father Paraphrase 38. I doe after the example of my father and you of yours in proportion 39. They answered and said unto him Abraham is our father Jesus saith unto them If ye were Abrahams children ye would doe the works of Abraham Paraphrase 39. in his obedience and vertues be like him as children resemble their naturall parents in their nature and feature 40. But now ye seek to kill me a man that hath told you the truth which I have heard of God this did not Abraham Paraphrase 40. But you are most contrary to that Abraham was an hospitable person and obeyed God in all his commands would have been very far from designing the death of any the meanest Prophet for no other crime but that of bringing Gods truth unto him And yet this doe ye 41. Ye doe the deeds of your father Then said they unto him We be not born of fornication we have one father even God Paraphrase 41. Ye have another father not willingly owned by you and him you are like in your actions Hereupon they reply none have dubious parents but they that are unlawfully begotten we are not such we are none of those to whom the style of children of whoredomes is given Hos 2. 4. but owned and acknowledged by God as his only children 42. Jesus said unto them If God were your father ye would love me for I proceeded forth and came from God neither came I of my self but he sent me Paraphrase 42. Jesus answers your hating of me is a certain argument that God is not your father for I am sent immediately from him I came from heaven and what I doe is by commission from God not on mine own motion or any businesse or errand of mine or as false Prophets without mission 43. Why doe ye not understand my speech even because ye cannot hear my word Paraphrase 43. If God were your father whose commands you received and obeyed as children you would know my language being indeed the very language of that father But the reason is clear The thing that makes you not believe in me is not want of means of conviction that my doctrine comes from God but because my doctrine is not agreeable to your humour You cannot abide to hear it you have not affections capable of it 44. Ye are of your father the devill and the lusts of your father ye will do he was a murtherer from the beginning and abode not in the truth because there is no truth in him When he speaketh a lye he speaketh of his own for he is a lyer and the father of it Paraphrase 44. The praâ—â—ises which the devill offers to you or hath practised before you you like much better then those which I commend to you He was from the first that we hear of him malicious and proud and bloudy and soon apostatized from God and the right way for he is an enemy of truth and goodnesse and therefore for him to lie and confirme you in infidelity is naturall and proper to him 45. And because I tell you the truth ye believe me not Paraphrase 45. 'T is neither the inevidence of my doctrine nor the weaknesse of your understandings that keeps you from believing me and embracing my doctrine the only thing that makes you reject me is my speaking the truth that heavenly pure perfect rule of practise which it seems is not for your turne is vehemently resisted by your passions and prejudices 46. Which of you convinceth me of sin And if I say the truth why do ye not believe me Paraphrase 46. I am sure you have no fault or imposture to lay to my charge nothing to produce or prove against me And the tree will be known by the fruits and yet you will not believe truth when I speak it 47. He that is of God heareth Gods words ye therefore hear them not because ye are not of God Paraphrase 47. If you had true piety in you then certainly my doctrine being from God would be acceptable to you and you would embrace it 48. Then answered the Jewes and said unto him Say we not well that thou art a note d Samaritane and hast a devill Paraphrase 48. To this the Jewes had no other reply but to fall into reproachfull language against him calling him Samaritan a word of reproach and madman See c. 7. 20. b. 49. Jesus answered I have not a devill but I honour my father and ye doe dishonour me Paraphrase 49. That I doe no vicious extravagant thing appears by my seeking no honour to my self not coming in my own name but referring all my embassie to the honour of God and you doe all that your malice can invent to defame me 50. And I seek not mine own glory there is one that seeketh and judgeth Paraphrase 50. And this let me tell you although I doe not seek after my own glory yet my father doth tenderly observe whether I am honoured or dishonoured and passes sentence on men severely for it see Deut. 18. 19. otherwise as 't is no glory of mine I look after so your reproaches would not touch me 51. Verily verily I say unto you If a man keep my saying he shall never see death Paraphrase 51. As it is I cannot be so unkind to you as thus to leave you in this contempt so dangerous to you whereas on the other side your receiving of the message which I bring you were the way to bring you to eternall life and rescue you from eternall torments 52. Then said the Jews unto him Now we know that thou hast a devil Abraham is dead and the Prophets and thou sayest If a man keep my saying he shall never taste of death Paraphrase 52. art mad see c. 7. 20. b. 53. Art thou greater then our father Abraham which is dead and the Prophets are dead whom makest thou thy self Paraphrase 53. Abraham and the Prophets were not freed from dying and what manner of power dost thou assume to thy self to bestow priviledges which God never gave to them whom he so much favoured 54. Jesus answered If I honour my self my honour is nothing It is my father that honoureth me of whom ye say that he is your God Paraphrase 54. Jesus replyed I shall say nothing of my self The power which I have I have from him whom certainly you acknowledge to be greater then Abraham own him as your God he hath testified sufficiently of me by voice from heaven c. 55. Yet ye have not known him but I know him and if I should say I know him not I shall be a lyer like unto you but I know him and keep his saying Paraphrase 55. This father of mine whom you call your God you know very imperfectly you know not what kind of worship and obedience it is that he requires but place it in external legal performances I come to tell you his will more perfectly And to this end have my message
spoken of in both verses the impious carnal Gnosticks this of their wicked lives is supposed in the 8 th verse having been already ver 6. sufficiently express'd and so as of them whose lives of carnality and pretensions of perfection were so contrary it had been affirmed ver 6. that they lie and doe not the truth so in that 8 th verse 't is said with little change they deceive themselves and the truth is not in them which only adds to the former the consideration of their danger that they thus brought upon themselves they flattered themselves to their ruine whereas v. 9. If they would acknowledg their sins and danger and forsake them and flie to God for pardon upon repentance he having promised it to such would be faithfull and just to forgive them their sins would deal with them according to his promise And then follows v. 10 If we say that we have not sinned which is directly all one with we have not sin v. 8. see Ntoe on c. 3. a. that is if these men that thus live pretend still that they are the perfect as of their followers in Irenaeus we read that they called themselves the spiritual and affirmed that all the foulest actions did no more pollute them then gold was polluted by being in the mire or the sun beams by shining on a dunghill they make God a lyar which is an addition to their lying first ver 6. and then deceiving themselves v. 8. and so frees these repetitions from tautologie that is directly give God the lie who hath every where declared such actions as these men practised confidently abominable pollutions c. to be most vile and most punishable sins And so this appears to be the full meaning of this verse and being so leaves no place of disputing from hence whether of any regenerate man it can be said at any time that he hath not sinned in that notion which belongs to that phrase in these Epistles of S. John and is explained Note a. on ch 3. to belong to wilful advised deliberate sin for sure these Gnostick soul livers were farre from regenerate men That this is the full meaning of the place will farther appear by the words immediately subsequent ch 2. 1. These things I write unto you that ye sin not which are very fitly adapted to this purpose for there is no such way to perswade men not to fall off into those soul sins that now solicited them as this of undeceiving them in this point and assuring them that if they lived Gnostick lives they should never be deemed perfect men which as long as they entertained themselves with any hopes of nothing could convince them of the necessity of so saking them Whereas any other way of understanding the place would not tend to that end of exhorting and warning them not to sin For if it were to be understood of all the best mens being guilty of sinne how could that be a way of inforcing on them their duty of not sinning Many more arguments might be used by refuting all other imaginable interpretations of this place to confirm this but this one of the Context may be sufficient which accordingly in the next Chapter pursues the same subject more expresly Hereby we know that we have known him that we are true Gnosticks indeed and not those that falsly assume that name truly perfect men such as Christianity was designed to make us if we keep his commandements v. 3. practise those vertues of purity and charity which Christ commandeth and then v. 4. just as here in this Chapter but more largely and explicitly then in this verse He that saith I have known him that is calls himself a Gnostick perfect man and keepeth not his commandements lives so contrary to the rules of piety and purity and all Christian vertue as these pretended Gnosticks doe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a lyar just as c. 1. 6. we lie and the truth is not in him as c. 1. 8. the truth is not in us But who so keepeth his word v. 5. that is lives according to the strict commands of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this man hath the love of God been truly perfected he may on some grounds of truth pretend to perfection of charity toward God to which these Gnosticks falsly pretended and so was the occasion of all this discourse of pretended perfection when men live in vile sins as after of that perfect love which if truly such casteth out fear ch 4. ◠CHAP. II. 1. MY little children these things write I unto you that ye sin not And if any man sin we have an advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous Paraphrase 1. My tender Christians I write this to you which I have last written v. 6 7 8 9 10. see ch 1. note b. to deterre and forewarn you of this deceit that so many are now fall'n into that you may not be drawn away into the heresie and impurities of the Gnosticks either by following them into unclean bestial sins or by depending on and pretending to such a perfection in your selves which may secure you in any one act of deliberates sin but that if you have fallen or shall fall into any such act that then persently you confesse it and forsake it freely and lay hold on Christ who for your encouragement you may know is on God's right hand acting as an advocate for those that have sinn'd and now reform and amend their lives and when the Church praies to him for any laps'd sinner he is just and faithfull to perform his promise to hear the Churches prayers and to present them to his Father and to manage all that belongs to such to their best advantage 2. And he is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world Paraphrase 2. And he having entred by blood into the holy place that is having died for us and gone to heaven where he is now invested with power which he exerciseth in our behalf is a powerfull means of reconciling God to us of obtaining free pardon for our sins on condition of our giving of our selves up to new life and not for ours onely but for all the sins of all the world of men on condition of faith in Christ and new life 3. And hereby we do know that we know him if we keep his commandments Paraphrase 3. And this is a character by which it may be discerned whether we truly know Christ or no as the Gnosticks call themselves by that name which signifies knowledge 1 Tim. 6. 20. that is whether we have a right notion of Christ as he is our advocate v. 1. and propitiation for our sins v. 2. and of his Gospel or no viz. if we do what he commandeth us to do live obedient to the directions of Christ see note on c. 1. b. 4. He that saith I know him and keepeth
spake he not unto them 35. That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet saying I will open my mouth in parables I will note f utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world Paraphrase 35. I will powre out all those mysterious truths which have been kept close from all time and now though in parables are revealed by me 36. Then Jesus sent the multitude away and went into the house and his Disciples came unto him saying Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field Paraphrase 36. Explain interpret 37. He answered and said unto them He that soweth the good seed is the son of man 38. The field is the world the good seed are the children of the kingdome but the tares are the children of the wicked one Paraphrase 38. The field is this world the place of our living here that part of the parable that concerneth the good seed signifies the Christians but that of the tares signifies the wicked seducers such were the Gnosticks and other hereticks of the first times such are all hereticks and schismaticks since 39. The enemy that sowed them is the devil the harvest is the end of the world and the reapers are the Angels Paraphrase 39. The time when beleivers and unbelievers and seducers shall be called to account is to this people that solemn approaching time of their visitation as to all other people the time of final excisions and especially the day of judgement 40. As therefore the tares are gathered and burnt in the fire so shall it be in the end of this world Paraphrase 40. At Gods times of eminent discrimination such as his judgement on the Jews see note on c. 24. c. and on Lu. 1. 0. and such the last dreadful day of doom 41. The son of man shall send forth his Angels and they shall gather out of his kingdome all things that offend and them which doe iniquity Paraphrase 41. Christ by his messengers and instruments of his justice shall destroy all hereticks and schismaticks that any way keep others from the Christian religion and all that live profestly in any unlawful course of contrariety to Christian purity 42. And shall cast them into a furnace of sire there shall be wayling and gnashing of teeth 43. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the Sun in the kingdome of their father Who hath ears to hear let him hear Paraphrase 43. The true pure Christian professors shine eminently in the Church here and after in glory 44. Again the kingdome of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field the which when a man hath found he hideth and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath and buyeth that field Paraphrase 44. The Gospel being by some not look'd after is yet sometimes met with by them and becomes matter of infinite joy and desire to them and so is likened fitly to a treasure which a man finding casually in a field hid again or concealed it and then designing to get it into his possession accounts no price that he can pay too dear for it 45. Again the kingdome of heaven is like unto a Merchant man seeking goodly pearles 46. Who when he had found one pearle of great price he went and sold all that he had and bought it Paraphrase 45 46. Others there are which have followed the study of wisdome and thirsted after some instructer and then the Gospel of Christ comes as a rich prize doth to a merchant which is in pursuit of rich merchandise and meeting with a jewell for his turn layes out all his estate upon it 47. Again the kingdome of heaven is like a net which was cast into the sea and gathered of every kind Paraphrase 47. caugh fish of all sorts good and bad 48. Which when it was full they drew to shore and sat down and gathered the good into vessels but cast the bad away Paraphrase 48. That which was sick or unwholsome at the season 49. So shall it be at the end of the world the Angels shall come forth and sever the wicked from among the just Paraphrase 49. At the time wherein Christ shall come to work his revenge upon his enemies not only at the destruction of the Jewish State wherein that discrimination shall be made betwixt beleiving and unbeleiving Jews reformed and unreformed but especially at the final day of every mans doom at the conclusion of the world 50. And shall cast them into the furnace of fire there shall be wailing 〈◊〉 gnashing of teeth 51. Jesus saith unto them Have ye understood all these things They say unto him Yea Lord. 52. Then said he unto them Therefore every note g scribe which is instructed unto the kingdome of heaven is like unto a man that is an housholder which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old Paraphrase 52. Therefore if over and above your knowledge in the law ye have understood the things which I have told you of the nature of the Gospel the excellency of it beyond all other professions and the obligation to good life ye are obliged to shew forth the effects and to the old actions of your former life acted by Jewish principles to superadde a Christian practise after the manner of the housholder who when he makes shew of his possessions his provisions or wealth brings forth and shews the fruit of the new as well as the store of the old year his new as well as old rayments c. and all little enough for the frank entertainment of his guests 53. And it came to passe that when Jesus had finished these parables he departed thence 54. And when he was come into his own countrey he taught them in their synagogue insomuch that they were astonished and said Whence hath this man this wisdome and these mighty works Paraphrase 54. And coming to Nazareth where he was bred he set about the work of publick reaching of them in their assemblies which he did in such manner expressing such knowledge and doing such miracles that they which saw and heard were amazed and astonish'd at it saying What means of knowledge hath he had by his education and from whence can he be imagined to derive the power of doing such miracles 55. Is not this the carpenters son is not his mother called Mary And his brethren James and Joses and Simon and Jude Paraphrase 55. his first cousens 56. And his sisters are they not all with ua Whence then hath this man all these things Paraphrase 56. Whence then is it that he thus farre excels and surpasseth all them 57. And they were offended in him But Jesus said unto them A prophet is not without honour save in his own country and in his own house Paraphrase 57. discouraged from following â—him any longer whereupon Jesus said unto those that were present This is no strange thing to me for it is proverbially observed that a Prophet
over a great sinner and expressed your sorrow in complaining of him and using meanes that he might be excommunicated see c. 12. 21. 3. For I verily as absent in body but present in spirit have note d judged already as though I were present concerning him that hath so done this deed Paraphrase 3. For I though I am not present among you yet by that authority that belongs to me and being sufficiently assured of the truth of the fact have already passed sentence on him that hath thus offended 4. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ when ye are gathered together and my spirit with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ 5. To note e deliver such an one unto Satan for the note f destruction of the flesh that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus Paraphrase 4 5. That in a publick assembly gathered in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in which you are to suppose me virtually present among you by the authority of Christ committed to me and you ye proceed to excommunicate and deliver him up into the power of Satan who may inflict some disease upon him that may be a means to bring him to a sight of his sinne and reformation and so to salvation also 6. Your glorying is not good know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump Paraphrase 6. Such a teacher as this is not fit for you to follow or favour for as a little sowre dough gives a tast to all the bread so will such a sinne as this permitted in the Church have an influence on you all both by discrediting that Church where this is permitted and by corrupting the company by the example 7. Purge out therefore the old leaven that ye may be a new lump as ye are unleavened for even Christ our passeover is sacrificed for us Paraphrase 7. As therefore it was the manner of the Jewes on the day of the Passeover that being the day of preparation or the Eve to the feast of unleavened bread most diligently and sollicitously to inquire if there were any crumme of leavened bread left in their houses and to remove it all see note on Mar. 14. c. so doe ye at this time deale with that heathen or Gnostick perswasion among you of the lawfulnesse of fornication most contrary to the Lawes of Christianity that you have undertaken and whereby ye have obliged your selves to have none of that sowre unchristian doctrine among you but on the contrary to fit your selves to celebrate a Christian Passeover which as the Judaicall was a signe of their deliverance out of Aegypt must be kept with our departure out of sinne 8. Therefore let us keep the feast not with old leaven neither with the leaven of 〈◊〉 and wickednesse but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth Paraphrase 8. Doe ye therefore consecrate your selves to the service of Christ by reforming all your former sinfull courses particularly that of uncleannesse and villany see v. 13. and by the practice of all Christian purity and holding faâ—t the truth which hath been delivered to you 9. I wrote unto you in an Epistle not to note g company with fornicators 10. Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world or with the covetous or note h extortioners or with note i idolaters for then must ye needs goe out of the world Paraphrase 9 10. What in this Epistle v. 2. I have written of not communicating with fornicators and not conversing famillarly with them I mean not of the heathens among you which have not given up their names unto Christ nor in like manner of those heathens that are guilty of those other sinnes of unnaturall lusts see note on Rom. 1. i. and violence or those filthinesses which are ordinary among Idolaters and are used as parts and rites of their religion for these are so ordinary among them that if ye abstain from the company of all those heathens that are so guilty ye must depart out of their cities 11. But now I have written unto you not to keep company if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator or covetous or an idolater or a note k railer or a drunkard or an extortioner with such an one no not to eate Paraphrase 11. But the purpose of my writing is onely to interdict you that free encouraging converse with Christian professors that are guilty of retaining any of these sensuall heathen sinnes used by Idolaters and to command that with such an one you doe not enter any friendly commerce so much as to eat with him see note g. much lesse to admit him to the Sacrament or the feast that attends that untill he doe reform 12. note l For what have I to do to judge them also that are without do not ye judge them that are within 13. But them that are without God judgeth Therefore put away from among you that wicked person Paraphrase 12 13. What have mine or the Churches censures to do with them that are not members of the Church Ye know 't is the practice among you to inflict censures on Church-members onely leaving all others to Gods tribunal And by doing thus ye shall remove the accursed thing from among you free your selves from those punishments that the neglect of your duty permitting such offenders to go unpunished and unreformed may bring upon you Annotations on Chap. V. V. 1. Fornication 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fornication in this place is a generall word to comprehend all unlawfull desires of the flesh acts of whatsoever prohibited carnality under it For it is observable that the precept given by Gods positive command to the sonnes of Adam and Noah and so to all mankinde which is styled by the Jewes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of disclosing nakednesses under which style all the marriages within prohibited degrees Lev. 18. and all the unnaturall sinnes are contain'd is Act. 15. express'd by abstaining 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from fornication And that by the infusions of the Gnosticks and remainders of their heathen customes there was an Epidemical guilt of this sin of many sorts among them is the meaning of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fornication is universally heard that is found among you for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seemes to be all one with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in universum and so perhaps it is to be rendred c. 6. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is a defect generally among you and being here joyned with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is heard among you may signifie that 't is an universall guilt of theirs or else being joyned with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it will sound thus fornication altogether or fornication in grosse containing the severall branches of it is heard that is found or met with among you and of the many sorts thereof one that had not been practised or indured to be
to testifie it but some of them are dead 7. After that he was seen of note a James then of all the Apostles Paraphrase 7. Besides all these he was presently after his resurrection seen by James the Bishop of Jerusalem then by all the twelve Apostles Joh. 20. 25. 8. And last of all he was seen of me also as of one note b born out of due time Paraphrase 8. And after his ascension to heaven he spake from thence and exhibited himself to be seen by me who before had not seen him being not a disciple of his then but after his ascension converted by him and received through his special favour into the number of his Apostles though most unworthy of that dignity 9. For I am the least of the Apostles that am not meet to be called an Apostle because I persecuted the Church of God Paraphrase 9. For I having first been a great persecutor of Christianity though by Christ I was thus miraculously call'd to be an Apostle of his am not yet worthy to be so esteemed but being by Christ so constituted am yet for that former life of mine inferior to all the rest of the Apostles of Christ who were never thus guilty 10. But by the grace of God I am what I am and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain but I laboured more abundantly then they all yet not I but the grace of God which was with me Paraphrase 10. Though being by his special favour so constituted I have since laboured to walk worthy of it and have been more industrious and laborious then all the rest that had been his disciples here yet what I have thus done is not to be imputed to me in any manner but to the grace and goodnesse of God that went along with me and enabled me to doe what I have done 11. Therefore whether it were I or they so we preach and so ye believed Paraphrase 11. Well then whether ye look upon me or upon them to whom he appeared here on earth and so were eye-witnesses of his resurrection I am sure ye can have no grounds from either of doubting of this truth for both they and I preached the same among you and at our preaching you then received and believed it 12. Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead Paraphrase 12. Now upon this foundation thus laid that you can have no reason to doubt it it follows that the dead truly rise and then how comes it to passe that some of your Churchmen that have received the faith by our preaching begin now to deny all resurrection 13. But if there be no resurrection of the dead then is Christ not risen Paraphrase 13. These are presently confuted supposing it granted that Christ is risen from the dead 14. And if Christ be not risen then is our preaching vain and your faith is also vain Paraphrase 14. Which if it be not true then is that false which both we preached and ye believed v. 11. and in all probability whatever else we have built upon it 15. Yea and we are are found false witnesse of God because we testified of God that he raised up Christ whom he raised not up if so be that the dead rise not Paraphrase 15. And ye must suppose of us who taught you Christianity that we taught you a meer forgery for such must the resurrection of Christ be if there be no resurrection from the dead 16. For if the dead rise not then is not Christ raised Paraphrase 16. For thus one may argue backward If there be no possibility for a man by the power of God to be raised from death then is not Christ raised 17. And if Christ be not raised your faith is vain ye are yet in your sins Paraphrase 17. And if so then all that we have preach'd to you particularly remission of sins upon repentance being bottom'd on the resurrection of Christ Act. 5. 31. is to be supposed false also 18. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished Paraphrase 18. And they that have lost their lives for Christ's sake have had nothing to pay them for those losses have perished eternally and so lost very much by their fortitude which must argue madnesse in them if they believed not a resurrection for then they had better have kept the life they had till a natural death had called it from them and must argue a grosse error in those first Christians Stephen and James c. if they believed that which had not truth in it 19. If in this life onely we have hope in Christ we are of all men most miserable Paraphrase 19. And indeed if Christ were not risen if all our hope in Christ had been rterminated with this life of his on earth or if all the advantages which we reap by Christ are those which we enjoy here who are worse used then any other men persecuted continually for our profession of Christ it would then follow that as once the Apostles deemed themselves upon his death not knowing he was to rise again so we Christians should be the most unhappy persons the most proper objects of compassion that are in the world 20. But now is Christ risen from the dead and become the first-fruits of them that slept Paraphrase 20. Which now blessed be God is much otherwise for Christ being risen he by rising himself raiseth all others with him as in the consecrating of the first-fruits the whole harvest is also consecrated and then we that are miserable here shall be rewarded there and so his resurrection is a certain proof that other men shall have a resurrection also which is the summe of the arguing from v. 12. till this place 21. For since by man came death by man came also the resurrection of the dead Paraphrase 21. For as one man brought death so another brought resurrection into the world 22. For as in Adam all die so in Christ shall all be made alive Paraphrase 22. For as upon Adams sin all that are partakers of his nature are concluded under the sentence of death pronounced against him so all regenerate believers all that are like that belong to Christ v. 23. shall be raised to immortal life 23. But every man in his own order Christ the first-fruits afterward they that are Christ's at his coming Paraphrase 23. But this with some distance of time betwixt Christ the first-fruits some time before the rest then all regenerate Christians at his last coming to judgment 24. Then cometh the end when he shall have delivered up the kingdome to God even the Father when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power Paraphrase 24. Then I mean when in the conclusion of this world of this spiritual kingdome of Christ in the Church here below he shall deliver up all
the Church of Christ whose saith ye have received that whether present or absent I may hear such things of you that I may take comfort in viz. that you have the same affections and common designes all jointly contending the best you can to propagate the faith of Christ to gain men to embrace the Gospel 28. And in nothing terrified by your adversaries which is to them an evident token of perdition but to you of salvation and that of God Paraphrase 28. And whatsoever opposition ye meet with let it not discourage or affright you but look on it only as a signe or testimony that they are wretched obdurate people but that you are the true penâ—ent believers rescued out of the snares of sin and that this testimony is given by God himself of you 29. For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ not onely to believe on him but also to suffer for his sake Paraphrase 29. Who hath vouchsafed you this favour to suffer for as well as to believe in Christ which is a proof of your sincerity and constancy and an instance of God's goodnesse and favour to you 30. Having the same conflict which ye saw in me and now hear to be in me Paraphrase 30. Suffering in the same manner as ye see and hear of me that I suffer Annotations on Chap. I. V. 1. Philippi The Philippians here named must by Analogie with the Corinthians and the rest to whom the other Epistles are address'd be interpreted to be of a larger extent then the inhabitants of that one city and either to contain all the Christians throughout all Macedonia or at least all that were under that Metropolis For that Philippi was such is the distinct affirmation of S. Luke Act. 16. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philippi is the prime or first city in the province of Macedonia that is either of all Macedonia as one wider Province or at least of one Province of it And it is there added that it was then a colony that is inhabited by Romans from whence it is that v. 21. they speak of themselves as Romans and such colony-cities that were so inhabited by Romans were generally though not onely they pitched on by the Roman Pretors or Presidents to be the cities whither the neighbouring regions should come for justice the places of assises c. and so became the chief cities So Photius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The city of Philippi being a metropolis of the Province of the Macedonians and this expresly speaking of it as it was in S. Pauls time Act. 16. 21. where the inhabitants of it as of a Romane Colony call themselves Romans So S. Chrysostome on Act. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S. Luke sets down the places as writing an history and shewing where the Apostle spent any time he names onely the greater cities such are Metropoles and passeth by the rest making Philippi thus named one of those greater And this is supposed by the antient writer under Ignatius's name in Epist ad Tarsens when he tells them to whom he writes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Churches of the Philippians in the plural salute you that is the Churches under that Metropolis And therefore when Philippi is by the Geographers and out of them by the author of the argument of this Epistle affirmed to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a little city under the Metropolis Thessalonica it must be remembred that that definition belongs to some other time probably long before that of S. Pauls writing here or in the Acts his preaching to them For so 't is certain that this city built and thus named by Philip King of Macedon had formerly been called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whence was the proverb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because of a golden mine which Appian saith was near it and was then a small city which hinders not but that how under the Roman Empire it might be improved and advanced especially being now a Colony of Romans and being so 't is not imaginable it should be subject to Thessalonica a city in another Region an hundred and ten miles off from it which was no Colony As when in Palestine Caesarea Stratonis became a Colony of the Romans called Colonia Prima Flavia by Pliny à Vespasiano deducta the Prime Colony called Flavia as being brought thither by Flavius Vespasianus it became also in respect of the Ecclesiastical Government a Metropolis under which Jerusalem it self was For that many cities became Metropoles which formerly were not there is no doubt and is affirmed in the 12. Can. of the Council of Chalcedon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cities are honoured with the names of Metropoles by the Emperors letters So also Strabo Geog. l. 17. p. 840. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Provinces have been at several times variously divided which concludes the Metropoles to be changed also and l. 13. p. 629. giving an account of the confusion of Provinces by him observed he saith it was caused 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because the Romans distributed them not according to the divisions of tribes but another way according to the keeping of courts and assises And thus doth Pliny set down for Metropoles of Asia Laodicea Sardis Smyrna and Ephesus upon this onely account that the courts were kept there to which other cities resorted The truth is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was now changed and advanced into Philippi and a Metropolis of Macedonia by being a Colony of the Romans was originally a city of Thrace and so is affirmed to be by Stephanus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And so Scylax Caryandeus among the cities of Thrace hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 next after Neapolis And Eustathius on Dionysii 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the same effect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seating it on the banke of Strymon where Pomponius Mela in his description of Thrace placeth Philippi and so doth Plinie Nat. Hist l. 4. in his Survey of Thrace A Strymone intus Philippi Colonia and so Dio describing Pangaeum Montem in Thrace saith 't is close by Philippi But granting all this of the former times 't is yet certain that at the time of S. Pauls converting this city it was changed from the antient forme first it was a Roman Colony and the inhabitants thereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Romans Act. 16. 21. and in that state made a Metropolis of the adjoyning part of Macedonia where the Roman Prefect kept his assises for all that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 According to this Division saith Vlpian in provincia Macedonia Dyrracheni Cassandrenses Philippenses Italici Juris sunt This may be illustrated à pari Nicopolis is by S. Chrysostome affirmed to be a city of Thrace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so by Theodoret 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nicopolis is a city of Thrace but borders on Macedodia in like
so much scandal for his former life see Theophylact. 8. Likewise must the Deacons be grave not double-tongued not given to much wine nor greedy of filthy lucre Paraphrase 8. And as for the choosing of the Bishop al this care must be taken so for the Deacons that must every where be constituted to attend the Bishop they also must be chosen grave sober persons not cunning and deceitfull not given to excesse of drinking wine or strong drink those which use not any fordid course for gain 9. Holding the mysterie of the faith in a pure conscience Paraphrase 9. But such as being orthodox in point of faith live pure and Christian lives according to the doctrine and directions thereof 10. And let these also first be proved and then let them use the office of a Deacon being found blamelesse Paraphrase 10. And before any be thus assumed into holy Orders let them be well known and by testimony approved for sufficiency piety and good behaviour and then being found blamelesse persons of good report among all let them then be assumed into Orders 11. Even so must their wives be grave not slanderes sober faithfull in all things Paraphrase 11. So likewise the women that have any office in the Church see note on Tit. 2. b. must be of a grave behaviour not given to slander and calumniate not given to any excesse trusty in all that is committed to them 12. Let the Deacons be the husbands of one wife ruling their children and their own houses well Paraphrase 12. And as of the Bishops so of the Deacons let them be those that have not put away former wives upon dislikes and married others see note b. but those which either have not married or lived constantly with their first wives and duly brought up their children and governed their families 13. For they that have used the office of a Deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree and great boldnesse in the faith which is in Christ Jesus Paraphrase 13. For though the office of a Deacon be an inferior degree yet it is a step to the higher and they that behave themselves well in it are fit to be assumed to an higher imployment that of rulers or Bishops that greater dignity in the Church of God see note on Joh. 7. a. 14. These things write I unto thee hoping to come unto thee shortly Paraphrase 14. These brief directions I now give thee for the necessary of thy present employment hoping to come quickly to thee my self and furnish thee with all farther instructions 15. But if I tarry long that thou maist know how thou oughtest to behave thy self in the note e house of God which is the Church of the living God the pillar and ground of the truth Paraphrase 15. But if it shall fall out that I cannot come that then by these thou maist for the main be provided and instructed how to discharge the office committed to thee being an office of stewardship or presecture in Gods family the Church not of Idol false but of the one true God the pillar and basis which holds up the truth sustains and keeps it from sinking 16. And without controversie great is the mystery of note f godlinesse God was manifest in the flesh justified in the spirit seen of Angels preached unto the Gentiles believed on in the world received up into glory Paraphrase 16. The truth I mean of Gods oeconomy at this time which is most precious and valuable and tends mightily to the begetting of all piety and vertue in our hearts And it consists of these so many degrees 1. That God himself took on him our flesh and here on earth visibly appeared among us in an humane shape and did thereby make known his will unto us and that this might be done more convincingly 2 dly the Spirit descended on him at his baptisme and gave testimony of him Mat. 3. 17. and by leading him into the wildernesse to be tempted by the devill convinced him that he was the son of God Mat. 4. and by the power of God upon him he wrought many great and unheard of miracles and so his Apostles after him which testified the truth of all he said and 3 dly in these and in the discharge of his designed office of revealing Gods will unto men he was beheld and confess'd and adored by Angels themselves good and bad fourthly he was by his Apostles preached and proclaimed not only to the Jewes but Gentiles fifthly he was received and believed on by many of all nations through the world and sixthly he was visibly and with a glorious appearance of Angels taken up into heaven there to reign for ever in the glory of God the Father and to exercise power in his Church and by converting of some and destroying of others to propagate his Gospell over the world Annotations on Chap. III. V. 1. A Good work 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here signifies honestum opus a work of some vertue and excellence in itself as being that which is the consecrating a mans life at least the greatest part of it to the service of God to which therefore an immarcessible crown of glory is proposed by Saint Peter as the reward 1 Pet. 5. 4. where as the great reward in heaven Mat. 5. is an argument that the vertue to which it is assigned is a very eminent vertue very acceptable in the sight of God so is this an evidence that the good work here is look'd on as an eminent state of piety so far from being censurable in him that desires it as he ought to doe in order to the glory of God or the love of our brethren or the just provision for their spiritual wants that it is very commendable in him and the desire of it is an act of Christian piety in the more perfect degree as the designing this without putting the flock to any charge is yet more excellent in Saint Paul 1 Cor. 9. 18. And this may be farther evident by the fault of those who forsake this or any other Ecclesiastical office and return to the world ad seculum again such was Demas who had been a fellow-labourer of S. Paul's Philem. 24. Col. 4. 14. but after forsook him 2 Tim. 4. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having loved this present age or world not that this crime was that love of the world which 1 Iohn 2. 15. is a crime in any Christian but that he betook himself to his own worldly secular affaires again forsaking the attendance on the service of God in his Church as he that marries a wife is said to be solicitous for the things of this world how he may please his wife which love of the world though it be not in it self a fault for then marriage could not be faultless yet if it be the taking one off from Ecclesiastical emploiments which hath devoted himself to them will be a fault in him and that was
of them having an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a several distinctcommission from Christ immediately and subordinate to none but the supreme donour or Plenipotentiary The second title is that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the pillar of truth and the basis of that pillar The houses anciently were built on pillars Iudg. 16. 26. where we find the pillars whereupon the house standeth and v. 29. the two middle pillars whereon the house stood and on which it was born up and upon the removing of which the house fell and so when the Psalmist describes the land by this similitude of an house he supposeth it set on pillars and the feeblenesse of those pillars when they want bearing up are an evidence of the weaknesse of the earth The earth is weak and the inhabitants thereof I bear up the pillars of it Psal 75. 4. Now of a pillar it is known that it receives the usefulnesse from the basis on which it stands which being so set that it cannot sinke the pillar being firmly fastened on that and standing upright it is able to bear a vast weight of building laid upon it And so these two though several in themselves yet joyning together and consolidated into one they doe as one not severally support what is laid upon them A like expression we find in the Jewish writers from whence it seems to be imitated as when Maimonides in his first volume lib. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 begins his first Hilchot called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the foundation of foundations and the pillar of wisdome is to know there is a first being c. which phrase though it differ from this in speaking of a first absolutely first foundation whereas this speaks indefinitely of a foundation yet it agrees with it in this that foundation and pillar are joyned together to signifie not severall but one and the same title It is therefore necessary so to render these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pillar and ground that they be not distinct titles of the house of God a pillar one and a basis another but by the figure of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one described by two a pillar upon its basis which firmly sustains that which is built and erected upon it And so is the house of God the Churche both Universall of Christ and under him of all the Apostles and each particular of each single Apostles plantation this pillar erected firmly upon the basis to sustain to uphold the truth of Christ which being by Christ and his Apostles erected as a roof upon a pillar is sustained and upheld by it If the truth of the Gospel had been scatterd abroad by preaching to single men and those men never compacted together into a society under the Government of Bishops or Stewards c. such as Timothy was to whom was delivered by Saint Paul that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 5. 20. a depositum or body of sound doctrine to be kept as a standard in the Church by which all other doctrines were to be measured and judged if I say such a summary of faith had not been deliver'd to all Christians that came in in any place to the Apostles preaching and if there had not been some Steward to keep it then had there wanted an eminent means to sustain and uphold this truth of the Gospel thus preach'd unto men But by the gathering of single converted Christians into assemblies or Churches and designing Governors in those Churches and entrusting this depositum or form of wholsome doctrine to their keeping it comes to passe that the Christian truth is sustain'd and held up and so this house of God is affirmed to be the pillar and basis of truth or that pillar on a basis by which truth is supported According to which it is that Christ is said to have given not only Apostles and Prophets and Evangelists but also Pastors and Teachers that is the Bishops in the Church known indifferently by those two titles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the compacting of the Saints into a Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the building up of thebody of Christ confirming and continuing them in all truth Eph. 4. 12. that we should be no longer like children carryed about with every mind of doctrine c. v. 14. And so again when Heresies came into the Church in the first Ages 't is every where apparent by Ignatius's Episles that the only way of avoiding of error and danger was to adhere to the Bishop in communion and doctrine and whosoever departed from him and that form of wholsome words kept by him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was supposed to be corrupted and immers'd in that sink of corruption which was then among the Gnosticks the pests of that age of the Church To which purpose these sayings of that divine Martyr are expresse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let no man doe ought of those things which belong to the Church without the Bishop and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that doth any thing without the privity of the Bishop worships the devill Epist ad Smyrn And this is his meaning of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being within the altar preserving communion with and dependance on the Bishop who sat in that part of the Church which was called the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or altar which he that did not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 falls short of the bread of God Ep. ad Ephes from thence concluding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let us take care not to resist or oppose the Bishop that we may be subject to God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For every one whom the Master of the house sends to his own stewardship him must we receive as him that sent him we must therefore look to the Bishop as the Lord himself And in the Epistle to the Magnesians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We ought not only to be called Christians but also to be such as some call or acknowledge the Bishop but doe all without him And again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not to think it reasonable to entertain any private opinions of our own for as he addes they that did so were sure to be seduced in such times being once grown wiser then their teachers So in Ep. ad Philadel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As many as are of God and of Iesus Christ these are with the Bishop 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is one altar as one Bishop that whatever ye doe ye may doe according to God And speaking of seduced Hereticks he mentions their only way of repentance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if they repent and return to the unity of God and the councell of the Bishop And so every where in all those Epistles to the same purpose to signifie that that form of doctrine deposited with and kept by the Bishop in the Church is the only sure means to support and preserve the truth Which how little it belongs to those Congregations or Churches which
contrary to the vicious practices of these men by undertaking the faith of Christ 20. But in a great house there are not onely vessels of gold and of silver but also of wood and of earth and some to honour and some of dishonour Paraphrase 20. But it is to be expected in the Church as in any great family that all should not be equally good some furniture of gold c. others of wood and earth or shels some for more creditable some for lesse creditable uses some heretical as other orthodox Professions 21. If any man therefore purge himself from these he shall be a vessell unto honour sanctified and meet for the masters use and prepared unto every good work Paraphrase 21. Which may therefore stirre up every man to be emulous of the best to be sure to rid himself from these pollutions of the Gnosticks and then as he shall be more valued by Christ so he shall be fitter to serve him in purity and every other Christian duty 22. Fly also youthfull lusts but follow righteousnesse faith charity peace with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart Paraphrase 22. But be sure to keep thy self from all those carnal affections which younger men are most subject to and not onely those of impurity which the Gnosticks indulge and allow to all that they may insnare them but also conâ—ntions and factions and emulations and love of glory c. And on the contrary be thou an emulous and earnest pursuer and follower of innocence fidelity and firm charity conjunction and agreement with all those that in purity and sincerity adhere constantly to Christ 23. But foolish and unlearned questions avoid knowing that they doe gender strifes Paraphrase 23. As for those idle and unprofitable questions that are set on foot by the Gnosticks that tend to no benefit and have nothing of true knowledge in them keep thy self carefully from them for they will breed debates and quarrels and nothing else 24. And the servant of the Lord must not strive but be gentle unto all men apt to teach patient Paraphrase 24. And there is nothing more unlike a true Christian then that he that is such must be milde and quiet and peaceable toward all others and being in place as thou art must be ready and industrious to instruct others in the truth and not apt or forward to punish those that doe amisse see note on 1 Cor. 13. b. 25. In meeknesse instructing those that oppose themselves note c if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth 26. and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil who are taken captive by him at note d his will Paraphrase 25 26. With great calmenesse and temper dealing with those that are of different opinions from us though in opposing us they oppose the truth as counting it not impossible or hopelesse but that by the grace of God they may be brought to repentance and so come to acknowledge the truth at length and recover out of Satan's snare by whom they have been caught to dâ—e the will of God that is that being delivered out of Satan's hands they may prove fit instruments of God's service Annotations on Chap. II. V. 15. Rightly dividing That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to divide aright should referre to the custome in Sacrifices which were to be cut after a certain prescribed manner and to them some partes given to the Priests c. may probably be imagined But another notion of the phrase here as it is joyned with the word of truth may seeme more probable For in the Old Testament the Greek translators use of the word belongs to a way or path to goe in which was wont to be cut out that it might be fitter for use thence the Latine phrase viam secare to cut a way that is to goe before and direct any in their journey And with the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 right joyned with it it is to goe before one and direct him the straight way to such a place Thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prov. 3. 6. and 11. 5. is the rendring of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to set right or rectifie and so to cut a way right is to put one and keep one in the right way We render it direct thy paths and way in those places of the Proverbs and then the Gospel of Christ the word of truth being most fitly resembled to a way much better than to a sacrifice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rightly to cut the word of truth is to goe uprightly and according to the truth before others in Christianity And that was Timothies part as a Doctor or Bishop to lead them both by his example and doctrine the right way that is prescribed by Christ without falling into any errors or ill practice V. 16. Shunne The Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 circumdedit signifies also divertit turning away or back as well as going round an is by the Septuagint or Greek translator of the Old Testament rendred no onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 often to encompasse and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 once Ios 6. 3. but also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 declino to decline or avoid 1 Kin. 18. 11. and twenty times 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 averto to put from us or fly from From hence it is that one of these interpretationsbeing set for the other according to the frequent manner of these writers or else by the power of the Passive or Meane differing from the Active 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here and Tit. 3. 9. signifies to avert decline avoid fly from the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 avoid v. 23. for which and in the same matter the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 avoiding is used 1 Tim. 6. 20. Thus doth Origen use the word against Celsus speaking of Christs going aside when the Pharisees consulted to kill him Mat. 12. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is no degenerous or cowardly thing to flie from dangers providently and not to mix with them where it signifies declining and so avoiding of dangers And so Hesychius renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 encompassing but also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 avoid slie from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 look to which is so to look to to consider as to avoid Rom. 16. 17. if there be danger in it So Iosephus of Moses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He avoided or took heed lest many should imitate the impurity of his speeches and l. 2. De bell Iud. c. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 swearing is avoided by them in a passive sense Who they are which are here to be avoided and taken heed of is not obscurely set down in the following words viz. the Gnosticks that colluvies of Hereticks consisting of divers branches differing one
our provocations be 20. For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousnesse of God Paraphrase 20. For it is not at all agreeable to the Christian temper required Mat. 5. to be impatient and fall out into suddain wrath or anger and he that is such will never be able to doe that which is prescribed by God and acceptable to him under the Gospel 21. Wherefore lay apart all filthinesse and superfluity of naughtinesse and receive with meeknesse the engraffed word which is able to save your souls Paraphrase 21. And as the sinnes of wrath and malice so observable in the Gnosticks among you which are therefore called dogs and the concision by S. Paul so likewise of lust also all those that circumcision noted the casting from us and are answerable to the suckers that grow from the root of the tree let them be plucked off and removed that you may be the more docile and capable of receiving the whole Gospel-doctrine which is as it were a graffe of a sweet kindly fruit graffed into the stock of our sowre and corrupt nature and being received and prospering in our hearts will fructifie unto holinesse and finally will bring men to heaven 22. But be ye doers of the word and not hearers only deceiving your own selves Paraphrase 22. But then 't will not be sufficient to receive that doctrine into your ears or brain but it must be uniformly practised or else it is but the deceiving of your selves 23. For if any be a hearer of the word and not a doer he is like unto a man beholding his note e natural face in a glasse Paraphrase 23. 24. For he that hears the directions that are given in the Gospel for good life and the motives and obligations to it and when he hath done so sets not with any care to live accordingly a pious Christian life may be resembled to a man looking in a mirrour to observe what spots or sullages are there in his face and when he hath done goes away and forgets what he saw there never thinks to reform what was amisse 24. For he beholdeth himself and goeth his way and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was 25. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty and continueth therein he being not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work this man shall be blessed in his deed Paraphrase 25. But he that hath studied the Gospel to purpose seen his own image there all that he is concerned in for his present and eternal well-being and hath not looked slightly but insisted continued looking on it and laies it to heart and applies it to practice and lives and acts accordingly actually performing that which is required of him that man may receive comfort and joy in his course and God will blesse him in it 26. If any man among you seem to be religious and bridleth not his tongue but deceiveth his own heart that mans religion is vain Paraphrase 26. If a man appear or make shew of serving and worshipping God professe to be religious and yet gives his tongue the reins to rail riotously on his fellow-Christians that man deceiveth himself flattereth himself with vain hopes if he think that his religion should ever stand him in any stead 27. note f Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this To visit the fatherlesse and widows in their affliction and to keep himself unspotted from the world Paraphrase 27. The true Christian religion such as God which is our father will accept of consists of two special parts charity to all that are in need and purity of life abstaining from filthy lusts and all the evil examples and temptations of the world Annotations on Chap. I. V. 6. In Faith The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 faith which is generally thought in this place to belong to believing that the prayers shall be heard may very well be taken in the ordinary notion for a firm adherence to the doctrine of Christ a constancy in the Christian profession and practice Thus is believing used Ecclus 2. 13. Woe to him that is faint-hearted for he believeth not and this joyned with the sinner that goes two wayes v. 12. as here the double-minded man opposed to praying in faith is farther explained by doubting and wavering and instability So in Herodotus l. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Men must preserve faith in friendship and not be polluted with a double heart where as here faith and the double heart are opposed in this sense This notion will very well agree with the Context where comforting the dispersed persecuted Christian Jewes ver 2. and bidding them rejoyce in those sufferings to which he again returns v. 9. which argues that all which is betwixt doth also belong to the same matter he inforces his exhortation v. 3. by remembring them that the trial of their faith meaning that by which their faith or constancy is tried that is afflictions so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies and differs from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 5. 4. as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that by which the judgment is made from the judgment it self worketh or perfecteth patience that is that if they had no afflictions to trie their constancy of adhering to Christ there were then no place for that great Christian vertue at least no way of perfecting it to which the promises were made viz. patience perseverance which patience must have its perfect work v. 4. that is Christianity requires perfect patience and perseverance in spight of all temptations and he that fails in any loses all and he that is not tried and gives testimony of his sincerity in every thing he is imperfect and wants somewhat that trial would make him capable of But because in the many temptations of the world a man may fail or for want of wisdome how to behave himself miscarry sometimes that consideration may discourage men when heavy pressures come tumbling in upon them therefore v. 5. he proceeds to answer that objection by telling them that this defect is reparable by prayer God can supply them in this and Christ in the like condition bids the Disciples take no thought never premeditate what answer they shall give If they refer themselves in prayer to Gods guidance in this matter he will give them this wisdome abundantly But then v. 6. that which is required to qualifie them to have this prayer of theirs granted by God is that they keep close to God have no waverings or inconstant demurs or doubtings whether they shall keep close or no in the same sense as calling upon God in truth or in faith Psal 145. 18. the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 indifferently signifies either is constantly to adhere to God on whom they call In which S. James looks particularly on the Gnostick compliances and warpings of some Christians that to avoid persecutions were ready to forsake Christ which
not his commandements is a liar and the truth is not in him Paraphrase 4. He that undertaketh to be a Gnostick or perfect Christian that is one that hath more perfection of divine knowledge and love of God v. 5. then all others if he expresse not this in a pure and holy life is the greatest hypocrite in the world see c. 1. note b. 5. But whoso keepeth his word in him verily is the love of God perfected hereby know we that we are in him Paraphrase 5. But the observing his commands is the onely sure argument that he that doth so is a perfect lover of God truly so called the appellation being falsely assumed by the Gnosticks and an argument of evidence to himself that he is a branch a member of Christ as the Gnosticks boast that they are and that whatsoever they doe it cannot make them cease to be so see note on c. 1. b. 6. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk even as he walked Paraphrase 6. He that pretends to be a member of Christ see Joh. 15. 4. doth by that engage himself to live as Christ lived or if he doe not to give over so pretending 7. Brethren I write no new commandment unto you but an old commandment which ye had note a from the beginning the old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning Paraphrase 7. 'T is not any new matter which I now discover or write unto you but that which you were taught at the first preaching the faith unto you and that which was taught you so early may deserve to be styled an old commandment 8. Again a new commandment I write unto you which thing is true in him and in you because the darknesse is past and the true light now shineth Paraphrase 8. 'T is that indeed that Christ called a new commandment and so it is in comparison with the Mosaical Law to which Christ hath added some degrees of perfection but that is no prejudice to it it is not the lesse true for being so nor the lesse considerable to you but ought in all reason as proclaim'd by God from heaven and Christ sent on purpose to preach it to be look'd on as a thing wherein we are at this time concerned most particularly those dark imperfect shadows of the Mosaical oeconomy being now at an end and the more perfect Christian precepts which are to take place and to turn out the Mosaical performances being already as the Sun risen and shining in our Horizon in full force obligatory to all Christians 9. He that saith he is in the light and hateth his brother is in darknesse even until now Paraphrase 9. This consideration obligeth you to all Christian practices actions of light particularly that of charity and kindnesse to all your fellow-Christians contrary to those emulations and contentions and seditions and persecutings of their fellow-Christians that are observable in the Gnosticks among you 10. He that loveth his brother abideth in the light and there is no occasion of stumbling in him Paraphrase 10. He that is thus charitably disposed and inclined is the true Christian and hath little occasion to insnare him in any sin little temptation to any ill most of the suns that men fall into flowing from this original of uncharitablenesse see Mat. 6. 22. 11. But he that hateth his brother is in darknesse and walketh in darknesse and knoweth not whither he goeth because that darknesse hath blinded his eyes Paraphrase 11. For as the dark keeps any man from discerning which way to go so doth uncharitablenesse obstruct all Christian practice 12. I write unto you little children because your sins are forgiven you for his names sake Paraphrase 12. A precept I have v 15. which I desire to enforce upon all sorts of you First on the tender Christians among you because God hath been so kind to you as to forgive your sins for Christ's sake which will be an engagement to you v. 15. to take off your love from the world and place it on God 13. I write unto you fathers because ye have known him that is from the beginning I write unto you young men because you have overcome the wicked one I write unto you little children because ye have known the Father Paraphrase 13. The same I have for you the most antient for you know Christ which is agreeable to those of your age to know the Antient of days and that may be an engagement to you to love whom you know And so 't is likewise for yong men to whose age it is agreeable to entertain ambitions and desires of conquering and have been enabled by God to do so to overcome the evil one both the devil and every other that can mean you any hurt and if you adhere fast to Christ all temptations of the world or devil Which sure is an engagement to you not to love the world which you have overcome And for you little ones again your knowing of the Father is an obligation to love him with a most filial love 14. I have written unto you fathers because ye have known him that is from the beginning I have written unto you young men because ye are strong and the word of God abideth in you and ye have overcome the wicked one Paraphrase 14. And again I reiterate and reinforce this exhortation upon you antient men as I did before to impresse it the deeper and so on you young men also and the exhortation on which I lay so much weight to you all is this 15. Love not the world neither the things that are in the world If any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him Paraphrase 15. Love not the world nor any thing in it for whosoever doth so that man hath not that love of God which is prescribed now under the Gospel of parting with all when he calls for it and following him 16. For all that is in the world the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and pride of life is not of the Father but is of the world Paraphrase 16. For all that is in estimation in the world those things that tend to our sensual pleasures profits honors and the like and the desires that are fastned on those objects which are so observable all of them in the Gnosticks first their filthy abominable lusts secondly their love of the world which makes them deny Christ rather then incur persecution by professing him and thirdly their looking on themselves as men of deepest knowledge and priding themselves in those perfections are all from an earthy not an heavenly principle 17. And the world passeth away and the lust thereof but he that doth the will of God abideth for ever Paraphrase 17. And all these all wherein they so delight themselves what are they but poor momentany transitory things whereas obedience to God's will helps us to
perpetuity 18. Little children it is note b the last time and as you have heard that Antichrist shall come even now are there note c many Antichrists whereby we know that it is the last time Paraphrase 18. This disseminating of unchristian doctrines among you is no more then what Christ foretold should fall out about this time For now the great day of destruction upon the obdurate Jewes is close at hand see note on Mat. 24. b. and Heb. 10. a. And as Mat. 24. 5 11 12. 't is foretold by Christ that immediately before the destruction of Jerusalem there must be false Christs that is some that take upon them to be sent from God as Christ was and so to be counter-Christs false counterfeits of the true and again false prophets bringing in new doctrines and pretending to do miracles to get authority to them so now we see it fulfill'd there having already appeared many who undertake to be the saviours and redeemers of the Jewes to rescue them which is their notion of a Messias out of their conquerours hands c. and now false teachers the Gnosticks under Simon the Magician by whom therefore you ought not to be seduced but to look on them as the men foretold by Christ which should if it were possible deceive the very elect and by which we know infallibly that this is that time there prophesied of which though it bring us some persecutions at present yet withal it signifies that if we continue constant in faith we shall shortly be delivered 19. They went out from us but they were not of us for if they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us but they went out that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us Paraphrase 19. The Antichrists or false teachers that are now abroad may perswade you and be conceived by you to be of the same piece with us disciples and Apostles and Orthodox Christians and not to differ from us in any considerable matters because they lived in the same assembly with us immediately before they thus went out and taught these false doctrines among you But let them not impose upon you thus the truth is they were not of us or of the same faith with us though they went out from among us and an argument of that you may have from their leaving us or going out from us For if they had been of the same faith with us what needed they to have separated they would certainly have continued communion with us and their not doing so is a manifestation that though they did live among us yet they were none of them of the same faith with us when they thus forsook us 20. But ye have an unction from the holy One and ye know all things Paraphrase 20. And that testimony of the truth of the Gospel of Christ which was given to it by the holy Ghost is imparted to you and gives you such an assurance of the truth against these impostors that you cannot in any reason be thus cheated by them see note on Act. 10. c. 21. I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth but because ye know it and that no lie is of the truth Paraphrase 21. And consequently my writing to you now is not out of jealousie or suspicion that you are ignorant of the truth for then I would write more largely on this matter and give you the evidences and proofs of all this but I satisfie my self with these brief admonitions because you are so firmly rooted in the truth that you cannot but discern the difference of every such false doctrine from the one revealed truth 22. Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ he is Antichrist that denieth the Father and the Son Paraphrase 22. There is no such liar such dangerous false teacher as he that denies Jesus to be the Messias and thus do the ring-leaders of the Gnostick heresie see note a. Whosoever doth so is an Antichrist denying in effect both the Father and the Son the Son directly the Father by consequence because he hath testified of Christ by miracles and voice from heaven which testimony of the Father is not true if Jesus be not the Christ 23. Whosoever denieth the Son the same note d hath not the Father but he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also Paraphrase 23. And so whosoever denieth the Son to be the Messias renounceth the Father also who hath testified him to be so And this doe the followers of Simon the Gnosticks who deny Christ to have been born or lived or died truly but only in appearance 24. Let that therefore abide in you which ye have heard from the beginning if that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you ye also shall continue in the Son and in the Father Paraphrase 24. You therefore whatsoever your temptations be forsake not the doctrine which from the beginning of your Christianity you have received To which if you firmly adhere if you continue in the constant profession of the true faith of Christ at first revealed to you you shall continue also in the favour and love of God the Father and of Christ which is reward sufficient for that constancy 25. And this is the promise that he hath promised us even eternal life Paraphrase 25. And whatsoever hazzard we run by so doing it matters not though it be to losse of life it self because he hath promised eternal life to those that stick fast to him though with the losse of this 26. These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you Paraphrase 26. And this have I said to arm you against the seducing Gnosticks c. that are now among you and are so solicitous to doe so 27. But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you and ye need not that any man teach you but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things and is truth and is no lie and even as it hath taught you ye shall abide in him Paraphrase 27. And indeed I need give you no other armature against these then what you have already for the testimony of the holy Ghost and so of God himself given to the truth of that Gospel which hath been preached among you is sufficient to fortifie you and that is still among you and you have no farther need of testimonies of that truth against all opposers and deceivers only hold fast and persevere in that which you have formerly been infallibly taught by that means see ver 20. and let not these seducers yet work upon you 28. And now little children abide in him that when he shall appear we may have confidence not be ashamed before him at his coming Paraphrase 28. I beseech you my tender children keep fast to Christ unmoved that when that great fatal day of visitation comes that coming
is ordinarily thought sufficient to have the testimony of two or three creditable men and then sure Gods testimony from heaven is much more worthy of belief And this testimony now produced for the truth of cur belief in Christ is evidently the testimony of God 10. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witnesse in himself he that believeth not God hath made him a lyar because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son Paraphrase 10. He therefore that thus believeth in Christ and in despight of the Gnosticks A postasie acknowledgeth the Son of God to have come truly in the flesh hath no reason to fear having Gods testimony to secure him And he that after all this when God hath so testified in plain words This is my beloved Son c. doth still refuse to believe it he makes God a lyar in not believing his testimony of Christ 11. And this is the record that God hath given to us eternal life and this life is in his Son Paraphrase 11. And the sum of this testimony of Gods concerning Christ is that the way that Christ hath put us in is the true way to eternal blisse and that this is to be had by following the example and precepts of Christ whom therefore in that voice from heaven he commanded all men to hear 12. He that hath the Son hath life and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life Paraphrase 12. He that doth so that thus insists on Christ's doctrine and pattern set before him is as sure of attaining this blisse as if he were already possess'd of it and he that doth not hath nothing to doe with it 13. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God that ye may know that ye have eternal life and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God Paraphrase 13. This I have said to all you that are true believers to give you assurance that salvation and all that on Gods part belongs to it is made over to you in Christ that you may be incouraged to continue in the faith and wholly depend on Christ for all that belongs to you with all the confidence imaginable and so never fall off in time of worldly pressures 14. And this is the confidence that we have in him that if we note b aske any thing according to his will he heareth us Paraphrase 14. And of this confidence this is one speciall branch that we come boldly and freely see Joh. 7. a. to make our request to him depending on that promise which God in Christ hath made to us viz. that he will hear all the faithfull requests of his servants but that promise with these limitations first that what they aske be according to Gods will not only not abhorrent from it but truly agreeable to it and secondly according to his wisdome that which at that time to that person he judgeth fit to be granted him and neither contrary to any thing he hath decreed or such that by any accident God sees either hurtfull or not usefull or lesse profitable to him thirdly that he aske in faith resolved to stick fast to God whatsoever comes to use no means of obtaining his desires but such as are perfectly acceptable to him see Jam. 1. 6. 15. And if we know that he hears us whatsoever we aske we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him Paraphrase 15. And if this of Gods hearing our prayers be universally true of all whatsoever that are thus qualified then in proportion it must be true of every particular petition which we have or shall aske of him 't is certain that he heareth and granteth it instantly and will actually in his time and in that manner and way that he sees best for us though not instantly of in the kind which we aske most infallibly bestow it on us 16. If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death he shall aske and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death There is a note c sin unto death I do not say that he shall pray for it Paraphrase 16. One instance of this I shall mention to you If any man see his fellow-Christian fall into any deliberate sin yet so as not to refuse admonition or contemne advice to reform that is if he that thus sins do not remain incorâ—igible under the censures of the Church then in that case it is the duty of the Church and of each particular Christian to pray to God for him that he will pardon his sin and raise him speedily by his grace to that state from whence he is fallen and for any such essence not obstinately continued in God will thus hear the prayers of the Church for him But this not so that God will upon any intercession pardon him before his returning and repenting but that the Church may admit such an one to repentance and upon his approving his sincerity of repentance receive him by imposition of hands and blessing and absolution But in case he goe on contumaciously and incorrigibly there is then no mercy under the Gospel for such nor promise that the prayers of the Church shall be available for such 17. All unrighteousnesse is sin and there is a sin not unto death Paraphrase 17. 'T is true indeed all deliberate sin is such as is not reconcileable with the fear and love of God and consequently mortiferous without repentance yet some difference there may be in this and some that have sinned may not yet be so contumacious so desperately incorrigible as others and of those I now speak 18. We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself and that wicked one toucheth him not Paraphrase 18. As for these deliberate sinnes which are not look'd on as sins unto death mortiferous in so high a degree we know that a pious person see note on c. 3. d. will not be guilty of any of them he useth all care and diligence to keep himself pure that the devil or tempter get no hold on him 19. And we know that we are of God and the whole world lieth in wickednesse Paraphrase 19. And we know that we Christians have by our profession undertaken pure and pious lives are elevated to God whereas the wicked riotous mulitude of Gnosticks c. are setupon nothing else but villany Exod. 32. 22. 20. And we know that the Son of God is come and hath given us an understanding that we may know him that is true and we are in him that is true even in his Son Jesus Christ This is the true God and eternal life Paraphrase 20. But against the doctrines and infusions of these we are armed sufficiently by Christ who we are sure is come in the flesh and came on purpose to instruct us in the knowledge and
* or the superlative love of the knowledge of Christ for the Ks. MS. reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * super a bâ—â—dantly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †which is wrought among us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or among you for the Ks MS. reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * or and or even by Christ for the King's MS. reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †exhort 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * One body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †or in all the King's MS leaves out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * or Having ascended to the height and led captive he gave for the King's MS. reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †unto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * fulfill 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †compacting or knitting together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * of ministration 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †acknowledgment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * subtilty of men through their craftinesse for the managing of deceit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †keeping the truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * increase in him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †compacted cemented together by every joynt of supply according to its power in proportion of every part works * the rest of the Gentiles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †their own 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * because of the ignorance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †hardnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * benummed †inordinate desire see note on Rom. 1. i. * 〈◊〉 †lusts of deceit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * holinesse of the truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †calumniator see note 〈◊〉 Mat. 4. a. * instruction of use 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Tom. 3. p. 879. l. 4◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * imitators 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †inordinate desire see note on Rom. 1. h. * And filthinesse and foolish speaking or jesting which are things unseemly but rather graciousnesse * or light for the King's MS reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 see v. 8 and 11. †Examining 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * discover them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †being discovered by the light are mâ—de manifest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * shine upon thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †how ye walk exactly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * dissolutenesse †chanting or with thanksgiving chanting for the King's MS. reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col 3. 16. and singing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * even 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †or Christ for the King's MS reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * it having cleansed it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †husbands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * â—leave 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †fear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tom. 4. p. 148. l. 12. p. 146. â— 33. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * just 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †thou shalt have a long time on the land 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * discipline and nurture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †or from the soul with good will doing them service for the King's MS points it thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * or the Lord both of them and you for the King's MS reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †complete armour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * contivances 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †the worldly rulers of this age 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * spiritual parts or spirits for the Syriack appears to have read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †in heavenly places humane * in the readinesse †Unto all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * the wicked me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †at every season 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * to this very purpose watching 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †or concerning all holy things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * with authority see note on Joh. 7. a. †◠chain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * what I due 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †or compassion for the King's MS. reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * incorruption 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * in Captiv 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * p. 331. lin 634. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * communication toward 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †among you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * perfect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †to have this care for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * as those that are all my copartners of grace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †acknowledgment all sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * pure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that concerned me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * hall or place of judicature †to all others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * or stir up for the Ks MS. reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †by occasion or by †to salvation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †living is Christ and dying gain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * But if it be living in the flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †to me worth my labour and ‖ to goe home or returne * for this is much rather to be preferred or better 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * this I know I hope that †through me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * behave your selves worthy of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Epist 247. * Vid Anton. August Itipâ—â—ar p. 103 * Net Hist l. 1. c. 13. * Nat. Plist l. 5. c. 29. * In Peripl p. 26. * p. 74. * De situ Orâ— l. 11. c. 2. * c. 11. * In L. in Lusitan * Tom 4.
miraculously onely by the strength of his having promised it And some of them Daniel by name contained under the word prophets ver 32. obtained that miracle of mercy and deliverance from God that the Lions when he was thrown into their den did him no hurt 34. Quenched the violence of fire escaped the edge of the sword out of weaknesse were made strong waxed valiant in fight turned to flight the armies of the aliens Paraphrase 34. Others were so favoured by God that the fire did them no hurt when they that is the three children were cast into it others escaped present danger of being killed by the sword as David from Saul Eliah and Michaiah from Ahab the Jews in Hester from Haman others were recovered from desperate discases as Job and Hezekiah others became wonderfully courageous in fighting as Jonathan c. and routed the armies of the Heathen Canaanites c. very often 35. Women received their dead raised to life again and others were note h tortured not accepting deliverance that they might obtain a better resurrection Paraphrase 35. Some women as the widow of Sarepâ—a 1 Kin. 17. 21. and the Shunamitish woman 2 Kin. 4. had their children restored from death to life upon their entertaining the prophets of God cherishing and relieving Gods servants Elias and Elisha Others when rack'd and tormented for the acknowledgement of the truth had no desire to be spared but refused to be delivered when they might meerly by the strength of faith believing a resurrection to life eternal after death and looked upon that as much more desirable then a present remission of torments Thus the mother and seven children 2 Mac. 6. 19 30. and ch 7. 9. 36. And others had trials of cruel mockings and scourgings yea moreover of bonds and imprisonment Paraphrase 36. Others as Michaiah and Jeremiah and the Maccabees had patience tried by whipping very reproachfull and painfull others by shackles and imprisonment and so Joseph in aegypt and others 37. They were stoned they were sawn asunder note i were tempted were slain with the sword they wandred about in sheep-skins and goat-skins being destitute afflicted tormented Paraphrase 37. Some were stened as Zacharias others sawn asunder as Isaiah by Manasses say the Jews others burnt alive or broiled or run through with hot irons as the Maccabees others very many kill'd by the sword others the prophets that preached the coming of Christ meanly assayed in skins as Ezechiel John Baptist c. being very poor in great dangers and meeting with very ill usage 38. Of whom the world was not worthy they wandred in deserts and in mountains and in dennes and caves of the earth Paraphrase 38. Used thus as men that were too good to live in this wicked world and accordingly others of them lived recluse and retired from the world in deserts and hills and caves of the earth 39. And these all having obtained a good report through faith received not the promise Paraphrase 39. And all these valiant champions and servants of God last mentioned v. 36 c. and before v. 8 13. being much commended for their faith did not in their time receive the promises made to Abraham had no deliverance in this life from their persecutors 40. God having provided some better thing for us that they without us should not be made perfect Paraphrase 40. God having determined this as the time most congruous in his wisdome to give the utmost completion to all those prophecies and promises to send the Messias into the world and as a consequent of his resurrection from the dead to grant us those privileges and advantages that the fathers had not enjoyed a rest after long persecutions a victory over all opposers of Christ's Church that so what was promised to Abraham's seed Gen. 22. 17. that they should possesse the gates of their enemies being but imperfectly fulfill'd to the fathers might have the utmost completion in the victory and flourishing of the Christian faith over all the enemies thereof Annotations on Chap. XI V. 1. Substance The use of this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both here and in the other places of the New Testament will appear by observing the Greek rendring of the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from it The word signifies to hope and in Piel to expect with some confidence and so to stay and wait for any thing generally rendred by the Targum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he expected Gen. 8. 10 and 12. but sometimes by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ansi sunt Ezech. 13. 6. they took confidence Now this word Mic. 5. 7. is by the Greek translators rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he shall hope in the sons of men is by the Targum rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he shall expect we render it wait for them The sense beareth depending on them for aid and so subsisting in them and that is the literal notation of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus likewise the Noun 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hope Lam. 3. 18. expectation waiting is rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 39. 8. and so in the books of Esdras 2 Esdr 8. They who have not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the hope or confidence of good works that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Plutarch that great treasure of confidence that ariseth from well doing Agreeable to this notion of the word is the acception of it in every place of the New Testament save onely that Heb. 1. 3. where speaking of Christ he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the character of his subsistence Thus 2 Cor. 9. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that we be not put to shame in this confidence of boasting that is in having had that confidence of their liberality and readinesse as to boast of them in that behalf For to that belongs that great shame in case his confidence should miscarry as that hope which is rightly grounded upon firm promises 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not put to shame saith the Apostle Rom. 5. 5. and to the same purpose c. 9. 33. To the same sense is that in the same words c. 11. 17. which is explain'd after by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If any have confidence I also have confidence according to that mention'd from the Targum Ezech 13. where the Hebrew answerable to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rendred daring and so Polybius seems to have used the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for courage and valour or good assurance So oft in Diodorus Siculus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a dream raised him to this confidence giving him a vision of great advancement and glory and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he incited them to keep the constancy or courage of Philomelus So in Josephus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their immutable courage or constancy Thus Cicero defineth Faith Fides est dictorum conventorúmque constantia
veritas It is a constancy and truth of all that hath been said and agreed And so the Hebrew and Chaldee word for faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so also the Arabick 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies firmness constancy stability So Heb. 3. that which is v. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if we hold fast the confidence and the boasting of hope firm untill the end as the condition of being Christians or the houshold of Christ is expressed v. 14. in this other phrase little differing from it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If we hold fast the beginning of confidence that is that confidence exemplified to us by Christ which we had from the beginning firm unto the end And so here faith is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the expectation or dependence or confidence or the confident expectation of things hoped for by us and this opposed to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 falling off or cowardly behaviour mentioned in the conclusion of the former Chapter the promise of Christ being the object as of our hope so of our faith also and differing very little in that particular but that faith seems to be the greater adherence to have the lesse of doubting the more of confidence in it V. 3. Not made of things which doe appear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things that appear not seems to denote the earth Gen. 1. 2. in that state when 't is said to be tohu vabohu without form and void or as the Septuagint render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 invisible not to be seen V. 13. And were perswaded The words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and being perswaded which are added in some Copies between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seeing and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and embracing are wanting in the antient MSS. of the greatest reputation and besides others mentioned by other men in a very antient one of Mag. Coll. in Oxford V. 20. By faith Isaac blessed Jacob Some difficulty here is where it is said of Isaac that by faith concerning things to come he blessed Jacob and Esau to what part of the story in Genesis it shall belong In ch 27. he blesseth Jacob v. 28 29. God give thee of the dew of heaven Let people serve thee and nations bow down to thee be lord â—ver thy brethren and let thy mothers sons bow down to thee But it will first be hard to affirm that he here bless'd Jacob by faith when it is evident he knew not that it was Jacob whom he thus bless'd and secondly Isaac thinking verily that it was Esau whom he thus bless'd it could not be an act of saith in him or reconcileable with that which God had revealed to Rebecca c. 25. 23. that the elder should serve the younger thus to pronounce or foretel of Esau that he should be lord over his brethren For these two reasons it will not be fit to referre this of the Apostle to that part of the story wherein blind Isaac contrary to his intention thus blessed Jacob The next passage in the story will I suppose be much more commodious for the turn when upon Esau's coming with his venison Isaac finds himself to have been abused and trembling very exceedingly tells him that Jacob had brought him venison already and he had eaten and bless'd him yea and he shall be blessed v. 33. and again v. 37. that he had made Jacob his lord and given him all his brethren for his servants Where Isaac discerning what he had done though by mistake remembers the Oracle that God had delivered before their birth and considering how punctually the blessing thus given to Jacob by him did agree to that he doth now by faith resolve that so it should certainly be that what his affection had designed to Esau was by God promised to Jacob and consequently should irreversibly belong to him and thereupon he confirmes it anew to Jacob Yea and he shall be blessed and I have made him thy lord And so this was the blessing wherewith by faith Isaac blessed Jacob. Then for his blessing of Esau that visibly followes v. 39. Thy dwelling shall be the fatness of the earth and in the body of it again inserted a farther confirmation of Jacobs blessing by telling Esau thou shalt serve thy brother v. 40. and it shall come to pass that when thou shalt have the dominion thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck Where it must farther be supposed that Isaac beyond that prediction before their birth that the elder should serve the younger had received from God another Oracle concerning his two sonnes that as the posterity of Jacob the Jews should have the preeminence and dominion for some time over the Edumaeans the posterity of Esau so in process of time the Jewes should be brought down and so the Edumaeans be quitted of that yoke and accordingly Isaac foretelling this is here as truly said to have by faith bless'd Esau And this perhaps was it upon which Isaac before had pronounced that blessing upon him which he took to be Esau Be lord over thy brethren which though in respect of the times next insuing it were true of Jacob and accordingly was in Gods providence thus directed to him yet in respect of the latter times when the Jewes should be brought low was to be truely appliable to Esau and so might by faith be designed by Isaac to him V. 21. Top of his staffe The Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies both a bed and a staffe perhaps antiently the very same word for both though now Grammarians have pointed it diversly and made a difference of sound also betwixt them The Hierusalem Targum reads it Laudes Dei cecinit super spondam suam He sang the praises of God upon his bed-stead The Greek here followes the Septuagint's translation and there is no question of the truth of it and indeed it may well be that both notions of the Hebrew may here stand and the truth be that arising out of his bed he sate on it and lean'd as sick persons do upon his staffe for we after read that he gathered up or returned again his feet into the bed Gen. 49. 33. which is a signe that he was before risen out of it and sate on the side with his feet on the ground which was very fit for this posture of leaning on his staffe V. 29. Passed through 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not here signifie to goe from one side to the other quite through or crosse the sea for the Israelites journeying makes it appear that they did not so but to goe in into part of the channel Exod. 14. 22. and passe on there a good way in the midst v. 29. and then to come out again on the same side for so the Israelites did as appears by the story This is expressed Psal 137. 14. by God's dividing the Red sea and leading them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉