that his Glory may be the Glory of thy Power Wisdome and Love to Man 2. As thou hast given him power over all flesh that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him 2. As thou hast advanced him to this Power to be the Owner and Lord of all flesh for Disposals Legislation Judgment and Execution to order all things so as may secure the Possession of an Eternal Life of Happiness to all that thou hast given him by effectual Decree to be certainly eventually saved All things being for the good of thine Elect. 3. And this is life eternal that they might know thee the onely true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent 3. And what is Life Eternal but that perfect knowledge of thee which fills the Soul with Love and Joy and the knowledge of thy Glory shining forth in thy Son Jesus Christ with his Body the Heavenly Society And the beginning of this knowledge is the beginning and way to Perfection 4. I have glorified thee on the earth I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do 4. My Doctrine Example and Miracles have here shewed forth thy Glory I am neer the end and have almost finished that work on Earth for Mans Redemption which I undertook 5. And now O Father glorifie thou me with thine own-self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was 5. As I have almost performed my part perform thou thy part of the Covenant of my Mediation and give me the Son of Man a due participation of that Glory which my Divine Nature had with thee from Eternity Note This Text is by divers diversly Expounded First Some say that Christs humane Soul was Glorified before the Word was Secondly The Arians say that he had a superangelical Nature only before the World was which united it self to a humane Soul say some or only animated a humane Body say others Thirdly Others of late say he hath three Natures uniting it self to the Prime Created Superangelical Nature And this uniting it self to a humane Soul and Body say some or to a humane Body alone say others Fourthly But the plain Paraphrase which I have given is the Doctrine of the Orthodox universal Church 6. I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world thine they were and thou gavest them me ad they have kept thy word 6. I have made known thee and thy Will to them whom thou gavest me out of the World to be my peculiar Disciples They were thine as their Creator and thou gavest them me to be their Redeemer and I have taught them thy word and they have kept it 7. Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee 7. They have known this Fundamentally that I and my Doctrine and Works are all of thee 8. For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me and they received them and have known surely that I came out from thee and they have believed that thou didst send me 8. Note that Christ insisteth so much on this because to believe that he and his doctrine and Works are all of God is virtually to believe that they are all true without searching after any other Reason of yours For he is mad that believeth not that there is a God and he believeth not a God who believeth him not to be perfect and therefore to be Just Good and True and not the Deceiver of the World 9. I pray for them I pray not for the world but for them which thou hast given me for they are thine 10. And all mine are thine and thine are mine and I am glorified in them 9 10. It is out of special Love to them for the Salvation and welfare of these that I now pray to thee and not for the meer Worldlings and Enemies of thy Kingdom though for them also I have such desires and Prayers as signifie my common Love and the Elect among them yet unconverted I have such requests for as are suited to their state But these that thou hast given me peremptorily to save are the People of of thy peculiar Love as well as mine And all that I so Love thou lovest also and it is in them that I am glorified and my Person Office and Grace is honoured which others do but Swinishly despise 11. And now I am no more in the world but these are in the world and I come to thee Holy Father keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me that they may be one as we are 11. And now I am leaving the Word but must leave them in it to Tryals and Persecutions while I am with thee And seeing their Union by one Faith and Love is their Character strength and safety without which they will fall into Scandal and dissolution O keep them by Concentring in thee and thy Will and not distracted by humane Devices and Interests that they may be one in Faith Hope and Practice as we are one 12. While I was with them in the world I kept them in thy name those that thou gavest me I have kept and none of them is lost but the son of perdition that the scripture might be fulfilled 12. All that thou gavest to be my adherent followers I have kept in thy Name save the Son of Perdition in whose Revolt and Treachery the Scripture is fulfilled 13. And now come I to thee and these things I speak in the world that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves 13. I Come to thee but I leave them my Word to fortifie them with that joy which they will need in their Afflictions 14. I have given them thy word and the world hath hated them because they are not of the world even as I am not of the world 14. It is not all the World that will be saved by me but a select People to whom I effectually give thy Word and the World hateth them because their Doctrine Mind and Life do differ from the World and they are of another Spirit and Society of which I am the Head 15. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil 16. They are not of the world even as I am not of the world 15. They have work to do in the World from which I do not pray thou shouldest take them but that thou keep them pure from the sins Temptatations and Malice of the World as those that are separa-from it to obey thee as I their Leader am 17. Sanctifie them through thy truth thy word is truth 17. Qualifie and separate them by thy Truth to propagate thy Truth even thy Word which is Truth 18. As thou hast sent me into the world even so have I also sent them into the world 18. As thou sentest me for the work of a Redeemer into this sinful World so have I sent them for
here in thy countrey 23. As a Physician must first heal himself so do thou do thy Miracles here among thy Kindred and Neighbours 24. And he said Verily I say unto you No prophet is accepted in his own countrey 24. God can cause him to be accepted but as he worketh ordinarily by means familiarity breeds contempt 25. But I tell you of a truth many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias when the heaven was shut up three years and six months when great famine was thoroughout all the land 26. But unto none of them was Elias sent save unto Sarepta a city of Sidon unto a woman that was a widow 27. And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elizeus the prophet and none of them was cleansed saving Naaman the Syrian 25 26 27. Prophets cure not all that are diseased You shall not see Miracles nor be saved for being my Neighbours if you be not Believers And familiarity and prejudice maketh fewer of you believe than of others 28. And all they in the synagogue when they heard these things were filled with wrath 29. And rose up and thrust him out of the city and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built that they might cast him down headlong 28 29. Note They that applauded his Preaching when the Application grated on them would have killed him even the Nazarite Neighbours that hated him not heretofore 30. But he passing thorow the mids of them went his way 31. And came down to Capernaum a city of Galilee and taught them on the sabbath-days 32. And they were astonished at his doctrine for his word was with power 30 31 32. By Miracle unhurt 33. And in the synagogue there was a man which had a spirit of an unclean devil and cried out with a loud voice 34. Saying Let us alone what have we to do with thee thou Jesus of Nazareth art thou come to destroy us I know thee who thou art the holy One of God 33 34. Christ's Power over Devils forced this confession 35. And Jesus rebuked him saying Hold thy peace and come out of him And when the devil had thrown him in the mids he came out of him and hurt him not 36. And they were all amazed and spake among themselves saying What a word is this for with authority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits and they come out 37. And the same of him went out into every place of the countrey round about 35 36 37 Christ specially cured the diseases that the Devils caused to shew that he came to conquer Satan and save men from his power 38. And he arose out of the synagogue and entred into Simons house and Simons wives mother was taken with a great fever and they besought him for her 39. And he stood over her and rebuked the fever and it left her And immediately she arose and ministred unto them 38 39. Note We have still the same Physician 40. Now when the sun was setting all they that had any sick with divers diseases brought them unto him and he laid his hands on every one of them healed them 41. And devils also came out of many crying out and saying Thou art Christ the Son of God And he rebuking them suffered them not to speak for they knew that he was Christ 40 41. Experience made them believe that he could heal them 42. And when it was day he departed and went into a desert place and the people sought him and came unto him and stayed him that he should not depart from them 43. And he said unto them I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also for therefore am I sent 42 43. Note Preaching the Gospel was his great business to the belief of which his Miracles were but means subservient CHAP. V. 1. ANd it came to pass that as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God he stood by the lake of Genesareth 2. And saw two ships standing by the lake but the fishermen were gone out of them and were washing their nets 3. And he entred into one of the ships which was Simons and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land and he sat down and taught the people out of the ship 1 2 3. That he might not be crowded 4. Now when he had left speaking he said unto Simon Lanch out into the deep and let down your netts for a draught 5. And Simon answering said unto him Master we have toiled all the night and have taken nothing nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net 6. And when they had this done they enclosed a great multitude of fishes and their net brake 7. And they beckoned unto their partners which were in the other ship that they should come and help them And they came and filled both the ships so that they began to sink 4 5 6 7. Note The Sea and Earth and all therein are at Christ's command 8. When Simon Peter saw it he fell down at Jesus knees saying Depart from mo for I am a sinful man O Lord. 9. For he was astonished and all that were with him at the draught of fishes which they had taken 10. And so was also James and John the sons of Zebedee which were partners with Simon And Jesus said unto Simon Fear not from henceforth thou shalt catch men 8 9 10. Note The miracle and danger made him afraid 11. And when they had brought their ships to land they forsook all and followed him 11. Note It was not only by his bare Command Follow me but by this Miracle that they were moved 12. And it came to pass when he was in a certain city behold a man full of leprosie who seeing Jesus fell on his face and besought him saying Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean 13. And he put forth his hand and touched him saying I will be thou clean And immediately the leprosie departed from him 14. And he charged him to tell no man but go and shew thy self to the priest and offer for thy clensing according as Moses commanded for a testimony unto them 12 13.14 Note A Miracle that the Priests themselves were to have notice of See Matth. 8. 15. But so much the more went there a fame abroad of him and great multitudes came together to hear and to be healed by him of their infirmities 16. And he withdrew himself into the wilderness and prayed 17. And it came to pass on a certain day as he was teaching that there were pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by which were come out of every town of Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem and the power of the Lord was present to heal them 18. And behold men brought in a bed a man which was taken with a palsie and they sought means to bring him in and to lay him before him 19. And when they could not find by what way they might
in Religion instead of great and needful things 21. Jesus saith unto her Woman believe me the hour cometh vvhen ye shall neither in this Mountain nor yet at Jerusalem Worship the Father 21. Alass poor woman hast thou not greater matter than Ceremony even the Place of Worship to mind Believe me that time is hard at hand when Jerusalem shall be destroyed and you scattered and a better way of Worship setled so that you shall no more keep up your Ceremonious Worship either at Shiloh or Jerusalem 22. Ye vvorship ye knovv not vvhat vve knovv vvhat vve Worship For Salvation is of the Jevvs 22. You worship ignorantly and corruptly you know not what ever since the Captivity of the Ten Tribes and you strive about the Place and Ceremonies when you have more need to learn who he is that you must worship It is of the Tribe of Judah that the Saviour cometh who must teach you how to worship God and this the Jews do rightly believe and own none in Worship but the true God 23. But the hour cometh and novv is vvhen the true Worshippers shall vvorship the Father in Spirit and in Truth For the Father seeketh such to worship him 23. The time is now at hand yea come when true Worshippers shall not take up with shadows nor worship God by Mosaical Ceremonies or Samaritane Traditions but with that spiritual Worship which Types and Ceremonies did signifie even from the Spirit of God within them as their Principle and according to the spiritual Law or Word as their Rule and not with bodily Exercise that profiteth nothing 24. God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth 24. Acceptable Worship must be suited to the God you worship and therefore they that worship him must worship him spiritually and not by Jewish Ceremony because he is a Spirit N. Though Spirit signifie a Nature more excellent than Body yet that and all human Words are too low to speak the Essence of God any otherwise than Analogically or Metaphorically for God is above all our formal Conceptions or Expressions but created Spirits being the highest created Beings known to us and our souls of that nature they are the clearest Glass in which we can know God and though the word Spirit first signifie created Spirit it doth transcendently eminently signifie the Infinite Father of Spirits and we can say nothing higher of Gods Essence than that he is this Infinite perfect transcendent Spirit what our best Conceptions of a Spirit are I have opened in Methodo Theologiae c. 25. The Woman saith unto him I know that Messias cometh who is called Christ when he is come he will tell us all things 25. N. Even the Samaritans expected the Messiah But with misconceivings of him 26. Jesus saith unto her I that speak to thee am he 26. N. Why did Christ tell that to this woman which he forbad others to tell abroad Ans He knew where and when it was seasonable and would do more good than harm 27. And upon this came his Disciples and marvelled that he talked with the Woman yet no man said what seekest thou or why talkest thou with her 27. Tho they presumed not to ask him why yet they thought it strange that he should talk so long with one woman 28. The Woman then left her Water-pot and went away into the City and saith to the Men 29. Come see a man which told me all things that ever I did Is not this the Christ 28. Telling her her secrets perswaded her to believe him saying I am he 30. Then they went out of the City and came unto him 31. In the mean time his Disciples prayed him saying Master eat 32. But he saith to them I have meat to eat that ye know not of 33. Therefore said the Disciples one to another hath any man brought him ought to eat 34. Jesus saith to them my meat is to do the will of him that sent me and to finish his work 30. c. N. The converting of one Soul was more pleasing to Christ than his natural food and so must it be to us He that loveth God and Christ and the Holy Ghost and the Church must rejoyce when there is one more converted to please and worship God to honour Christ and his Spirit to encrease the Church He that loveth his Country must rejoyce that one more is made a blessing to it when the wicked are it's enemies He that loveth Souls will rejoyce in that Grace which is better to them than all riches He that loveth Gods Word will rejoyce in it's success He that loveth Heaven will be glad that there is one more to possess it He that loveth himself aright will be glad that there is one more made like him to love him and pray for him And he that hateth Sin and Satan will be glad that there is one less to serve him 35. Say not ye There are four months and then cometh harvest Behold I say unto you lift up your eyes and look on the fields for they are white already to harvest 35. You rejoyce that within four months it will be harvest And shall not I rejoyce to see the harvest of my husbandry even at hand in the conversion of many Souls to God 36. And he that reapeth receiveth wages and gathereth fruit unto life eternal that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoyce together 36. And as I sow the seed so you that I shall senâ— out as Apostles shall see and reap more plenteous fruit hereafter and shall for your labour under me be well rewarded that I that have sowed and you that reap may rejoyce together in the success 37. And herein is that saying true One soweth and another reapeth 38. I have sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour Other men laboured and ye are entred on their labours 38. The Prophets and John and I after all have sowed the seed and been at the costliest labour and yet it is you that must see the success in gathering the universal Church when I that labour'd and suffer'd am gone 39. And many of the Samaritans of that City believed on him for the saying of the woman which testifyed He told me all that ever I did 39. N. That to believe in Christ by the means of mens credible testimony of his Words and Miracles is not as many falsly say to resolve our faith into the credit of man and to make it a meer humane Faith They that believe Apostles who said they saw Christs Miracles Resurrection and Ascention believe by a divine Faith on the same evidence that the Apostles were convinced by but not conveyed by the same means what they received by their eyes and ears immediately we receive mediately by their report living at a distance So that their testimony is not believed instead of Christs nor instead of evidence of his truth but as the conveyance of this
use convincing Evidence in Explication and Application they all convince him and shew him his Condition 25. And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest and so falling down on his face he will worship God and report that God is in you of a truth 25. And this searching convincing Light will make them join with you in the reverent Worship of God and make them report that God is in your Church a a holy Assembly 26. How is it then brethren when ye come together every one of you hath a psalm hath a doctrine hath a tongue hath a revelation hath an interpretation Let all things be done to edifying 26. Therefore let all your Gâ—fts whether of Psalmody or Doctrine or Languages or Revelation or Interpretation be used to Edification which is the true End of Church-Assemblies And the End is your Directory in the use of all undetermined Accidents of the Means 27. If any man speak in an unknown tongue let it be by two or at the most by three and that by course and let one interpret 27. If you will use your Guift of Languages let it be done by no more than two or three one after another and let some interpret it to the Unlearned in the Church 28. But if there be no interpreter let him keep silence in the church and let him speak to himself and to God 28. That which only God and your selves understand let none but God and your selves hear and speak not that in the Church which they cannot understand 29. Let the prophets speak two or three and let the other judge 29. And the Prophets also must do all to Edification and therefore must speak no more than may edisie the Church which is but two or three at an Assembly the rest judging 30. If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by let the first hold his peace 30. If God immediately inspire another then to speak let the first give way to him by silence 31. For ye may all prophesie one by one that all may learn and all may be comforted 31. For all that are Prophets or are then prophetically inspired may prophesie in order that all in the Church may learn and be exhorted and comforted 32. And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets 32. And whereas Men may pretend to be inspired of God and that to speak just at that time when it is not so as their own Understanding must judge of the edifying Season and Order so the Prophets that are Hearers having the Spirit of God are fit Judges whether it be that Spirit or a Delusion and Passion of their own that Order may be kept in the Assemblies at least as to the time 33. For God is not the author of confusion but of peace as in all churches of the saints 33. For pretended Inspirations and Mandates are not to be believed against Gods common Law to all the Churches which have a surer notification than a single Man can give us Bâ—t Gods common Law is against Confusion and for Peace and Order and therefore it is certain that Confusion is not of Divine Inspiration 34. Let your women keep silence in the churches for it is not permitted unto them to speak but they are commanded to be under obedience as also saith the law 34. And it is one of the Rules of Order That Women be no Publick Teachers or Speakers in the Church God permitteth it not who hath commanded them Subjection by the Law 35. And if they will learn any thing let them ask their Husbands at home for it is a shame for women to speak in the church 35. Not but that they should learn but it must be with modesty asking their Husbands if they have such as are able to teach them as they ought else they have other private Helps It 's a shame to the Church and her for a Woman there to speak except in common singing Psalms or other Common Acts. 36. What came the word of God out from you or came it unto you only 36. I ask them that contradict this Did Gods Word come out from you or from intrusted Apostles Or did it come to you only that you contradict the Churches 37. If any man think himself to be a prophet or spiritual let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord. 38. But if any man be ignorant let him be ignorant 37 38. If any be indeed a Prophet or Inspired and not pretendedly only he will confess that these Canons or Decisions are Gods own Commandments and not my Device But if Men will be obstinate in their Ignorance let them look to it 39. Wherefore brethren covet to prophesie and forbid not to speak with tongues 39. Prophecy for the Churches Edifying is to be coveted and Languages there not forbidden 40. Let all things be done decently and in order 40. That Sacred things be all done decently and not with uncomely negligence and orderly and not in confusion or as every Mans Fancy leads him this is a General Law of God according to which undetermined Modes and Circumstances must be regulated and done ANNOTATIONS I. IT 's a Doubt oft put How it could be that Gods Spirit should inspire Men with Tongues or Prophecy and yet not tell them when and how to use them But it 's not to be thought that he that was before without the Habit had the actual Use of them then suddenly inspired but that as the Learned so the Inspired had the habitual Knowledge of Tongues before they assembled and so for the actual Use and Time were to exercise their own Discretion II. The Description of the Church here oft named as meeting in one Place with their Officers and Guides tells us that then a Church of this Rank was not a Diocess of many hundred Assemblies which had all but one Bishop their Constitutive Head but that it was a Company associated for Personal Communion that usually met in one Place though Necessity might make them meet in many and tho some General Guides might take care of many such Churches III. The greater number of Prophets and Teachers c. that were here in one Assembly whose Exercises the Apostle was put to restrain doth fully confute Dr. Hammond's oft-repeated Opinion That in Scripture-times there is no Proof that there were any more Presbyters to one Church than one who was a Bishop and had Deacons under him and that for want of capable Persons But his Opinion inferreth That then a Church was no greater than could meet in one Place For one Bishop could not be at once in many And if no Subject-Presbyters were made in Scripture-times it must be proved by what just Power they were after made even a sort of Pastors never made by the Apostles IV. The Arguments of the Apostle against the uninterrupted Use of Tongues not understood in the Church are so many cogent plain and vehement that I will
fellow-souldier but your messenger and he that ministred to my wants 25. But I thought good to send you back Epaphroditus who is my Brother and Fellow-labourer and Messenger who from you supplied my wants 26. For he longed after you all and was full of heaviness because that ye had heard that he had been sick 26. He longed to be with you and comfort you by the sight of his health hearing that his sickness made you sad 27. For indeed he was sick nigh unto death but God had mercy on him and not on him onely but on me also lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow 27. He was nigâ— to death but God in mercy to him and me recovered him not adding his death to my affliction 28. I sent him therefore the more carefully that when ye see him again ye may rejoyce and that I may be the less sorrowful 28. Note That Mercys restored after Danger affect us more than those continued in Prosperity 29. Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness and hold such in reputation 30. Because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death not regarding his life to supply your lack of service toward me 29 30. Receive him gladly as returned to you by God and account such honourable for it was for the work of Christ that he willingly hazarded his Life by his Travels and labour to be serviceable to me as your Messenger in your stead CHAP. III. 1. FInally my brethren rejoyce in the Lord. To write the same things to you to me indeed is not grievous but for you it is safe 1. Finally Brethren serve God with joyful hearts That I write to you the same things which I have formerly taught you and warned you of is not through sloth of cowardise in me but for your own safety as fittest for you 2. Beware of dogs beware of evil workers beware of the concision 2. To wit that you take heed of the worrying hurtful sort of Men who live in wickedness and calling themselves the Circumcision are indeed the Concision that cut and rend the Churches 3. For we are the circumcision which worship God in the Spirit and rejoyce in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh 3. For we are the Children of Circumcised Abraham who worship God in Spirit and Truth and have no confidence in Fleshly Priviledges or Carnal Ceremonious Jewish Worship 4. Though I might also have confidence in the flesh If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh I more 4. Though if Judaism were matter of trust or boasting I have more such cause than any of them 5. Circumcised the eighth day of the stock of Israel of the tribe of Benjamin an Hebrew of the Hebrews as touching the law a Pharisee 6. Concerning zeal persecuting the church touching the righteousness which is in the law blameless 5 6. I was Circumcised as the Law required I was an Israelite a Benjamite an Hebrew a Pharisee the strictest Sect in Religion not cold in Religion but a zealous persecutor of the Church which I thought had been against it And as to the outward observance of the Law of Moses I seemed to Men so just and harmless that none accused me 7. But what things were gain to me those I counted loss for Christ 7. But I willingly disclaim all confidence in these and reject all as loss that would keep me from Christ 8. Yea doubtless and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and do count them but dung that I may win Christ 8 9. Yea I reject all as loss and hurtful to me which stand against the excellency of the knowledge of Christ for whom I have readily suffered the loss of all things and count them but as Dung in order to my part in Christ and that I may be found in him 9. And be found in him not having mine own righteousness which is of the law but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by faith 9. Not having and trusting not in that Righteousness which consisteth in keeping the Law of Moses which is of my own Works and I accounted formerly to be my justifying Righteousness but that which is of Faith in Christ even the Righteousness which is of Gods free Gift by believing acceptance of his purchased and offered Grace 10. That I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his suffering being made conformable unto his death 10. By which I shall gain the knowledge of Christ and of the great Mystery of Salvation by him and the powerful work of his Grace and quickening Spirit and preserving Providence answering in his Members that power that raised him from the Dead and a Communion with him in sufferings by which I shall be made conformable to him as Crucified for our sins and thus in all be made as a Member suitable to him that is my Head 11. If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead 11. In hope that by all these means and methods which I account not too dear I may at last attain that blessed perfection in which I shall be also like him as he is now risen from the Dead and glorified in the state of Immortality 12. Not as though I had already attained either were already perfect but I follow after if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus 12. Not that I have already attained this Conformity to my Glorified Lord or were already perfect by reaching all that I pursue But I run as for this Prize and earnestly strive that at last I may lay hold on and attain the state of Glory to bring me to which Jesus Christ did elect redeem and call me to himself 13. Brethren I count not my self to have apprehended but this one thing I do forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things which are before 14. I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus 13 14. I know I have not yet attained the end that I ran for even glorious Perfection But this I do not minding the things of the World which I have forsaken but neglecting and forgetting them and with all my might and diligence striving towards the things which are before I press or hasten towards the Mark for that glorious Crown and Prize for obtaining whereof the high Calling of God by Jesus Christ hath encouraged me to seek and hope 15. Let us therefore as many as be perfect be thus minded and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded God shall reveal even this unto you 15. And let all that are sound and sincere Christians holding these things that are necessary to Salvation be thus minded and with joint endeavour confessing our Defects
supream onely God both in the Temple at Jerusalem and throughout all the now-Christian Eastern Empire and a great part further of the World and under the Title of God's greatest Prophet will put down God's own Institutions and Laws and Gospel and set up his own in the stead 6. What it is that stops him is a thing known to you all even the Imperial Power which as it falls he will rise For as he is to make his false Religion by a composition of Arianism Judaism and his own Inventions so the swarm of Heresies now among us Nicolaitans Ebionites Cerinthians Gnosticks c. are secretly a Mystereous Iniquity preparing for him Onely that Empire that now letteth must give place to him by diminution at his first rising and by its total-overthrow in the East at his full possession And so he shall in his time become the open Seducer and Captivater of the Church and World and must stay till Christ diminish and consume Mahometanism by his Word preached and utterly destroy it with the Glory of his more full appearance before the end 9. Even that Mâ—homets Kingdom whose coming is by Satanical Murdering Wars and deceitful pretences of Heavenly Signs and Revelations and with the unrighteous deceit of pretended opposition to Idolatry and to Christians as if they worship two or three Gods and their Laws were not so good as his And those Superficial Hypocrite-Christians that had but the Name and Form and not the hearty belief love and obedience to the Truth shall turn Mahometans and be damned II. The commonest Protestant Paraphrase is thus V. 3. Christs coming shall not be till there be a general Apostacie of the whole visible Church say some or of most or much of it say others unto Idolatrous Worship and subjection to the Papacy and that Man of sin the Pope be revealed the Active and Passive Son of Perdition the Abaddon the Head of this Apostacie given up to all sin himself and to promote it 4. Who claimeth Christs Prerogative under the name of his Universal Vicar and overthrows his Officers and Laws and sets up his own against them and overtoppeth and subjecteth all Princes and Magistrates and this in the Church of God say most or in that Idolatrous Church of his own falsely called The Church of God say others as if he were there chief Lord himself and arrogating names of Blasphemy I told you formerly of all this And now you know what hindereth his speedy arising Even the Empire as such say some including both the Pagan and Christian Or as others the Empire as Pagan only 6. For the beginnings of Antichristianity are secretly and mysteriously already working which will bring him forth in time even the Pride and Ambition of Ministers seeking Superiority and the Peoples excess of Factious Respects to some above others and falling into Sects and Heresies in following them Only the Empire that now hindreth must first be taken out of the way 8. And then shall the Pope that Man of Wickedness arise say some or be openly discovered to be Antichrist say others Whom the Lord shall consume by the Power of his Word preached by the two Witnesses and then destroy by pouring out the Vials of his Wrath upon him at his later coming to restore his Church 9. Even that Pope with his Roman Church of Papists whose coming to the Papacy is after that way of working by force and cheats and feigned Miracles which Satan teacheth and giveth them to seduce the Christian World 10. And with all the deceiving Arts of falshood by which unrighteousness is upheld and promoted to delude those that shall perish for ever Because they received not sound Doctrine when it was delivered nor held the Christian Faith in Love and in its Power but in Custom Hypocrisie and Form that it might sanctifie and save them Therefore God justly gave them up by desertions to Deceivers and Delusions to believe a lie 12. That all these Papists might be damned who believed not the Truth that is contrary to Popery but had pleasure in its unrighteous Principles and Practices and in that sensual life which is contrary to the Christianity which they profess III. The third considerable Opinion runs thus in the Paraphrase Exposition 1. Pauls words have relation both to Daniels words of Antiochus say most but of the Roman Power rather say Calvin and Brightman who largely proveth it 2. It is so far from being true that the Christians rejoiced in Christs sending the Romans to destroy Jerusalem that they greatly lamented it The Cities name was precious to them the first Christians being all Jews and the Gentiles receiving the Gospel from Jerusalem Christ wept over them when he Prophesied their ruine Paul's lamentation was great for them The ruine was dreadful 1110000 killed and 700000 carried Captive And the Apostles were all Jews and there was a common expectation among the Jews of the Messiah's glorious Kingdom at Jerusalem and they called it The Holy City and Land 3. The Abomination of desolation is by Christ himself compared to that spoken of by Daniel the Prophet which was the destroying the Holy Place and Worship and setting up Idolatry in its stead And the Authors themselves of the second Exposition as against the Pope Expound the Desolating Abomination in Matth. 24. to be the Roman Heathen Army coming to lay waste the Holy City and Temple For that Abomination of Desolation was to go before the flight of Men from Jerusalem or to concur And this Text v. 3. c. seemeth plainly to follow Christ and speak of the same that he speaketh of 4. Vespasian and his Son Titus by his Command were the Men that destroyed the Holy City Temple and Nation and the Idolatrous Heathens and their Worship there took present possession and so set up the Desolation and Abomination And his younger Son Domitian destroyed the Christians and Proclaimed himself to be God and to be worshipped with Altars and Sacrifices as God 5. This Vespatian took on him to work Miracles healing a Blind Man and many others So that some foolish Jews called him the Messiah And he and his Son Titus by their flattery and fair lives got great esteem as excellent Men And their Learned Orators c. promoted the honour of Idolatry by theirs 6. This way of Self-deifying and promoting Idolatry and Captivating the Jews and all Christians went on though not equally through all the Emperours almost till Constantine 7. The attempt of Caius Caligula told the Christians what further to expect when he Commanded Petronius to set up his Image in the Temple to be worshipped as Jupiter Nero's Cruelty prognosticated much 8. But Vespasian and Titus were stopt from the Desolation first attempted by the Life of Claudius Galba Otho Vitellius till he was made Emperour himself 9. And Christ consumed their Idolatry by his Gospel and destroyed it by Constantine These things premised their Paraphrase is v. 3. The day of the Lord will not
come till the Jews Rebellion and Revolt from the Romans provoke them to destroy them and then will the wicked Destroyer appear even the Roman Imperial Pride and Rage who exalt themselves above all Humane Power and will arrogate the Name and worship of Gods and put down Gods own instituted Worship and will have Altars and Images erected to themselves 6. What delayeth them yet you know They are killing one another for Empire at Rome and the sin of the poor Jews against Christ and his Apostles is not yet ripe for utter ruine and then next the destroyer will appear For their Self-idolizing is already at work as Caligula's attempt assureth us with Nero's Pride and Cruelty Onely the foresaid impediments at Rome c. do stop the Desolation and Abomination till it be removed and then it will invade the Holy City and Temple and Judea shall feel the Roman Pride and Idolatry Who come as from Satan with all the help that he can give them by Powerful Armies and with the Countenance of the Roman Idolaters Learning and Magicks and Lying Oracles and wonders such as Vespasian pretended to work and the Virtues that his Son Titus made ostentation of And with all the deceitful Learning and Arts which may countenance Idolatry and Wickedness and beguile Men fitted to destruction Because these poor Jews received not the Gospel in Love that they might be saved by Christ and many Christians proved Hypocrites and Formalists and Hereticks therefore God penally will let loose upon them the Learned Roman Idolaters with their Arts and Subtlety and advantages of Power to delude them to worship Idols which are Lying Vanities And so they that would not believe the Truth but had pleasure in Unrighteousness might be left to be their own destroyers by believing and practising the Idolatry and Wickedness which will damn them The Matter of all these three Expositions in it self hath a great deal of Truth that is Mahomet is an Antichrist most notorious The Pope as pretended Universal Head of the Church corrupting Christianity in Doctrine Worship and Discipline and bloodily destroying Sounder Christ is one sort of Antichrist The Roman Pagan Idolaters that set up the Desolating Abomination were no less But which this Text meaneth I know not But I detest that Opinion that maketh all the Visible Church Idolatrous and Antichristian since Constantine delivered it from Pagan Persecution Sure such should not now complain of Persecution but fear Deliverance and Prosperity 13. But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you brethren beloved of the Lord because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth 13. But when I speak of this pernicious Apostasie of the followers of this Man of sin and perdition it mindeth me to be thankful to God for you that from the beginning he hath chosen and marked you out for Salvation by Sanctifying you by his Spirit and giving you a found belief of that truth which these Apostates do deny Note That Gods election Connecteth the End and Means whom he chooseth to Salvation he at once chooseth to Sanctification and Confirmed Faith 14. Whereunto he called you by our gospel to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ 14. And I am thankful that my preaching the Gospel was the means by which he called you hereto and to obtain your part with Christ in Glory 15. Therefore brethren stand fast and hold the traditions which ye have been taught whether by word or our epistle 15. Therefore stand fast and hold the same Doctrine which I have delivered to you whether by Preaching Discourse or Writing against all Innovating Seducers 16. Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God even our Father which hath loved us and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace 17. Comfort your hearts and stablish you in every good word and work 16 17. And I have great incouragement to pray for you in hope that you may be comforted and established in all that is good because it is to that Christ that is our Saviour and God who is our Father and hath already shewed that he loveth us and hath by his Grace given us solid hope and the foretaste of the everlasting consolation CHAP. III. 1. FInally brethren pray for us that the word of the Lord may have free course and be glorified even as it is with you 1. And as I pray for you pray ye for us that the word of God may run abroad with speed and prosperous success and not be stopt or hindred by persecutors contradictions or Scandalous Seducers but may be honoured by free and full reception and obedience as it is with you which praise I give you to encourage you 2. And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men for all men have not faith 2. And that our Persons may be preserved and our Preaching prosper against all the endeavours of absurd and wicked Men who are our adversaries For faithless Men are every where against us 3. But the Lord is faithful who shall stablish you and keep you from evil 3. But tho Men be faithless who resist me we have a faithful God who will confirm you and keep you from Satan and from evil 4. And we have confidence in the Lord touching you that ye both do and will do the things which we command you 4. And we have good hope that you will still follow the Precepts which we give you from the Lord. 5. And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patient waiting for Christ 5. To which end I pray that God would direct your Hearts to love himself and patiently to wait for Christ and these two Graces will keep you in obedience from backsliding 6. Now we command you brethren in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye withdraw your selves from every brother that walketh disorderly and not after the tradition which he received of us 6. And this is one of the Commands which in the name of Christ I have to deliver you to preserve you from revolting viz to keep your Society clean from Scandal by avoiding the familiar company of every one professing Christianity who liveth disorderly and not according to the Law of Christ which we delivered to him Note 1. That there is a degree of avoiding Familiarity with a disorderly Christian to shame him into Repentance and to preserve our selves and the Honour of Christianity which is short of a publick Declarative Excommunication and casting out of the Church It is justly called Suspension because a Man is not to be Excommunicate till he be proved obstinately Impenitent But a Man that is guilty of a notorious scandalous sin may be suspended while he is under tryal whether he will repent or not 2. Note That this Command of withdrawing from the disorderly doth not require that we withdraw from the Church when
of the Capitol at Rome the Head-Temple of Idols either in Vitellius's Stirs when after Vespasian rebuilt it or in Titus's Reign when being burnt by Lightning Domitian rebuilt it But it seemeth unlikely that all this should be spoken of so small a matter as a Temple Others expound it of the sacking and taking of Rome five times in forty two Years by the Goths and Vandals and the Recovery by Justinian and Belisarius and Naâ—ses The most learned Protestants say the deadly Wound of the Beast was the Overthrow of the Heathen Roman Religion and Power but what the Healing was is the doubt Julian's Cure was too short to be meant Most think that the very erecting of the Papacy is meant as restoring Devilism or Idolatry under the Christian name Other Protestants think that the many Schisms in the Papacy was the deadly Wound and that it was healed by the Councils of Constance and Basil And others think that the Reformation gave the Pope the Wound and that the Revolt to Popery in France by Hen. IV. in England by Queen Mary in Germany by the Overthrow of the Palsgrave c. was the healing of it To wander after him is to follow him in blind Devotion 4. And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast and they worshipped the beast saying Who is like unto the beast who is able to make war with him 4. That is say some They worship the Devil under the name of Heathen Gods for making their Empire so great and repairing the Wound of their Religion Say others They honoured and served the Papacy and him that erected it thinking it had been God when it was the Devil admiring the Sanctity and Power of the Papacy 5. And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months 5. This the Ancients expound of an Antichrist not yet come And others of Domitian And others of the Pope 6. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God to blaspheme his name and his tabernacle and them that dwell in heaven 6. Say some He blasphemed the true God and Christ directly that is Domitian persecuting Christians Say others 'T is the Papal Blasphemy by Transubstantiation Image-worship arrogating God's Prerogatives persecuting them that obey his Word c. 7. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints and to overcome them and power was given him over all kindreds and tongues and nations 7. Those that take the first Beast to be Mahomet himself with his Arabian Saracen Powers and the second to be the Turkish Mahometans do easily tell when and how the Saints were overcome and Nations subjected to him But several Objections lie against this and so there do against those that apply it to Domitian And why it may not more plausibly be applyed to some following Persecutors especially Dioclesian I see not yet But that it is meant of the Papal Tyranny is the more easily believed by many that know the truth of the History that all the ten Heathen Persecutions set together were a little thing compared to the Papal Blood-shed Mede truly tells us that Perion reporteth and divers second him tâ—aâ— in France alone a Million of the Albigenses and Waldenses were killed And that Sanders de Vis Mon. l. 8. dem 34. confesseth that infinite Lollards were burnt in Europe And that Vergerius saith that within thirty Years an hundred and fifty thousand were consumed by the Inquisition and such Means And the numbers murdered in Bohemia and other Countries and since then in the Low-Countries France England Ireland c. render the ten Persecutions by Heathens as described by our most aggravating old Church-Historians to appear but as Morsel to the Papal Sacrifices 8. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world 8. And his great Power and Victories shall cause the generality of worldly men to own admire and obey him whether it be the Heathen Rome or Mahometans or the Pope except those chosen Children of Wisdom whose names from the foundation of the world were by God's Decree written in the Book of the slain Lamb or in the Catalogue of those who were to be saved by Christ crucified 9. If any man have an ear let him hear 10. He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword Here is the patience and the faith of the saints 9 10. Let all Christians regardfully mark what I say that they be not by the success of Persecutors or Tyrants tempted from their Patience Constancy or Duty Though these great Conquerours and Persecutors are a while adored for their Success and Power in the end they shall be used as they used others commonly when they have conquered and triumphed others conquer them and triumph over them and when they have killed many they are usually killed themselves Few famous Conquerors die the common death of all men Therefore the holy Wisdom of God teacheth his Saints as much as is possible to avoid War even defensive and to overcome by Faith and Patience especially in the case of Persecution and of private and particular persons towards injurious Rulers though Kingdoms may exercise self-defence lest they tempt all their Neighbours to make them their prey 11. And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth and he had two horns like a lamb and he spake as a dragon 11. Many say that by Another Beast is meant the former in another respect and that they are but one But when the Text saith it is Another with so many notes and acts of difference such presumption doth not expound the sense but make it and may say any other improbable thing Others that say the first Beast was Heathen Rome and the second Papal Rome will as hardly as the former make it probable that Heathen Rome was one of the Popes Heads if he be the Beast Was the first Beast but one of the many Heads of the second Beast Or was the Heathen Religion but one of Heathen Rome's own Heads Or was the Pope's wounded Head in being before him If the Heathen Rome or its Heathenism was the wounded Head of the first Beast then the Pope was not the first Beast for that was not one of his Heads especially at its overthrow by Constantine Grot. and Dr. H. that say the second beast is Apollonius or Magicians or Magick if they soconfine it speak as improbably Whoever was the second his Lamb-like Horns shew him to be an Hypocrite pretending to Truth his Dragon-like Speech shew him to be the Devil's Agent But the Reasons to prove both one being against the plain Text some think rather that the first Beast was the Idolatrous Emperours that so cruelly set up image-Image-worship in the East and West and