of our Neighbour for his sake for this is a liuely and working Faith the other Faith onely And therefore this hearty loue vttering it selfe in the acts of mercy is most necessary vnto saluation not because saluation is hereby merited but because the life and soule of a true Faith lieth herein So that they are wonderfully deceiued that thinke to be saued by beleeuing onely hauing their hearts hardened in sinne in the meane season and hauing no regard to doe good workes and we are vniustly taxed by the Papists as crying downe good workes when we teach iustification by a true and liuely Faith and deny it to bee in part by Workes For we presse vnto good workes as much as they but that we doe it vpon a true ground holding that it is no liuely Faith that wanteth Workes they vpon a false holding that Workes together with Faith doe iustifie or that Faith maketh a man iust but Workes more iust that of iustification by Workes in part being a presumptuous inlargement of that which of old was taught touching Abraham who beleeued God and this was counted to him for righteousnesse this being made more iust a wicked inuention of their owne braines without all ground in the holy Scriptures Note againe Note that a man may beleeue the Articles of the Christian Faith and hold much truth in fundamamentall points and yet be in no better estate than the Deuill so that it maketh nothing for the credit of the Iesuites that in many points they hold the truth for so much as their practises are deuillish and damnable and it may be said likewise of the whole rabble of Papals seduced by them CHAP. III. HOwsoeuer there may seeme to bee no coherence betwixt this Chapter and those that went before yet if we looke backe to Chapter 1.19 and Verse 25. it will appeare that it cohereth very well For hauing there fallen vpon an Argument concerning speech and the abuse of the tongue vnto which he ioineth an exhortation to doe the Word and not to heare it onely and specially by emptying out all maliciousnesse and filthinesse and putting on meeknesse and exercising mercy towards the poore and not contempt hee keepeth as we may well obserue within these bounds thorowout the residue of his Epistle First more largely treating vpon that of vsing the poore contemptuously and vpon workes of mercy chap. 2. Secondly in a like large manner returning to speake of the misgouernment of the tongue chap. 3. after which thirdly in the same Chapter he also resumeth his exhortation vnto meeknesse and against maliciousnese vers 13. vnto the end of the Chapter Fourthly he returneth to speake against filthinesse also against which he had giuen a touch chap. 1.21 and this hee doth chap. 4. mixing his reproofe of this together with that other of malice and enuy whence strife ariseth a certaine Argument of pride and therefore hee toucheth vpon that also vers 6. Touching the residue of that Chapter wee shall see more when we come to the handling of it Here then are two points first against the abuse of the tongue seconly against strife and contention arising from the want of meeknesse in the heart which strife doth also vtter it selfe by railing and cursed speaking Touching the first he reproueth it first more obscurely vers 1. then plainly vers 2 c. IAMES Chapter 3. Verse 1. My brothren be not many masters knowing that we shall receiue the greater damnation Vers 2. For in many things we slip or stumble all THere were many Iewes in the daies of the Apostles who went Tho Aquinas Gorrans Glos â—ord before they were well instructed in the doctrine of Faith from Ierusalem to Antioch preaching the necessity of circumcision and other errors Against these hee opposeth this speech Be not many masters that is because the knowledge requifite in a Teacher is but of few bee not yee that are vnlearned and ignorant Masters and Teachers neither by ye many by your diuisions through ignorance into many opinions for it is not a thing reprehensible that there by many Masters which are sufficient and teach all one truth because thus they do altogether performe but the office of one Master Christ as he calleth himselfe Mat. 2â— Such shall receiue the greater damnation because it is a greater sin to set forth false doctrine than for a mans owne particular to hold it though he shall also perish for so doing In many things we offend all that is we that teach the Truth onely haue yet our frailties and sinnes and therefore no need that we should rush further in by vsurping such an high Office vnto which sufficient skill is wanting he speaketh thus of himselfe together with them that he might the more freely reproue them in this fault This speech is directed against rash iudging of the speeches and deeds of othes Pareus Piscator alike vnto which is Luk. 6.37 Now it is an vsuall Catachresis in any Language to call such supercilious persons as will take vpon them to censure and to speake euill of others Masters Be not many that is let there be no such the speech being framed according to the occasion because there were many faulty this way he biddeth Be not many Masters Hee saith We shall receiue the greater damnation for thus iudging others because the euill in our selues is aggrauated hereby before God and as it is iust with him hee will prouide that we shall haue the like measure meeted vnto vs againe and he numbreth himselfe amongst them lest he should seeme guilty of that which he taxeth if he should speake of others only exempting himselfe In many things we offend all that is hereby we should be staied from iudging of others because in iudging we condemne our selues who are many waies offenders also Ioh. 8. Gal. 6.1 Obiect By this reason none can censure the faults of others Obiect Solu It followeth onely Sol. that none can rightly doe thus without a calling wherein he that iudgeth standeth as Gods Deputy to censure for him for thus he iudgeth not but God iudgeth by him Secondly hauing a calling he ought not to be swaied by corrupt affections in censuring others in spleene and hatred orbeing proud ouer poore Malefactors as though there were nothing worthy of censure in himselfe but out of a conscience of his owne guiltinesse before God censure with mercy and clemency Faber Mayer Faber Gagneus Beda Luther August Ne sitis multi magistri i. dissentientes à doctima vnici Magistri Christi Beza Iunius and Gagneus and Saint Augustine also and Beda follow the first exposition and Luther likewise See August prolog in lib. 1. retract Be not many Masters saith he dissenting from the Doctrine of Christ our onelyl Master Beza and Iunius and others follow the newer exposition For my owne part I see no reason to goe from the old receiued interpretation That which Pareus obiecteth against it that thus vnderstood it should
hidden as to mention that to set forth hereby the excellency of this worke of conuersion Note Note that a man in errour or in sinne is out of the way of life and in the way of death yea he that is deceiued onely with errour in fundamentals is in a damnable estate though his life be otherwise vnblamable and full of good workes Let the seduced Papist then consider this and tremble to goe on in his errours Note againe Note that although there be sinne euen in those that are conuerted yet no sinne appeareth all is couered and cast behinde Gods backe he looketh now only vpon the studie care which they haue to doe his will this comming betweene his sight and their old sinnes whereas the impenitent and vnconuerted is full of sinne blemishing and deforming him in the sight of God so that he is all vgly and vile in his eyes as any lothsome leaper is in ours which should make a wicked man out of loue with himselfe and to turne from this estate seeing howsoeuer he thinketh that he hath but such or such a sin to answer for the truth is that he hath a multitude of sins Faber pelagus peccatorum yea a sea of sinnes as one speaketh Note lastly Note because Prou. 10.12 from whence this is taken it is said Loue couereth a multitude of sinnes that in loue we ought to endeuour all that possibly we can one to conuert another from sinne The excellency of the worke here mentioned should pricke vs forward to this most Christian dutie and the loue of our brother should constraine vs vnto it 1 Cor. 13. seeing if we be without loue we are without all substance THE FIRST CATHOLIKE EPISTLE OF THE APOSTLE PETER THis Epistle is held by some to haue beene written before that of Iames as by Pareus Baron Annal. tom 1. and Baronius saith that it was written at Rome An. Dom. 45. when Marke was there with him whose salutations he sendeth And his second Epistle an 68. when Peter was now neere vnto his end as is intimated 2 Pet. 1.14 If this were written so soone it was before all the Epistles of Paul the first written of which was the first to the Thessalonians which came forth an 52. Others thinke that these Epistles were put out according to their order as Lyra Iames writing first Lyra. and then Peter Augustine speaketh of all these smaller Epistles as written after Pauls Epistles wherein Faith iustifying without Workes had beene so much set forth vpon which some gathered that good workes were not necessary to saluation August tem 4. de fid opere c. 14. and therefore both Iames Peter Iohn and Iude doe mightily vrge Workes affirming Faith without Workes to be vnprofitable Thus I haue related what I finde touching the time of this Epistle and the rest but as I said before vpon that of Iames. This dispute is not much materiall but either because Iames his Epistle was first written or because to the Iewes who were Gods first people it is placed first And this of Peter after because to such as being Gentiles became first Iewes and then were conuerted to the faith of Christ Hugo Card. as Hugo Cardinalis coniectureth and after Peters the Epistles of Iohn because they were written to the Gentiles conuerted to Christianity Touching this it was neuer doubted of to be Canonicall yea it hath beene alwaies accounted a most excellent Epistle and worthy to be written in letters of gold for Boniface the Bishop of Rome Baron â—om 9. annal that was a Martyr as Baronius faith desired by his Letters of Eadburga an Abbesse and kinswoman to the King of Kent to send him the Epistles of Peter written in letters of gold The maine scope of this Epistle is to comfort and to confirme in sufferings for the Gospels sake And therefore after the scattered Christians named to whom he writeth verse 1. hee comforteth them first by setting forth their estate Elect according to the fore-knowledge of God c. vers 2 3 4 5.2 the benefit of afflictions the praise of God and the saluation of their soules vers 6 7 8 9. And confirmeth them touching this saluation to be attained in a Christian profession from the ancient prophesies set forth in the holy Scriptures wherein thus much is declared vers 10 11 12. Making vse of this consolation to stirre vp to holinesse and righteousnesse vers 13 14 15 16 17. Which that it might be the more effectuall there is a commemoration made by what a price wee are redeemed to this excellent estate vers 18 19 20 21 22. And what is the instrument of our being begotten again hereunto viz. the word of God which is not as flesh which fadeth like grasse but endureth for euer vers 23 24 25. And hauing spoken of this being borne againe hee vrgeth them as now borne babes to desire the milke of the Word c. Chap. 2. Wherein as in the rest how things cohere together we shall see when we come to handle them in order CHAP. I. 1 PETER Chapter 1. Verse 1. To the strangers scattered thorow Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bythinia Vers 2 Elect according to the fore knowledge of God the Father in the sanctification of the spirit vnto obedience and sprinkling of the bloud of Iesus Christ c. THe Countries here mentioned are all towards the East and are large Luther in 1 Pet. 1. being now vnder the Dominion of the Turke Pontus is a great Countrey neere to the Sea Cappadocia is next vnto it for their borders ioyne together Galatia is seated behinde these Asia and Bythinia before Strangers he calleth the Christians there because although they were Gentiles inhabiting in those parts yet they were strangers from the Common-wealth of Israel by their originall and in this respect are said to be strangers though being conuerted they ioyned with the Iewes that were Christians and became one people According to the fore-knowledge of God the Father This is the cause of our election Gods preordaining of vs and not any free will in vs. In the sanctification of the spirit that is that we might be holy and spirituall which holinesse flowing from election is the onely true holinesse opposed here to the many kinds of externall sanctification which the Iewes had vnto the obedience and sprinkling c. that is then haue we part in this sanctification and are truly Saints when we obey the word of Christ in beleeuing in his name being thus sprinkled with his bloud for this which is here spoken in other words is no more but what S. Paul saith We are saued by faith for this maketh vs obedient and subiect vnto Christ So that to obey the word of God to be subiect to Christ to be sprinkled with his bloud and to beleeue is all one The phrase of sprinkling is borrowed from Psal 51. being an allusion to the sprinkling of the Tabernacle
partakers of the diuine nature by the comming of our Lord and God Iesus Christ in the flesh for hereby the first-fruits of our nature are sanctified and if the first fruits be holy the whole lumpe is also holy such as all they are from amongst whom the first-fruits are taken And he calleth it the corruption of the world from which we are hereby escaped because the lust whereby wee are tempted consisteth of corruptible things and is conuersant about worldly things which are subiect to corruption Then follow the degrees of perfection First faith Secondly vertue which standeth in good workes Thirdly knowledge of the mysteries of God which is not but to those that by being exercised in good workes get ready and quicke senses Fourthly temperance which is necessary for him that hath knowledge lest he be puffed vp hereby Fiftly patience because a man cannot be temperate without it Sixtly brotherly loue after godlinesse which maketh way vnto it Lastly charity which is the perfection of all This word Whereby is read either by whom viz. Christ Th. Aquâ—nas in 2 Peâ—er 1. or by which in the singular number viz. knowledge or by which in the plurall viz. gifts The most excellent promises said to be giuen vs are eternall life giuen by hope here and in deed hereafter and it is set forth in the plurall number because of the multiplicity of those ioyes and he calleth them pretious because they are bought with a price That by them that is by the grace and peace before spoken of or by those gifts yee might be partakers of the diuine nature that is participating of grace in this life and of glory in the life to come Of this fellowship with God the Father and the Sonne it is spoken of 1 Iohn 1.3 That which is added of escaping the corruption which is in the world is a condition required in the faithfull who expect the foresaid glory and he calleth it corruption in the world to set forth not onely the lust of the eyes but also the lust of the flesh and the pride of life as 1 Iohn 2.15 But yee bringing in all care in your faith minister vertue c. Here are eight things spoken of as so many steps to heauen as there were eight steps vp to the Temple Ezech. 48. the three first respect good the next three euill the two last respect loue Faith moueth and directeth vertue executeth and knowledge chooseth and rectifieth The euill is either of fault to be auoided by abstinence or of punishment to be borne by patience or in either kinde in others by godlinesse releeuing them Loue is either of our neighbour or of God To faith he biddeth ioyne vertue in doing for a figure of which Andrew Vertue Iohn 1. is said to be the brother of Peter that is of Faith And because a man cannot do well without discretion he biddeth adde knowledge Bernard saith discretion is not so much a vertue Bernard Discretio non tam est virtus quà auriga virtutis as the Waggoner of vertue without which vertue is vice Rom. 12. our reasonable seruing of God is spoken of and vnto the spirit of fortitude is ioyned the spirit of counsell Esa 11. Now because knowledge auaileth not without abstinence from euill he biddeth to ioyne abstinence from carnall pleasures and because hee that abstaineth from the pleasures of the world will the better endure the miseries of the world patience commeth next and because patience is nourished by godlinesse towards those that are in misery and because a man may vse piety towards the miserable out of feare or in some other respect he addeth brotherly loue and because brotherly loue ought to be founded in the loue of God he addeth as the perfection of all charitie Luther not much differing saith Mayer Lutâ—er Quidest Deinatura aeterna veritas iusâ—tia sapienâ—ia vita pâ—rpetua paâ— gaudium vâ—luptaâ— quicquid boni potâ—st nominari Qui consors sit naturae Dei haec omnia assiquitur â—t vinat â—eterne perpetuamque habeat pacem voluptatem laetitiam iustus sanctus purus omnia potens contra satanam peccatum mortem that by these excellent promises whereunto it is attained by faith is meant the glorious and happy estate to come which yet by faith we begin to possesse now so many as doe by Gods power liue the life of grace And thus we come to be partakers of the diuine nature that is of truth righteousnesse wisdome euerlasting life peace ioy and whatsoeuer desirable thing can be named for this is the diuine nature and of all these the faithfull doe partake yet so onely that they fly the lusts of the world Wherefore in the next place he exhorteth to adde to faith vertue c. that is a vertuous and holy life in good works 3. Knowledge how to vse the body by neither too much cockering it nor wronging and hurting of it as some in the affectation of sanctity haue done for though God hateth sinne which is in the flesh yet he would not haue the body destroyed therefore but only that the lust should be resisted Againe knowledge is when a man hath regard to honesty and modesty in all his conuersation outwardly 4. Temperance is not only about meats and drinkes but in all things both of speech and deed a moderating of a mans selfe according to reason 5. Patience because though a Christian be neuer so circumspect and moffensiue in his life yet the world will hate and persecute him 6. Godlinesse that is whatsoeuer we doe or suffer not to respect our owne glory herein but the glory of God doing suffering all for Gods sake 7. Loue and charity he saith are to be vnderstood the one of the faithfull the other more largely euen of enemies and haters Piscator Piscator also agreeth with Luther touching the diuine nature of which we are made partakers when by grace wee partake of heauenly wisdome and holinesse and happinesse for this is to partake of the diuine nature as much as we are capable Onely in speaking of wisdome hee saith it is about the carrying of our selues towards others so that we may winne them and temperance he saith is about meats and drinks by the intemperate vse whereof offence is giuen by godlinesse he vnderstandeth the worshipping of God by prayer Beza annot c. Beza also saith the same that to be partakers of the diuine nature is to be partakers of those qualities which Gods spirit worketh in vs wherin in his image consisteth thus much is expressed in the words following hauing escaped corruption in the world through lust where corruptioÌ„ is opposed to life lust to glory before spokeÌ„ of But touching brotherly loue and charity he vnderstandeth the one of the inward affection the other of the outward expression by deeds Hauing thus set downe the diuersity of expositions I come briefly to the rendring of the sense of all
in good workes The foundation of God indeed remaineth sure but our faith wil be but little sure if we be not carefull to leade a life worthy the faith and profession whereunto we are called And therefore they are deceiued that say so they haue true faith they care not in what a small measure they haue it and how little it be for to get as strong a faith as may be will be little enough seeing as hath beene shewed in the former Epistle euen the faithfull shall scarcely be saued But it is further demanded here Quest 2 Doe good workes then make vs sure that we are in the number of them that shall be saued and are we not then iustified hereby as well as by faith and is not euerlasting life a reward giuen for them Indeed the Papists teach so Lorinus and therefore they reade this place thus Giue all diligence to make your calling and election sure by your good workes And Lorinus findeth great fault with Caietan and Gagneus and others of that side that they follow rather this reading with vs wherein the mention of good workes is left out as it is also in the Greeke But hee needed not to haue beene so hot for though these words were in as Robertus Stephanus alleageth three Greeke Copies wherein they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. yet it maketh nothing for the proofe of our iustification in part by workes but onely declareth that a man cannot haue a firme and sure faith without good workes the want of them causing a want of solid argument to assure that we doe truly and rightly beleeue And thus onely and none otherwise doe our good works make sure our calling and election when we carefully attend vnto them Touching the question of iustification by workes and of the merit of workes I haue spoken already vpon Rom. 3.28 and Iam. 2. For that point of the necessity of good works vnto saluatioÌ„ which Lorinus inferreth here there is no man that I know that will contend with him about it For we hold teach that good workes are necessary for euery one that would be saued and that he hath but a vaine faith that is void of good workes yet they are not necessary as the meritorious cause of our saluation but as the next words vers 11. doe declare Vers 11. as the way and a plaine and wide open way to heauen for so he saith Thus a way shall be abundantly ministred vnto you to enter Ephes 2.10 c. See also Ephes 2.10 But yet a third question remaineth Quest 3 and that is whether a man can make his election sure so as that hee may certainly be assured of his owne saluation Lorinus gathereth from hence Loâ—â—nâ—â— that a man cannot be certaine because such as are called and elected are bidden to make their election sure which they should not be if by faith which is wrought in a mans calling he were sure already But this is a meere cauill of a man wilfully blindfolding his eyes against the light It is true indeed that a man is not sure so soone as he is effectually called to beleeue for there is a weaker faith and a stronger faith faith in the very first beginning giueth some assurance but this assurance is confirmed more in time by goods workes Though he which is conuerted at the first doth beleeue yet being so newly come out of a sinfull estate he cannot but be full of doubtings and feares through which his beleefe may yet be called vnbeleefe as he that came to Christ for his childe spake of himselfe Lord I beleeue helpe mine vnbeleefe And in this case it is that Peter biddeth to vse all diligence to make our calling and election sure Or rather because he that seemeth to be called and elected may haply be outwardly called only he willeth vs to approue our calling by a vertuous and holy life that so we may be sure whereas otherwise we should be deceiued The true collection to be made from hence is that a man may be sure and certaine of his saluation and that he ought not to rest till he hath attained vnto it by applying himselfe with all his power to liue so as becommeth his Christian and holy calling For otherwise it were a vaine precept to endeuour to become sure if this were not to be attained vnto I grant that the law indeed requireth that which man cannot attaine to touching doing and yet not in vaine because hereby wee are continually remembred what man was by creation and now finding it to be otherwise with him hereby occasion is giuen the same charge still lying vpon him to seeke out to another that is Christ in and through whom hee may attaine to the perfect fulfilling of the Law But the precept of the Gospell which is to beleeue and to be strengthened in the faith through godly liuing so that we may become sure of our saluation is not such a thing but that it may be fulfilled being the last refuge left for man fallen now to recouer life againe or else it were a vaine charge euen as a man that is no way able to pay his debts if hee be bidden to build a Church or to deliuer vp such an house and ground to his Creditor which he hath not and so he shal be exempt from going to prison should be but vainly conditioned withall but being bidden to goe of his errand an hundred miles he bearing his charges by the way also and so all shall be forgiuen him as there is no reasonable man that hath a minde to forgiue his debtor vpon some condition but will set such a condition as he can performe he can performe what is inioyned him But of this point of a certaine assurance of saluation to be attained by faith I haue written already at large vpon Romans 8.38 Note Note that a wicked man loseth all the benefit of his baptisme and Christian profession he hath indeed beene once washed from his sinnes by baptisme but all that benefit is now as a thing quite gone and forgotten and he hath lost his way to heauen Note againe that faith whereby we are iustified and saued Note is more certaine or vncertaine as our care to leade a godly life is more or lesse Only the godly Christian that from his heart-root desireth and laboureth to liue in the feare of God and to be alwaies doing of good can be sure that he is elected All others may iustly feare a reprobation The consideration of this election breedeth much anxiety in many who are much troubled about it in searching whether they be elected or no. But they begin at the wrong end if any man would be sure in this regard let him goe to worke as S. Peter here teacheth liue godlily and holily for otherwise to search about it is but to enter in a Labyrinth or Maze without euer finding an end CHAP. 1. VERS 19. And we haue a more
euery one rising in that stature of body wherein he fell against the Iesuites conceit that all shall be of such a stature as one is ordinarily at his full age The bookes that are opened are according to some the bookes of men consciences according to others the bookes of holy Scripture but according to Augustine both which I thinke to be rightest for euery mans conscience shall then be made manifest whether it be good or euill foule or cleare and according to the bookes of holy Scripture all shall be iudged as they haue receiued and obserued the things therein contained or not The other is according to some Napier Parâ—us the booke of predestination for then it shall be made manifest who were elected and who reprobate according to some Bullinger the booke of faith for he that beleeueth hath life to beleeue is to liue the booke of life then is the booke of faith for he in whomsoeuer a true faith is found shall then liue the rest shall be cast into hell I subscribe to the booke of Predestination for this of faith was spoken of before amongst the bookes and because it is hidden from vs who are written in this Booke God only knoweth that a thing well knowne to vs is further spoken of viz. Workes euery man is iudged according to his workes for good workes alwayes are in such as bee written in this booke It is not said according to their faith because that is more latent and there is more deceit in it neither is it said for their workes but all that were not found written in the booke of life that is that were not elected are cast into the lake of fire but yet iustly for their euill workes deserue it on the contrary side therefore they which are saued are such as be written in the booke of life here is the originall of their saluation God hath elected them and good reason there is in respect of men that they should be saued for their works haue beene good whereas the workes of the reprobate haue beene euill and to good workes God hath promised a reward as he hath threatened iudgement to euill workes yet in respect of God there is no reason of merit in the best works because it is our duty to doe them and being examined by the rule of Gods righteousnesse they are defectiue when wee doe them in the best manner that we can but there is good reason of merit of death in euill workes because vpon paine of death they are forbidden so that he shall be well worthy to die that committeth them euen as a murtherer or robber is worthy to be hanged but on the other side he that doth good workes is not well worthy of euerlasting life though it bee promised that he shall be thus rewarded no more than a dutifull subiect is worthy for that seruice which his Prince commandeth him and promiseth to reward with the marriage of his daughter and making him his sonne can be said to be worthy of it For it was of grace that his Prince made him such a promise to whom he ought that seruice without a reward neither could it bee worthy of so great a reward though greatly deseruing and therefore it came of grace not of his merit But if of merit yet there is a great disproportion betwixt the seruice of any subiect to his Prince and the actions of a Christian towards God for the Prince doth meerely command and furnish his subiect with necessaries to doe that seruice which hee putteth him vpon but it is his owne valour and wisdome whereby he performeth it without any inabling further from his Prince in the very doing for notwithstanding his furnishing of him hee may as well miscarry as effect that which hee goeth about But God inableth his to that which he requireth He worketh the will and the deed of his owne good pleasure Philip. 2.13 Againe the greatest reward of a Prince is but the reward of a man to a man a temporany reward and so happily the benefit that redoundeth to him by that seruice may be equall to the reward but euerlasting life which is the reward of God is farre more excellent than any thing that any man can doe or the benefit hereby redounding vnto God which is none for If thou be righteous thou art righteous for thy selfe Prou. 9.12 if thou bee wicked thou alone shalt suffer The Papists therefore that from hence and from the like places seeke to establish the merit of good workes doe greatly straine and force such places against all sense and reason By death and hell which are said to bee cast into the lake of fire some vnderstand the Deuill August Napier who by his temptations becommeth death and hell to the wicked for that he draweth them on to such a course as tendeth to death and damnation Dent. Bullinger Pareus Some vnderstand all such as to whom death and hell belongeth all the reprobate and wicked and some whatsoeuer is obnoxious and hurtfull so that after this nothing remaineth to hinder the perfect blessâ—dnesse of the new Ierusalem which commeth next to bee spoken of And this seemeth to bee most probable because the Deuils damnation was spoken of before vers 10. and the reprobates damnation vers 15. Here therefore may fitly be brought in the vtter destruction of death and hell in respect of the faithfull so that they should not be in any feare of them any longer for according to this it is promised 1 Cor. 15.16 The last enemy which shall be destroyed is Death Cha. 21.4 Death is said to be no more after this this casting into the lake then is but a periphrases of destructioÌ„ But me thinkes there may be another more agreeing sense yet rendered if by a Metonymy we vnderstand by death and hell such as death and hell were said before to giue vp the wicked which hitherto lay dead and buried the continent being put for the content as wee call the inhabitants of an house the house For if hell should bee meant as the word soundeth then hell should bee said to bee cast into hell which cannot stand if the heires of hell then the same word should be vsed in another sense as it were with the same breath that is not likely but being taken as I haue said it doth well correspond vnto the words before going and the argument of the wickeds destruction which onely is here set forth is fitly prosecuted the comforts of the faithfull being reserued to be spoken of in the next Chapter Touching death and hell which are said to giue vp their dead R bera I hold it not amisse with Ribera to expound it of such as haue died ordinarily or extraordinarily haue beene swallowed vp and gone aliue as it were into the pit St. Augustine will haue it meant of the bodies in the graues and of the soules of the wicked in hell This is a notable place
God is not the author of euill to any man Note but he is vnto himselfe the author thereof God is all good and only good and therefore it standeth not with his goodnesse to suggest euill vnto any man He indeed made man with all his powers and faculties who is now euill but by his creation he was good Eccl. 7.29 For God made man righteous but he hath sought vnto himselfe many inuentions Nothing is more obuious amongst men than to impute their sinfull and wicked disposition vnto God the Manichees attributed it to the euill matter of which they were made Hom. Odys lib. 1. and Homer bringeth in Iupiter complaining of the malice of old being in mans nature but this is a blasphemous assertion and to be abhorred amongst Christians Note again Note that man is drawn to sin by being deceiued like the silly fish or bird he thinketh that profitable or pleasing which indeed is not so Wherefore euery one must labour to be wise that he may iudge of things aright this very consideration should pull vs backe from sin that the thing which we are running to is not that which it seemeth to be In the green grasse of sinne where we thinke to sleepe sweetly for a time and then to rise againe there lyeth lurking a fell venemous Serpent that will sting vs to death vnder the Sugar of sinne there is deadly poyson Note againe to our comfort Note that there is no enemy that can preuaile to hurt vs by temptation without if we by our owne lust be not hurtfull to our selues within And the deadly hurt of sinne commeth in first by ill motions conceiued and delighted in in the minde so that giue way to these and sinne will follow and death after sinne It is in vaine to hatch the Cockatrice egge and then to say I will keepe it from hurting me if thou wouldst not be hurt by sinne doe not hatch and conceiue it by euill thoughts and imaginations Mark 7.21 Lastly note that God Note as he is not Author of euill to any man so he is the Author of all good to euery man None are born gracious but his grace is a light lighted at the great light the Father of Lights and this is the comfort of all such as are truly inlightened by him that their light being deriued from his and so the same with it though by infinite degrees more imperfect is immutable and neuer fading till it bringeth them to euerlasting light Ioh 4. Hee that drinketh of this water shall neuer thirst againe but it shall bee a riuer of water flowing out of his belly to euerlasting life CHAP. 1. VERS 18. Of his owne will begat hee vs by the Word of truth that we might be a certaine first fruits of his creatures 19. Wherefore my beloued brethren let euery one be swift to heare c. Lest any man should thinke that the good which commeth from God vnto vs is for our merits this is added Tho. Aquin. i◠Iacob Of his owne will begat he vs by the Word of truth so Titus 2. for the Word is as the seed Mat. 13. That wee should be the beginning of the creatures that is in the recreation or regeneration as it is said of Behemoth in Iob that he was the beginning of the creatures Iob 40. viz. of Creation We that are regenerate are the beginning of the creation of all things againe in glory for hereafter the whole creation shall be restored to the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God Or we are said to be the beginning of the creatures Rom. 8. in respect of the principality ouer the creatures restored in the regenerate which was lost by Adam in his fall But yee know my beloued brethren This is the conclusion of all they of their owne knowledge knew God to bee the Author of all good But let euery man be swift to heare that is that he may know how to carry himselfe in temptations outward or inward whereof it hath beene spoken hitherto let him with all readinesse attend to the Word of God whereby hee is begotten vnto God and not onely heare it but doe it as it followeth Slow to speake slow to wrath Here he remoueth the impediments first the outward in Pythagoras his Schoole silence was inioyned for fiue yeere so hee that will heare profitably must heare in silence Cato Jmpedit ira animum ne possit cernere verum then the inward as Cato saith anger hindereth the minde that it cannot see the truth Anger here may bee taken both for zeale for a man must not hastily through zeale be moued but maturely and vpon due consideration and for a desire of reuenge vnto which a man must be slow that is no way prone The anger of man doth not worke the righteousnesse of God More is vnderstood here than is spoken for he that is angry with his brother vnaduisedly Mat. 5.22 is culpable of iudgement And hee pitcheth particularly vpon righteousnesse because in anger there is a pretence of righteousnesse or else in generall it is meant of righteousnesse to breed which in vs the word is preached amongst vs vers 26. If any man seemeth to be religious not refraining his tongue but deceiuing his heart c. Hauing hitherto pressed to doe the Word which we heare he returneth now againe to the tongue by the intemperate speech whereof our faith and good workes to which we are prouoked by hearing are hindred that they cannot come to perfection and therefore he impugneth the licentiousnesse of the tongue againe The word religious is taken from religatio a binding againe to God by receiuing his Instructions from whom hee was before diuided or a binding againe together to hold good instructions as a vessell is bound together by hoopes that it may hold wine that was loose before Not refraining his tongue that is by discreet taciturnity for the tongue being set in a watry place hath most neede of binding but deceiuing his owne heart whilst he thinketh that he shall not be punished for his licentious tongue or else whilst his heart and tongue are diuided he thinking one thing and speaking another Such religion is vaine and vnprofitable The pure religion and vndefiled Pure by the intention of the heart vndefiled by the execution of the worke or pure internally in a mans selfe vndefiled externally in regard of others before God and the Father that is the Sonne and the Father to visit the fatherlesse c. that is to be charitable to the poore one particular being put for the generall and to keepe a mans selfe vnspotted of the world that is by not louing the world for the world is called Mundus pure quasi non mundus not pure but defiling those that loue it That which Thom. Aquin. according to the vulgar Latine Mayer readeth initium quoddam creaturarum is in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first fruits
excellency but in riches and honours here and therefore behaueth himselfe accordingly shewing all respect to the worldly great ones and neglecting the best Christians who are poore against which something followeth immediatly chap. 2. Now it is said to be vndefiled before God God being here opposed vnto man that is not in the account of man who may be deceiued but of God whom none can deceiue Whereas no mention is made of faith in Iesus Christ it is to be vnderstood that he speaketh according to the necessity of those to whom he wrote who in all likelihood did beare themselues altogether vpon faith not regarding to shew forth the power of Religion in the workes of mercy and holinesse as appeareth also further in the next Chapter which to put vs out of doubt herein is also begun with a mention of the Faith of our Lord Iesus Christ Note Note that the very remembrance of our Christian calling should stirre vs vp mightily vnto holinesse seeing wee are of Gods owne good will graciously made a certaine first fruits vnto God that is consecrated and set apart from others that be not Christians vnto him To pollute our selues now therefore will be taken far more hainously euen as if a common person should haue laid violent hands vpon Gods first fruits or offerings For this was horribly punished euen in the Priests sonnes 1 Sam. 2. Note againe Note that the Doctrines of Christianity together with the grounds whereupon they are soundly founded are not so easily and soone apprehended as that a man may by and by broach vnto others what he heareth or readeth and with eagernesse pursue such new vndigested tenents but great deliberation is herein to be vsed Be swift to heare slow to speake slow to wrath Note againe Note that it is most necessary for a Teacher to be Master of his passions and to vse meeknesse in instructing others as also he is exhorted 2 Tim. 2.24 because the anger of man doth not worke the righteousnesse of God He that is hasty and passionate shall not be able to teach others with profit for they will rather take that which commeth from him as proceeding of spleene and hatred than of loue and so it shall fall to the ground without any good effect of turning them to righteousnesse which God is wont to worke by the due and right teaching of his Word Note also from the Doctrine about the true and vaine Religion Note that how little soeuer men make account of vnaduised speeches in their anger yet they doe indeed ouerturne all their Religion hereby alone if there were nothing else it becommeth vaine and vnprofitable vnto them see Mat. 5.22 c. Note againe that workes of mercy are so necessary Note that without them no man can proue his Religion to be true and good this is the pure Religion before God howsoeuer one void of workes may seeme so before men That onely is a liuely faith that is accompanied with workes Note lastly that the world is a defiling thing Note a man cannot esteeme of and loue the riches and honours thereof but there will bee some aspersion vpon him hereby 1 Ioh. 2.15 The truly pure religious man is he that is mortified to the world Gal. 6.14 and the world vnto him CHAP. II. HAuing Chapter 1. Verse 27. spoken of the offices of loue and kindnesses in visiting the fatherlesse and widowes and of keeping a mans selfe vnspotted of the world which is by an ouer-esteeme of worldly things drawing the heart through couetousnesse after them whereby all such loue and kindnesse is extinct and it commeth to passe that after the manner of the world the rich only in this world are had in honour he now commeth more fully to explaine himselfe what he meant by such as are spotted of the world and to shew some reason of being rather kinde and louing to the poore intermixing some rebukes for being harsh towards them The couetous worldling is spotted of the world who hath the faith of Iesus Christ in respect of persons from which he dehorteth verse 1. and then explaineth what this respect of persons impugned by him is verse 2 3 4. and reasoneth against it vers 5 c. First Reason 1 from the consideration of the excellent condition of the poore verse 5. Secondly Reason 2 from the ill deserts of the rich verse 6 7. Thirdly Reason 3 from the scope and drift of the Law which is transgressed though it be offended but in this particular only verse 8 9. which he proueth verse 10 11. and then concludeth from this argument taken from the Law the iudgement of which cannot be escaped by those that are so void of mercy and are lead only by worldly respects from which yet the mercifull are free verse 12 13. The rest of the Chapter is spent in reprouing and confuting those that beare themselues vpon faith not regarding to doe workes of mercy wherein he doth resume that which hee began this Chapter withall Haue not the faith of our Lord Iesus c. and the last of the first chapter to visit the fatherlesse c. And so here is a new argument to proue that it cannot be pure Religion and acceptable to God that is void of the workes of mercy So that this whole Chapter consisteth of two parts a Dehortation with an explanation and arguments added to moue the more effectually verse 1 c. and a reprehension with arguments to conuince the vanity of that Religion which is barren of charitable deeds verse 14 c. the particular Analysing of which is most easie IAMES Chapter 2. Verse 1 2. Haue not the faith of our Lord Iesus Christ the Lord of glory with respect of persons Verse 2. For if there come into your Synagogue a man with a gold ring c. Verse 3. And ye haue respect to him that weareth the gay cloathing c. THe maine doubt of this place is Mayer whether it be vnlawfull to haue any respect of persons by giuing more reuerence to one than to another in regard of his wealth or outward dignity because this seemeth to make against all such respect as being partiall and vnreasonable Tho. Aquin. August Greg. Glosordin Thomas Aquinas handleth this question and cleareth it by the ordinary glosse and Austin and Gregory for both they and all sound Expositors speake to the same effect and that is simply to giue outward respect to the richer and to the more noble in this world as God hath differenced them by outward dignity wealth or office which they beare is not a sinne but may and ought to be done for it is commanded Honour father and mother Ephes 6.1 1 Pet. 2.17 Rom. 13. Honour the King and Giue honour to whom honour belongeth and seruants are commanded to reuerence their Masters and the younger to rise vp before the gray-headed A great rich man is in the office of a great Steward wherein he
persons not walking by charity sinneth against this Law and in a point of charity to sinne against the Law is to be a transgressour of the Law because all the Lawstandeth in this one thing viz. loue and so he is iudged as doing nothing according to the Law that wanteth loue thus also Beda and Augustine Touching the royall Law here spoken of Beda August it is clearely the Decalogue giuen Exod. 20. thus abbreuiated Deut. 6.5 for proceeding to speake further hereof he instanceth the command against murther and adultery it is royall because from the King of Kings Touching the coherence that of Pareus is not amisse that hee doth meet with them in a confidence which they might haply haue yet that notwithstanding their respecting of persons they kept the Law For this is against the Law of loue Leu. 19.15 if a man loueth his neighbour as himselfe he putteth not any such difference but in his inward esteeme euery one is vnto him as himselfe in whom there is no difference And as for the aggrauating of this sinne as a transgression of the whole Law I assent vnto Austin and Beda As they which shall bee iudged by the Law of liberty Vers 12. Some vnderstand the same Law of the Decalogue holding that it is called a Law of liberty Pareu Faber because it hath liberty ouer all to condemne them but this is forced Most therefore vnderstand better the Law of faith because when we come to beleeue we are set free from the censure of the Law Ioh. 8.32 Rom. 8.1 and so the meaning is say and doe so in your carriage towards other as they that when the time of iudgement commeth shall be dealt withall in loue and mercy going therefore according to the rule of mercy in your dealing with the poore Christian not despising him but rather comforting and releeuing him which indeed is the chiefe thing aimed at in all this Discourse that about preferring rich men being brought in but by the way doe aggrauate the sinne of neglecting the poore the more Here followeth the reason of all Verse 13. There shall be iudgement without mercy to him that sheweth not mercy and mercy reioyceth against iudgement The first part of the sentence is plaine touching the second Mercy reioyceth against iudgement that is the mercifull man shall securely and with ioy appeare before the Lord at the Day of Iudgement for so much as when the vnmercifull shall be adiudged to hell fire he shall be receiued into the Kingdome of Heauen Mat. 25. Note that Faith only and not outward things Note maketh men excellent and therefore the poorest man that hath grace is more to be esteemed than the greatest being void of grace because the poore man thus qualified not the other is the heire of the Kingdome of Heauen Note againe that to liue in any one sinne Note doth frustrate all that is done well for he that faileth in one point is guilty of transgressing the Law Note thirdly that loue is so necessary Note as that nothing done without it is acceptable and therefore those sinnes which are contrary to the loue of our neighbour are chiefly to bee auoided Lastly note Note in what a secure and comfortable estate the faithfull mercifull man is he shall bee without terrour when the most terrible time of the last iudgement commeth neither can any thinke of that time but with horrour and feare except he be mercifull to the poore and needy CHAP. 2. VERS 14. What profiteth is my brethren if one saith that he hath faith but hath not workes can that faith saue him c. From hence to the end of the Chapter Mayer there is onely one point handled against those that bearing themselues vpon their faith neglected the workes of mercy to perswade vnto which Saint Iames hath here vndertaken The maine question here is what he meaneth when he denyeth that a man is iustified by faith only and affirmeth iustification by workes Because Saint Paul speaking of iustification saith That it is by faith without the works of the Law Rom. 3.28 Oecumenius considering these propositions of these two Apostles seeming to bee so contrary Oecumen in Iac. 2. and yet that Abraham is brought for example by them both saith the word Faith is taken two wayes first for a simple consent vnto the thing preached that it is true Secondly for a consent ioyned with the assecution thereof out of an affection and with obedience of the first of these Iames affirmeth that a man is not iustified hereby But Paul speaking of the other ascribeth iustification vnto it The word Workes is also to be vnderstood two waies for there are works before Baptisme and workes after he that dieth immediatly after Baptisme dieth iustified by his Faith without workes because he had no time to doe any but he that liueth and hath time to doe is not iustified without good workes which is to be vnderstood not as though good workes had a part in the act of our iustification but because they cannot but necessarily follow as fruits and effects in whomsoeuer there is a sauing and iustifying Faith Touching Abraham whom Paul saith was iustified by Faith but Iames by workes both are truly said of him and doe indeed agree in one He beleeued that he should be the Father of many Nations hee beleeued Gods promise touching his seed and this was counted vnto him for righteousnesse and when he came to the worke here spoken of viz. the offering of his sonne hee did not fall from this Faith for he beleeued that God was able to raise him from the dead againe All the Ancients generally as Oecumenius intimateth speake to the same effect about iustification by Faith without workes viz. when there is no time after a mans conuersion to the Faith to doe workes he being preuented by death as I haue also partly shewed in speaking vpon Rom. 3.28 How Popish Writers vnderstand it I haue also there declared In short therefore to resolue this place Oecumenius hath rightly shewed that one Faith is spoken of here and another there and that indeed the worke of Abraham in offering his sonne wherein it is instanced here is the same with his Faith spoken of there his worke is his working Faith or Faith made euident by his worke by a Synecdoche or a Metonymy of the effect as Pareus resolueth it Pareus in Iac. That by worke a working Faith is vnderstood is plaine from the words following Vers 21. Thou seest that faith wrought together c. Vers 22. The Scripture saith That Abraham beleeued God this beleeuing being attributed to his worke of offering vp his sonne v. 24. after Abrahams beleeuing mentioned before he concludeth ye see then that a man is iustified by Workes making Faith and Worke all one And this is in a manner all one with the common solution Faith without Workes truly iustifieth before God that is maketh a sinner iust by
the imputed righteousnesse of Christ Iesus but Workes make a mans Faith euident and conspicuous to the world it being hereby proued that a man is a true beleeuer and so accepted for iust and righteous before God Ob. Hypocrites haue good workes and therefore it seemeth Obiect that good workes are no certaine euidence of Faith and consequently on one iustified Sol. Their workes are not truly good Sol. for such are the proper effects of Faith but because they are the same which the faithfull doe and it is hidden from man oftentimes who is an Hypocrite if wee shall iudge one to be faithfull because hee doth good workes we may bee deceiued Yet good workes doe manifest the truly faithfull because such a one is not without good workes though hee that hath good workes in our thinking is not alwaies faithfull but God seeth accuratly of what sort euery mans worke is He that desireth to reade more about iustification by Faith and Workes may haue recourse to Rom. 3.28 Touching the particular passages here verse 18. Vers 18. But some man may say thou hast faith and I haue workes shew we thy faith by thy workes c. Here such as trust to bare Faith are confuted by the bringing in of two speaking together the one seeming to himselfe to be faithfull the other manifested to bee such by his workes But that is but I will oppose thee by this prosopopeia Admit that a man truly faithfull challengeth thee thus Thou saist that thou hast Faith but how dost thou proue it hauing no works I can proue my Faith by my workes here the conscience of him that wanteth workes must needs bee conuinced Thou beleeuest that there is one God Vers 19. thou doest well the Deuils beleeue also and tremble To beleeue this though it be an Article of our Faith and likewise to beleeue and hold aright the other Articles doth not make one a true beleeuer though to beleeue this be to doe well because here is not all required to a sauing Faith Faith what which is to beleeue to the hauing of the affection moued to all due obedience vnto him in whom it is beleeued for loue as Oecumenius hath partly touched already and as Augustine sometime speaketh Faith with charity is a Christian faith August Fides cum charitate est fides Christiana fides sine charitate est fides daemonis Faith without charity is a faith of Deuills that is Faith inclining the heart to obey the Law of God the substance whereof standeth in loue Pareus and others of our Writers generally teach that a sauing Faith is to beleeue with application to a mans owne soule in particular This I confesse is true if we speake of that Faith which is growne to more perfection Iob 19.25 such as was in Iob saying I know that my Redeemer liueth Gal. 2.20 c. and in Paul saying I liue by the Faith of the Son of God who hath died for me But the Faith necessary to saluation commended vnto vs in the holy Scriptures is a beleeuing with loue and affection ioyned hereunto Such was the Faith of the Samaritans said to be Ioh. 4.42 Such a Faith Philip told the Eunuch if he had he might be baptized Act. 8.37 and such was Abrahams Faith Rom. 4.21 And this is such a Faith as none but the Elect can haue the Deuill cannot haue it for he beleeueth with an auersation the wicked cannot haue it for there is the like auersenesse in them also or at the least a deadnesse of affection for their Faith worketh not by loue of which they are void Here is also a certainty without wandring or doubring which is set forth as a property of true Faith for it is without all doubting assented to Iam. 1.5 that Iesus is the Sauiour of the world and that whosoeuer rightly beleeueth on him shall haue euerlasting life But as for certainty of a mans owne particular estate in grace I suppose that is not so of the Esse of Faith as the hee should bee said to haue no Faith who is not able for the present to apply Gods promises without doubting vnto himselfe for then wofull were the case of many true Christians who in time of temptation finde many feares and perplexities in themselues in so much that they are ready to say with Dauid they are cast out of Gods presence though afterward they see their weaknesse and recouer their hold againe Besides this particular assurance is a thing that is to increase daily as men grow vp in Christ and therefore no maruell if in those that are yet children in the Faith it be not so strong as it should be Certainly true loue is an inseparable companion and fruit of a true Faith and then who can deny it to be a liuely Faith wherwith true loue concurreth though such assurance touching a mans owne particular estate be not yet atrained vnto Thou seest that Faith wrought together with his workes Vers 22. c. that is for so much as I haue spoken of his iustification by his worke I would not haue it vnderstood but with reference to his Faith whereby he brought forth this worke so that Faith as the cause and worke as the effect did perfectly iustifie him so that his worke was in no part cause of his iustification as though his iustice stood herein but hereby his Faith was perfected because without it his Faith could not haue beene a perfect and liuing Faith as it is not in any other man Euen as he that from his heart without any dissimulation assenteth to any thing that is iust and equall is in that instant honest and iust but this assent of his is perfected by his act when he doth accordingly And the Scripture was fulfilled saying Vers 23. that Abraham beleeued God and it was counted to him for righteousnesse that is by this fact he shewed that he beleeued and in his beleeuing whereby he did it stood his iustice and not in the doing of this thing nothing can be plainer for iustification by Faith and to declare that what is attributed to worke in Abraham is meant of a working Faith as hath beene touched already Touching the conclusion Vers 24. v. 24. it must not be vnderstood but according to the Premises that when a man bringeth forth the fruit of Faith he is iustified and not when he doth barely beleeue not being able to shew his Faith by any such fruits Vers 26. And to this also do the last words v. 26. agree as the body without a spirit is dead so is Faith without workes Faith only iustifieth not because being alone without Workes it is dead and vnprofitable as a Carkasse without a soule Note Note that to beleeue only in Christ doth not auaile vnto saluation but when with the apprehension of the loue of God toward a man in Christ which is the greatest loue that euer was doth concurre the loue
be against a multiplicity of Doctors which is rather commended Numb 11.29 Mat. 9.38 is answered already that hee impugneth not a multiplicity of able Teachers but of intruders into this Office without sufficiency That indeed which some Sophisters turne it to that there ought not to be many censurers in Ecclesiasticall matters but one viz. the Pope of Rome is absurd It may agree well vnto Teachers both by the method here vsed this being one of the greatest abuses of the tongue to vsurpe a teaching Office to the reprehending whereof hee returneth now againe and in regard of other places from which we may gather that this vsurpation was then vsuall and taxed likewise by other instruments of God as Act. 15.1 1 Tim. 1.7 But if it should be taken for iudging as Luk. 6.37 the name of Masters would not so well agree and it should rather haue beene said Be none of you Masters it being a thing vtterly vnlawfull in this sense Note Note that it is a most dangerous thing to aspire to the Office of a Teacher when a man is not sufficiently grounded in knowledge and learning Rom. 10.15 For this is not the office of euery one but of such as are called and singularly inabled vnto it If any rashly intrude themselues their condemnation shall bee the greater because hereby ambition is added to their other sinnes as in Saul and Vzziah sacrificing being thus puft vp 1 Tim. 3.6 they fall into the condemnation of the Deuill Note againe Note that if God should marke straightly the doings of the best all must needs be found sinners and that in many things and so liable to his iudgements wherefore wee had need to be circumspect and wary against sinne being assured that when we haue done the best that we can we shall still haue sinnes enow to answer for and therefore in our greatest circumspection and best doing we ought to acknowledge our imperfections and because sinnes haue beene in the very best it will not be safe for vs shrouding our selues vnder any example to aduenture vpon any sinne CHAP. 3. VER 2. If any offendeth not in word the same is a perfect man able to bridle also the whole body c. This is not spoken to teach Pareus that any are so perfect that they are without out sinne but rather on the contrary side to conuince all of sinne for hauing affirmed immediatly before that all of vs sinne in many things what better proofe can there be hereof than to instance in the sinfulnesse of the tongue so little a member for if a man hauing a whole body to gouerne well cannot so much as gouerne this little member but that hereby he sinneth so much how can he be counted perfect and without all sinne He is farre also from instifying hereby such as steale murther or commit adultery if they can well gouerne their tongues for his onely drift is to shew by the sinnes of the tongue that all sinne in many things If any sinne not in word he is a perfect man is no more therefore but as if hee should haue said hereby it appeareth that none are so perfect but that they sinne in many things because if but this one way of sinning viz. in speech be considered there is not one but is guilty for to proue a generall vnrulinesse of the tongue tendeth his whole discourse here So the tongue is a little member and boasteth great things Verse 5. As the bridle in the horses mouth and a little rudder in the hand of the gouernour of a ship so the tongue but little in comparison of the body boasteth great things in the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth magnifically lift vp it selfe saith Beza is a word that is no where else vsed in the holy Scriptures and it may haue reference both to good and euill according to the examples of good going before and of euill following after these words The tongue is a world of wickednesse that is Verse 6. because it hath in it all manner of vices as the world hath all kinds of things Setteth on fire the whole course of nature that is the whole course of this life that is infected with it and is set on fire of hell that is of the deuill who as he is a lyer and slanderer so he corrupteth the tongues of men vnto the like The whole nature of beasts and birds c. that is Verse 7. some of euery kinde are tamed by man yea Lions and Beares and Panthers Non vniuersaliter de singulis generum sed restrictè de generibus singulorum intelligendum c. haue beene brought to dance to follow men vpon a line and to make letters as Pliny writeth Fishes are brought to take meat at their Masters hands and Serpents haue beene tamed so that their keepers could handle them make them without hurt to twine themselues about their neckes That he might deterre them from the desire of prelation to teach in the Church of God Th. Aquinas Gorran he sheweth the incuitable offences of speaking so that hee is a rare man that offendeth not Eccl. 19. There is no man that offendeth not with his tongue of such offending at large it is not spokē here but of offending in teaching of which a man may beware or of offending in a more hainous manner by lying railing and slandering according to the glosse Now that there are some perfect-men though but few that offend not thus he sheweth by two similitudes of a bridle guiding an horse and of a rudder guiding a ship His reason is this he that can turne about and guide his whole body to a good worke is perfect but he that can gouerne his tongue well can doe thus Ergo the minor is proued because he can put a bridle vpon it The tongue being little Verse 5. exalteth great things that is either the soules of men to great rewards or to great punishments Behold how much wood a little fire kindleth Hauing hitherto spoken of the vertues of the tongue now he speaketh of the vices It is called a fire because it enflameth others a world of wickednesse because hereby we sinne against God blaspheming against our Neighbour by railing c. and against our selues by vaine boasting All are said to be tamed by man Vers 7. Pliny Marcellinus because some of all kindes Pliny telleth of an huge Aspe in India that came daily out of his hole to receiue meat at a mans table Marcellinus telleth of a Tygre that was made tame and sent from India to Anastasius Or according to the Glosse this may be vnderstood metaphorically by beasts men that are theeues and murtherers by Birds instable persons and by Serpents such as are cunning to hurt for these may be conuerted sooner than the tongue tamed Hauing shewed that he which is able to order his tongue aright Faber Stapul in teaching nothing but the truth is a perfect
euill according to the latter But the fore-going similitudes may be applied both waies as I haue shewed and so it will be more full Touching these words The tongue is a fire a world of wickednesse Verse 6 c. they are easie to be vnderstood as the fire though it be but little inflameth and burneth downe great buildings so the tongue bringeth the whole man to destruction for hell fire is the â—â—ward of a wicked tongue and oft-times the intemperate tongue kindleth a fire as it were in the body which appeareth by the eyes sparkling when a man speaketh furiously and the voice ouermuch extended in this kinde pierceth to the inward parts to the breaking of something there wherupon bleeding to death ensueth Naucler sol 36â— as in Scylla the Roman Dictatour from whom through the ouermuch extention of his voice the bloud gushed out and he died For the world of wickednesse wherefore the tongue is called so see Pareus and Thomas the second mentioned by Oecumenius is too curious though Beza hath also the same note And for the rest of the words they are sufficiently explained already Whereas Oecumenius readeth these words The tongue can no man tame interrogatiuely he doth herein differ from all others neither is that reading probable for the scope of S. Iames here is to shew that the tongue is more vnruly than any thing Whereas he obiecteth if it should be read positiuely it were in vaine for any man to striue to gouern his tongue I answer that it followeth not no more thaÌ„ that it is in vain to striue to be righteous because it is said Eccl. 7.20 There is no man righteous for as in this case yet euery good man will striue to be as righteous as possibly he can being assured thus to be accepted according to that hee hath so he will striue to gouerne his tongue at least refraining from the euill here taxed cursing and railing c. though he cannot keepe free from idle speeches and such like smaller offences Whereas he impugneth ill speeches against our neighbour Vers 11. out of this consideration that we blesse God with our tongues comparing blessing to sweet water and cursing to bitter which cannot both come out of one fountaine Tho. Aquinas Faber Tho. Aquinas and Faber inferre and that rightly that the blessing of those that blesse God when their mouthes are full of cursings against men and railings and corrupt talking is no blessing but a sinne also in them euen as sweet water and bitter being mingled together is made all bitter there being more force in the bitter to turne the sweet into the same taste with it selfe than in the sweet to turne the taste of the bitter because bitter is an extreme and sweet the medium of the taste Note of what great necessity it is to haue a spâ—ciall care of the gouerning of the tongue Note for as a man is in this respect so is he accounted of before God Words are not winde as the common saying is but fire and deadly poison if they be euill to the destruction of the whole man They come out of the heart Mark 7. and defile indeed Matth. 12.37 Note againe Note that an euill tongue worketh from fire to fire from hell and the deuill to the kindling of heat and fury and contention here and to the bringing of a man to suffer in hell fire hereafter The lewd tongued person is vpon a wheele turned by the deuill till he be brought to the same destruction with himselfe He is more sauage than the wildest and sauagest beasts which may be tamed but he is vnreclaimably barbarous Lastly note Note that the best speeches which an ill tongued man can vse are all corrupted and distastfull before God by meanes of his ill language at other times which is as bitter water to the making of all his water bitter to the turning of him into a bramble vpon which no Figs grow Let railers and swearers and cursers and filthy speakers consider of this and tremble CHAP. 3. VERS 14 c. But if ye haue bitter enuying and strife in your heart glory not neither lye against the truth c. In the 13. verse hee returneth to speake of meeknesse againe Mayer as I haue already noted in my generall Analysis and that very fitly because according to Pareus Pareus it is so good a meanes to restraine the tongue from the offences before condemned the contrary vnto which bitter enuying c. here named are the very fountaine of all irregularity and of all the euill of the tongue which if they be in them he biddeth them not to glory in the Christian profession as though they were wise and good Christians for so they should lye against the truth seeing they are the blots and spots of Christianity Glos ord that are thus tainted Some expound bitter enuying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of zeale towards God made bitter by contentious words with our neighbour but the first is better Tho. Aquinas and lying against the truth they expound either of lying against Christ who is the truth or of doing contrary to that which was promised in Baptisme viz. to forsake the pompe of the world which is not done by those that are proud of their good workes But the first is most genuine and simple for it is a false and lying righteousnesse Icrom Vera iustitia habet compassionem falsa indignationem Verse 17. according to Ierom wherein there is enuie and anger for true iustice hath compassion but false hath indignation Verse 17. The wisedome that is from aboue is first chaste then peaceable c. Hee runneth vpon the word Wise and Wisedome from the 13 verse hitherto because he had spoken of Masters vers 1. that is Teachers which if any desire to be he sheweth them vers 13. the necessity of being Teachers in their conuersation for as Bernard saith Bern. Efficacior est vox operis quà m sermonis nec sufficit doctori ostendere sed etiam facere The voyce of the worke is more efficacious than of the speech neither is it sufficient for a teacher to shew but to doe He began also Chap. 1.5 with wisedome shewing of whom it is to be asked and whence it commeth verse 17. viz. from aboue To proue therefore that the contentious and enuious are not wise by this wisedome he setteth downe the properties thereof hauing before verse 15. affirmed that it is not from aboue but earthly carnall and deuillish Pareus The true wisedome is first chaste that is in the feare of God doing any thing or modest and without arrogancy 3. gentle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is not rough in taking such things as are spoken in the worst sense but in the best 4. Easie to be intreated or gently intreating for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be taken either actiuely or passiuely it is to be perswaded easily to the best or
Exod. 24. and of all the people with the bloud of Goats vsed by Moses The questions of this place are first touching the Countries mentioned Mayer They were all of Asia by Asia being meant Asia the lesser Th. Aquinas according to Tho. Aquinas for both Asia the lesser and all the other here named lie in Asia the greater Acts 2. Pontus Asia and Cappadocia are named as out of which there were some present when Peter preached after the comming downe of the Holy Ghost and it is likely that Galatia and Bythinia yeelded him some hearers also though there for breuities sake omitted It is likely that by them being at that Sermon conuerted other neighbour places came to vnderstand of the Gospell and because this our Apostle was the beginner of so good a worke amongst them he wrote vnto them now altogether to instruct confirme and comfort them more Touching the name giuen vnto them strangers Some will haue them to be such as were Proselytes first Glos ord Lorinus Tho. Aquinas Faber Stapul and after by the hearing of the Gospell conuerted to the Christian Religion Some both Iewes scattered in these Countries because verse 18. mention is made of vaine conuersation according to the tradition of their fathers because the Iewes were led much by traditions and Gentiles imbracing the faith Beza Piscator because ch 2.9 10. they are said to be called out of darknesse into light and to be made a people of no people and some Iewes onely But the reason of Luther seemeth best vnto mee that they are called strangers Acts 2.10 because no Israelites as wee reade of Romane strangers such as dwelt in Rome but were no Citizens of Rome And it is most probable that they had beene Proselytes in times past and so such as for religions sake dwelt at Ierusalem but being turned Christians when persecution was raised Acts 8. the whole Church being scattered it is likely that they were dispersed into these Countries Aug. tractat de sobrietate Augustine speaking of these Epistles saith that Peter wrote two Epistles to the Gentiles Fabers reason that by strangers both Iewes and Gentiles are to be vnderstood is weake seeing a vaine conuersation vsed by tradition of Fathers may as well agree to the Gentiles as to Pharisaicall Iewes Hieron descript ccâ—â—s Aâ—hanas Synoâ—si Oecum and the other place chap. 2.9 10. doth certainly set forth Gentiles neither are the Iewes any where called strangers yet some vnderstand the conuerted Iewes onely Touching these words In the sanctification of the spirit and to obedience Oecumen in 1 Pet. and sprinkling of Christs bloud Some referre all this according to the fore-knowledge of God the Father in the sanctification of the spirit c. vnto Peter an Apostle holding that the other words To the elect strangers in Pontus c. came in by a Parenthesis And he called himselfe an Apostle according to the fore-knowledge of God the Father to shew that though in time he were after the Prophets yet in Gods decree he was not And he saith that he was an Apostle in the sanctification of the spirit that is to segregate the beleeuing amongst the Gentiles from other heathen people by the spirit sanctifying them to the obedience of the Gospell and to the purging of their sinnes by his bloud and to the making of them willing to haue their bloud shed for his sake which is also intimated here And whereas we reade it Pontus and Galatia he readeth Galatia of Pontus holding that it is so set forth to distinguish this Galatia from that in France Hitherto Oecumenius But I follow rather the common streame referring these words vnto the elect strangers Note Note that we haue not attained to the Christian profession by the liberty of our owne will but it is of God who did long before euen from eternity know vs and appoint that his holy Gospell should be professed amongst vs. Note againe Note that holinesse and obedience vnto God are most necessary for all Christian people neither doe any come to the sprinkling of Christs bloud but in holinesse and righteousnesse The true Christian is elect in the sanctification of the spirit c. and therefore it is as vaine for prophane men to looke to be blessed by the Gospell as for Esau to looke for the blessing of his Father Isaac when he had prophanely contemned his birth-right As for the Verses following vnto the 10. they are easie to be vnderstood Vers 3. he calleth the hope vnto which we are begotten a liuely hope because we doe not hope for things that perish which are dead things as it were Tho. Aquinâ— but for euerlasting life and our hope is liuely and not as presumption where the life and power of grace is wanting and the life that we hope to rise vnto is by the resurrection of Iesus Christ for his arising againe giueth vs this hope that we shall rise also vers 8. He calleth their ioy wherewith they reioyce vnspeakable and glorious Aug. tract 86. in Iohan. Augustine mentioning this place readeth it quem cùm videritis exultabitis gandio memorabili honorato and the vulgar Latine With ioy vnspeakable and glorified which the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will well beare Thomas Aquinas followeth Augustine in the future tense but if it bee in the present as the word is or in the future it is all one for that ioy which shall be vnspeakably glorious is now begunne in the faithfull before they see it CHAP. 1. VER 10 11 12. Concerning which saluation the Prophets enquired and searched who prophesied of the grace giuen vnto vs. Vers 11. Searching what or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ that was in them did signifie c. Because he had spoken of the saluation of the soule Oecumen in 1 Pet. 1. a thing not heard of almost in times past hee bringeth in the Prophets that long agoe made search about it Daniel for his inquiring was called a man of desires They searched what time that is the time to come at the end of the world and what manner of time that is the time after many captiuities wherein they might be fit to receiue the mystery of the Gospell The Spirit signified the Passions of Christ by Esay 53. and Ieremy 11. and the glory to follow Hos 6. We shall rise againe the third day and liue in his sight And these things hee saith were reuealed vnto them not for themselues but for vs that they might not set light by them or neglect them being now preached For if the Prophets tooke paines to search into them and to set them forth not for their owne but for the benefit of posterity it were a most vnworthy part for posterity to neglect their labours herein The which things the Angels desire to behold that is before they were accomplished they desired to see them fulfilled and therefore reioyced
to all these acceptions I thinke is the right vnderstanding of the place Touching vers 15. The long suffering of the Lord is called saluation because it is a meanes of saluation when by being yet spared from iudgement the sinnes is moued in this time to repentance and so the more are saued who otherwise if the world had beene sooner destroyed must needs haue perished As our deare brother Paul hath written to you Here are three questions moued First whether Peter doth alleage Paul to confirme his doctrine or wherefore Secondly what Epistle of Paul is meant Thirdly in what part of his Epistle to them Paul speaketh to the same effect with Peter here To the first Occumenius answereth Oecumen that Peter being the chiefe of the Apostles doth alleage Paul here in humility not that he needed the approbation of his consent And indeed both great humility and loue appeareth in this one passage Paul hauing charged Peter so much in some part of his writing with doing amisse and being worthy to be blamed Gal. 2 11. yet Peter not stomaking this giueth him his due that hee was a man of great wisdome And indeed as some rightly note Tho. Aquin. that Peter alleageth Paul to confirme that which he had written because being called extraordinarily there might be some question of his Apostleship and againe the truth being confirmed by more witnesses hath the more force in the hearers Luther Some doubt hath beene made as Luther noteth in regard of this citing of Paul whether this Epistle be Peters or no but as hee well concludeth there is no reason to doubt of it being so long agoe without contradiction receiued into the Canon there being also so good reason of alleaging Paul To the second some hold that no particular Epistle is meant vnto the Iewes Occumen Beda Th. Glos Ordin but his Epistles in generall in any of which what is written of the last Iudgement and the state to come is written to all Christian people But because his other Epistles are spoken of in the next verse it seemeth plaine to me that the Epistle to the Hebrewes in particular is meant for Peter in writing here to all the faithfull includeth also the Hebrewes that beleeued intending their consolation and instruction as being chiefly of his cure for the ministry of the Circumcision was committed to him and therefore he speaketh here vnto them as the chiefe Beza pointing at the Epistle by Paul written to them as Beza hath also noted And so to the third whereas Oecumenius and some others will haue that place Rom. 2.4 meant here I thinke rather with Beza that Heb. 10.24 c. is the place here intended As also in all his Epistles Vers 16. speaking of these things in which things some are hard to be vnderstood c. Here also are diuers questions First of what things Paul speaketh in all his Epistles To this it is easily answered that hee speaketh of the iudgement to come and of Gods long suffering and the vse to be made hereof to be wonne to repentance and a study of holinesse for the places are easie to bee found wherein hee speaketh of all these things Secondly to what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherein hath reference whether to the Epistles or to these things Robertus Stephanus saith that there are three copies wherein it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which if it be so the Epistles are plainly meant Beza approueth of this because if the argument in hand be meant Peter hath spoken more mystically hereof then Paul euer did But the copies generally receiued haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therefore without altering the word I thinke that both Epistles and the contents of them are meant as also Beza first expoundeth it Thirdly wherefore did Paul write in such manner that he is hard to be vnderstood Th. Anglic. and not rather plainly Some thinke that this was done because he would not haue the Heretikes to vnderstand his writings but for such as were rightly affected he sent some Disciple or other to expound all things vnto them as appeareth in some of his Epistles where mention is made of them by whom they were sent Irenaeus li. 3. c. 7. Hieron Epist 50. Nissen Tractat. in 1 Cor. 15. Chrysost Hom. 9. in 1 Cor. Some say that the profundity of the matters by him handled is the cause why they are so hard to be vnderstood and because through celerity of speech he vseth many Hyperbatons Some because hee could not expound in the Greeke tongue which hee did not so well vnderstand such profound matters and therefore he vseth certaine peculiar idotismes and phrases of speech But that one reason yeelded by our Sauiour Christ of his speaking darkly and by Parables seemeth to me to be a reason sufficient of all the obscure passages both in Saint Pauls writings Mat. 13.12 and in the rest of the holy Scriptures viz. that the wicked in hearing might not vnderstand this obscurity being as a spirituall iudgement against them to their damnation as is also intimated in this place and that euen hereby we might be moued to craue the assistance of Gods holy Spirit and the more willingly resigne our selues to be guided thereby in a spirituall and holy life which is the way to vnderstand these mysteries Other reasons may be yeelded but this is the principall and therefore I rest herein Fourthly seeing the Scriptures are hard to be vnderstood is it damnation to mis-vnderstand some hard passages of them I answer to mis-interpret any hard passage so as to make it a ground of such errors as ouerthrow the Christian Faith in any part is damnable but not simply to mis-vnderstand any hard place whatsoeuer As for example when Saint Paeul teacheth iustification by Faith without the workes of the Law to vnderstand this as if no regard were to bee had vnto good workes when he teacheth election to be of Gods meere grace and mercy to vnderstand it so as to cast away all care of being such as may haue the comfort of election and when Christ affirmeth vnto Peter Vpon this rocke will I build my Church c. to vnderstand it as a ground of the Popes infallibity of iudgements so as that whether he be good or bad learned or vnlearned his dictates shall be accounted as God Oracles these I say and the like mis-vnderstandings for their dangerous consequences are wrestings of the Scriptures vnto damnation in stead of milke sucked bloud being thus pressed herefrom which nourisheth not but destroyeth the soule Whether were it not better to debarre the ignorant multitude from reading of the Scriptures seeing there is such danger in the mis-vnderstanding of many passages therein So indeed hath the Church of Rome thought but because in other places all are inuited to reade and to meditate euen in the darkest places of the Scriptures Keuel 1.3 no such inferēce ought to be made but
so much as to bend the bow of our tongues or shoot out the Arrowes of reproachfull words The modesty of the Arch-angell towards the Deuill of whose amendment there was no hope ought to be our imitation towards our brethren though very wicked because yet haply God may giue them repentance whereas by railing they may be more exasperated and the malady of their sinne will be in the more danger of being increased Note againe Note that such as are misled by errour are such infest enemies against the truth because they know it not the Papists for the most part know not our Doctrines nor in what manner we worship and serue God but being possest with an opinion that we ouerthrow good workes and that wee beat downe all Religion they become so virulent against vs. God open their eyes that they may know the truth amongst vs professed that they may cease to conuitiate it and reforme according to the same Note lastly Note that three things doe manifestly worke in Heretikes and hereby they may be knowne commonly to bee such Enuy Couerousnesse and Ambition like to that of Cain Balaam and Chore. And who seeth not these in the Church of Rome Enuy and hatred carrieth them to the murthering of thousands Couetousnesse is the plaine ground of their manifold idolatries and superstitions and it is Ambition in the Pope and Roman Clergy that cannot endure the superiority of Emperours and Kings nor a liberty in any either temporall persons or Ecclesiastikes from that Sea IVDE VER 14. But Enoch the seuenth from Adam prophesied of them saying Behold the Lord commeth with thousands of his Saints Vers 15. To giue iudgement against all and to reproue all the vngodly of them c. There is nothing hard to be vnderstood here but onely in that mention is made of the prophesying of Enoch Mayer a question offereth it selfe whether there were any such Booke of canonicall Scripture wherein this was contained and if there were whether it is to bee thought that any such bookes perished And if there were no canonicall Booke of Enochs Fab. Stapul Tertullian where had Iude this prophesie One affirmeth out of Tertullian that there was such a booke preserued by Noah in the Arke but after the Apostles times it was hidden by the Iewes because it contained too open a testimony of the vniust condemning of the iust one Beza And another mentioneth a booke of Enochs concerning which they said Tho. Aquinas Gloss ordin Beza that it contained 4082. lines And some say that there was an Apocryphall booke that went vnder the name of Enoch but was not Enochs containing in it many incredible things Some if it be granted that this booke was canonicall hold that it might notwithstanding bee lost for many others haue beene lost likewise as The booke of the warres of the Lord mentioned Numb 21.14 The booke of Iasher Ios 10.13 The booke of Nathan of Gad and Semeias of Iddo Ahia and Iehu mentioned in the Chronicles but yet so many haue beene preserued as that we neede no more vnto saluation Perkins in Iude. Some againe will not yeeld by any meanes that there was euer any such booke of Enoch that was canonicall Scripture neither that these bookes before mentioned were canonicall affirming that the booke of the warres was but a ciuill Chronicle and whatsoeuer was set forth in the other bookes is all contained in the bookes of Kings and Chronicles For my owne part I thinke that there was some such booke of Enoch to the certaine knowledge whereof they that liued neare the Apostles times might come by their relation and if of Enochs setting forth Faber Stap. it must needs bee canonicall and authenticall but yet is now Apocryphall as one speaketh because it is hid and we know not where it is and it was possible that this might befall such a sacred booke there being yet nothing in it for substance but what is in those that we haue now Enoch was a most holy man and most ancient and therefore what is produced of his must needs be of force The number of canonicall bookes was not then made vp and therefore there might be a mis-carrying of some Gagneus as one probably speaketh but now they shall continue preserued for the perfecting of the Man of God without the losse or corrupting of any to the worlds end Thousands of his Saints are put for an innumerable company the Lord commeth or hath come as in the Greeke speaking after the manner of Prophets for the certainty of the thing This prophesie is said to be of them because they amongst other wicked ones were such as are taxed by it Hauing the person in admiration for gaine that is Vers 16. foothing and flatteringly extolling the great and rich in this world that they might by this meanes insinuate themselues into them for their greater worldly benefit But others that they could not draw to their faction of what degree or estate soeuer amongst the sound Christians they murmured and were querulous against as in the words before going Shew mercy to some putting difference Vers 22. Beza the vulgar Latine readeth it reproue some as iudged and so Beza saith that hee found it in three Greeke Copies they which follow that expound it of those that haue openly separated themselues Gagneus Th. Aquinas Faber Stap. reproue them as being without hope of recouery but set the iudgements to come before others that being terrified herewith as if they had already felt hell fire they may be conuerted and saued Some reade it reproue some whilst ye are iudged that is Oecumen condemned and censured by them Ours follow the first and best reading wherein the word putting difference is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being of the middle voice and so may bee taken actiuely as well as passiuely and according to this reading the sense is plaine some must by gentler meanes bee wonne from these Heretikes and some by dealing more terribly with them in propounding the horrible iudgements hanging ouer their heads as their tractability or refractarinesse did require Hating the very garment spotted with the flesh Vers 23. Beza a metaphoricall speech taken from the ceremoniall Law intimating that they should abhorre from all tincture of this fleshly sinning the vulgar Latine hath it Hate the spotted coat which is carnall Tho. Aquinas Gorran the spotted coat being expounded the flesh the coat of the soule but foolishly as Beza rightly speaketh THE REVELATION OF St. IOHN BEcause it hath beene questioned what Iohn wrote this Booke and of what authority it is and also what the scope of it is it will be necessary before we enter vpon the particular obscurities occurring herein to discusse these things And first touching the Author Euseb l. 7. c. 25. Pareus saith out of Eusebius that it was sometime held to bee written by Cerinthus the Heretike for the maintenance of a fond
before it is so vsed with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as that it must necessarily be taken for the beginning I expound it thus only Now to this Church the Lord doth thus set forth himselfe that it might be warned to repent seeing all the taxations here are true and whatsoeuer she pretended of being rich c. yet she was certainly poore and naked and if she would bethinke her selfe to be better furnished she might well come to him for gold and cloathing or any thing because he was the beginning of the creature all things haue their being from him and therefore of him store of all spirituall furniture is to be had My Authors adapt it vnto power because of Christs power to spue them out Brightman Brightman refers it to the accomplishment of Gods blessings promised to godlinesse in outward things for which he saith that he is faithfull We learne from hence to submit when we are taxed from the Lord and acknowledge our vilenesse indeed and to seeke from him a supply of all spirituall necessaries who is the beginning of the diuine creation in whom all are new creatures their deformity being put away Quest 2. I would that thou wert either cold or hot Vers 15. What is meant by cold and hot and how is the cold preferred before the luke-warme Answ Some by cold vnderstand such as being sinners haue a sense of sorrow for their sinnes by hot such as haue ioy in Gods saluation by luke-warme Greg. lib. 34. Mor. c. 2. such as are well enough pleased in their sinfull estate as not being so great sinners but bearing themselues vpon their outward workes Others by cold vnderstand such as are altogether vnconuerted Tho. Aquin. Qu. 3. de malo Ambrosâ—ser 118. Richard de Sancto victore c. and so enemies to the truth by hot such as are zealous for the truth by luke-warme such as by outward profession are for the truth but in their liues and doings as sinfull as the cold and hereunto all our new Writers agree And this is the most probable for there is more possibility of the conuersion of a Iew or Pagan than of him who hauing receiued the truth is without all power of it in his life and the condemnation of the one shall be easier than of the other as is declared Ezech. 16. Heb. 10.2 Pet. 2. Matth. 11. c. God doth not therefore wish that men were cold as taking any pleasure in it but comparatiuely that such Christians as haue no zeale to follow and liue according to the religion by them professed might learne to acknowledge their dangerous estate they are worse than Infidels than enemies of the truth that were neuer inlightened Quest 3. Vers 13. I counsell thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire c. What is meant here by Gold and Garments and Eye-salue and wherefore are they bidden to buy it of him and when as there were foure things complained of he aduiseth but against three there was Pouerty Nakednesse Blindnesse and Misery here Gold Garments and Eye-salue Answ Some by God vnderstand Charity by white Garments good workes Beda Richard de Sancto Victore Rupertus Bullinger Pareus by Eye-salue spirituall ill umination and because the want of these three make a mans case miserable therefore these onely are mentioned as which being obtained his misery ceaseth Others by Gold vnderstand the Word of God receiued by faith because it is compared vnto Gold tried seuen times in the fire Psal 12. and by white Garments the righteousnesse of Christ put on by faith Primas Gregor l. 4. Moral c. 34. Others by Gold vnderstand wisdome and by fire charity so that gold tried in the fire or fired is wisdome ioyned with charity For mine owne part I am not satisfied with any of these expositions vnlesse by charity we vnderstand the substance of grace diffused so in the heart as that it is truly addicted to all holy obedience and by good workes and vnblamable life like to that of Zachary and Elizabeth and as for the Eye-salue all are agreed that it is spirituall illumination whereby a man seeth the excellency of these things and the vanity of temporall being therefore taken vp in his meditations and affections with the one and contemning the other And thus this passage will most fitly agree to this Church for that being Christian only in profession but wanting all zeale and care of a conuersation sutable it is said to be poore naked and blinde poore through the want of soundnesse of Religion within naked and so deformed through heathen-like conditions and worldly manners blind through an ouer-esteeming of the vaine and transient things of this world and a sleighting of heauenly things Wherefore if soundnesse of Religion within be gotten and an vnblameable carriage without and spirituall light of vnderstanding there will bee a full deliuerance from all this misery And soundnesse within may well be set forth by the purest gold because as that is most precious of all metals so this of all graces being the very oile in the Lampe Mat. 25. 1 Cor. 13. and the charity without which all is vaine and therefore some are said to be vessels of gold 2 Tim. 2.20 As for white garments it hath beene already shewed vpon vers 5. that they doe rightly set forth an in-offensiue life seeing the scandalous are blacke spots and blots For the Word of God and Christs righteousnesse applyed by faith I cannot see how they can so fitly be brought in here seeing this Church is not charged to haue left the Word and expecting to be iustified by faith as no Hypocrites doe but onely faulted in remisnesse Buying here is nothing but getting by prayer and spirituall endeuours not for any price giuen by vs as is expressed by the Prophet saying Esay 55.1 Come buy wine and milke without money as all Expositors consent Wouldst thou not therefore be miserable get soundnesse at the heart and rest not in holy shewes with Hypocrites get white cloathing of a spotlesse conuersation and to be lifted vp in thy heart to things aboue that thou maist bee drawne after them and grow into a contempt of the base things that are here below That which is added I chasten those whom I loue is spoken as a reason of the sharpe reprehension before-going that they might not despaire but be drawn to embrace his counsell how bitter soeuer he might seeme to be against them because it is spoken in loue And it seemeth that this admonition had some good effect to cause this Church to repent Euseb Eccl. hist lib. 4. cap. 26. lib. 7. cap 28. for Eusebius praiseth the Church of Laodicea in his time and particulatizeth some excellent Bishops there who stood zealously for the truth Quest 4. Behold I stand at the doore and knocke Vers 20. if any man heare my voice and open the doere I will come in and sup with him c. What
is this standing at the doore and knocking is it in mans power to open and what is meant by this Supper Answ Christ is said to knocke partly by preaching the Law and threatning Pareus partly by preaching the Gospell and comforting partly by afflictions and partly by inspiring good motions and inlightning the vnderstanding He standeth at the doore to shew his perseuerant going on in thus knocking at the doore of the heart though yet shut against him Touching that saying If any man open this doth not argue a power in man to open if he will for the opening of the heart is ascribed vnto the Lord Act. 16.14 He opened the heart of Lydia and the whole worke and euery part of our conuersion is from the Lord Ezech. 36.26 Ioh. 6.44 2 Cor. 3.5 c. But man is thus spoken vnto Aug. de cor grat c. 3. O homo in praeceptione cognosce quid debes habere in correptione cognosce te tuo vitto non habere in oratione cognosce vnde accipias quod vis habere and Ezech. 18. Turne ye make you a new heart and a new spirit that he might know what he ought to doe hee is reproued for not doing so that hee might know it to bee through his owne default and directed to pray to God that he may be able to doe so that he might know from whence he hath the power to doe so as Augustine hath excellently set it forth Viegas a Iesuite vpon this place acknowledgeth that man hath no power to open-without Gods grace preuenting intimated in that he saith I stand at the doore and knocke by his knocking then we are awakened to open The Lord commeth first with his grace vnto the will inabling it then the will coworking with grace openeth in some in others not who being thus inabled can but will not For this cause he saith If any man will open implying that it is in his power not to open To the same effect Bellarmine lib. 1. de grat lib. arbit cap. 11. and the Councell of Trent Ses 6. Can. 5. cap. 4. But the truth is whosoeuer is excited by Gods knocking doth open vnto him he being made willing by vertue of the same knocke whose will before was dead to euery good motion For in the worke of grace a man is not moued as a blocke or a stone but as a liuing thing that goeth vpon the owne legs so he by his will openeth to the Lord when hee hath once put life into it And this viuifying of the will stirreth it so effectually to open as that it cannot but open seeing as motion alwaies followeth life so opening followeth the life of the free will Doth not a man then open hee is vndoubtedly dead still is hee quickned then hee doth vndoubtedly open So that they seeme plainly to me to speake contradictions that say God by his knocke inclineth the will from whence floweth this act of opening as a proper act of life and yet the will thus inclined may resist against God and keepe the doore shut still which argueth death in the will For no man is so much his owne enemy as not to flie from a deadly danger hauing sense to perceiue it and legs to carry him away and a passage open the instinct of nature conseruatiue of it selfe putteth him on that he cannot but flie in like manner when grace commeth there being life and legs and liberty and sense of the most deadly danger of all the same grace will not suffer but as an instinct preuaile to make a man hasten from this danger in keeping the Lord out and let him in without delay As for this If any man open from a supposition to a simple position the consequence is not good If any man open therefore some will not open when their doores are knockt at it followeth no more than as if a man should come to a prison full of malefactors lying in great misery expecting euery day to be cut off and say I haue obtained liberty for you all to depart if any man will depart it would follow that some would not depart and escape from this misery As for that saying Mat. 23. How oft would I haue gathered you together and ye would not it doth imply no more but that they had meanes to bee gathered together but through their owne corruption they preuailed not amongst them Moreouer by these complaints and instigations to turne the Lord is wont to worke a turning in such as shall bee saued Lastly the Lord promiseth If any man open that hee will come in and sup with him c. This opening is by beleeuing hee commeth in by making him his habitation for the beleeuer is Gods Temple and this is more than if Christ had come in person to our houses according to that of Augustine Aug. ser 144. de Temp. plus est habere Christum in corde quà m in domo quia cor nostrum interius est nobis quà m domus nostra Pareus Bullinger c. It is more to haue Christ in our heart than in our house because our heart is more inward to vs than our house He suppeth with vs when he is delighted with those good things that are wrought in vs for these are meat and drinke vnto him seeing hee taketh pleasure in them as men doe in their meat and drinke and we sup with him by being made partakers of those ioyes and spirituall comforts that are in beleeuing and finally sit downe at his Table in the Kingdome of Heauen Or else by this phrase nothing else is meant but the neare familiarity to which the faithfull are admitted with Christ euen as louing friends that vse to sup one with another And the word Supper is rather vsed than dinner because then is most time commonly for friends to tarry by it and recreate themselues in the society of one another Quest 5. He that ouercommeth Vers 21. I will giue to him to sit with me in my Throne as I haue ouercome c. What is meant by this Throne of Christ and why is this promised to such as ouercome in this Church Answ This Throne as all agree is a participation of Christs kingly glory which they shall haue euen as he is made partaker of this glory with the Father in his humane nature He doth promise it who sometime said that it was not his to giue Mat. 20. for that was spoken in respect of his iustice by which he could not for fauour or affection giue the chiefe places to them but as any were most excellent as I haue vpon that place shewed out of Chrysostome Bullinger One ascribeth that to his humanity this to his diuinity And this is mentioned specially according to his owne example to this luke-warme Church that they might not thinke by their coole going on to come to eternall felicity with Christ for he himselfe attained not vnto it but by labour and striuing with
their leaues for medicine Compare the particulars together and you shall finde an excellent agreement betwixt these places so that I doubt not but in this vision it is alluded vnto that there the graces of the Church militant being represented here the glory of the Church triumphant betwixt which there is a great analogy and correspondency The riuer here is the Spirit of God who is most pure and holy proceeding from the Father and the Sonne who is also as a riuer of liuing waters in the Saints refreshing and comforting them without end The tree of life is Christ for so much as he onely is food to them that liue for euer and hereby it appeareth that this is spoken of the glorified estate of the Church because when a reward in heauen is promised to him that ouercommeth it is vnder these termes To him that ouercommeth I will giue to eat of the tree of life Chap. 2.7 And both in the riuer and this tree it is plainly alluded vnto Paradise out of which a riuer arose and wherein was the tree of life This one tree was manifold both in the midst of the street and on either side of the riuer because there is no want of it to the infinite multitude of Saints but euer ready there to yeeld food vnto them all And to shew the multiplicity of delights that are herein twelue sorts of fruits and fruit-bearing euery of the twelue moneths in the yeere is ascribed vnto it which doth also imply a tree alwayes flourishing neuer fading and the leaues are healthfull to the nations that is not as if sicknesse were now incident vnto them and they needed healing for all sicknesse and paine is done away but to declare their euer healthfull condition there being no lesse vse of medicine to preserue health than to restore it From hence forward all things are easie and need no interpretation vntill v. 10. howsoeuer some expound Iohns falling downe at the feet of the Angell to worship him Vers 8. Brightman vers 8. as an act repeated from Chap. 19.10 and not done the second time but it is plaine that hee was againe to blame herein hauing so soone forgotten himselfe after that admonition whereby we may see what the weaknesse of the best and of the most holy is if they bee not continually propped vp by Gods grace that we all may continually craue it out of an humble acknowledgement of our weaknesse much more and not presume in any case vpon our owne strength Vers 10. But Vers 10. it may bee doubted why Iohn is bidden not to seale vp this Prophecy and what the Angell meaneth by bidding him that is vniust to be vniust still for he saith Vers 11. Let him that is vniust be vniust still c. The common answer here is that sealing being vsed to keepe close writings that they may not be lookt into and read the Lord would not haue this Prophecy sealed because he would haue all his people to looke into it and vnderstand it as setting forth things which were shortly to begin to take effect Whereas Daniel is commanded to seale vp his Prophecy Dan 12.4 it was because it should bee a long time before it should take effect a certaine argument that Antichrist being the chiefe subiect of this Prophecy came long agoe and is not still to be expected Touching the other words Let him that is vniust be vniust still c. they are not spoken as intimating a leauing of euery one to the liberty of his owne will as Popish Writers doe hence collect but come aptly in here after the leauing of this Booke vnsealed mentioned For if it should be thought this will doe more hurt than good the wicked enemies of the truth being rather prouoked against the faithfull professors of it by hauing these things applyed against them the Lord careth not for this for he will soone come to giue them their payment for all so that the faithfull may bee comforted and the more setled in righteousnesse and holinesse◠thus some Bullinger Pareus And this indeed doth very fitly agree seeing the Booke left vnsealed to the reading and considering of all sorts is by the wicked but contemned they being no whit the more moued to a reformation Andreas Tho. Aquin. Some will haue these words to be spoken prophetically as if the Lord expected none other euent but a neglect of this prophecie amongst the wicked who would not be reformed at all hereby for thus it is plainly spoken in a like case in the Booke of Daniel Many shall be purified Dan. 12.10 Napier Eccles 11.9 but the wicked shall doe wickedly Some hold it to be ironicall as that in the Preacher Reioyce O young man in thy youth and walke in the wayes of thy heart c. but know that for all this God will bring thee to iudgement It is not amisse to follow any of these Expositions but I preferre the second vnderstanding the words as propheticall and withall I thinke that they haue reference to the former words about leauing the Booke vnsealed sealed for the speech concerneth alike the godly and the wicked and therefore cannot be ironicall Whereas the righteous are bidden to be righteous still Popish Expositors turning it Let the iustified be yet more iustified thinke that they haue a ground here for the increase of iustification after that a man is by faith iustified he may by his good workes make himselfe more iust but for so much as the righteous here is opposed to the vniust spoken of before and the holy to the filthy such righteousnesse must needs be vnderstood as is contrary to vnrighteousnesse viz. righteousnesse in fact and not the righteousnesse which is by faith wherein a man may and ought to grow daily but neither is the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thus rightly expounded for it is still noting perseuerance herein and not an increase of it for thus this word is vsed Vers 3. There shall be no curse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Chapter 10. the Angell sweareth That time shall not be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chap. 3.12 After this the Lord Iesus being described and they which shall be shut out of this City againe mentioned and the contents of this booke confirmed there is an inuitation to drinke of the water of life made to all that will Vers 17. Vers 1◠17. I am the root and the off-spring of Dauid and the bright morning starre And the Spirit and the bride say Come And let him that heareth say Come and let him that is a thirst come and whosoeur will let him take the water of life freely Christ calleth himselfe the root of Dauid in respect of his Diuinity and his off-spring in respect of his humanity and the bright morning Starre for the light of comfort which wee haue by him before the Sunne of glory ariseth that shall bee reuealed The Bride is the Church the Spirit speaketh in the