The Pontificians are not ashamed to confess these and many other of the like sort concerning their Bishops and publickly in their writings so that there is no further need to enquire who hee is that sits Antichrist in the Temple or in the Visible Church as to his Title when wee know that the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may signifie two things according to the various acceptation of the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viz. the Vicar of Christ and the Adversary of Christ and wee hear the Pope of Rome boasting himself Antichrist in one of these significations i. e. professing himself the Vicar of Christ but in the mean while wee apprehend the same as it were in the very act openly affirming himself to bee amongst Christians that hee is neither subject to Civil nor Ecclesiastical Laws but without blushing to profess himself above them And whereas now it is manifest to the world that the authority of the Pope of Rome is by himself and by his attendants extolled above Scripture or divine Laws as to the constitution of the Canon determination of the sense judgement and deciding of controversies dispensatian as it is called about divine commands c. shall wee doubt who hee is that sits lawless in the Temple of God or amongst the Professors of Christian Religion As to what concerns the second or the possession of his Kingdome Antichrist shall not possess his Kingdome without war Christ shall fight against him with the sword of his mouth i. e. by preaching of the Truth revealed in the Gospel and by the power of his Spirit concurring with the Word As to the third touching the end of Antichrists Kingdome or the issue of his War and Kingdome Christ will detect and confute the lyes of Antichrist the deceits wickednesses tyranny false interpretations and allegations of Scriptures and will by degrees demolish consume and waste his Kingdome and at length will destroy and abolish it by the illustrious manifestation of his comming to the last general judgement Vers. 9. Even him whose comming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders Artic. 6. Wherein hee resumes and furthermore describes the rise and progress of Antichrist his arms arts and helps wherewith hee will acquire his Kingdome and as much as hee can will uphold it The first help is Satan who will with his manifold crafts instruct Antichrist and by him hee will strongly put forth his effectual power in the whole time of Antichrists dominion Signs Help 2. His faculty of dissimulation or power of setting forth some miracles with deceitful signs and wonders used for the confirmation of their false opinions In the Popish Legends as they are called thou mayest read a thousand such Vers. 10. And with all deceiveableness of unrighteousness in them that perish because they received not the love of the Truth that they might bee saved Help 3. All deceiveableness of unrighteousness or all unjust or fraudulent deceit such are false counterfeit or fawning Doctrines sophistical disputations the inticements of riches honours or dignities of this world together with threatnings and terrors the top and height of which deceit will bee in him because hee will not openly or directly fight against Christ but hee will set upon the matter secretly and in an hidden manner counterfeiting himself to act the cause of Christ when as much as hee can hee subverts it Because Artic. 7. Touching the subjects of Antichrist and their perdition and the causes thereof The retinue of Antichrist properly called his houshold and familiars are described to bee such as with obstinate minds stubbornly cleave unto him even to the end and in whom the Devil is very effectual 1 From the property of Reprobates They perish they are of the number of those that perish 2 From the meritorious cause of their perdition because they receive not the Truth offered in the Word of God with love that they might bee saved Vers. 11. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusions that they should beleeve a lye They are described 3 From the most just revenge of the Judge upon them punishing sin with sin and delivering them to bee blinded by the Devil that they which have refused to behold light and have renounced divine truth should beleeve errors and delusions the devices of men most gross fables and lyes and so should perish Vers. 12. That they all might bee damned who beleeved not the Truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness They are described 4 From their last condition and from the meritorious cause of their condemnation They shall bee all eternally damned at that last judgement because they have not beleeved the plain truth of God laid open in the Gospel but with a full will have most unrighteously rested in the belief of lyes and obedience to their carnal desires And this is the issue of them who obstinately cleave to the Bishop of Rome and his errours fore-told by the Spirit of God The Second Part. Vers. 13. But wee are bound to give thanks alway to God for you Brethren beloved of the Lord because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the Truth The other part of the Chapter follows wherein hee confirms three waies the Faith of the Thessalonians lest they should bee moved by this sad Prophecy 1 By thanksgiving in their behalf 2 By an exhortation of them to constancy and 3 By prayer for them As for the first way in their thanksgiving hee produces three Arguments for the confirmation of their Faith Brethren beloved Arg. 1. Yee are our Brethren comprehended with the same love of God with us Therefore yee need not fear perishing with the Antichristian sect Chosen Arg. 2. In his decree touching the end and saving means God hath chosen you that yee may obtain salvation through Faith and Sanctification by the Holy Ghost as by means whereby yee may attain salvation freely appointed for you Therefore c. Vers. 14. Whereunto hee called you by our Gospel to the obtaining of the Glory of the Lord Iesus Christ. Arg. 3. God hath now effectually called you through the Gospel preached by mee that yee may obtain glory purchased by Christ Therefore there is no reason that yee should bee moved by this sad Prophecy Vers. 15. Therefore Brethren stand fast and hold the traditions which yee have been taught whether by word or our Epistle The second way of confirming their Faith By an exhortation to constancy in the Faith that they stand fast and strongly maintain the traditions or the Doctrines delivered to them by the Apostles against all enemies which Doctrines they had learnt either by voice whilst Paul was present or by writing as they had received in the former and this Epistle and in other Scriptures Vers. 16. Now our Lord Iesus Christ himself and God even our Father which hath loved us and hath given us everlasting consolation and good
AN EXPOSITION OF ALL St. PAULS EPISTLES TOGETHER With an Explanation of those other Epistles of the Apostles St. James Peter John Jude Wherein the sense of every Chapter and Verse is Analytically unfolded and the Text enlightened By DAVID DICKSON Professor of Divinity in the University of Glascoe Published for the Benefit of such as desire clearly to understand and rightly to improve the Scriptures JOHN 15.4 Abide in mee and I in you As the Branch cannot bring forth fruit of it self except it abide in the Vine No more can yee except you abide in mee LONDON Printed by R. I. for Francis Eglesfield and are to bee sold at the Marygold in St. Pauls Church-yard 1659. TO THE MOST ILLUSTRIOUS MARQUESSE Earl of Kintar Lord Cambel Lord of Lorn c. AND To the most Noble Lord the Lord Archibald Cambell Lord of Lorn his Eldest Son and Heir c. David Dickson wisheth all happiness THe name of Wisdome and Happiness most Illustrious Marquess hath alwaies and every where been very eminent and all men have justly commended him that hath been studious of both But few they are who well understand the things themselves For they that place their Happiness in any thing besides the enjoyment of God in the matter of true Wisdome are much mistaken That indeed is the true Wisdome by which wee are directly and infallibly led to solid and eternal Happiness It is a most sad spectacle and to wise observers not unprofitable to behold the misery of mankind joyned with madness Man is banished from Heaven and as a Vagabond wanders upon Earth tossed up and down with the stings of misery and a certain blinde desire of Happiness inquires after his Remedy But the Felicity hee should seek after above hee looks for among terrene trash and so misseth of it every where For the chiefest Good hee embraceth the meanest things and the deceitful shadows of Vanity By the frequent frustration of his conceived hopes hee is minded of his errour and urged with the perpetual agitation of a restless spirit to seek after the heavenly Country and his Fathers house But hee goes astray from the womb and his errour is endless encreasing and multiplying the miseries that hee flies from The contemplation of Divine Goodness conflicting with mans obstinacy and stubbornness heightens the sadness of this spectacle The fountain of happiness descends from Heaven cloathed with Majesty and Light as with a garment manifesting to those that are in the dark his invisibility to wit his eternal power and God-head shining forth in the works of Creation that hee might invite rebels into favour with him But they either look not towards God or looking to him they acknowledge him not or knowing him in some measure they glorifie him not as God but become vain in their imaginations and bowed downward they cry out Who will shew us any good None seriously pray Lift up the light of thy Countenance upon us God comes neerer in the works of his providence and leaves himself not without witness but communicates his good things to men unworthy gives Rain from Heaven and fruitful seasons filling the hearts of his most ingrateful enemies with food and gladness that they might feel after the Lord and finde him whom they had lost so by the riches of his goodness and forbearance they might be reduced to repentance But they receive these benefits and sacrifice them to gluttony and intemperance And even with these things which Divine bounty vouchsafed arming themselves with the weapons of iniquity they rebel against God But here the Man-kindness of God doth not end but hee comes close to us reacheth forth his hand knocks at every mans breast produceth the Law written legibly upon every mans heart shakes their consciences stirs up their thoughts to summon those fugitive enemies to the Tribunal of Justice to accuse the guilty and convince them of their odious ingratitude takes away all excuse from those that are convicted and all this that men might repent and sue out for pardon But they convinced of their iniquity contumaciously lift up themselves against God fall out with conscience and lay violent hands upon it to bee silent they invade that truth of God written upon their hearts which once suppressed they imprison and with-hold in unrighteousness It s no wonder if God suffer such desperately stubborn and self-condemned creatures to walk in their own waies and leaves them to Satan giving them up to their own corrupt affections Alas Alas millions are lost and will bee so By how much the more this spectacle is lamentable by so much the goodness of God is more lovely which will not endure that Divine Grace should suffer a repulse by those which the good pleasure of God will have to be his own to come to themselves and be saved You will easily affirm that to be a joyful sight which for ever will bless the beholders and make them happy The Eternal Wisdome the Beloved of the Father the Delight of Angels the Light of the World the Life of Men the Son of Righteousness under whose wings is healing and salvation Our Lord Jesus Christ came down from the bosome of his Father Who having discharged the price of our Redemption conquered our enemies gets up into his triumphant Chariot passes through all places where his redeemed ones abide for their sakes hee sets up the banner of his love hee sends forth the voice of saving wisdome in the Gospel of Peace By the Ministery whereof hee opens the fountain of mans misery wider reproves of sin creates in them a sorrow after God holds forth wrath to come and terrifies demonstrates to them their folly unworthiness and impotency to deliver themselves from those evils and humbles them to an abnegation of their own wisdome and strength Hee offers himself a Mediatour for the restoring of amity betwixt God and man provokes in us a thirst after Life and Righteousness holds forth to us freedome from the Law of works as also the ratification of the New and Free Covenant of Grace to which hee causeth them to consent perswades them to embrace Christ that great gift of God and wholly resign themselves up to him Hee exhibits also to them Remission of sins and causes them to lay hold upon it to Justification Hee wills those that are justified to mortifie the old man and enkindles in them no less desire after holiness than after Heaven and Happiness it self Hee requires the fruits of Faith in obedience to the Divine Law and causes them to suck vital juice from the vine which they send forth in fruits worthy of the Gospel Hee commands that every one take up his own Cross which lies in his way to Heaven causing them to observe his commands and after the Lord of Glory bearing reproach for him through prosperity and adversity to pass on unto eternal life This is that saving Wisdome which deceives no man but justifies and blesseth all her Children and in like
other Gentiles I have gained some to God Therefore ought you to hearken to my doctrine Vers. 14. I am debter both to the Greeks and to the Barbarians both to the wise and to the unwise Argum. 14. By the office of my Apostleship and the special command of Christ I am a debter to all sorts of men to preach the Gospel Therefore you ought to hearken to my doctrine Vers. 15. So as much as in mee is I am ready to preach the Gospel to you that are at Rome also Argum. 15. I have much respect to you Romans and according to the liberty granted of God as much as in mee lyes I am ready to preach the Gospel no less to you than to others for your salvation Therefore you ought to obey my doctrine Vers. 16. For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth to the Jew first and also to the Greek I am not ashamed Argum. 16. Although the Gospel which I preach is commonly dis-esteemed and goes along with the Cross yet because it is not mine but the Gospel of Christ holding forth that grace which by him is communicated unto us honourable and glorious whereof I am no wise ashamed Therefore you ought to hearken to my doctrine Power Argum. 17. Confirming what was said before The Gospel which I preach is a powerful and effectual instrument of salvation to every one that beleeves without exception of Nation whether Jews or Gentiles the Jews prerogative being regarded to whom the Gospel ought first to bee preached because of the Covenant long since made betwixt God and the Jews Therefore you ought c. Vers. 17. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith as it is written The just shall live by faith Argum. 18. Confirming the former In the Gospel which I preach is revealed and discovered the righteousness of God from faith to faith which before was hid under Ceremonies and shadows that is to say That means of justifying sinners which God himself hath found out in which onely wee can stand before God and in which alone hee is well pleased To wit the righteousness of Christ our Lord which is made ours from faith to faith i. e. from faith increasing by degrees from less to a greater measure or from faith meerly onely and not of works or our inherent righteousness Therefore ought you to receive the things which I write with all willingness and submission of mind The second part Hee passeth to the second part of the Chapter wherein hee laies down a Proposition to bee confirmed in the following part of the Epistle which is this That Righteousness which is revealed in the Gospel is the Righteousness of Christ imputed to us by the grace of God apprehended by faith alone and not inherent righteousness in men which is works Or which is to the same sense wee are justified by faith in Christ and not by works The Arguments brought to confirm this Position are ten whereof two are contained in this Chapter one in the second the rest in the third Chapter To all which this dis-junction is to bee premised Either wee are justified by Faith or Righteousness freely imputed or by works or inherent Righteousness The Just Argum. 1. By the Righteousness of faith onely wee obtain life Therefore by the righteousness of faith alone wee are justified for by an indissoluble connection Righteousness and Salvation are joyned together and there is the same reason or ground of both This Argument hee confirms by a Testimony Hab. 2.4 Who rejects those as Hypocrites from life that trusted in themselves or their own works and the righteous by faith hee pronounceth heirs of life onely Vers. 18. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness Argum. 2. Wee are so farre from being justified by works that the wrath of God openly pursues the unjust and wicked works of all men of the Gentiles and the Jews to wit of those that are out of Christ Therefore wee are justified onely by the righteousness of faith or the Righteousness of Christ apprehended by faith and through grace imputed unto us The Truth Hee confirms this Argument by several parts and first hee shewes the unrighteousness of men in the example of the Gentiles to verse 24. and the wrath of God poured out upon the wicked and their unrighteousness hee further shewes to the end of the Chapter Hee proves the impiety and unrighteousness of the Gentiles inasmuch as the wisest of men to wit the Rulers and Philosophers among the Gentiles with-held the truth in unrighteousness i. e. That true knowledge which they obtained from God through unrighteousness or the pravity of their own will they suppressed and detained in themselves as a captive whilst they neither communicated it unto others nor shewed it forth in works of piety Therefore they are all impious and unrighteous This Argument is much to the purpose for if this bee true concerning the prime part of man-kinde out of Christ 1 Concerning the wisest Law-makers and Philosophers amongst the Heathens much more is it true touching the rest for if the flower and principal part bee corrupted what shall wee think of the dreggs and lower sort Vers. 19. Because that which may bee known of God is manifest in them for God hath shewed it unto them 20. For the invisible things of him from the Creation of the World are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his Eternal Power and God-head so that they are without excuse This Argument hee explains two waies First By shewing that the Gentiles had certain remnants of the light of Nature concerning the worshiping of God because that which may bee known of God by natural light was manifest to them to wit The Eternity Power and Divinity of God with the rest of his Attributes which are apprehended by the light of Nature even from the Creation of the World were manifested by the things that were made clearly as in a glass that they could not plead ignorance Vers. 21. Because that when they knew God they glorified him not as God neither were thankful but became vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkened 22. Professing themselves to bee wise they became fools 23. And changing the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man and to birds and four-footed beasts and creeping things Secondly Hee explains the former Argument by shewing that the Gentiles detained and imprisoned the known truth partly in that they gave not God the glory of his Attributes and divine works as also that they were not thankful for his benefits which the light of Nature would have taught them Partly because they became vain in their imaginations and deceived themselves being blind where they seemed most of all to bee wise leaving
those true Principles concerning God â—hrough their own false reasonings they drew false conclusions about God and the worshiping of him Lastly They apparently manifested their ingratitude and folly by their works they framed the images of men and beasts whereby they would represent God or the properties of God to the eye thus as much as in them lay they changed the glory of God dishonoured by so vile a comparison into those abominable images Vers. 24. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts to dishonour their own bodies between themselves 25. Who changed the Truth of God into a Lie and worshipped and served the Creature more than the Creator who is blessed for ever Amen The impiety and unrighteousness of men against God being manifested in the Example of the Gentiles hee shews the wrath of God to bee poured out upon the wicked and withall the greatness of their iniquity In that God gave them up judicially to their own affections and most justly left them to themselves for a punishment of their abominable Idolatry That they which robbed God of his glory might suffer in and by themselves the foulest ignominy And that they which changed the glorious Attributes of God into lying images which are nothing less than what they are called should change themselves into beasts by their unbridled lusts They are said to worship and serve things created passing by the Creator For although Idolaters seem in the false representation of God by an Image to intend him honour and worship yet God altogether rejects that worship and leaves it wholly to the Image or Creature with whom hee will not by any means share his worship God is called in this place Blessed for ever that wee may know that the injurious carriage of Idolaters can detract nothing from the felicity of God But that his glory and blessedness will abide for ever to whom wee all of us ought with the Apostle to ascribe it saying AMEN Vers. 26. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections for even their women did change their natural use into that which is against nature 27. And likewise also the men leaving the natural use of the woman burned in their lust one toward another men with men working that which is unseemly and receiving in themselves that recompence of their errour which was meet In the Example of the Gentiles is propounded a further demonstration of mans unrighteousness and Gods wrath against the wicked To wit that God gave them up judicially to the hands of their own lusts and defiled spirits who served their own corrupt affections in matter of Religion that against Nature the men and women in their abominable Sodomitical filthiness below beasts in their unnatural lusts by way of requital should debase themselves who by their Idolatry had abased the glory of God in resembling him to Creatures and fictions of their own Vers. 28. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge God gave them over to a reprobate mind to do those things which are not convenient 29. Being filled with all unrighteousness fornication wickedness covetousness maliciousness full of envy murder debate deceit malignity whisperers 30. Back-biters haters of God despiteful proud boasters inventers of evil things disobedient to Parents 31. Without understanding Covenant-breakers without natural affections implacable unmerciful Hee proceeds further to manifest the unrighteousness of man and the wrath of God to wit That God most justly gave them up to a reprobate mind who refused to retain in their minds the knowledge of him which by the light of nature was apparent in all the works of Creation that being deprived of the use of common judgement as if they had turned beasts they ran mad into all wickedness against the Law of Nations and Nature without the least shew of Reason Filled That wee might not imagine them guilty of one fault onely the Apostle reckons up a Catalogue of about three and twenty with which these were filled that were left to themselves With all unrighteousness That is with all unrighteousness against their neighbour Fornication Under this hee comprehends all unlawful lying of the Man with the Woman Maliciousness That is a desire to hurt joyned with fraud and indeavour Wickedness That is a frowardness of mind openly discovering it self Malignity That is with roughness and harshness of manners Whisperers Such as privily back-bite their neighbours on purpose to dissolve the bonds of friendship Back-biters Such as injure the reputation and fame of others Haters of God Such are they who out of an evil conscience will not endure to hear any thing of God Spightful Such are those that are cruel oppressing others by force Boasters Such as make a shew of great matters Inventers of evil things Such as devise new kinds of sins Without understanding Such are they which are hurried like brute beasts without any shew of reason which way soever their lust draws them Vers. 32. Who knowing the judgement of God that they which commit such things are worthy of death not only do the same but have pleasure in them that do them The last demonstration of mans unrighteousness and the wrath of God in his justice leaving them to themselves appears with a threefold aggravation 1 They practised the foresaid wickednesses against the dictate of conscience for they knew that those wickednesses were displeasing unto God 2 They sâ—â—ned against the knowledge of the judgement of God and the due desert of sin They knew them worthy of death that committed such things 3 They themselves onely did not commit such things but not onely by their silence but consent flattery and authority became Patrons to them that did confirming and hardening them in their sins This is the condition of the wisest men out of Christ who are so farre from the righteousness of works that they do nothing but abuse the known principles of Righteousness provoke the wrath of God against themselves and more and more pollute themselves with all manner of filthiness to their final perdition CHAP. II. IN this Chapter wee have the third Argument set down to prove the Position viz. CONCERNING THE RIGHTEOVSNESSE NOT BY WORKS BVY BY FAITH Which is propounded in the first and second verses in the remaining part of the Chapter it is confirmed and the objections removed Vers. 1. Therefore thou art inexcusable O man whosoever thou art that judgest for wherein thou judgest another thou condemnest thy self for thou that judgest doest the same things 2. But wee are sure that the judgement of God is according to truth against them which commit such things The third Argument against Justification by works from the self-condemnation of all men drawn from the last verse of the former Chapter Every man condemning others and doing the same things which hee condemns in his own judgement is condemned without excuse Therefore every man is so farre from being justified by works that on the
contrary hee is condemned In the second verse a reason of this is subjoyned because the judgement of God is just and according to the merit of the deed condemns every sinner both him that judgeth and him that is judged Therefore hee which according to the judgement of God condemns another to death for sin condemns himself doing the like things Vers. 3. And thinkest thou this O man that judgest them which do such things and doest the same that thou shalt escape the judgement of God This Argument in the following part of the Chapter is confirmed removing the four pretended Objections whereby men may evade the force of the Argument Object 1. Hee securely contemns the judgement of God who because God hath hitherto spared him promiseth himself impunity or freedome from punishment when hee judgeth others I am not afraid saith hee of the judgement of God The Apostle refutes this Objection and proves it null by six Reasons Reas. 1. That such an imagination is vain and foolish for Thinkest thou c. which is the same as if hee had said In vain doest thou think to escape the judgement of God Vers. 4. Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and long-suffering not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance Despisest Reas. 2. Such an imagination puts contempt and abuse upon the riches of the bounty forbearance and gentleness of God when any one because God hath spared hitherto goes on in sin and conceives hopes to go unpunished Bounty Reas. 3. That the bounty of God ought to invite and move to repentance not to go on in sin out of hopes to go unpunished Vers. 5. But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thy self wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgement of God Hardness Reas. 4. That such a thought is the hardening of our hearts in sin and a sealing of them up that wee cannot repent Treasure Reas. 5. That hee who securely contemns the judgement of God heaps up unto himself a kinde of treasure of punishments from divine justice to the time of that last and terrible judgement wherein that whole treasure of punishments in the most righteous anger of God shall bee openly poured out upon him Vers. 6. Who will render to every man according to his deeds 7. To them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory and honour and immortality eternal life 8. But unto them that are contentious and do not obey the truth but obey unrighteousness indignation and wrath 9. Tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doth evil of the Jew first and also of the Gentile 10. But glory honour and peace to every man that worketh good to the Jew first and also to the Gentile Reas. 6. God will give to every man in the day of Judgement according to his works good or evil his rewards of grace or punishments of his justice To wit eternal life to them that persevere in obedience to the truth hoping for a reward vers 6 7. And besides the signs of wrath in this life eternal death also after this life as it is just for an angry God to inflict upon the adversaries of the truth and the servants of unrighteousness verse 8. Hee confirms this reason in that God will have no respect to any Nation or outward Priviledges in the inflicting of his punishments But the Jews which had the chiefest favours of God should bee first in their punishments and that hee would inflict upon the soul and body of the Heathens or Gentiles their deserved torments verse 9. And to the same manner in his rewards without difference of Nations hee will glorifie i. e. with all gifts that may externally accomplish a man such as Glory and Honour and inwardly which is signified by Peace and will heap upon the pious and honest Jew according to all the priviledges which hee hath vouchsafed to that Nation and will crown the pious and honest Gentile in his place with eternal life verse 10. from whence it follows that hee is deceived who indulges hopes of impunity because God hath hitherto spared him Vers. 11. For there is no respect of persons with God Hee confirms the former reason from the equity of God in that hee is no respecter of persons and hee meets with the second Objection propounded verse 2. against the severe judgement of God against sinners Some might object In the executing of Judgement respect is to bee had as well of the Heathen who lives out of the Church without the knowledge of the Law or the doctrine of God as also of the Jew which is a Disciple of God and an hearer of the Law God forbid that either of them should perish for both seems unjust although they are sinners Hee refutes this Objection and proves it just that every sinner should perish by five Reasons Reas. 1. Because there is no respect of persons with God that hee should exempt from condemnation those that persevere in sin whether Jews or Gentiles for any reason which appertains to the person not the cause And here it is to bee observed that God looks with an equal eye upon the Jew and Gentile out of Christ not in the degrees of punishment but in the guilt of eternal death which all sinners are worthy of although not in the like degree Vers. 12. For as many as have sinned without Law do by nature the things contained in the Law those having not the Law shall be judged by the Law Reas. 2. This confirms and unfolds the other because they that have sinned without the Law scil written Against the Law written upon their hearts by nature even by the same Law within them shall perish without the written Law by the sentence of Justice And whoever have sinned in the Law or in the knowledge of the Law written shall bee condemned even by the sentence of the written Law Vers. 13. For not the hearers of the Law are just before God but the doers of the Law shall be justified Reas. 3. Especially intended against the Jews who according to the rule of Righteousness cannot bee accounted for Righteous before God even they that are hearers of the Law unless they perform perfect obedidience to the Law which because neither Jew nor Gentile can do by consequence neither can they bee exempted from deserved condemnation but on the contrary especially the Jews which are hearers of the Law and do not keep it are most worthy of judgement Vers. 14. For when the Gentiles which have not the Law do by nature the things contained in the Law these having not the Law are a Law unto themselves 15. Which shew the work of the Law written in their hearts their conscience also bearing witness and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another Reas. 4. Especially intended against the Gentiles which though they have not the written Law yet they have a Law within
Circumcision 2. Much every way chiefly because unto them were committed the Oracles of God The first objection is from this Doctrine some might say then the Jew hath no prerogative above the Gentile nor is there any profit of Circumcision ver 1. Hee answers ver 2. that this is the principal and chief priviledge of the Jewes that the Covenant was made with the Jewes and this Nation had the custody of the holy Scriptures i. e. the Tables of the Covenant committed to them of God and the Jewes were made Depositaries Treasurers which was a singular benefit and a famous honour Vers. 3. For what if some did not believe shall their unbelief make the Faith of God without effect The second Object But they are fallen from that honour because they have not believed the Oracles of God and so the Faith of God given in that Covenant is made void to which hee answers four wayes First It follows not that the faithful Promises of God made to this Nation were void because some of them believed not Vers. 4. God forbid yea let God be true but every man a lyar as it is written That thou mightest bee justified in thy sayings and mightest overcome when thou art judged Secondly He answers by detesting the Objection because it is absurd to imagine that God should fail our Faith Thirdly He answers by laying down a most true assertion to the contrary that God is to bee avouched alwayes true and that every man by nature is a lyar Fourthly That the sins of men and their lyes are no hindrance to God in the performing of his Promise but rather serve to illustrate his Truth Mercy and Justice because by how much the greater and more the sins of men are so much the more is the Justice of God eminent when hee punisheth and his mercy and truth when hee spares which hee confirms out of Psal. 51.4 Where David in the Confession of his sins commends the truth of God and pronounceth God alwayes to overcome when hee judges as often as any one Undertakes to judge of what hee doth or saith Vers. 5. But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God what shall wee say Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance I speak as a man The third Object From the words of the Psalm perverted to blasphemy If our sins illustrate the righteousness of God then God seems to be unrighteous who avenges those sins whereby hee is glorified This is objected by the Apostle in the person of a man ignorant of God Vers. 6. God forbid for then how shall God judge the world Hee answers 1 By rejecting the Objection as blasphemous God forbid saith hee 2 Hee answers by giving a reason why hee rejects the Objection Because it is impossible that hee which shall judge the world should be unjust Vers. 7. For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lye unto his glory why also yet am I judged as a sinner 8. And not rather as wee bee slanderously reported and as some affirm that wee say Let us do evil that good may come whose damnation is just The fourth Objection urging the former If by my sin to wit my lye the truth of God is more glorified I am not only not to be condemned for sin but I may follow after it that the glory of God may bee more advanced In answer hee saith 1 They were malicious slanderers that thus charged the Apostles Doctrine Let us do evil that good may come of it Hee answers 2 That these calumniators and those that teach and follow this Doctrine doing evil that good may come were justly to bee condemned of God Vers. 9. What then Are wee better than they No in no wise for wee have before proved both Iewes and Gentiles that thâ—y are all under sin The fift Object But by this Doctrine wee Jewes have no preheminence of the Gentiles to wit in the matter of Iustification by Works which is the principal question Hee answers that in this respect the Jew is no better than the Gentile and hee renders a reason of it because hitherto wee have proved that both Jewes and Greeks are under sin The second Part. In the second part of the Chapter hee returns to prosecute the Dispute concerning Iustification not by works but by faith Vers. 10. As it is written there is none righteous no not one 11. There is none that understandeth there is none that seeketh after God 12. They are all gone out of the way they are together become unprofitable there is none that doth good no not one Argument 4. Concerning Justification not by works but by faith The Scripture witnesseth that all men are under sin and liable to condemnation to ver 20. therefore no man is justified by the works of the Law ver 20. The testimonies of Scripture are six 1 Out of Psa. 14.1 2 3. and Psalm 53.1 2 3. where the Prophet speaking of the unregenerate in his time and of all in their natural estate out of Christ pronounceth first that no man is righteous ver 10. Secondly that all are blind and ignorant of the things which make for their Salvation Thirdly that there were none which were affected with a desire of knowing or worshipping or having any communion with God ver 11. Fourthly that all were guilty of Original Apostasie from God and his known Will Fifthly that all were unprofitable polluted abominable by reason of the filthiness of their wickednesses Sixthly that there were none viz. of those that were unregenerated that did any good and by consequence that there was none but did evil and only evil for when hee does the work commanded not to God commanding being unregenerate hee serves himself and sacrificeth to his own idols Vers. 13. Their throat is an open sepulchre with their tongues they have used deceit the poyson of Aspes is under their lips The second testimony is from Psalm 5.9 wherein David under the type of his enemies condemns all unregenerate men or men not reconciled to God of impurity of heart from whence proceeds nothing but that which is abominable and loathsome unto God that the throat of every one is as a Sepulchre newly opened sending forth a pestilential smell of wicked thoughts out of whose mouth comes forth nothing but pestilent injurious and deceitful speeches Poyson The third testimony is from Psalm 140.3 In which the same is confirmed of Davids enemies which were types of persons unreconciled unto God in that they are alwayes ready to send out from their mouths as from a quiver poysonful speeches no less hurtful than the poyson of Aspes Vers. 14. Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness The fourth testimony is from Psalm 10.7 to the foresaid sense wherein the Psalmist complains of the natural man that his mouth is full of cursing and reproachful words whereby the glory of God and the fame of our Neighbour is wronged Vers. 15. Their feet are swift to shed blood 16. Destruction and
because wee are mutable as also the condition of works by reason of our infirmity is impossible but that which is of Grace that which is by Faith that which is in Christ is necessarily firm because it leans upon the unchangeable good pleasure of God and the Merit of Christ. Vers. 17. As it is written I have made thee a Father of many Nations before him whom hee believed even God who quickeneth the dead and calletâ— those things which bee not as though they were The third Part. The third part of the Chapter follows in which the Faith of Abraham is commended to the use and benefit of all Believers that they may learn by his example to believe more and more Tâ—e grounds upon which the Faith of Abraham is commended are six Reason 1. Because Abraham through his Faith by the special Sentence of God is declared the Father of many Nations and so the Father of us that believe according to the Faith For as Abraham begat Isaac by virtue of the Divine Promise and not by the power of Nature even so by virtue of the Divine Promise promising that hee should bee the Father of many Nations Abraham took all Believers into the number of his Children to bee reckoned amongst his Seed And thus in the virtue of the Promise hee begot or conceived the Faithful as Children of the Promise which hee shews more clearly by calling Abraham the Father of the Faithful not only before God or in the sight of God that is after a spiritual manner and in the account of God but also to the likeness of God by a kind of similitude answering to God whom hee believed for in the Act of Faith Abraham standing in the light of the countenance of God Almighty who spake unto him believed the Promise Those sons which God promised hee looked upon as present by Faith And thus after a sort hee became the Father of them after the similitude of God Quickning Reason 2. Because Abraham by Faith fixed his eyes upon the truth and Omnipotency of God effectually bringing life out of death and a beeing out of nothing and effectually calling things that were not yet as if they were or had a beeing to which Omnipotent Truth when Abraham believed his Faith put on a kind of similitude to the Truth of God Almighty Vers. 18. Who against hope believed in hope that hee might become the Father of many Nations according to that which was spoken So shall thy Seed bee Reason 3. Because Abraham believed in Spiritual hope i. e. hee had in his heart a firm and invincible confidence with a lively and strong hope of the promised issue Against hope viz. of the flesh and natural reason which did object nothing but impossibility and as it were affirmed that they could not bee his Seed as God had spoken Vers. 19. And being not weak in Faith hee considered not his own body now dead when hee was about an hundred years old neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb Reas. 4. Because hee was not weak in faith hee did not consider or did not stand upon those impediments that lay before his Faith from himself and his wife as now dead in respect to natural generation but rather magnified the power and faithfulness of God which had promised Vers. 20. Hee staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief but was strong in Faith giving glory to God Reas. 5. Because hee disputed not against the Promise not was stopt by those objections which unbelief suggested but valiantly defended the Promise of God and set himself against temptations ascribing to God the glory of his truth and Omnipotency Vers. 21. And being fully perswaded that what hee had promised hee was also able to perform Reas. 6. Because hee gave to God speaking the glory of his truth out of a most full perswasion of Gods power for the performance of his Promise For the Promise once made there is no doubt to bee made of his will to perform what hee promiseth But the question which remains is touching the Power of him that promiseth Which question being laid aside Abraham rests in the promise of him whom hee knew to bee Almighty Vers. 22. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness Reas. 7. Wherein the Faith of Abraham is commended in that his Faith by this act shewing it self to bee true such a Faith which uniteth humbled and emptied man in the sight of God to God that promiseth was imputed to him for righteousness Because hee imbraced for his righteousness the blessing promised in that Seed which was to come i. e. Christ. Vers. 23. Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him 24. But for us also to whom it shall bee imputed if wee believe on him that raised up Iesus our Lord from the dead Now the Apostle shews forth the example of Abrahams Faith fitted to the common use of Believers giving a pledge as it were by this example promising that our Faith in Christ Jesus in like manner should bee imputed unto us for righteousness And that hee might invite us to believe hee first compares the Gospel ministred unto us in the Name of God touching the Death and Resurrection of Christ for us to the promise made unto Abraham And further hee requires of us Faith in God who offers us this grace by the preaching of the Gospel that wee might believe with Abraham And lastly hee affirms our Faith in God who hath willingly satisfied himself in the death of Christ whom hee hath raised also from the dead that hee might impute and apply to us the righteousness obtained by the death of Christ no less certainly to bee imputed unto us for righteousness than it is certain that Abrahams Faith was imputed to him for righteousness and so sure it is that this was not written for his sake alone but for us to whom in like manner this Faith was to bee imputed for righteousness Vers. 25. Who was delivered for our offences and was raised again for our Iustification Hee layes the foundation of this certainty in a twofold judicial act of God towards Christ. The first act is the delivering up of Christ our Surety to death for our offences The other is the raising of him for our Justification In the first whereof God testifies that the sins of the Redeemed were translated upon Christ by Covenant And in the other that hee is abundantly satisfied for their sins and that the Redeemed in the person of their Surety are justified From whence it follows that to those who are Redeemed seeing they by Faith agree in this Covenant revealed in the Gospel Faith is imputed to righteousness or the Righteousness obtained by Christ is applyed to them that as in the person of their Surety they are justified so also they may bee justified in themselves CHAP. V. THe first Confirmation of this Divine ground of the Iustification of sinners by Faith in Christ you have had
the world to confound the wise and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty 28. And base things of the world and things which are despised hath God chosen yea and things which are not to bring to nought things that are With this Argument hee brings in the tenth from the subalternate end of this Counsel of God viz. that hee might shew that hee nothing esteemed those things which were highly valued by men that so whoever swelled with pride because of these things might bee ashamed confounded and looked upon as vile and of no account neither is it therefore to bee wondred at that God hath chosen this plain manner of preaching and that I should stick to it that the vain wisdome of words might bee shamed seeing that all the pomp of words is found only to tickle the fancies of men and avails nothing to the conversion of the heart Vers. 29. That no flesh should glory in his presence Argum. 11. From the ultimate end of Gods good pleasure in chusing things and persons and weak means to salvation which end is here negatively propounded lest any should glory in himself No wonder therefore that God hath sent mee to preach not with wisdome of words lest I should glory in my self when any are converted by my preaching Vers. 30. But of him are yee in Christ Iesus who of God is made unto us wisdome and righteousness and sanctification and redemption In the mean time hee comforts the Corinthians against this their abasement and mean condition before the World granting to them by way of recompence of nobleness of stock in regeneration riches in wisdome and righteousness and finally freedome from all sin and misery in Christ and for the greater confirmation of their faith hee discovers that Christ was appointed by God and given to them for righteousness and life for Christ is made all these things by merit imputation application and effectual accomplishment to the use of all the faithful Vers. 31. That according as it is written Hee that glorieth let him glory in the Lord. Hee sets down affirmatively the ultimate end of Gods good pleasure in chusing weak means and persons and in debasing all men in themselves that as it is Ier. 9.23 all the glory might bee given to God from whence arises the twelfth Argument God so orders all things that no man should glory save in the Lord Therefore it 's no wonder that God sent mee not to preach the Gospel with wisdome of words that in the success of the Gospel wee might all glory in God alone CHAP. II. HEe goes forward to confirm the same doctrine which hee delivered in the foregoing Chapter viz. That in the preaching of the Gospel he rejected Rhetorical Elegance but was pleased with plainness and spiritual demonstration not that the Apostle defends the rashness or rawness of any in preaching as if wee might speak whatsoever comes to the tongues end without Method or sense in a rude stile and contemptible kind of speaking for the right way of preaching hath it's excellency which neither approves of dissembling or sordidness but condemns the affectation of eloquence which causes the hearer more to admire him that speaks than that which is spoken for the truth thought upon and rightly understood when the Preacher delivers it out of Faith and Love the simple willingly follow it and a speech fitted to the building up of all auditors which relishes better with the wisest hearers than all the flourishes of Rhetoricians This plain kind of preaching hee proves more excellent than artificial eloquence by eight Arguments the former of which are taken from the experience of Paul himself and the Corinthians to whom hee writes Vers. 1. And I Brethren when I came unto you came not with excellency of speech or of wisdome declaring unto you the testimony of God The first Argument I Paul when I came to you Corinthians to preach the Gospel by which you were converted to the Faith did advisedly abstain from the eminency of eloquence Therefore plainness of speech in preaching the Gospel is better than artificial Rhethorick Vers. 2. For I determined not to know any thing among you save Iesus Christ and him crucified Argum. 2. I did not at all value it to shew amongst you or discover of my self the knowledge of any thing save of the person offices efficacy and vertue of Jesus Christ and specially of his Passions and Humiliation Therefore this way of preaching is most excellent Vers. 3. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling I being mindful of humane infirmities in the midst of dangers composing my self to humility without pride preached amongst you and carried my self pensively and tremblingly in my duty Therefore the preaching of the Gospel plainly is the excellentest way Vers. 4. And my speech and my preaching was not with entising words of mans wisdome but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power My speech and preaching never glistered with the acuteness of wit or humane Philosophy nor with fineness of words fitted for perswasion but in the evidences of Scripture and sound truth in which the Spirit shewed himself powerfully and worked in your hearts Therefore this kind of preaching is most excellent Vers. 5. That your faith should not stand in the wisdome of men but in the power of God Giving a reason of his practice why hee refrained himself from Humane Eloquence in his speeches hee adds the fift argument If I had made use of artificial expressions to convert you to the Faith Humane Eloquence had been the cause of believing the Gospel amongst you Corinthians and not the naked truth which is said to bee the power of God because God works powerfully by it in his people and so the Faith of the Corinthians had been grounded upon the deceitful foundation of Humane Eloquence but when any one by Eloquence is moved to believe hee may bee moved also by greater Eloquence to forsake the truth of Faith Therefore it follows that this plain way of preaching is most excellent Vers. 6. Howbeit wee speak wisdome amongst them that are perfect yet not the wisdome of this world nor of the Princes of this world that come to nought Argum. 6. From the comparing the Gospel and Humane Wisdome together That the Gospel hath its own proper wisdome eloquence and lustre in this plain kind of preaching any one of years may bee judge neither can it more admit of the dressing of Humane Wisdome than the most beautiful face admits of painting In those that undertake to preach the Gospel the help of Humane Wisdome is requisite not the splendour of it in preaching Wisdome His comparison of Divine Wisdome in its plainness of speech with worldly wisdome is eightfold The first Comparison They that are perfect or grown up in the School of Christ which have their senses exercised to discern good and evil this Wisdome of the Gospel they
Primitive Church for the confirmation of the faithful were indued with a power of working miracles signs and wonders of all kinds in great measure Fifthly Hee sets down those who had power miraculously to heal diseases in whom the gift was more straightned and restrained to this one kind After this sixthly hee names ordinary offices and gifts viz. helps or the office of Deacons whose work it was to see to the maintenance of Ministers and the necessities of the Saints and the dispensation of the publick revenues of the Church which office though it may seem the meanest it appears to bee in no small account and imposed not upon men of inferiour ranck but upon those that were of tryed fidelity and the more able or men of fairest estate as vers 22 23 24. And that for the necessary use of it for without the help of this office the work of the Ministery would bee much hindered for had there not been helps or Deacons who undertook the care of collecting the stipends that the Ministers might more freely attend the work of the Lord It is necessary that the Ministers with the Levites Nehem. 13. to whom a designed portion was not given should betake themselves to their fields and their work or secular businesses and also to Law-sutes being debarred of their due allowance they might lose their zeal of labouring in the Lords Vineyard or the fruit of their labours After these unless perhaps there was no difference touching these inferiour offices the Apostle is not solicitous any further about the order Hee names Governours or Ruling Presbyters who take notice of the peoples manners and as presidents with the Pastors and Teachers with the Ecclesiastical Assembly attend to the removing of scandals In the last place hee sets down the gift of tongues to wit solitary with which any one either spake that which hee could not interpret in a language known to the people or could interpret it but could not speak in an unknown tongue which gift because above others it caused admiration it seemed to bee affected among the other Corinthians and to bee matter of boasting to the rest Vers. 29. Are all Apostles are all Prophets are all Teachers are all workers of miracles 30. Have all the gifts of healing do all speak with tongues do all interpret By all which fore-cited hee sharply corrects and reproves the ambition and envy of inferiours as if they would all have the most eminent gifts and the more excellent functions which was most unreasonable as the interrogations repeated to the peircing of their consciences shew Vers. 31. But covet earnestly the best gifts and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way Argum. 16. Of Exhortation that there bee no evil emulation about their gifts their ambition might bee better laid out by coveting the most excellent gifts to wit saving or such as accompany salvation which kind of gifts first of all is Christian Charity by which saving Faith is effectual whereof hee promises to speak Therefore evil emulation concerning gifts and Ecclesiastical or Spiritual Offices is to bee taken heed of CHAP. XIII HEE shews that that more excellent way of which hee spake in the last vers of the Chapter going before was the way of Charity and proves by four Arguments that the gift of Charity is the most worthy gift which they should affect above all Vers. 1. Though I speak with the tongues of Men and of Angels and have not Charity I am become as sounding brass or a tinkling symbal The first Argument the gifts which you desire are nothing without Charity and hee reckons up five sorts of gifts before which hee prefers Charity The gift of Tongues in the highest degree which is if any one could speak with all Tongues or like unto Angels would do nothing more to salvation without Charity than an unprofitable sound Vers. 2. And though I have the gift of Prophesie and understand all mysteries and all Knowledge and though I have all Faith so that I could remove Mountains and have no Charity it profiteth mee nothing The second gift is the gift of Prophesie in the highest degree being joyned with knowledge and wisdome which will not at all conduce to the salvation of the Prophet without Charity The third gift is of a Faith miraculous in the highest degree to the doing of those things which are most impossible which if it should bee given yet it would bee nothing without Charity Vers. 3. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the Poor and though I give my body to bee burned and have not Charity it profiteth mee nothing The fourth gift is the greatest liberality towards the poor that can bee imagined The fift gift is the greatest courage of Martyrdome as any one can imagine all which without Charity will not at all profit to salvation Therefore Charity is the most worthy gift which you can desire Vers. 4. Charity suffereth long and is kind Charity envyeth not Charity vaunteth not it self is not puffed up The second Argument from the famous properties or effects of Charity which hee reckons to be fifteen 1. Charity suffereth long 2. And is kind 3. Envyeth not 4. Charity vaunteth not it self 5. Is not puffed up Vers. 5. Doth not behave it self unseemly seeketh not her own is not easily provoked thinketh not evil 6. Doth not disgrace it self or its neighbour by behaving it self unseemly 7. Seeks not her own but the good of others 8. Is not provoked to render evil for evil 9. Thinketh no evil unjustly Vers. 6. Rejoyceth not in iniquity but rejoyceth in the truth 7. Beareth all things beleeveth all things hopeth all things endureth all things 10. Rejoyceth not in iniquity 11. Rejoyceth at the good successes of others 12. couragiously bears labours and difficulties in discharging its duty 13. Beleeveth the best of all so far as truth suffers 14. Hope 's the best of the amendment of all so far as prudence suffers her 15. Endures all the infirmities of others Therefore is the most worthy gift which you can affect Vers. 8. Charity never faileth but whether there bee Prophecies they shall fail whether there bee tongues they shall cease whether there shall bee knowledge it shall vanish away Argum. 3. Charity never faileth therefore the most excellent and worthy to bee desired This propriety hee illustrates by comparing it with other gifts First With Prophecie and Tongues which because wee shall not have use of them in the life to come as means they shall cease being no further necessary Secondly Hee compares Charity with knowledge it self and prefers it before knowledge because knowledge shall vanish away viz. that mediate knowledge or manner of knowing which is now obtained by books by hearing and meditation c. Therefore Charity is the most excellent gift which you can desire Vers. 9. For wee know in part and wee prophesie in part Which hee proves because knowledge is now in part and imperfect not onely in respect of
edifying of the church 13. Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that hee may interpret Hee infers an exhortation to what was fore-spoken that they might bee zealous of the gift of Prophecie for the good of the Church and to that end that hee which hath the gift of an unknown tongue might pray that hee might have also the gift of interpreting that tongue Vers. 14. For if I pray in an unknown tongue my spirit prayeth but my understanding is unfruitful Reason 7. If any one speak unto God praying publikely in an unknown tongue hee doth ill because though hee that prayes understands yet the understanding of him that prays shall bee unfruitful to those that hear and do not understand and hee doth ill much more who speaks publikely to men in a tongue not understood Therefore the gift of Tongues is inferiour to that of Prophecie Vers. 15. What is it then I will pray with the Spirit and will pray with understanding also I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the understanding also Hence hee draws forth his exhortation because amongst those who had the gift of strange tongues some had the faculty miraculously to reason in divine mysteries some had the faculty of praying others did sing in those strange tongues and others gave thanks these gifts were divers and for divers uses hee commands them so to use them all that they may bee understood by the hearers for if any one pray by the Spirit or from the gift of the Spirit what profit shall it bee to the Church unless hee pray also with understanding i. e. so that the hearers may understand him Vers. 16. Else when thou shalt bless with the Spirit how shall hee that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks seeing hee understandeth not what thou sayest This hee confirms and adds the eighth Reason from the unprofitableness of it because when any one shall bless by the gift of the Spirit those that occupy the room of private men in the Church i. e. the rest of the hearers in the Assembly cannot joyn their prayers with him or say Amen unless hee speaks in a known tongue The matter is otherwise in Prophecying where all things are uttered in a known tongue Therefore c. Vers. 17. For thou verily givest thanks well but the other is not edified Hee gives a reason because the hearers in the Church neither understand nor are edified although that which is spoken is most excellent Vers. 18. I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all 19. Yet in the Church I had rather speak five words with my understanding that by my voice I might teach others also than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue Reason 9. From his own example who was most inabled in the gift of Tongues and yet hee had rather speak a few words which might bee understood by the hearers than many in a tongue unknown to the people Therefore the gift of Prophecie excels that of Tongues Vers. 20. Brethren bee not children in understanding howbeit in malice bee yee children but in understanding bee men Reas. 10. Backed with a Precept because this abuse of the gift of strange Tongues being no way profitable to the hearers is a childish and foolish ostentation whereas it became them to bee children indeed in respect to innocency but not in respect to knowledge Vers. 21. In the Law it is written With men of other Tongues and other Lips will I speak unto this people and yet for all that will they not hear mee saith the Lord. 22. Wherefore Tongues are for a sign not to them that beleeve but to them that beleeve not but prophesying serveth not for them that beleeve not but for them which beleeve Reason 11. Out of Isa. 28.11 and Ier. 5.15 because to speak with Tongues not understood in the Church is set down of God as a threatning for a punishment of unbelief But Prophecie serves for the edification of Beleevers Therefore let unknown Tongues bee rejected out of the Church and let Prophecie bee preferred Vers. 23. If therefore the whole Church bee come together into one place and all speak with Tongues and there come in those that are unlearned or unbeleevers will they not say that yee are mad Reason 12. Taken from the avoiding of Scandal Unbeleevers or Professors of a private condition will bee estranged from the Faith and they will say that both the Preacher and the People are mad if the time appointed for publick worship bee spent in the hearing of an unknown Tongue Therefore the gift of Tongues is inferiour to the gift of Prophesying Vers. 24. But if all prophesie and there come in one that beleeveth not or one unlearned hee is convinced of all hee is judged of all 25. And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest and so falling down on his face hee will worship God and report that God is in you of a truth Reason 13. From the special fruit which would ensue If laying aside the use of strange Tongues all the Prophets for hee denies that all the faithful in the Church were Prophets Chap. 12.29 should prophesie i. e. should propose the Oracles of the Prophets and their Doctrine to the edification of the Church For in this case if any unbeleever should come in or a private Christian one of their hearers should hear them prophesying hee is convinced of sin and condemned according to the sentence of the Law by all that prophesie and the secret sins of his heart are manifest unto him which when the hearer sees and observes the Grace of God laid open by the Prophets in the Gospel hee falls upon his face adores God and seriously gives testimony of Gods presence with the Prophets in the Church Therefore Prophecie is more excellent than the gift of Tongues The second Part. Vers. 26. How is it then Brethren when yee come together every one of you hath a Psalm hath a Doctrine hath a Tongue hath a Revelation hath an Interpretation let all things bee done unto edifying The other part of the Chapter in which hee gives seven Precepts concerning good order The first is that if the Spirit shall suggest to any one of the Prophets any godly Psalm to the praise of God or any Doctrine or expression of a strange Tongue for the use of the Church or revelation of a thing to come or of a mystery not observed before or the interpretation of a strange Tongue or of the Scripture Hee commands that the exercise of all these bee fitted to the edification of the Church that all may go out of the Assembly better than they came Vers. 27. If any man speak in an unknown Tongue let it bee by two or at the most by three and that by course and let one interpret Vers. 28. But if there bee no Interpreter let him keep silence in the Church and let him speak to himself
themselves fairly before men Onely Sign 2. That they compel the Galatians to admit of Circumcision not out of love but onely lest they should suffer persecution by the Jews for the Doctrine of the Cross or free justification by the death of Christ and not by the works of the Law Vers. 13. For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the Law but desire to have you circumcised that they may glory in your flesh Sign 3. That although they were circumcised long since yet they little care for the observance of the Law which they required of others But desire Sign 4. That they seek occasion from the circumcision of the Galatians to glory amongst the Jews that they had converted many Proselytes to the Law Vers. 14. But God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of our Lord Iesus Christ by whom the world is crucified unto mee and I unto the world In the other part of the comparison the sincerity of the Apostle is shewn in these two things 1. That hee onely glories in his free Redemption by Christ crucified and in his sufferings for the Doctrine 2. That hee doth not affect earthly pomp but contemn the world with all its pomp and glory which persecuted and despised him for the Doctrine of the Cross sake and by the Cross learnt daily more and more to contemn the world Vers. 15. For in Christ Iesus neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but a new creature Hee gives four Reasons of his endeavour which are so many signs of his sincerity Reason 1. I know that in the Kingdome of Christ neither Circumcision nor Uncircumcision is respected by God but a new creature i. e. I know that it is necessary when any one is admitted by faith into the Kingdome of Christ and justified that hee should bee more and more renewed and sanctified but other priviledges are of no value without newness of life Therefore I will onely glory in the Cross of Christ. Vers. 16. And as many as walk according to this rule peace bee on them and mercy and upon the Israel of God Reas. 2. The rule of my intention is the summe of the whole Canonical Scripture to which as to one onely rule or one onely Canon the Doctrine and life of all is to bee conformable Therefore I will only glory in the Cross of Christ c. Peace Reas. 3. I am perswaded that whosoever shall order their faith and life by this rule they shall also obtain peace i. e. a sense of their reconciliation to God all kinde of blessings or an accumulation of good things and mercy or a remedy for the purging away all evills Therefore I will onely glory in the Cross of Christ. Israel Reas. 4. They are alone the true Israel of God that follow this Rule Therefore all things laid aside I will onely glory in the Cross of Christ by c. Vers. 17. From henceforth let no man trouble mee for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Iesus After the Comparison as a Conquerour hee triumphs over his Emulators forbidding them to make him any further work either by gain-saying his Doctrine or by detracting from his Authority because hee bare the ensign of his Felicity towards Christ viz. the mark of a servant most devoted to Christ i. e. Hee hath all the signes of an Apostle and a faithfull Witness clearly to bee seen in him Vers. 18. Brethren the Grace of our Lord Iesus Christ bee with your spirit Amen Hee shuts up the Epistle with his accustomed seal wishing that the Grace of Jesus Christ manifested beleeved and effectual might abide in their mindes hearts and whole life that from thence they may draw consolation both in life and death to which Amen is subjoyned as a testimony of his vote and the faith of an Apostle and for a seal of the truth of the precedent Doctrine The Epistle of Paul to the EPHESIANS Analytically expounded The Contents THe City of the Ephesians was the Metropolis of Lesser Asia in which the Apostle two whole years preached the Gospel Act. 19. And when lastly hee went up to Jerusalem hee fore-told a change of the Church to the Ephesians Act. 20. Against which hee fortifies them by this Epistle when hee was now held captive at Rome and plainly despaired of his return hee endeavoureth diligently to confirm their minds in Faith and Truth There are two principal parts of the Epistle besides the Preface and the Conclusion The first is The Doctrine of Grace for the confirmation of their Faith to Chap. 4. The other is the Doctrine of gratitude and thankfulness tending to holiness of life to the end of the Epistle That which belongeth to the first part First of all hee shews that the whole reason of our salvation is free and solidly founded on Christ in the first Chapter Furthermore hee amplifies this Grace from the former misery of the Ephesians Chap. 2. Thirdly The scandal of the Cross lying upon him being taken away hee exhorts them to constancy and progress in the Faith by the glorious commendation of his Ministery and by manifesting the cause for which hee suffered Chap. 3. In the second part hee gives Precepts of keeping the unity of the Church of holiness of life as well in general as in particular in the shunning of evil and following after virtue by which the life of every one is ordered in a Christian manner Chap. 4. and in the former part of Chap. 5. After these hee descends to houshold duties to which and all other Christian duties that are to bee performed hee arms the faithful in the latter part of Chap. 5. and in the former part of Chap. 6. CHAP. I. THis Chapter besides the Preface contains two parts In the first is a thanksgiving tending to prove that the whole business of salvation both of Iews and Gentiles is meerly of Grace and wholly built on Christ to vers 15. In the other is a commemoration of the Apostles continual thanksgiving and prayer offered to God for the Ephesians tending to the confirmation of Faith the assurance of their salvation and of the perseverance of all truly faithful unto the end The Preface in the two first verses contains a direction of the Epistle and a salutation of the Ephesians which is very short because hee hath not to do here with envious persons or enemies but with conformable and obedient men to whom it would bee sufficient briefly to intimate his divine authority in writing this Epistle and the Apostles good will towards them and opinion of them Vers. 1. Paul an Apostle of Iesus Christ by the Will of God to the Saints which are at Ephesus and to the faithful in Christ Iesus In the direction of the Epistle wee have the description of the Writer from his Name Office and Authority And then of those to whom hee writes from the condition in which they stood towards God and from the place which they did inhabit on the
and redeemed together into Christ their Head otherwise wandring and separated from God is the summe and end of the revealed Mystery Therefore wee ought to render praise to Gods Grace by which wee are gathered together as well as others It is true that by the sin of Angels and Men the whole world like a mangled and almost dead body whose members are pulled asunder and torn one from another was almost brought to destruction but Christ confirmed the Elect Angels and stayed the perishing world but here the Apostle chiefly respects the restoring of elect men whereby Christ reconciled the men gathered to him unto God and compacted as it were into one Kingdome the elect Angels and spirits of just men in Heaven the Jews and Gentiles in Earth with a most strict union amongst themselves Vers. 11. In whom also wee have obtained an Inheritance being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things according to the counsel of his own Will Argum. 11. Applying it to the Jews The Inheritance of eternal life in Christ is given to us elect Jews not of works or is it gotten by the power of our free will but is bestowed by divine order and dispensation upon us who are predestinated according to the purpose of God who worketh all things according to the counsel of his will Therefore wee Jews and all others ought to give praise to Gods Grace These things make for the advancement of Grace Wee have obtained an Inheritance 1 Eternal life or glorification is an Inheritance which wee have not procured to our selves but have attained to it by divine appointment and dispensation 2 Wee are not able of our selves so much as to receive this Inheritance when offered to us nor can wee so much as take possession of this Inheritance though it bee setled on us but wee are made possessors of it by appointment for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a passive What then is here which is ours and is not of Grace Being predestinated 3 Wee were predestinated by God that wee should bee called to this Inheritance God did not take us into counsel with him when hee decreed our happiness Worketh 4 God who predestinated us to this happiness worketh all things not alone by preparing this happiness for us nor onely by framing and fitting us for it but also by effectually ordering all those means which should conduce to the bringing of us into the possession of it After the counsel 5 Nor doth God go out of himself to seek causes of his purpose or of his operation but hee works all things after his counsel or after his free and most wise will Therefore our glorification or salvation is of Grace and not of Works nor from the choice of our free will for that our will is carryed to the choice of good and of life and that wee perform any good works is of the meer free good pleasure of God who worketh all good things after the counsel of his Will Therefore Grace is praise-worthy Vers. 12. That wee should be to the Praise of his Glory who first trusted in Christ. Argum. 12. From the last end of the Calling of the Predestinated Jews unto the possession of this Inheritance As God hath performed this Grace to us elected Jews that first or that before the Gentiles wee should beleeve in Christ to come and also that wee should first beleeve in him present or already come so according to the prerogative which by grace is granted to our Nation hee hath chosen us first into the right of the heavenly Inheritance to the end that hee might obtain the glory of his Grace in us and from us Therefore wee Jews and all others deservedly ought to bless and adore God and to give praise unto his Grace Vers. 13. In whom yee also trusted after that yee heard the Word of Truth the Gospel of your Salvation in whom also after that yee beleeved yee were sealed with the holy Spirit of Promise Argum. 13. This is applied to the Gentils and particularly to the Ephesians You Gentiles also lately strangers to the Common-wealth of Israel are now called and chosen into the right of this Inheritance to the same end viz. the praise of the glorious Grace of God Therefore both you Gentiles and wee should joyn together to declare and set forth the Grace of God Now hee proves that the Ephesians were made partakers of this Inheritance as well as the Jews by six Reasons Yee trusted Reason 1. Yee have beleeved in Christ Therefore yee are made partakers of this inheritance Heard Reas. 2. God hath sent the word of his truth or saving Gospel to you that hearing yee should beleeve and obtain salvation Therefore you are not now as of old like Proselytes but had in equal honour with the Jews you do partake of the same inheritance Sealed Reas. 3. Taken from the pledge and earnest of salvation given them and from its first use After that yee had beleeved yee were sealed as peculiar ones to God by the gift of the Holy Ghost Therefore you are partakers of the same inheritance Of promise Reas. 4. From the other use of sealing The promises of the inheritance are sealed to you by the promised Spirit who confirms the promises to beleevers Therefore you also c. Vers. 14. Which is the earnest of our inheritance untill the redemption of the purchased possession unto the praise of his glory Reas. 5. From the third use of sealing or of the pledge of salvation given to us The gift of the Holy Ghost is the earnest of our inheritance to wit the pledge and part of our happiness which shall bee consummate hereafter Therefore c. Untill the Redemption Reas. 6. From the fourth use of sealing The Spirit shall remain with you for your comfort and not depart from you untill the covenanted Redemption bee fully perfected and compleated in an absolute freedome of your souls and bodies from all the bonds of sin and misery Therefore you have a right unto this inheritance To the praise In the last place hee shews us that the end of all these benefits is the praise of Gods glorious grace that God should bee blessed and acknowledged and his grace have the praise in all the fore-mentioned particulars viz. in our Election Predestination Redemption Vocation Donation of Faith remission of sins Adoption gathering unto Christ and fellowship with his people participation of the inheritance and sealing by the holy Ghost Vers. 15. Wherefore I also after I heard of your faith in the Lord Iesus and love unto all the Saints The Apostle proceeds to the second part of this Chapter where hee endeavours to strengthen the Ephesians faith the proposition to bee confirmed may bee taken into this sense in this or the like Rule you Ephesians ought to bee confirmed in the faith of the Gospel The Arguments to prove this proposition are Fifteen Faith in Argum. 1. Your faith in Jesus Christ is not that dead
the Truth is sustained as with a pillar and certain Butteress by the Church Because the Church preserves the Truth as it were in a treasury In the Church onely divine Truth is held forth to the world and there hath its seat and abiding and the Church alone it is that by her Ministers takes care that this truth bee every where preached proclaimed and communicated and defends it against all adversaries and that with weapons properly appertaining to the truth Vers. 16. And without controversie great is the mystery of godliness God was manifest in the flesh justified in the Spirit seen of Angels preached unto the Gentiles beleeved on in the world received up into glory Artic. 3. Contains the great mystery of godliness and the pillar and ground of all Evangelical truths or the first foundations of the Gospel whereupon all other saving Doctrines lean which foundations the Pastors of the Church by all means ought to defend The fundamental Doctrines which are comprehended in this Article and which are necessary to bee acknowledged with an unanimous consent of all true Christians are seven 1 The Summe of the Gospel is the Mystery of godliness and that indeed is great The Gospel is called a Mystery because it is hid from natural reason nor can ever bee understood by any one without Divine manifestation and supernatural Revelation so that in this Mystery wee must not confide in our own reason but in the word of God And that wee may understand the word of God wee must beg the illumination of the Spirit It is called the Mystery of godliness because it hath for its end Christian piety which consists in faith and obedience to the commands of Christ or in faith which worketh by love Great It is called Great because it treats of God Christ the great work of Redemption of the glory of Righteousness and Divine grace and our salvation which of all things are the greatest God The second fundamental Doctrine is this In the person of Christ God was manifested in the flesh God viz. The onely begotten Son of God and consequently truly and eternally God Manifest viz. To the whole world visibly and openly shewed forth In the flesh viz. In the humane nature even mortal and frail but free from sin hee shewed forth himself the true Immanuel and God with us And here the two Natures are pointed out the Divine which did assume and the Humane which was assumed and the whole debasement of Christ in the flesh is herein contained Iustified Doct. 3. In the person of Christ God was manifested in the flesh justified by the Spirit i. e. Christ by his Divine power which shewed it self forth in his doctrine and life also in his Miracles especially in his glorious Resurrection from the dead was not onely just and true but also abundantly declared the onely begotten Son of God and the supreme Prophet of the Church and King and Priest eternal and acquitted from all the calumnies and reproaches of the Jewes and all his enemies Of Angels Doct. 4. God manifested in the flesh was seen of Angels i. e. acknowledged of the Angels and by the clearer manifestation of his Majesty and also of the Divine will Christ God incarnate was more apparently seen and therefore the Angels are made use of by God as fit witnesses of the Conception Birth Suffering and Resurrection of Christ who hitherto admire this mystery amazed with the excellency of the matter desire further to look into it stooping down to behold the things which are revealed to the Church by the Spirit 1 Pet. 1.12 Eph. 3.10 For touching the manner of our Redemption it was thought meet to conceal it from the Angels for a time that the goodness of God might bee the more admired Preached Docâ— 5. God manifest in the flesh and preached to the Gentiles is a great mystery for it is a wonderful thing that the Gentiles who as yet wandred in the blindness of their mindes should have the Revelation of the Son of God which Doctrine was at first concealed from the Apostles themselves as also the Angels of Heaven Beleeved on Doct. 6. It s no small part of this Mystery that the efficacy of the Gospel should bee such in the world which lyes in evil and is contrary unto God by the labour of mean men and no wayes garnished with humane splendor when all passages were stopped and locked up the faith of Christ conquering all difficulties should bee entertained and gain the victory after an incredible manner so that the name of Christ is beleeved in and acknowledged in the world which way soever the preaching of the Gospel spreads it self Received up Doct. 7. The Mystery is great and worthy of admiration that Christ who in the infirmity of the flesh in the most abject condition of a servant lay hid so many years in the world and at length crucified seeming to end his life most miserably yet notwithstanding should bee received up into glory From whence sending the Holy Ghost and giving gifts unto men to this very day he manifests the glory of his Deity shewing what power hee hath in heaven and earth that all things are put under his feet These are the Doctrines which hee wills the Churches to hold fast from whence all the rest derive their original and establishment CHAP. IV. HEe proceeds to the instruction of Timothy how hee ought to carry himself in the house of God There are two parts of the Chapter In the first hee forewarns him about Apostacy from the true faith which would fall out in the Church in the last times to vers 6. In the latter part hee sets down the duties of a good Pastor and Governour of the Church whereby they might preserve themselves and their people free from that defection and Apostacy Vers. 1. Now the Spirit speaketh expresly that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of Devils As to what concerns the Prophecie of the future Apostasie from the faith or sound doctrine of the Gospel hee premises four things Whereof the first is concerning the certainty of the Defection because the Holy Ghost not obscurely or darkly but expresly forewarned them of this Apostacy and foretold them of the times immediately following wherein the defection from the faith should begin and should prevail in the visible Church The second contains three causes of their defection Cause 1 Deceiving spirits i. e. Devils authors of all kinde of errors and impostures Cause 2 False teachers who taught and propagated by the inspiration of the Devill false doctrines or doctrines of Devils invented by him in the Church Cause 3 Attention hearkning to and miserable men giving credit to those Teachers and Devils Vers. 2. Speaking lyes in hypocrisie having their conscience seared with an hot iron In the third place hee describes those Diabolical Teachers or instruments of the Devil by whom the Devils bring in those false Doctrines into
the Church from two Properties 1 There shall bee Hypocrites counterfeiting themselves lovers of the truth in all things even then when they obtrude their false opinions upon the Church They shall dissemble holiness and sanctity while they cry up their fictions as the worship of God 2 They shall have consciences seared with an hot iron because they shall speak and do many things against the dictate of conscience nor shall they bee affected with any sorrow after they have offended God and destroyed the souls of men by their Sacriledges heynous wickednesses and false Doctrines Vers. 3. Forbidding to marry and commanding to abstain from meats which God hath created to bee received with thanksgiving of them which beleeve and know the truth In the fourth place hee propounds two Examples of these Diabolical doctrines in things indifferent by which Doctrines as by certain marks wee may know those Diabolical teachers with their Apostate followers The first is forbidding to marry which errour it matters not what authors it hath besides the Devil it hath the Pontificians patronage with whom it hath of a long time been favoured and still is from the time that all their Clergy was enjoyned singleness of life Another Doctrine of Devils is about the choice of meats and abstaining from some as impure which errour amongst the Romanists is urged observed defended with more Religion than the most exercises of Piety and Justice prescribed by God Which God Hee proves by six Reasons the latter branch of this Doctrine touching the forbidding of certain meats for Religions sake to bee false and diabolical First From the end of the Creation Because God had created all kinds of meat to that end that wee should partake of them and feed upon them Therefore it is a diabolical Doctrine which gives Precepts about the avoiding certain meats when God affords them and their use is seasonable and convenient Thanksgiving Reas. 2. God will have all kinds of meats acknowledged for favours and therefore received with thanksgiving Therefore the Doctrine of avoiding and refusing certain meats when God affords them is diabolical Of them which beleeve Reas. 3. The use of the Creatures whensoever it is convenient is allowed of God to Beleevers or to those who have the knowledge of the Gospel Therefore to prohibit any meats to Christians to which they have right granted and may bee convenient to nature is the Doctrine of Devils Vers. 4. For every Creature is good and nothing to bee refused if it bee received with thanksgiving Reas. 4. Generally Touching upon the forbidding of marriage and meats whatsoever God hath created is good in its lawful use as meat marriage and the rest of the creatures For God looked upon what hee had created and behold it was very good Therefore the Doctrine that prohibits the natural lawful use of the creatures of God is diabolical Nor any thing Reas. 5. None of the creatures or ordinances of God are to bee rejected if they bee used lawfully and with thanksgiving Therefore the Doctrine that rejects Marriage or Meats when the use of them may bee lawful and convenient is the Doctrine of Devils Vers. 5. For it is sanctified by the Word of God and Prayer Reas. 6. Confirming the former Every Creature of God as Meat Marriage c. is sanctified to us for a lawful use joyned with a good conscience by the Word of God and Prayer for by the Word of God or the divine Ordinance wee understand a liberty and right restored to us by Christ and by Prayer wee acknowledge the gift of God and desire his blessing Therefore the Doctrine which commands us to abstain from the Creatures and makes them impure when God hath sanctified and prepared them for a holy use and vouchsafeth them to us is diabolical The Second Part. Vers. 6. If thou put the Brethren in remembrance of these things thou shalt bee a good Minister of Iesus Christ nourished up in the words of Faith and of good Doctrine whereunto thou hast attained The second part of the Chapter follows containing the duties of Timothy in the execution of his present embassage The Exhortations are four Mind Hort. 1. That hee propose to the Brethren the admonitions hitherto expounded and remember them of them There are two Reasons of the Exhortation A good Reas. 1. If thou do these things thou shalt shew thy self a famous Minister of Christ and careful that all things bee managed in the house of God according to his will Nourished up Reas. 2. Thou shalt demonstrate thy self nourished up in sound Doctrine as it were with wholesome food which thou hast attained from my teaching from whom thou hast never been absent Vers. 7. But refuse old wives fables and exercise thy self rather unto godliness Exhort 2. That rejecting humane traditions and the inventions of men devised to support their traditions as it were prophane fables with which old women and children are taken rather than wise men hee exercise himself in solid virtues which are prescribed of God to the promoting of piety and the worship of God and that hee take care that others exercise themselves therein Vers. 8. For bodily exercise profiteth little but godliness is profitable unto all things having the promise of the life that now is and that which is to come The Reasons of this Exhortation are four 1. Because those bodily exercises in watchings and abstinence from meats and such like voluntary kinds of afflicting themselves which are prescribed by the Precepts of men are profitable to little i. e. they do not recompence the labour with their advantage but are altogether unprofitable for the due use of such exercises when God calls us extraordinarily to them are profitable helps but commanded by men as superstitious they are disadvantagious Godliness Reas. 2. Christian Piety which is exacted by divine Precepts is profitable to all things whether to our selves or others whether wee regard the present or the world to come because it hath the divine promise of happiness in this and that life which is eternal Vers. 9. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation Reas. 3. Confirming both the exhortation and the precedent reason Because this Doctrine touching the rejecting the inventions of men and following the exercises of true godliness is a true saying which will deceive no man and indeed a saving Doctrine and therefore such as all men ought to embrace and defend Vers. 10. For therefore wee both labour and suffer reproach because wee trust in the living God who is the Saviour of all men especially of those that beleeve Reas. 4. Confirming the former Reasons Because wee suffer afflictions and streights labours and reproach enough from unjust persecutors for rejecting the inventions of men and defending of true godliness which consists in the exercises of Faith and Obedience and those afflictions wee bear valiantly from the hope of the promises which are made to us that walk in this way of godliness Therefore rejecting the
hardness as a good souldier of Iesus Christ. Branch 3. That hee neither fear nor flye from the pains which was required to this double work nor the afflictions or persecutions that followed it but receive and bear them with a good courage As a souldier The Arguments of the Exhortation or Admonition are eleven all which prove that hee ought valiantly to manage his warfare in the Ministry of the Gospel Arg. 1. Because thou are a souldier of Jesus Christ to whom as to thy General thou hast bound thy self by a Military oath And it becomes a Christian souldier to follow the example of Christ not fiercely to strive against his Adversaries but patiently inuring himself to the Cross and in the carrying on of his work contending with difficulties to proceed forwards Therefore thou oughtest to behave thy self couragiously in managing thy warfare in the Ministry of the Gospel Vers. 4. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life that hee may please him who hath chosen him to bee a Souldier Arg. 2. Propounded by way of comparison because otherwise thou canst not please thy General Christ unless setting aside all thy occasions that might call thee away from the work of Christ thou addict thy self wholly to his service Therefore c. Vers. 5. And if a man also strive for masteries yet is hee not crowned except hee strive lawfully Arg. 3. Propounded by way of comparison to the sports and noble striving which were amongst the Heathen because thou canst not bee crowned if wearied in the first onset thou retreat out of the field to rest and ease but it behoves thee to strive lawfully and to prosecute the contention so far as the Law prescribes i. e. persevere so long as thou livest in this Christian warfare that aâ— length thou mayest bee crowned Conquerour Therefore c. Vers. 6. The Husbandman that laboureth must bee first partaker of the fruits Arg. 4. Propounded by way of similitude as the former Because it is necessary that thou first labour if thou wilt receive fruit which as an Husbandman without doubt thou shalt reap if thou followest thy work with a good courage Therefore c. Vers. 7. Consider what I say and the Lord give thee understanding in all things That Timothy may gather and conceive more by these similitudes than could bee set down or need to bee explained hee leaves the applications of these similitudes to Timothy and further prayes unto God that hee would open his eyes to see those lessons which here and otherwhere hee might learn for the discharging of his duty for these comparisons were weaker than to reach the excellency of the Christian warfare and the reward of those that labour in the Ministry Vers. 8. Remember that Iesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my Gospel Arg. 5. Because Christ the General and Captain of the Army hath conquered all adverse power and death it self by the vertue of his Deity rising again from the dead for us in the same flesh which hee assumed from the Seed of David as I have preached Therefore O Timothy thou mayest hope to bee delivered from all evills and from death it self by the power of Christ very God and very man To which end also hee commands Timothy to remember and keep in minde this Doctrine because this is the chief foundation of faith hope and Christian consolation Vers. 9. Wherein I suffer trouble as an evil doer even unto bonds but the word of God is not bound Arg. 6. From the example of Paul himself I suffer bonds and disgrace willingly in the work of the Ministry Therefore do thou prepare thy self to suffer the like But the word Arg. 7. All the endeavour of the Adversaries of the Gospel comes to nothing while they persecute us the servants of Christ even unto bonds because although they may overcome us professours of the Gospel yet they overcome not nor doth the Gospel suffer bonds or is it hindred in its course Therefore let us confidently carry on our warfare Vers. 10. Therefore I indure all things for the Elects sake that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Iesus with eternal glory Arg. 8. The Elect of God are worthy for whose edification and confirmation in the faith to eternal salvation purchased by Christ wee who are the Ministers of Christ suffer all kindes of evills Therefore c. Vers. 11. It is a faithful saying For if wee bee dead with him wee shall also live with him 12. If wee suffer wee also shall reign with him if wee deny him hee will also deny us Arg. 9. Although the flesh hardly admits this saying yet certain it is That our communion with Christs death in induring the Cross is annexed to our communion with the life of Christ And certain it is that they shall reign with Christ who suffer with or for him Therefore must wee bee of good courage in our warfare that wee may live and reign with Christ. If wee Arg. 10. Whosoever being deceived by the terrours of persecution and the allurements of the world cast off the profession of the Name of Christ shall also bee cast off by Christ and perish Therefore c. Vers. 13. If wee beleeve not yet hee abideth faithful hee cannot deny himself Arg. 11. They that are unfaithful although they bring destruction upon themselves yet they shall detract nothing from the truth or glory of Christ who will defend his truth against the power of Adversaries and the perfidiousness of Apostates and will establish whatever hee hath said for his servants and against their enemies Therefore c. Vers. 14. Of these things put them in remembrance charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit but to the subverting of the hearers Admon 2. That Timothy do not onely inforce the things that are spoken but also take care that the word of God bee wisely handled both by others and himself also for example unto others There are three Branches of this Admonition Branch 1. That in the Name and Authority of Christ hee refrain unprofitable disputations such as theirs use to bee who seek after applause for their accuteness in their Sophistry Unprofitable The Reasons of this Branch are two Reas. 1. Because such contentions produce no profit at all Subverting Reas. 2. Because the faith of some is overthrown who lose the truth in wranglings or giving heed to perplexed disputations Vers. 15. Study to shew thy self approved unto God a workman that needeth not to bee ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth Branch 2. That hee shew himself an example in a prudent administration of the word of God studying to approve himself to God when others look after publick applause shewing himself a faithful workman when others boast themselves as vain disputers Alwayes doing his endeavour that he neither do nor speak any thing unbecoming whereof he may be ashamed in the
or do they read and not consider it Do they not weigh what is imported by it in sense and meaning It fareth with them as with those to whom Christ said Mat. 22.29 You erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God Do they not love it Behold their Plague 2 Thes. 2.10 11 12. Because they received not the love of the Truth that they might be saved for this very cause saith the Text God shall send them strong delusion that they should beleeve a Lie that they might be damned Do they not stedfastly beleeve what they learn in Scripture In Gods judgement with the foolish and unstable they are suffered to wrest the Scriptures to their own destructioâ— were they never so great wits 2 Pet. 3.16 Do they not study to give obedience unto the â—â—own Truth of it Hee dealeth with them as with Israel Psal. 81.11 My people would not hearken unto my voice and Israel would none of mee Hee counteth himself rejected because his Word was rejected But what followeth vers 12 So I gave them up unto their own hearts lust and they walked in their own counsels But to such as will be Christs Disciples indeed Students seeking to grow in knowledge beleef and obedience of his Word seeking to love him and keep his sayings hee promiseth Joh. 14.26 to send unto them The Spirit of Truth the Comforter the Holy Ghost to teach them all things That is to perfect their knowledge more and more by his Spirit to fill their hearts with joy and comfort according to his Truth and to make them holy more and more And why are all these stiles given Even to shew that such as will have Christs Spirit to work any of these must seek him to work all of these joyntly or not to have him for working any of them at all Neither comfort without truth nor comfort without Holiness The same is it which Wisdome cryeth Prov. 8.34 35 36. Blessed is the man that heareth mee watching daily at my Gates waiting at the Posts of my Doors For who so findeth mee findeth life and shall obtain favour of the Lord. But hee that sinneth against mee wrongeth his own Soul all that hate mee love death Therefore how thou doest hate Death and love thine own Soul how thou standest affected towards Gods and the fellowship of the Comforter the holy Spirit the Spirit of Truth and towards the enlargement of the Kingdome of Christ let thy affection towards the Scriptures more abundant dwelling in thy self and for the Scriptures more free course amongst others bear witness Farewel THE EPISTLE OF PAVL to the HEBREWS WHen Peter wrote his second Epistle to the scattered Hebrews there was extant an Epistle of Paul to those same scattered Hebrews also received in the Church for a part of Canonical Scripture and distinguished from Pauls other Epistles 2 Pet. 3.15 16. Therefore amongst other reasons this may bee one to make us think this Epistle must bee it For it is without reason to think that the Churches should bee negligent in keeping such a Iewel commended unto them by the Authority of two chief Apostles or lose Pauls Epistle and keep Peters which maketh mention of it The sum of the Epistle BEcause the Hebrews were hardly drawn from the observation of Levitical Ordinances unto the simplicity of the Gospel and in danger of making Apostacy from the Christian Faith by persecution the Apostle Paul setteth before their eyes the glory of Jesus Christ in his person far above men and Angels by whose Ministery the Law was given not only as God Chap. 1. but also as man Chap. 2. and in his Office above Moses Chap. 3. Threatning them therefore if they should mis-believe Christs Doctrine Ch. 3 4. and above the Levitical High-Priest Ch. 5. Threatning them again if they should make Apostacy from him Chap. 6. yea above all the glory of the Levitical Ordinances as hee in whom all those things had their accomplishment and period of expiring Chap. 7 8 9 10. Threatning them again if they should not persevere in the Faith of Christ unto which perseverance through whatsoever difficulties hee encourageth them by the example of the Faithful before them Chap. 10 11. and by other grounds of Christian comfort Chap. 12. That so in the fruitful obedience of the Gospel they might follow upon Christ seeking for that City that is to come and not for their earthly Hierusalem any more Ch. 13. The sum of Chap. I. IF you shall make comparison O Hebrews the Ministery of the Gospel shall bee found more glorious than the Ministery of the Law For the manner of Gods dispensing his will before Christ came was by part and part and subject to his own addition not after one setled manner but subject to alteration and by the Ministery of men the Prophets Verse 1. But now hee hath declared his last Will gloriously by his own Son God and Man in one person Verse 2 3. who is as far above not only the Prophets but the Angels also as the native glory of his Person and Office is above theirs Verse 4. For hee is of the same substance with the Father Verse 5. and partaker of the same worship with him Verse 6. The Angels but servants to him Verse 7. Hee is eternal God and King over all Verse 8. and in regard of his Manhead and Office filled with the Spirit Verse 9. Yea hee is Creator unchangeable and everlasting Verse 10 11 12. Joyned with the Father in the government of the world Verse 13. The Angels but servants both to him and to his children Verse 14. The Doctrine contained in Chap. I. Vers. 1. God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the Fathers by the Prophets ALbeit the Apostle was willing that these Hebrews should understand that this Epistle came unto them from him as appeareth Chap. 10. vers 34. yet doth hee not prefix his name in the body of it as in all his other Epistles that by the prudent dealing of these faithful Hebrews as wee may think others who kept pâ—ejudice against his person might bee drawn on to take notice of his Doctrine more impartially and know his name after they had tasted of the truth from him in a fitter time Whence wee learn 1. That it is lawful for godly men to dispose of the expression of their names in their writings as they see it expedient 2. That it is not much to bee inquired who is the Writer of any purpose till wee have impartially pondered the matter written 3. That it is not alwayes necessary that wee should know the name of the Writer of every part of Scripture for the authority thereof is not from men but from God the Inspirer thereof 1. Hee saith not simply The Prophets spake but God spake to the Fathers by the Prophets Then 1. God was the chief Doctor of his own Church from the beginning 2. And what the Prophets conveighed from God to the Church
Vers. 8. Yet it is begun in Christs personal Exaltation And for his short humiliation under the estate of Angels by suffering wee must not stumble For it is both glorious to himself and profitable for us Vers. 9. For Gods glory required that our salvation should be wrought by sufferings of the Mediatour Ves. 10. And to this end hee behoved to be partaker of our Nature as was foretold Vers. 11 12 13. That hee might take on our due punishment that is Death Vers. 14. And deliver his own from the fear thereof Vers. 15. And herein wee have a priviledge above the Angels in that hee took on our Nature and not theirs Vers. 16. And by his sufferings a ground of so much greater comfort in him Vers. 17 18. The Doctrine of Chap. II. Vers. 1. Therefore wee ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which wee have heard lest at any time wee should let them slip 1. THerefore Wee ought to give heed c. From the Excellency of Christs Person bee urgeth the Belief of his Doctrine Then 1. CHRIST must be esteemed of as becommeth the Excellency of his Person 2. The way how CHRIST will be respected of us is by respecting his Doctrine And the Excellency of his Person should procure our reverend receiving of his Word and stedfast holding of it 2. Hee will have us to take heed lest wee should let it slip The word is borrowed from rent and leaking Vessels or sandy ground Then 1. The Gospel is a precious liquor worthy to be well kept And wee of our selves are as rent Vessels ready to let it slip when wee have heard it or like sandy ground which keepeth not the rain 3. For this wee ought to give the more earnest heed Then The Conscience of the worth of CHRIST and his Gospel and of our own unfitness to retain it should sharpen our vigilancy and attendance to keep it else wee will doubtless let it slip 4. Hee saith not lest shortly but lest at any time Then It is not sufficient to beleeve the Word for a while and for a while to remember it but wee must gripe it so as never to quit it by mis-regard or misbeleef For Faith and love of the Truth is the good memory that specially hee requireth here Vers. 2. For if the word spoken by Angels was stedfast and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward 1. Hee reasoneth from the Law spoken by Angels Then The Angels were employed in giving of the Law they did blow the Trumpet they from GOD uttered the word to Moses 2. The word spoken by them was stedfast Then What God delivereth by the Ministery of Messengers is authorized and ratified by GOD. 3. Every transgression was punished Then The punishment of transgressors or his Law is a proof of GODS authorizing the Doctrine 4. Hee calleth the punishment a just Recompence Then There is no evil befalleth sinners more than they do deserve None hath cause to complain of injustice Vers. 3. How shall wee escape if wee neglect so great salvation which at the first began to bee spoken by the Lord and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him 1. How shall wee escape The Apostle joyneth himself with them in the Threatning Then So should Preachers threaten their people as willing to undergo the same punishment except they flee the sin for which they threaten others 2. Hee reasoneth for the punishment of the Law-breaking to prove the punishment of misbelieving the Gospel Then 1. The not-embracing of the Gospel is a greater sin than the breach of the Law The despising of forgiveness is much worse than the making of the fault 2. Examples of Judgement upon Transgressors of the Law are evidences of greater Judgements to come on the misregarders of the Gospel 3. Hee calleth the Gospel so great a Salvation because of the free Offer of Remission of sins and eternal Life in it Then The greatness of the benefit to bee gotten by the Gospel aggravateth the sin of the misregarders of it 4. Hee sayeth not If wee reject deny or persecute the Gospel but if wee neglect Then The neglect of the Doctrine of the Gospel the careless receiving of it the not studying to know it is sufficient to draw down heavier judgements than ever fell on the breakers of the Law albeit a man bee not an Under-miner or open Enemy to the Gospel 5. Hee describeth the Gospel to bee that Doctrine which Christ himself preached and his Apostles from him Then wee are not bound to believe any more for Gospel than that which is made clear unto us by his Apostles word And the misregarding of other Doctrine which is not conveyed so from him falleth under the threatning 6. Hee marketh the Apostles certainty of what they have delivered unto us in that they were ear-witnesses of his Doctrine Then The more certainty the Apostles had from Christ of their Doctrine the surer is the ground-work of our belief and the greater is the contempt done to Christ in their Message by unbelief Vers. 4. God also bearing them witness both with Signs and Wonders and with divers Miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost according to his own Will 1. Hee saith God bare witness to the Apostles Doctrine by signs and wonders Then 1. What the Apostles have spoken from Christ they spake not alone but God with them witnessed with them 2. The proper use of Miracles and extraordinary Gifts powred out in the Apostolick times was to testifie that the Apostles Doctrine was Divine Truth Those then must bee lying wonders which are alledged for confirming any Doctrine beside theirs 2. The distribution of the gifts of the Holy Ghost was according to his own will not as possibly the Apostles would have carved either to themselves or others in the nature of the gift or measure of it Then The Apostles were so employed in the working of Miracles as it was evident even then that not they but God was the worker of them while hee was seen to follow his own will therein and not mans carving in distributing his gifts And the more Gods over-ruling Will was seen in the miracles then the more confirmation have wee of that Doctrine now Vers. 5. For unto the Angels hath hee not put in subjection the World to come whereof wee speak 1. Hee calleth the World under the Kingdome of the Messias The World to come first to put a difference betwixt the estate of the World considered as under Sin and under the Messias For as it is under sin it is said of it Old things are past away 2 Cor. 5.17 Esa. 43.19 The creature is waxing old and running to ruine But under the Messias it is said of it Behold I make all things new 2 Cor. 5.17 The creature is lifting up its head and waiting for the day of liberation from â—anity and the manifestation of the Sons of God Rom. 8.19 Then The Kingdome of the Messias maketh
both Compare this place with vers 9 10 c. Of this Chapter to the end First in these verses the 4 5. and 6. hee is speaking of Professors in general conditionally But vers 9 10 c. hee is speaking to the true Beleevers amongst these Hebrews particularly 2. Here in these verses are glorious gifts Illumination and tasting of spiritual things There in those verses is Faith working by love to the glory of Iesus and Weal of his Saints 3. Here are men enrolled amongst Christians so holden and esteemed both of themselves and others There are sensible souls in the feeling of sin and fear of wrath and hope of mercy flying to Iesus as to a Refuge and casting the Anchor of their tossed souls within the veil where Iesus is in Heaven 4. Here men receiving from the holy Ghost good things there men receiving from him beside these good things better things also 5. Here things glorious indeed yet not alwaies accompanying salvation but in some going before saving Grace in others possibly alone without saving Grace But there are saving Graces alwaies joyned with Salvation 6. Here in these verses the Apostle is not confident but such as have received these things here mentioned may fall away except they go forward and study to make progress But there in those verses the Apostle is perswaded that they shall not fall away but be saved and thereupon encourageth them to go forwards From this Comparison it is clear then 1. That there is a possibility of the Apostasie of Professors and titular Saints but not of the Apostasie of renewed souls and true Christians true Saints 2. There is a ground of fear from these words to such as are secure and puffed up with the conceit of their spiritual gifts but not of those who in fear are fled to Christ. 3. That in this place carnal confidence onely is shaken in such who as if they had done well enough study not to make progress But Faith no waies weakened in such who still study to advance and make more and more progress 4. That here fruitless light and fruitless feeling is called in question but not Faith and laborious love bringing out fruits to Christs glory and good of his Saints Again from this comparison it is evident That the holy Ghost is Author both of these common spiritual gifts and of these special saving graces also Of these common gifts hee is Author as dwelling amongst Professors and distributing good things unto all Professors that are in the visible house of his Church But hee is Author of those saving Graces as dwelling in true Professors who are his own house bringing with himself better things than these gifts and salvation also unto them infallibly Thirdly From this Comparison it is clear 1. That there are some Converts external from the world to the Church who yet stick in their naturals and are not in the sense of sin fled unto Christ for refuge nor converted from Nature to saving Grace to whom the Apostle will not deny room in the Church if they will study to make progress And 2. That illumination and tasting of Spiritual things may bee given as well to such who are not renewed in their heart as unto sound Converts For 1. The natural man may be convinced that the Church is a blessed Society and joyn himself unto it 2. Yea change his outward conversation and cast off his pollutions which are in the world through lust and take himself to be ruled outwardly by Christs Discipline and call him LORD LORD 3. And be so blameless before men that hee may look with his Lamp like a wise Virgin waiting for the Wedding and yet be a graceless fool inwardly 4. Yea hee may be illuminated not onely by learning the literal knowledge of the Gospel as men do their Philosophy but also may be illuminated supernaturally with in-sight in many profound things in the Scripture For supernatural gifts may be in a Natural and unrenewed Man so as hee may say to CHRIST I have prophesied in thy Name and yet be unrenewed in Christs estimation 5. Hee may taste of the heavenly Gift partly by historical beleeving the Truth of the Gospel partly by contemplation of the Truth credited Now historical Faith is a taste of that heavenly gift of Iustifying Faith because it is a good degree towards it and contemplation of this Truth bringeth a taste of the thing credited and so of the heavenly Gift revealed in the Gospel For the contemplation of every Truth bringeth with it naturally a delectation such as Philosophers do finde in their studies And the more eminent the Truth be no wonder the delectation be the greater For many heard Christs gracious Sermons and wondered and beleeved his words to be true but Christ did not commit himself unto them for hee knew what was in them 6. Hee may be made partaker of the Holy Ghost and have his share of Church gifts distributed by the Holy Ghost so as hee can from the light which â—he Holy Ghost giveth him answer other mens doubts comfort the feeble minded and edifie others in their Faith by his speeches yea have the gift of expressing his brain-light both in conference to men and in formal prayer to God if hee be a private man onely and if hee be in publick office may have the gift of formal preaching and praying in publick yea in those daies of the Apostle might have had the extraordinary gifts of Tongues Prophesying and Miracles-working Therefore saith Christ Many will say to mee in that day Lord Lord have wee not prophesied in thy Name and in thy Name have cast out Devils and in thy Name done many wonderful works To whom Christ will answer I never knew you Depart from mee yee that work iniquity Mat. 7.22 23. Now this knowledge convincing light and gifts of utterance c. are from the Holy Ghost or else how could such Apostates as are here described sin against the Holy Ghost 7. Hee may taste of the good Word of God that is finde sweetness in the Doctrine of the Gospel and bee convinced of the Goodness and Mercy of God towards sinners shining therein yea and by beholding the possibility of his own salvation upon this condition If hee will sell all and buy the Pearl hee may taste of Gods Merchandise in the blocking for them beside all the false joyes and delusions which hee may get by presuming of the certainty of his own salvation and yet in the mean time as a fool will not lay down the price will not renounce his earthly and beastly affections will not deny himself and his own corruptions The care of this world and the deceitfulness of Riches choaking the fruits of the Word heard as they who receive the seed amongst thorns Wherefore in time of persecution for the Word hee may by and by be offended and quit the Truth albeit with the stony hearted hearers in time of prosperity hee heard the Word and anon
sinfulness in mind and heart are Preparations to fit us and set us on to joyn in this Covenant wherein God undertaketh to help and remedy all these felt evils through His Christ by putting His Laws in our Mind and writing them in our Hearts For what is this else but tâ— illuminate our Mind more and more with the understanding of his will and to frame our hearts and affections to the obedience of the same 4. That by the Covenant comfort is provided for sinners who are humbled in the sense of their sins and no door opened for presumption nor room given to prophane persons to go on their ways blessing themselves For the maker of the New Covenant presupposeth two things First that his party renounce his own righteousness which he might seem able to have by the Old Covenant Next that he flee for relief to God in Christ to have the benefits promised in this New Covenant Which if he do it is impossible that he can either lean to his own merits or live in the love of his sinful lusts 5. That by this Covenant such an union is made betwixt God and the Believer that the Believer is the Lords adopted childe and the Lord is the Believers God all-sufficient for ever promising to be all to the Believer which to be our God may import and to make the Believer all that one of his people should be Verse 11. And they shall not teach every man his neighbour and every man his brother saying Know the Lord For all shall know me from the least to the greatest 1. While he saith They shall not teach every man his neighbour he doth not mean that his Word and Ordinances and Ministry appointed by him or brotherly communion for mutual edification shall be mis-regarded or not made use of But by the contrary That he will himself be their Teacher in these his own means First giving his children a greater measure of the Spirit and a more neer communion with himself than of old 2. Making his children so wise unto salvation as they shall not hang their Faith upon mans authority but search by all means till they understand the minde of God the infallible Teacher as he hath revealed himself in his Word 3. So clearing the Truth which is outwardly taught unto them by his own Instruments after so sure and perswasive a manner by his Spirit inwardly that the outward Teaching shall be no Teaching in comparison of the inward concurrence according as we hear those Samaritans were taught who believed indeed the womans report that they might go to Christ But when they were come to him got so great satisfaction from himself that they said unto her Now we believe not because of thy saying for we have heard him our selves and know that this is indeed that Christ John 4.42 So will the Lord inwardly make his Truth powerful unto Salvation to his own that they may say to those that are his Instruments Now we believe not because of your saying but because we have heard him our selves Then 1. It is not Gods will that other mens belief should be the Rule of our belief but that we all search to understand the Scriptures and Gods will revealed therein 2. It is easie from this ground to answer that famous question How know you such and such grounds of Salvation We answer It is an Article of the New Covenant They shall be all taught of God 2. He saith They shall all know me from the least to the greatest Then 1. The New Covenant admitteth all Ranks and Degrees of persons and excludeth none high nor low that love to embrace it 2. It may be in sundry points of truth some of them be ignorant and mistaken more than other some But of the saving knowledge of God in Christ they shall all have light in a saving measure 3. The greatest as well as the meanest in whatsoever respect of Place or Gifts must be Gods Disciples in the study of saving Knowledge and hearty obedience Vers. 12. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more 1. To make us believe the former Promises he addeth to a New Article of the Remission of sins because from the Conscience of those ordinarily do arise our doubts and difficulty of drawing near to God Then 1. The conscience of sin must not drive us away from God but rather force us to run unto God more humbly because onely to such as come unto him in his Christ is remission of sin promised 2. Whatsoever sort of sins they be unrighteousness or sin or inquity they shall not hinder God to be gracious to the penitent fleeing to this Covenant for refuge 2. In saying For I will be merciful 1. He maketh his mercy pardoning sin the reason of his bestowing the former good things His giving of one grace the reason of giving another even grace for grace 2. He maketh his mercy the ground of all this favour and nothing in the mans person or works or worthiness of his faith 3. The word Merciful is in the Original Pacified and doth import both Gods respect to the propitiatory sacrifice of Christ which pacifieth him towards us and also our duty in looking towards it as the price of our reconciliation 3. In that the Lord joyneth the promise of putting his Law in the minde and writing it in our heart with the promise of remission of sins he teacheth us That he will have every confederate soul that seeketh the benefit of this Covenant to joyn all these benefits together in their claim with remission of sin seeking to joyn the illumination of their minde renovation of their heart and life at least in their desires and endeavours and not to sever one of them from another but study in uprightness to have them all 4. While he saith He will remember their sins no more he teacheth 1. That he will never forgive sin nor forget it but set it ever in his sight till a man enter into this Covenant with him through Christ. 2. That when he hath forgiven sin he forgeteth sin also whatsoever he remitteth he removeth from his remembrance Vers. 13. In that he saith A New Covenant he hath made the first Old Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away From the name that the Lord giveth this Covenant in calling it New he draweth two consequences The first that the former Covenant by this word was declared old Next that as it was declared old it was so declared shortly after to be abolished Then 1. The least word that proceedeth out of Gods mouth is weighty and worthy of consideration 2. Whatsoever Gods word doth import by due consequence must be taken for Gods truth and Gods minde as if it were expressed 3. Seeing Christ is come and the time is now of this New Covenant we know that by Gods authority the Levitical ordinances and whole form of the Legal
for ever to help them all to Heaven who seek unto God through him onely 2. Because life is here in Christ as in the fountain that hee may give life to whomsoever hee will that is unto all that come unto him 3. Because it giveth life and refreshment to the weary passenger and quickneth his dead and dumpish heart when hee considereth that his Saviour is a man indeed so earnest to have us saved that hee hath yoaked himself in communion of nature with us thereby to save us It is meat indeed to his soul that the Word is made flesh It is drink indeed to consider that hee hath suffered for our sins As Elias Chariot so is Christs Man-head and sufferings Get up here by Faith in him and thou shalt go up to God This way is that of Eagles wings Lay first hold upon Jesus Christ God manifested in the flesh and hee will mount up with thee and carry thee through the wilderness to Canaan from the natural misery and sins which thou lyest in unto Heaven 6. This Way leadeth through the Veil to teach us That wee comming to Christs Man-head must not subsist there but by this mean seeking to God who dwelleth in him that our Faith and Hope may be in God Wee enter by the Man Christ and do rest on God in Christ on the fulness of the God-head which dwelleth bodily in Christ. This is to distinguish the Natures of Christ and to keep the unity of his Person rightly Vers. 21. And having an High Priest over the House of GOD. For our further satisfaction he giveth us Christ over again to make yet more use of him to direct guide and convoy us in the way to lead us to the Father in Heaven through the Courts of his Dwelling and to bring us in to him and make us welcome there 1. We have Christ for a Priest to us whose lips do always preserve knowledge in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge who will inform our mindes and perswade our hearts to believe and obey who will reconcile by his once offered sacrifice the Believer will intercede for the reconciled to keep him still in grace will bless us with all spiritual blessings will take our prayers thanksgiving and the spiritual sacrifice of all the good works of our hands and wash the pollutions from them will offer them in our name with the incense and perfume of his own merits and lead our selves in where our Lamps shall be furnished and our Table filled till we go into Heaven and there he will welcome us in a Mansion prepared for us 2. He is a High Priest adorned with all Authority and all Perfections having all in substance which the types did signifie who beareth our names yea our selves on the shoulders of his power and in the breast of his hearty love who beareth the iniquity of the holy things and holiness in his forehead for us In whom the Father is well pleased with us and hath made us acceptable as in his well-beloved 3. He is over the House of God He hath authority and power to bring in whom he pleaseth and to give forth of the Treasure as much as he will All the Mansions in his Fathers dwelling Hoâ—se are his and all at his disposing to open so as none shall shut To him belongeth to give forth the sentence of Admission to Heaven and to say Come you blessed of the Father Yea to make this his authority manifest he will come again and take us unto himself that where he is we may be there also 4. We have this High Priest that is he is ours because 1. Taken out from amongst us one of our number albeit not of our conditions of our nature but separate from our sinful manners holy and harmless 2. Because he is for us in things appertaining to God to imploy his means and power for our behoof towards God 3. Because bound in all bands with us of nature of grace and good will of the Fathers gift and appointment and his own Covenant and special Contract with us So that albeit an uncouth man may possible leave a stranger in his journey alone yet Christ cannot chuse to do so to us but for the Bands betwixt him and us he will never leave us nor forsake us Vers. 22. Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water From these Priviledges he presseth an exhortation To draw near to God and prescribeth the disposition required of us in our drawing near 1. This exhortation sheweth 1. That true Christians are oftentimes so sensible of their own unworthiness that under that sense they are inclined of themselves to stand afar off and have need of encouragement and invitation to draw near 2. That such as are most sensible of their own unworthiness are most called to come forwards unto GOD for he giveth grace to the humble 2. He layeth down the Priviledges in the former verses and in this draweth on the Exhortation To teach us 1. That such priviledges as are granted unto us in Christ must be received and believed as truth 2. That we must study to make use of our priviledges and challenge them for our own 3. That the weakest of true believers in Christ may thrust in themselves at the doors of grace amongst the holy Apostles For the Apostle putteth the Hebrews with himself in the exhortation for this end 3. For our disposition and sitting to draw near he requireth first That we have a true heart He saith not a sensless heart but a true heart that is such a heart as in the matter of believing mindeth no confidence but in Gods grace through Christ onely And in the matter of Gods service mindeth onely his will in its aim and alloweth onely that which is his will in its câ—nsure Then an honest heart which honestly acknowledgeth its own sins and flyeth to Christs blood for sprinkling whose aim is upright endeavours upright and censure of it self upright allowing in itself nothing but what God alloweth and displeased with that which displeaseth God albeit many ways weak and imperfect yet hath liberty to draw near unto God 4. The next thing he requireth is full assurance of faith That is a settled and full perswasion to be accepted even through Jesus Christ. Then albeit the Lord will not despise the weakest measure of faith and will not quench the smoaking flax yet it pleaseth him better yea it is his commandment that men study unto the full assurance of faith for the more thou restest on Gods Covenant with thee in Jesus Christ the more thou sealest his truth glorifiest him becomest the more like unto faithful Abraham and gettest the deeper rooting in Christ. 5. The third is That the heart be sprinkled from an evil conscience The heart is sprinkled when a sinner sensible of sin maketh hearty application to himself
of the blood of Iesus for remission of sins after this hearty application of Christs blood the conscience is furnished with a good answer unto all challenges and so is made good a comfortable conscience absolving the man through faith in Jesus whom it tormented with challenges before it ran to the blood of Jesus for sprinkling Then whensoever the conscience is evil accuseth and vexeth let the vexed heart run to Christs blood and then shall it be free from an evil conscience for the blood of Jesus cleanseth us from all sin Let the heart be sprinkled and the conscience will be good 6. The fourth thing required in him that draweth near as he should is That his body be washed with pure water That is That according to the signification of that Legal Rite their outward conversation be blameless and holy sin being so curbed within that it reign not in their mortal body so foughten against within as it break not forth in scandalous works of Darkness in the actions of the body Then 1. With a sprinkled conscience within men must joyn an holy and blameless conversation without 2. The washing of the conversation without must proceed from an heart sensibly acquainted with the power of the blood of Jesus 3. And this outward holiness of the body must be wrought with pure water that is by the Spirit of Sanctification to distinguish the reformation of a believer from a counterfeit who without may look like a righteous man but within be as a whited Tomb full of rottenness Verse 23. Let us hold fast the Profession of our Faith without wavering for he is faithful that promised Another Exhortation to avow the faith of Christ that is the doctrine of Christ the truth received from Christ and believed and not to quit it in the time of tryal upon any condition 1. The requiring to hold fast the confession of our Faith or Hope as the word importeth teacheth 1. That a true Christian must not onely hold the truth of Christ secretly but must confess it profess and avow it openly where Gods glory and others good requireth the same 2. That he must look for adversary powers and temptations to take that truth or at least the confession of it from him 3. That in these tryals and essays he must hold the faster gripe and avow it so much the more stedfastly as he is tempted to quit it 4. That when he is put to the tryal of this Confession of any point of his Faith hee is also put to the tryal of the confession of his hope whether his hopes of the promised salvation in Jesus be stronger to keep him stedfast or the terror and allurement from men stronger to make him quit the point of truth converted 5. That nothing but this hope is able to make a man stand out in tryal if hee be hardly urged 2. Hee will have the avowing of the truth of Christ to be without wavering Then 1. Men must so learn the Truth that they need not to change again that is must study to know the Truth soundly and solidly 2. And having learned it must not say and unsay one day avow it and another day quit it For so God getteth not his due glory Beholders are not edified the mans testimony wanteth weight with the adversary But hee must be invincible in the truth who will neither alter nor change or diminish any thing of it for fear or favour 3. Hee giveth this for a ground of constancy For hee is faithful who hath promised That is the promises which Iesus hath made to such as constantly beleeve in him shall be surely performed that no constant professor of his Truth shall be ashamed Then 1. Where wee have a promise of any thing made unto us in Scripture wee may be confident to obtain it and bold to avow our hope thereof against such as would teach us the Doctrine of Doubting whereunto wee are of our selves prone and inclined and against such as shake the assurance of the Saints perseverance 2. The ground of our confidence is not in our selves but in the faithfulness of Jesus Christ who hath promised such graces to his children 3. Our bold avowing of our hope is not a bragging of our own strength but a magnifying of Christs faithfulness Vers. 24. And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and unto good works Hee strengtheneth his former Exhortation by giving of directions to further their obedience thereunto And first for mutual up-stirring one of another Whereof wee learn 1. That mutual edification of Christians amongst themselves and sharpening one of another is a special help to constancy in true Religion and a preservative against Apostacy 2. Prudence is required hereunto that mutually wee observe one anothers disposition Gifts Experience Virtues and Faults that wee may the better fit our selves to do good each one of us unto another and to receive good each one of another in our Christian conversing together 3. A godly striving one with another who shall be first in love and well-doing is better than the ordinary strife who shall exceed others in vanity and superfluity of apparel and fare Vers. 25. Not forsaking the assembling of our selves together as the manner of some is but exhorting one another and so much the more as yee see the day approaching Another mean to this same end is the frequenting of Christian Assemblies and Meetings which may further this purpose of mutual edification And therefore 1. Church-Assemblies must be well kept by such as do minde to prove constant in the true Religion 2. Christian Meetings also of private Christians for mutual conference and exhorting one of another is not to be neglected nor forsaken but to be used for keeping unity in the Church and not to foster Schism or hinder the publick Assemblies 2. Hee taxeth the fault of some amongst them who in Schism or purpose of Apostasie withdrew themselves from all Church-Assemblies and Christian-Meetings and fell back again or were in the way of falling back to the denial of Christ openly Then 1. Separation from the true Church and Christian society of the faithful is a remarkable evil 2. The Schism or Apostasie of others should not weaken us in following any good mean of edification but rather stir us up unto more diligence lest by negligence wee fall peece and peece back after their example 3. Hee maketh the approaching of the day to wit of Gods Iudgement a special motive to use the means diligently and make us constant in the Faith Then 1. The day of Gods Judgement should still be looked unto as a thing near hand even at the doors because it is but a very little and our day shall come yea and but a little time till our Lord shall come to judgement 2. The consideration of the day of judgement is a fit mean to sharpen us unto all good Duties which may make our reckoning to be furthered at that day and to make us boldly
earthly affections mortified 3. Their encouragement and cause of joy was the sensible feeling within themselves of the comfort of eternal Riches in Heaven keeping for them Then 1. It is the assurance of our heavenly inheritance which must make us ready to quit our earthly moveables 2. Who so getteth a heart to quit any thing on earth for Christ shall have better in heaven than he can lose here 3. GOD useth to give earnest of what he is to give in sensible feeling of spiritual Riches to such as believe in him 4. When men can esteem of things heavenly as they are that is enduring goods and of things earthly as they are that is perishing moveables then shall they readily quit the earthly in hope of the heavenly Vers. 35. Cast not away therefore your confidence which hath great recompence of reward Now he exhorteth them to go on in this â—old avowing of Christ For this Confidence in the Original is such as hath with it a full and free profession of all their faith Then confidence and bold avowing of the truth is required A plain and full testimony must we give to Christs truth our confidence in profession is in part casten when our testimony is sparing 2. The encouragement he giveth is The hope of a reward Then 1. Constancy in avowing of Christ shall be well rewarded although not of deserving yet of Gods grace 2. He that quiteth his profession renounceth the reward promised to the constant Quest. But doth not this exhortation import the elects unsettledness and uncertainty of perseverance I answer Not but onely his weakness of himself and need of such exhortations to further his constancy 2. The danger of dishonoring God in some particular slip or fall is ground sufficient for this exhortation and this is the most of necessity it can import 3. Exhortation being given to the common Body of the visible professors teacheth them properly and not the elect formally Vers. 36. For ye have need of patience that after ye have done the will of God ye might receive the promise He giveth a reason Because they have need of patience therefore they must not cast away their confidence Then 1. The reward will not be given till a time intervene 2. And troubles will lie on in the mean while to make the time seem the longer 3. Patience is needful as a mean to fit us to attend 4. Confidence of the truth must support our patience 2. The time of their Patience he setteth as long as God thinketh good to employ them and after that the reward cometh Then 1. The time of patience is as long as God hath any thing to do with us in this world 2. Patience must not be joyned with idleness but with active obedience of Gods will as he requireth it 3. After that employment is ended the promised reward is given Vers. 37. For yet a little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry He encourageth them to Patience by promise of the Lords coming to relieve them shortly Then 1. The tearm of patience is until the Lord come to deliver 2. The patient attender on his coming shall not be disappointed For he will come and will not tarry beyond the due time of our necessity 3. It should strengthen us unto Patience that the time is short and the delivery certain Vers. 8. Now the just shall live by Faith but if any man draw back my soul shall have no pleasure in him How shall they send in the mean time He answereth from Habak 2.4 The just shall live by Faith That is The man who will be found righteous must not look to present sense but sustain his soul with the word of Promise Then 1. In the midst of troubles and Gods felt absence Faith will content it self with the onely promises of GOD. 2. Looking to Gods word by faith is able to keep a soul in life and patience 2. He threatneth the misbelieving Apostate that chuseth to draw back and not live by faith The words of the Prophet are He whose soul is lifted up in him is not upright The Apostle betaketh him to the meaning which being compared with the Prophets words doth teach us 1. That he who refuseth to live by faith is lifted up with the false confidence of some other thing than God He hath some strong hold within himself wherein he doth trust 2. He that lifteth up himself in his vain confidence will draw back from beleeving in Gods word in the time of tryal 3. Hee that draweth back in the time of tryal bewrayeth the want of this sincerity 4. A back-slider from the profession of the Truth is loathsome both to God and to his Saints Vers. 39. But wee are not of them who draw back unto perdition but of them that beleeve to the saving of the soul. Hee mitigateth the threatning lest hee should seem to suspect them of inconstancy Then 1. Such Threatnings and Exhortations as have been given here do not import the uncertainty of their perseverance who are threatned but standeth with the assurance of the contrary 2. Hee who threatneth should be as wary to weaken his hearers Faith as his own 3. Hearers must understand that the right use of threatning is to rowse men out of security and not to discourage them 2. Wee are not of them saith hee who draw back unto perdition Then 1. They who draw back from constant avowing of the Faith draw near unto perdition Hee that forsaketh the Cross runneth himself on the Rock of his own destruction which is worse 2. The Elect are not of that kind or sort of men who fall into Apostasie unto perdition They may fall for a time but are not of them that draw back unto perdition 3. Wee are of them saith hee who beleeve to the salvation of the soul. Then 1. True Beleevers are of that kind of whom all do persevere 2. Persevering in the Faith is going on to Salvation The Summe of Chap. XI NOw that you may know the better how to live by Faith consider that Faith apprehendeth things to come as present and subsisting by holding them in their original Fountain which is the word of Promise and beholding in the Mirrour of the Word the clear certainty of things as yet not seen to sense vers 1. For so were the Elect Beholders and Partakers of Christ before hee came and were justified vers 2. And so have wee certainty of the Creation of the World of nothing vers 3. By it was Abels person and sacrifice accepted and preferred before his elder Brother vers 4. By it was Enoch made ready for Heaven vers 5 6. And Noah by it saved both in body and soul vers 7. Faith made Abraham leave his Country in hope of Heaven vers 8 9 10. By it Sarah being old got strength above the course of Nature to become a fruitful Mother vers 11 12. All these unto their dying day were contented with the fore-sight of
receive the Promises is to receive the thing promised or the Promises in performance But here it is to have the Promises first and immediately made unto him Then the meaning of forms of speech in Scripture is to be found by consideration of all circumstances of the place where they are spoken and not of some circumstances onely 4. It serveth to the commendation of his faith that he obeyed Gods command when it seemed to make the promise null Then 1. To adhere to the promise when by appearance of reason it is likely not to be performed is tried faith indeed 2. When Reason sighteth against Faith it is wisdom to quit that Reason which would make us quit the Promises 3. When Gods commandments and promises unto us seem to cross one another it is wisdom for us to justifie them both All his words are truth Vers. 19. Accounting that God was able to raise him up even from the dead from whence also he received him in a figure Abrahams looking to Gods Fidelity and Omnipotency made him victorious over every difficulty and so to give obedience to this hard commandment Then 1. When we get hard commandments we must lay our reckoning how we may obey them and not how we may shift them 2. Difficulties and impossibilities as would appear must be rolled over upon God 3. Gods Omnipotency maketh that his promise cannot miss but take effect 2. Abraham as he expected so he found He expected Isaac ' s resurrection from the dead and in a figure or similitude be received Isaac back from the dead that is from the jaws of death no less unexpectedly than from the dead Then 1. The Believer shall finde as much as he can expect from Gods word 2. If the performance be not as he doth forecast yet it shall be by a way as comfortable and pâ—ofitable Vers. 20. By Faith Isaac blessed Iacob and Esau concerning things to come Isaac ' s blessing of his sons is said to be by Faith Then Patriarchal benedictions were given by ordinary Faith albeit from the ground of extraordinary revealed truth For faith ordinary believeth Gods truth revealed howsoever ordinarily or extraordinarily 2. In that this example is propounded for ordinary imitation in believing of Gods ordinary revealed word it teacheth us That he who hath the ordinary word of God hath as sure a ground to rest upon as if he had a particular and extraordinary revelation Vers. 21. By Faith Iacob when he was a dying blessed both the sons of Ioseph and worshipped leaning upon the top of his staff Jacob a dying blesseth his off-spring and worshippeth God in bodily weakness Then 1. Faith can look through the cloud of Death and behold both its own and others felicity 2. In the solid assurance which it hath it can worship or glorifie God for things to come as if they were already past 2. It is not said that he worshipped the top of his Staff but upon the top of his Staff leaning for his weakness cause by approaching Death because he would for this fore-seen blessing of God upon his posterity testifie by signs of worship in his weak body how he esteemed of that favour Then 1. Faith will make the body albeit it be weak concur with the Spirit in the Lords worship 2. When the infirmity of the body maketh it unable to concur with the Spirit it must be helped with a stone as Moses prayed against Amalek or staff as Iacob here or any thing else which may enable it to perform the worship the better being put under breast or arms or knees 3. Iacobs bending of his body in so great weakness thereof must bear witness against the prophane ease which many men now-a-days take unto themselves both in private and publike worship Vers. 22. By Faith Ioseph when he dyed made mention of the departing of the children of Israel and gave commandment concerning his bones Joseph also testified his Faith in his death concerning the delivery of Israel out of Egypt by direction giving for transporting his Bones in sign of his assurance of their going to Canaan because God had promised so Then the Lords promises are sure comforts in death whereby Faith both sustaineth it self and is able to encourage and strengthen others And Faith maketh a man to keep them in memory and to make use of them in due time Vers. 23. By Faith Moses when he was born was hid three moneths of his parents because they saw he was a proper childe and they not afraid of the Kings Commandment How great weakness Moses parents did bewray the history maketh evident yet is their faith commended as victorious over the fear wherein their weakness did most appear Whence we learn 1. That nothing is commendable but because done in faith Their natural love is not mentioned but their Faith 2. That God so loveth faith in his children that he commendeth it in the measure it hath albeit it go not so far as it ought and marketh what faith hath and not what it wanteth of the perfection 2. The Evidence of their Faith he maketh this That they were not afraid of the Kings Commandment Then 1 GOD alloweth not that Kings commandments should be regarded when they command impiety and wickedness for then should they be honoured above God if for their commandment we should do that which he forbiddeth 2. Nothing but faith in God is able to make a man overcome the fear of that which Potentares may do unto him And it is a commendable work of faith to get this victory 3. The beauty of the childe stirred up his Parents to this work of Faith thinking with themselves that it behoved to be for some special end that God had so fashioned the childe Then 1. The Lord hath ways enough to excitate the faith of his own and bring it forth to act 2. Where special endowments are given there is good evidence of special employment to follow Vers. 24. By Faith Moses when hee was come to years refused to be called the Son of Pharaohs Daughter Moses refusing the honour which hee might have had in Pharaohs Court because it might have hindred him from the honour of one of Gods people is commended for a work of Faith Then It is better to be a member of GODS Church amongst GODS People than to be a Prince in a great Kingdome without the Church 2. Because hee would not have chosen to be the Son of Pharaohs Daughter therefore hee refused to be called so Then That which a man dare not avow himself to be or may not lawfully chuse to be hee must refuse to be esteemed to be hee must refuse to be called such 3. His manner of refusing this unhallowed honour is expounded to be by joyning himself with the people of God and so forsaking of Pharaohs Court Then 1. That is the true way of refusing unlawful honour to quit the place whereunto the unlawful honour is annexed and betake themselves to what they may
applying of the Promise made to Joshua he concludeth Warrant to apply Davids gloriation against all perils Psal. 118.6 Then 1. He that can apply one Promise to himself may confidently apply another also 2. The weakest true Believer hath as good ground of confidence in God for every good needful for soul or body as the Lords chief Prophets and as good Warrant to apply the Scriptures to their own use which speak of them 3. He who believeth in God needeth not to fear what flesh can do unto him 4. Faith then doth its part duly when i◠glorieth in the Lord against all opposition Vers. 7. Remember them which have the rule over you who have spoken unto you the Word of God whose Faith follow considering the end of their conversation That they may be stedfast in the Faith he setteth before them the Example of Gods Messengers who had instructed them in the Truth and led a life conformable thereunto Wherein he teacheth us 1. Who is worthy to be a Guide to a People to wit the man who speaketh the Word of God and not his own Dreams believeth the Truth which he teacheth and hath his conversation answerable 2. The best respect that a Preacher can crave or that a People can give to a Preacher either in his life time or after is to remember the Truth of God taught by him and to make use thereof 3. In as far as Preachers have spoken the Word of God and made it the end of their conversation People are commanded here to remember them and imitate their Faith but no further Vers. 8. Iesus Christ the same yesterday and today and for ever This Sentence serveth First To shew the eternity and immurability of Jesus Christ in himself and all his Properties of Truth and Love and Pitty c. Again It serveth for a reason of keeping fast the Doctrine taught from him by our faithful Leaders because JESUS CHRIST will still allow and maintain that Truth once given out by himself and cannot chuse to change his Truth being First and Last like himself And thirdly It serveth to encourage us to be constant in the Faith because JESUS CHRIST is unchangeably the same in love and care towards those who believe in him in all ages for their preservation and deliverance in all cases wherein they can fall for his Truth as he hath given proof in former times towards others Vers. 9. Be not carried about with divers and strange Doctrines For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace not with meats which have not profited them that have been occupied therein That they may be stedfast in the Faith he warneth them to beware that they be not carried about with divers and strange Doctrines Then 1. Doctrine which agreeth 〈◊〉 with the Word of God uncouth and strange Doctrine which the Apostles did not acknowledge and recommend unto us must be rejected 2. There was such uncouth Doctrine beginning to creep into the Church even in the Apostles time 3. Apostolick Doctrine such as they acquainted the Church with must be stedfastly believed and stood unto and not loosly laid hold upon lest we lye open to the wind of false Doctrine 2. He bringeth i◠for example the Doctrine of Distinction of meats wherein the Iewishly affected did place some holiness and help to salvation and yet they who most leaned to the same were least profited thereby Then 1. To place some holiness in Distinction of meats and to count the observation thereof helpful to salvation is an old errour which even in the beginning did trouble the Church 2. Never man got profit by leaning any thing to the observation of Distinction of Meats For under the Law distinction was commanded for the leading of men to some Duties signified thereby but never did God give way that men should esteem of this observation as a thing conferring any whit to the purchase of salvation 3. To keep out this errour of leaning to Ceremonial observations he opposeth the Doctrine of Grace wherewith he will have the heart established and not with meats Then 1. The ground of devising and urging of superstitious ceremonies is the unquietness and unstableness of mens hearts wanting satisfaction in God and his Ordinances and therefore seeking to support themselves by means of their own devising 2. It is the Doctrine of Justification by Grace onely and nothing of our doings which getteth true rest to our hearts and quiet setling to the consciences Vers. 10. We have an Altar whereof they have no right to eat which serve the Tabernacle Such as pertinaciously did plead for the standing of the Levitical Service and ceremonies thereof he secludeth from the enjoying of Iesus Christ who is our Altar Then such as maintain the Levitical Ceremonies and do urge them on the Christian Church do cut themselves from right to Christ. 1. Because they deny in effect that he is come seeing they will have those Figures to remain which did serve to Prefigure his coming and will have his Church still under Ceremonial Pedagogie as it was under the Law 2. Because they joyn unto Christ their own devices as if either JESUS were not sufficient for salvation or his Ordinances were not sufficient for means to attain thereunto 3. The observation of the Distinction of meats is a point of serving the Tabernacle for so doth the Apostle reckon 4. Such as will eat of JESUS and be partakers of him must beware to serve the Iewish Tabernacle by keeping on foot and continuing the Ceremonies and appurtenances annexed thereunto such Feasts such Iubilies such Altars such Sprinklings and Holy water such Priests and Vestiments c. as Levi had 2. He calleth Christ by the name of the Altar because he is the thing signified by the Altar and by the Sacrifice and by the rest of the Levitical Ceremonies Then 1. Those Ordinances of Levitical Service were Figures of Christ some in one part and some in another and he is the accomplishment of them even the Truth of them All The true Tabernacle the true Priest the true Sacrifice the true Altar c. 2. Christs self is all the Altar that the Christian Church hath Our Altar is he onely and nothing but he The Apostle knoweth no other 3. In that he saith They have no right to eat learn 1. That Jesus is our food who believe in him by whom our souls are kept alive and maintained every day spiritually as the Priests were maintained by the old Altar bodily 2. That before a man attain to eat or draw benefit from Christ he must have a right unto him There is a possession following the right and the right tendeth to the possession 3. He who loveth to have the right must take the course which Christ prescribeth without mixing any thing therewith Vers. 11. For the bodies of those beasts whose blood is brought into the Sanctuary by the High Priest for sin are burnt without the Camp He sheweth that
towards your poor and afflicted Brethren yee shall have judgement it is to be feared without mercy Therefore avoid respect of persons Rejoyceth Argum. 10. If yee exercise mercy especially towards your poor afflicted Brethren as the Gospel requires yee have no reason to fear wrath or judgement without mercy but yee may by this be certified of Gods mercy whereupon relying yee may rejoyce against the severity of Judgement meerly as from which yee are delivered through the mercy of God Therefore unless yee would renounce mercy and make your selves obnoxious to judgement yee ought to avoid this respect of persons which is joyned with cruelty The Second Part. Vers. 14. What doth it profit my Brethren though a man say hee hath Faith and have not works can Faith save him The other Admonition for avoiding the vanity of boasting touching a vain and idle Faith The Proposition is determined in the first words That the Profession of Faith is unprofitable and vain which is destitute of works Hee proves this by nine Arguments Argum. 1. Because such Faith which is void of fruits cannot save him that boasts of his vain Faith Therefore his profession is vain Vers. 15. If a Brother or Sister be naked and destitute of daily food 16. And one of you say unto them Depart in peace bee you warmed and filled notwithstanding yee give them not those things which are needful to the body what doth it profit Argum. 2. Verbal profession of empty charity is vain and unprofitable both to him that professes it and to the hungry to whom words are given in stead of meat Therefore also the meer Profession of Faith is vain Vers. 17. Even so Faith if it hath not works is dead being alone Argum. 3. Charity which consists onely in an outward profession is dead Therefore also Faith which consists in an outward profession without works is dead and vain Vers. 18. Yea a man may say Thou hast Faith and I have works Shew mee thy Faith without thy works and I will shew thee my Faith by my works Argum. 4. Such a profession of Faith is apparently vain when it shall come to the tryal as it appears in the supposition of the Dialogue set down betwixt the true beleever who can shew his Faith by his Works and the boasting hypocrite who cannot demonstrate his Faith by his life and works Therefore that boasting of Faith is vain and unprofitable Vers. 19. Thou beleevest that there is one God thou dost well the Devils also beleeve and tremble Argum. 5. Faith which is called Historical whereby wee beleeve the Truth of the Articles of Faith touching the unity of God and such like although this bee good yet it is not sufficient to salvation it is not saving Faith Because the Devils beleeve the Truth of the Divine Word and tremble Therefore much less doth the vain profession of Faith destitute of works profit to salvation Vers. 20. But wilt thou know O vain man that Faith without works is dead Argum. 6. Propounded by way of Dialogue Hee that glorieth and resteth upon such Faith that is without works not knowing it to be dead is a vain and empty man as a vessel the more empty it is the more it sounds and hence hee proceeds to the seventh Argument Vers. 21. Was not Abraham our Father justified by works when hee had offered Isaac his Son upon the Altar Argum. 7. Proving that faith without works is dead and consequently the profession of faith which wanteth works to be vain from the example of Abraham who in the foresaid matter touching the demonstration of his faith whether it were alive or dead is found and declared just by his works and here by an interrogation he urges the conscience of the hypocrite Abraham the Father of the faithful is justified before the whole world because his faith was not dead but alive by his works when he had offered Isaac his son upon the Altar in testimony of the sincerity of his faith or that he by a lively faith believed in God and pleased not himself in the vain profession of an idle or dead faith as many do Therefore faith which is without works is dead and vain And so Iames very well agreeth with â—aul For Paul argues thus Rom. 4.2 If Abraham was justified by works he hath whereof to glory but not before God therefore he is not justified before God by works But Iames argues thus Abraham is justified by works before men who might say to him Shew me thy faith by thy works or demonstrate to me that thy faith is not dead but alive From which antecedent it doth not onely follow Therefore faith without works is dead but also the conclusion agreeing with Pauls conclusion Therefore Abraham is justified before God not by that dead faith and void of works but by a lively faith and efficacious in works and so the Apostles agree very well Vers. 22. Seest thou how faith wrought with his works and by works was faith made perfect He shews that this is the minde of Iames by convincing the boasting hypocrite glorying of a dead faith from this that the faith of Abraham together with the profession of faith had works joyned with it so that his faith is declared to be perfected by works and not found vain or dead Vers. 23. And the Scripture was fulfilled which saith Abraham believed God and it was imputed unto him for righteousness and he was called the friend of God From hence also he infers an exposition of that Scripture which Paul cites in the matter of Justification by faith and so he fully demonstrates his consent with Paul Seeing that Abrahams faith is perfectly declared by his woâ—ks or the fruits thereof then it is declared plainly that the Scripture hath spoken true He believed c. And so when it is said that faith was imputed to Abraham for righteousness it is manifest that it is to be understood of faith not dead but lively and operative by works And Iames here sheweth that this exposition of the Scripture is the fulfilling and the full sense of it He saith that Abraham was called the friend of God that we may understand that sincere reconciliation with God is wrought by faith and true friendship is demonstrated by the manifestation of faith in works of obedience Vers. 24. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified and not by faith onely The conclusion follows from these premises against the boasting of hypocrites touching their vain faith that all proâ—â—ssing faith before men are justified by their works and not onely by the profession of their faith or by a dead and vain faith which you hypocrites boast of Vers. 25. Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works when she had received the Messengers and had sent them out another way Argum. 8. Rahab the Harlot was justified before Israel viz. that she truly believed in God and was truly converted by works when she had received the
Advocate hee excludes all others for otherwise Christ was not simply our Advocate but one of our Advocates The Righteous Reas. 3. Confirming the former Christ our Advocate is righteous i. e. not onely meet to intercede for sinners by reason of the Righteousness of his person but also righteous in his office who requires nothing of the Father in our behalf but what is justly due to him interceding for us from the covenant and merit of his death Also hee is Righteous that hee might cover us with his imputed Righteousness And lastly hee is righteous who upon the Covenant of Redemption promotes us in the following after Righteousness and raises us up again when wee fall and at length perfectly makes us righteous or holy Therefore beleevers ought both to endeavour after holiness and if at any time they fall into sin to hope for the virtue of Christs intercession Vers. 2. And hee is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours onely but also for the sins of the whole world Reas. 4. Confirming the second reason The death and expiatory Sacrifice of Christ was offered not onely for us viz. elected out of the Jews and converted to the Faith of Christ but also for the sins of all the elect or redeemed in the world Therefore yee ought to beware of the evil of sin which cannot bee expiated unless by the death of Christ but if yee sin yee may confidently expect the virtue both of the rich expiation and intercession of Christ. Vers. 3. And hereby wee know that wee know him if wee keep his commandements Reas. 5. By endeavouring sincerely to keep the commandements of God as by a sure sign yee may know the truth of your Faith or that yee truly beleeve in God and love him sincerely Therefore follow yee after holiness or sin not Vers. 4. Hee that saith I know him and keepeth not his commandements is a lyer and the truth is not in him Reas. 6. Hee that professes that hee knows God i. e. that hee beleeves in him and loves him and doth not follow after holiness for according to the stile of the Gospel to endeavour sincerely after holiness is to keep the commandements is an hypocrite in whom there is no sincerity or truth of Faith Therefore endeavour after holiness Vers. 5. But who so keepeth his word in him verily is the love of God perfected hereby know wee that wee are in him Reas. 7. Hee that endeavours after holiness proves the sincerity of his love towards God which love is perfected or manifested to bee sincere from an endeavour of keeping the word of God and obeying it Therefore yee ought to endeavour after holiness Hereby Reas. 8. Hee that endeavours after holiness or not to sin or to keep the word of God hath an evidence of his communion with God and knows that hee dwells in Christ by Faith Therefore c. Vers. 6. Hee that saith hee abideth in him ought himself also to walk even as hee walked Reas. 9. Confirming the former whosoever professes that hee hath communion with Christ ought to endeavour after holiness or to imitate Christ in his life and conversation Therefore yee ought to endeavour after holiness Vers. 7. Brethren I write no new commandement unto you but an old commandement which yee had from the beginning the old commandement is the word which yee have heard from the beginning Reas. 10. I require no new duty from you when I urge you to follow after holiness or the observance of Gods commandements but I repeat an old commandement which yee have not onely heard from the beginning from Christ and his Ministers but yee have had it also commended to you out of the Law and Prophets Therefore endeavour after holiness Vers. 8. Again a new Commandement I write unto you which thing is true in him and in you because the darkness is past and the true light now shineth Reas. 11. This Commandement is not old in the oldness of the letter as in times past it was so long as you lived irregenerate under the Covenant of works when the Law did command and conferred no strength to perform but it is now in the newness of Spirit To the performing whereof Christ will administer new grace to you Therefore yee ought to follow after holiness Which What the New Covenant is hee expounds in the next words affirming that the command is new both in respect of Christ who quickens the Commandement and in respect of themselves who were now by regeneration made new Creatures i. e. to whom grace was administred and was furthermore to bee administred to obedience Because the darkness The reason is given to this sense Because yee are not under the Law but under Grace yee are not in a state of irregeneration but are renewed For the darkness of the Legal Covenant and the state of irregeneration are passed away and now Christ who brings life and grace with him and is the true light is risen as the Sun of Righteousness upon you that beleeve and hath both communicated the light and also the heat of life to you Therefore the commandement is new to you that yee ought to bee encouraged to follow after holiness with more alacrity Vers. 9. Hee that saith hee is in the light and hateth his Brother is in darkness even until now The second Exhortation drawing the former to the love of the Brethren The Arguments of the Exhortation are ten besides those two which are next recited and may also bee referred hither Argum. 1. Whosoever professeth himself to bee in the light or regenerate and hateth his Brother hee lies yet unregenerated in the darkness of ignorance and sin Therefore yee ought to endeavour after brotherly love Vers. 10. Hee that loveth his Brother abideth in the light and there is none occasion of stumbling in him Argum. 2. He that loves his Brother remains in the light and perseveres in the way of truth in part possessing the lot and condition of the Saints Therefore yee ought to follow after c. And none occasion of stumbling Argum. 3. Hee that loveth his Brother doth neither stumble himself in the way of holiness alwaies seeing whither hee goes viz. to God by Faith in the way of obedience nor is hee an occasion of stumbling to others whereby they may either be drawn into sin or hardened in it Therefore yee ought to endeavour after brotherly love Vers. 11. But hee that hateth his Brother is in darkness and walketh in darkness and knoweth not whither hee goeth because that darkness hath blinded his eyes Argum. 4. Hee that hateth his Brother hee wholly lyes and perseveres in sin and swarving from the right way which leads to salvation hee is carried to a precepice not knowing whither hee goes because his mind is darkened with sin Therefore yee must follow after brotherly love Vers. 12. I write unto you little children because your sins are forgiven you for his names sake Argum. 5. O faithful
communion with him by the free presence of the Holy Ghost which spiritual presence hee may know by its effects viz. from a desire in him to obey Gods command concerning lively Faith in Christ working by love Therefore yee ought to follow after brotherly love CHAP. IV. IN this Chapter the Apostle is wholly in establishing their Faith and in stirring up their love towards the brethren The Chapter contains two parts In the first he exhorts to try the spirits that they may beware of Impostors to vers 7. In the other hee again provokes them to brotherly love to the end Vers. 1. Beloved beleeve not every spirit but try the spirits whether they are of God because many false Prophets are gone out into the world The occasion of mentioning the Spirit of God in the last verse of the former Chapter hee exhorts them to beleeve no spirit or doctrine coming from any spirit before they have examined and proved whether it bee of God The Arguments of the Exhortation are six Argum. 1. Many false Prophets or Hereticks are risen and are now gone out openly into the world Therefore yee ought not to beleeve any doctrine unless it bee first examined Vers. 2. Hereby know yee the Spirit of God every spirit that confesseth that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God Argum. 2. Yee have a rule ready whereby as by a touchstone yee may examine every spirit or the doctrine of any spirit whether it bee of God This is the first part of the Rule whatsoever spirit doth seriously and truly confess the person of Christ according to the divinity wherein it did exist from eternity and according to the humanity which hee truly assumed in his incarnation and doth also seriously acknowledge him to be the Christ according to all his offices and attributeth to him alone the whole glory of a perfect Saviour this spirit or this doctrine is of God Vers. 3. And every spirit that confesseth not that Iesus is come in the flesh is not of God and this is that spirit of Antichrist whereof you have heard that it should come and even now already is it in the world This other part of the Rule is negative Whatsoever spirit or whatsoever doctrine doth not really and firmly confess Jesus Christ after that manner viz. as is above-said but doth diminish any thing from his person or from his offices or his virtue or efficacy for the beginning or most fully perfecting salvation for us hee is not of God but it is the spirit of Antichrist which spirit is now already in the world although it hath not as yet so prevailed that it can erect a Throne to it self openly in the Church Therefore seeing yee have this Rule yee ought not to admit any doctrine unless it bee examined Vers. 4. Yee are of God little Children and have overcome them because greater is hee that is in you than hee that is in the world Argum. 3. Your victory as touching seducers is as certainly ready as if it was already gained Therefore tryal being made yee need not fear to contend with them Of God Hee confirms this Argument by three Reasons from God Reas. 1. Yee are elected and regenerated by God Therefore yee shall certainly overcome seducers In you Reas. 2. Yee have the Spirit of God dwelling in you whereby yee may discern and beware of impostors Therefore yee shall certainly overcome them Greater Reas. 3. The Spirit of God dwelling in you is more powerful than the Devil that spirit the seducer that is in the world or in wicked deceivers Therefore yee shall certainly overcome them Vers. 5. They are of the world therefore speak they of the world and the world heareth them Argum. 4. By answering an objection yee ought not to bee troubled that the lying world hearkens to the lyes of seducers for those seducers are of the world and teach lyes which are pleasing to the world but on the contrary yee ought the more diligently to beware of and shun seducers by how much the more the world is addicted to them Therefore yee ought to try the spirits whether they bee of God and not admit any doctrine without examination Vers. 6. Wee are of God hee that knoweth God heareth us hee that is not of God heareth not us hereby know wee the Spirit of Truth and the spirit of errour Argum. 5. By preventing an objection Seeing that wee Apostles and sincere teachers have our doctrine and effectual calling from God both to the Faith of Christ and to the preaching of Faith it is sufficient that Gods elect or those that are taught by him should hear our doctrine although perhaps the number of them may bee but small Therefore hear us and tryal being made reject the spirit of errour Hee that is not of God Argum. 6. It is the property of a man not renewed who hath not as yet any communion with God not to adhere to our Apostolical doctrine but to beleeve seducers And this is the sign whereby any one may be discerned whether hee bee lead by the spirit of errour or of truth For hee that hath not hearkened to the doctrine of the Apostles is lead by a spirit of errour but if hee shun errours and hath constantly adhered to the Apostles doctrine hee is lead by the spirit of truth Therefore yee ought to prove and discern the Spirits that yee may beware of seducers The Second Part. Vers. 7. Beloved let us love one another for love is of God and every one that loveth is born of God and knoweth God The other part of the Chapter follows wherein hee exhorts to brotherly love The Arguments of the Exhortation are twenty Argum. 1. Love towards the brethren is from God viz. as a special gift which is given onely to the elect Therefore ought yee to endeavour after it Everyone Argum. 2. Confirming the former Hee that is indued with love towards brethren as brethren is of the number of the regenerate Therefore yee ought to endeavour after love Knoweth Argum. 3. Hee that exercises love knoweth God i. e. believes in him and loves him Therefore yee ought to love the brethren Vers. 8. Hee that loveth not knoweth not God for God is Love Argum. 4. Hee that is altogether without love towards the brethren doth neither beleeve God nor love him The reason of this is because God is love All love as to his essence altogether lovely in himself and in his Image every way altogether loving us and the author or efficient of all love in all his children so hee that is void of love cannot know God Therefore yee ought to endeavour after love Vers. 9. In this was manifested the love of God towards us because that God sent his onely begotten Son into the world that wee might live through him Argum. 5. Confirming the preceding Reason God hath so loved us who are now his people that hee hath sent his onely begotten Son that wee being freed from death by
not work the love of God without love of the Brethren Therefore c. For hee Hee confirms this Argument by this Reason Because wee are more moved to love by sight than by hearing hee that loveth not his Brother whom hee hath seen and the Image of God in him hee cannot love God whom hee hath not seen Therefore the boasting of love towards God is vain where love of the Brethren is wanting Vers. 21. And this commandement have wee from him that hee who loveth God loveth his brother also Argum. 20. The same authority of God hath conjoyned the command of both requiring of all that love God that they love their Brethren also Therefore yee ought to love the Brethren CHAP. V. THe principal scope of the whole Epistle and especially of this Chapter is propounded vers 13. viz. that those who beleeve in Christ may know that they have eternal life and that knowing they have life they may more and more believe in Christ. Of the Chapter there bee two parts In the first hee describes the marks of those that are true beleevers or born again who have right to eternal life with an inchoate possession thereof to vers 6. In the second hee propounds the Arguments to move us to beleeve in Christ. Vers. 1. Whosoever beleeveth that Iesus is the Christ is born of God and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him The marks of those that are true beleevers or born again and live sincerely are six Note 1. Hee that is truly faithful or begotten of God beleeves seriously that Jesus is the promised Christ viz. the Redeemer of the world for whosoever solidly receives this truth and applies it to himself acknowledges it in his heart as the Scripture requires is born of God And every one Note 2. Hee so loves God that hee loves the Brethren or those that are begotten of him Vers. 2. By this wee know that wee love the children of God when wee love God and keep his commandements Note 3. Those that are truly faithful do so love the Brethren that they also love God and out of love to God they endeavour to keep his commandements Vers. 3. For this is the love of God that wee keep his Commandements and his Commandements are not grievous Note 4. Explicating the former They that are truly faithful demonstrate the sincerity of their love in endeavouring to observe Gods Commandements out of love to him so that his commandements how much soever they bee hard and unpleasant to the flesh yet they are not grievous but such as they desire most willingly to perform Vers. 4. For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world and this is the victory that overcometh the world even our Faith Note 5. Giving the reason of the former They that are truly faithful or born again do overcome the world that is they overcome whatsoever opposes it self to the Spirit of God viz. deceits inticements and the terrours of the world and all hinderances which may draw them from obedience to Gods commandements so that their conflicts bee daily yet they do not yeeld but are sure to triumph as conquerors as often as their enemies oppose them And this Note 6. Explicating the former They that are truly faithful do not lean to their own strength in warring against the world but on Christ by Faith who hath overcome the world in their behalf and doth administer strength to them for the overcoming the world which is the most certain excellent and compleat way to conquer Vers. 5. Who is hee that overcometh the world but hee that beleeveth that Iesus is the Son of God The reason of the victory got over the world by Faith is because it is impossible that any one should overcome the world unless it bee hee that despairing of himself by Faith leans on the sole truth and strength of Jesus Christ as of the omnipotent Son of God who hath not onely overcome the world for his but doth also make all his conquerors The Second Part. Vers. 6. This is â—ee that came by water and blood even Iesus Christ not by water onely but by water and blood and it is the Spirit that beareth witness because the spirit is truth The other part of the Chapter follows wherein hee proves that wee ought to beleeve in Christ as in the Son of God The Arguments are fourteen Argum. 1. Because Jesus Christ is hee who when hee came brought with him the solid substance of Legal Ceremonies as to that which chiefly belongs to the abolishing of sin For hee came with water or with that holiness in himself and virtue for the sanctifying his which was signified by water and washings in the old Law to be in the Messias that was to come when he came And hee came with blood or with a full expiation of their sins by the propitiatory Sacrifice of his blood offered on the Cross for the taking away of the sins of his people Not by water Hee confirms that because Christ came not with one propriety of a Mediatour which is the Sanctity of his Person and virtue of sanctifying his signified by water or legal washings but hee comes also with another propriety which is expiation and full reconciliation signified by the sprinkling of blood or by the slaying of beasts The admirable symbole of which conjunction was the flowing of water and blood out of his side on the cross as our Apostle hath diligently observed in his Gospel Chap. 19.34 That wee may all know that whom Christ justifies hee also sanctifies and on the contrary those whom hee sanctifies the same hee also justifies Therefore yee ought to beleeve in Christ. The Spirit Argum. 2. The spirit witnesseth the same i. e. the manifestation of the spirit in divers gifts poured forth upon Christs Disciples witnesseth that Christ is the Son of God and by its dictate makes this firm in the hearts of those that are faithful Therefore yee ought to beleeve in Christ. Truth Hee confirms this Argument that the Spirit in these operations is true and far from all deceit because it commends nothing to us besides the Word of God or Truth it self Vers. 7. For there are three that bear record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one Arg. 3. Because as the three persons of the God-head the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost are one in essence so they also consent together in witnessing to confirm this one thing That Jesus Christ is the Son of God For the Father witnesseth of him 1 Pronouncing with an audible voice both in Christs Baptism and Transfiguration that he was his beloved Son in whom hee was well pleased 2 In the works which hee gave to Christ to finish Iob 5.16.36 Furthermore the word bears record of Christ that is Christ wherein hee is God bears record of himself being incarnate that hee is the Son of God partly affirming that very
often with a lively voice partly making it manifest in his whole doctrine that hee is the same which came out of his Fathers bosome and laid open his counsel touching mans salvation Hee that cometh from above hee that cometh from Heaven is above all Ioh. 4.31 3 The Holy Ghost bears record that Jesus Christ is the Son of God partly by his descending upon him in his Baptism partly by his descending upon his Apostles and Disciples in the day of Pentecost partly by inspiring the doctrine of Christ into the Pen-men of the Scripture and by commending it to the world that it might teach men and perswade and confirm them touching that truth as truly divine By which hee may gather a Church and lead it into all truth to eternal life These three are said to bear record in Heaven 1 Because they immediately bear witness from Heaven as from their Throne 2 Because the Majesty of these witnesses chiefly shines in Heaven 3 Because this testimony is not heard observed acknowledged unless by souls lifted up to Heaven Lastly Because this testimony for the most part is perfected in Heaven although it should never bee received on earth Therefore yee ought to beleeve in Christ for his testimonies sake Vers. 8. And there are three that bear witness in earth the Spirit and the Water and the Blood and these three agree in one Argum. 4. Because three witnesses in earth consent together to prove that Christ is the Son of God viz. the Spirit and the Water and the Blood which are called witnesses in earth 1 Because this testimony is mediate and is produced out of the works which are to bee seen in the earth 2 Because uttering of this testimony is written in men that are in the earth and is acknowledged by the Visible Church Lastly Because this testimony doth not onely sound in the Church but also utters its voice amongst the men of the world and is heard of them to their conviction For 1 The Spirit or manifestation of the Spirit partly in miraculous gifts which are shed abroad in the Church even to the amazement of the world for many years after Christs ascention Partly in ordinary gifts which as yet flourish in the Church and suffice both to testifie that Christ who is preached amongst us is God and to draw an acknowledgement from them who are without the Church that God is in us who beleeve in Christ 1 Cor. 14. Furthermore the operation of the Spirit in the hearts of the faithful doth so quicken the words of Christ and by them doth so instruct comfort and confirm the elect that it leaves no doubt as touching the Divinity of Christ. As for Water which is the virtue of Christ sanctifiing his it so expresly speaks of Christ that those also who are without the Church seeing the light of good works in Christians are forced to glorifie our Father and the Father of Christ who is in Heaven so that also being even perceived in women it brought their unbeleeving husbands to God who at the first did not acknowledge the Word of God 1 Pet. 3.1 Lastly As for Blood which is the price of redemption and the virtue of Christ expiating sins and reconciling men to God that blood speaks better things than the blood of Abel so that it makes the consciences of the faithful quiet and peaceable and opens a way to the Throne of God and so confirms their hearts against the world and all things which are evil in it that they may bee bold and able to resound even with their own blood this testimony to those enemies that hear them in the midst of torments with joy Rev. 12.11 Therefore wee ought to beleeve in Christ as the Son of God Vers. 9. If wee receive the witness of men the witness of God is greater For this is the witness of God which hee hath testified of his Son Argum. 5. For the sake of the testimonies of faithful and true men wee beleeve their assertions Therefore for the sake of the testimony of God which is greater testifying of his Son we ought to beleeve in Christ as the Son of God Vers. 10. Hee that beleeveth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself hee that beleeveth not God hath made him a lyer because hee beleeveth not the record that God gave of his Son Argum. 6 Hee that beleeves in Christ as the Son of God is so much rectified that hee rests in the witness of the Spirit inâ—ardly confirming this truth of the Divine Word Therefore c. Hee that beleeveth not Argum. 7. Hee that doth not beleeve in â—hrist as the Son of God doth really accuse God of a lye because hee rejects the testimony concerning his Son as if it were false Therefore wee must beleeve in Christ as the Son of God Vers. 11. And this is the record that God hath given to us eternal life and this life is in his Son Argum. 8. Those that beleeve in the Son have right to eternal life which is in the Son as in the Fountain Procurer Giver and Conserver given to them by grace and confirmed by the constancy of Gods testimony Therefore c. Vers. 12. Hee that hath the Son hath life and hee that hath not the Son hath not life Argum. 9. Hee that truly embraces the Son by Faith hath also eternal life not onely as to the right of it but also to 〈◊〉 inchoate possession and hee that hath not the Son by Faith or seeks life in another rather than in him is destitute and shut out from all spiritual life Therefore c. Vers. 13. These things have I written unto you that beleeve on the Name of the Son of God that yee may know that yee have eternal life and that yee may beleeve on the Name of the Son of God Argum. 10. For this end all these things are written to the faithful from the Holy Ghost by the Apostle the Pen-man that they might bee certain that they have eternal life already and might more and more beleeve in the name of the Son of God Therefore yee must beleeve in Christ. Vers. 14. And this is the confidence that wee have in him that if wee ask any thing according to his will hee heareth us Argum. 11. Hee that beleeveth in Christ hath confidence in his approaches to God in prayer and that hee shall have Gods favourable ear in every petition which is put up according to the will of God Therefore c. Vers. 15. And if wee know that hee heareth us whatsoever wee ask wee know that wee have the pâ—titions that wee desired of him Argum. 12. Explicating and unfolding the former Hee that beleeves in Christ by knowing that God will bee propitious to him in his lawful or well-ordered petitions hee may also bee certain that the petitions which hee hath offered according to the Promises of God are already granted by him before they bee finished and so hee may bee assured of the success
is to bee perfected which is the summe of the Gospel 2 The second Reason The necessities of the Church being in danger by seducers which urged him to write this Epistle These things being premised hee propounds the scope of the Epistle which is that they would by all means indeavour to preserve the Apostolical doctrine to themselves and posterity from the corruption of seducers Sound Doctrine hee calls the Faith viz. to bee beleeved because it contains all things necessary to bee beleeved unto salvation Once delivered to the Saints hee saith Because with one consent all the Apostles fully and perfectly delivered the same Truth according to the Scriptures written before concerning salvation to bee obtained by Faith in Christ that they might have an immutable rule for obtaining eternal life and without addition or diminution to bee observed to the coming of the Lord. For this Faith hee wills them to contend because the Flesh the Devil and the World and the servants of Satan which are in it will never cease to oppose this Truth so that of necessity it lies upon all true Beleevers to maintain an irreconcileable war with these Vers. 4. For there are certain men crept in unawares who were before of old ordained to this condemnation ungodly men turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness and denying the onely Lord God and our Lord Iesus Christ. The Arguments of his Exhortation are nine whereof most of them are taken from the sins and punishments of seducers Argum. 1. Which proves that the Apostolical Faith is to be diligently preserved from the corruptions of seducers which was once committed to the Church Because the danger was great by reason of seducers who had privily crept in as adversaries to this Doctrine Whom hee so describes that each part of the description might serve to this end For 1 The manner of insinuating their errour to the Brethren was latent and private for before they could bee well observed by indirect waies and means they closely instilled their errours into the minds of some 2 Not without the divine decree were they permitted to follow their own devices for the sifting and winnowing of the Church For in the holy and eternal Counsel of God they were reprobated and destined that through their sins they should come to this condemnation no less câ—rtainly than if their names were written in a book 3 They were ungodly touched with no sense and reverence of the Divine Majesty either to serve him or beleeve in him 4 The Grace of our Lord Iesus Christ or the Doctrine of Grace which is set forth in the Gospel to this very end that men denying all ungodliness might live holily they directly perverted to a quite contrary end and turned it into an occasion of all lasciviousness and carnal delights 5 Indeed in their doctrine and deeds they denied our onely Lord and Master and our God Jesus Christ whom hee calls the onely Lord God not excluding the Father and the Holy Ghost but creatures and feigned Deities Therefore against these seducers the purity of the Faith is to bee preserved Vers. 5. I will therefore put you in remembrance though yee once knew this how that the Lord having saved the people out of the Land of Egypt afterward destroyed them that beleeved not Argum. 2. God destroyed the unbeleeving Apostate Israelites in the wilderness after they were brought out of Egypt Therefore warned by their examples yee ought to beware lest seduced yee perish with others Vers. 6. And the Angels which kept not their first estate but left their own habitation hee hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgement of the great day Arg. 3. God hath condemned the Apostate Angels cast out of Heaven to eternal destruction by an irreversible decree Therefore the faithful should beware of Apostasie lest they also perish Vers. 7. Even as Sodom and Gomorrah and the Cities about them in like manner giving themselves over to fornication and going after strange flesh are set forth for an example suffering the vengeance of eternal fire Arg. 4. God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah and the Cities about them after they had given themselves over to fornication and filthy lusts with which these Impostors polluted themselves and for an example to those that should come after cast them into eternal fire You must beware therefore of these Impostors which may draw you into the like sins and punishments Vers. 8. Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh despise dominion and speak evil of dignities Arg. 5. Because these Impostors are as vessels fitted to destruction whom God in like manner will destroy the reason whereof hee gives from nine or more sins which reigned in them From which their fruits as so many marks they shewed forth themselves to bee openly known and discerned 1 The first vice of these Libertines was That deluded with dreams they defiled the flesh that is to say they securely gave themselves over to lust and other hainous sins by their diabolical inchantments they were bewitched in their minds and consciences as if they had been taken with a dream 2 The second vice was They were adversaries to Civil Government not enduring any kind of Magistracy or Dominion but heaped up reproaches and evil speakings upon those honourable Ordinances of God even as at this day wee see in the carriage of the fanatick Anabaptists Vers. 9. Yet Michael the Archangel when contending with the Devil hee disputed about the body of Moses duâ—st not bring against him a railing accusation but said The Lord rebuke thee Hee amplifies this vice from Michael the Archangel his disputing with Satan about the body of Moses that his sepulchre might not bee known to the Israelites who would superstitiously have worshiped his reliques being dead whose words they despised while hee was alive Hee durst not or could not by reason of his sanctity cast such reproaches upon Satan as those Hereticks did upon Magistracy It was enough for the Archangel to say The Lord rebuke thee or restrain thy purposes From whence the Apostle fetched this history they vainly inquire who acknowledge the Scriptures to bee of divine inspiration Vers. 10. But these speak evil of those things which they know not but what they know naturally as brute beasts in those things they corrupt themselves 3 The third vice That seeing they were ignorant of divine ordinances Christian duties and of all spiritual things not only void but uncapable yet impudently they dare to belch out their blasphemies against those things 4 The fourth vice they are taxed with is That those things which naturally they know as sensitive animals in them they deport themselves below the very beasts and prompt themselves to all lust and intemperance Vers. 11. We unto them for they have gone in the way of Cain and ran greedily after the errour of Balaam for reward and perished in the gain saying of Core 5 The fift vice That when the curse of God is