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
When man consents it is a Law accepted a gift and Testament accepted and a mutual actual Covenant the Law hath its introductive History and Doctrine its precepts prohibitions promises and threats And the Covenant hath the same parts only denominated from mutual consent But because there are Laws of more or less rigor and of various tenours it is the Law of Faith or Grace which is the Covenant Testament and Gospel which is now before us denominated from the Donative and Promissory parts though precept and threatening be included IV. It is of great importance that we err not by giving too little or too much to the sacred Scriptures from both which extreams many dangerous errours How 1. On the left hand those err that deny it to be Gods word of infallible truth intelligible and perfect as to its proper use without humane supplements written or orall Doctrinal or Canon Laws and those that deny it to have infallible ascertaining evidences of its truth These be-friend infidelity heresies prophaness Church Tyranny leaving it to Clergy-men to make us a new Faith New Sacraments and a new Religion at their Pleasure and to persecute good men that dare not renounce the Scripture sufficiency and Christs perfection by obeying their dictates and Cannons as Co-ordinate with Christs if not co-equal These make Church-concord utterly impossible while they deny the sufficiency not only of the essentials but of all the Bible to be the terms of Concord without their supplements or additions as if Christ that is the Author and finisher of our Faith and the maker of his own Church had not so much as told us what a Church or a Christian is or whom we must take for such into our love and Communion nor fixed the necessary terms of Union but left them to none knoweth whom even fallible men lyable to error and Tyranny that can but get uppermost and say then that they are the true Church and the Masters that must be obeyed while they are themselves of as many minds as they are of different Countrys interests and degrees of knowledge and sincerity 2. On the other side those overdo in ascribing to the Scripture who say that God had no Church or the Church no infallable rule of Faith and life before the writing of iâ— and who say that men converted by the Creed Catechismes preaching or tradition without knowing the Scripture can have no saving faith and that think none can be saved that doubt of any Canonical Books text or matter whether it be Gods word or that say Scripture is so perfect that there is no humane imperfection of the Pen-Men founâ— in phrase word or method and that God could not have made it better or that every Book may be known to be Canonical and every reading to be right when copies vary without Historical tradition by its own evident light and that we have no more cause to doubt of any word or matter than of the truth of the Gospel and that Reason is of small use either for the proof or exposition of the Scripture but the most illiterate if he found a Bible that he had never heard of may by its own light know its truth and sense as well as studious learned Men and that no other Books need to be readâ— and that the Scripture is a sufficient teacher of Physick Logick Grammar c. and that nothing is to be used or done in the External Forms Modes and Accidents of Gods Worship but what is particularly commanded in Scripture and that it telleth every man whether he be sincere and justified or not and not only telleth him â—ow to know it by inward evidence with many other such mistakes proceeding from mistaking the use of the Scripture by which its perfection must be measured Which all tend to confusion and at last to infidelity or doubting of the whole when these errourâ— are discerned V. And tho all the Scripture be of equal truth as it is Gods word yet many untruths are in it as uttered by Men and Devils which God truly recordeth And all parts are not of equal necessity or weight And as many err by casting off the Old Testament so others err by equalling it to us with the New It is Gods word left to acquaint us what was heretofore and to shew us how Christ was prophesied of and expected and how the Church was governed in the darker and more servile state and times But we have great cause to take heed of overvaluing its use to us lest we contradict Paul that saith that even that which was written in stone is done away and the Law Changed with the Priesthood and the old and faulty Covenant for a Better of which see the nine first Chapters to the Hebrews c. Judaizers are they that most of Pauls Epistles are writtâ—n against And as John Baptist waâ— greater than the Prophets so the least in the Kingdom of God is greater than he Evâ—n the holy Patriarks and David had a far more obscure Revelation of Christ and grace and the love of God and the glory to come then we have And accordingly we should have much more faith holiness and comfort than they It is dangerous making the best of them our Examples in points of faith or duty wherein they came far short of Gospel light and grace God doth not now bear with Poligamy as lie did then nor with such divorces nor doth the Gospel countenance such streams of blood as the Israelites ordinarily shed nor such lies as David was oft guilty of nor such a strange life as Solomon lived I mean that such faults will not now consist with true grace under our fuller light and mercy as would do then to men in a darker infant Age and therefore let us take heed of presuming on their Examples Christ and his Apostles are far fitter for our imitation David fills most of his Psalms with such complaints of his Enemies and curses against them as shew a far deeper sense of the suffering of the flesh and the concerns of this life than Peter and Paul shewed who suffered far more and for a holier cause and rejoyced in tribulation and then is suitable either to the precepts or examples of Christ All was not well said and done by good men which is recited in the New Testament much less in the old So far are they mistaken that say the Jews and Gentiles were bound to believe the Apostles in no more than they proved out of the Scripture that most of the Creed was to be believed by other evidences And Christ and his Apostles gave us so full proof of the truth of the Gospel as that their attestation of the Old Testament is to us a more convincing proof of its Divine Authority than any others Therefore Christians must read and honour the Old Testament and study it but the New far more to which it is that the Heart and Life must be conformed There Heavenly glory shineth far
David's indeed but all such are written in Scripture to teach us also Patience and imitation of such examples of Charity and so to confirm our hope 5. Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be like minded one towards another according to Christ Jesus 5. I know the danger of this selfish uncharitable humour of imposing Mens own Opinions on all others as terms of their Communion with them and therefore as I have used this long and plain exhortation against it I shall also pray for you that the God who is patient with the weak and is their Comforter and yours will grant you so much Grace and Charity as to make you imitators of him and of the Love and Condescension of Christ and to bear with others and do by them as you would be born with and used your selves 6. That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorifie God even the father of our Lord Jesus Christ 6. That you may with Unity and Concord hold your holy Communion for worshipping God without uncharitable Excommunications or Separations vilifying or censuring each other which can never be expected by driving each one to agree in small unnecessary things or without bearing with the mistakes and differences of one another when all are guilty of many mistakes and such differences must still be expected 7. Wherefore receive ye one another as Christ also received us to the glory of God 7. I conclude therefore by beseeching you to receive one another with Love to your Communion and Kindness as you would be Christian imitators of Christ and as you are sensible of his needful Mercy to your selves in receiving us that once were Enemies and still have manifold sins and errours to the glorifying of God's Love and Mercy And pretend not your Knowledge or Authority or Piety against so commanding a Motive and Example ANNOTATIONS on the former Chapter and this THe Subject of the former Chapter is handled on thus far and here that Chapter should have ended He that understandeth the former and present State of the Christian Churches and the Pride and Ignorance to which Man is liable will easily perceive that it was not in vain that the Spirit of God did by the Apostle handle and decide this Case of receiving Dissenters in tollerable Cases into Love and Communion The Jews were so tied up from Legislation in God's Matters by the knowledge of God's Prerogative in their Theocracy that they had less room for the Canons and Engines of Mans making to exercise their Pride and Uncharitableness by than the Romanists have since done And yet the Pharisees plaid their part and by their Traditions made void the Law of God and preferr'd their Ceremonies before the weighty Matters of the Law and would not understand what that meaneth I will have mercy and not sacrifice and thereby did condemn the guiltless And Christ found the Samaritans and Jews at the Debate Whether in this Mountain or at Jerusalem men ought to worship overlooking that Worship which is in Spirit and in Truth And alas what work have Domination unnecessary Canons and Censures made in the Christian Churches these 1300 years And it is an Instance what power Blindness and Prejudice and Worldly Interest have to frustrate the plainest Decisions of God's Word that so full and express a Decision as these two Chapters make with 1 Cor. 12. and Eph. 4. and James 3. hath signified as little with the Dividers and Proud almost as if there had been no such written And yet such Men call for a Judge of Controversies because of the pretended Obscurity of the Scriptures when nothing can be plainer than this which they despise They mean that such as they must be Judges and God shall make the Words if they may make the Sense How great is the number that go on the two sides of Uncharitableness here reproved especially on that which is largeliest insisted on One side saith All God's Truths are precious and none must be sold for Peace and we must not partake of other Mens Sins As if our great Duty of Love Forbearance and Communion were our Sin or a partaking of the Faults of all that we joyn with The other Side pretend 1. That Paul only requireth Forbearance in things Indifferent undetermined by Governours and not after such a Command or Determination 2. Or that he giveth only a Temporary Rule for the present Concord of Jews and Gentiles till the setled Church should take a contrary Course I will not here answer these at large having done it in my Book called The only Way of the Churches Concord But I say That I despair of reducing that Man to the Truth herein who shall continue of either of these Opinions after he hath seriously perused the Text and hath considered 1. That St. Paul here useth I think above twenty Arguments from Morality and common Christian Duty which he would not do for a mutable Case which Bishops may change when they will 2 That Rome was then a famous Church and therefore had Pastors or one at least and that he writeth to the whole Church and therefore to the Pastors And sure he never meant The Clergy shall receive such Dissenters to Communion and neither by Canon or Practice cast them out till they think meet to do otherwise and till have made such Canons Paul doth not so play with Contradictions in so long and grave a Reprehension 3. That St. Paul oft puts himself in as under the same Obligation with the rest And if an Apostle called from Heaven may not do what 's here forbidden what Bishops can preteâ—d a Right to do it by greater Authority or Wisdom But they that have not known the Way of Peace may say something against the fullest and plainest Description of it and the sharpest Reproofs of God himself But he will expound these Chapters to their Consciences if ever he make them Healers of his Church As to those that say It is not Church-Communion that Paul here speaks of I refer them to the plain Text and Dr. Hammond's Annotations which they value The God of Love and Peace hath given Laws for Love and Peace so strict and full and clear that all World may see that it is not he that alloweth the Canons or Censures which have so long torn the Churches 8. Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the Circumcision for the truth of God to confirm the promises made unto the fathers 9. And that the Gentiles might glorifie God for his mercy 8 9. And that you may understand my Argument from the Example of Christ I say that it was his Office to reconcile both Jews and Gentiles to God who will receive them both And therefore they should live as reconciled to each other Christ was a Mininister of God circumcised being a Jew and personally exercised his Ministry among them to perform Gods true Promises to the Fathers And yet his Gospel extendeth to the Gentiles also that
than with punishing Power to delivet any offenders to Satan as Gods Executioner on their bodies CHAP. V. 1. IT is reported commonly that there is fornication among you and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles that one should have his fathers wife 1. It is not a doubtful Fame but a credible Report that there is such Fornication among you as Civil Heathens do abhor that one should have his Fathers Wife 2. And ye are puffed up and have not rather mourned that he that hath done this deed may be taken away from among you 2. And you have made light of it and not as sensible of the Sin and Shame bewailed it that he that is impenitent in this Sin may be cut off from your Society 3. For I verily as absent in body but present in spirit have judged already as though I were present concerning him that hath so done this deed 4. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ when ye are gathered together and my spirit with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ 5. To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus 3 4 5. For though I be absent in Body yet present in Spirit I have by the Power given me by Christ determined already when you are assembled and my Spirit with you to deliver this Man to Satan by casting him out of the Church and leaving him to Gods Executioner to inflict destructive Punishment on his Body to bring him to Repentance for the saving of his Soul Note 1. That Paul himself was the Judge 2. Yet he would do it when they were assembled for Order to shew them what they should have done 3. That it was in a Church-assembly of Men present for holy Communion and not in a Lay-Court or a Consistory of the Pastors of other Assemblies who knew not the Man nor had any special Over-sight of him 4. That Satan is Gods Executioner on the Bodies even of Christians specially of Sins to Death The Church having then no Christian Magistrates was put to appeal to God to punish Capital Crimes miraculously 5. That yet this is to save the Sinner by Repentance as well as to be a Warning to others 6. Your glorying is not good Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump 6. You do not well to bear up such a Man in his Sin and to make light of it The whole Church so far as it 's guilty of such a Conniving or Consent is thus defiled with Guilt and may be tempted to the like Sin 7. Purge out therefore the old leaven that ye may be a new lump as ye are unleavened For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us 7. As the Jews when they kept the Passover were to cast all Leavened Bread out of their Houses so we assemble to commemorate the Sacrifice of Christ our Paschal Lamb. Purge out of your Assemblies the old Leaven of scandalous Sins that you may approve your selves a Society acceptable to God through Christ Note 1. That as Dr. Hammond observes out of Chrysostom and Theodoret there was a Tradition that this Offender was a Bishop 2. And the Assembly was to purge the Church of such a one whoever he was by forsaking him 8. Therefore let us keep the feast not with old leaven neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth 8. Therefore let our Christian Assemblies be kept as holy Feasts before God not with the Vices of our old Natural or Heathen State nor with the odious Leaven of Naughtiness and Wickedness but with the Unleavened Bread of Purity Sincerity and Truth 9. I wrote to you in an epistle not to company with fornicators 10. Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world or with the covetous or extortioners or with Idolaters for then must ye needs go out of the world 9 10. I did indeed write to you before in this or some other Epistle to avoid Familiarity with Fornicators Covetous Extortioners Idolaters c. I meant that you shew your abhorrence of this Sin and shame the Sinner by shunning his Company when it is unnecessary and it is in your power so to do But I meant not that you should have no Company or Converse at all with any that are such for you live among Unbelievers and cannot go out of the World 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 railer or a drunkard or an extortioner with such an one no not to eat 11. But my Meaning and your Duty is That you shun all Company which may signifie owning or Brotherly Familiarity with any called Christians who are such scandalous Sinners that the Church and Religion may not be thought to favour them and that Shame may humble them And though it belong not to every Christian but to the Church to cast such out of Publick Societies nor to separate from the Church because such are there yet as the Church ought to purge out such so every private Man should avoid that Familiarity which is in their power even that which lieth in Friendly Eating or the like 12. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without Do not ye judge them that are within 12. For we are not authorised to call those without the Church before us to try and judge their Cases who never submitted to our Authority and are not a Scandal to the Christian Profession It is them that have consented to our Power and Discipline that you judge 13. But them that are without God judgeth Therefore put away from among your selves that wicked person 13. Those that are without the Church we must leave to the Judgment of God they are not under our Government But that wicked Person who is as one of you disown and put away from your Communion CHAP. VI. 1. DAre any of you having a matter against another go to law before the unjust and not before the saints 1. Another Scandal I hear of among you is That you go to Law against one another before Heathen Judges when you might decide your Differences among your selves How dare you do this when Heathens are unjust and will deride you 2. Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world And if the world shall be judged by you are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters 2. Know ye not that Christ will commit that Honour to his Saints with him to judge the World of the Ungodly And you should be all Saints your selves And if the World shall be judged by you are you not meet to decide your own little Differences 3. Know ye not that we shall judge angels How much more things that pertain to this life 3. And as Christ is the Judge of the
Lord Jesus Christ 57. But by Faith which seeth things to come we give God thanks that will raise us from the Dead and give us final Victory over Death through Christ 58. Therefore my beloved brethren be ye stedfast unmoveable always abounding in the work of the Lord for as much ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. 58. And now Brethren make this necessary use of all Seeing our Faith and Hope of a Resurrection and future Life assureth us that none of our Christian Labour or Suffering shall be in vain or to our loss or without a glorious Reward what remaineth but that against all Temptations you be steadfast and unmovable and do Gods Work with all your Power abounding in Labour and Patience to the end ANNOTATIONS AS this Chapter is of great use for our Instruction so it is not without many Difficulties to our Understanding I. It 's needful to be observed into how narrow a room Paul reduceth the Gospel or Articles of Faith concerning Christ and how greatly herein they differ from him that condemn excommunicate or persecute those who believe These and all the Bible besides if they subscribe not to the Truth of all their Articles and Forms superadded and the justness of their numerous Canons II. The Apparition of Christ to the Five hundred and to James seemeth part of that which St. John saith was not by him written So that part of the Evidence of Christs Resurrection should be enough to cause us to believe it III. Though it was but some at Corinth that denied the Resurrection the Church was faulty in bearing with them yet Separation from that Church for their sakes is not required nor allowed by the Apostle IV. The Socinians from the 19th Verse and divers others gather That Paul denieth the Felicity of our Souls before the Resurrection because he intimateth That if there were no Resurrection but only an Immortality of the Soul Christians were the most miserable Men and their Faith and Sufferings vain and they were yet in their Sins c. The Matter is weighty and the Solution hath its Difficulty Some say That because the Heretical denied the Immortality of the Soul as well as the Resurrection of the Body Paul supposeth this and answereth them as to both And they say That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying but to stand up that is to live again includeth the Life of the Separated Soul as well as the Resurrection of the Body Others say That Paul speaketh only of the Man and not of the Soul alone which is but part of the Man Soul and Body are essential to a Man and as a Man he may be miserable because part is so as a Tooth-ach is to the whole Body though the Soul be happy Others say That the Felicity or perfect Man at the Resurrection will be so much greater than that of the Separated Soul before and also that this Separate State is so darkly revealed to us that the Apostle maketh light of it in comparison of the latter The first of these Opinions is not inconsiderable but the chief Answer is by a stricter Exposition of the particular Texts And 1. Verse 19. argueth thus If we believe in and suffer for a Christ as risen who is not risen then he cannot save us either as to Soul or Body and then we are the most miserable sort of Men. For our Hopes in him for the Time and Things of this Life only affords us less than others have his Kingdom being not of this World This Argument is not against but for the Immortality of the Soul So Verse 32. What advantageth it me if the dead rise not i. e. Neither Soul nor Body is advantaged by suffering for a Christ as risen who is not risen V. The Comparison of Adam and Christ is as hard seeming to mean that Adam's Soul and his Posterities as such are not Immortal But indeed it implieth no more than this 1. That it 's called Gen. 2. a Living Soul but Christ the Lord of Life 2. That Adam had but a Soul breathed into him by Creation on Earth but Christ was in Heaven from Everlasting the Living God 3. That Adam propagated only Humanity but Christ also Sanctity and Felicity 4. That Adam by Nature had but a loseable Capacity of Bodily Life continued and Heavenly Felicity and by Sin came short of both But Christ hath Life in himself as the Root of Holiness and Happiness in Heaven which he will give Believers both to their Souls and Bodies and will give a Bodily Resurrection to all Men. VI. Ver. 24. The Kingdom delivered up to the Father is but that Government which Christ useth to recover and save Sinners and is no addition to the Father nor diminution to Christ But as a Prince undertaking to reduce Rebels layeth down his Commission and Arms when he hath done his Work and yet increaseth his own Honour or as a Physician giveth up his Hospital when he hath healed all the Sick And it is like yea certain that when Christs acquisitive Mediation is finished he will still be some sort of Mediator of our Fruition For we shall still behold his Glory VII Ver. 37.39 seem to intimate That the Body that shall rise is not the same that was sowed but such a Body as God pleaseth a new to give Doubtless it is the same in some respect and not the same in an respects And to be able to know just how far it is or is not the same is too hard for us and may be quietly left to the Will of God The Seminal part of the Grain Matter and Form liveth in the new Fruit in which it springeth up as the Seminal part of Man begins his Being in the Womb but the added Mass which makes up the Root the Stalk and Ear and new Grains are all drawn from without from the Water Earth and Air by God and by the Seminal Spirit We see that Men oft grow Fleshy Fat and Lean again and at last die with little but a skinned Skeleton I think few believe that either Men dying Fat shall rise Fat or Men dying Lean shall rise Lean or yet that every Man shall rise with all the Flesh which he ever lived or sinned in and which daily passed away or consumed in Sickness To know how much and what goeth to identifie the Body we must leave to God if we will not pretend to the knowledge we have not Nor is it necessary to believe that all Fowls Beasts and Fishes rise again and go to Heaven which are ever digested and made Humane Flesh The Apostle likening our Bodies to Seed maketh some to doubt whether the dead Body have a Resurrection by any Seminal Vertue as a Natural Cause or only rise by Miracle The latter is most commonly held And yet it is certain that the Soul taketh with it a Love and Inclination to its Body which is a sort of Seminal Disposition And no mortal Man knoweth
and mourning over the Impenitent that have been guilty of those filthy Sins which Deceivers and Idol-Feasts have drawn them to and left I be forced to be unwelcom to such Persons Note I. Though Paul seems to contradict himself in praising the Corinthians so largely in the beginning of this Epistle and describing them so ill in the end yet 1. It is not the same Persons that he praiseth and dispraiseth though of the same Church 2. We must praise all that is good in Men when we reprove the evil II. Note That the very Characters of factious seduced Professors are the Sins here named which therefore we should specially abhor 1. Debates 2. Envying Zeal 3. Wraths 4. Strifes 5. Back-bitings 6. Whisperings 7. Swellings against each other 8. Tumults Yet it is very notable That notwithstanding all these Corruptions and Abuses and filthy Scandals Paul neither separateth nor persuadeth any to separate but leaveth that to the Heretical who used to separate themselves into distinct Bodies for the promoting of their Opinions and Parties CHAP. XIII 1. THis is the third time I am coming to you In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established 1. As the Testimony of two or three Witnesses confirmeth questioned Truth so my second and third Admonition warneth you to prevent Severity 2. I told you before and foretel you as if I were present the second time and being absent now I write to them which heretofore have sinned and to all other that if I come again I will not spare 2. Though I be absent my Writing may pass for warning as if I were present by which I foretel you that if I come I will not forbear to exercise on the Impenitent the Power given me by Christ 3. Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me which to you-ward is not weak but is mighty in you 3. And seeing you call for a Proof of Christs speaking in me you shall have this further Proof the Corporal Punishment of the Impenitent by Miracle or Satans Execution Though sure the Power of Christ attesting my Ministry hath been so fully manifested among you that you should have been thereby convinced 4. For though he was crucified through weakness yet he liveth by the power of God for we also are weak in him but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you 4. For as Christ in the State of Humane Weaknss was crucified but by Divine Power was raised and liveth so as we are conformed to him in Weakness and Suffering we shall shew you that we partake of the Power of God in our Life and Ministry 5. Examine your selves whether ye be in the faith prove your own selves know ye not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates 5. If you question my Ministry do but examine your selves whether you be Christians or not If you are was it not by the convincing Power of Gods Attestation to my Ministry and do you question that which converted you If not you are yet without a Saviour and in your Sins And if you deny Christ in you and his Power shewed among you you may expect that he will deny you 6. But I trust that ye shall know that we are not reprobates 6. And I trust that you shall be convinced that we have not forsaken Christ nor shall be cast off or forsaken by him 7. Now I pray to God that ye do no evil not that we should appear approved but that ye should do that which is honest though we be as reprobates 7. My Prayer is That you may be saved from Sin and Seduction not so much that you may think well of us but that you may do that which is right how ill soever you think of us 8. For we can do nothing against the truth but for the truth 8. For as we have no Authority or Commission to do any thing against the Truth but only for it so we have no desire to do otherwise 9. For we are glad when we are weak and ye are strong and this also we wish even your perfection 9. For how much soever we be vilified or afflicted it is our joy that you are strong and that it is better with you yea it is your Perfection that is our desire 10. Therefore I write these things being absent lest being present I should use sharpness according to the power which the Lord hath given me to edification and not to destruction 10. It is to prevent Severity when I am present and the trouble that you and I shall have in Penalties on you that I give you this Admonition by Letter still professing That Christ hath given me no Power of Tyranny or against your own good but only for your Edification Should I claim any other it 's not of Christ 11. Finally brethren farewel Be perfect be of good comfort be of one mind live in peace and the God of love and peace shall be with you 11. My concluding Valediction is Be compact together in holy Union Rejoyce in the Lord Be of one mind in Faith and Love though you cannot in lesser things Live in peace and then he that would be known to us as the God of Love and Peace will be among you 12 13 14. Greet one another with an holy kiss All the saints salute you The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the holy Ghost be with you all Amen 12 13 14. Express Christian Love to one another The Saints here salute you The highest Blessing I can wish you is The Grace of Christ the Love of God and Communication of and Communion in the Holy Spirit Amen Note out of all this Epistle That though proud tenderness of our Reputation be a Sin yet it is a Duty to vindicate it when the Interest of the Gospel and of Souls require it which it did more with an Apostle than an ordinary Minister The Epistle of PAUL the Apostle to the GALATIANS The INTRODUCTION THE Scope of this Epistle is to reduce the Galatians who began to be seduced by those Judaizers that would have not only joyned Moses's Law to Christianity but also would have put that Yoak on the Gentile-Christians And it 's like some Hereticks joined with them To which end he sharply reproveth the unsteadfastness of the Galatians evinceth the non-obligation of that Law and the Carnality of Judaizing and the Spirituality of the Gospel and that he had his Gospel by immediate Inspiration from Christ and that it is not singular from the other Apostles nor dissonant to it self nor to his condescending Practice with the Jews CHAP. I. 1. PAul an apostle not of men neither by man but by Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised him from the dead 2. And all the brethren which are with me unto the churches of Galatia 3. Grace be to you and peace from God the Father and from our Lord Jesus
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
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
forwardness to backbite and speak evil falsely as Accusers of those that distaste them â—ot sober and careful of their Business not trusty in all things 12. Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife ruling their children and their own houses well 12. The Deacons must not be such as have more Wives than one or that have injuriously put away one and married another The good government of their own Children and Houses also must shew that they are fit to serve in the Church 13. For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus 13. For though the Deacons be as Servants to the Pastors they that have used that Office well are in a degree above the Vulgar and have matter of confident Boldness and Freedom in the management and defence of the Affairs of Christianity 14. These things write I unto thee hoping to come unto thee shortly 15. But if I tarry long that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thy self in the house of God which is the Church of the living God the pillar and ground of the truth 14 15. I hope to come to thee shortly but lest I should be delayed I write these things to thee that thou mayst know how thou oughtest to converse in the House of God which is the Church of the Living God as in it a Pillar and firm Buttress or Basis of the Truth Note Though it be true that the Truth of God is most safely preserved in his Church yet I with Gataker marvel that so many apply these Words to the Church which are spoken of Timothy That it is he that is called here a Pillar and Buttress of the Truth seemeth to me evident 1. In that in the Allegory it is not like that Paul would in the very next Words call the Church a Pillar and Buttress in the House when he calleth it The House it self He plainly dâ—fferenceth a Part from the Whole The Church is the Whole a Pillar is a Part. 2. It is the very Sum of Paul's Exhortation to Timothy that according to his Office he should be a Pillar and Buttress of Truth in the Church 3. The Preposition in the House agreeth to him and the Word Pillar c. which is in the House 4. The omission of the Article before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intimate that it should rather be translated a Pillar c. than the Pillar which it's like would have been put in had it been the Churches peculiar Privilege that had been meant 5. The Apostle useth the same Word of James Cephas and John Gal. 2.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 accounted Pillars which Timothy was And the very same Phrase as here is used Rev. 3.12 He that overcometh I will make him a Pillar in the Temple of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So Rev. 10.1 the Angels Feet c But the Church is never called a Pillar that 's in the Church 6. As to them that feign it would be false Construction because the Words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are the Nominative Case this hath no pretence from the Text So that I doubt not but the plain sense is as it is Paraphrased and all the Fabrick is built on a meer Mistake which the Papists raise upon this Text Though were it otherwise it would not serve their turn 16. And without controversie great is the mystery of godliness God was manifest in the flesh justified in the Spirit seen of angels preached unto the Gentiles believed on in the world received up into glory 16. And confessedly the Mystery of Godliness which requireth such great Abilities in thee as to make thee a Pillar and Buttress of it in the Church is exceeding great and high 1. God himself appeared to Man in the Flesh of our Redeemer to manifest his Love and Will for our Salvation 2. The Spirit was Christs Witness which by its unimitable holy Impressions Miracles his Ressurection and Communication to his Followers did justifie Christ to be truly what he did profess to be and sealed his Doctrine to the World 3. Angels beheld proclaimed and obeyed him 4. The Wall of Separation being broken down he was preached by his Commissioned Apostles to the Gentile World 5. The World that knew him not or despised him is by a few poor unlearned Men brought to believe in him and submit to him as Lord and Saviour Philosophy submitteth and Wit is silenced and Policy and Power stoop to him in part and more will do 6. He was taken up into Heaven in Glory Angels attending him his Apostles looking on These Six Articles are that great Mystery which requireth the ablest Preacher and the soundest Faith And he that firmly believeth these doth see into a more excellent Mystery than Philosophy and will be a stable Pillar in the Church CHAP. IV. 1. NOw the Spirit speaketh expresly that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils 1. The Spirit of Prophecy plainly foretelleth us that in the latter times some who profest themselves Christians shall depart from either the Whole or some Essential Parts of the Christian Faith turning Apostates or Hereticks and this by giving heed to false Revelations of seducing Spirits in themselves or others and to Doctrines of Devils Note Whether it mean effectively Doctrines taught by Devils or as Mr. Mede largely maintaineth objectively Doctrines concerning Demons or the Nature Order and Minds of the Spirits like the Valentinians Aioâ—es c. I leave to the Judgment of others 2. Speaking lies in hypocrisie having their conscience feared with a hot iron 2. Covering their Lies or False Doctrine by Hypocritical Pretences of Piety or Divine Revelation or some great Excellency having Consciences feared and branded as the Perfidious use to be by their flagitious Lives 3. Forbidding to marry and commanding to abstain from meats which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth 3. Note I think it far more probable that Paul here speaketh of those Hereticks which made up a Religion of Judaism and Pythagorean Fancies who taught That Marriage was of the Devil to propagate sinful miserable Men and that Flesh was not to be eaten especially the unclean Beasts than of those erroneous Christians who onely forbid Marriage to the Clergy and Flesh on certain Days of Abstinence or that affect the total avoiding Marriage and eating Flesh as a State of special Strictness not required of most For Paul seemeth plainly to speak of a Doctrine taught to all and he describeth Christian Knowledge herein to be That God hath made such Meat in kind to be received with Thanksgiving and not that All men or any at all times must use such Meats 4. For every creature of God is good and nothing to be refused if it be received with thanksgiving 5.
these Performances being the Condition of your actual Salvation your Covenant Title will be compleat and you shall have sure entrance and full possession of the Kingdom of Glory 12. Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things though ye know them and be established in the present truth 12. And holy Diligence and Improvement being so necessary to you I must not be negligent to put you in remembrance and stir you up to it though you know it already and believe it Note We have great need to be diligently stirred up to the remembrance and practice of that which we know already as well as to know more 13. Yea I think it meet as long as I am in this tabernacle to stir you up by putting you in remembrance 14. Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me 13 14. Note 1. The Body is but the Soul's Tabernacle 2. Ministers must never give over pressing known Truths while they live 3. The knowledge of approaching death must quicken us to diligence 15. Moreover I will endeavour that you may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance 15. Note That we must not be careful only for our own life time but for a Succession and Continuance of Truth and Godliness when we are dead lest it dye with us Therefore we write 16. For we have not followed cunningly devised fables when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ but were eye-witnesses of his majesty 16. For our Doctrine of the Glorious Coming and Kingdom of Christ is not a cunningly devised fable For we were eye witnesses of a glimpse of that Glory in his Transfiguration which he foretold us of as a resemblance of his last coming and his Kingdom 17. For he received from God the Father honour and glory when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased 17. For he then received in his humane nature a communicated splendour and celestial honour and glory when God from the Heavenly magnificent glory said This is my c. Note 1. It is the highest honour and perfection of a Creature to be Loved and Pleasing to God 2. Gods Testimony of his Son from heaven is our Great obligation to faith and obedience to him 18. And this voice which came from heaven we heard when we were with him in the holy mount 18. This voice three of us heard when we were with him in that mount which was sanctified by this glorious appearance and may well be called The holy mount 19. We have also a more sure word of prophecy whereunto ye do well that ye take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place untill the day dawn and the day-star arise in your hearts 19. And we have also in the Old Testament a firm prophetick word many prophets foretelling the Kingdom of Christ And ye do well to search and take notice of these as to a Light that was set up by God for the use of those darker ages to lead them to the Knowledge of Christ and so is very useful still till the clearer Preaching of that Gospel come and the Spirit of Christ as his agent and witness possess your hearts Note The word more sure signifieth not more sure than the Gospel but very sure Or more sure to the Jews than Peters bare word of the Transfiguration and voice on the mount 20. Knowing this first that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation 21. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost 20 21. But this you must first know that no prophecy of Scripture is to be expounded as speaking only of those persons whom the speaker first meant whether himself or others nor according to the speakers proper private thought For the prophecy came not in old time by the Speakers own Wisdom Knowledge Invention or will but holy men of God were moved by Gods Spirit to speak those words which signified more than they designed or alwaies meant and understood themselves Note It seemeth strange to me that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proper or private interpretation should be commonly by excellent Expositors misinterpreted as if it spake of prâ—per or private expositors and so set men on disputing who must be the publick Expositor when the words plainly speak of proper or private sense or objective exposition As when David oft speaketh words which are immediately true of himself or of Solomom you must not expound them as meant properly of them who were private persons and but types For it was the Holy-Ghost speaking in them whose sense must be known who meant Christ the publick person as typified by the private of whom they were first verified And whether David as in Psal 2. 22. and such other meant more than himself and his Kingdom or not the Holy-Ghost meant more If Grotius were in the right that Isaâ— meant but Jeremy or Iosiah in Isa 53. it s certain that they were but typicall and the Holy-Ghost meant Christ So that the plain sense is that Scripture prophecy receiving its full sense from the Spirit and not from the Speaker must not in our exposition be appropriated narrowly to those private men by whom or of whom they were proximately meant by the Speaker CHAP. II. 1. BUT there were false prophets also among the people even as there shall be false teachers among you who privily shall bring in damnable heresies even denying the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction 1. But one of your great Tryals will be as theirs of old by false Prophets so by false Teachers who will rise up among your selves who will by secret seducing persons wiâ—h whom by familiarity they have advantage bring in Sects holding damnable Errours even by plain consequence denying Christ that bought them while they deny what is essential to his Person and Offices or teaching that he many be denyed with the Tongue in dangers for self-preservation because God will have mercy and not sacrifice as long as the heart doth not deny him Note 1. That all Christians have need to be fortified against false Teachers as well as against persecuting enemies 2. Christ is called The Lord that bought them not because they falsly profest that he bought them as some say but because he purchased and made to them a Deed of gift of Christ pardon and life to be theirs on Condition of believing acceptance And because they should not perish for want of a sufficient sacrifice for sin 2. And many shall follow their pernicious wayes by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of 2. And many that profest Christianity shall be seduced by them and follow their pernicious waies
Mat. 24. and received his Notice from none but Christ and that Christ's own words are the surest Notification who is the Antichrist For it is mentioned here not as a thing known only by special Inspiration to them or the Apostles but as a received former Prophecy As you have heard that Antichrist shall come And which way did they hear it but by the Apostles as from Christ whose words the Evangelists have not omitted Now Christ's words were Many shall come in my Name saying I am Christ and shall deceive many Here he doth not fix the name on any one more than on others And it is certain that Christ was not mistaken but what he fore-told did come to pass though we read not of any that was expresly called Christ and commonly so believed that was not because none attempted so to deceive men but because their success was small and soon stifled and not like Mahomet's Biza on the Text Mat. 24. saith In my Name is They shall usurp the Name of the Messiah or Christ Such was that Dositheus whom Theophilact speaketh of and Simon and Theudas and after these Manes who also chose his twelve Apostles And in our Memory the Munster Anabaptists attempted the same and after them David George the Prince of the Libertines So James Nailor lately the Quaker whose Tongue the Parliament bored through whip'd him and imprison'd him till he dyed for solemnly personating Christ riding into Bâ—istol But there were others that promised to deliver the Jews till they drew them into Rebellion to their destruction and so took on them to redeem Israel though they called not themselves the Christ Almost all Expositors agree that these were the Antichrists meant by Christ Mat. 24. But though these were then shortly to arise it followeth not but that more such might arise after them and such was Mahomet above all others notorious by his Alcoron Kingdom and Success And as Ebion Cerintâ—us and some other Hereticks were against Christ in some degree so more notably is the Pope in that degree as he arrogateth Christ's Prerogative and maketh himself a Vicarious Head of the whole Church on Earth So that these grant that such Popes are one sort of those Antichrists that should after arise but that the Pope is not he that is meant by Christ in Matth. 24. nor here by John And whereas 2 Thes 2. is objected for One Man of Sin c. they say that it is not Antichrist properly that is there mentioned but the Anti-God the Roman Idolatrous Emperor that should cause Jerusalem's Desolation and set up there the Idol of Abomination There is the like mention of Antichrist again Ch. 4.3 Every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God And this is the spirit of Antichrist whereof ye have heard that it should come and even now a ready is in the world So Ch. 2.20 He is Antichrist that denyeth the Father and the Son And 2. Joh. For many deceivers are entred into the world who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh This is a deceiver and one Antichrist And say they when no other Text in Scripture hath the name Antichrist and these four all thus expound it of such as deny Christ's Incarnation and directly oppose him and such as were then in being and of many such Heresies and not of one Man or Order alone and when all this concurreth with Christ's own words of many false Christs that should deceive the Jews to their destruction whence can we expect a surer Exposition of Antichristianity whether we take the name for an Adversary to Christ or for a false Christ When Grotius singleth out Barchochebas as the chief Antichrist who called himself the Messiah and seduced thousands and even the Sanedrim of Rulers inâ—o his Error to their destruction it is answered by some That this was all done before this Epistle was written To which some reply 1. That this is utterly uncertain because that Epiphanius saith John was first banished under Claudius and because the contrary Tradition hath no good Evidence and because the Apocalyps is the best Expositor whose very Style implyeth that at least much of it was written before the Destruction of Jerusalem and so may this Epistle 2. Were it certain John maketh no one to be the only or grand Antichrist and therefore Christ's words might be first fulfilled in Barchochebas and such others and yet more after may succeed them The two other Opinions 1. That it is only Simon Magus 2. Or Vespasian I think not worthy the confuting In these difficulties I only advise the Reader that he never forsake great and certain Truths or Duties for any thing uncertain And that Humane Faith overthrow not Divine Faith And no man's Opinion draw him to depose Christ by denying all his Visible Church and making it all in any Age much less in its best state to be Idolatrous and Antichristian Or to bâ— frightned from Christian Love Unity and Peace or from any lawful thing by the meer name of Antichrist But to judge of Doctrines by Scripture and of Persons by their Doctrines Practices and Personal Qualification and to hate sin impartially wherever he findeth it and to accuse rashly and unjustly neither Persons Parties or Societies 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 19. These Deceivers the Nicolaitans Ebion Cerinthus c. were indeed in our Communion and went out from us but they were never sincerely of the same Faith and Spirit with us else they would have stayed with us But they went out and separated and set up their Heresies that they might shew that they were never sound in the Faith 20. But ye have an unction from the holy One and ye know all things 20. But the most holy God and Saviour hath anointed you with his holy Spirit which will lead you from pernicious Errour into all necessary Truth if you obey him 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 21. It is not as supposing you ignorant of the Truth that I write to you but because you know the necessary Truth and therefore may the easier reject all inconsistent Falshoods 22. Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ he is antichrist that denieth the Father and the Son 23. Whosoever denieth the Son the same hath not the Father but he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also 22 23. And who is the dangerous Lyer but he that denyeth that Jesus is the Christ and consequently denyeth the Father Note The scantness of History leaveth it uncertain what sort of Seducers John meaneth whether some that fell to flat Infidelity directly renouncing Christianity
into some sins that are to be punished with Bodily Death or â—hame Magistrates must put to death Murderers and other capital Offenders and when Magistrates do it not God will oft times do it without them himself as he did on Ananias and Sapphira and others In this case if one be to be executed by Justice or be under God's Justice that will put him to death you may pray for his Soul but you must not pray for his Life though he repent because it is against God's Law and the common Good And if you should pray for the Recovery of such a man in Sickness God hath not promised you to recover him No nor any of his own Children when their dying time is come 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 18. We know that all that are born of God hate sin and overcome it in the course of their lives and live in no reigning sin which is predominant but only hated infirmities which consist with sincere predominant Faith Obedience and Repentance nor have any sin at all so far as they have the Divine Nature but they watchfully keep themselves from the prevalence of Satan's snares 19. And we know that we are of God and the whole world lieth in wickedness 19. And though Christ's Flocks here be less than the World we see by experience that we are of God guided by his Spirit obeying his Laws pleasing his Will living to him and hoping for his Glory and that the unconverted World is wholly set on wickedness and mischief so notorious is the difference between the faithful and the ungodly World which foretells the future difference 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 20. In a word by all aforesaid we are certain of the truth of our Religion We are sure that the Son of God is come and Christ is he and by his Doctrine and Spirit hath enlightned us to know the true and only God and his Will and we are by faith and the Spirit planted into him who is the Truth even into Jesus Christ So that we are sure it is the true God that we believe and serve and the Gift and Title to Eternal Life that by Christ we do receive 21. Little children keep your selves from idols Amen 21. I speak to you in love as if you were my own Children but with care of you as to your weakness and what temptations the Idolatrous World assaults you with As Christ hath called you out of the World from Idolatry which you have renounced as you love God and your Saviour and your Souls hold close to Christ and return not to Idols nor partake of their Sacrifices nor seem to own them by Idolatrous Communion Amen The Second Epistle of JOHN the Apostle 't is most commonly thought but not certain 1. THe elder unto the elect lady and her children whom I love in the truth and not I only but also all they that have known the truth 2. For the truth's sake which dwelleth in us and shall be with us for ever 1 2. Note It seems this was some choice Woman that was a great support and helper to the Christians and eminent in Piety and stedfastness in the Faith Though some few groundlesly think that it was some Church that he calleth Lady 3. Grace be with you mercy and peace from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ the Son of the Father in truth and love 3. Grace Mercy and Peace from God the Father and Christ the Son are the true unvaluable Blessings I wish you to confirm you in the two great parts of Religion Truth and Love 4. I rejoyced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth as we have received a commandment from the Father 4. I greatly rejoyced that I found thy Children both holding fast the Christian Truth and living in the practice of it as the Father commanded us to preach and do 5. And now I beseech thee lady not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee but that which we had from the beginning that we love one another 5. The sum of my writing to thee is not any Novelty but the old great Law of Christ Be sure that we keep up true Christian Love which Satan is an Enemy to 6. And this is love that we walk after his commandments This is the commandment that as ye have heard from the beginning ye should walk in it 6. And the Love in which we all must live is our Union and Concord in keeping his Commandments even the same Gospel which from the beginning was committed to us For both new and false Doctrines and a sinful life do break the Union and Peace of Christians 7. For many deceivers are entred into the world who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh This is deceiver and an antichrist 7 For there are many Hereticks now come to that deceiving pass that they deny Christ himself either his Godhead or Manhood or Office or Work yea his Incarnation as if his Body were but a Fantasm These are Deceivers and Antichrists 8. Look to your selves that we lose not those things which we have wrought but that we receive a full reward 8. Look to your selves with watchful care that no temptation draw you to back-slâ—de and you lose all your former belief and labour nor we our ministerial labour on you but hold on that you and we may attain that full Reward that we seek 9. Whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ he hath both the Father and the Son 9. As it was by the Doctrine of Christ that you were brought into your blessed Knowledge and Relation to the Father and the Son so if you fall from that Doctrine you will fall from God himself to whom by Christ you are reconciled But if you abide in Christ's Doctrine you will continue your Relation to the Father and the Son 10. If there come any unto you and bring not this Doctrine receive him not into your house neither bid him God speed 11. For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds 10 11. As for those Hereticks and Apostates that deny the Gospel or any Essential Part of Christianity shew them no encouraging Countenance Familiarity or Communion otherwise you will be guilty as Partners in their sin 12. Having many things to write unto you I would not write with paper and ink but I trust to come unto you and speak face to face that our joy may be full 13. The children of thy elect sister greet thee Amen 12 13. Note 1. Presence maketh
friendly Converse the more comfortable 2. By Elect Sister here again some think he meaneth another Church but it cannot be proved The Third Epistle of JOHN 't is most likely the Apostle 1 THe elder unto the well beloved Gaius whom I love in the truth 2. Beloved I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health even as thy soul prospereth 1 2. My love to thee for the Truths sake which thou adherest to maketh me wish earnestly that as thy Soul prospereth so may thy Bodily Health for the service of God and thy Soul 3. For I rejoyced greatly when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee even as thou walkest in the truth 3. Note 1. Soul-Mercies are the greatest Mercies and matters of greatest joy for one another 2. Good Reports of our Brethren is a duty tending to the comfort of Ministers and Friends 4. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth 4. Note True Ministers rejoyce more for the welfare of men's Souls than in Preserments Wealth or Worldly Honour 5. Beloved thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren and to strangers 6. Which have born witness of thy charity before the church 5. It is well done of thee as a sincere Christian that thou shewest so much love and help both to the Brethren of the Church with thee and to Strangers in their Banishment and Travels Which divers have here testified before the Church to thy praise 6. Whom if thou bring forward on their journey after a godly sort thou shalt do well 7. Because that for his name's sake they went forth taking nothing of the Gentiles 6 7. And if thou further furnish and help them in their Travel it will be a laudable Christian Duty doing as to God's Servants who for Christ's Name sake went out of their Country to preach abroad or were persecuted out and took nothing of the Gentile Christians towards their Maintenance in their Travels 8. We therefore ought to receive such that we might be fellow-helpers to the truth 8. To entertain and further such is part of our duty for the propagating of the Gospel He that receiveth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall have a Prophet's reward 9. I wrote unto the church but Diotrephes who loveth to have the pre-eminence among them receiveth us not 9. I wrote for them to the Church my Testimonial and desire of their Reception but their Bishop Diotrephes who loveth to rule as pre-eminent among them receiveth nor us Jews or my Letters and Request to the Church for them 10. Wherefore if I come I will remember his deeds which he doth prating against us with malicious words and not content therewith neither doth he himself receive the brethren and forbiddeth them that would and casteth them out of the Church 10. Note 1. By remembring his deeds and words is meant sharp rebuking him before all at least 2. It 's like that this Diotrephes was Pastor or Bishop else he could not have cast such out of the Church At least he was some great man that usurpt that Power But sure no Lay-man did so early usurp the Keys 3. By this we see that the Pride of domineering Bishops began early to be Schismatical and divide the Church by Tyranny Yea it grew arrogant to oppose and reject the Beloved Apostle and maliciously to prate against him There is no Man or Cause so good but a malicious Bishop or other man may prate against it As there are few Mutinies dangerous in Armies unless headed by some Commanders so there are few Schisms much dangerous in the Church but those that are headed by Bishops or Clergy-men 4. It is uncertain whether it was to receive them to Communion or only to Hospitality that Diotrephes opposed But it 's like it was both because he cast out their receivers from Communion 5. It is not certain whether he did it on any difference of Opinion or occasional quarrel but it is most like it was that he was a Gentile Christian and too much despised the Jews as they censured and separated too much from the Gentiles Rom. 14. Gal. 2. Thus Separation on both sides soon began and even Peace-making Apostles could not be heard by the dividers 11. Beloved follow not that which is evil but that which is good He that doth good is of God but he that doth evil hath not seen God 11. Imitate not such proud hurtful uncharitable dividing Examples whatever it pretend to a hurtful uncharitable course is not of God such are not true Believers and know not God aright But it is doing good that must shew that we are of God By their fruit ye shall know them Note Clergy Roman Cruelty by Inquisitions Prisons Ejecting true Ministers c. shews that they are not of God though they pretend Power Order Unity Faith as if it were for God and Truth 12. Demetrius hath good report of all men and of the truth it self yea and we also bear record and ye know that our record is true 12. Both common report and his own good works and our true Witness commend Demetrius 13 14. I had many things to write but I will not with ink and pen write unto thee But I trust I shall shortly see thee and we shall speak face to face Peace be to thee Our friends salute thee Greet the friends by name 13 14. Note Kind Remembrances and Greetings are suitable to Christian Friendship The General Epistle of JUDE most probably the Apostle 1. JUDE the servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James to them that are sanctified by God the Father and preserved in Jesus Christ and called 2. Mercy unto you and peace and love be multiplied 1 2. Note Men being judged of according to their professioâ—â— all Christians are called sanctified persons 3. Beloved when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation it was needful for me to write unto you and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints 3. Note 1. The common Salvation signifieth but tâ—aâ— way to Salvation which all must go in that will be savâ—d God's high-way to Heaven Christ and his Gospel 2. The Apostles writing more against Hereticks and Jews than Heathens tells us that the Church hath more cause usually to defend the Truth against pretended Religious Zealots and Sects that are erroneous than against open Pagans who are not animated by so much blind Zeal against them therefore they know not the Churches case who fear none but pâ—ophane Enemies 3. Though Love and Meekness may be predominant in Christians earnest contending for the Faith against corrâ—pting Hereticks is oft a duty But if this be pretended for odious Censures Excommunications Persecutions or dividing Contentions against Christians of the same Faith for their differences about lesser things and for tolerable imperfections or for doubting of unnecessary Opinions Ceremonies