Proselyte but as a born Jew 3. I am of the most famous people of Israel 4. And of one of the nobler Tribes of Israel Benjamin who with Ioseph was born of the free mother Rachel out of which Tribe Saul the first King was chosen after whose name it may â—eem that the Apostle was called Saul 5. I am an Hebrew of the Hebrews that is of such a family that hath not mingled it self by marriage with the Gentiles 6. I was a Pharisee which is the most famous sect among the Jews 7. I was forward in zeal above other Pharisees even unto persecuting the Church this zeal though it were worst in it self yet it was highly accounted in the eyes of those who did glory in the zeal of the Law 8. In outward righteousness which may bee obtained by the Law I was before men blameless Vers. 7. But what things were gain to mee those I counted loss for Christ. First hee reckons up all his priviledges and more matter of boasting than any false Apostles could have And then hee casts away all these ornaments of Religion which were highly esteemed by the Jews And though formerly before his conversion to Christ hee had prized these falsely thinking they did much conduce to salvation yet now after hee had attained the knowledge of Christ being instructed by the Holy Ghost hee did vilifie them yea for Christ hee did account them all hurtful to him so far as they drew him from the faith of Christ or so far as they cost him some trouble and labour that hee should renounce them all and keep himself pure lest they should any wayes hinder his faith in Christ For it is a very difficult thing for those who excel in any thing and have any priviledges not at all to trust and relye upon them Vers. 8. Yea doubtless and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Iesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and do count them but dung that I may win Christ. In the third place besides these things which in Judaism he did excell others in hee throws away all things else For it is known that hee converted many thousand souls unto God that hee did and suffered many things for Christ in which if any one might glory hee more yet in the matter of justification hee rejects all his inherent righteousness or all his own works which hee had done since faith or should do as losses and hindrances not that it repented him of his labours or that hee did not expect the reward through grace promised unto them but that those priviledges and confidence of works would altogether hinder the application of Christs righteousness if in the matter of justification hee should bring them to Gods Tribunal where works exclude grace and grace excludes works nor did it grieve him for this loss because it was exceedingly recompensed by the excellency of Christs righteousness which was imputed to him and should bee more and more applied to him by faith For whom Hee proves the sincerity of his purpose in rejecting all things for the desire of having Christs righteousness by two Signs 1. That hee forsook Friends Country and all things which could bee dear to him in the flesh when hee first betook himself to the preaching of Christ and the bearing of his Cross. 2. That being rejected hee did despise them as base things in respect of Christs righteousness or in respect of Christ applied by faith unto righteousness Here the force of the Argument more clearly appears I who may trust to outward priviledges and works if any one may do renounce them all that I may relye upon the Righteousness and Vertue of Christ Therefore you c. That I may win Christ Hee gives several Reasons of this his settled resolution which may serve as Arguments to confirm the Exhortation Argum. 5. I renounce all priviledges and the merits of my own works that I may gain Christ who doth not communicate himself and his Righteousness to any but such as have renounced their own righteousness and throw aside all confidence in their own works and worthiness Therefore you must do the same with mee unless yee will lose Christ. That I may win Argum. 6. By renouncing confidence in my own works and priviledges and imbracing Christ in their stead I gain Christ and all things that are Christs so far I am from losing any thing by this renouncing my own works and priviledges Therefore do you likewise as well as I cast aside all carnal confidence and win Christ by relying on him Vers. 9. And bee 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 Argum. 7. This explains the former When God comes to judgement I cannot bee found in Christ but by renouncing my own merits being void of all confidence in the inherent righteousness of my own works and indued with that Righteousness of Christ which God gives by grace and wee apply by faith Therefore you as well as I must renounce your own merits and relye upon Christs Vertue and Righteousness unless you will bee found out of Christ at the day of Judgement Vers. 10. That I may know him and the power of his Resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death This Verse depends upon Vers. 8. The meaning is this I account all matter of confidence out of Christ as dung to the end that I may know Christ c. Whence wee have Argum. 8. I shall never bee able by experience truly to know how faithful good powerful c. Christ is unless I more and more renounce all matter or object of confidence besides Christ nor shall I otherwise ever experimentally finde the vertue of his Resurrection to free mee from the guilt and power of sin nor the fellowship and vertue of his sufferings in which consists conformity with his death therefore I count all things but dung that I may more and more have the benefit of this fruit Therefore do you likewise rest upon Christ renouncing your own excellencies that yee may more and more finde his Grace and Vertue Vers. 11. If by any means I might attain to the Resurrection of the dead Hee explains what hee had said of the Communion of Christs sufferings and conformity with his death and adds Argum. 9. To this purpose After that I have now renounced all my priviledges and all the worth of my own works as dung that I might win Christ though I know I must tread Christs steps in my journey to salvation by the continual sorrows of the Cross and the communion of his sufferings yet I shall think I have done well if I may any waies at length attain the perfection of Holiness and happiness in the resurrection of the dead Bee yee therefore of the same mind with mee and do as I
of Christs obedience upon his And it is meer that as one sin of Adam was imputed to his children to condemnation and death so the intire obedience of Christ only should bee imputed to his sons to Justification and the obtaining of Eternal Life Vers. 20. Moreover the Law entred that the offence might abound but where sin abounded grace did much more abound 21. That as sin hath reigned unto death even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Iesus Christ our Lord. Hee illustrates and concludes this whole comparison by shewing the abundance of sin in those that are justified renders the grace of Christ more illustrious and this hee does by answering an objection concerning the end and use of the published Law It may bee questioned if death reigned by the Law of Nature not written before Moses what need was there of any written Law and seeing righteousness comes not by the Law as is said before to what end was the Law Hee answers by shewing a three-fold end of giving the Law First The Law entred that the offence might abound i. e. The Law forbidding sin and enjoyning righteousness in that space of time betwixt Adam and Christ came in that sin which was daily committed and yet because of ignorance not acknowledged might bee known to bee sin and that the natural wickedness of men might appear which occasions that by how much the more the Law requires righteousness by so much the more concupiscence is stirred up agaâ—nst the Law and that by this the sin which lyes hid in men might bee manifested and known to abound But where The second end that from the abundance of sin in those that were to bee justified the exceeding abundant grace of Christ towards those that are justified might appear seeing that where sin abounds in the conviction of men that are to bee justified there the grace of Christ justifying is found to super-abound Even as The third end that the power of sin as a King by the Law might more clearly appear shewing forth its condemning power the power of the righteousness of Christ as a Superiour King held forth in the Gospel might bee more â—minent prevailing not only to the abolishing of the Kingdome of sin but also to the conferring of Eternal Life upon those that are justified Therefore by how much the more the force of sin reigning over men not justified crowding them to the prison of Eternal death might more clearly appear by so much the more the virtue power and excellency of the grace of Christ overcoming and subduing sin leading men powerfully unto Eternal Life might more manifestly bee declared CHAP. VI. THe third proof of the Doctrine of Iustification freely by Faith in Christ in that it conduceth very much to the promoting of Sanctity and Holiness There are two PARTS of the Chapter In the first hee shews that by Faith in Christ or the Doctrine concerning the free ground of Iustification several wayes promotes endeavours after Sanctification to verse 12. In the other part hee exhorts those that are justified to follow after holiness to the end Vers. 1. What shall wee say then Shall wee continue in sin that grace may abound 2. God forbid how shall wee that are dead to sin live any longer therein By answering an objection which seems to arise from this Doctrine hee sets down a confirmation of the Proposition That this Doctrine of Grace or of Free Justification makes for the promoting of holiness Some may say Shall wee persevere in our sins wee that are justified by Faith that the grace of God may appear more abundant as this Doctrine of Free Justification by the imputation of the Righteousness of Christ seems to intimate Hee answers by denying and rejecting Far from us bee such a thought As if hee had said They that are justified by Faith ought not to indulge themselves in any sin but to endeavour after holiness And this Proposition hee confirms by ten Arguments Argum. 1. Wee are dead unto sin in as much as when wee gave up our names unto Christ that wee might bee justified and sanctified by him wee renounced sin that wee might not have any more to do with it than the dead have with the living Therefore wee that are justified ought not any longer to live in sin Vers. 3. Know you not that so many of us as were baptized into Iesus Christ were baptized into his death Argum. 2. Wee as you know which are freely justified by Faith in Christ are also taken into the fellowship of his Death by Baptism by which Sacrament wee have bound our selves to die unto sin and Christ hath bound himself unto us to communicate the power of his Death that wee might die unto sin Therefore wee ought not to undulge our selves in our sins but endeavour after holiness Vers. 4. Therefore wee are buried with him by Baptism into death that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father even so wee also should walk in newness of life Argum. 3. Our communion with Christ in his Death is sealed to us in our Baptism for the abolishing of the old Man of Sin i. e. Not only that wee might bee bound to mortifie the old man but also that wee might bee made certain concerning the mortifying and subduing of sin by virtue of Christs Death Therefore wee ought not to indulge our selves in sin but endeavour the mortifying of it Argum. 4. As our communion with Christ in his Death is sealed to us in our Baptism so also in his Resurrection that as Christ was raised from the dead to a blessed and immortal life by the glory of the Father who powerfully raised him so should wee endeavour by Faith applying the virtue of Christ to arise from sin and to walk in newness of life to the glory of the Father powerfully renewing us Therefore ought wee not to continue in sin but follow after holiness Vers. 5. For if wee have been planted together in the likeness of his death wee shall bee also in the likeness of his resurrection Argum. 5. Drawn from our spiritual and neerest union with Christ by Faith which union is the ground of the communication of that virtue which flows from the Death and Resurrection of Christ for by Faith wee are planted into Christ as the Branch into the Vine and this ingrafting brings us into that conformity with the Death and Resurrection of Christ that wee dying unto sin Christ dying and following after newness of life Christ rising again may bee clearly seen in a certain likeness to himself Hence hee confirms his former Argument when wee are planted together with Christ by Faith wee are so neerly united to him that there follows of necessity a conformity with him in his death to the mortification of sin and in his resurrection to newness of life Therefore unless wee will acknowledge no union with him and implanting into him wee must renounce all sin and
unto you that the Lord Iesus the same night in which hee was betrayed took bread 24. And when hee had given thanks hee brake it and said Take eat this is my body which is broken for you this do in remembrance of mee That hee may correct these errours First hee sets down the institution of the Sacrament to vers 27. and then hee exhorts them to and teaches them the lawful use of this Sacrament to the end As for the institution of the Supper hee shews that the Lord Jesus being about to suffer by way of Testament set his seal to the Covenant of Grace which by his mediation hee entred into between God and the Church Whereby the glorious memory of his death might bee celebrated in the world till his second comming and might bee delivered to the faithful and being delivered it might judicially confirm a right to his person and the benefits of his sufferings and a living virtue flowing from his death resurrection and exaltation to the sanctification and salvation of Beleevers and that by the symbols of this holy Banquet and holy Communion with God and amongst themselves To which end Christ sitting at Table with his Disciples after the eating of the Paschal Lamb First Took Bread and sanctified it by giving of thanks brake and gave it to his Disciples commanding them to take and eat further hee declared the Bread received and eaten to bee his body represented after a Sacramental manner that iâ— being given for our Redemption and after a judicial manner applied to us and lastâ—y hee commanded that his Disciples or all the faithful should imitate this his action in the Church in remembrance of him who had paid the price of Redemption by the sufferings of his body Vers. 25. After the same manner also hee took the Cup when hee had supped saying This Cup is the New Testament in my blood this do you as oft as yee drink it in remembrance of mee That which concerns the other part of the Supper follows In the same Supper viz. after the Paschal Supper when the Bread was distributed Christ took the Cup with Wine sanctified by the giving of thanks gave it to the Disciples to drink further concerning the Cup hee declared That it being taken and drunk was that new Covenant of Grace between God and the Church established Sacramentally by his blood i. e. As it is ratified on Gods part that gives so it is confirmed on the beleevers part that receives and judicially applied and sealed Lastly Hee commanded that his Disciples should frequently imitate him in this action in remembrance of him who had paid the price of Redemption for the Church by the shedding of his blood Vers. 26. For as often as yee eat this Bread and drink this Cap yee do shew the Lords death till hee come And that wee might acknowledge that of two Elements Bread and Wine one Supper frequently to bee celebrated in the Church ought to bee made the Apostle would have perpetuated in the Church a publick commemoration of our Lords death by the often reiteration of this Sacrament and that because Christ would not bee present in his body with the Church before the last judgement by this Sacrament hee would that the memorial of the Churches redemption by his death might bee preserved and celebrated until hee come out of Heaven in the last day Vers. 27. Wherefore whosoever shall eat this Bread and drink this Cup of the Lord unworthily shall bee guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. After the Apostle had repeated the institution of this Sacrament hee exhorts and instructs the Corinthians in the right use of it and that in six waies First Shewing the danger of guilt which they are liable to who prophane this Sacrament For whosoever without preparation and reverence otherwise than becomes such an Ordinance approaches so great mysteries abuses the Sacrament despiseth Christ and comes near to the wickedness of those that crucified Christ. Vers. 28. But let a man examine himself and so let him eat of that Bread and drink of that Cup. Secondly Shewing the easiness of preparation that every one may worthily receive this Sacrament Onely saith hee set every man examine himself that being sensible of the greatness of his sin and misery hee may see how much need hee hath of a remedy by Christ and let him consider with what Faith and purposes of holiness hee is bound to approach communion with Christ who is a thousand times lost without him and when hee hath examined himself so let him eat and drink in that holy Banquet i. e. so let him apply the thing signified with his participation of the sign that hee consider what need hee hath of it Vers. 29. For hee that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to himself not discerning the Lords body Thirdly Having shewed the punishment of eating unworthily That hee brings judgement or temporal and eternal punishment unless hee repent upon himself by unworthy eating and drinking who participates of the outward Sacrament without examination of himself because hee discerns not this Feast or the thing signified from his own common Supper but comes to the Lords Table no otherwise than to some common one Vers. 30. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you and many sleep Fourthly Shewing before their eyes the examples of Gods temporal anger in diseases and death it self inflicted already upon many of the Corinthians for their prophanation of the Sacrament Vers. 31. For if wee would judge our selves wee should not bee judged Hee clears from severity this infliction of temporal judgement First From the equity of it That God justly punishes those that judge not themselves or repent not but lye securely in their sin which hee would not do if they repenting would judge themselves Vers. 32. For when wee are judged wee are chastened of the Lord that wee should not bee condemned with the world Further That the inflicting of these punishments is a fatherly chastisement whereby the faithful may bee brought to repentance and not perish with the world Vers. 33. Wherefore my Brethren when yee come together to eat tarry one for another Fifthly The Apostle directs the Corinthians to a right use of the Supper giving a Precept to avoid Schism that they would tarry one for another and would partake of the holy Supper together and every man take not his supper asunder because the Supper of the Lord is a common action of the Church in the publick Assembly to bee celebrated after the manner of a Feast Vers. 34. And if any man hunger let him eat at home that yee come not together unto condemnation And the rest will I set in order when I come Sixthly By forbidding their manner of feasting in publick by their feasts of charity before the holy Communion and commanding that if need were they would eat at home to satisfie their hunger repeating the danger of prophaning the Supper and of the
decrees and precepts of men as if as yet after the manner of children under Rudiments yee were obnoxious to such sort of Elements The force of this first Argument consisteth in these five things 1 Christ hath fulfilled that which was prefigured by Moses his ceremonies and by his death hath abrogated those typical ceremonies and that shadowy manner of teaching the Church and worshipping God so that the legal Covenant cannot exact any thing more from him than that which was paid and perfected in his death 2 Christ dying all in Covenant are dead judicially with him whose person Christ hath born Therefore the legal Covenant could exact nothing more from them for whose sake Christ dyed than the Laws of men required of those that are dead For all in him are reckoned as dead 3 All ceremonial Precepts in respect of the authority commanding were divine and heavenly untill Christ But now abolished through Christ they cease to bee divine and begin to bee humane elements or rudiments worldly and carnal not so much in respect to the things commanded as to the mundane authority commanding them 4 So long as the Colossians were not converted to Christ but did live in the world as worldlings free from righteousness so they were slaves to devils and men obnoxious to all manner of servitude and to all kinde of evil 5 But now after they were one body with Christ they were made free by faith and also were set at liberty from all evill neither ought they to submit themselves to any yoak unless to that which Christ would have them subjugated and consequently they ought not to bee subject in the business of Religion to the opinions and traditions of men Vers. 21. Touch not taste not handle not Argum. 2. Because those your superstitious commanders and authors of humane decrees by their precise prohibition of things left at liberty do also discover their tyranny and intolerable hypocrisie in the rigid exaction of their commands such as hee recites with some indignation Taste not touch not and the like in which they were not only willing to continue the Levitical Law contrary to the will of God but also to superadde their rigid exactions of the Law which was abolished Therefore do not yee subject your selves to them Vers. 22. Which all are to perish with the using after the commandements and doctrines of men Argum. 3. Because these corporeal things instituted by God to use that at length in using they might bee consumed and perish c. Therefore it is unjust to prohibit their use under the pretence of Religion Therefore do not yee subject your selves to these commands Of men Argum. 4. Because decrees of this sort are not the commands of God but the commands of men according to which God hath declared that he will not bee worshipped Therefore do not yee admit them Vers. 23. Which things have indeed a shew of wisdome in will-worship and humility and neglecting of the body not in honour to the satisfying of the flesh Argum. 5. With the confutation of an Objection because although these observations have a shew of wisdome as part of a voluntary and not compelled worship as exercises of humility towards Angels as of obedience towards the Governours of the Church as somewhat conducing to the mortification of flesh yet in very deed they have onely a meer shew of wisdome and are of no value or esteem before God Lastly so much as they seem to detract from the body so much they adde to the satisfaction of the flesh or corrupt nature which alwayes most earnestly desires in its forgeries about Religion to satisfie itself CHAP. III. THe second part of the Epistle is concerning the endeavours after a Christian life There are two parts of the Chapter In the first are contained general Exhortations pertaining to true piety and holiness of life to Vers. 18. In the other are special Exhortations which belong to certain and particular conditions of men to the end Vers. 1. If yee then bee risen with Christ seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God The general Exhortations are Nine 1 Is to the study of heavenly things that they no longer spend their endeavours and labours in seeking earthly pleasures honours and riches but that they seek Christian vertues and those that pertain to eternal life If yee bee risen The Arguments of the Exhortation are six all which prove that wee ought to study heavenly things 1 In Baptism yee have taken upon yee a resemblance of the resurrection or of pursuing a new and spiritual life and ingrafted by Faith into Christ yee have communion with Christ rising who for the sake of his own as a surety hath risen to spiritual life and hath undertaken to raise Beleevers by the virtue of his resurrection communicated to them Therefore yee ought to indeavour after heavenly things Where Christ Argum. 2. Above i. e. in Heaven Christ as to the local presence of his body is our head and the fountain of all our felicity Therefore that yee may injoy him yee ought to seek things above The right hand Argum. 3. Christ sitteth at the right hand of God by which as man hee hath gotten the highest advancement and a name above every name that he may grant to us all things above Therefore things above are to bee sought by you Vers. 2. Set your affections above not on things on the earth Hee amplifies this Exhortation commanding that they savour heavenly things i. e. that they study to know esteem care for effect and with earnestness pursue those things which pertain to an heavenly life and not those things that pertain to this terrestrial life which although they may be lawful and necessary yet they are to bee looked after by the by onely Vers. 3. For yee are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God Argum. 4. Yee by Faith in Baptism are partakers of the death of Christ and are obliged by the virtue of his death to dye to the world and sin yea yee are dead to them or in respect of them viz. after a judicial and spiritual manner savour not any more those earthly things or serve them Therefore yee ought to savour and follow things above heavenly and not earthly things And your life Argum. 5. Although your life i. e. your Adoption your Righteousness your Inheritance your full Sanctification and Glorification is hid to the world yea to you your selves for the most part for now you receive them onely by Faith and a little possession of first fruits yet it is preserved in Heaven in its causes with Christ hid in God Therefore yee ought to savour and seek those things which pertain to life eternal Vers. 4. When Christ who is our life shall appear then shall yee also appear with him in glory Arg. 6. By answering an Objection arising from the former Argument although your life is now hid yet fully and openly it shall bee
in Jesus Christ Therefore this ground of our Justification by Faith is no less to bee maintained than the glory of Gods Justice Faithfulness and Goodness to bee declared in justifying Believers Vers. 27. Where is boasting then it is excluded By what Law of Works nay but by the Law of Faith 28. Therefore wee conclude that a man is justified by Faith without the deeds of the Law Argum. 10. Because by the Law of Faith or the Covenant of Grace which requires Faith to our Justification by the Righteousness of another mans boasting in himself is excluded and not by the Law of Works or the Covenant of Works which exacts perfect obedience and affords matter of boasting to men in their Inherent Righteousness Therefore saith hee wee conclude that a man is Iustified by Faith without the Works of the Law The Argument is good For if men were Justified by their Works and Inherent Righteousness they might boast of the meritorious cause of their Justification to bee in themselves but they that are Justified by Faith are compelled to renounce their own Inherent Righteousness and to place their only Confidence in the imputation of the Righteousness of Christ and solely in the grace of God Vers. 29. Is hee the God of the Iewes only Is hee not also of the Gentiles Yes of the Gentiles also 30. Seeing it is one God which shall justifie the Circumcision by Faith and uncircumcision through Faith Hee concludes this Disputation with the resolution of two questions which give much light to the present Doctrine The first question is Whether this way of our Justification by Faith bee common both to Jewes and Gentiles To which hee answers That it 's common to both whereof he adds a reason because there is one God of those that are Justified therefore there must bee but one way of justifying all to wit by Faith or of Faith For if hee should Justifie the Jews upon one ground and the Gentiles upon another God would seem to differ from Himself in communicating Righteousness and Salvation to sinners both to Jews and Gentiles which is absurd Vers. 31. Do wee then make void the Law through Faith God forbid yea wee establish the Law Another question is Whether the Doctrine of Faith or Justification by Faith makes the Law of none effect or to bee given in vain while it is denied that men are Justified by the Law Hee answers that the Law is no wayes rendred void but is rather established by the Doctrine of Faith for Faith or the Doctrine of Faith establishes the Law three wayes First in respect to the threatnings shewing that Christ was dead by the Sentence of the Law that hee might satisfie the Law and that wee were lyable to death unless freed from it by Christ. Secondly in respect to the Precepts because hee demonstrates that perfect obedience was yeelded to the Law in the Righteousness of Christ. Thirdly Faith establishes the Law in respect to Believers because being justified by Faith by virtue of Christ they are initiated into new obedience who before they were justified by Faith could do nothing but sin CHAP. IV. UNto the twelfth Chapter the Apostle illustrates commends and further by many Arguments establishes this Divine ground of our Iustification by Faith not by Works Wee for the more easie method shall make the Confirmation of this Doctrine seven-fold The first Confirmation of Iustification by Faith which is contained in this Chapter is chiefly from the example of Abraham the ground of whose Iustification is common both to Iews and Gentiles whose Faith is set before us all of God for a pattern There are three parts of the Chapter In the first the example of Abrahams Iustification is set down to ver 9. In the second hee proves this ground of Iustification to bee common both to Iews and Gentiles to ver 18. In the third the Faith of Abraham is commended to the use of Believers to the end of the Chapter Vers. 1. What shall wee say then that Abraham our Father as pertaining to the flesh hath found So much as pertains to the example of Abraham under the form of an interrogation hee denies that Abraham was justified according to the flesh or by the Law of Works or Inherent Righteousness which is called flesh Galat. 3.3 in respect to the Spiritual Righteousness of Christ From whence it follows that no man is justified by Works Vers. 2. For if Abraham were justified by Works hee hath whereof to glory but not before God This Thesis concerning Abraham is asserted by five Reasons Reason 1. If Abraham was justified by Works hee hath whereof hee may glory but not before God therefore hee is not justified by Works before God The reason is sufficient because boasting in our selves is not taken away by the Law of Works but by the Law of Faith Rom. 3.27 For in the question before men Whether Abraham is just Abraham can produce his Works and boast saying I will shew thee my Works and so hee shall bee justified before men by his Works But the question is Whether hee bee righteous before God whereupon hee must renounce his own works and fly to the Promise of Blessedness in Christ to come of Abrahams Seed that hee might bee justified in Christ by Faith alone Vers. 3. For what saith the Scripture Abraham hath believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness Reason 2. The Scripture testifies Gen. 15.6 that Abraham was justified by Faith or that Righteousness was imputed to him by Faith therefore hee was justified by Faith not by Works Vers. 4. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of Grace but of debt Reason 3. The reward cannot bee of Grace but of debt to him that seeks after righteousness by his works wee may assume thus But to Abraham it was imputed of Grace Therefore Abraham did not mercenarily seek after righteousness by the works of the Law Vers. 5. But to him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly his Faith is counted for righteousness Reason 4. To this purpose Faith is imputed for righteousness to him that is not mercenary but renouncing his own righteousness believes in God who freely justifies the ungodly that flees to Christ Jesus But such was the Faith of Abraham Therefore Abraham was not justified by works before God but Faith was imputed to him for righteousness or the Blessing promised in Christ to come received through Faith by Abraham was imputed to him for righteousness Vers. 6. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputed righteousness without works 7. Saying Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered 8. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin Reason 5. David testifies Psalm 32.12 that Blessedness is given to him to whom Righteousness is imputed without works and whose righteousness consists not in good works but in the forgiveness of sins therefore such was
Conversion and Salvation of so many men should bee ascribed to the virtue of the Apostle that it should bee wholly ascribed unto God for by so much the more the Power of God is conspicuous in great works by how much the weakness of the Instrument more evidently appeareth Vers. 8. Wee are troubled â—n every side yet not distressed wee are perplexed but not in dispair 9. Persecuted but not forsaken cast down but not destroyed Hee answers 3. That all his afflictions are moderated and hee himself is upheld by God in all things that hee is not destitute of the help of God doth not sink under his burthen that hee doth not forsake God nor dispair is not forsaken of God not left or lost Therefore it matters nothing how weak he is in himself Wee are afflicted hee saith yet not distressed i. e. on every side wee are troubled with adversity but wee are not brought into such streights as to bee over-whelmed but wee are preserved by the help of God in the midst of afflictions Wee are perplexed but not in despair i. e. wee doubt sometimes what may bee done in the dangers of this life but wee are not so destitute that wee are void of all counsel Wee are persecuted but not forsaken i. e. God permits us to bee vexed and evil intreated by the enemies of the Gospel but hee neither permits us to bee slain before the time by him determined neither doth hee withdraw his consolations from us Wee are cast down but not destroyed that is wee sometimes seem presently ready to perish but God helping us wee are kept from perishing Vers. 10. Alwayes bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Iesus that the life also of Iesus might bee made manifest in our body Hee answers 4. That his afflictions make for the glory of Christ because the Image of Christ suffering and dying may bee seen in them and that the virtue and strength of Christ living may appear in supporting him under so many afflictions Therefore it matters not how weak hee may bee in himself Vers. 11. For wee which live are alway delivered unto death for Iesus sake that the Life also of Iesus might bee manifest in our mortal flesh Hee confirms this from hence that the Apostles who lived in the midst of troubles by the strength of Christs Spirit for the cause of Christ daily undergo danger that the quickning Virtue of Christ may more and more appear in sustaining their fleshly infirmities obnoxious to that miserable condition Vers. 12. So then death worketh in us but life in you Object 2. But not necessarily because thou art the Servant of Christ therefore thou shouldest bee also miserable and contemned For wee Corinthians are Christians and yet wee live more prosperously Hee answers four manner of wayes 1. By granting it to bee so yet by the Wisdome of God it comes to pass that in some stronger Christians as the Apostles the Image of Christ dying might rather appear at least to the world But in others as the weaker Corinthians the efficacy of Christs Life supporting them under extreme afflictions might bee more apparent to the world Vers. 13. Wee having the same spirit of Faith according as it is written I believed and therefore have I spoken wee also believe and therefore speak 14. Knowing that hee which raised up the Lord Iesus shall raise up us also by Iesus and present us with you Hee answers 2. Although the Apostles may bee afflicted more than the Corinthians yet there is the same Spirit of Faith both in them and in the Corinthians by which Faith believing with David Psalm 116. ver 10. The Apostle dare promise to himself together with the Corinthians a glorious Resurrection although now hee is more pressed under the Cross than they Vers. 15. For all things are for your sake that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God Hee answers 3. That hee was afflicted for their consolation and confirmation as also that from his afflictions and deliverances occasion of praying and suffering together with the Apostles might not onely bee given to the Corinthians But also occasion of thanksgiving with them for their eminent deliverances from trouble which God forthwith granted to him with the rest of the Apostles and was about to grant Vers. 16. For which cause wee faint not but though our outward man perish yet the inward man is renewed day by day Hee answers 4. That hee was not tyred nor wearied by his afflictions whereof hee subjoyns three Reasons Reason 1. Because as much as was diminished of those goods that made for the maintaining the State of this present life so much was added to his holiness for the increasing of his spiritual life Vers. 17. For our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory Reason 2. Because it did procure an unspeakable weight of glory to the promoting of which afflictions help as instruments and means both of mortification and glorification so that no afflictions are to bee accounted of yea truly the lightness of afflictions which is but for a moment clearly vanisheth and becomes as nothing in comparison with future glory Vers. 18. While wee look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal Reason 3. Why hee doth not wax faint is Because saith hee by Faith I look at things eternal and invisible by reason of which I despise all temporal and visible i. e. both Riches Honours and Profits c. I do not look at because those are onely durable for a time but I have my mind intent upon those good and eternal things which God hath promised Therefore I do not weigh the loss of temporal things by all which the Apostle confirmeth the Corinthians lest they should bee offended at his afflictions CHAP. V. HEE goes on to shew more fully his faithfulness in the Ministery by mentioning seven impellent causes whereby hee was moved to faithfulness in the discharge of his duty Vers. 1. For wee know that if our earthly house of this Tabernacle were dissolved wee have a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the heavens The first impellent cause to faithfulness in the Ministery is his certain confidence of a blessed immortality which after death remains for him and all the rest of the faithful Ministers of Christ of which felicity also the body shall bee partaker in the Resurrection I am perswaded saith hee that after the dissolution of this my frail body I shall continually injoy felicity of soul and the glorious immortality of a raised body why should not I therefore bee faithful so long as I dwell in this mortal body Vers. 2. For in this wee groan earnestly desiring to bee cloathed upon with our house which is from Heaven
do The Second Part. Vers. 12. Not as though I had already attaianed either were already perfect but I follow after if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Iesus The second part of the Chapter follows wherein the Apostle exhorts them that imitating himself and other faithful Ministers they would make proficiency in holiness to which end hee useth seven Arguments And in this place hee proposeth himself for an example to them by removing an objection Some one might say O blessed Paul who hath renounced all things that hee might know Christ and gain him and who is now made so conformable to Christ that there is nothing wanting to him but the reward of immortality Hee answers that this is not the meaning of his words as if hee should have said I do not speak this as if I had attained the perfection of Holiness or were already perfected but I follow after the prize of perfection Whence Argum. 1. I am not absolute or compleat in happiness but I follow after perfection Therefore yee that are likewise imperfect should do the same thing that I do That I may apprehend Argum. 2. I am apprehended by Christ in effectual vocation to this very end that being converted I may profit in Faith and Holiness until I bee compleated and to this end I follow after this mark that I may apprehend it Therefore you also should do as I do Vers. 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 price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus 15. Let us therefore as many as bee perfect bee thus minded and if in any thing yee bee otherwise minded God shall reveal even this unto you Argum. 3. Out of a sense of my imperfection in holiness I do not regard or call to mind the progress which I have already made but with as much eagerness as I can I run the race which is set before mee that I may at length attain the prize in the end of this life and the reward of life eternal to which God from above hath called mee in Christ All yee therefore even who are full grown and who have hitherto made or think that yee have made the greatest proficiencies whether with others or your selves do yee think and indeavour the same thing that I do that is having forsaken all carnal confidence glorying in Christs Righteousness alone by virtue of him seek after proficiency in holiness that yee may at length come unto the blessed resurrection And if in any Argum. 4. If yee being seduced by false Apostles think otherwise of Christian perfection I hope God who converted you unto the Faith of the Gospel will also reveal this truth unto you and either will cause that yee may bee of my opinion touching the Righteousness of Christ and his virtue for your encrease in Holiness or else will manifest unto you how dangerous and evil it is for you to take up another opinion different from my Doctrine Therefore you c. Vers 16. Nevertheless whereto wee have already attained let us walk by the same Rule let us mind the same thing Hee limits his hope touching the saving revelation of the truth whereupon hee speaks unto those that are desirous of truth and peace inciting them by a special exhortation to constancy and agreement in that truth wherein they did already agree touching grace and salvation by Christ according to the Rule of Scripture not daring to hope well of any but such as followed that Rule as if hee had said Let us who are lovers of Truth and Peace and who embrace the Scripture as the onely rule of saving Truth persevere in that which by Gods goodness wee have attained unto and walking according to this Rule let us bee of the same mind but let us leave the rest to God and his Discipline which is set down in Scripture Vers. 17. Brethren bee yee followers together of mee and mark them which walk so as yee have us for an ensample Argum. 5. Besides mee you have other servants of God which tread the same way that I do in the matter of doctrine and conversation who teach nothing but Faith in Christ and holiness to bee obtained by him Therefore follow yee those examples Vers. 18. For many walk of whom I have told you often and now tell you even weeping that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ Argum. 6. There are many Teachers false Apostles and false Brethren who are enemies to the Cross of Christ that is who teach that sins may bee expiated and men saved otherwise than by the Cross of Christ alone and who will not profess the truth of Christ where there is any danger of the Cross or of persecution Therefore do yee the more diligently observe and imitate the manner of my doctrine and life and of other such Pastors like mee Told you often Hee confirms this Argument touching their shunning of Impostors who did draw men from the Righteousness and Holiness which is by the Cross of Christ with seven Reasons Reas. 1. Because this is not the first time But I have often formerly fore-warned you of the comming of these vile fellows Weeping Reas. 2. Because now weeping I advise you to beware of them seriously grieving that such men have crept into the Church and are received by some for true Teachers Enemies Reas. 3. Because they are Christs enemies in this very thing that they are enemies to the virtue of Christs sufferings and who will not bear the Cross of Christ for the defence of the Truth Vers. 19. Whose end is destruction whose God is their belly and whose glory is in their shame who mind earthly things Whose end Reas. 4. Because those Impostors shall perish and as many as follow their waies Therefore shun them Belly Reas. 5. Because they are servants and lovers of their own belly that is they care neither for God nor the salvation of men but onely their own gluttony and pleasures Glory Reas. 6. Because that glory which they seek among men by their riches prosperity and carnal prerogatives shall bee their disgrace Earthly things Reas. 7. Because they onely savour earthly things as riches honours friends gluttony pleasures and such like Therefore yee that desire a spiritual and heavenly life must shun them Vers. 20. For our conversation is in Heaven from whence also wee look for the Saviour the Lord Iesus Christ Argum. 7. Our condition is very heavenly who trusting onely in the grace and virtue of Christ strive for proficiency in holiness Wee are true Inhabitants of Heaven and therein wee are conversant in mind and affection where wee shall sometime bee glorified Therefore follow our example But the happiness of true Beleevers is declared in these four things 1 That wee have right unto the heavenly
lot it is not obtained by any humane merit but by free election and once given it is not taken away 5 It is called the Inheritance of Saints because by that wee shall have society with the Saints alone whose communion makes the Inheritance more delightful to us 6 This Inheritance consisteth in the most perfect light viz. of Knowledge Holiness Joy Glory immortal and eternal life Vers. 13. Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness and hath translated us into the Kingdome of his dear Son The 2. Reas. Of his thanksgiving explaineth the former because the Father hath delivered us from the power of darkness and hath translated us into the Kingdome of the Son of his love This benefit is commended to us by these four things 1 Because power is used to our perverse nature and the power of Satan by whom wee are kept bound from whence God by force hath delivered us 2 Because hee hath delivered us from the darkness of ignorance sin and misery 3 because hee hath not suffered us being delivered to wander and erre without a King and defender without governance and society but hath translated us into a better Kingdome i. e. the Kingdome of Light Knowledge Sanctity and spiritual life where wee may safely and securely inhabit that wee fall not back or bee brought again into darkness 4 Because the Kingdome into which wee are translated is the Kingdome of his Son a Kingdome most pleasant to God wherein the Son of God the Son of his love ruleth and reigneth whom the Father intimately loves and doth represent himself a Father in his love towards us whose Kingdome and all things are most beloved by God yea in whose Kingdome all subjects are beloved Sons Vers. 14. In whom wee have redemption through his blood even the forgiveness of sins The 3. Reason of his thanksgiving is the benefit of his liberty from the revenging Justice of God this benefit more especially appears in these five things 1 Wee are not onely kept by force in the power of darkness that wee might bee delivered from thence a greater strength was required but also wee were captives to the Law and Righteousness from whence without a price paid wee cannot bee freed and where that price is already paid there is made already a lawful redemption 2 Wee have this our redemption made by the consent of parties upon the best right 3 Wee have the same redemption in the person of the Son who is our Advocate and hee who keepeth us and all ours 4 Wee have that by the blood of the Son who existing in the image of God i. e. true God hath taken upon him our nature and in that made obedient unto the death of the Cross hath paid the price of Redemption for us 5 This Redemption is free in respect of us who have paid nothing and yet obtain the remission of sins and consequently also free liberty from wrath and death which follow upon sin Vers. 15. Who is the Image of the invisible God the first born of every Creature The 4. Reason of his thanksgiving shewing the solidity of the foundation of Redemption in the description of the excellency of Christ the Redeemer of which description there are twelve Articles The Image Artic. 1. Christ is the most perfect Image of the invisible God not onely because hee is the substantial Character of the Fathers person substantially representing the Father that so the Father cannot bee beholden unless in the Son and brightness of him but also because the incarnate Son hath represented to the world in word and deed in sanctity power and mercy the Fathers Nature Will and Goodness The first born Artic. 2. Christ is the first born of every Creature i. e. begotten from eternity before every Creature and because of his eternal Generation of the Father hee is the Lord of all Creatures by right as the first born in the Law is Lord of his Brethren and the Family Vers. 16. For â—y him were all things created that are in Heaven and that are in Earth visible and invisible whether they bee thrones or dominions or principalities or powers all things were created by him and for him Artic. 3. Illustrating the former Christ is the efficient cause or the Creator of all Creatures For by him were all things created hee amplifies this Article by a threefold distribution of the Creatures 1 From the place wherein they are in Heaven and in Earth 2 From their nature into visible and invisible 3 From the division of Angels both from their dignity office and honourable names From which the glory of Christ appeareth who hath created all From him Artic. 4. Christ is the end of all for whom and for whose glory all things were created For all things whatsoever and of what sort soever were created all these were created for the glory of Christ God-man hee is the beginning and end of all to whose glory it is necessary all things whatsoever in their manner should be serviceable as the means to the end Vers. 17. And hee is before all things and by him all things consist Artic. 5. Christ is eternal because hee in himself was before all Creatures neither is hee any thing changed by the Creatures as to his subsistence By him Artic. 6. Christ is not onely the Creatour but is the preserver and conserver of all Vers. 18. And hee is the head of the body the Church who is the beginning the first born from the dead that in all things hee might have the preheminence Artic. 7. Christ is the Head of the Church i. e. of his body from whence the vital spirits sense and spiritual motion floweth through all the members who both governeth and defendeth all of them The beginning Artic. 8. Christ is the beginning fountain and spring of the Church viz. that new Adam the root and principle of the regeneration of the Saints by whose virtue all Saints are begotten The first born Artic. 9. Christ is the first born from the dead and the first fruits of them that slept because hee alone hath risen by his own strength and is the cause of the resurrection of the dead to life everlasting That in Artic. 10. Hee hath the preheminence in all and ought to have amongst Angels and men amongst the living and dead And this is the end of the former degrees of the excellency of Christ. Vers. 19. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell Artic. 11. Confirming the preheminence of Christ and the dignity of his preheminence because from the good Will of God not onely the fulness of the gifts of the Spirit dwell in the Man Christ but also the God-head it self most fully comprehending all fulness Vers. 20. And having made Peace through the blood of his cross by him to reconcile all things unto himself by him I say whether they bee things in Earth or things in Heaven Artic. 12. Christ by the good will and purpose of
hardness as a good souldier of Iesus Christ. Branch 3. That hee neither fear nor flye from the pains which was required to this double work nor the afflictions or persecutions that followed it but receive and bear them with a good courage As a souldier The Arguments of the Exhortation or Admonition are eleven all which prove that hee ought valiantly to manage his warfare in the Ministry of the Gospel Arg. 1. Because thou are a souldier of Jesus Christ to whom as to thy General thou hast bound thy self by a Military oath And it becomes a Christian souldier to follow the example of Christ not fiercely to strive against his Adversaries but patiently inuring himself to the Cross and in the carrying on of his work contending with difficulties to proceed forwards Therefore thou oughtest to behave thy self couragiously in managing thy warfare in the Ministry of the Gospel Vers. 4. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life that hee may please him who hath chosen him to bee a Souldier Arg. 2. Propounded by way of comparison because otherwise thou canst not please thy General Christ unless setting aside all thy occasions that might call thee away from the work of Christ thou addict thy self wholly to his service Therefore c. Vers. 5. And if a man also strive for masteries yet is hee not crowned except hee strive lawfully Arg. 3. Propounded by way of comparison to the sports and noble striving which were amongst the Heathen because thou canst not bee crowned if wearied in the first onset thou retreat out of the field to rest and ease but it behoves thee to strive lawfully and to prosecute the contention so far as the Law prescribes i. e. persevere so long as thou livest in this Christian warfare that aâ— length thou mayest bee crowned Conquerour Therefore c. Vers. 6. The Husbandman that laboureth must bee first partaker of the fruits Arg. 4. Propounded by way of similitude as the former Because it is necessary that thou first labour if thou wilt receive fruit which as an Husbandman without doubt thou shalt reap if thou followest thy work with a good courage Therefore c. Vers. 7. Consider what I say and the Lord give thee understanding in all things That Timothy may gather and conceive more by these similitudes than could bee set down or need to bee explained hee leaves the applications of these similitudes to Timothy and further prayes unto God that hee would open his eyes to see those lessons which here and otherwhere hee might learn for the discharging of his duty for these comparisons were weaker than to reach the excellency of the Christian warfare and the reward of those that labour in the Ministry Vers. 8. Remember that Iesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my Gospel Arg. 5. Because Christ the General and Captain of the Army hath conquered all adverse power and death it self by the vertue of his Deity rising again from the dead for us in the same flesh which hee assumed from the Seed of David as I have preached Therefore O Timothy thou mayest hope to bee delivered from all evills and from death it self by the power of Christ very God and very man To which end also hee commands Timothy to remember and keep in minde this Doctrine because this is the chief foundation of faith hope and Christian consolation Vers. 9. Wherein I suffer trouble as an evil doer even unto bonds but the word of God is not bound Arg. 6. From the example of Paul himself I suffer bonds and disgrace willingly in the work of the Ministry Therefore do thou prepare thy self to suffer the like But the word Arg. 7. All the endeavour of the Adversaries of the Gospel comes to nothing while they persecute us the servants of Christ even unto bonds because although they may overcome us professours of the Gospel yet they overcome not nor doth the Gospel suffer bonds or is it hindred in its course Therefore let us confidently carry on our warfare Vers. 10. Therefore I indure all things for the Elects sake that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Iesus with eternal glory Arg. 8. The Elect of God are worthy for whose edification and confirmation in the faith to eternal salvation purchased by Christ wee who are the Ministers of Christ suffer all kindes of evills Therefore c. Vers. 11. It is a faithful saying For if wee bee dead with him wee shall also live with him 12. If wee suffer wee also shall reign with him if wee deny him hee will also deny us Arg. 9. Although the flesh hardly admits this saying yet certain it is That our communion with Christs death in induring the Cross is annexed to our communion with the life of Christ And certain it is that they shall reign with Christ who suffer with or for him Therefore must wee bee of good courage in our warfare that wee may live and reign with Christ. If wee Arg. 10. Whosoever being deceived by the terrours of persecution and the allurements of the world cast off the profession of the Name of Christ shall also bee cast off by Christ and perish Therefore c. Vers. 13. If wee beleeve not yet hee abideth faithful hee cannot deny himself Arg. 11. They that are unfaithful although they bring destruction upon themselves yet they shall detract nothing from the truth or glory of Christ who will defend his truth against the power of Adversaries and the perfidiousness of Apostates and will establish whatever hee hath said for his servants and against their enemies Therefore c. Vers. 14. Of these things put them in remembrance charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit but to the subverting of the hearers Admon 2. That Timothy do not onely inforce the things that are spoken but also take care that the word of God bee wisely handled both by others and himself also for example unto others There are three Branches of this Admonition Branch 1. That in the Name and Authority of Christ hee refrain unprofitable disputations such as theirs use to bee who seek after applause for their accuteness in their Sophistry Unprofitable The Reasons of this Branch are two Reas. 1. Because such contentions produce no profit at all Subverting Reas. 2. Because the faith of some is overthrown who lose the truth in wranglings or giving heed to perplexed disputations Vers. 15. Study to shew thy self approved unto God a workman that needeth not to bee ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth Branch 2. That hee shew himself an example in a prudent administration of the word of God studying to approve himself to God when others look after publick applause shewing himself a faithful workman when others boast themselves as vain disputers Alwayes doing his endeavour that he neither do nor speak any thing unbecoming whereof he may be ashamed in the
Himself to bee made an High-Priest But hee that said unto Him Thou art My Son to day have I begotten Thee 1. Our Lord is commended for not glorifying himself by intrusion in his Office Then 1. Such as pretend to bee Christs Servants must beware to intrude themselves into any Office and must attend as Christ did Gods Calling to Gods Employment 2. Hee that usurpeth a Calling doth glorifie himself and taketh the honour that is not given him for which hee must give a Reckoning 2. Thou art My Son this day have I begotten Thee doth import by the Apostles alledging not onely Christs God-head and Declaration to be Gods Son but also the Declaration of him To be High-Priest in his Man-head taken out from amongst men So deep are the Consequences of Scripture when the Spirit bringeth forth his own Mind from it Vers. 6. As hee saith also in another place Thou art a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchisedec Hee alledgeth another place more clear Then Howbeit Truth may bee proved from one place yet it is needful also for the â—earers cause to alledge more places till the hearer bee convinced Vers. 7. Who in the daies of his flesh when hee had offered up Prayers and Supplications with strong Crying and Tears unto him that was able to save him from Death and was heard in that hee feared Having proved Christs Office hee sheweth his Exercise of it in offering for our sins a more precious Oblation than the typical Even himself with Tears to Death In these words Then Christ is pointed out unto us 1. An High-Priest taken from amongst men a very true Man of our substance Flesh of our flesh 2. A Man subject to the sinless infirmities of our nature as Grief Fear Mourning Death 3. Having a set-time during which hee was to bear these our infirmities in the daies of his flesh 4. Exercising his Priestly Office in these his daies and offering his precious Tears and Cryes yea his life for us 5. One who howsoever Fear was upon his holy Nature yet knew hee should bee delivered from death 6. Who as a man in confidence of delivery made prayers to the Father 7. Whose prayers are not refused but accepted and heard on our behalf 8. And that these his sufferings were ended with the daies of his humiliation 1. These Acts of Fear and Tears c. are the proper Acts of his humane nature Then 1. As the Divine Nature had its own Acts proper to it self so had the humane Nature acts proper to it self also and some acts were common to both the Natures So of Christs acts some are Divine some Humane some are both Divine and Humane 2. As Man hee was unable to bear our burthen or to help himself and therefore behoved to have the help of the God-head 3. Albeit hee was God in his own person yet as Man hee behoved to take our room and place and pray for assistance both as surety for us and teacher of us To give us example how to behave our selves in straights 2. Hee feared death and offered Prayers and Tears and strong cries Because not onely death temporal presented it self before him but which was much more the curse of the Law the Fathers wrath for sin duly deserved by us was set in a Cup to his head which should have swallowed him up for ever if hee had not by the worthiness of his person overcome it and turned the eternal wrath and curse due unto us into a temporal equivalent to himself Then 1. The sense of Gods wrath whom will it not terrifie since it wrought so on Christ And Nature cannot chuse but fear when sense feeleth wrath 2. Felt wrath seemeth to threaten yet more and worse and therefore beside feeling doth breed yet further fear 3. The curse of God due to our sins virtually implying the deserved pains of Hell is more terrible than can bee told and such as the Creature cannot chuse but fear and abhor 4. Christs sufferings were no phantasie but very earnest vehement and terrible 5. No weapon nor Buckler against wrath but flying to God by supplication and crying and tears 3. Hee prayed to him that was able to save him and was heard Then 1. Albeit sense of wrath seeth no out-gate but black fears are alwaies before it yet Faith looking to Gods omnipotency seeth an out-gate 2. Christs prayers in our behalf receive no repulse but are heard 3. Christ both died and was saved from death also because it could not keep Dominion over him So shall wee bee saved from death though wee die Vers. 8. Though hee were a Son yet learned hee obedience by the things which hee suffered Hee removeth the scandal of his Cross by shewing the necessity and use thereof Albeit hee was the Son yet hee learned obedience by those things which hee suffered Then 1. In the time of Christs deepest humiliation the union betwixt his God-head and Man-head was not loosed hee remained the Son of God still 2. The excellency of his person exempted him not from suffering having once taken on our debt 3. Christ knew what suffering was before hee suffered but hee knew not by experience till hee actually suffered 4. Christs holy life was a part of his obedience to the Father but his obedience in suffering for our sins was obedience in an higher degree 5. To obey God by way of action is a common lesson to every holy creature but that a sinless and holy person should suffer for sin was a new lesson proper to Christ a practick which never passed but in Christs person onely Vers. 9. And being made perfect hee became the Author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him 1. The suffering of Christ is called his Perfection Then 1. Christ though perfect in his person yet hee wanted something to make him perfect in his Office till hee suffered for hee could not satisfie the Fathers justice till hee suffered nor yet could hee have fellow-feeling from experience of the miseries of his members 2. After suffering Christ lacketh nothing that may pacifie God or comfort and save sinners 2. The fruit followeth Being perfected hee is become the Author of salvation to all that obey him Then 1. The proper cause of our salvation is to bee sought in Christ perfected by suffering not in any one part of his holiness or obedience in doing or any part of his suffering but in him perfected by his obedience even to the death of the Cross. Wee may take comfort from and make use of his holy conception life and several virtues but wee must remember that his accomplished obedience in doing and suffering is our ransome joyntly considered and not any particular act looked on alone 2. None should stumble at Christs sufferings which perfected him in his Office and likewise perfected our ransome to the Father 3. Christ felt the bitterness of his own sufferings himself but wee got the sweet fruit thereof even eternal life 4. Onely they
repeated But Christs entry into Heaven to be perfect because but once not to be repeated 3. The Levitical Priests entred by the blood of Goats and Calves But Christ entred by his own blood 1. And if Christ entred but once into Heaven after his Suffering Then Wee must not think that his Body is any where else but in Heaven onely wherein it is once onely entred 2. If the blood whereby Christ entred into Heaven was his own blood Then 1. Verily Christs Body was like ours in substance having blood in it as ours and wee must not conceive otherwise of his body than to be of the same substance and substantial properties with ours 2. The blood belonged to the same person to whom the properties of God belongeth so often in this Epistle attributed unto Christ. His Blood was the blood of God Act. 20.28 That is the same Jesus was God and man with flesh and blood in one person 3. The Fruit of Christs bloody Sacrifice hee maketh The Eternal Redemption of those for whom hee offered it And to the typical Sacrifice hee ascribeth no redemption at all in the comparison Thereby giving us to understand 1. That from the worlds beginning to the end thereof salvation of sinners is by way of Christs Redemption That is by his loosing them through payment of a price 2. That the Redemption was manifested to have force when after his bloody Sacrifice hee entred into Heaven 3. That such as are once redeemed by Christ are Eternally Redeemed not for a time to fall away again but eternally to be saved most certainly Vers. 13. For if the blood of Bulls and of Goats and the Ashes of an Heifer sprinkling the unclean sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh Vers. 14. How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the Eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your consciences from dead works to serve the living God To prove that eternal Redemption is the fruit of Christs Sacrifice he reasoneth thus If the Typical Sacrifices and Rites of old were able to work that for which they were ordained that is external Sanctification Much more shall Christs true Sacrifice be able to work that for which it was appointed that is Eternal Remission of sins and inward Sanctification unto eternal life Then there are two sorts of Sanctification One external of the flesh which maketh a man holy to the Church whatsoever he be within Another internal of the conscience and inner man which maketh a man holy before God 2. The purifying of the flesh he maketh to be by the exercise of such and such Ordinances of Divine Service for the time Then External or Church-holiness of the outward man is procured by such and such exercises of Divine Ordinances in the Church as serve to make a man to be reputed and holden for clean before men and so to be received for a member of the Church as is to be seen Numb 19. 3. From his form of reasoning we learn That whatsoever liberty and access of coming to the Church was made to the Jew of old by these ceremonies of the Law as much and more liberty is made to the Christian to come in to God by the blood of Christ. 4. In describing Christs Sacrifice he saith Christ through the Eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God Then 1. Christ is both the Sacrifice and the Priest in one person He offered himself as man through the Eternal Spirit that is by the vertue and power of his own Godhead by which he preached before his Incarnation to sinners 1 Pet. 3.19 2. His sacrifice was without spot He was that spotless Lamb in whom was no sin nor imperfection nor defect of any thing that the sacrifice required 3. The vertue of the sacrifice which made it to purchase Eternal Redemption unto us floweth from the infinite worth of his Eternal Godhead 4. Albeit Christs two natures have their distinct respects in the actions of his Office yet Christ is one and undivided in the execution of his Office 5. The fruit and force of the sacrifice is set down in this that this Blood shall purge our conscience from dead works to serve the living God That is shall both absolve a man from his foregon sin and also enable him to serve God for time to come Then 1. Sins are but dead works flowing from nature dead in sin and not onely deserving but also drawing on death upon the sinner 2. The conscience lieth polluted with the filthiness of dead works till the vertue of the blood of Jesus applied bring intimation of absolution 3. Christs blood doth not purge the Conscience from dead works that a man should go wallow in them again but that he may serve the living God more acceptably 4. The purging vertue of Christs blood is joyned with the sanctifying and renewing of the absolved sinner and what God hath conjoyned let no man put asunder Vers. 15. And for this cause he is the Mediator of the New Testament that by means of death for the redemption of the transgressions which were under the first Testament they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance Now lest any man should stumble at Christs death he sheweth a necessity thereof in respect of his office of Mediation and the purchase to be made by his Redemption The force of the reason is this Remission of sins could not have been given under the Law except the Mediator had been to pay the price of the same under the Gospel Nor could the faithful and called ones either then or now obtain eternal life for an inheritance otherwise than by the Mediators death Therefore it behoved the true Mediator by means of death to pay the promised price of the purchase of remission of sins and eternal life Then 1. The remission of transgressions and the inheritance of eternal life are both fruits of Christs Passion 2. The fruits of his Passion extended themselves unto them who were under the Old Testament as well as unto us under the New 3. The way of purchase of these benefits was by Redemption that is to say by lawful purchase such as might satisfie justice 4. The way in special was by means of the Mediators death His life was laid down to redeem ours His one life as good as all ours 5. For this cause Christ took the office of a Mediator unto himself that he might have right and interest by death to make this purchase 6. And therefore except he had really died the purchase could not have been lawfully made Vers. 16. For where a Testament is there must also of necessity be the death of the Testator Another reason to prove the necessity of Christs death from the force of the word Covenant which signifieth also a Testament The force of the reason is this Christ Jer. 31.31 promised to make a New Covenant and therefore also a New Testament iâ— to make a New Testament then also he promised
to dye The Articles of the Covenant also evinceth it to be a Testament and the promiser bound to make his word good and so to dye For Jer. 31. the Lord Christ promiseth to reconcile his people to God to take away their sins and to be their God Iustice required satisfaction of them before they could be reconciled Satisfaction they could not make themselves therefore he who promised to make the Reconciliation with God was bound to make the satisfaction for them to God and if satisfaction for them then to undergo the curse of the Law for them and so to dye Then 1. The New Covenant is of the nature of a Testament and the benefits promised therein to wit Remission of sins Reconciliation Sanctification and Life Eternal are Legacies freely left unto us by our Defunct Lord who was dead and is alive to execute his own will for evermore The Scripture is the instrument and evidence the Apostles Notaries the Sacraments are seals witnesses from Heaven the Father the Word and the Spirit witnesses on earth the Water the Blood and the Spirit 2. Christ Jesus is both the maker of the Covenant which is in Ier. 31. and the Mediator thereof also the Testator and Executor of that blessed Testament 3. Christs death was concluded and resolved upon and intimated before he came into the world Vers. 17. For a Testament is of force after men are dead otherwise it is of no strength at all whilest the Testator liveth He cleareth his reasoning from the nature of Testaments amongst men which not before but after a mans death have force But here it may be objected How can this be seeing by vertue of the testament of Christ benefits not a few were bestowed upon the Church before his death from the beginning of the world not onely Remission of sins and Eternal Life but also many graces and blessings in this life both bodily and spiritual I answer Albeit Christs death was not accomplished in act till of late yet for the certainty of his death to follow and the unchangeableness of his minde towards his Church before his death he was reckoned both with God and the Church for dead and the promise of laying down his life for his people accepted for the time as if it had been performed For which cause he is called Rev. 13.8 The Lamb slain from the beginning of the world And Christ was still represented as a slain man in all these Sacrifices which the Apostle pointeth at as meeting this doubt in the next words which follow hereafter Vers. 18. Vers. 18. Whereupon neither the first Testament was dedicated without blood He proveth the necessity of Christs death yet farther Under the Law his bloodshed was represented by types of bloody Sacrifices therefore it behoved those types to be answered by his real bloodshed and death Then 1. What the types of the Law did signifie Christ behoved to accomplish in verity 2. The Old Church was taught that by vertue of the blood signified by these types the Covenant stood betwixt God and them Vers. 19. For when Moses had spoken every Precept to all the people according to the Law he took the blood of Calves and of Goats with Water and Scarlet Wooll and Hyssope and sprinkled both the book and all the people 20. Saying This is the blood of the Testament which God hath enjoyned unto you 21. Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the Tabernacle and all the Vessels of the Ministery From Moses example we learn 1. That the Lords Word should be manifested to all the people and none of them debarred from taking knowledge thereof 2. That the Word must be spoken plainly with a distinct voyce in the common Language and not muttered in an unknown Tongue 3. That with the use of holy Rites appointed of God the Preaching of Gods Word should be joyned to shew the Institution and force of Gods Ordinances to his people 2. In that the Book and the People and Instruments of Service were all to be sprinkled we learn That every thing which we touch or meddle with or make use of is unclean unto us were it never so holy in it self except the Blood of Jesus make it clean unto us and cleanse us in the using of it Vers. 22. And almost all things are by the Law purged with blood and without shedding of blood is no remission He saith Almost because of some purging which was done by washing and yet even that washing also drew the Vertue of Ceremonial purging from the Sacrifice whereunto the washing was annexed 2. In saying Without shedding of blood there is no remission of sins he teacheth us That wheresoever a sacrifice is offered for obtaining remission of sin there shedding of blood must really be and where an unbloody sacrifice is pretended to be offered for obtaining remission it serveth not the purpose because Without shedding of blood there is no remission Either therefore must such as pretend to offer Christ for obtaining the remission of sin grant that Christ is daily murthered by them and his blood shed anew in their pretended Offering or else that by their Offering no new Remission is purchased But the truth is Christs Blood is once shed and never to be shed again and that once Offering and Blood shedding is sufficient for everlasting remission without any new Offering of him again Vers. 23. It was therefore necessary that the Patterns of things in the Heavens should be purified with these but the Heavenly things themselves with better Sacrifices than these Another reason of the necessity of Christs death in force thus much If things figuratively holy behoved to be cleansed with the Typical Blood of Beasts Then things truly holy behoved to be cleansed with better blood even the blood of the Messias Hence we learn 1. That for the significations cause God would not have the Tabernacle nor any Instrument of Service about it to â—e esteemed holy till blood was shed to sprinkle it That it might be known thereby that without the shedding of Christs blood he would not accept of any thing from us as holy 2. That the blood of Beasts was sufficient to make representation but better blood even the Blood of the Messiah behoved to be shed to give the truth of the signification For as far as Heaven is above the earthly sanctuary and mens souls above the vessels thereof so far better behoved to be that blood which made souls acceptable to God and to get entrance into heaven than the blood of Levitical sacrifices was Vers. 24. For Christ is not entred into the Holy Places made with hands which are the figures of the true but into Heaven it self now to appear in the presence of God for us He cleareth the matter how Christ hath offered a better Sacrifice than the Levitical yea and behoved to offer a better because he is entered into a better Sanctuary another man in another manner and to another end than the High Priest under
conscience which in every condition can inwardly give you a good testimony Therefore ought yee to follow after these virtues They may bee ashamed Argum. 8. By the following after these virtues yee will stop the mouthes of the enemies of the Gospel who lye in wait to defame you and speak ill of you as of evil doers Vers. 17. For it is better if the will of God be so that yee suffer for well doing than for evil doing Argum. 9. For it is far better that yee following after these virtues should be afflicted for well doing if the will of God be so than for doing evil For from hence arâ—sâ—s praise and commendation from the other judgement and disgrace Therefore yee ought to follow these virtues Veâ—s 18. For Christ also hath once suffered for sins the just for the unjust that hee might bring us to God being put to death in the flesh but quickened by the Spirit Argum. 10. Christ hath once suffered for the expiating of sins Therefore yee Beleevers being exempted from the punishment of sins are obliged if God will so have it to suffer troubles for the following of these virtues Iust Argum. 11. Christ being just and innocent hath suffered for us being unjust Therefore wee being beleevers who are not altogether innocent are bound for righteousness sake not to refuse the suffering of what God will have us suffer That he might bring us Argum. 12. Christ the just one hath suffered that hee might confirm us being justified and suffering afflictions to himself and bring us to God Therefore beleevers are bound to follow him in the pursute of virtue and patience of afflictions for weldoing Quickened Argum. 13. Seeing that the issue of Christs sufferings was happy because although he is dead by reason of the infirmity of our flesh yet he rose from the dead by the virtue and power of his Spirit or Deity ye beleevers suffering afflictions for Christ and his righteousness without doubt shall also obtain a joyfull issue out of your sufferings and death it self Therefore ye ought to follow after these virtues although for that cause yee bee afflicted Vers. 19. By which also hee went and preached unto the Spirits in prison 20. Which sometimes were disobedient when once the long suffering of God waited in the days of Noah while the Ark was a preparing wherein few that is eight souls were saved by water 21. The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us not the putting away of the filth of the flesh but the answer of a good conscience toward God by the resurrection of Iesus Christ. Argum. 14. The spirits or soules of those unbeleeving and disobedient men are now in prison or hell to which Christ by his spirit in times past by Noah the preacher of righteousness came and preached repentance and following after righteousness because in times past to wit in the time of Noah they were disobedient abusing Gods long suffering towards them whilst the Ark was preparing Therefore it is expedient for you Hebrews to obey this exhortation to the study of virtue lest yee bee involved in the same punishment Few Argum. 15. As those few soules which were in the Ark were saved in the deluge of waters by the Ark So all beleevers being baptized are preserved that they perish not in any afflictions by baptism which answers to the Type of the Ark Therefore yee that follow after righteousness ought to fear nothing although yee suffer for righteousness sake Not the filth of the flesh Hee explains this argument shewing that hee doth not understand the outward baptism which consists in the washing away of the filth of the body but the inward baptism which consists in the washing away of sins or the filthiness of the soul the sign and proper effect whereof is the engagement of a good conscience towards God or that confidence which a good conscience purged by Faith hath towards God by and through the resurrection of Christ. Hee also adds Argum. 16. Now yee are endued with that confidence which a good conscience purged by Faith hath towards God by and through the resurrection of Christ Therefore there is no cause that for the following after the Scriptures yee should fear afflictions Hee adds by the resurrection of Christ partly because in Christs resurrection was declared the sentence of God absolving us in Christ from sinne and death partly because Christ being raised from the dead hath powerfully perfected those things in and for beleevers which by his death hee merited and obtained for them Vers. 22. Who is gone into Heaven and is on the right hand of God Angels and Authorities and Powers being made subject unto him Argum. 17. Confirming the former and also the exhortation to the following after virtue although for that cause afflictions were born Christ the Author of our salvation is lifted up into Heaven to the highest glory of ruling over all things and obtain supream and everlasting power over all Creatures not any of the Angels excepted Therefore yee Beleevers ought strongly to prosecute the study of virtue against all dangers and terrours being assured of your salvation because you have such a Saviour in Heaven CHAP. IV. HEE here prosecutes the same Argument which hee handled in the former Chapter There are two parts of the Chapter in the first are contained Exhortations to holiness to vers 12. The other is consolatory against persecutions to the end The exhortations to holiness are six The first is more general to vers 7. the rest more especial Vers. 1. Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh arm your selves likewise with the same mind for hee that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin The Arguments to holiness in general are seven which that they may be the better conceived wee must maintain that Christ hanging on the Cross hath after four manner of waies acted in our behalf First That hee judicially representing us and bearing our person did bear the guilt of our sins and punishment due to them 2. That hee being a Surety for us did take upon himself the mortifying or crucifying of our old man by the virtue of his crucifixion 3. Hee set forth himself an efficacious example to us whereto wee might conform our selves in the denying our selves and renouncing all things which might hinder us in our progress towards Heaven 4. As a Surety Advocate Patron Father Husband Head and common person hee did binde us with many bonds to deaden us to sin and to use all means whereby that might be effected These presupposed the following Arguments more strongly binde Argum. 2. Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh and publickly acted in our behalf after those foresaid waies Therefore yee beleeving Hebrews ought to arm your selves with this meditation of Faith against all temptations that yee may dye to the lusts of the corrupt flesh Who hath suffered Argum. 2. Confirming the former from the judicial uniting of Beleevers
6. They who are united in the Faith of the Truth preached by us shall also be united with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ by virtue of the Holy Ghost Therefore c. Vers. 4. And these things write wee unto you that your joy may be full Reas. 7. The summe of our preaching which is written to you hath this end that yee being made certain of your election and glorification may have a true and spiritual joy and that your joy may remain and be perfected Therefore it is deservedly to be accounted the most excellent Vers. 5. This then is the message which wee have heard of him and declare unto you that God is light and in him is no darkness at all Reas. 8. The summe of our preaching is that God is light or a most present and perfect remedy against the evils of ignorance errours falshood vices and miseries which are in us and that God in himself is most free from these evils so that it is impossible for those that come unto him to be deceived not to be illuminated and directed not to be delivered from sins and misery and not to obtain eternal life Therefore it is necessary that my preaching and the rest of the Apostles should be excellent Vers. 6. If wee say that wee have fellowship with him and walk in darkness wee lye and do not the Truth The other part of the Chapter follows wherein hee propounds partly negatively and partly affirmatively the notes or signs of him that is a true Beleever who shall be partaker of the good things promised in the Gospel And the Notes are five Note 1. Is negatively propounded with his confirmation Hee that is a true beleever doth not walk in darkness is not given ever to sin leading his life according to the lusts of the flesh Because if any one profess himself to have communion with God who is light and holiness and in 〈◊〉 mean time walketh in the darkness of his sins hee is an hypocrite and a lyar seeing that hee doth not that which is right but that which hee professes with his mouth hee denies in his works Vers. 7. But if wee walk in the light as hee is in the light wee have fellowship one with another and the blood of Iesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin Note 2. Is propounded affirmatively Hee that walks in the light or hee that follows after holiness that hee may be conformable to God who is light and perfect holiness hee is a true beleever having communion truly with God and the Saints to whom the fruit also of Christs death to the remission of sins doth wholly belong Vers. 8. If wee say that wee have no sin wee deceive our selves and the truth is not in us Note 3. Is negative Hee that is a true Beleever is not so just in his own eies that hee denies that hee cannot sin either in word or deed or that hee hath not sinned after Justification or that hee as if hee could not want the daily intercession of Christ and the daily applying of his merit for the delivering of his conscience from new guilt is not touched with the sense of sin so that hee must forthwith flye unto Christ as his Redeemer For whosoever either in word or deed doth really so deny that hee hath sin in him for the present deceives himself and is an hypocrite in whom there is no sincerity Vers. 9. If we confess our sins hee is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness Note 4. Hee that is a true Beleever is so affected with the sense of his sins that hee acknowledgeth them before God and doth confess from his soul that hee deserves eternal death and that his guilt can no otherwise be expiated but by the merit of the blood of the Son of God and that hee cannot be sanctified but by the divine virtue of the Spirit of Christ or be free from the pollution of sin Faithful The Apostle promiseth to him that doth so confess his sins that upon the faithfulness and righteousness of God hee shall be absolved and purged from the guilt of sin or sanctified from the stain of it For God is faithful who hath promised these things and God is just who hath taken satisfaction from Christ the Surety hee doth not exact the debt from him for whom Christ hath satisfied but on the other side hee bestowes all the good things upon him that beleeves which Christ hath purchased for his salvation Vers. 10. If wee say that wee have not sinned wee make him a lyar and his word is not in us Note 5. Is negative Hee that is a true Beleever doth neither deny nor extenuate his sins past as if either with that Pharisee hee had performed all the commands of God from his youth or as if there was no original sin or as if it was not at all worthy of death Neither is hee impenitent as if the sins which hee had committed were light and venial which need not the expiation of the blood of Christ or as if there were not so much corruption in his nature but that by his free will hee might confide in his own strength to dispose himself for grace and merit it or at leastwise bee able to obtain it For hee that either so or by any other means directly or indirectly denies that hee hath not sinned and consequently denies that hee is not nor hath not been so guilty of death that hee needed such an expiation as the death of the Son of God is hee is a blasphemer against God accusing him of a lye who hath in his word condemned all as sinners and guilty of death and hath affirmed that there is no remission of sins but by the blood of his Son neither is the Word of God received by Faith at any time in his heart i. e. neither hath hee beleeved the Doctrine of the Law not yet of the Gospel CHAP. II. THe rest of the whole Epistle enforceth the use of the former Doctrine to which end five Exhortations are propounded The first to vers 9. The second to vers 15. The third to vers 18. The fourth to vers 29. The fifth to verse the last Vers. 1. My little Children these things write I unto you that yee sin not And if any man sin wee have an Advocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous The first Exhortation is to the following after holiness that they sin not The Reasons of the Exhortation besides a friendly compellation are eleven Reas. 1. Because this is the end and use of the Doctrine of the Gospel and the Apostles writing These things write I unto you that yee sin not saith hee Therefore follow yee holiness And if Reas. 2. If yee follow after holiness the sins which perhaps yee shall fall into shall bee taken away through the intercession of Christ Jesus our Advocate and Lord Therefore endeavour after holiness When hee names one
Advocate hee excludes all others for otherwise Christ was not simply our Advocate but one of our Advocates The Righteous Reas. 3. Confirming the former Christ our Advocate is righteous i. e. not onely meet to intercede for sinners by reason of the Righteousness of his person but also righteous in his office who requires nothing of the Father in our behalf but what is justly due to him interceding for us from the covenant and merit of his death Also hee is Righteous that hee might cover us with his imputed Righteousness And lastly hee is righteous who upon the Covenant of Redemption promotes us in the following after Righteousness and raises us up again when wee fall and at length perfectly makes us righteous or holy Therefore beleevers ought both to endeavour after holiness and if at any time they fall into sin to hope for the virtue of Christs intercession Vers. 2. And hee is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours onely but also for the sins of the whole world Reas. 4. Confirming the second reason The death and expiatory Sacrifice of Christ was offered not onely for us viz. elected out of the Jews and converted to the Faith of Christ but also for the sins of all the elect or redeemed in the world Therefore yee ought to beware of the evil of sin which cannot bee expiated unless by the death of Christ but if yee sin yee may confidently expect the virtue both of the rich expiation and intercession of Christ. Vers. 3. And hereby wee know that wee know him if wee keep his commandements Reas. 5. By endeavouring sincerely to keep the commandements of God as by a sure sign yee may know the truth of your Faith or that yee truly beleeve in God and love him sincerely Therefore follow yee after holiness or sin not Vers. 4. Hee that saith I know him and keepeth not his commandements is a lyer and the truth is not in him Reas. 6. Hee that professes that hee knows God i. e. that hee beleeves in him and loves him and doth not follow after holiness for according to the stile of the Gospel to endeavour sincerely after holiness is to keep the commandements is an hypocrite in whom there is no sincerity or truth of Faith Therefore endeavour after holiness Vers. 5. But who so keepeth his word in him verily is the love of God perfected hereby know wee that wee are in him Reas. 7. Hee that endeavours after holiness proves the sincerity of his love towards God which love is perfected or manifested to bee sincere from an endeavour of keeping the word of God and obeying it Therefore yee ought to endeavour after holiness Hereby Reas. 8. Hee that endeavours after holiness or not to sin or to keep the word of God hath an evidence of his communion with God and knows that hee dwells in Christ by Faith Therefore c. Vers. 6. Hee that saith hee abideth in him ought himself also to walk even as hee walked Reas. 9. Confirming the former whosoever professes that hee hath communion with Christ ought to endeavour after holiness or to imitate Christ in his life and conversation Therefore yee ought to endeavour after holiness Vers. 7. Brethren I write no new commandement unto you but an old commandement which yee had from the beginning the old commandement is the word which yee have heard from the beginning Reas. 10. I require no new duty from you when I urge you to follow after holiness or the observance of Gods commandements but I repeat an old commandement which yee have not onely heard from the beginning from Christ and his Ministers but yee have had it also commended to you out of the Law and Prophets Therefore endeavour after holiness Vers. 8. Again a new Commandement I write unto you which thing is true in him and in you because the darkness is past and the true light now shineth Reas. 11. This Commandement is not old in the oldness of the letter as in times past it was so long as you lived irregenerate under the Covenant of works when the Law did command and conferred no strength to perform but it is now in the newness of Spirit To the performing whereof Christ will administer new grace to you Therefore yee ought to follow after holiness Which What the New Covenant is hee expounds in the next words affirming that the command is new both in respect of Christ who quickens the Commandement and in respect of themselves who were now by regeneration made new Creatures i. e. to whom grace was administred and was furthermore to bee administred to obedience Because the darkness The reason is given to this sense Because yee are not under the Law but under Grace yee are not in a state of irregeneration but are renewed For the darkness of the Legal Covenant and the state of irregeneration are passed away and now Christ who brings life and grace with him and is the true light is risen as the Sun of Righteousness upon you that beleeve and hath both communicated the light and also the heat of life to you Therefore the commandement is new to you that yee ought to bee encouraged to follow after holiness with more alacrity Vers. 9. Hee that saith hee is in the light and hateth his Brother is in darkness even until now The second Exhortation drawing the former to the love of the Brethren The Arguments of the Exhortation are ten besides those two which are next recited and may also bee referred hither Argum. 1. Whosoever professeth himself to bee in the light or regenerate and hateth his Brother hee lies yet unregenerated in the darkness of ignorance and sin Therefore yee ought to endeavour after brotherly love Vers. 10. Hee that loveth his Brother abideth in the light and there is none occasion of stumbling in him Argum. 2. He that loves his Brother remains in the light and perseveres in the way of truth in part possessing the lot and condition of the Saints Therefore yee ought to follow after c. And none occasion of stumbling Argum. 3. Hee that loveth his Brother doth neither stumble himself in the way of holiness alwaies seeing whither hee goes viz. to God by Faith in the way of obedience nor is hee an occasion of stumbling to others whereby they may either be drawn into sin or hardened in it Therefore yee ought to endeavour after brotherly love Vers. 11. But hee that hateth his Brother is in darkness and walketh in darkness and knoweth not whither hee goeth because that darkness hath blinded his eyes Argum. 4. Hee that hateth his Brother hee wholly lyes and perseveres in sin and swarving from the right way which leads to salvation hee is carried to a precepice not knowing whither hee goes because his mind is darkened with sin Therefore yee must follow after brotherly love Vers. 12. I write unto you little children because your sins are forgiven you for his names sake Argum. 5. O faithful