his life none of the Church that was at Rome nor any of those that were of his own retinue durst own him or stand by him in his exigent but the Lord was with him and brought him off safe from the Lions mouth He being assured by this providence of God to him and for him in his great danger that he was reserved for the further benefit of the Church and propagating of the Gospel applieth himself to that work the best way he can considering his condition oâ— imprisonment and whereas he cannot travell up and down to the Churches to preach to them as he done he visiteth divers of them by his Epistles And first he writeth THE EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS and sendeth it by Crescens as may be conceived from 2 Tim. 4.10 For though Demas and Crescens and Titus their departure from Paul be reckoned altogether in that verse yet the reason of theâ—r departure cannot be judged to have been alike for however Demas started upon some carnall respect yet Crescens and Titus are not so branded nor will the eminent piety of the later suffer us to have any such opinion of him and the judging of him doth also help us to judge of Crescens who is joyned with him The postscript of this Epistle both in the Greek Syriack Arabick and divers other Translations doth generally date it from Rome Beza from Antioch Erasmus from Ephesus but all upon conjecture for there is no intimation in the Epistle it self of the time or place of its writing Beza upon these words in Chap. 1. ver 2. And all the brethren which are with me saith thus Puto sic totum Antiochenae Ecclesiae Presbyterium significari inde scriptam hanc Epistolam c. I think by this he meaneth the whole Presbytery of the Church of Antioch and that this Epistle was written from thence at that time that passed between Paul and Barnabas their return into Asia from their first journey forth and the coming of those troubles to Antioch Acts 14.28 But that Apostacy in the Churches which the Apostle crieth out against in this Epistle and in others was not then begun and moreover it may well be questioned whether the Churches of Galatia were then planted And the former answer may likewise be given to the opinion that this Epistle was written from Ephesus namely that at the time of Pauls being at Ephesus the Apostacy which ere long did sorely and almost Epidemically infest the Churches was but then beginning And this is one reason why I suppose it written from Rome at this time that we are upon because that gangrene in the Eastern Churches was now come to ripenesse as it appears by the second Epistle to Timothy which was written this same year See 2 Tim. 1.15 False teachers had brought back the Galatians from the simplicity of the Gospel to their old Ceremonious performances again and to reliance upon the works of the Law for Justification which miscarriage the Apostle taketh sharply to task in this Epistle And first he vindicates his Apostleship as no whit inferiour to Peter and Iames and Iohn the Ministers of the Circumcision and those that chiefly seemed to be pillars and he shews how these approved of him and it And then he most divinely states the nature of the Law at which was the great stumbling and especially speaks to that point that they most stood upon their living in it The Lord had laid a stone in Sion which the Jews could not step over but stumble at even to this day and that is that which is said in Levit. 18.5 Ezek. 20.11 and in other places which the Apostle also toucheth in this Epistle Chap. 3.12 from whence they concluded that no living no justification but by the works of the Law The Apostle in the third Chapter of this Epistle laies down two conclusions that determine the case and resolves all into faith The first is in ver 17. namely that the Law was not given to crosse the Covenant of grace but to be subservient to it The second in ver 10. that the Law did plainly shew of it self that no man could perform it but it left a man under the curse Observe that he saith not As many as fail of the works of the Law but As many as are of the works of the Law shewing that the Law did not only denounce a curse upon all that performed it not but plainly demonstrated that none could perform it and so left all under a curse and these words Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things c. conclude both So that the Law was not given for justification but to be subservient to the Covenant of Justification not to crosse the Covenant but to serve it not purposely to leave under the curse but to shew the curse and to drive men to get from under it So that men might live in it but not by it It was the way in which men were to go to seek for Justification but it was not the cause or means whereby they were justified See Gal. 3.5 The Jews made the Morall Law crosse to the Covenant of grace whilest they sought to be justified by works and they made the Ceremoniall Law crosse the Morall whilest they resolved all duty into Ceremony and so the Law which in it self was holy and pure and good they turned to death unto themselves by their abuse They might have lived in the Morall Law had they used it aright though not by it for the more a man sets himself to the exact performance of it the more he sees he cannot perform it and therefore he is driven the more to Christ But they resolved all into Ceremonious performance and so lost sincerity toward the Morall and hereupon the Ceremoniall Law good in it self became to them Statutes not good and Iudgements wherein they could not live Ezek. 20.25 From Rome also and reasonable early in this year Paul wrote THE SECOND EPISTLE TO TIMOTHY and in it urgeth Timothy to come to him before Winter Timothy was now at Ephesus when this Epistle was directed to him as may be observed out of the Epistle it self by these collections 1. In that he willeth him to salute the houshold of Onisephorus Chap. 4.19 who was an Ephesian Chap. 1.16 18. 2. In that he biddeth him take Troas in â—is way as he comes to him Chap. 4.13 which had been the way that Paul himself had gone from Ephesus 2 Cor. 2.22 and to Ephesus again Act. 20.5 3. In that he warneth him of Alexander Chap. 4.14 who was an Ephesian 1 Tim. 1.20 Act. 19.33 There is one passage in this Epistle which hath caused some to doubt about the time of its writing for about the place there is no doubt and that is what he saith Chap. 4 6. I am now ready to be offered up and the time of my departure is at hand which would make one think that he was now ready to be martyred and taken
out of Office in Nero's fourth before Poppaea was yet got into her potency And the accounting of Pauls to years imprisonment under Felix to be thus At Pentecost in Nero's second he is apprehended and at Pentecost in Nero's third he had been a year prisoner and at Peneecost in Nero's fourth his two years are up and that spring it was that Felix went out of Office and went to Rome to make his answer and Pallas his brother not yet utterly out of favour makes his peace And now let us draw up the Chronology of Nero's time to the full according to these evidences and as referreth to our occasion Paul at Ephesus Goeth to Macedonia Creet Greece to Macedonia again and wintereth in Nicopolis Paul at Macedonia till Easter then goeth up to Ierusalem and is apprehended at Pentecost and from that time till the year go out is a prisoner Paul a prisoner all this year under Felix Felix removed Festus cometh in Paul shipped towards Rome but wintereth by the way Poppaea in Nero's eye and becomes his Minion Festus Governour of Iudea Paul after wintering in his journey cometh to Rome and this is the first year of his imprisonment there Nero killeth his mother Agrippina Festus Governour of Iudea Pauls second year imprisonment at Rome Festus Governour of Iudea Festus Governour of Iudea Nero marrieth Poppaea Festus Governour It may be Albinus came in sometime this year and then was Iames the lesse slain this year Albinus Governour of Iudea Florus Governour of Iudea Florus Governour of Iudea The Warres begin Nero dieth having reigned 13 years and 8 moneths ACTS CHAP. XXI from Ver. 17. to the end of the Chapter PAul cometh to Ierusalem at the feast of Pentecost when the City was now full of conflux to that festivall He resorteth instantly to Iames the residentiary Apostle of the Circumcision for holding correspondency sake and there he shews him the manner and fruit of his Ministry among the Gentiles Which both by Iames and the Elders that were with him is well approved of as to the thing it self but they certifie him of what complaints they heard from the Jews against him for crying down of the rites of Moses especially Circumcision That thou teachest all the Iews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses saying that they ought not to circumcise their children ver 21. Now because thousands of the Jews which beleeved were yet zealous of the Law this gave much offence But did Paul teach thus or not No doubt he did and it behoved him so to do nor does nor can Iames except against the doctrine for though it is true that he and Paul and the other Apostles permitted compliance with some of the Jewish rites for peace sake for a while as there is an example in this very place yea Paul himself circumcised Timothy upon that reason yet the use of Circumcision as these that stood upon it used it was utterly inconsistent with the Gospel Hear this Apostles Doctrine Behold I Paul say unto you that if you be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing For I testifie again to every man that is circumcised that he is a debtour to the whole Law Gal. 5.2 A converted Jew would have his sonne circumcised Paul asks him a reason what can he answer but it looks after some justification by it as their own Authors speak their thoughts He that is circumcised is perfect And He that is circumcised shall not go to Gehinnom And I said unto thee in thy blood live Ezek. 16.6 This is the blood of Circumcision c. Tanchum in Gen. 17. 18 c. They looked indeed upon Circumcision notion as an admission into the Covenant and thereupon the father of the child at his Circumcision constantly used these words Blessed be thou O Lord our God who hast sanctified us by his Commandments and commanded us to bring the child into the Covenant of our father Abraham And they that stood by said As thou hast brought him into the Covenant so bring him into the Law and into the Bride-chamber Jerus in Beracoth fol. 13. col 1. But withall they looked upon this Covenant as a Covenant of works for as we observed before they reputed Abraham himself so justified Good cause therefore had Paul to stand out against the convert Jews circumcising their children as whereby the Doctrine of Justification by faith was utterly enervated and made of no effect And here by the way let us conceive we heard Paul and one of these parents disputing upon this point Circumcise not thy child saith Paul for if thou doest thou laiest an obligation upon him to observe the whole Law and this may note to us that the Sacrament carried an obligation with it and obliged an Infant though he knew not what Law or obligation meant Baptism is for obligation as well as this and a childe capable of the obligation though he understand not what it means I but saies the Parent I will not look upon it as in way to Justification I will only use it for the childes admission into the Covenant of grace If Infants Baptism were not now in use for such a purpose let one that denies it tell me what Paul had to answer Iames urgeth not Paul at all to any publick recantation of his Doctrine but adviseth him by purifying himself and Judaizing a little in the Temple to give some publick testimony for their satisfaction â—â—at he was not such an enemy to Moses as he was reported which he agreeth to For the Temple rites might have better plea while the Temple stood then Circumcision which was none of them On the second or third day of his Purification some Asian Jews raise a tumult against him It is not so properly rendred And when the seven daies were almost ended ver 27. as rather And as the seven daies were to have been accomplished the computing of these twelve daies mentioned chap. 24.11 inforce that they should be so interpreted They found him in the second Court of the Temple the Court of the women whither no Heathen came though they might come into the outer Court called the mountain of the House and thither they supposed and pretended that he had brought a Gentile Trophimus an Ephesian For which he is fallen upon with that they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The rebels beaten stripes without number the people falling pell mell upon him Which was the way as the Jews records inform us that the Priests were dealt withall that came into the next court above this when any of them was deprehended there in their uncleannesse they never stood upon it to bring him to judiciall triall but his fellows fell upon him with the fagot sticks of the Altar or what came to hand and mawled him with blows without measure even unto death And so had Paul been served now had not the Roman Commander come and been his rescue Yet did he suppose him an offender and questions him whether he
hasten their collections for the Saints in Iudea that they might be ready against Paul should come thither And with Titus he sendeth two other brethren and by them all he sendeth THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS The proof that it was written and sent at this time and in this manner is plain by these places and passages in it Chap. 9.2 3 4. I know the forwardnesse of your minde for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia Yet have I sent the brethren lest our boasting of you should be in vain left haply they of Macedonia come with me c. Chap. 12.14 Behold the third time I am coming to you Chap. 13.1 This is the third time I am coming to you And Chap. 8.16 But thanks be unto God who put the same earnest care into the heart of Titus for you 17. Being more forward of his own accord he went unto you 18. And with him we have sent the brother whose praise is in the Gospel 22. And we have sent with them our brother whom we have oftentimes proved diligent in many things c. Who these two namelesse persons should be will require some inquiry The later I suppose was Erastus both because his diligence had been approved before Acts 19.22 c. and also because it is said Erastus abode at Corinth 2 Tim. 4. yet he not named among Pauls retinue when he set out for Asia Act. 20.4 because he was gone to Corinth before As for the other brother whose praise is said to be in the Gospel that very phrase and expression hath caused many to conceive that it was Luke and that the words mean Who is famous in all the Churches for the Gospel he hath written whereas besides that groundlesse strictnesse that is put upon the words limiting them to the writing of a Gospel which according to that most usuall manner of speech are rather to be understood of his renown in preaching the Gospel it is apparent by the words of Luke himself that he went not either before Paul to Corinth as this brother spoken of did nor did he go before Paul to Troas as the rest that are named by him did but he went in Pauls company for observe his speech These tarried for us at Troas And we sailed away from Philippi c. The words Vs and We do plainly associate the penman himself with Paul at his setting out and shew that he was none of those that were sent before Others therefore do guesse that this brother that went along with Titus was Silas because it is said Who also was chosen by the Churches to travell with us c. Which very thing which they use for an argument to prove it Silas proves against it for Silas was not chosen by the Churches to go with Paul any more then Timothy or Titus were but he was chosen by Paul alone as they also were See Act. 15.40 That clause then Who was also chosen of the Churches to travell with us doth deal the matter betwixt Barnabas and Mark for none other can be named to whom the words can be so properly applied as to one of them and of the â—wo most properly to Mark and he I doubt not is the man that is here intended For 1. the words with us joyn Paul and Barnabas together in their travell and the third man who was chosen to travell with them was none but Mark. For 2. he was chosen by the Church at Ierusalem for that purpose Act. 12.25 and by the Church at Antioch Act. 13 5. as these words he was chosen by the Churches do well explain those verses 3. It is true indeed that Paul had taken distast at Mark and so bitter that Barnabas and he had parted upon it Act. 15.39 yet in his second Epistle to Timothy he desires Timothy to bring Mark to him for that he is profitable to him for the Ministry 2 Tim. 4. by which it appears that he was not only reconciled to him but also that he had made use of him and found him usefull When it was that they knit into amity and imployment again is not discoverable but that they had done so the passage newly alledged doth make past deniall and if his imployment of Mark were not now or before he can no more imploy him before he himself become a prisoner When we come to the time and order of the second Epistle to Timothy we shall have occasion to speak to this matter again and shall finde something there to help the confirmation of this assertion nay to raise it higher then yet it hath spoken namely that Mark was not only sent by Paul to Corinth at this time but also that he was at Corinth when Paul sent for him to come to him to Rome And thus if these words Whose praise is in the Gospel were to be understood of one that had written a Gospel here is a subject to apply them to in that sense for this Mark wrote a Gospel as well as Luke The Apostle in this second Epistle to Corinth doth first excuse his not coming to them according as he had promised in his first Epistle 1 Cor. 16.5 clearing himself from all lightnesse in making and from all unfaithfulnesse in breaking that promise and pitching the main reason upon themselves and their present condition because he had not yet intelligence when he went first into Macedonia of any reformation among them of those enormities that he had reproved in his first Epistle therefore he was unwilling to come to them in heavinesse and with a scourge This his failing to come according to his promise had opened the mouths of divers in his disgrace and false teachers took any other occasion to vilifie him which he copiously satisfies and vindicates himself all along the Epistle His exceeding zealous plainnesse with them and dealing so home and throughly against their misdemeanours as he did was one advantage that false teachers and his ill-willers took to open their mouth against him and to withdraw hearts from him and withall and mainly because he was so urgent against the works of the Law as to Justification and those rites which the Jews even the most that were converted to the Gospel too much doted on About the former their taunt and scorn against him was His Letters are weighty and powerfull but his bodily presence is weak and speech contemptible Chap. 10.10 A poor contemptible fellow say they to be so sharp and supercilious in his Letters this is more then he durst speak if he were here c. But let such know saies he that what I am by Letters in absence I will be by words and in deed in presence Concerning both this and the latter named they passed Festus his censure upon him as Act. 26.24 that he was besides himself This he mentions and answers Chap. 5.13 Whether we are besides our selves it is for God or whether we be sober it is for your cause For the love of Christ
constraineth us because we thus judge that if one died for all then were all dead c. Since Christ died for all that is for Jews and Gentiles both he could not but conclude that all were dead the Jew as well as the Gentile therefore he could not but so urgently call upon the Jew to look off his own righteousnesse and the works of the Law and to look for Justification by faith in Christ. Another scandalous opinion and reproach they also took up of him That he walked after the flesh a strange slander of Paul Chap. 10.2 but this was but an appendix to that before because he was not Pharisaically precise about their triviall rites of the Law which too many of them mixed with the Gospel but cried them down therefore they cried him up for carnall His answer to this is that his Ministry may witnesse the contrary for him ver 3.4 5. the end of which and the abundant effect of which was to beat down such carnall affections and actions as were such indeed His expression of the weapons of his warfare being strong to pull down strong holds expounds that Num. 24.17 of Christ smiting the corners of Moab and destroying all the sons of Seth. And he gives this for a second answer that if they would be but obedient they should see how his Apostolick power was ready to avenge disobedience Since he hath such back friends and open enemies in this Church it is no wonder if he write so doubtingly of them how he should finde them and that he staid no longer with them when he came to them as his stay was very little His former Epistle as it is apparent by severall passages in this had wrought them into a reasonable good temper but mischief now was crept on them again at least there were some that were tampering to bring it on In regard therefore of that vilifying that these false teachers enemies of him and God did set him at and sought to make him odious and contemptible in the eyes of the Church he is put to it to make his vindication and that as the matter required with much largenesse and earnestnesse He therefore copiously discourseth what God had done by him what he had suffered for God and what he had done for the Churches in any of which things let any of these that reviled him come near him if they could In relating the passages of his life he mentioneth many things of which there is no mention in his story in the Acts of the Apostles and frequenly in his discourse he speaketh of his folly in boasting as Chap. 11.1 Bear with me a little in my folly and see ver 16 17. because indeed mans boasting of himself is folly and they would be ready to censure his so therefore he styles his by that title though it were not folly in him but a needfull and an holy vindication of himself and of his Ministry After he had sent away this Epistle by Titus Erastus and Mark if our conjecture fail not and had given notice to the Corinthians of his speedy coming to them and warning to get their collections ready against he came he provideth for his journey into Syria which he had intended so long partly to visit the Churches in these parts and partly to bring up the collections that he had got for the poor of Iudea which he had promised to the three Ministers of the Circumision Peter Iames and Iohn that he would be carefull of Gal. 2.10 ACTS CHAP. XX. Ver. 4. And there accompanied him into Asia Sopater of Berea and of the Thessalonians Aristarchus and Secundus and Gaius of Derbe and Timotheus and of Asia Tychichus and Trophimus 5. These going before tarried for us at Troas 6. And we set from Philippi after the daies of unleavened bread CHRIST LVI NERO. II THe story as hath been said hath brought us to another year the beginning of which that is from the entrance of Ianuary and forward even till Easter Paul spent in Macedonia still wintering there viz. in Nicopolis Philippi c. and after Easter he sets for Ierusalem ver 6. Therefore we have superscribed it The 2d of Nero and of Christ the 56th When we come to speak of the Epistle to the Romans which we shall meet with in our way very shortly we shall say something of the names of these men for many of them will meet us there only we cannot misse Timotheus here without some notice taken of him and some quaere how he came here The last year Paul left him at Ephesus when himself came thence and being come thence into Macedonia he sends him an Epistle with his earnest desire in it that he would stay there still upon that needfull imployment upon which he was left 1 Tim. 1. how then is Timothy now got to him into Macedonia so that he is with him at his setting away from Philippi We have not indeed any intimation that Paul sent for him away as we have of his sending for Titus whom he left in Creete intendedly for a longer time but it is very probable that Paul designing to have sailed for Syria came near to him and there discovering the danger that was laid in his way by the Jews which might also have infolded Timothy he brought him away back again with him and so both returned into Macedonia and now winter is over they are setting for Asia again But when Paul and this his company are all going for Asia together why should they not set out together but these go before and tarry at Troas and Paul and some other of his company come after Nay they were all to meet at Troas as it appeareth ver 6. why might they not then have gone all together to Troas The reason of this was because Paul himself was to go by Corinth and not minding to stay there but very little because he hastened to Ierusalem he would not take his whole train thither but sends them away the next way they could go to Troas himself promising and resolving to be speedily with them there He had promised a long time to the Church of Corinth to come unto them and he had newly sent word in that Epistle that he had lately sent that now his coming would be speedy 2 Cor. 12.14 Behold the third time I am ready to come to you and Chap. 13.1 This is the third time that I am coming to you Not that he had been there twice before for since his first departing thence when he had staied there a long time together at his first planting of the Gospel in that place there is neither mention nor probability of his being there again but this was the third time that he was in coming having promised and intended a journey thither once before but was prevented 2 Cor. 1.15 16 17. But now he not only promiseth by the Epistle that he will come but staketh the three Brethren that he had sent thither for witnesses
and sureties of that promise 2 Cor. 13.1 2. that in the mouth of those witnesses his promise might be established and assured Now the time is come that he makes good his promise and whilest the rest of his company go directly the next cut to Troas he himself and Luke and whom else he thought good to retain with him go about by Corinth And now to look a little further into the reason of their thus parting company and of Pauls short stay at Corinth when he came there we may take into thoughts besides how much he hastned to Ierusalem the jealousie that he had that he should not finde all things at Corinth so comfortable to himself and so creditable to them before those that should come with him as he desired He hath many passages in the second Epistle that he wrote to them that glance that way For though as to the generall there was Reformation wrought among them upon the receiving of his first Epistle and thereupon he speaketh very excellent things of them yet were there not a few that thought basely of him 2 Cor. 10.1 2. and traduced him and his Doctrine Chap. 11. 12. and gave him cause to suspect that his boasting of that Church to the Churches of Macedonia might come off but indifferently if the Macedonians should come with him to see how all things were there 2 Cor. 9.4 And therefore it was but the good policy of just fear grief and prudence to send them by another way and he had very just cause to stay but a while when he came there From Corinth in his short stay there he writeth THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS as hath been well supposed by some of the Ancients is asserted by the postscript and may be concluded from these observations 1. That he saith that he is now going to Ierusalem to bring to the Saints that benevolence that they of Macedonia and Achaia had collected for them Rom. 15.26 The word Achaia tels us that he now was sure of the Corinthian contribution which he was not sure of till he came there 2. That he commendeth to the Romans Phaebe a servant of the Church of Cenchraea Rom. 16.1 which Cenchraea was a place belonging to Corinth as was observed before though at some few miles distance 3. That he calleth Erastus Chamberlain of the City Rom. 16.23 of whom it is said Erastus abode at Corinth 2 Tim. 4. 4. That he calleth Gaius his host or the man with whom he lodged and the host of the whole Church or in whose house strangers had their intertainment Rom. 16.23 who was a Corinthian 1 Cor. 1.14 And hence it appeareth that Gaius of Derbe who was one of those that were gone before to Troas was one man and Gaius of Corinth was another It is true indeed that the greetings of some men were sent in this Epistle which were not with Paul at this present in Corinth as Timothies Rom. 16.20 who was gone to Troas and Sosipaters who was gone thither also for he I suppose is the same with Sopater of Berea Act. 20.4 and this might seem to infringe the truth of this opinion that holdeth that this Epistle was written from Corinth But when it is considered how lately Paul and these men parted and that it is past doubt that he would acquaint them before their parting of his intentions to send to Rome it is no difficulty to conceive how their salutations inserted into that Epistle There are indeed some that confesse that it was written from Corinth but not at this time but at another namely in that time when Paul travelled Greece of which journey there is mention Act. 20. in which time among other places they conceive he came to Corinth and there wrote this Epistle But 1. it may very well be questioned whether he were at Corinth in these three moneths travels or no. For whereas he had promised to call on them as he went to Ierusalem 1 Cor. 16.7 which he intended when he travelled those three moneths but that he discovered that the Jews lay in wait for him he excuseth himself for not coming according to that promise 2 Cor. 1.16 17. And if it were granted that he was at Corinth at that time yet 2. he could not write this Epistle at that time because when he wrote it he knew the contribution of the Corinthian Church was then ready Rom. 15.26 which when he travelled Greece either indeed was not so or at least he knew not that it was as appeareth copiously in his second Epistle to that Church The Apostle in this most sublime Epistle clears fully and divinely the two great mysteries of the Gospel Righteousnesse by faith and the calling of the Gentiles And in the handling of these he handles the great points Originall sin Election and casting off of the Jews He laies this position down concerning the first Chap. 1.17 That in the Gospel is revealed the Righteousnesse of God justifying as in the Law was revealed his righteousnesse or justice condemning and that from faith of immediate innixion upon God as was Adams before his fall and as was that which the Jews owned in God to faith in the righteousnesse of another namely Christ. This way of justification he proveth first by shewing how far all men both by nature and action are from possibility of being justified of or by themselves which he cleareth by the horrid sinfulnesse of the heathen Chap. 1. a large proof of which might be read at Rome at that very instant and little lesse sinfulnesse of the Jews though they had the Law Chap. 2. 3. and therefore concludeth Chap. 3.30 that God justifieth the circumcision by faith and not by works as they stood upon it and the uncircumcision through faith for all their works that had been so abominable and that seemed so contrary to justification In Chap. 4. he taketh up the example of Abraham whom the Jews reputed most highly justified by his works for they had this saying of him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Abraham performed all the Law every whit but he proveth that he found nothing by his own works but by beleeving he found all In Chap. 5. he proves the imputation of Christs righteousnesse for Justification by the parallel of the imputation of Adams sin for condemnation Not at all intending to assert that as many as were condemned by Adam were freed from that condemnation by the death of Christ but purposely and only to prove the one imputation by the other It was a strange doctrine in the ears of a Jew to hear of being justified by the righteousnesse of another therefore he proves it by the like mens being condemned for and by the unrighteousnesse of another Two close couched passages clear what he aimeth at The first is in ver 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Wherefore as by one man sinne entred into the world c. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As properly requireth a So to follow
well write to the Hebrews in Iudaea in the Greek tongue when that tongue was in so common a use even in an University of Iudaea it self To these testimonies for the Greek tongue might be added that which is spoken in the Treatise Shekalin per. 3. halac 2. Vpon the three Treasure Chests of the Temple were written Aleph Beth Gimel But Rabbi Ismael saith It was written upon them in Greek Alpha Beta Gamma They that hold that this Epistle and the Gospel of Matthew were written in Hebrew should consider how that tongue was now a stranger to all but Scholers and how God in his providence had dispersed and planted the Greek tongue throughout all the world by the conquest of Alexander and the Grecian Monarchy and had brought the old Testament into Greek by the Septuagint As this Apostle in all his Epistles useth exceeding much of the Jews Dialect Language Learning allusion and reference to their opinions traditions and customs so doth he more singularly in this and he doth moreover in a more peculiar manner apply himself to their manner of argumentation and discourse For his intent is if he can to argue them into establishment against that grievous Apostacy that was now afoot so many revolting from the purity of the Gospel either to a totall betaking themselves to Moses again or at least mixing the Ceremonious rites of the Law with the profession of the Gospel Comparing his style here with his style of discourse and arguing in the Talmuds Zohar and Rabboth and such like older writings of the Jews you might easily tell with whom he is dealing though the Epistle were not inscribed in syllables To the Hebrews and the very stile of it may argue a Scholer of Gamaliel but now better taught and better improving his learning then that master could teach him He first begins to prove the Messiah to be God and Iesus to be he about the former of which the Jews mistook and about the latter they blasphemed In proving the former he among other places of Scripture produceth that of Psal. 102.25 Thou Lord in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth c. To which a Jew would be ready to answer I but this is to be understood of God the Father and how could this objection be answered Yes even by their own concessions upon which he argueth in this place For they understood that in Gen. 1.2 The Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters of the Spirit of Christ and so do they interpret it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is the Spirit of Messias as their mind is spoken in that point by Zohar Berishith Rabba and divers others If the Spirit of Christ then was the great agent in the Creation by their own grant they could not but grant this alligation to be proper He sheweth Christ therefore greater then Angels as in other regards so into whose hands was put the world to come chap. 2.5 and here the phrase is used in the Jews dialect for the Kingdom of Messias as we mentioned before He proveth him a greater Lawgiver then Moses a greater Priest then Aaron and a greater King and Priest then Melchizedek He sheweth all the Leviticall oeconomy but a shadow and Christ the substance and the old Covenant to be abolished by the coming in o◠a better By the old or first Covenant meaning the Covenant of peculiarity or the administration of the Covenant of Grace so as whereby Israel was made a peculiar and distinct people This Covenant of peculiarity they brake as soon almost as they had obtained it by making the golden Calf and thereupon followes the breaking of the two Tables in sign of it for though the Law written in the two Tables was Moral and so concerned all the world yet their writing in Tables of stones for Israel and committing them to their keeping referreth to their peculiarity To his handling of the fabrick and utensils of the Tabernacle and contexts of the Ark Chap. Talm. Ierus in Shekalim fol. 49. col 3 4. and Sotah fol. 22. col 3. may be usefully applied for illustration He hinteth the Apostasie now afoot which was no small induction to him of the writing of this Epistle and sheweth the desperate danger of it Chap. 6.4 5 c. and Chap. 10.26 27 c. In which his touching of it we may see how farre some had gone in the Gospel and yet so miserably far fallen from it as that some of them had had the extraordinary gifts of the holy Ghost and yet now sinned willingly and wilfully against it In describing their guilt one of his passages that he useth is but harshly applied by some Chap. 10.29 Hath trodden under foot the Sonne of God and hath counted the blood of the Covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing when they say that this horrid Apostate wretch that treads Christ under foot was once sanctified by the blood of Christ whereas the words mean Christs being sanctified by the blood of the Covenant according to the same sense that Christ is said to be brought again from the dead by the blood of the Covenant in this same Epistle Chap. 13.20 And the Apostle doth set forth the horrid impiety of accounting the blood of the Covenant a common thing by this because even the Sonne of God himself was sanctified by it or set apart as Mediator And so should I understand the words He hath trodden under foot that Sonne of God and counted the blood of the Covenant by which he the Sonne of God was sanctified an unholy thing He magnifieth faith against those works that they stood upon and sought to be justified by and sheweth that this was the all in all with all the holy men both before the Law and under it When he gives them caution Lest there be any fornicatour or profane person as Esau c. Chap. 12.16 he doth not only speak according to the common tenet of the Nation that Esau was a fornicator as see Targ. Ierus in Gen. 25. but he seemeth to have his eye upon the Nicolaitan doctrine that was now rife that taught fornication to which he seemeth also to refer in those words Chap. 13.4 Marriage is honourable c. And now henceforward you have no more story of this Apostle what became of him after the writing of this Epistle it is impossible to finde out by any light that the Scripture holdeth out in this matter The two last verses but one of this Epistle trace him as far forward as we can any way else see him and that is but a little way neither Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty with whom if he come shortly I will see you By which words these things may be conjectured 1. That after his inlargement out of bonds he left Rome and preached in Italy He mentioneth in his Epistle to the Romans his desire and intent to go preach in Spain Rom 15.24 but that was
religious men that was studying the Law Ibid. fol. 8. col 2 3. and fol. 14.3 there is mention of severall charmings as reading some verses over a wound laying the Book of the Law or Phylacteries upon a sick person charming against serpents and an evil eye c. And now we are speaking of an evil eye or witchery we may take in that Sanhedr fol. 18. col 3. Four and twenty of the School of Rabbi Iudah came to Lydda to intercalate the year and an evil eye came in among them and they all died In Sotah fol. 16. col 2. A story related of R. Meir and an Inchantresse and he proving hard enough for her In Sanhedr fol. 25. col 4. There are three stories of Magicall feats done by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heretiks one at Tiberias and two at Tsipporis but R. Ioshua outvying one of them and a fourth at Rome and he making his part good there too What may be meant by Hereticks must be divided betwixt Samaritans and some wretches that had forsaken their Judaism and professed Christianity but were such as the Apostle cals false Apostles And to conclude all the many stories they have of Bath kol or a voice from heaven most commonly coming for the magnifying of some of their Doctors as see Sotah fol. 24. col 2. are either forgeries or if there were any such seeming voices they were forged upon the anvile of Magick How can a Nation but carry the visible mark of perdition when vain traditions are their standing Religion and Magick and Inchantments a common practise To this kinde of legerdemain we may adde another not altogether indeed of so deep a die yet that which came from the same father and that was the loud legends they invented of their great Rabbines thereby to awe the people to the reverence of their Persons Memories and Doctrines and of others devoutly zealous in their doting Religion of whom they tell strange wonders for the magnifying of it I shall name none for shame these are they that do most disgrace their Writings and make them most ridiculous A last thing to be named that they did toward the intayling folly unbelief and obduration upon their Nation to all posterity is their ingaging them to their Canons and Traditions as they delivered them especially to the Mishnah when Rabbi Iudah had published it and to the two Talmuds when they came forth especially the Babylonian which stands as a Standard to all the Nation for her Rule and Religion to this day they being generally Pharisaicall and scarce a Karaite that we hear of amongst them §. X. How farre these Iews in the first generation of Christianity might infect or infest it WE need not speak of their crossing the Gospel and persecuting and mischieving the professors of it when it lay in their power that needs no clearing A twofold infection more especially they diffused into the Christian Church which tainted many and where it caught proved pestilentiall enough even that which was the least dangerous and these were that out of this sink rose the desperate heresies of the first ages of the Gospel and from these men came the Allegorizing of the Scriptures which was but one degree lesse profitable if not lesse deadly then their traditions How damnable Heresies arose from among them in the Apostles times we have seen copiously as we have come along through the Epistles some unbeleeving Jews and some Apostates diffusing poyson so deadly and so affluent that it undid multitudes by backsliding The venom was of a contrary malignity yet both extreams met alike in this point that they proved most deadly The unbeleeving Jews standing upon the strictnesse of the Law perverted divers to turn from the Gospel to the precise course of their Judaism to seek Justification by works And the Apostatizing as farre misjudging of the liberty of the Gospel introduced all manner of licentiousnesse and heedlesnesse of their waies as to eat things sacrificed to Idols and to commit fornication These were the most notorious as striking directly at the root of Justification by faith and of holinesse of life but these were not all but other roots of gall and wormwood growing upon the same soil as denying of the resurrection altogether as did the Sadduces or denying the Resurrection of those that started from Judaism and worshipping of Angels and whatsoever else the Apostles speak of this gangrean in their Epistles which though they grew and were at full ripenesse before Ierusalem fell yet did they fade but little when she was down As the first wretched stock of Hereticks that rose Simon Cerinthus Menander Ebion Basilides c. appeared either in Iudaea or at least there where there were multitudes of Jews as Basilides at Alexandria so the most of those damnable opinions that they sowed and which grew for a long while after had some root or other in Judaism or received some cursed moisture from thence to nourish them By Iudaism I here understand the body of the Jews Religions though differing within it self yet all contrary to Christianity Look upon Palestine and you have it thus stocked in the times that we are upon 1. With Pharisees of seven sorts as they be reckoned up Beracoth fol. 13. col 2. Sotah fol. 20. col 3. 2. With Sadduces at the least of two sorts if not more 3. With Samaritans 4. With Esseans Baithusaeans you may reckon with Sadduces or Samaritans whether you will Now the variety nay contrariety of opinions that was among this mixture would afford nourishment to any evil weed of doctrine that could be sowed these being as Manasseh against Ephraim and Ephraim against Manasseh but all against the Gospel We have mention of the Baithusaeans going about to put a gull upon the Sanhedrin about the great businesse of stating the beginning of the year Rosh hasâ—â—n fol. 57. col 4. The Sadduces laughing the Pharises to scorn about washing the Candlesticks of the Temple Chagig fol. 79. col 4. The Pharises and Sadduces crossing one another in disputes Iudaim per. 4. halac 7. And the Samaritans perpetually at enmity with the Jews in all stories Now all these being alike enemies to Christianity what mischief might not they severally do in poysoning and seducing those that were not found in it We finde the names of some arch Hereticks mentioned in the Talmuds though we cannot say they were the same men As 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dositheus Orlah per. 2. halac 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ebion Ierus Ioma fol. 4. col 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Symmachus Iovam fol. 11. col 3. Chetub fol. 25. col 3. And Papias also is a Talmud name of which name there was one so zealous of traditions Euseb. Hist. lib. 3. cap. 39. We observed at the second Epistle to the Thessalonians that the Jews partly the unbeleeving and partly the Apostatized were the first part of Antichrist the mystery of iniquity that was then working when the Apostle wrote and now