Messengers of Israel and dismissed them safe Therefore vain is the profession of an idle faith That Iames takes Justification for no other than as we have said doth appear from this that he calls Rahab an Harlot or prostitute to filthy lusts Therefore how impossible was it for her to be justified by workes before God but onely by true faith which sheweth it self to be true by works Vers. 26. For as the body without the spirit is dead so faith without works is dead also Argum. 9. Even as an animate body if it doth not breathe it is dead so faith if it doth not produce works it is dead Therefore vain is the boasting of such an idle faith wherein hypocrites please themselves CHAP. III. THis Chapter contains two Admonitions The first for governing of the tongue to vers 13. The other concerning wisdom which asswages the evils of the tongue and avoids strifes and contentions to the end Vers. 1. My brethren be not many masters knowing that we shall receive greater condemnation As for the first Admonition he commands them to bridle the tongue namely from invective and rigid rehearsals of other mens vices or infirmities Be not saith he many masters i. e. arrogate not to your selves the authority of mastership over others and too much liberty of carping at things as many do but bridle your tongues He confirms the admonition by ten Arguments Knowing Argum. 1. Because that unjust censurers should suffer heavier judgement from God the revenger of injuries Therefore the tongue is to be bridled lest ye suffer an heavier judgement Vers. 2. For in many things we offend all If any man offend not in word the same is a perfect man and able also to bridle the whole body Argum. 2. Seeing that we are all liable to many failings it becometh us to deal more diligently with the infirmities of others not to arrogate the authority of judging without a calling or to shew our selves unjust in judging If any man Argum. 3. If any man know how to govern his tongue he hath this to manifest a perfect or sincere man who can moderate all his actions and on the contrary he that cannot moderately rule his tongue but in all things carps at the carriages of other men hath the sign of an hypocrite Therefore the tongue is to be bridled Vers. 3. Behold we put bits in the horses mouthes that they may obey us and we turn about their whole body 4. Behold also the ships which though they be so great and are driven of fierce winds yet are they turned about with a very small helm whithersoever the governor listeth 5. Even so the tongue is a little member and boasteth great things Behold how great a matter a little fire kindleth 6. And the tongue is a fire a world of iniquity So is the tongue amongst our members that it defileth the whole body and setteth on fire the course of nature and it is set on fire of hell Argum. 4. Confirming the former Even as if thou guidest the bridle thou also rulest the horse and if thou rulest the stern of the ship thou dost also the ship even so if thou hast rightly governed thy tongue thou wilt also rule thy whole body and thy outward actions although those instruments are small and the tongue is a small member Therefore c. Boasts Argum. 5. The tongue carrieth it self highly and boasteth it self gloriously that it can on both sides perform much good in speaking the truth in constancy taciturnity courtesie and such like and also much evil in lyes reproaches calumnies and such like Therefore it ought to be governed with great care A fire Argum. 6. Because as a small fire can kindle and devour much matter so the tongue unless it be appeased and bridled can stir up a world of evils and create infinite sins and seeing it is a small part of the body it can involve and defile all the other members and the whole body with wickednesses and set on fire with its wickedness the wheel or course of all natural faculties Therefore it is diligently to be governed Of bell Argum. 7. There is some affinity of an evil tongue with Hell and the Devil whom the tongue is ready to serve and from him to send the flame of lyes calumnies and brawlings to burn the whole world Therefore there is need of great diligence in ruling the tongue Vers. 7. For every kinde of beasts and of birds and of serpents and things in the sea is tamed and hath been tamed of man kinde 8. But the tongue can no man tame it is an unruly evil full of deadly poyson Argum. 8. There is no kinde of beasts but may be tamed by humane reason or art and experience teacheth us that some of all kindes are tamed ver 7. but the tongue no humane reason or art can tame because it is in its own nature an unquiet and an unruly evil full of deadly poyson whereby it brings and is ready to bring deadly mischiefs unto others Therefore ye must diligently endeavour to bridle the tongue by Gods supernatural grace Vers. 9. Therewith bless we God even the Father and therewith curse we men which are made after the similitude of God 10. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing my brethren these things ought not so to be Argum. 9. The tongue is mutable deceitful crafty one while pretending it self to very good blessing God another while openly putting forth its nature expresly by cursing men and God obliquely to whose similitude men are made from the same mouth sometimes sending forth blessing sometimes cursing ver 9. But this is absurd and monstrous which is in no wise to be suffered ver 10. Therefore ye must necessarily endeavour the ruling of the tongue Vers. 11. Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter 12. Can the fig-tree my brethren bear olive berries either a vine figs so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh Argum. 10. Confirming the former by a fourfold similitude of a fountain a fig-tree a vine and the sea And he argues from this which is impossible according to nature to an absurdity in manners As it is not naturally that from the same channel of the fountain sweet and bitter water should flow or a fig-tree should bring forth grapes and a vine figs or the same sea should both yield salt and sweet water so reason doth not suffer us to believe that it is the tongue of a regenerated man which although sometimes it blesses yet being unbridled it is carried otherwise to cursing for a bad tree doth not bear good fruits Therefore it becomes the Regenerate to follow the simplicity of holiness in speech and to endeavour to bridle their tongues The second part Vers. 13. Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge amongst you let him shew out of a good conversation his workes with meeknesse of wisdom The other Admonition wherein he exhorts to wisdom
11. For the children being not yet born neither having done any good or evil that the purpose of God according to Election might stand not of works but of him that calleth 12. It was said unto her The elder shall serve the younger Hee unfolds this difference of the Seed or of the chusing some and rejecting others from their causes to wit that it depends not upon works good or bad in the creature but upon the meer good pleasure of God calling For the children being not yet born neither having done any good or evil that the purpose of God according to Election might stand not of works or mans merits but of him that calleth or solely upon the Will of God that calls It was answered to Rebecca concerning her Twins upon all accounts now equal that it should bee that the Blessing under the type of the Birth-right or Dominion should accrew to the younger but the Curse under the type of Servitude to the elder Hence Reason 6. The purpose wherein God hath determined concerning every man according to the Decree of Election abides firm not depending upon any of mans works but upon the meer and most free pleasure of God calling whom hee will as from the answer given to Rebecca it appears touching the twins not yet born Therefore these or those Jews being cast off the Promise of God might abide firm to the rest Vers. 13. As it is written Jacob have I loved but Esau have I hated Reason 7. Confirming and explaining the former God loves some of those which are every way alike from eternity and in time makes his love appear and some hee hates and in time shews that hee hates them as in the example of Iacob and Esau it appears Malac. 1.2 Therefore the Jews in part rejected make not void the promise of God Vers. 14. What shall wee say then is there unrighteousness with God God forbid Hence ariseth a third Objection If God chuse and love some every waies alike and equal and hates others passing them by what shall wee say Is there not injustice or unrighteousness with God who does not deal equally with those that are in the same condition The Apostle answers with abhorrence God forbid Vers. 15. For hee saith to Moses I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion Hee gives an account of his denial first in Election then in Reprobation from which grounds being granted hee draws conclusions The reason why there is no unrighteousness in Election is this Because it is the most supream and free pleasure of God to exercise his mercy hee hath free power to do what hee will with his own as it appears out of the Word of the Lord to Moses Exod. 33.19 Therefore there is no unrighteousness in God seeing that in Election hee does with his mercy what hee will Vers. 16. So then it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy From hence hee draws a conclusion to this sense If the sole cause of shewing forth divine mercy and goodness bee the most free pleasure of God then the cause thereof is not in mans will or pleasure nor actions or good works but alone in God It is not of him that willeth saith hee Therefore it is not from mans free will It is not of him that runneth saith hee Therefore it is not from humane indeavours and actions that any one is loved chosen or obtains mercy and the blessing and by consequent it solely depends upon God that shews mercy Vers. 17. For the Scripture saith unto Pharaoh even for this same purpose have I raised thee up that I might shew my power in thee and that my Name might bee declared thoroughout all the earth In the second place hee gives an account of Reprobation why there is no unrighteousness in that from the moâ—â— holy end of Reprobation Because Reprobation tends to the illustrating the glory of God as it appears out of the Scriptures speaking of Pharaoh whom God raised up for this very end that his Name might bee glorified in him Therefore there is no unrighteousness with God reprobating whom hee will Vers. 18. Therefore hath hee mercy on whom hee will have mercy and whom hee will hee hardeneth Hence hee draws a Conclusion common both to Election and Reprobation That the cause of Reprobation and Election is to bee sought onely in the most free and holy Will of God who most freely and without unrighteousness hath mercy on whom hee will and most freely without unrighteousness after most holy wayes hardens whom hee will Vers. 19. Thou wilt say then unto mee Why doth hee yet finde fault for who hath resisted his will The fourth Objection arising out of what went before If God hardens whom hee will then hee undeservedly reprehends those that are hardened in their sins and by consequence undeservedly punishes because no man can resist his will Vers. 20. Nay but O man who art thou that thou repliest against God shall the thing formed say to him that formed it Why hast thou made mee thus The Apostle gives a fourfold answer to this Objection Because in such disputations carnal and corrupt reason pleaseth it self The first Answer is to the person of the Objector Nay but O man who art thou that replyest against God In which words hee shews two things First That this Objection is made by a corrupt man who by nature is a lyar and from his own free will a sinner whose conscience might stop his mouth from speaking against God Who art thou O man The second is That hee against whom the Objection is made is God whose waies to us are past finding out yet alwaies holy even then when the reasons of his Counsel least of all appear to us who are of a short understanding Who art thou that repliest against God The second Answer is from the absolute authority of God over his Creatures in the words of Isaiah 45.9.110 unto him that striveth with his Maker let the potsheard strive with the potsheards of the earth shall the Clay say to him that â—ashioneth it what makest thou By which answer the Apostle shews this objection to bee contrary both to Scripture and sound reason because it intrencheth upon the absolute and unlimited right that God hath over the Creatures and therefore the curse and woe is pronounced upon all that after this manner dispute against God Vers. 21. Hath not the Potter power over the Clay of the same lump to make one Vessel to honour and another unto dishonour The third Answer is propounded by way of comparison of the power of God over men with the power of men over other creatures after this manner As much power as man hath over any creature of God so much hath God over man whom hee hath created But man hath power of the same mass of Clay to make one Vessel to honour another to dishonour according
him publickly Vers. 12. For before that certain came from James he did eat with the Gentiles but when they were come hee with-drew and separated himself fearing them which were of the Circumcision The reasons of his reprehension are three Reason 1. Because hee dissembled the freeing of Christians from the yoak of Moses for fear of the hatred of some Jews when hee ought rather to fear lest hee should give scandal to the Jews or Gentiles Vers. 13. And the other Iews dissembled likewise with him insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation Reason 2. Because by his example hee drew others with himself into the same dissimulation Vers. 14. But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the Truth of the Gospel I said unto Peter before them all If thou being a Iew livest after the manner of Gentiles and not as do the Iews why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Iews Reason 3. For which Paul rightly reproves Peter because when hee had preached that a man is justified by Faith alone without the works of the Law by this hee confirms the false Doctrine of those that taught Moses Law necessarily to bee observed to salvation which was to halt in his course towards the mark of Evangelical Truth or to take a very ill course for the preservation of the Doctrine of Grace pure which fact was a most manifest sign that his Doctrine which hee had taught to the Churches of Galatia concerning justification by the Grace of Christ and freedome from the yoak of Ceremonies was so heavenly and divine that thereby hee had convinced Peter himself of errour when hee did not do things consentaneous to his doctrine The Second Part. Vers. 15. Wee who are Iews by nature and not sinners of the Gentiles 16. Knowing that a man is not justified by the Works of the Law but by the Faith of Iesus Christ even wee have beleeved in Iesus Christ that wee might bee justified by the Faith of Christ and not by the Works of the Law for by the Works of the Law shall no flesh bee justified From the occasion of his contention with Peter Paul commeth to the other part of the Chapter wherein as in the Epistle to the Romans hee confirms that Justification is not by Works of the Law but onely by Faith whilst hee affirms this Doctrine hee repeats his discourse had with Peter that all might know that hee had taught nothing else to the Galatians than that many faithful both of the Jews and Gentiles hearing speaking openly for the convincing of Peter which hee had taught before and defended viz. wee who are Iews by Nature c. The sense whereof is if referred to Peter wee who are Jews by Nature or propagation wee are holy in Gods account by the Covenant and not sinners i. e. strangers from the Covenant as the Gentiles wee sayes hee Jews and Apostles knowing that man is not justified by the Works of the Law but by Faith in Christ flie by Faith to Christ to this end that wee may bee justified by Faith and not by the Works of the Law Therefore the Gentiles are not to bee compelled to Judaize and to undergo the yoak of the Law as if they were any way under the Covenant of Works But if these words bee referred to the principal intent it is a Proposition of the Doctrine and of the same kind with that which hee had taught the Galatians and to which hee exhorted them to return to this sense wee Jews who by the Covenant are born the holy people of God and not strangers from the Covenant as you Gentiles wee are compelled to renounce the Works of the Law in point of Justification and to seek Righteousness through Faith in Christ Therefore much more to bee done by you gentile Galatians Furthermore hee confirms this Doctrine in this Chapter with three Arguments by the way answering Objections Argum. 1. No flesh is justified by the Works of the Law Therefore the Jews nor Gentiles Vers. 17. But if while wee seek to bee justified by Christ wee our selves also are found sinners is therefore Christ the Minister of sin God forbid Turning his speech to the Galatians hee solves the adversaries Objection The adversaries might say If whilst yee seek to be justified by Christ and not by the Law or Works yee are found sinners as from your own confession and your own mouth wee may judge of you then it will be lawful for you Christians justified by the Faith of Christ to give your selves liberty to sin and through you Christ will bee the Author and Minister or the Teacher of sin that you may sin by his authority Hee answers by abhorring the Objection as blasphemy God forbid sayes hee confidently denying it to follow from the Doctrine of Justification that it is lawful for him that is justified by Faith to sin or that Christ can bee said to bee the Minister or Teacher of sin Vers. 18. For if I build again the things which I destroyed I make my self a transgressor Hee gives four reasons of his Answer The first is this I betaking my self to Justification by the Faith of Christ have entred upon a sure course for the destroying of sin because I betook my self to Christ that hee might both forgive my sin and administer grace to the mortification of sin Therefore if I should again give my self up to sin as is objected and build the work of the Devil in mee I should bee contrary to my self I should transgress the means which is now laid for the destroying of sin and so I should bee foolish and mad not following the Doctrine of Justification by Faith Therefore from the Principles of Justification by Faith it is impossible that I should abuse the Grace or Name of Christ to sin more freely Vers. 19. For I through the Law am dead to the Law that I might live unto God Reas. 2. I by the strength of the Law am slain in the death of Christ and in respect of the Law or Legal Covenant I am dead to the Law and so set free from the Covenant of the Law to that end not that I should sin but that I should live unto God and should obey him Therefore from the Principles of this Doctrine I cannot indulge my self to sin The Argument is of force for if through the Law or Covenant of Works Christ is dead in the place of those that are to bee justified to this end that they being justified should live unto God It is impossible that the justified who in Christ are dead to the Law and would bee accounted free from the Covenant of Works should not also acknowledge themselves bound to live unto God and consequently that they ought not to indulge themselves in sin Vers. 20. I am crucified with Christ. Nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in mee and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the Faith
ought to renounce that yoak Vers. 4. But when the fulness of the time was come God sent forth his Son made of a Woman made under the Law 5. To redeem them that were under the Law that wee might receive the Adoption of Sons Having spoken of the servile and childish condition of the Church before the comming of Christ as to the outward man for as to the Spirit and inward man the faithful that saw the day of Christ were freed and rejoyced in the Lord now follows the manner of delivering the Church by the comming of Christ. The fulness of time Argum. 2. Now the fulness of time is come which the Father had fore-appointed to the Legal Pedagogie and that Guardianship of Legal Ceremonies is finished Therefore you Christians must renounce the yoak of Ceremonies Sent forth his Son Argum. 3. The Son of God is sent into the world takes upon him flesh and is born of the Virgin Mary and subjected to the Covenant of Works and the yoak of Legal Ceremonies that hee might redeem those that were subject to the Law Therefore yee Christians redeemed from the yoak ought to renounce it That the Adoption Argum. 4. For that end Christ is made subject to the Law that wee might clearly attain to the Adoption or to the Priviledge of Sons grown up held forth under the Gospel Therefore wee being under the Gospel ought to renounce the servile and childish yoak of Ceremonies unless wee would render the benefit of Redemption of none effect to us Vers. 6. And because yee are Sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father Argum. 5. For a testimony of your Adoption and advancement to the priviledge of Sons now grown up God hath given you the holy Spirit by which together with other Sons of God out of Jews and Gentiles yee may call God confidently in every tongue your Father Therefore except yee would carry your selves as unworthy of this priviledge yee must renounce the childish and servile yoak of Ceremonies Vers. 7. Wherefore thou art no more a Servant but a Son and if a Son then an Heir of God through Christ. Argum. 6. Yee are no more in that servile condition under the yoak of Ceremonies but in a free state as Sons grown up and Heirs actually partakers of their Fathers goods or spiritual graces in a larger measure than the ancient Church and that by Christ manifested in the flesh Therefore now you must renounce that serviâ—e and childish yoak Vers. 8. Howbeit then when yee knew not God yee did service unto them which by nature are no gods 9. But now after that yee have known God or rather are known of God how turn yee again to the weak and beggarly elements whereunto yee desire again to bee in bondage Hee upbraids them with their ingratitude reprehending them for their observance of Legal Ceremonies as of daies and months c. in which they were neither born nor educated Howbeit Argum. 7. Before yee were Sons you were in a worser condition than the Jews to wit you were Idolatrous knowing not the true God and serving feigned Idols but now converted from that ignorance yee have known God or rather by the preventing Grace of God known and beloved yee are drawn to God that you might know him and are invested with the liberty of Sons How is it that a fresh as if you had been under no bondage do you turn again to the yoak of abolished ceremonial bondage Therefore this yoak you must renounce The force of this Argument is this yee bear the yoak of Ceremonies having less to pretend for your excuse and with a more signal note of ingratitude than the Jews born and brought up under the yoak Therefore you must renounce this yoak Again Argum. 8. Yee being advanced to the liberty of Sons grown up it is an unworthy thing willingly to return again to the yoak of slavery and to bee willing to bee in bondage Therefore you must renounce this yoak Beggerly Argum. 9. Those Legal Ceremonies the yoak whereof now yee affect although they had their pedagogical use before Christ came yet now Christ is come they have no use but are weak and beggerly rudiments which neither have virtue to justifie nor power to bring consolation nor their old use to prefigure Christ Therefore yee ought to renounce this so unprofitable a yoak Vers. 10. Yee observe daies and months and times and years 11. I am afraid of you lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain Argum. 10. Your bondage begun again in the observation of Legal Ceremonies as for example of daies Sabbaths New Moons set Feasts and Sabbatical years c. hath given mee just cause of fear left I have preached to you the Gospel of free Justification in vain Because this is a sign that you are revolted from Justification by Faith or from the Grace of Christ to seek Justification by Works of the Law Therefore unless yee will renounce the Gospel yee must renounce this yoak The second Part. Vers. 12. Brethren I beseech you bee as I am for I am as yee are yee have not injured mee at all The second part of the Chapter follows wherein is contained a loving Exhortation to return into the way and the wholesome opinion of Justification by Grace through Faith without the Works of the Law This Proposition of the Exhortation may bee laid down You must return to my Doctrine of Righteousness by Faith without the Works of the Law bee yee saies hee as I am or bee yee in the same opinion with mee The Arguments of the Exhortation are twelve Furthermore Argum. 1. Because I though in times past a Pharisee have been very stiffe for Righteousness by the Law but now being made a Christian I am as you and I seek with you your salvation no less than you your selves seek it Therefore yee must return to my opinion Brethren I beseech Argum. 2. My fear concerning you hath neither alienated my mind from you neither hath it caused a doubtful judgement of charity concerning you but as Brethren let mee friendly bespeak you and as Brethren let mee beseech you to return Therefore return yee No Argum. 3. My severe reproof ariseth not against you either from anger or hatred who have not privately injured mee at all but out of an earnest desire of your salvation Therefore return yee Vers. 13. Yee know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the Gospel unto you at first Argum. 4. I have suffered many things for preaching the Gospel unto you for yee know that I have preached the Gospel to you constantly through infirmities and a contemptible condition as to the outward-man whereunto through afflictions I am driven Therefore return yee to sound Doctrine sealed by my sufferings Vers. 14. And my temptation which was in the flesh yee despised not nor rejected but received mee as an Angel of God even as Christ Iesus Argum. 5. In
hence arose the unlike disposition of Ishmael and Isaac so great a discord that Ishmael persecuted Isaac and the dissimilitude of both their conditions in the upshot Ishmael is cast out of the family but Isaac obtains the Inheritance by which type God did figure out the divers conditions of the visible Church sprung from divers principles and causes For 1. As there are two wives Hagar and Sarah so there are two Covenants of God with men the Covenant of works or legal the Covenant of grace or the Evangelical 2. Both the wives had off-spring so both the Covenants had their worshippers and professors as born of the Covenant 3. As Hagar a young woman according to nature and the flesh brought forth but Sarah barren and an old woman according to the power of the divine promise So the Law or Covenant of works hath the ordinary strength of nature or the powers of free will for its foundation But the Gospel or Covenant of grace hath for its foundation the special grace of God 4. As Ishmael was of a servile and malicious disposition that hee would persecute his brother but Isaac indued with an ingenuous and godly disposition patiently indured persecution so how many justiciaries so ever seeking righteousness by works are of a servile and perverse disposition and they do vexe the true faithful of God But the truly faithful and Sons of the promise worship God with an ingenuous piety and do suffer persecutions as it behoves them Vers. 24. Which things are an allegory for these are the two Covenants the one from the Mount Sinai which gendereth to bondage which is Hagar In the third place the Apostle expounds the signification of the type as much as belongs to the present purpose and first hee shews that the two Wives are figures of the two Covenants whereof one is the Covenant of Works represented by Hagar The other is the Covenant Grace or faith represented by Sarah As to Hagar and the Covenant of Works the Apostle teacheth First That Covenant had its rise from Mount Sinai because in that mountain the Law was given and this Covenant was established betwixt God and his people Secondly hee teaches that this Covenant generated an off-spring to bondage or did render the Disciples and professours of it onely servants i. e. Mercenary worshippers of God who do nothing but the external work and brought to that either by fear or hope of a reward and they heing ignorant that this was the end of the Law that being sensible of our sins we might flye to Christ do abuse the Law being meer hypocrites seeking by it righteousness which they never obtain but being not freed remain in their sins Vers. 25. For this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and answereth to Ierusalem which now is and is in bondage with her children Hee shews the convenience of the exposition 1. From this because Mount Sinai situated in Arabia and far removed from the promised Land was called by the Arabians and Caldeans Hagar by the special providence of God 2. That it had affinity with the earthly Ierusalem as it was in the Apostles time or with the Jewish Synagogue which is said to bee in bondage with her children because shee was tenacious of the Covenant of works and continued with her Disciples in a servile condition strangers to the Redeemer and free deliverance by him Vers. 26. But Ierusalem which is above is free which is the mother of us all Hee expounds what is figured by Sarah the free-woman viz. The Covenant of Faith or Grace whereof the Church of the truly faithful is very tenacious which is the heavenly Ierusalem that is above created by God and studious of heavenly things the mother of all the faithful called both of Iews and Gentiles Vers. 27. For it is written Rejoyce thou barren that bearest not break forth and cry thou that travellest not for the desolate hath many more Children than she which hath an husband In the fourth place The Apostle proves the Exposition giveâ— out of Isaiah 54.1 where the Church of the faithful the upper Ierusalem our Mother is represented by Sarah barren as if shee had been a Widow And the Synagogue of the Jews unfaithful and tenacious of the Covenant of Works is represented by fruitful Hagar dwelling with her Husband But the Church of the faithful before the comming of Christ was compared as it were to a barren Widow because her Husband the Covenant of Grace was unknown almost to all except a few who dispersed hither and thither did not make a company neither did Grace appear but lay hid like an Husband absent or dead under the covers of Ceremonies The Synagogue of unbeleeving Justiciaries is compared to a fruitful Wife dwelling with her Husband viz. the Covenant of Works conspicuous in the external dispensation of the Law And it is fore-told by the Prophet that it should come to pass that the Church of the faithful made fruitful by the Promises of God shall bring forth more children under the Gospel than the Synagogue hath brought Servants under the Law and therefore is commanded to rejoyce and praise God Vers. 28. Now wee Brethren as Isaac was are the children of Promise In the last place hee applies this typical history and partly admonishes the truly faithful Christians and partly comforts them by four Arguments Argum. 1. That wee are redeemed children justified by Faith and truly free born and regenerated by virtue of Evangelical Promises to the similitude of Isaac who is elder than those other Citizens of the heavenly Ierusalem that were after him Vers. 29. But as then hee hat was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit Argum. 2. Of consolation That suffering persecution by false Brethren Patrons of free will and Righteousness by Works were finde nothing unlike to Isaacs condition For when in Abrahams Family hee who is onely begotten by the ordinary strength of nature persecuted him who is begotten by a divine and spiritual way what wonder then if the same now bee usual amongst us Vers. 30. Nevertheless what saith the Scripture cast out the bond-woman and her Son for the Son of the bond-woman shall not bee heir with the Son of the free-woman Argum. 3. That the persecutors of the faithful and Patrons of Righteousness by Works seeing they are not set at liberty by the Son are to bee cast out of the society of the Saints and the inheritance of life eternal as it was figured by the sentence of God concerning the casting Ishmael with his Mother out of the family and excluding him from the inheritance that was to bee enjoyed with Isaac Vers. 31. So then Brethren wee are not children of the bond-woman but of the free Argum. 4. From the comparing of this verse with the former that seeing wee are not children of the bond-woman but of the free certainly wee shall obtain an inheritance of life eternal which Argument with the former as it
hath the virtue of consolation so also of admonition that they would not adhere to their errour in seeking Righteousness by the Works of the Law and moreover of an exhortation that they hold fast Righteousness by Grace through Faith in Christ unless they would exclude themselves from the inheritance CHAP. V. THere are two parts of the Chapter In the first hee goes on to urge that shaking off the yoak of the Covenant of â—orks and Legal Ceremonies they may defend their Christian Liberty to vers 13. In the other hee gives Precepts concerning the right use of Christian Liberty to the end Vers. 1. Stand fast therefore in the Liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free and bee not entangled again with the yoak of bondage The Proposition to bee confirmed in the former part is plainly proposed under the form of an Exhortation Yee must stand fast in the Christian Liberty which is the scope of the former Doctrine and disputation and it is drawn from that as the conclusion The Arguments for the proving this Proposition are thirteen Argum. 1. Liberty from the servile yoak of the Legal Covenant or Ceremonies thereof is obtained by the blood of Christ Therefore you must stand stedfast in that Vers. 2. Behold I Paul say unto you that if yee bee circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing Argum. 2. Is established by an Apostolical obtestation If you bee circumcised according to the Ceremonial Law now abolished and add but this one Ceremony to free Justification by Christ Christ whom you declare by this fact an imperfect Saviour will not advantage you to salvation Therefore you must stand fast For if they could not be justified except they joyned Circumcision together with the Grace of Christ making Christ the half of their Righteousness they destroy the whole making him an imperfect Saviour they made him none at all Vers. 3. For I testifie again to every man that is circumcised that hee is a debter to do the whole Law Argum. 3. Is established by the same obtestation The Covenant of Works being abrogated and the Ceremonial Law now abolished if any one returns to Circumcision the Sacrament of initiation to this Legal Covenant hee by this means makes himself a debtor to the whole Law and consequently obliges himself to the curse unless hee perfectly with his whole strength fulfil the Law which is the condition of the Covenant of Works The matter is clear Because although Circumcision by the purpose of God to the faithful expecting the Messias until Christ was a Sacrament of the Righteousness of Faith as Abraham was circumcised and although in the time of toleration till the clear manifestation of Christian Liberty to them that were born Jews Circumcision was accounted amongst things indifferent so Timothy born of a Jewish Mother is circumcised and Titus is not yet to all the Jews and Proselytes of the Gentiles seeking Righteousness by Works or by the Law Circumcision is made part of the Legal Righteousness or of the Obedience of the Covenant of Works yea and the Sacrament of that Covenant And after this manner the false Apostles did urge Circumcision amongst the Galatians to whom religious Circumcision was every way unlawful No wonder then if hee said Christ will not profit them if they bee circumcised because they that were circumcised by that very fact did imbrace the Covenant of Works Vers. 4. Christ is become of no effect unto you whosoever of you are justified by the Law yee are fallen from Grace Argum. 4. Confirming the former whosoever of you return to Circumcision and Legal Customes abolished seeking Justification by the Law yeâ— by that same fact renounce Christ and the Covenant of Grace because the Covenant of Works and the Covenant of Grace in Christ do mutually exclude one another neither can they consist For if Justification is by Works it is not by Grace and on the contrary Therefore yee must stand in your liberty except you would be separated from Grace and Christ. Vers. 5. For wee through the Spirit wait for the hope of Righteousness by Faith Argum. 5. Wee Jews and Apostles that are circumcised after our conversion to the faith being taught by the Spirit renounce the Covenant of works and legal customes and do expect life eternal as the fruit of justification by Faith you that are Gentiles by nature cannot otherwise be justified or saved either by the Law or Circumcision Therefore you must stand fast in your Christian liberty Vers. 6. For in Iesus Christ neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but faith which worketh by love Argum. 6. Confirming the former In the Kingdome of Christ or the new state of the Church under the Covenant of Grace the difference of circumcision and uncircumcision is taken away that neither helps nor hinders any thing to justification Therefore you must stand fast in your liberty from the yoak of the Law But faith Arg. 7. True faith alone or that which worketh by love without respect to circumcision or uncircumcision availeth to the act of justification Therefore in this way of justification yee that are in the Kingdome of Christ must necessarily stand fast Vers. 7. Yee did run well who did hinder you that yee should not obey the truth Argum. 8. Not long since yee ran well in the course of the truth of this Doctrine neither can any account bee given of your falling from the truth Therefore you must as yet go forward and stand fast in that course Vers. 8. This perswasion cometh not of him that calleth you Argum. 9. By answering an Objection Although perhaps yee are perswaded that yee continue in a right way yet that credulity and perswasion to depart from that which you have received from mee is not from God calling you but some other way viz. from impostors from your inconstancy and from the Devil Therefore this perswasion is to bee rejected and yee must stand fast in the liberty Vers. 9. A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump Argum. 10. By answering an Objection Although it may seem that wee muâ—â— not contend about the introduction of some few customes for peace sake and that the Jews might the more easily bee won yet this little legal leaven or Judaism doth corrupt the whole sincerity of the Doctrine of faith Therefore yee must have a care of that and stand fast in the liberty Vers. 10. I have confidence in you through the Lord that you will bee none otherwise minded but hee that troubleth you shall bear his judgement whosoever he bee Argum. 11. Although the danger of your errour and inconstancy make mee suspect the event yet love and the constancy of Divine grace commands mee to hope better things which whilst I behold I am perswaded that you will return into that opinion with mee concerning the casting away the yoak of the Law and defending your liberty by faith in Christ Therefore it is meet to satisfie my expectation Troubleth Argum. 12. Your seducers who trouble your
to these vices Therefore hee includes himself in this Exhortation with the rest that the Galatians may more easily receive this Exhortation CHAP. VI. HEE proceeds to prescribe Christian duties to the Galatians much more excellent than those Legal Ceremonies and more worthy of their practice There are two parts of the Chapter in the first hee adds to the former Precepts two other to vers 11. In the other hee compares himself with the false Apostles and deservedly prefers himself before them lest the Galatians by the admiration of those should bee deceived Vers. 1. Brethren if a man bee overtaken in a fault yee which are spiritual restore such a one in the Spirit of meekness considering thy self lest thou also bee tempted The first Precept concerning dealing gently with the Brethren who fall through infirmity that they bee restored in the Spirit of meekness by those who seem more confirmed in the Spirit but hee speaks especially to the Presbyters upon whom it lyes by duty to recall those again to repentance that are fallen into scandalls by ecclesiastical censures and to restore again the dis-joynted members of the Church into their place Hee commandeth those to use meâ—kness towards them that through infirmity are fallen back and not to deal severely with them which without doubt belongs to those who have the power of punishing sinners There are six reasons of the Precept Reason 1. Because the same may happen through a temptation to any one even to the spiritual themselves Vers. 2. Bear yee one anothers burdens and so fulfil the Law of Christ. Reason 2. Because seeing that it may bee presupposed that sinning Brethren are sorrowful and grieved for their backslidings and sins Therefore it is fitting that sinners which are dejected and cast down in all moderation and sympathy should bee succoured and relieved under their burden And so Reason 3. Because the Law of Love renewed by Christ requireth that from us Vers. 3. For if a man think himself to bee something when hee is nothing hee deceiveth himself Reason 4. Hee that despiseth others that backslide through infirmity and thinks himself more strong deceiveth himself is amongst the weakest yea hee is a man of no strength at all Vers. 4. But let every man prove his own Works and then shall hee have rejoycing in himself alone and not in another Reason 5. Propounded after the manner of a Precept making for the quelling of self admiration and shunning the casting contempt upon a backsliden Brother Because if every one would try himself and examine his actions according to the rule of the divine Law no man would arrogate to himself the praise of holiness from other mens sins but onely from their good actions if hee found any of them worthy of praise This was said against them who never cease to aggravate another mans sin that they may seem more holy themselves Vers. 5. For every man shall bear his own burden Reason 6. Confirming the reason fore-going Because every one shall give an account of his Works to God not compared with others but considered with himself Therefore it is not safe to despise those that are fallen into sin and to bee lifted up against them because in like manner thou art not fallen thy self Vers. 6. Let him that is taught in the Word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things The second Precept belongeth to the people concerning liberality to bee exercised towards the Ministers of the Word that wee communicate coporal goods to them who communicate unto us by their office spiritual things and give themselves to this Work Vers. 7. Bee not deceived God is not mocked for whatsoever a man soweth that shall hee also reap Hee gives six reasons of the Precept which are all extended to liberality in general and do confirm the Precept of Liberality to Pastors the more strongly Reas. 1. Supposing these who are ingrateful towards their Teachers to bee also niggardly and slow to every good Work because the excuses of niggardliness are the delusions of covetous men with which God will not suffer them to delude themselves Whatsoever Reas. 2. Because every one shall receive fruit according to his deeds hee that hath onely received and refuseth to bee thankful shall bee rewarded according to his ingratitude and on the contrary Vers. 8. For hee that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption But hee that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting Hee expounds this Argument in particular Hee that bestows his goods or substance and his actions to the fulfilling the lusts of the flesh hee shall of his doing reap corruption But hee that on the contrary layeth out himself and all for the glory of God and promoting the works of the Spirit hee shall bee graciously rewarded with eternal life Vers. 9. As let us not bee weary in well-doing for in due season wee shall reap if wee faint not Reas. 3. Because whatsoever may bee said concerning liberality shewed by any one already as if enough was done by him yet hee must know that good things past are not sufficient unless wee persevere in well-doing Due Reas. 4. Illustrating and confirming the former Because an harvest of rewards shall certainly in due time bee to those alone that persevere in well-doing and faint not or bee weary Vers. 10. As wee have therefore opportunity let us do good unto all men especially unto them who are of the houshold of faith Reas. 5. Because the time of exercising well-doing is short therefore opportunity is to bee observed whilst life and abilities last and to reward them when they are dying is somewhat late Especially Reas. 6. The common bond of nature requireth that wee should bee liberal to all that are in want The bond of brother-hood requires charity towards the houshold of faith therefore how much more doth the bond of a flock towards their Pastor require that hee bee nourished by the milk and the fleece of the flock The Second Part. Vers. 11 â—ee see how large a letter I have written unto you with mine own hand The second part of the Chapter follows wherein after his Doctrine compared with the errour of his Adversaries now hee compares the Teacher with the Teachers i. e. Himself with the Seducers of the Galatians and that for their own edification who admired those glorious Doctors their Seducers Before hee compares himself hee premises the commendation of his sincere love towards the Galatians that hee writ this so large an Epistle with his own hand without the help of any Scribe as a most ample testimony of his solicitousness for their salvation Vers. 12. As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh they constrain you to bee circumcised onely lest they should suffer persecution for the Cross of Christ. Hee begins his comparison and proves the hypocrisie of his Emulators by four signs A fair shew Sign 1. That they study nothing more than to carry
themselves fairly before men Onely Sign 2. That they compel the Galatians to admit of Circumcision not out of love but onely lest they should suffer persecution by the Jews for the Doctrine of the Cross or free justification by the death of Christ and not by the works of the Law Vers. 13. For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the Law but desire to have you circumcised that they may glory in your flesh Sign 3. That although they were circumcised long since yet they little care for the observance of the Law which they required of others But desire Sign 4. That they seek occasion from the circumcision of the Galatians to glory amongst the Jews that they had converted many Proselytes to the Law Vers. 14. But God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of our Lord Iesus Christ by whom the world is crucified unto mee and I unto the world In the other part of the comparison the sincerity of the Apostle is shewn in these two things 1. That hee onely glories in his free Redemption by Christ crucified and in his sufferings for the Doctrine 2. That hee doth not affect earthly pomp but contemn the world with all its pomp and glory which persecuted and despised him for the Doctrine of the Cross sake and by the Cross learnt daily more and more to contemn the world Vers. 15. For in Christ Iesus neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but a new creature Hee gives four Reasons of his endeavour which are so many signs of his sincerity Reason 1. I know that in the Kingdome of Christ neither Circumcision nor Uncircumcision is respected by God but a new creature i. e. I know that it is necessary when any one is admitted by faith into the Kingdome of Christ and justified that hee should bee more and more renewed and sanctified but other priviledges are of no value without newness of life Therefore I will onely glory in the Cross of Christ. Vers. 16. And as many as walk according to this rule peace bee on them and mercy and upon the Israel of God Reas. 2. The rule of my intention is the summe of the whole Canonical Scripture to which as to one onely rule or one onely Canon the Doctrine and life of all is to bee conformable Therefore I will only glory in the Cross of Christ c. Peace Reas. 3. I am perswaded that whosoever shall order their faith and life by this rule they shall also obtain peace i. e. a sense of their reconciliation to God all kinde of blessings or an accumulation of good things and mercy or a remedy for the purging away all evills Therefore I will onely glory in the Cross of Christ. Israel Reas. 4. They are alone the true Israel of God that follow this Rule Therefore all things laid aside I will onely glory in the Cross of Christ by c. Vers. 17. From henceforth let no man trouble mee for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Iesus After the Comparison as a Conquerour hee triumphs over his Emulators forbidding them to make him any further work either by gain-saying his Doctrine or by detracting from his Authority because hee bare the ensign of his Felicity towards Christ viz. the mark of a servant most devoted to Christ i. e. Hee hath all the signes of an Apostle and a faithfull Witness clearly to bee seen in him Vers. 18. Brethren the Grace of our Lord Iesus Christ bee with your spirit Amen Hee shuts up the Epistle with his accustomed seal wishing that the Grace of Jesus Christ manifested beleeved and effectual might abide in their mindes hearts and whole life that from thence they may draw consolation both in life and death to which Amen is subjoyned as a testimony of his vote and the faith of an Apostle and for a seal of the truth of the precedent Doctrine The Epistle of Paul to the EPHESIANS Analytically expounded The Contents THe City of the Ephesians was the Metropolis of Lesser Asia in which the Apostle two whole years preached the Gospel Act. 19. And when lastly hee went up to Jerusalem hee fore-told a change of the Church to the Ephesians Act. 20. Against which hee fortifies them by this Epistle when hee was now held captive at Rome and plainly despaired of his return hee endeavoureth diligently to confirm their minds in Faith and Truth There are two principal parts of the Epistle besides the Preface and the Conclusion The first is The Doctrine of Grace for the confirmation of their Faith to Chap. 4. The other is the Doctrine of gratitude and thankfulness tending to holiness of life to the end of the Epistle That which belongeth to the first part First of all hee shews that the whole reason of our salvation is free and solidly founded on Christ in the first Chapter Furthermore hee amplifies this Grace from the former misery of the Ephesians Chap. 2. Thirdly The scandal of the Cross lying upon him being taken away hee exhorts them to constancy and progress in the Faith by the glorious commendation of his Ministery and by manifesting the cause for which hee suffered Chap. 3. In the second part hee gives Precepts of keeping the unity of the Church of holiness of life as well in general as in particular in the shunning of evil and following after virtue by which the life of every one is ordered in a Christian manner Chap. 4. and in the former part of Chap. 5. After these hee descends to houshold duties to which and all other Christian duties that are to bee performed hee arms the faithful in the latter part of Chap. 5. and in the former part of Chap. 6. CHAP. I. THis Chapter besides the Preface contains two parts In the first is a thanksgiving tending to prove that the whole business of salvation both of Iews and Gentiles is meerly of Grace and wholly built on Christ to vers 15. In the other is a commemoration of the Apostles continual thanksgiving and prayer offered to God for the Ephesians tending to the confirmation of Faith the assurance of their salvation and of the perseverance of all truly faithful unto the end The Preface in the two first verses contains a direction of the Epistle and a salutation of the Ephesians which is very short because hee hath not to do here with envious persons or enemies but with conformable and obedient men to whom it would bee sufficient briefly to intimate his divine authority in writing this Epistle and the Apostles good will towards them and opinion of them Vers. 1. Paul an Apostle of Iesus Christ by the Will of God to the Saints which are at Ephesus and to the faithful in Christ Iesus In the direction of the Epistle wee have the description of the Writer from his Name Office and Authority And then of those to whom hee writes from the condition in which they stood towards God and from the place which they did inhabit on the
and by baptism sealed to you so that there is no need to seek any thing out of Christ that belongs to the full paying the price of Redemption Therefore wee must not depart from him Yee are risen Argum. 7. Yee beleevers by baptism are brought into the communion of Christs Resurrection or his victory that hee gained over death and sin by which yee are not onely risen to newness of life in holiness but also yee shall rise in respect of your bodies to a glorious and immortal life so that nothing as to holiness and eternal life is to bee desired out of Christ Therefore yee must not at all depart from him Through the faith But yet lest too much be attributed to external baptisme from the work as they say done hee requires the faith of God efficaciously working in those that are baptized i. e. That wee beleeve that God who powerfully raised Christ from the dead according to his promises will also effectually raise us according to his promise to all manner of newness of life For by how much the nearer wee imbrace the power of God that raised Christ our head from the dead by so much the more wee shall make progress in newness of life Vers. 13. And you being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh hath hee quickned together with him having forgiven you all trespasses Argum. 8. God hath made you Colossians in times past dead in sins and lying in the uncircumcision of irregenerate nature partakers of the holy and immortal life of Christ as to right and an inchoate possession all your sins by grace being forgiven therefore as to a plenary remission of sins and to an holy and immortal life nothing is to bee sought out of Christ. This benefit is called a quickning together with Christ although Christ had risen some years before they were converted because in what moment soever any one is by faith united to Christ in the same moment is hee united to him now reigning in heaven yea in his dying burial and rising again after a judicial or forinsical manner so that in all things in which hee hath or doth sustain our person it is no less than if wee had in a Physical manner been present and consented to every act of his in our behalf Vers. 14. Blotting out the hand-writing of Ordinances that was against us which was contrary to us and took it out of the way nayling it to his Cross. Argum. 9. In which also hee explains how Christ obtained remission of sins for us viz. by taking away the hand-writing in this sense The Covenant of works is an hand-writing established partly in threatnings partly in appointed positive Ceremonials excluding the Gentiles from the Church was against us and contrary to us But Christ hath blotted out this hand-writing taking it out of the way and nailing it to his Cross Therefore you must not look back to the legal Covenant or ceremonial appointments in them to seek for any thing neither must yee depart in the least from the death of Christ by which yee are delivered from that hand-writing Hee compares this Covenant of works with its appurtenances to an hand-writing by which any one bindes himself for the paying of a debt for whosoever are convicted of sin by the light of nature are also by the force of the Covenant of Works obnoxious to wrath and as often as wee are convinced of sin so often also by nature wee confirm the punishment of sin or the condition of the legal Covenant by the judgement of our consciences against our selves as by an hand-writing The conscience of every one performs this much more which hath received the written Law and daily bears the punishment of the Law for the breaking of it But chiefly all justiciaries are compelled to subscribe to this hand-writing who acknowledge no righteousness besides inherent or that which is by works Of which number were those that Judaized and observeers of Ceremonies who adhered to this Covenant seeking Righteousness by works and the appointed Ceremonies For by how much they did indeavour by this means more manifestly to establish their own Righteousness by so much the more openly they did derive the punishment of the Law broken by the force of the Covenant upon themselves For no man enters a Covenant but hee also admits all the conditions of the Covenant The hand-writing is said to bee in Ordinances or rather subscribed to Ordinances so far as they took upon them those commands or Legal Ordinances that they might bee perfected in themselves they did withall oblige themselves to bear the punishment of the breach of those commands Hee calls it the hand-writing against us or contrary to us partly because it separated the Jews from the Gentiles and the Gentiles from the Jews Partly because it was a yoak which neither they nor their Fathers could bear Partly because as often as they did any work of the Law either moral or ceremonial to bee justified thereby so often by the imperfection of their work and the profession of their imperfection in the use of the Levitical Ceremonies they did argue themselves guilty or rather did acknowledge themselves guilty of death As for example when they offered Sacrifices and did repeat them they not onely acknowledged themselves sinners against the Moral Law but did also really confess that their frequent Sacrifices could not purge their consciences from sin and so the hand-writing of the Covenant of works was alwaies contrary to them But Christ hath blotted out this hand-writing and took it out of the way nailing it to his Cross insomuch as hee for the sake of them that were his hath paid for the redeemed the penalty due upon the hand-writing by the death of his Cross and hath compleated and abolished the positive Ordinances concerning those vanishing Ceremonies by the real Sacrifice of his own body once offered Vers. 15. And having spoiled principalities and powers hee made a shew of them openly triumphing over them in it Argum. 10. Christ hath brought all the Devils who exercise their power and tyranny upon the Elect overthrown by the price of Redemption paid upon the Cross and gloriously triumpheth over them openly in the sight of God Angels and men whose eyes are open unto their own disgrace and our deliverance Therefore it remains that nothing is to bee sought out of Christ. The Devils are called Principalities and Powers 1 Because in the world they potently exercise authority over all the reprobate children of disobedience and all the unregenerate which do nothing else but execute the will of the Devil 2 Because they are Sergeants executing the judgement of God holding those captive that are not reconciled to God in Christ. 3 Because they fight against Christ the Redeemer neither do they dismiss the redeemed and reconciled from the prison of darkness unless compelled by the stronger power of Christ. They are said to bee spoiled by Christ on the Cross 1 Inasmuch as
himself would by that very thing signifie that there was no virtue of Justification or Sanctification to bee sought in any legal Rites but only in his own blood all those legal Rites being excluded Vers. 13. Let us go forth therefore unto him without the Camp bearing his reproach 14. For here have wâ—e no continuing City but wee seek one to come 15. By him therefore let us offer the Sacrifice of praise to God continually that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his Name 16. But to do good and to communicate forget not for with such Sacrifices God is well pleased From hence the sixth Exhortation is drawn to a prudent imitation of Christ going out of the City and offering up himself to his Father This imitation consists in three things 1 As Christ going without the City renounced the world that hee might do his Fathers Will so wee for his sake ought to renounce all worldly things being ready to leave Father and Mother family and goods unless wee would bee accounted unworthy of his fellowship 2 As Christ hath born his Cross going out into an opprobrious place Golgotha so it behoveth us to bear Christs reproach or our Cross after him that is to prepare our selves to suffer banishments persecutions reproaches and miseries of that kind for his sake For not He gives the reason of this branch because we Believers know that those worldly things are momentary and that there is not an abiding place for us on earth but wee seek a City that heavenly inheritance to the obtaining of which it becomes us to go out of the world with a ready mind and to renounce worldly things By him The third thing in which wee ought to imitate Christs suffering is that resting in his intercession merit and worthiness wee offer to God spiritual sacrifices and acceptable i. e. As Christ hath offered himself to God that by his Passion hee might fulfill and abolish all Levitical types so wee whom hee hath made perfect by his alone Sacrifice as to Justification and hath sanctified us as Priests consecrated to God that legal sacrifices being abolished wee might offer spiritual sacrifices ought to offer up our selves as living Sacrifices for the serving of God and also Sacrifices of Praise Prayer and Thanksgiving which are our first fruits our calves and those spiritual sacrifices which wee ought continually to offer to God through Christ by whose merit wee and our obedience is made acceptable unto God To do good Besides the calves of our lips hee also commands us to do good that is to perform all duties of charity towards all but most especially towards the houshold of Faith With such Hee backs this part of the Exhortation with a strong reason because these kind of sacrifices please God or are acceptable to him as the most sweet fruit of our Faith in Christ and most evident testimony of our sincere love towards God and our neighbour Vers. 17. Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves For they watch for your souls as they that must give account that they may do it with joy and not with grief for that is unprofitable for you Exhort 7. That they perform diligently the duties which they owe to Pastours and Governours receiving them reverently as the Ministers of God loving them for Gods works sake which is in their hands obeying them in all things which they prescribe out of the Word of God to bee believed or done in the Name of God according to their office endeavouring with as great thankfulness as may bee to recompence their labours and cares They watch There are four arguments of the Exhortation Argum. 1. The Ecclesiastical Ministers your Leaders watch for you praying studying disputing for you preaching the Gospel and exercising Ecclesiastical Discipline amongst you for your good Therefore obey them Account Argum. 2. God requires an account of your souls from them iâ— but one perisheth by their fault Therefore obey them who undergo amongst you so dangerous and hard a task That with joy Argum. 3. If you obey as it becomes you you will rejoyce your Pastours and they will more cheerfully follow their work but otherwise they will indeed do their duty but heavily and with sorrow and so yee that ought to bee acceptable to them will become the cruel tormentors of your Pastours Therefore obey them For that Argum. 4. Preventing an Objection if perchance any amongst them might not care for the troubles griefs and sorrows of their Pastours it will turn to your hurt if Gods Ministers are compelled to mourn through your fault God will hear their groanings and will severely vindicate the contempt of his Embassadors Therefore obey them The Second Part. Vers. 18. Pray for us for wee trust wee have a good conscience in all things willing to live honestly The other Part of the Chapter follows wherein is contained the conclusion of the Epistle whereof there are six Articles In the first Because it is the duty of all fellow-souldiers in the Army of the Church Militant to pray mutually for one another The Apostle after his manner about the end of the Epistle commends himself to the prayers of the faithful Hebrews whom hee desires to pray that God would bless him in all things but especially that hee might freely and fruitfully preach the Gospel But hee speaks of himself in the plural number as it appeareth out of the words that follow which belong to his own person from which it is manifest that it was not unknown to the faithful Hebrews that Paul was the Writer of the Epistle which Peter also confirmeth unto us although for the unbelieving Hebrews sake whom hee endeavoured to win hee did not prefix his name which was hateful to them before this Epistle The reasons why Paul would have them prays from himself are two Wee trust Reason 1. Answering an Objection because although my reputation is abused by calumniatours who are enemies of the Gospel and cannot bear my preaching concerning the Grace of Christ and freedome from the Covenant of Works and Levitical Ceremonies yet I am conscious to my self that I have duely discharged my office and of my innocent conversation that I deserve ill of none But hee speaks here most modestly concerning himself lest hee should give any occasion of cavilling Rather Reas. 2. Because if yee shall pray for mee it will come to pass that sooner than yee expect and my prosperous condition may seem to permit I may be restored to your Churches from which I am detained longer than I would being much hindered by divers impediments Vers. 19. But I beseech you the rather to do this that I may bee restored to you the sooner 20. Now the God of Peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Iesus that great Shepheard of the Sheep through the blood of the everlasting Covenant 21. Make you perfect in every good work to do his will working in you that which is well-pleasing
Nation because God consecrated them to himself in purity of life A Peculiar people because God had redeemed and chosen them to himself for a treasure and inheritance Hath called Argum. 10. God hath called you out of the darkness of sin misery and unbelief to the knowledge of the Gospel of truth and participation of the glorious light of that truth that the wisdom goodness justice and other vertues of God might shine in you as in an image Therefore it becometh you to desire and suck in the milk of Evangelical Doctrine Vers. 10. Which in time past were not a people but are now the people of God which had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy Argum. 11. Confirming the former the gathering in of the rejected Hebrew Nation and the Reconciliation prophesied of by Hosea Chap 2. vers 23. began to be fulfilled in you believing Hebrews and indeed out of Gods meer grace to you Therefore ye are bound diligently to obey the foresaid Exhortation Vers. 11. Dearly beloved I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul. The second Exhortation to holiness is twofold 1. That they abstain from all lusts of the flesh or of corrupt nature whether they shew forth themselves in soul or body 2. That they carry themselves honestly i. e. holily innocently and justly before men Pilgrims The reasons of the Exhortation are five which prove that they ought to abstain from fleshly lusts Reas. 1. Ye are Strangers or Pilgrims not onely because ye are banished from your Countrey but also because the sons of God wheresoever they live are strangers Therefore ye ought to abstain from fleshly lusts War Reas. 2. Ye cannot obey the lusts of the flesh but to your own hurt for the lusts of the corrupt old man are opposite to eternal salvation and war against the saving of your souls Therefore ye ought to abstain from them Vers. 12. Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles that whereas they speak against you as evil doers they may by your good works which they shall behold glorifie God in the day of visitation Reas. 3. Unless ye obey the Exhortation ye will give occasion to the unbelieving enemies of the Gospel as to evil doers who took all occasion of speaking evil of you Therefore ye ought to obey the Exhortation Good works Reas. 4. It is not sufficient that by your innocency ye take away from your enemies the occasion of evil speaking but they are also to be convinced by your good works and their mouthes to be stopped that they may not speak evil of you when they most desire it Therefore ye ought to obey this Exhortation Glorifie Reas. 5. This will be a fit and proper means for the conversion of unbeliever and for their giving glory to God when it shall please him by his grace to visit them and to draw them to believe in Christ Therefore ye ought to obey the Exhortation Vers. 13. Submit your selves to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether it be to the King as Supreme The third Exhortation drawn especially from the former is of obedience to the Magistrate which he calls an humane Ordinance because although all power in general is the Ordinance of God yet the particular manner of Government rather by a Monarchy than any other way or by Aristocrary or Democracy or any other Government mixed of these is not determined by God but it is left to be determined by every Commonwealth which when it is determined it is called the Ordinance of man which is ratified by God or his Ordinance For although in Ecclesiasticals and Spirituals Christ alone hath the Dominion and Authoritive power and retains it to himself nor doth he suffer any Dominion but a meer Ministration subordinate to himself in his spiritual Kingdom yet he hath in Civils constituted a subordinate Dominion and called men Gods although not absolutely Therefore whatsoever the form of Government be wherein a Kingdom or Commonwealth shall agree here the Apostle commands the believing Hebrews to yield themselves subjects both to the King as Supreme and to Governours who are sent of him For the Lords sake The reasons of the Exhortation are five 1. The Lord requireth this subjection viz. so far as they do not command any thing against the Lord For God hath given the power of ruling to men for and not against himself Therefore be ye subject Vers. 14. Or unto Governours as unto them that are sent by him for the punâ—shment of evill doers and for the praise of them that do well For Reas. 2. The end of an Ordinance is for the repressing of the wicked and preserving and cherishing the good Therefore for this end ye ought to be subject Vers. 15 For so is the will of God that with well-doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men Reas. 3. God will by subjection of believers given to Magistrates silence as with a muzzle brutish men who unreasonably rage against the people of God as if they were enemies to Magistrates Therefore be ye subject Vers. 16. As free and not using your liberty for a cloâ—k of maliciousnesse but as the servants of God Reas. 4. Preventing an objection God doth not permit any man to use Christian liberty for a cloak to his maliciousness or rebellion as if Christian liberty exempted any one from the duty 〈◊〉 Civil subjection but being freed from sin ye freely serve the promoting of the justice of God whereof the Magistrate is a Minister Therefore ye ought to be subject to Magistrates and to observe civil order Vers. 17. Honour all men Love the Brotherhood Fear God Honour the King Reas. 5. These four Christian duties are conjoyned 1. To despise no man but to esteem all according to the station wherein God hath placed them 2. Intimately to love those which are of the houshold of faith 3. To 〈◊〉 God 4. To give the honour and obedience 〈◊〉 is due to the Magistrate so that he which hath not performed the latter of these duties is not to be thought to have performed the other sincerely Therefore be ye subject to the Magistrate Vers. 18. Servants be ye subject to your masters with all fear not onely to the good and gentle but also to the froward The fourth Exhortation is to Christian Servants That they not onely reverence their Masters that are more milde and courteous but also those that are severe and froward Vers. 19. For this is thank-worthy if a man for conscience toward God endure grief suffering wrongfully There are twelve Arguments of the Exhortation which prove that servants ought to bear the wrongs that are inflicted upon them by their Masters Argum. 1. This is a grace or the glorious work of Gods special grace working in man above the strength of nature if any one by that account that he may please God doth patiently suffer injuries done to him Therefore Servants ought to suffer
contrary hee is condemned In the second verse a reason of this is subjoyned because the judgement of God is just and according to the merit of the deed condemns every sinner both him that judgeth and him that is judged Therefore hee which according to the judgement of God condemns another to death for sin condemns himself doing the like things Vers. 3. And thinkest thou this O man that judgest them which do such things and doest the same that thou shalt escape the judgement of God This Argument in the following part of the Chapter is confirmed removing the four pretended Objections whereby men may evade the force of the Argument Object 1. Hee securely contemns the judgement of God who because God hath hitherto spared him promiseth himself impunity or freedome from punishment when hee judgeth others I am not afraid saith hee of the judgement of God The Apostle refutes this Objection and proves it null by six Reasons Reas. 1. That such an imagination is vain and foolish for Thinkest thou c. which is the same as if hee had said In vain doest thou think to escape the judgement of God Vers. 4. Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and long-suffering not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance Despisest Reas. 2. Such an imagination puts contempt and abuse upon the riches of the bounty forbearance and gentleness of God when any one because God hath spared hitherto goes on in sin and conceives hopes to go unpunished Bounty Reas. 3. That the bounty of God ought to invite and move to repentance not to go on in sin out of hopes to go unpunished Vers. 5. But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thy self wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgement of God Hardness Reas. 4. That such a thought is the hardening of our hearts in sin and a sealing of them up that wee cannot repent Treasure Reas. 5. That hee who securely contemns the judgement of God heaps up unto himself a kinde of treasure of punishments from divine justice to the time of that last and terrible judgement wherein that whole treasure of punishments in the most righteous anger of God shall bee openly poured out upon him Vers. 6. Who will render to every man according to his deeds 7. To them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory and honour and immortality eternal life 8. But unto them that are contentious and do not obey the truth but obey unrighteousness indignation and wrath 9. Tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doth evil of the Jew first and also of the Gentile 10. But glory honour and peace to every man that worketh good to the Jew first and also to the Gentile Reas. 6. God will give to every man in the day of Judgement according to his works good or evil his rewards of grace or punishments of his justice To wit eternal life to them that persevere in obedience to the truth hoping for a reward vers 6 7. And besides the signs of wrath in this life eternal death also after this life as it is just for an angry God to inflict upon the adversaries of the truth and the servants of unrighteousness verse 8. Hee confirms this reason in that God will have no respect to any Nation or outward Priviledges in the inflicting of his punishments But the Jews which had the chiefest favours of God should bee first in their punishments and that hee would inflict upon the soul and body of the Heathens or Gentiles their deserved torments verse 9. And to the same manner in his rewards without difference of Nations hee will glorifie i. e. with all gifts that may externally accomplish a man such as Glory and Honour and inwardly which is signified by Peace and will heap upon the pious and honest Jew according to all the priviledges which hee hath vouchsafed to that Nation and will crown the pious and honest Gentile in his place with eternal life verse 10. from whence it follows that hee is deceived who indulges hopes of impunity because God hath hitherto spared him Vers. 11. For there is no respect of persons with God Hee confirms the former reason from the equity of God in that hee is no respecter of persons and hee meets with the second Objection propounded verse 2. against the severe judgement of God against sinners Some might object In the executing of Judgement respect is to bee had as well of the Heathen who lives out of the Church without the knowledge of the Law or the doctrine of God as also of the Jew which is a Disciple of God and an hearer of the Law God forbid that either of them should perish for both seems unjust although they are sinners Hee refutes this Objection and proves it just that every sinner should perish by five Reasons Reas. 1. Because there is no respect of persons with God that hee should exempt from condemnation those that persevere in sin whether Jews or Gentiles for any reason which appertains to the person not the cause And here it is to bee observed that God looks with an equal eye upon the Jew and Gentile out of Christ not in the degrees of punishment but in the guilt of eternal death which all sinners are worthy of although not in the like degree Vers. 12. For as many as have sinned without Law do by nature the things contained in the Law those having not the Law shall be judged by the Law Reas. 2. This confirms and unfolds the other because they that have sinned without the Law scil written Against the Law written upon their hearts by nature even by the same Law within them shall perish without the written Law by the sentence of Justice And whoever have sinned in the Law or in the knowledge of the Law written shall bee condemned even by the sentence of the written Law Vers. 13. For not the hearers of the Law are just before God but the doers of the Law shall be justified Reas. 3. Especially intended against the Jews who according to the rule of Righteousness cannot bee accounted for Righteous before God even they that are hearers of the Law unless they perform perfect obedidience to the Law which because neither Jew nor Gentile can do by consequence neither can they bee exempted from deserved condemnation but on the contrary especially the Jews which are hearers of the Law and do not keep it are most worthy of judgement Vers. 14. For when the Gentiles which have not the Law do by nature the things contained in the Law these having not the Law are a Law unto themselves 15. Which shew the work of the Law written in their hearts their conscience also bearing witness and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another Reas. 4. Especially intended against the Gentiles which though they have not the written Law yet they have a Law within
them and by nature do some external works of the Law although they have not the written Law yet that Law within them is a Law and that really and indeed written upon their hearts as their consciences witness accusing them when they do ill and excusing them when they do well Therefore they have nothing to pretend why they should not undergo deserved condemnation when they sin much less the Jews Vers. 16. In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my Gospel Reas. 5. Because in the day of judgement God will bring forth the secrets of the heart and according to this my doctrine in the Gospel will pronounce the condemnation of sinners to bee just whether Jews or Gentiles Therefore they cannot bee excused who sin but perish by their own just desert Vers. 17. Behold thou art called a Jew and restest in the Law and makest thy boast of God 18. And knowest his will and approvest the things that are more excellent being instructed out of the Law 19. And art confident that thou thy self art a guide of the blind a light of them which are in darknâ—ss 20. An instructer of the foolish a teacher of babes which hath the form of knowledge and of the truth in the Law The third Objection But something must bee allowed to the priviledges of the Jews that they come not into the like condemnation with the Gentiles And here hee seems to conflict with some principal teacher of the Law and Patron of Righteousness by works and brings forth seven props of his vain confidence by way of concession granting all 1 The first that hee grants is the external honour of a worshiper of God Thou art called a Jew which was a name not of Nation only but of a confessor of the true Religion 2 A submission of mind to the doctrine of the Law Thou restest in the Law and thou applaudest thy self in this as an eminent benefit 3 Thou makest thy boast in God viz. that thou art of that people chosen above all other Nations in Covenant with God vers 17. 4 The knowledge of Gods will taken out of the Law 5 The discerning of good and evil and of things that differ and controversies by the benefit of the same Law verse 18. 6 The confidence of such abundant knowledge and certainty that they could teach others 7 That they had a systeme and collection of that knowledge which was here and there contained in the Law and that all the rest besides this our Rabbi are infants and foolish verse 19 20. Vers. 21. Thou therefore that teachest another teachest thou not thy self Thou that preachest a man should not steal doest thou steal 22. Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery doest thou commit adultery Thou that abhorrest idols doest thou commit sacriledge 23. Thou that makest thy boast of the Law through breaking the Law dishonourest thou God The Apostle answers the Objection and all these being granted hee shews them insufficient to righteousness by two Reasons Reas. 1. Because thou doest not teach thy self i. e. thou dost not shew forth thy doctrine by thy deeds but either pollutest thy self with those vices or the like which thou forbiddest in others Therefore those things suffice not to free thee from condemnation Vers. 24. For the Name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you as it is written Reas. 2. Confirming the former Because through your fault the Gentiles speak evil of God as if hee had or could bear prophane worshipers Therefore the forecited priviledges make nothing to Righteousness This reason hee confirmes by the testimony of Ezekiel 36.22 who complains of the Hypocrites of his time boasting in the same priviledges Vers. 25. For Circumcision verily profiteth â—f thou keep the Law but if thou be a breaker of the Law thy Circumcision is made uncircumcision The fourth Objection But because of the Covenant of God the sign whereof is Circumcision I shall not perish who am circumcised saith the Jew confiding in the outward Ceremony The Apostle answers and proves that Circumcision does not exempt us from condemnation or death by four Reasons Reas. 1. Because Circumcision if it bee joyned with perfect obedience to all the rest of the commandements if it could bee it would profit as a part of that obedience to justification by works for which the Jew did contend but if the transgression of the Law bee found in him that is circumcised as touching justification by works circumcision and uncircumcision will bee the same Therefore circumcision exempts not from condemnation Vers. 26. Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the Law shall not this uncircumcision be counted for circumcision Reas. 2. Because the Gentiles uncircumcision joyned with perfect obedience to the Law if it could bee shall bee of the same account with the Jews circumcision If so bee God require to justification by works nothing but a perfect observation of the Moral Law Therefore circumcision frees not from condemnation Vers. 27. And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature if it fulfil the Law judge thee who â—y the letter and circumcision dost transgress the Law Reas. 3. Because the Gentile being by nature uncircumcised if it was possible that hee could keep the Moral Law compared with thee who are outwardly circumcised and yet transgressest the Law by thy own judgement hee shall argue thee worthy of condemnation Therefore circumcision doth not free from condemnation Vers. 28. But he is not a Jew which is one outwardly neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh 29. But hee is a Jew which is one inwardly and circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit and noâ— in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God Reas. 4. Because neither the outward profession of the true Religion long ago erected among the Jewes by God himself is to be accounted for a true profession of the true Religion nor outward Circumcision of the flesh is to bee reckoned for true Circumcision ver 28. But hee is a true Professor of the true Religion who is such an one in the Spirit and that is true Circumcision which is of the heart spiritual in the inward soul and not that which is outwardly in the body or the letter which is commonly called Circumcision He that is a Jew indeed and that which is true and spiritual Circumcision hath commendation and praise not only among men who only see things that are open and manifest but with God who looks into the heart Therefore outward Circumcision perfects not our righteousness nor frees any man from condemnation ver 29. CHAP. III. THere are two parts of this Chapter in the FIRST he answers five objections against the foresaid Doctrine to ver 9. In the SECOND part he proceeds to prove the POSITION touching JUSTIFICATION NOT BY WORKS BVT BY FAITH Ver. 1. What advantage then hath the Iew or what profit is there of