this bread and drink this cup of the Lord unworthily shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 27. And it being so sacred an Institution for so high a Use whoever shall profane it and use it but as common Food or contrary to the holy Ends of it which is the signification of Gods Love to us by the Sacrifice of Christ for our Sins and our Signification and Covenant of Love and Union with him and one another he partaketh in Guilt with them that despise and crucifie him 28. But let a man examine himself and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup. 28. But let Men try and examine themselves whether their Hearts and Practice do answer the necessary Ends of this holy Institution coming to it as reverent Partakers of the Sacramental or Representative Sacrificed Body and Blood of Christ in the penitent and believing sense of their Sin and need of a Saviour and of his pardoning and healing Grace trusting the Hopes of their Salvation on him and sincerely renewing their Self-dedication to him and Covenant of New Obedience to him in Love and Unity with his Church even all sincere Believers and so let them comfortably herein communicate 29. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to himself not discerning the Lords body 29. For he that eateth and drinketh otherwise than thus that is profanely and not to the Ends of the Institution doth but draw Judgment on himself in stead of Grace 30. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you and many sleep 30. For this very Sin of Profaning the holy Ordinance God hath inflicted on many of you Weakness and Sickness and Death on some For God useth Paternal Castigation Justice and Punishments even on his Family 31. For if we would judge our selves we should not be judged 31. And if we would examine and judge our selves and so come to this Feast as true penitent Believers with a right Intent and holy Reverence we should escape such castigatory Penalties and the Judgment of God 32. But when we are judged we are chastened of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the world 32. But these Judgments of God on his Family are not by destructive Revenge but Fatherly Chastisements to bring us to Repentance that we may not be condemned with the unholy World 33. Wherefore my brethren when ye come together to eat tarry one for another 33. Wherefore as Brethren do all in that impartial Unity and Love as answereth your Profession and Christs Institution and not in Selfishness Division or Prophaneness 34. And if any man hunger let him eat at home that ye come not together unto condemnation And the rest will I set in order when I come 34. Let the hungry eat at home and not disorder the sacred Communion and use it carnally or as a common Feast and that with uncharitable inequality lest your prophanation of so holy a thing bring down Gods Judgments on you As for other Points of Church Order I will determine them when I come ANNOTATIONS I. AS to the Custom of Men and Womens Covering and Hair mentioned ver 13 14 c. 1. It is certain that the Significancy is the thing that must decide the Case and that as Words so this Action is an arbitrary Sign and depends on the Custom and Opinion of the Country as the Expositor And that with us where Mens being uncovered signifieth Reverence and Submission to a Superiour the Case quite differeth from that of the Corinthians 2. And yet the Custom is so common in most Nations for Women to wear their Hair at full length and Men to cut it that it seems there is somewhat in Nature that tendeth to this difference as there is in Kneeling and Prostration to shew Humiliation and Submission And to consound the Difference of Sexes in Habits is a great Sin tending to Debauchery and to hide unclean and Beastly Conversation And therefore though a Man may in such things of themselves indifferent do as the worst do in an undecent Fashion to aovid some greater Evil as among Thieves or Persecutors to escape unknown as one may wear Womens Clothes to escape from unjust Imprisonment or Death yet sober godly Persons should not without such necessity imitate the Fashions which are the Ensigns of Pride Debauchery or any sinful self-distinguishing sort of Men or Women Apply this to our Case of Mens wearing great Periyuks and that of Womens Hair who sell it for that use and to the Fashion of Womens naked Breasts and Gowns with long superfluous Trains while the Poor want necessary Cloathing c. What would Paul have said if any of these had been then the Case II. It is a most doleful Case that Satan hath prevailed to turn this sacred Institution of Christs Supper into the matter of bloody Contention with sâ—me and of uncomfortable distracting Scruples and Fears with others when as Christ ordained it to be the firm Bond of constant Love and Unity and the great Comfort of the Souls of penitent Believers 1. On one side by over-doing in the Dogmatical and Ceremonious part it is turned into the Monsters of Transubstantiation the Priests Communion alone while the People look on a half Sacrament without the Cup a Latin Mass not understood a Real Sacrifice offered for the Dead in stead of a Representative Commemorative Sacrifice the Adoration of Bread as God supposed to be no Bread but the Body of God indeed c. And it 's made an Engine to wrack Mens Consciences and tear the Church by excommunicating all that dare not Conform to all the Dresses which usurping Domination hath painted this Sacrament withal And the Blood of Christs faithful Servants is shed for not following all these Opinions and antick Ceremonies that the Sacrifice of Christs Body and Blood is abused by So that alas how many Churches are torn and persecute one another for not using this Sacrament of Love and Communion according to those Devices of Men which Peter or Paul never used or approved 2. On the other side many godly Persons quite misunderstanding the Words of Paul about unworthy receiving come with such an excess of Reverence and Fear lest they eat and drink their own Damnation that either they seldom venture to Communicate which the old Christians did oftner than every Lords Day or else they are more terrified far than comforted And looking that God should suddenly comfort them in the very Act of Receiving while they fight against their own Comforts by Mistakes and unbelieving Fears when they feel not their Expectation answered they are ready to despair as having received unworthily And should they do so by Prayer and Hearing what a Torment and Slavery would they make of Religion by their Errour 3. And yet the Ignorant and Ungodly who truly receive unworthily can from the bare doing of the outward Act steal to themselves that deceitful Comfort by which they are
the man created for the woman but the woman for the man 9. And so God made the Woman after to be a meet Help for the Man and not the Woman first and then the Man as a Helper to her Though they must now be mutual Helpers 10. For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels 10. Therefore the Woman ought to be vailed to signifie her subjection to the Power of Man yea and especially her Reverence to the Ministers of God and perhaps of the Angels that are Spectators of the Church assembles Doctrinally both are true though which is here meant cannot be proved 11. Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman neither the woman without the man in the Lord. 11. Yet Men have no Being but by Women nor without Men do Women exist or propagate and this is by the Ordination of the Lord. 12. For as the woman is of the man even so is the man also by the woman but all things of God 12. For as at the first Creation the Woman was taken out of the Man so in Generation the Man is of the Woman and all things are of God 13. Judge in your selves is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered 13. The signification of being uncovered being by Custom a Note Superiority judge in your selves whether such be decent for a Woman at the Churches Prayers 14. Doth not even nature it self teach you that if a man have long hair it is a shame unto him 14. And when common Custom hath made the wearing of Hair at length the Note of the Female Sex doth not Nature it self tell you that it is a shame for a Man to be so like a Woman when God forbiddeth us so much as to be cloathed as Women to confound the Sexes which must needs be visibly distinguished 15. But if a woman have long hair it is a glory to her for her hair is given her for a covering 15. But Use tâ—lls us that for Women to let their Hair grow out at length is a signification of Modesty as a kind of Covering and so is decent to them 16. But if any man seem to be contentious we have no such custom neither the churches of God 16. But if any will contentiously dispute against what I say though I would make no greater a matter of such things than the nature of them requireth let this Answer suffice to resolve sober Minds The Custom of all the Churches is against Womens being uncovered as an unseemly thing and you should not easily be different from all the Churches in a Matter which depends on the Signification of an Action which Use and common Opinion must interpret We that must be as concordant as we can must not affect dissimilitude 17. Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not that you come together not for the better but for the worse 17. But about your Church-Assemblies I have a greater matter of which I must blame you that you come together for holy Communion not as you ought but in sinful sort 18. For first of all when ye come together in the church I hear that there be divisions among you and I partly believe it 18. For first when your coming together in one Church to profess Union and Communion as Members of one Body in holy Love yet I hear credibly that you even there shew your Divisions and are of dissenting Minds and Parties and Practices 19. For there must be also heresies among you that they which are approved may be made manifest among you 19. For God will permit Heresies or Sects and Divisions to arise among you to try you that it may be seen who are sound well setled approved Christians when the Chaff flieth away 20. When ye come together therefore into one place this is not to eat the Lords supper 21. For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper and one is hungry and another is drunken 20 21. When you meet in one place as a Church to profess Unity in Christ it is not like the Supper of the Lord which is a holy Feast of Sacramental Unity where all had the same Food and the same Sacramental Body and Blood of Christ For you first bring to the Church every one his own Supper for himself instead of a Common Feast of Love and the Rich eat and drink to the full and the Poor are hungry 22. What have ye not houses to eat and to drink in or despise ye the church of God and shame them that have not What shall I say to you shall I praise you in this I praise you not 22. If you must dâ—ffer according to your Riches do it in your own Houses and pretend not a holy Love-Feast in such Disparities and abuse not Church-Assemblies and Feasts by your Fulness and uncharitable Propriety and shame not the Poor that should be Feasted with you This is a Practice worthy to be blamed in you 23. For I have received of the Lord that which I also delivered unto you that the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread 24. And when he had given thanks he brake it and said Take eat this is my body which is broken for you this do in remembrance of me 23 24. For I have not taught you of my own invention the Doctrine of the Sacrament but I received it from Christ partly by them that were present and partly by his inspiration to wit that the same night in which he was c. Note 1. It was Bread that he took it was Bread which he brake after Thanksgiving or Benediction it was Bread which he gave them 2. Yet it was his Body which he gave them Sacramentally and Relatively As the same thing which is materialâ—y Gold and Silver may formally be the Kings Coyn and Current Money or a badge of Honour or the Kings Image c. 3. That Christ gave it them together plurally and bid them take it as personal applyers each to himself 4. That it is his Will and Institution that this use should be continued to the Church in commemoration of his sacrificed Body and Blood 25. After the same manner also he took the cup when he had supped saying This cup is the new testament in my blood this do ye as oft as ye drink it in remembrance of me 25. So also he took the Cup after Supper saying The Wine in this Cup is by Sacramental signification my Blood as it purchaseth as a Sacrifice and sealeth the New Covenant or Statute Use it thus frequently in your holy Communion in remembrance of my Bloodshed 26. For as often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup ye do shew the Lords death till he come 26. For by the frequent use of this Bread and Cup ye are to represent and declare the Sacrificing of Christ for our Sins till he come in Glory 27. Wherefore whosoever shall eat
Pharisees and Lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves being not baptised of him 30. Rejected Gods Message sent by John or rejected Christs Testimony of John 31. And the Lord said Whereunto then shall I liken the men of this generation and to what are they like 32. They are like unto children sitting in the market-place and calling one to another and saying We have piped unto you and ye have not danced we have mourned to you and ye have not wept 33. For John the Baptist came neither eating nor drinking wine and ye say He hath devil 31 32 33. See Matth. 11.33 That he is distracted 34. The Son of man is come eating and drinking and ye say Behold a gluttonous man and a wine-bibber a friend of publicans and sinners 35. But wisdom is justified of all her children 34 35. Neâ—â—her his austerâ—ty nor my free conversation do escape your censure But the wise will justifie Wisdom 36. And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him And he went into the Pharisees house and sat down to meat 37. And behold a woman in the city which was a sinner when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisees house brought an alabaster box of ointment 38. And stood at his feet behind him weeping and began to wash his feet with tears and did wipe them with the hairs of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment 36 37 38. A Woman who had been of a bad life 39. Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it he spake within himself saying This man if he were a prophet would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him for she is a sinner 39. Christ and the Pharisees agreed that sin is hateful 40. And Jesus answering said unto him Simon I have somewhat to say unto thee And he said Master say on 41. There was a certain creditor which had two debtors the one ought five hundred pence and the other fifty 42. And when they had nothing to pay he frankly forgave them both Tell me therefore which of them will love him most 43. Simon answered and said I suppose that he to whom he forgave most And he said unto him Thou hast rightly judged 40 41 42 43. Note When God forgiveth great sins it is that we may love him much 44. And he turned unto the woman and said unto Simon seest thou this woman â— entred into thine house thou gavest me no water for my feet but she hath washed my feet with tears and wiped them with the hairs of her head 45. Thou gavest me no kiss but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet 46. Mine head with oyl thou didst not anoint but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment 44 45 46. She hath shewed more Love than thoâ— 47. Wherefore I say unto thee her sins which are many are forgiven for she loved much but to whom little is forgiven the same loveth little 47. Her great Love sheweth that her great sins are forgiven for it is her â—rateful return But they that think they need but little pardoâ— will return but little thankfulness for it 48. And he said unto hâ—â— Thy sins are forgiven 48. Note No doubt they were truly repented of hated and forsaken 49. And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves who is this that forgiveth sins also 50. And he said unto the woman thy faith hath saved thee go in peace 49. Note None can forgive sins against God but God and man after not before him by declaring and delivering Gods pardon 50. God pardoneth and saveth all true believers And thou hast shewed that thou art a believer Though God freely give pardon and Salvation thy faith maketh thee a qualified receiver and so saveth thee CHAP. VIII 1. ANd it came to pass afterward that he went throughout every city and village preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God and the twelve were with him 2. And certain women which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities Mary called Magdalene out of whom went seven devils 3. And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herods steward and Susanna and many others which ministred unto him of their substance 1 2 3. In the thankful sense of their deliverance attended him and contributed to his mâ—intenance Note Christ that was Lord of all and gave otherâ— Life and Salvation disdained not to live on others gifts and contribution 4. And when much people were gathered together and were come to him out of every city he spake by a parable 5. A sower went out to sow his seed and as he sowed some fell by the ways side and iâ— was trodden down and the fowls of the air devoured it 6. And some fell upon a rock assoon as it was sprung up it withered away because it lacked moisture 7. And some fell among thorns and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it 8. And other fell on good ground and sprung up and bare fruiâ— an hundred-fold And when he had said these things he cried He that hath ears to hear let him hear 4 5 6 7 8. See the exposition on Matth. 19. Note It is the difference of the receivers and reception which is the notable cause of different succâ—sses of the same word yet supposing Gods election 9. And his disciples asked him saying What might this parable be 10. And he said Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God but to others in parables that seeing they might not see and hearing they might not understand 9 10. Note The reception of one truth prepareth for more and the rejection of Gods calls prepareth men to be forsaken 11. Now the parable is this The seed is the word of God 12. Those by the way-side are they that hear then cometh the devil and taketh away the word out of their hearts lest they should believe and be saved 13. They on the rock are they which when they hear receive the word with joy and these have no root which for a while believe and in time of temptation fall away 14. And that which fell among thorns are they which when they have heard go forth and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life and bring no fruit to perfection 11 12 13 14. Note Hopeful and fair beginnings in very many fall short of Salvation 15. But that on the good ground arâ— they which in an honest and good heart having heard the word keep it and bring forth fruit with patience 15. Who receive the Gospel so as to renew them their hearts before prepared being by it sanctified and persevere to maturity 16. No man when he hath lighted a candle covereth it with a vessel or putteth it under a bed but setteth it on a candlestick that they which enter in may see the light 16.
is sold in the shambles that eat asking no question for conscience sake 26. For the earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof 25. If it be sold in the Shambles it is common Food to you your Consciences need not ask whether it be unclean or whether it was ever offered to any Idol 26. God that is the Lord of all the Earth hath allowed us all that is fit for Food 27. If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast and ye be disposed to go whatsoever is set before you eat asking no question for conscience sake 27. As it is not unlawful when invited to go to a Feast to Unbelievers so when you see cause to go eat what is set before you and question not the Lawfulness of it your selves 28. But if any man say unto you This is offered in sacrifice unto idols eat not for his sake that shewed it and for conscience sake The earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof 28. But if any Man say This is part of the Meat that was an Idol Sacrifice eat not of it for his sake that told thee so lest thou tempt him to venture on Idol-Sacrifices and for Conscience sake that thou uncharitably seduce not his Conscience God hath allowed thee lawful Meats enough thou needest not eat to others hurt 29. Conscience I say not thine own but of the others for why is my liberty judged of another mans conscience 29. When I say Conscience I mean that you wrong not anothers Conscience I mean not that this Meat is unlawful to you had you not been told it was offered to Idols or had eaten it privately where no one was hurt by it For another Mans Conscience is not my Guide nor makes Lawful Food Unlawful to me But Uncharitableness and Hurtfulness to others as well as Corporal Idolatry I must make Conscience to avoid my self as against the great Commands of Christ 30. For if I by grace be a partaker why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks 30. For if I neither seem to worship the Idol my self nor hurt another but with Thanksgiving eat what 's set before me at a Common Feast though another expect that I should enquire whether it was not an Idols Sacrifice I sin not nor ought he to speak evil of me as a Sinner 31. Whether therefore ye eat or drink or whatsoever ye do do all to the glory God 31. Therefore as in all that you do so in these things where God hath made no particular common determining Law the Interest of our Great End the Glory of God must be our common and most obliging Law Neither eat nor drink nor do any thing against the Glory of God and your Reliligion and the Good of others in which God is glorified Yea do nothing but what as some Means hath its tendency to his Glory nothing that is either hurtful or vain 32. Give none offence neither to the Jews nor to the Gentiles nor to the church of God Avoid all unnecessary things which will be a stumbling or hurtful Temptation to Jews or Heathens or the Church of God or any Members of it So dangerously are abundance of Religious Persons mistaken that scruple not offending or hardning the ungodly by sowr Contempt and causeless Singularity and that take displeasing mistaken Censorious Christians to be the Offence here meant when pleasing them by seeming to own their Mistakes as Peter did Gal. 2. by his Separation is a usual hurtful way of scandalizing them 33. Even as I please all men in all things not seeking mine own profit but the profit of many that they may be saved 33. Imitate me in this who in things which God hath lest undetermined to my power do chuse that part which pleaseth other Men so far as is for their profit and do not humour or please my own self-will for any carnal Interest of my own but do that which tendeth to the good of most even their Salvation Note O happy had it been with the Christian World if the Bishops had been of Paul's mind and had not chosen to silence banish burn and murder thousands of Gods faithful Servants for not humouring their Wills and obeying unnecessary Canons imposed by Papal Usurpation CHAP. XI 1. BE ye followers of me even as I also am of Christ 1. In all this self-denial which I tell you I have used I follow Christ who denied his very Life for us Therefore follow me as I follow Christ 2. Now I praise you brethren that you remember me in all things and keep the ordinances as I delivered them to you 2. It is your Praise as well as your Duty and Safety that you remember what Doctrine and Orders we Apostles of Christ at first delivered to you and keep that which then we taught you 3. But I would have you know that the head of every man is Christ and the head of the woman is the man and the head of Christ is God 3. And now to your Case about Church-Order I first remember you that the due Subordination of Persons must be kept Christ is the Head of all Men high and low and the Man is the Head of the Woman who therefore must shew Subjection and God is the Head of Christ as Man and Mediator 4. Every man praying or prophesying having his head covered dishonoureth his head 4. It being the Custom then to cover the Faces of those that were put to any great shame a Man that shall vail his Head and Face doth thereby take Reproach unto himself 5. But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head for that is even all one as if she were shaven 5. But for a Woman to be uncovered in the Assembly at Publick Worship Prayer or Prophecying is a dishonour to her as contrary to the sign of Subjection which is her Duty Note That the Woman is said to Pray or Prophesie that joyneth with the Church therein As Custom maketh it a shame to her to be shaven so also to be unvailed Note That this was a changeable Custom and is contrary now with us 6. For if the woman be not covered let her also be shorn but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven let her be covered 6. The Custom of long Hair as a kind of Covering pleads also for the Custom of Vailing 7. For a man indeed ought not to cover his head for as much as he is the image and glory of God but the woman is the glory of the man 7. The Mans Face is used well to be uncovered as being first made in the Image of God and so a Beam of his Splendour But the Woman made out of Man is subject to him and his Splendour 8. For the man is not of the woman but the woman of the man 8. For at the Creation the Man was first made and the Woman was made out of the Man 9. Neither was
accept it and doth by many Mercies intimate to them that he useth them not according to the meer violated Law of Innocency but on Terms of Grace 4. Few Christians have the face to affirm that this Universal Conditional Pardon and Gift or Law of Grace is no Fruit of the Death of Christ 5. If therefore this Act of Pardon was purchased by Christ and given to all no modest Face can deny that he so far died for all as to purchase for them all that he actually giveth them 6. It is usual to say that we give a Man a Benefit e. g. Life to a condemned Malefactor if it be given him on the fair Condition of his Acceptance and brought to his own Will and he intreated to receive it 7. If any Wrangler say that this is unfit Language to say He is willing that Men shall be saved who offereth them Salvation freely unless he also make them willing Let him confess that it is but the Name that he denieth and none of the Gifts in question 8. And be it known that Unwillingness cometh not from a Physical Impossibility through the want of Natural Faculties as it is with Brutes but from a voluntary Pravity which aggravateth the Sin 9. And the mutable Will of Man is to be changed by Reason And God giveth Men Reasons in their kind sufficient to persuade them to accept of Christ and Life 10. And lastly No Man can say that Adam when he fell had not Grace enough to make him Able to have stood which he might have used and should have done to his actual standing Noâ— that God never giveth such a power to believe or at least to come nearer the State of a true Believer to many that might bring it into Act and do not This much is enough to end this Controversie with modest Wits 7. Whereunto I am ordained a preacher and an apostle I speak the truth in Christ and lie not a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity 7. This Gospel I am appointed to preach to the Gentiles Christ knoweth that I feign not his Commission and faithfully and truly to be their Teacher 8. I will therefore that men pray every where lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting 8. According to this my Commission I give these Directions following to all sorts First That all Men be much in Prayer to God not onely in the Assemblies but in all convenient Places wheresoever open or secret but that they lift not up to God Hands defiled with any wilful Sin but pure and clean by harmless Conversation and that they come not to God with Wrath against others or with a quarrelsom disputing contentious Disposition but in Christian Love Note That the Ceremony of Lifting up the Hands in Prayer which was an Act of Corporal secondary Worship is lawful and fit where Custom maketh it so and yet is not necessary by Institution as Kneeling also is 9. In like manner also that women adorn themselves in modest apparel with shame-facedness and sobriety not with broidered-broidered-hair or gold or pearls or costly aray 9. And for Women I forbid them not all Ornaments specially when they come to the Sacred Assemblies but let them be adorned onely with Attire which expresseth Gravity Modesty and Sobriety not like proud vain or alluring Persons with curious Dressings of their Hair Embroidery Jewels Gold or any over-costly Apparel as those that would seem either Richer or Comelier than they are 10. But which becometh women professing godliness with good works 10. But let them take Good Works of Piety to God and Charity to Man for their chiefest Ornament as they will do if they are true Professors of Godliness It is these in which they must excel the Ungodly and not in Ostentation of Wealth or Beauty 11. Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection 11. Let them be Learners rather than Teachers and let them use Silence and humble Subjection and not be over-talkative and masterly specially silent in the Church 12. But I suffer not a woman to teach nor to usurp authority over the man but to be in silence 12. I forbid Women to be Publick Teachers and to usurp any Authority over their Husbands or over Men in Church-government but to be quiet silent and obedient Note 1. That Paul forbiddeth not Women to teach their Children or Servants or the elder Women to teach the younger 2. Nor doth he meddle with Cases of Civil Government as whether a Woman may Govern a Kingdom or a City or a multitude of her own Tenants and Men-servants 13 14. For Adam was first formed then Eve And Adam was not deceived but the woman being deceived was in the transgression 13 14. For God made the Woman for Subjection by making Adam first and then making her to be for his help And the Woman subjected her self yet lower by being first in the Transgression deceived by the Serpent and then tempting her Husband 15. Notwithstanding she shall be saved in child-bearing if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety 15. Yet though her Sin have brought her low and even under a Curse in the Pain and Peril of Child-bearing she is even in that low and sad condition under Gods merciful Protection and saving Covenant of Grace which containeth the Promise of this Life and that to come if they continue in Faith Charity and Purity with Sobriety Or Though Sin and Sorrow in Travel came in by the Woman yet by a Womans Child-bearing a Saviour came into the World which is some Reparation of the Honour of the Sex And so the Women may be saved as well as the Men by Christ if they continue in Faith Charity Purity and Sobriety CHAP. III 1. THis is a true saying if a man desire the office of a bishop he desireth a good work 1. As for the Office of a Bishop believe it he that desireth it doth desire a very great and excellent work It is not a bare Name Title Dignity or place of Honour and Command but a Work and a Work of great Importance and Labour and Difficulty which every desirer is not fit for Take heed therefore whom thou dost admit 2. A bishop then must be blameless the husband of one wife vigilant sober of good behaviour given to hospitality apt to teach A Bishop must be one 1. That is not guilty of any scandalous sin since his Conversion 2. One that hath not put away his Wife except for Fornication and married another much less that hath two at once 3. One that is vigilant and wholly addicted to do what he shall undertake 4. One that is of a sober moderate temper and not guilty of Levity and Temerity 5. One that is of an Orderly Composed Decent Temper and Carriage 6. By Charity to be ready to entertain Strangers and take in those that are exposed to want 7. One that is fit by Ability and Zealous Willingness to teach the Flock the necessary things
star fall from heaven unto the earth and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit 2. And he opened the bottomless pit and there arose a smoke out of the pit as the smoke of a great furnace and the sun and the air were darkned by reason of the smoke of the pit 1 2. Note By this some say is meant that Jewish Seducer that headed the turbulent Zealots in the Siege of Jerusalem Others apply it to Arrius most Protestants take it for the Pope Some take it for Christ that had the Keys of Death and Hell descending to let loose these destroyers And the Smoâ—k is by Protestants mostly taken for the obscuring of holy Doctrine and Manners but by the first for the Confusions in Jerusalem by the Zealots as the murderers were called 3. And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth and unto them was given power as the scorpions of the earth have power 4. And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth neither any grâ—â—â— thing neither any tree but onely thoâ—â—en which have not the seal of God in theâ—â— foreheads 3 4. Note That this was an increase of God's Plagues is clear and that it was to be by Souldiers that were not to make an utter desolation but to captivate and punish the Enemies of Christianity But the particular sense is controverted Some take it for the foresaid rage of the Zealots in Jerusalem some for the beginning of the Roman Assaults some for Constantine's Dejection of the Heathens who yet did not kill them but give them a disgraced Liberty of Idolatry some take it for the first rising of the Saracens and Mahometans and some-take them for Devils that are called Locusts some for Hereticks and most Protestants for the Papal Clergy and Fryars and these by hurting mean deceiving 5. And to them it was given that they should not kill them but that they should be tormented five months and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion when he striketh a man 6. And in those days shall men seek death and shall not find it and shall desire to die and death shall flee from them 5 6. The Torment of Christ's Enemies shall be worse than Death so that they shall wish for Death and not obtain it Some by this understand the Famine in Jerusalem and the Zealots tormenting the Inhabitants to make them confess where their Bread or Food was Others otherwise 7. And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battel and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold and their faces were as the faces of men 8. And they had hair as the hair of women and their teeth were as the teeth of lions 9. And they had brest-plates as it were breast-plates of iron and the sound of their wings was as the sound of charrets of many horses running to battel 10. And they had tails like unto scorpions and there were stings in their tails and their power was to hurt men five months 11. And they had a king over them which is the angel of the bottomless pit whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon but in the greek tongue hath his name Apollyon 7 8 9 10 11. That this is the description of a terrible Army of cruel men seemeth plain but who they were and when is not so plain Whether the foresaid Jewish Zealots who got out of the Country into the City and used the Inhabitants cruelly Or whether it was the Roman Army or the Arabian Mahometans which many had rather think than that all this obscure Vision spake but of things already done and known to John and those of his time if it was in Domitians Days And the Abadddoâ— their King both sorts think was the Devil though some say it is Christ and some an Angel that had power to let out such destroyers Five months being the just time of the Zealots Rage before Titus came against the City confirmeth the first sort of Expositors in their Opinion But as I said most Protestant Writers take this King to be the Pope or the Devil as acting him and the Locusts to be the Fryars and Clergy and all their tormentings and destroyings to be spiritual But it 's hard to think that Deceiving should be meant by such tormenting as made men wish for death For their Excommunications and Persecutions cannot be meant because those are more against good men than the bad and though some of their Doctrines be uncomfortable they have more that flatter men in sin 12. One wo is past and behold there come two woes more hereafter 12. Thus one of the three Woes reserved to the three last Trumpets is past and two follow 13. And the sixth angel sounded and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God 14. Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates 13. Those that expound all this of the destruction of Jerusalem think that by Euphrates is meant Rome and that the four Angels there bound was the Roman Legions which Vispasian had stopt till he saw what would become of the Empire when Galba Otho and Vitellius were killed and he was chosen Emperour and then he went on to the Siege Or else that the Syrian Legions having marched as far as Euphrates were there stop'd But this exposition hath much said against it Especially that these were then things past and that v. 20. the men are described as gross Idolaters which the Jews then were not Many others expound it of the Arabians and Turks who dwelt beyond Euphrates out of the Roman territories till they invaded and spoiled them 15. And the four angels were loosed which were prepared for an hour and a day and a month and a year for to slay the third part of men 15. Some gather from an hour a day a month and a year that from the first great invasion and taking of Babylon to the fall of the Turks it will be exactly in 1696 that is twelve years hence which time will expound The four Angels some take for four Mahometan Generalls and parts before they united in one And by slaying the third part of men their cruel devastations and successes 16. And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand and I heard the number of them 16. The number of the Roman Army say some But most say the number of the Mahometans was exceeding great like locusts over spreading all the Countries 17. And thus I saw the horses in the vision and them that sat on them having brest-plates of fire and of jacinth and brimstone and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone 17. They appeared terribly as fitted to destroy But some expound it of their false doctrine 18. By these three