of Gods Spirit but is quite contrary to it Which is here said because that peradventure the Churches afflictions and especially St. Pauls had terrified and affrighted Timothy Of love namely a holy love of God and of Christ with which the beleever being enflamed doth freely suffer all manner of adversities Of a sound mind by which the holy Ghost restoreth the troubled soule to tranquillity and keepes away such turbulent passions as feare it Others of moderation wisedome and of a sound understanding V. 8. The testimonie of the Gospel or of the free profession and preaching thereof Be thou partaker dispose thy selfe to beare couragiously thy part of the crosse which is joyned to the profession of the Gospell Or professe them publiquely that in the Gospels cause for which I suffer thou hast all things common with me According to being upheld by the strength of his Spirit or making use of his power therein and not trusting in thine own strength nor in worldly means V. 9. An holy by a Divine and Heavenly and not by a humane calling or by which we are sanctified Given us which hath been used towards us in our everlasting election In Christ See upon Eph. 1. 4. V. 10. Abolished hath perfectly freed his from eternall death so that for them there is no more death he having abolished the cause thereof which is sinne and also taken away from corporall death the sting of curse and the power of keeping his members and beleevers perpetually under it 1 Cor. 15. 54 55. Through the Gospel seeing that in it is set down not onely the knowledge of this spirituall life but also the fruition of it by faith V. 12. That which I have committed that is to say the right to the crowne of eternal life is already mine through his grace though I am not yet possessed of it but he himselfe keepes it safe for me to give it me at his appointed time 2 Tim. 4. 8. Or he meanes according to the Hebrew phrase the soule departing out of the body Psal. 31. 5. Against that day or untill that day namely untill Christs comming to judgment V. 13. The forme namely the doctrine which I leave as a patterne or example for all men to imitate as wel in the substance as in the manner of teaching it See Rom. 2 20. 6. 17. Sound See 1 Tim. 6. 3. In faith by these words he signifieth either the two principal parts of Christian doctrine Or the two vertues by which the Apostle had taught it as 1 Tim. 1. 14. or by which Timothy was to keepe it Which is namely the spiritual faith and love which Christ teacheth and frameth in all the true members of his body V. 14. By the holy Ghost namely by his power and grace which thou oughtest carefully to employ to this effect V. 15. Which are in namely the Christians of Asia who until that time had kept company with Paul See a Tim. 4. 10 16. V. 18. Of the Lord namely of him himselfe or of the Lord for Jesus Christ his sake Unto me or generally to the whole Church CHAP. II. Vers. 1. IN the grace in the lively feeling and firme apprehension of Gods grace by vertue of the reconciliation made by Christ or in the gifts and in the power of the holy Ghost which are bestowed upon all those who are members of his body Or in the sacred calling which thou hast in Christs service as Rom. 1. 5. Eph. 3. 8. V. 2. The things namely the doctrine of the Gospel and the precepts of the sacred ministery Commit thou namely in teaching and maintaining them in the publique office of Pastors V. 3. Thou therefore this is spoken in the sequel of verse 11. V. 4 With the affaires namely in other affaires and employments of an ordinary course of life which might draw him away V. 5. Strive for masteries 〈◊〉 publique sports and exercises as Fencing or Wrestling c. Lawfully namely according to the laws of the exercise accomplishing all the actions therein required even to the last V. 6. Must be first as I exhort thee to be faithfull in thy labour so I do assure thee of the reward according to Gods infallible promise V. 7. The Lord give thee he confirms this exhortation because that Timothies endeavour should not be in vain but being upheld by the Apostles prayers it should be blessed by God with a great increase of lively light and understanding Or he means I do desire this of God for thee do thou therefore likewise endeavour thy self therein that my desire may not prove vain by thy neglect V. 8. Remember so that by the hope of thine own blessed resurrection which depends upon Christs thou mayest be strengthned and born up in all thy troubles 2 Cor. 4. 13 14. V. 9. Wherein namely in the preaching and ministery whereof Is not cannot be stayed nor hindred Phil. 1. 12. V. 10. Therefore namely through the faith and hope I have which is grounded upon Christs resurrection For the Elects sake not onely for having preached the doctrine of salvation to them but likewise to give them a lively example and confirmation in faith patience and perseverance 2 Cor. 1. 6. and 4. 15. Which is whose foundation and onely cause is Christ and cannot be obtained by any other means but by the union with him through faith V. 11. It is a lawfull namely that a Christian ought voluntarily and constantly to suffer for Christ as he hath said before V. 13. He abideth that is to say this deniall on Christs side doth not make him any way fail in his duty but in him is an act of loyall righteousnesse which he alwayes performeth whereas in men it is perfidiousnesse V. 14. Before the Lord calling him to be a witnesse of this command and a judge against the breakers of it see 1 Tim. 6. 13. That they strive not that in matters of faith and religion all vain curious and sophisticate disputations and all passionate altercations may be avoided which produce no edification V. 15. Dividing the Greek terme is taken from the laying straight of high wayes or from drawing the lines of
consists true righteousnesse and justice which contrariwise is performed with mildnesse and patience c. V. 21. Wherefore This is a second consequence drawn from Verse 18. The meaning is that likewise also because God hath regenerated us let us put off all vices even as little children that are newly borne are washed and cleansed from the pollutions which they brought from their mothers wombe Receive Give it more way authority and absolute command over you Ingrafted which God hath not onely outwardly propounded unto you but hath also rooted it in your heart by his Spirit to live and operate in it see Jer. 31. 31. V. 22. Doers True and real observers in heart and in effect in faith and obedience V. 23. If any that is to say for want of will and zeal to performe Gods Word the knowledge of it becomes unprofitable to salvation making no lively impression but serving onely to represent its own deformitie and contrarietie unto the conscience and that so sleightly that man is not thereby brought to Repentance V. 25. Who so looketh that is to say hath by a deep meditation and lively Faith taken hold of Gods Word to be by it changed into the same image 2 Cor. 3. 18. Law He calleth the Gospel so which containeth the accomplishment of what the ancient Law had but onely begun that is to say Christs perfect righteousnâ—sse by which all believers are freed from the curse and from death and also teacheth and by the power of the Spirit worketh the true perfection of an holy life consisting in a continuall Regeneration to Gods Image by which the believer serves God with a free will and is no more subject to the devil nor sin see Rom. 8. 2. Gal. 4. 22 31. A doâ—r by Faith which is the first worke of the Gospel John 6. 29. 1 John 3. 23. and the foundation and root of all the rest then by new obedience and holinesse of life V. 26. Seem to be or thinkes to be Deceiveth doth falsly deceive and flatter himselfe by this vain shew of pietie V. 27. Is this that is to say is alwayes joyned with true charitie and holinesse and by these vertues sheweth what it is To visit under this kinde are contained all the duties of Christian charitie CHAP. II. Vers. 1. HAve not Let not carnal respects darken the sound judgement of your Faith but that you retain a true feeling of Christs spiritual glorie in him and in his members and honour the Head in them of what condition soevet they be take heed of despising any one and especially such as Christ hath raised higher in the honour of true Christian vertues Others translate it have not the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ with respect of persons V. 2. Assemblie namely in your holy and Ecclesiastical Assemblie V. 4. Are yee not then partial the Italian Have yee not made a difference that is to say do not you shew that instead of being sound in the judgement which you ought to give of persons belonging to the Church according to their spiritual qualities without any other respects you are dazled and busied after the worldly lustre Of evill Whose onely intention is not uprightnesse but do counterpoise it with other perverse respects by which they suffer themselves to be transported V. 5. Chosen doth he not for the most part call the poor to his knowledge and grace rather than the rich and great ones and even amongst believers doth he not bestow most spiritual graces upon those who are needie of temporal goods V. 6. Do not This may be understood either of the enemies of the Gospel who might sometimes either through curiositie or upon some other occasion come into the Christians Assemblies or of rich men that were Christians by profession and committed such violences which were much used amongst those who were powerfull in the world Draw you raising unjust suites against you V. 7. Blaspheme If this be understood of Christians the meaning is that they give occasion of blaspheming Christs Name by their excesses see Rom. 2. 24. By the which from whence you take and bear the sacred and glorious Name of Christians V. 8. If ye fulfill the Italian if ye truly fulfill if in your honouring those which do you wrong your onely aime is to observe Gods Law and to love your neighbour in general you doe a good and holy worke but if you have any carnal respects therein it is no longer a charitie but flatterie or some such like vice and if it be joyned with contempt of the poor it is partialitie and want of equal charitie The royall that is to say Gods soveraigne and supreme Law opposite to all lawes of men who are but onely ministers V. 10. For whosoever he proves that they do transgresse the Law as he had said â—hough it seemed to be but in the least point Guiâ—ty according to the rigour of the Law he is subject to condemnation as well as if he had broken all the Commandments one by one for the Law is but an indivisible total and requires perfect obedience in each part Deut. 27. 26. and the same Majestie of God is contemned in one onely sin as well as in all and the breach of one precept proceeds from the same cause as the breach of all namely for want of loving God and from mans corruptnesse V. 12. By the Law of that is to say by the Gospel which indeed freeth mens consciences from the curse and from the terrours of the Law but yet bindeth them to a new obedience especially in what belongeth to charitie see 1 Cor. 9. 21. Gal. 2. 19. V. 13. Rejoyceth the Italian glorieth that is to say this mercifull affection in a Christian is a certain pledge of the mercie which he shall obtain at Gods judgement whereupon he confides and triumphs against all terrours and temptations V. 14. A man say that is to say if he boast himselfe and make an outward profession of a shadow or shew of faith and not of a true and lively faith which is inseparable from good workes because that by it the believer is united to Christ and Christ by it dwelleth in his heart Ephes. 3. 17. and regenerates and sanctifies him by hâ—s Spirit Rom. 8. 9. V. 15. If a brother As charitie in words vvithout effects is but a false maske so is Faith vvithout Workes likevvise V. 17. Faith namely the bare knovvledge and profession of the true God and of Christ opposite to heathenish and Jevvish superstitions c. vers 19 and yet not joyned vvith a lively persvvasion of Gods grace in Christ and vvith a true union vvith him vvhich alvvayes brings forth a fervent charitie towards him Luke 7. 47. and makes Christ live in the believer by his Spirit Gal. 2. 20. V. 18. Yea a man This hypocritical Faith is not onely dead in it selfe but may also be known to be such by comparing it to a believers lively and active Faith so that the
hypocrites conscience cannot rest upon this boast Thou hast that is to say thou boastest much of thy knowledge and assent to Gods Truth but shew me that there can be any justifying and saving Faith separate from good Workes as I will prove unto thee by all the maximes of Scripture that he who truly doth good Workes hath a lively Faith which is the root and spring of it even as whosoever hath Christs Spirit is of Christ Rom 8. 9 10. V. 19. That there is one that is to say thou art no idolater nor heathen to believe a pluralitie of Gods And tremble they have not the true Faith which imprints in the heart the feeling and certaintie of Gods grace in joy peace and comfort Rom. 5. 1. but with all their knowledge of Truth they are in a perpetuall terrour and fear of God as of a judge and an enemie 1 John 4. 17 18. V. 20. Without workes namely that Faith which doth not produce this effect which is proper perpetuall and inseparable to a true and lively Faith Is dead Having no power to produce the effect of righteousnesse and life it is but a shadow of Faith and as it were a root dead in the ground V. 21. Was not Seeing that the same Spirit hath spoken by Saint Paul and by Saint James and that Saint Paul attributes Abrahams justification and the justification of all believers to Faith without Workes Rom. 3 20 28. and 4. 2 5 6. Gal 2. 16. and 3. 11. We must of necessitie distinguish the meaning of this word Justifie used by Saint Paul for absolving a man as he is in his naturall state bound to the Law of God and subject to damnation for his sin which God doth by a rigid act of justâ—ce which requireth full satisfaction which seeing he could not get of man Rom 8. 2. he hath received it at Christs hand who was the Suretie imputed to man by Gods grace and apprehended by a lively Faith Whereas Saint James takes this word for the approving of man in a benigne and fatherly judgement as he is considered in the qualitie of Son of God and living in the covenant of grace as having the two essential parts of that covenant joyned together Faith to receive the grace and benefit of Christ and Workes to yield him the service and acknowledgement due therefore and this justication is opposite not to the condemnation of a sinner in general but to the particular condemnation of an hypocrite who rending asunder these two inseparable parts sheweth that he hath neither the one nor the other V. 22. How Faith namely that he had the two essential parts which make up a true believer which are the benefit of the Son and the worke of the holy Ghost which are as inseparable as these two persons of the holy Trinitie Rom 8 9. Made perfect obtained its end and brought forth its true fruit or effect which is voluntary obedience V. 23. Was fulfilled as Gen. 15. 6. Faith in Abraham caused him to embrace the promise of the Son a signe of Gods grace in Christ so Gen 22. 9. it did finish up its full act of yielding it to him a figure of all the good Workes by which a believer yields to God by obedience all that which he had received of him by Faith V. 25. Justified approved of by God as a true member of his people not onely because she believed Gods promises which he had made to his people to be true but also because she put that growing Faith in practise by an act of charitie and loyaltie towards the spies Now it seemes that Saint James doth joyne this example of Rahab with that of Abraham to shew that there is no degree of Faith neither high as Abraham's was nor low and weak as Rahab's was which ought not and may not produce its fruits of good Workes V. 26. So Faiâ—h namely that knowledge separate from the Spirit of Regeneration which onely can animate and vivifie it to take hold on Christ and his benefit and withall to produce the effects thereof in good Workes CHAP. III. Vers. 1. BE not Let there not be many amongst you that attribute unto themselves the authoritie of teaching reproving and censuring of others as thinking themselves more wise more holy and more sufficient That we shall In case we be found blemished with such defects as we condemne in other men or as are contrary to our doctrine and admonition whereby it appeares that we do not sin by ignorance and that there is hypocrisie in our proceedings which are two points that do aggravate sin and condemnation V. 2. If anyman Suppose that some man might say he were free from other outward sinnes as those censurers did yet no man can avoid nor deny the sinnes of the tongue V. 5. A little as a bridle or bit is in comparison of the body of the horse or the rudder in respect of a ship Boasteth The tongue emboldeneth man to undertake great things in evill through cunning and deceits or by it man wil bragge that he can performe and bring to passe great designes V. 6. The tongue namely a false and perverse tongue A fire that is to say a powerfull meanes to kindle divisions warres troubles c. and to induce men to evill actions and seduce them c. A world as who should say a general masse of all sinnes there being no sin to which the tongue doth not serve for an instrument The whole bodie that is to say man in all his parts Setteth on fire is the cause of infinite evils and confusions in the whole course of mans life Is set on fire that is to say is stirred up to evill by the devils suggestions V. 7. For every He proves that it is the evill Spirit which stirres up the tongue to excesses because that no humane art or power could ever finde a remedie against the poyson and offence of it nor a curbe for the unbridled violence of it no way to tame the fiercenesse and wâ—ldnesse of it seeâ—ng man thereby exceeds beasts in crueltie and harmefulnesse V. 9. Therewith The wickednesse of the tongue is a most various monster composed of hypocrisie in blessing God the Father and Creator of all men and of maâ—iciousnesse in cursing and wronging of men that bear his Image which by this offence is injured V. 12. The fig-tree the meaning is in this contrarietie of actions in the Tongue it is most certain that evill words are signes and effects of an evill heart and seeing it is impossible for the heart to be both good and evill or that contrary effects should proceed from one and the selfe same heart we must believe that blessing of God which comes from the mouth proceeds not from the heart and that is but a meer vanitie and hypocrisie see Mattâ— 12. 34 35. V. â—3 Who is He returnes to the discourse of the first verse the meaning is if indeed there be any one amongst you that is
indeterminable eternity of the Sonne of God equall with the Father in essence and glory vers 4. V. 9. Patience the Italian sufferance which he commands and brings forth in those who are his by his Spirit to his own likenesse see 2 Cor. 15. Others in the patient expecting of Christ. Patmos an Iland in the Archipelagâ— in these dayes by some called Palmosa into which Saint John was conâ—ined by Domitian the Emperour for the Gospel and the preaching thereof V. 10. In the Spirit that is to say In an extasie and rapture of minde in which all the senses were suspended and bound up by a supernaturall power and the understanding fixed and raised up to the contemplation of divine objects represented in the vision see Ezech. 11. 24. On the Lords day the Italian that is to say The day of the Lord So was the first day of the week called even from the Apostles time because that day the Lord was risen whereupon it was consecrated to exercises of piety in stead of the Sabbath see Acts 20. 7. 1 Cor. 16. 2. V. 12. I turned namely in vision The voyce namely him from whom it proceeded V. 13. Unto the Sonne the Italian unto a Sonne that is to say unto a man Dan. 7. 13. and 10. 1â— Revel 14. 14. and was Christ himself Revel 2. 18. who in vision shewed to Saint Iohn a likenesse of his humanity which is resident in Heaven V. 15. His feet see the explication of this upon Cant. 5. 15. Ezech. 1. 7. Dan. 10. 6. Fine brasse the Italian Calcolibano that is to say a kinde of most fine and bright brasse see Ezech. 1. 4. V. 16. Sword a figure of the most effectuall and penetrant power of Gods word in the destroying of his enemies and overcomming the world V. 18. Amen that is to say This is an everlasting truth which every one ought to acknowledge and worship The keyes namely the absolute power over these things to condemn unto them and to free from them at my pleasure V. 20. Are that is to say do signifie and represent The Angels that is to say the Bishops or the chiefe ministers honoured sometimes in Scripture with this title by reason of the resemblance of theirs and the Angels office concerning beleevers salvations see Eccles. 5. 6. Mal. 3. 1. The seven by which are meant the particular Churches because the Lord hath set in them the gift of his Spirit which is in stead of oil and faith which is in stead of fire to carry and hold up before all men the lamp of truth and knowledge of God and make it to shine before the eyes of the world by works see Zech. 4. 〈◊〉 Matth. 5. 15. Philip. 2. 15. CHAP. II. Vers. 1. THe Angel that is to say The Pastor or Bishop under whose person ought to be understood the whole Church That holdeth who is the soveraign Lord and master of all the Pastors who have no authority but from him who onely doth establish them and likewise can depose them according to their works Who walketh that is alwayes present and working in his Church in the power of his Spirit to preserve the light of his power and the oil of his grace in it as anciently the Priestâ— had the charge of the great Candlestick to make it clean and keep the lamps lighted in it all the night see Exod. 27. 20. and 30. 8. Levit. 24. 3. V. 3. Hast born the Italian hast born the burden namely those sufferings and that yoke which I have laid upon thee V. 5. Will reâ—â—â—ve that is to say I will deprive thee of every qualitie title and property of a Church transporting my grace and truth elsewhere Matth. 21. 21 41 43. V. 6. Nicolaitans most ancient hereticks who permitted the community of women and eating of idols sacrifices it is thought the name came from Nicolas a Deacon Actâ— 6. 5. and that the heresie was grounded upon an act and saying of his misunderstood if Histories be true V. 7. That overcommeth that is to say that perseveres unto the end against all assaules and temptations by a lively faith in me Will I give that is to say I will cause them to enjoy the everlasting goods of my glory Figurative termes taken from the earthly Paradiâ—e Gen. 2. 8 9. see Revel 22. 2 14. Paradice see Luke 23. 43. V. 9. Rich namely in spirituall goods see Luke 12. 21. James 2. 5. The blasphemie or sâ—anders and calumâ—ies And are not are not the true people of God in Spirit and faith John 8. 39. 44. Rom. 2. 28. and 9. 6. V. 10. Dayes some take these dayes for yeers as Dan. 9. 24. V. 11. Second death which is the everlasting and totall separation of the whole man from God and from his life to be abyssed into everlasting torments after the corporall death V. 13. Where Sataâ—s namely where he reigns powerfully be it by false religion or by wickednesse of life or by persecution of the Gospell My name namely the pure profession of my Gospel in which I have fully manifested my self V. 15. Nicolaitans who by such decâ—its did lead Christians astray 2 Pet. 2. 18. V. 16. Will fight that is to say I will destroy them by my judgements pronounced by my mouth and executed by my power and withall imprinting the feeling of their condemnation in their hearts by my word V. 17. Will I give that is to say I will cause him to enjoy the everlasting goods of my heavenly kingdom teaâ—ms taken from the Manna which was kept in the Sanctuary Exod. 16. 32 33. Psal. 65. 4. see Iohn 6. 31 35 48 51. A white stone the sigure of the new heart puâ—iâ—ied and made sound by faith which God bestoweth upon those who are his and whereon by his Spirit he engraves and seals the testimonie of their adoption by which they obtain the new name and right of the children of God Iohn 1. 12. Revel 3. 12. the certain judgement and knowledge whereof lieth in the closet of the beleevers conscience and is not manifested but onely by the effects Rom. 8. 16. V. 19. Service the Italian ministerie namely in alms assistances and other duties of charitie V. 20. Iezâ—â—â—â— whether this were that womans proper name or that for the resemblance of the old Iâ—zebel an impious dishonest and wicked Queene of Israel here be meant some false Prophetesâ—e of the Nicolaitans or some such like heretiâ—ke sects V. 21. Fornication namely bodily fornication and likewise the spirituall of idolatry V. 22. That commit adultery this may likewise bee understood spiritually of the communicating with that womans false doctrine V. 24. Aâ— have not as have no way assented to that devillish doctrine which those hereticks did qualifie with the name of great and deep mysteries of Gods Spirit 1 Cor. 2. 10. though indeed it was nothing but a gulph of abominations and hollow illusions of the divell Burthen or calamities or threatnings V. 26. My workes the faith and
with Sunne-beames the King downwards and the Queene upwards and their chiefe Temple was in Hierapolis a City of Syria and the Prophet calleth the Countrey by the name of the god or of the chiefe Idoll of it as Isa. 8. 8. Jer. 48. 46. Hos. 10. 5. Damascus A principall City of Syria upon whose strength and wealth the whole Countrey depended in which also the people tooke their pleasures with all security Others expound it and Damascus shall be his rest that is to say these threatenings shall fall and be executed upon Damascus namely by Alexander the Great who conquered all these Nations When the the Italian for the he gives a reason why the words of the Prophets were directed also to Heathen Nations namely because Gods providence doth not governe his people alone but the whole world Eyes See Zech. 3. 9. and 4. 10. and 5. 6. V. 2. Thereby that eye of providence shall limit that is to say shall stay the course of the power conquests and enterprizes of Hamath the chiefe City of Syria See Isa. 7. 8 9. Very wise in worldly wisedome which is attributed to the Tyrians Ezek. 28. 3 4. 12 17. upon which those Cities founded their subsistency and greatnesse V. 5. Ashâ—elon Cities of the Philistines which were enemies to Gods people even after their returne from captivity and therefore were destroyed at the last by Alexander the Great For her namely Tyrus a very strong and mighty City in which those Nations did put great confidence hoping that it could stay and hinder Alexanders proceedings See the like termes Isa. 20. 5 6. V. 6. The stranger the Italian a bastard a mingled multitude of strange Nations gathered together V. 7. Take away I will keep them from devouring my people any more Abominations that is to say abominable spoiles That remaineth that little remainder of my people which escaped from the enemies violence shall be gathered together by God and held as part of his people As a communalty thereof governed by its head as the other communalties of Judah were See Judg 6 15. Mic. 5. 2. Ekron the Philistines shall be utterly destroyed as the Jebusites were by David 2 Sam. 5. 6. V. 8. Oppressour they shall no more be tyrannized over nor exacted upon as they have been heretofore I have I have turned away my favourable countenance towards her and have taken her into my safeguard V. 9. O daughter O universall Church Thy King A prophecye of Christs comming in the flesh who is the everlasting King of his Church from whom all former benefits proceeded and were spiritually in him fully heaped up not by worldly strength or power but by vertue of his everlasting righteousnesse by which he hath acquired salvation to his Church whereof his royall and withall most humble entrance into Jerusalem was a signe V. 10. I will cut off the Messias will bring to the Church a true and everlasting spirituall peace whereby there will be no more need of any warlike preparation Psal. 46. 9. Isa. 2. 4. Hos. 2. 18. Or by his onely power without any humane meanes he shall save and defend his people Hos. 1. 7. Micah 5. 10. His dominion the figure of the Land of Israel bounded by its ancient bounds which are here set downe he meanes the extent of the universall Church as Psal. 72. 8. V. 11. For thee also the same Messias by vertue of the same bloud wherewith he hath reconciled mankinde to God and obtained everlasting salvation for them hath also been the Author of the Babylonian deliverance and all the other ensuing benefits The bloud namely the bloud of Christ figured by the bloud which was sprinckled upon the people Exod. 24. 8. Psal. 74. 20 Heb. 13 20. V. 12. Turne you O you distressed Jewes that are prisoners in Babylon to whom I have given a certaine hope of returne returne speedily to Jerusalem the place of your habitation secure under my safeguard and protection See Dan. 11. â—1 38. Double far greater then the evils which thou hast suffered or the goods which thou hast lost Isa. 61. 7. V. 13. Have I bent I will make use of mine owne people to overthrow mine enemies and especially the kingdomes of Egypt and Syria which were possessed by Alexanders successors who were Orecians A Prophecie fulfilled in the Maccabees who delivered the Jewes from the tyrannie of these two kingdomes V. 14. Shall be seen God shall from heaven shew his Almighty power for their deliverance see Ezek. 38. 18. Whirle-winds With great tumult and trembling like to those tempests which are raised by a Southerne wind Isa. 21. 1. V. 15. Shall defend His people and the children of Sion v. 13 Devouring they shall enjoy my blessings by vertue of which they shall be able to overcome all their enemies Make a noise Hereby is described the Jewes freenesse and courage in setting upon their enemies Filled With the spoyles of their enemies and every good thing Bowles Which was used for to take in the blood of the sacrifices which alwayes fell in great quantity from the Altar where it was spilt V. 16. The stones There shall be Trophies erected every where by reason of their great outcries obtained over their enemies V. 17. How great The grace and glory of God shall shew it selfe wonderfully and infinitely for the salvation of his Elect Psal 84. 12. Corne namely Gods blessings corporall and spirituall CHAP. X. Vers. 1. ASke yee O yee Jewes which have now againe setled your selves in the right way of serving God since the re-edifying of the Temple doe but make your prayers unto him and he will heare you Raine See Deut. 11. 14. And under the name of this blessing are meant all other blessings Bright clouds Signes and fore-runners of raine Psal. 135. 7. Jer. 10. 13. V. 2. For thee The meaning is Direct your prayers to God who will really blesse you and not to Idols who have alwayes deceived you There was Your temporall and Ecclesiasticall Governours have not performed their duties but have been perverted Jer. 23. 1. Ezek. 34. 1. V. 3. The goats The heads and great Ones upon whom God powred out his greatest vengeance by meanes of the Chaldeans Jer. 39. 6. For the Lord Now that the Lord hath turned his favourable countenance towards his people he hath endowed them with valour and strength so that of sheep they are now become great war horse with which the Lord will overcome and trample his enemies which may in part he understood of the Maccabees victories but most perfectly of the whole Churches victories over the world and the divell Cant. 1. 9. V. 4. Out of him From God descends all mans strength whether it be to beare up themselves as corner stones doe beare up the buildings or as nailes doe hold last tents or be it to defend themselves by open strength which is meant by the bow Oppressor All manner of oppression done by other men is also a worke of Gods providence V.
5. And the riders The powerfull enemies who are well appointed and provided for war V. 6. Of Joseph namely The ten Tribes the chiefe whereof was Ephraim descended from Joseph that is to say all true Israelites according to the spirit V. 8. I will hisse I will call them by my Gospel as from a far off into my Church see Isa. 5. 26 and 7. 18. For I have Or for I will redeeme them V. 9. Sâ—w them Scatter them abroad in exile and captivity where I will notwithstanding preserve them and their posterity not to let them perish utterly And turne namely from the Spirituall Babylon which is the world and the Kingdome of Satan to the true Jerusalem and to the land of promise which is Christs Church as Hos. 1. 11. Whereof the returne from Babylon was but a proofe and figure V. 10. Shall not A figurative amplification to signifie the infinite number of Believers as Isa. 49. 20. V. 11. He shall passe He will miraculously deliver his Church termes taken from the comming of the children of Israel out of Egypt by the red sea see Isa. 11. 15. The river namely Nilus of Assyria that is to say Of all the enemies represented by these two nations which had most oppressed the Church V. 11. In his name They shall follow him cleaving to Him and to his Word and service which He hath revealed unto them CHAP. XI Vers. 1. OPen A Prophecie of the last destruction of Jerusalem and the Jewes by the Romans because they had rejected the Messias now because Lebanon was the confine of the countrey on that side as the Romans made their chiefe irruption it is brought in as opening the gates of Judea Thy cedars This may be understood either literally because the Romans did almost destroy the whole forrest of Lebanon to employ the trees for the besieging of Jerusalem as Isa. 14. 8. Or figuratively for the most powerfull and flourishing City of Jerusalem as Is 2. 13. Ezek. 17. 3. V. 2. Firre tree If the noblest plants have been spoiled the inferiour ones must not looke to be spared which may also be understood of the lesser cities and holds which were about Jerusalem Forrest namely A faire pleasant parke as Jerusalem was sometimes called by figure Ezek. 21. 2. V. 3. Of the Shepheards namely Of the Governours of Jerusalem who in stead of being shepheards to feed the people were become ravening Lyons whelps Ezek. 19. 2 3. The pride that is to say the numerous and proud nation of the Jewes likned to the yeerely overflowing of Jordan whereof see Jos. 3. 15. Jer. 49. 19. V. 4. Thus saith namely To his sonne who is the Churches everlasting Shepheard Heb. 13. 20. 1 Pet. 5. 4. to whom the father hath given the government and charge of his people oppressed by powerfull prophane nations untill the time prefixed for their totall dispersion by reason of their ingratitude V. 5. Whose possessions namely Any one that hath any right over my people either by conquest of war or otherwise Not guilty they doe it and are not punished for it Jer. 2. 3. and 50. 7. That sell them namely Those that make merchandize of them as of poore slaves Say They doe prophanely boast of the power which God hath given them over his people as of an expresse blessing See Deut. 20. 19. V. 6. For I will Oh my Sonne doe thou exercise this charge of shepheard over this people untill the prefixed time of my patiences lasting after which time I will utterly destroy them for their rebellion and ingratitude I will deliver He seemes to signifie the frequent seditions and civill troubles of the Jewes about the time of their last desolation Of his King namely The Roman Emperour whom they should have accepted for their King rejecting my Sonne Joh. 19. 15. V. 7. O poore namely My poore Church and Jewish nation no way comparable in greatnes and power to other nations and Empires of the world and brought very low by her calamities see Isa. 14. 23. Zeph. 3. 12. Two staves A figure of the two wayes which Christ useth at all times in feeding of his Church the one by lovingly guiding them by his Word and Spirit the other by severely punishing them by the cruell hand of their enemies see Isa. 10. 5. V. 8. Three Shepheards The three chiefe Empires that had tyrannized over my people Jer. 6. 3. and 12. 10. namely The Chaldean Persian and Grecian Empire which were destroyed by the Sonne of God Dan. 2. 45. In one moneth namely In a short time as Hos. 5. 7. My soule I was sorry and vexed at my peoples disloyalty and ingratitude who did likewise begin neither to love not respect me V. 9. I will not A representation of the Jewes Reprobation V. 10. My covenant The peace which I had granted to my Church that she should be no more assaulted nor molested by any strange nation which was verified from the Maccabees time untill a little before the comming of Christ. V. 11. The poore namely Mine Elect which remaine of my people who humbly gave faith to my promises and obedience to my commandements did acknowledge the time of Gods visitations and that the warres moved by the Romans were effects of His providence according to the ancient prophecies V. 12. And I said By the figure of a Shepheard who demands his wages is shewed the Jewes horrible ingratitude who in stead of a full acknowledgement of Christ did deale with the Traytor Judas to have Christ put into their hands for thirty shekels Matth. 26. 15. and 27. 9. V. 13. And the Lord God my Father did so detest their ingratitude that he would have those thirty shekels through Judas despaire and despight to be throwne into the Temple and employed to a prophane use and be no more laid up in the holy treasure That I was prized at Because that the injury done to my Sonne redounded to me who had before governed them by him see John 5. 23. V. 24. I cut asunder Whereby is meant that Christ would not onely governe his people no more in mildnesse and clemencie nor exercise his shepheardly severity in saving corrections and visitation as hee had done in former times but that he would altogether reprove them I might break Taking away from the Jewes according to the flesh the title of being my Church and my people whereas before they had been the same thing in name effect Israel the people of God and Judah I will take unto me the Israel which is according to the Spirit namely all true Believers and will reject the carnall Judah V. 15. Unto me namely To me Zechariah by a figure of the peoples evill government by their owne Heads Priests Doctors and others into whose powers the Lord delivered them for a punishment because they had rejected Christ. V. 16. A shepheard A government which shall be uniforme in wickednesse and depravation though it be administred by severall persons which God had
obedience which I have commanded and brought forth in them that are mine by my Spirit John 6. 29. 1 John 3. 23. Will I give I will make him partaker of my Kingdomes glory and of the fruit of my victories over all mine enemies V. 28. I will give him namely when that great day of eternity shall appeare 2. Pet. 1. 19. I will make him partaker of the light of glory happinesse and full knowledge which resides in me and of which I am the distributer Rev. â—2 16. CHAP. III. Vers. 1. THat hath that is to say he that possesseth the fulnesse of the gifts and graces of the Holy Ghost Johâ— 3. 34. to distribute them to the whole Church Thou livest the Italian Thou art sayd to live namely a spirituall life consisting in faith and all manner of workes of piety V. 2. Perfect that is to say entire and correspondent to the duty of thine office according to Gods order and judgement though they seem otherwise to men V. 4. Which have not that have kept themselves pure from the contagion of sinners see Jude 23. or that have kept the confession of faith in a pure conscience by which they have put on Christ Gal. 3. 27. Ephes. 4. 24. Revel 16. 15. Shall walke that is to say shall live with me in my Kingdome in perfect light joy glory and innocency all which things are signified by white garments Werthie that is to say they are â—ittingly disposed thereunto according to Gods order see Matth. 10. 11. V. 5. Blot out that is to say I will keep and preserve him eternally in the number of my Fathers Elect and will make it appeare in effect that he is of that blessed society See Exod. 32. 32. Psam 69. 28. V. 7. That hath the key namely Christ the Sove â—aâ—gne Lord and Governour of his Church anciently figured by Eliaâ—him Steward under Hezekiah Isa 22. 22. That â—penâ—th that is to say whose power is Soveraigne and absolute not Subject to any contradiction opposition or prohibition see Job 12. 14. V. 8. I have seâ— I have maintained the preaching of the Gospell and the gift of faith in thee that thou mightest in it have accesse to the Throne of grace and likewise all other meanes of salvation and hope see Matth. 25. 10. Thou hast that is to say thou hast not altogether â—ainted but doest yet beare up so that thou maiest use some meanes for unto him that hath nothing nothing is given Matth. 25. 29. V. 9 And worship that is to say they shall humble themselves unto thee and shall aske thee forgivenesse for the wrongs and outrages which they have committed against thee and they shall yeeld thee that acknowledgement and honour which belongeth unto thee Isa. 49. 23. 60. 14. V. 10. The word namely the Gospel alwaies accompanied with afflictions to the imitation of me Or my command to suffer for my name Will keepe thee either by delivering thee or by strengthening thee that thou mayest not be overcome Of temptation of triall and exercise of great afflictions 2 Pet. 2. 9. V. 11. I come namely in judgement Which thou hast namely my grace and truth the gift of faith and practise of these gifts with perseverance That no man that thou mayst not finde thy selfe frustrate of the reward of everlasting glory and see it obtained by others who shall have kept the faith unto the end of the race A manner of speaking taken from races and other games wherein men did strive for superiority see 1 Cor. 9. 25. 2 Tim. 4. 8. Jam. 1. 12. 1 Pet 5. 4. V. 12. Will I make I will establish him eternall and glorious in the triumphant Church I will write that is to say I will glorifie him to the full and make him clearely appeare what he is namely a true child of God a Citizen of Heaven and member of Christ made like unto him in glory See Isa. 4 3. 44. 5. Phil. 3. 20. 1 John 3. 2. Rev. 14. 1. My new namely the lively impression of my glory which I have obtained after I went up into Heaven Phil. 2. 9. Rev. 19. 12. V. 14. The Amen namely Christ who is not onely truth it selfe John 14. 6. but in whom also all Gods promises aâ—e yea and Amen that is to sâ—yâ— are ratified and firme 2 Cor. 1. 20. The beginning namely he from whom all creatures have their beginning John 1. 3. Col. â—1 16. Oâ— the beginning of the creation that is to say he that is as one may say the foundation of all this new fabricke of the Church Col. 1. 18. V. 15. Neither cold that is to say thou hast indeed some knowledge and â—eeling of piety but without any â—ervencie of affection to the workes of it and without zeale in abhorring and rejecting the contrary ones I would thou wert that is to say it were better for thee that thou haddest never participated of my truth and grace then to use it thus carelessely for thy knowledge makes thee inexcusable and as by it thâ—u art the more bound so thy 〈◊〉 is the more aggravated by thy contempt and ingratitude see Luke 12. 47 48. V. 16 Spâ—e thâ—e out that is to say I will cast thee out of my spiritual communion and out of my love A terme taken from lukewarme drinks which doe provoke one to vomit V. 17. I am rich namely in temporall goods or peradventure in spirituall gifts but not accompanied nor animated by the principall gift which is that of the vigour and servencie of Spirit V. 18. To buy that is to say to obtaine of me by convenient meanes which are humility faith repentance zeale and by meanes of renouncing all confidence in thy selfe all those gifts which are needfull for thee See of this buying without any price Isa. 55. 1. Matth. 13. 44. 25. 9. Gold he seems to meane the gift of a pure and lively faith by meanes of which all the rest may be obtained Matth. 21. 22. White rayment this is the gift of free justification by the application of Christs innocency righteousnesse and satisfaction alwaies accompanied with the gift of the sanctification of the Spirit see 2 Cor. 5. 3. Gal. 3. 27. Rev. 7. 14. Eye-salve a figure of the meditation and study of holy things and of all other meanes which are apt to enlighten and strengthen the understanding in the knowledge of divine truth V. 20. I stand that is to say I exhort admonish and solicite see Cant. 5. 2. fot it is not here spoken of the first act of conversion but of the consequences of it in which man who being dead hath been made alive ought to cooperate with Gods grace Rom. 6. 13. Gal. 5. 25. Open that is to say gives way to my exhortations and word and opens his heart thereunto by docility lively apprehension and obedience to faith Will come into him figurative termes to signifie an intimate communication in grace and comfort CHAP. IV. Vers. 1. I Looked