Maries daies at one stake a lame man and a blinde man The lame man after he was chained casting away his crutch bad the blinde man be of good comfort for death would heal them both Act. and Mon. fol. 1733. And so they patiently suffered Verse 44. A spirituall body Luther saith the body shall move up and down like a thought Augustin saith they shall move to any place they will assoon as they will As birds saith Zanchius being hatched do flie lightly up into the skies De operib Dei which being eggs were a heavy and slimy matter So man being hatched by the resurrection is made pure and nimble and able to mount up into the heavens Verse 45. A quickning spirit Christ is called a spirit from his Deity as Heb. 9.14 and a quickning spirit because he is the principle of life to all believers Verse 46. And afterward that is spirituall Nature Art Grace proceed from lesse perfect to more perfect Let us advance forward and ripen apace that we may be accounted worthy to obtain that world and the resurrection from the dead Luk. 20.35 Verse 47. Of the earth earthy Gr. Dusty slimy ex terra friabili Let this pull down proud flesh The Lord from heaven Not for the matter of his body for he was made of a woman but for the originall and dignity of his person whereof see a lively and lofty description Heb. 1.2 3. Verse 48. They that are earthy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vulgus fictilis Man is but an earthen pot Isa 64.8 Verse 49. The image of the heavenly See Phil. 3.21 Our bodies shall be fashioned like to Christs glorious body in beauty brightnesse incorruption immortality grace favour agility strength and other unspeakable qualities and excellencies Whether they shall have that power as to tosse the greatest mountains like a ball yea to shake the whole earth at theâ—r pleasure as Anselme and Luther thinke I have not to say Verse 50. Flesh and bloud The body as it is corruptible cannot enter heaven but must be changed we shall appear with him in glory The vile body of Moses that was hid in the valley of Moab was brought forth glorious in the hill of Tabor Math. 17. Verse 51. I shew you a mystery Not known till now to any man living 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This likely was one of those wordlesse words that Paul heard in his rapture 2 Cor. 12.4 Verse 52. The trumpet shall sound As at the giving of the law it did Exod 19 16. If the law were thus given saith a Divine how shall it be required If such were the proclamation of Gods statutes what shall the sessions be I see and tremble at the resemblance The trumpet of the Angel called to the one the trumpet of the Arch-angel shall summon us to the other In the one the Mount only was on a flame all the world shall be so in the other To the one Moses saies God came with ten thousands of his Saints In the other thousand thousands shall minister to him and ten thousand thousands shall stand before him Verse 53. For this corruptible Pointing to his body he that speaketh as Psal 34 6. This poor man cried the Lord heard him So the old believers when they rehearsed the Creed and came to that Article I believe the Resurrection of the flesh they were wont to adde Etiam huâ—â—s carnts even of this self-same flesh So Job 19.27 Verse 55. Death is swallowed up As the fuell is swallowed up by the fire as the Sorcerers serpents were swallowed up by Moses his serpent Verse 56. Death where 's thy sting This is the sharpest and the shrillest note the boldest and the bravest challenge that ever man rang in the ears of death Sarcasmo constat hostili derisione quâ mors ridenda propinatur saith one Death is here out-braved called craven to his face and bidden Do his worst So Simeon sings out his soul Tollitur mors non ne sit sed ne obsit Aug. Hilarion chides it out Ambrose is bold to say I am neither ashamed to live nor afraid to die Anne Askew the Martyr Act. and Mon. fol. 1131. thus subscribeth her own confession Written by me Anne Askew that neither wisheth for death nor feareth his might and as merry as one that is bound towards heaven Ibid. Mr Bradford being told he should be burned the next day put off his cap and lifting up his eyes praised God for it Verse 56. The sting of death is sinne Christ having unstinged death and as it were disarmed it we may safely now put it into our bosoms as we may a snake whose sting is pull'd out If it shoot forth now a sting at us it is but an enchanted sting as was that of the Sorcerers serpents Buzze it may about our ears as a drone Bee but sting us it cannot Christ as he hath taken away not sinne it self but the guilt of sinne so not death it self but the sting of death Verse 57. But thanks be to God c. Here S. Paul Christs chief Herauld proclaims his victory with a world of solemnity and triumph Verse 58. Alwaies abounding c. This will strengthen faith as the oft knocking upon a stake fastens it When faith bears fruit upward it will take root downward CHAP. XVI Verse 1. Collection for the Saints THe poor believers at Jerusalem Rom. 15.26 who had suffered hard things of their own Countrey-men 1 Thess 2.14 and taken joyfully the spoiling of their goods Heb. 10.34 Gal. 2.10 Non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and were therefore relieved by the Churches of the Gentiles at Pauls motion The word here used for Saints signifieth such as are taken off from the earth The Saints though their commoration be upon earth their conversation's in heaven Verse 2. Vpon the first day The Christian Sabbath the Lords-day as the Greek Scholiast well renders it which to sanctifie was in the Primitive times a badge of Christianity When the question was propounded Servasti dominicum Hast thou kept the Lords-day The answer was returned Christianus sum intermittere non possum I am a Christian I can do no lesse then keep the Lords-day D King on Jonas Lect. 7. But the world is now grown perfectly profane saith one and can play on the Lords-day without book The Sabbath of the Lord the sanctified day of his rest is shamelesly troubled and disquieted Lay by him in store Gr. As a treasure 1 Tim. 6.18 Manus pauperum gazophylacium Christi The poor mans box is Christs treasury As God hath prospered him Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Given him a good arrivall at the end of his voiage and enabled him for we may not stretch beyond the staple and so spoil all Verse 3. Your liberality Gr. Your grace That which having received of Gods free grace you do as freely part with to his poor
reflect upon God who will require and requite Verse 13. Not as the word of men Whom yet he maketh use of to cast down Satans strong-holds as he made use of little David against Goliah and of the frogs and flies against Pharaoh As the word of God With reverence and diligence with all good affection and attention When Samuel knew it was God that called him and not Eli he had no more minde to sleep We are all here present before God saith Cornelius Act. 10.33 And God is in you of a truth saith the Corinthian convert 1 Cor. 4.25 Verse 14. Of your own countrey-men Malice against the truth breaks all bonds of nature or amity Moah was irked because of Israel or vexed at them Numb 22.3 4. though they were allied to Israel who passed by them peaceably and by the slaughter of the Amorites freed them from evil neighbours which had taken away part of their Countrey c. The English Papists in four years sacrificed 800 of their innocent Countreymen in Q. Maâ—â—es daies Verse 15. Who both killed the Lord And are therefore banished out of the world as it were by a common consent of Nations for their unexpiable guilt Even in Jerusalem there be hardly to be found a hundred housholds of them In Cyprus it is present death for any Jew to â—et his foot upon that Island Breâ—â—â—ood Enquâ—â— In Thessalonica and Constantinople there are divers thousands of them but at every Easter they are in danger of death Dio. Cass Biddulph if they but stir out of doors because at that time they crucified our Saviour The Turks themselves so hate the Jews for crucifying Christ that they use to say in detestation of a thing I would I might die a Jew Neither will they permit a Jew to turn Turk unlesse he be first baptized And their own Prophets Whose slaughter though long since done is in recent remembrance with God and is reckoned and registred together with the death of Christ himself And have persecuted us They still curse the Christians in their daily praiers which they close up with a Maledic Domine Nazaraeis Lopez at Tiburn affirmed Camdeâ—s Eliz. That he had loved Q. Elizabeth as he loved Jesus Christ Which from a Jew was heard not without laughter And they please not God Yet they challenged the title of Gods Church as the Papists will needs be the only Catholikes And are contrary to all men Being herein rather Ismaelites then Israelites Gen. 16.12 The Troâ—t delights to swim against stream The herb Alexander will agree with no other herb but it self Such Antipodes are our Jesuites so unsufferably ambitious and impudent that neither then doctrine not their conversation pleaseth those of their own religion Verse 16. To fill up their sin alway Bounds are set to sin by the divine decree Zech. 5.7 Wickednesse is compared to a woman pressed in an Ephah when the measure is full the businesse is finished See the Note on Mat. 23.32 Verse 17. For a short time Or In a short time suddenly See Act. 17 9 10. Being taken away Or separated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as orphans are from their dear parents or parents from their deceased children The separation of friends is so grievous that death it self is stiled no other then a departure Verse 18. But Satan hindred us He still doth his utmost to hinder the communion of Saints and to keep them asunder He knows two are better then one and therefore he stirred up the primitive persecutours to banish the Christians and to confine them to iles and mines Cyprian epist where they could not have accesse one to another Verse 19. For what is our hope c A very lively and lofty expression such as the Apostle ordinarily useth in speaking of heavenly glory Nos Christus nec coelum patitur hyperbolen A man can hardly hyperbolize in speaking of heaven Verse 29. For ye are our glory and joy Let no man therefore envy us these temporary good things a competent maintenance there are better things abide us above CHAP. III. Verse 1. No longer forbear OR 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Stand under our burden of vehement desire after you See a like expression Isa 42.14 As a travelling woman bites in her pain as long as she is able and at length cries out aloud so God is patient till he can hold no longer c. We thought it good Publica privatis anteferenda bonis A publike spirit is a precious spirit Verse 2. To establish you Who haply are somewhat unsetled by the troubles that befell me amongst you But as young trees shaken root the better so should you Capite in an epistle to the brethren at Basil writeth thus Pauciores vobiscum perimuntur quod ita Domino visum est ut stabiliantur seu lenibus pluvijs aâ— semâ—ntâ—â— mâ—llioribus plantulae in arbores maximas proditurae Verse 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prov. That no man should be moved Gr. Flattered as a dog slattereth by moving his tail q.d. The devil by flattering you with promise of more ease by a contrary course will but do as a dirty dog defile you with sawning That we are appointed thereunto Viz. By Gods decree whereunto if damned ghosts must subscribe Rom. 9.19 20. how much more should Gods elect 1 Pet. 1 6 It is but a delicacy to dream of heaven to be had without much hardship Verse 4. We told you before Darts fore-seen are dintlesse premonition is the best premunition Troubles fore-told come never a whit the sooner but far the easier whereas coming unexpected they finde weak mindes secure make them miserable leave them desperate Verse 5. To know your faith That is Your perseverance and encrease in faith That which the devil mainly endeavoureth is to hindâ—r and unsettle our faith as he dealt by Eve and Peter Luk. 22.31 32. to batter this buckler Ephes 6.16 for then he knows he may do what he will with us Omnia perdidit Seneca qui fidem amisit Lestâ—â—y some means the tempter Who feels our pulses and fits his assaults accordingly See the Note on Mat. 4.3 And our labour be in vain So it proves many times by Satans malice Other labourers can finde their work as they left it not so Ministers the devil cometh and marreth all Verse 6. And brought us good tidings Here the devil was disappointed He had been nibling but could not fasten this matter was not malleable God stints him and staves him oft when he would worry his poor lambs turning all to their eternall good Verse 7. We were comforted Nothing so cheareth up the heart of a godly Minister as his peoples tractablenesse If this be wanting his very heart is broke though they be otherwise never so kinde and courteous to him Verse 8. For now we live A joylesse life is a lifelesse life An unsuccessefull Pastour hath little or no joy of his life Thus shall ye say to him that liveth 1 Sam.
side Verse 19. Promise them liberty As Mahometisme and Popery which is an alluring tempting bewitching religion Sr Walter Raleigh knew what he said that were he to chuse a religion for licentious liberty and lasciviousnesse he would chuse the Popish religion No sinne past but the Pope can pardon no sinne to come but he can dispense for it No matter how long men have lived in any sin though it be the sin against the holy Ghost extream unction at last will salve all Verse 20. Again entangled As a bird in a gin as a beast in a snare Sapè familiaritas implicavit saepè occasio peccandi voluntatem fecit Isidor solil l. 2. The later end is worse They fall ab equis ad asinos from high hopes of heaven into hell-mouth where they shall have a deeper damnation because they disgrace Gods house-keeping as if they did not finde that they lookt for in religion Verse 21. It had been better Nocuit sanè Judae fuisse Ape stolum Juliano Christianum to begin well and not to proceed is but to aspire to an higher pitch that the fall may be the more desperate Non quaeruntur in Christianis initia fed finis Act. and Mon. fol 993. saith Hierom B. Bonner seemed at first to be a good man and a favourer of Luthers doctrines Verse 22. The dog is turned Proverbia hac sunt Canonica quae Christiano nauseam commoverent God will spue out apostates for ever teaching them how they should have spued out their sin CHAP. III. Verse 1. This second Epistle SO must Ministers with one Sermon peg in another and never cease beating and repeating the same point saith S. Aug de doct Christian Augustine till they perceive by the gesture and countenance of the hearers that they understand it and are affected with it I stirre up Gr. I rouse you who perhaps are nodding with the wise virgins Mat. 25.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Your pare mindes Gr. Pure as the Sun Chrysostome saith of some in his time that they were ipso coelo puriores Hom. 55. in Math. more pure then the visible heavens and that they were more like angels then mortals Verse 2. Mindfull of the words See the Note on 1 Cor. 15.2 Run to this armory of the Scriptures for weapons against seducers and epicures Verse 3. Scoffers Those worst kinde of sinners Psal 1.1 those abjects of the people Psal 35.15 those Pests 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Septuagint render them Psal 1.1 those Atheists that jear when they should fear and put farre away the evil day that make no more matter of Gods direfull and dreadfull menaces then Leviathan doth of a sword he laugeth at the shaking of a spear Job 41.29 Verse 4. Where is the promise c. The sleeping of vengeance causeth the over-flow of sin the sinner thinks himself hail-fellow with God Psal 50.21 and the overflow of the sinne causeth the awakening of vengeance Verse 5. Willingly ignorant of A carnall heart is not willing to know what it should do lest it should do what it would not Act. 28.27 That by the word of God And that by the same word again they may as soon be dissolved yea reduced to their first originall Nothing A learned man propoundeth this question How did the Lord imploy himself before the world And his answer is this D. Preston of Gods attrib p. 34. A thousand years to him are but as one day and one day as a thousand years Again Who knoweth saith he what the Lord hath done Indeed he made but one world to out knowledge but who knoweth what he did before and what he will do after Thus he And the earth standing c. God hath founded the earth upon the seas and established it upon the flouds Psal 24.2 This Aristotle reckons among the wonders in nature and well he may God hath set the solid earth upon the liquid waters for our conveniency Psal Lib. de mirabil 104.6 7. Verse 6. Being overflowed with water Therefore that is not altogether true that all things continue as they were at first as the scoffers affirmed ver 4. Verse 7. Reserved unto fire The old world was destroied with water Propter ardorem libidinis for the beat of their lust saith Ludolphus the world that is now shall be destroied with fire Propter teporem charitatis for their want of love Verse 8. One day is with the Lord c. Nullum tempus occurrit regi How much lesse to the Ancient of daies In God there is no motion or flux therefore a thousand years to him are but as one day Verse 9. Not willing that any should perish See the Note on 1 Tim. 2.4 Verse 10. The heavens shall passe c. The very visible heavens are defiled with mens sins Revel 18.5 and must therefore be purged by fire as the vessel that held the sin-offering was in the time of the law Shall be burnt up This the very Heathens knew in part as appears by the writings of Lueratius Cicere de natura Deorum and Ovids Metam lib. 1. Verse 11. What manner of men Even to admiration Quales quanti as the word signifies Mar 13.1 How accurate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and how elevate above the ordinary strain Verse 12. Looking for As Sisera's mother looked out at a window and expecting the return of her sonne said Why are his charriots so long a coming So should we look up and long for Christs coming in the clouds those charriots that carried him up and shall bring him back again The heavens being on fire c. A far greater fire then that at Constantinople Blnnts voiage where 7000 houses are said to have been on fire at once an Dom. 1633. And the elements shall melt And fall like scalding lead or burning bell-metall on the heads of the wicked who shall give a terrible account with the world all on fire about their ears Whether this shall fall out in the year 1657. as some conjecture because in the year of the world 1657. Alsted Chrâ—â—oi the old world drowned and because the numerall letters in MVnDI ConfLagratiIo Make up the same number I have nothing to affirm Sure it is the Saints shall take no hurt at all by this last fire but a great deal of benefit Methodius writeth that Pyragnus a certain plant so called grows green and flourishes in the midst of the flames of burning Olympus as much as if it grew by the banks of a pleasant river And of this he saith that himself was an eye-witnesse Praeclarum sanè novissimi diei indicium documentum Verse 13. According to his promise Which is good sure-hold For he paies not his promises with fair words as Sextorius did but with reall performances Verse 14. That ye may be found of him Watching working well-doing See the Note on Mat. 24 43 44. Verse 15. That the long-suffering c. Rom. 2.4 which sentence
of Scripture this verse saith he had been easie had not Commentatours made it knotty the like saith another of a Christians condition it is gracious happy clear sure sweet did not erroneous judgements vex and unsettle them Verse 16. Let not then your good That is Your Christian liberty purchased by Christ Be evil spoken of Gr. Be blasphemed Contumely cast upon the people of God is blasphemy in the second Table God for the honour that he beareth to his people counts and calls it so Verse 17. For the kingdome of God c. That was a swinish saying of Epicurus That eternall life should be nothing else but a continuall eating of the fat and drinking of the sweet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even unto an uncessant surfetting and drunkennesse The Turks at this day promise Paradise to such as die in warre for the Mahometan faith Blouâ—ts voiage p 37 â— where they shall have delicious fare pleasant gardens all sensuall delights eternally to be enjoyed not withstanding any former sins Fit lettice for such lips Verse 18. Is acceptable to God And he is an happy man that can be acquitted by himself in private in publike by others in both by God Verse 19. Wherewith one may edifie another Discords among good people do edificare in gehennam as Tertullian phraseth it build backwards One of the main scandals the Jews take from Protestants is their dissention Verse 20. The work of God That work of faith 1 Thess 1.3 wrought by the mighty power of God Ephes 1.19 who puts not forth great power but for great purposes Verse 21. It is good neither to eat c. It will be no grief of heart as she once told David in another case to have forborn in case of scandall A great grief it would be if by some rash word we should betray a brother or smite out the eie of our dearest childe 1 Sam. 25. Should we then destroy the life of grace in another by our unadvised walking Verse 22. Hast thou faith Posse nolle nobile est Forbear for fear of effence unlesse it be in point of necessary duty For then we may not doe evil that good may come Rom. 3 8. Verse 23. Is damned Both of his doubting conscience which soundeth heavily as a shauâ—m and of God who is greater then his conscience CHAP. XV. Verse 1. Ought to bear AS Porters do their burdens as pillars do the poise of the house 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or rather as parents bear their babes in their arms And not to please our selves Bis desipit qui sibi sapit Prov. 3.7 Verse 2. Please his neighbour Though he crosse himself this is true Christian love and driven almost out of the world by sinfull self-love which can eth men to dislike those things in others that they slatter in themselves Verse 3. For even Christ And we should expresse him to the world preach abroad his vertues by our practice 1 Pet. 2.9 Our lives should be as so many Sermons upon the life of Christ This is walk in Christ Col. 2 6. as Christ 1 Joh. 3.6 Verse 4. For whatsoever things c. Here the Apostle meets with an Objection For some man might say that that saying of the Psalme pertains to David how therefore is it applied to Christ He answers Whatsoever things c. q. d. We must learn to see Christ in David David in the history Christ in the mystery David as the type Christ the truth That we through patience Hence the Scriptures are called Râ—vel 2. The word of Christs patience because they patient the heart under Gods holy hand and are better called Physick for the soul then ever was the library of Alexandria 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And comfort of the Scriptures As the bloud and spirits are conveied by the veins and arteries so is the Spirit by the promises helping the soul to lay it self upon Christ by faith which is a grace of union and so of establishment Verse 5. Now the God of patience The soul is then only in good plight when the heaven answers the earth Hos 2.21 When. Christ the Sun of righteousnes shines into it Verse 6. With one minde and one mouth It is recorded to the high commendation of the Church of Scotland that for this 90 years and upwards they have kept unity with purity without schisme much lesse heresie Syntag. Confession praesat Verse 7. To the glory of God That is Of heaven the joyes whereof it is as impossible to comprehend as it is to compasse the heaven with a span or contain the Ocean in a nut-shell Such comfort there is in the presence of Christ though but in the womb as it made John to spring What then shall it be in heaven Verse 8. Now I say that Jesus Paul proveth particularly in this and the following verses that Christ hath taken both Jews and Gentiles to his glory Verse 9. And that the Gentiles Though they had no such promises might glorifie Gods free grace in the day of their visitation Verse 10. Rejoyce That your names also are written in heaven and that ye are enrolled in the records of the new Jerusalem Verse 11. All ye Gentiles As being received into the glory of God vers 7. Verse 12. In him shall the Gentiles trust I saith hath it To him shall the Gentiles seek To seek to God then argues trust in God He that hopes not praies not or but faintly Verse 13. Fill you with all joy c. Note here that joy and peace are the means whereby faith worketh hope Verse 14. Full of goodnesse The excellency of a godly man is to follow God fully as Caleb Numb 14.24 to have a heart full of goodnesse as these Romans a life full of good works as Tabitha Act. 9.36 These shall receive a full reward 2 Joh. 8. Verse 15. Chrysostome truly saith of St Paul that he was insatiabilis Dei cultor one that thought he could never do God or his Church service enough Verse 16. Ministring the Gospel Serving about holy things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or doing sacred offices as the Priests under the Law to whom the Apostle all along this verse alludes in an elegant allegory the Ministery is a divine and heavenly function All other callings are for the world and draw to the world but this both in the preparation and execution draweth to God keepeth us with God and to be ever mindefull of the things of God Verse 17. I have therefore c. So have all Gods faithfull Ministers at this day against the contempts and contumelies cast upon them by the mad world ever besides it self in point of salvation There is a pamphlet lately published that sticks not to make that sacred and tremend function of the Ministery to be as meer an imposture as very a mystery of iniquity The Compass Samaritâ—n as arrant a juggle as the Paâ—acy it self Verse 18. To make the Gentiles c.
Greek imports 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebrais ut Exod. 8.14 Cartwright Whereupon an Expositour noteth Ordinatim res in Ecclesia faciendae Order must be observed in the Church CHAP. XV. Verse 1. And wherein ye stand A Military term as Martyr noteth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Satan overthroweth the faith of some 2 Tim. 2.18 and by this very engine wherewith he assaulted these Corinthians ib. So that the Apostle was fain to make Apology v. 19. to make a barricado Verse 2. By which also ye are saved Eternall life is potentially in the word as the harvest is potentially in the seed or as the tree is in the kernell or sience Jam. 1.21 If ye keep in memory Helimiteth the promise of salvation to the condition of keeping in memory what they had heard Tantum didicimus quantum meminimus said Socrates Many have memories like nets that let go the fair water retain the filth only or like sives that keep the chaff let go the corn If God come to search them with a candle what shall he finde but old songs old wrongs c. not a promise or any sword of God hid there for things of that nature they are like Sabinus in Seneca that never in all his life could remember those three names of Homer Vlisses and Achilles But the soul should be as an holy Arke the memory like the pot of Mannah preserving holy truths Verse 3. First of all Christ is to be preached with the first as being the prora puppis of mans happinesse Joh. 16.14 It is the office of the holy Ghost to take of Christs excellencies and hold them out to the world What then should Ministers the mouth of the holy Ghost do rather Verse 4. According to the Scriptures Which both fore-shewed and fore-shadowed it in Adams waking Isaac's reviving as it were from the dead Josephs abasement and advancement Samsons breaking the bars and bearing away the gates of Gaza Davids being drawn out of the deep Daniels out of the den Ieremies out of the dungeon Ionas out of the belly of hell Mat. 12.39 c. Verse 5. Seen of Cephas Adam died and we hear no more of him But Christ shew'd himself after death in six severall apparitions for our confirmation Verse 6. Above five hundred The number of beleevers then were greater then some would gather out of Act. 1.15 Those 120 may seem to have been Chieftains such as that any one of them might have been thought meet to succeed Iudas in his Apostleship Verse 7. Seen of Iames This is not mentioned in the Gospel as neither that of Peter v. 5 Verse 8. One born out of due time Quasi malo astro abortus adversante natura coactus One that deserved to be rejected as that forlorn Infant Ezek. 16.4 5. Verse 9. I am the least of the Apostles Not come to my just bignesse as one born out of due time and not without violence Not meet to be called True humility as true balm ever sinkes to the bottom of the water when pride like oil ever swims on the top Verse 10. I laboured more abundantly See 2 Cor. 12.23 Rom. 15.19 George Eagles Martyr in Q. Maries daies for his great pains in travelling from place to place to confirm the brethren was sirnamed Act. and Mon. fol. 1823. Trudge over the world Might not St Paul have been fitly so sirnamed Not I but the grace of God So those good servants Luke 19.16 Not we but thy talents have gained other five and other two c. Let God have the entire praise of all our good Verse 11. So we preach and so ye beleeved A happy compliance when the hearers affections and endeavours doe answer the affections and endeavours of the preacher as here and at Ephesus Act. 20 31-37 When people deliver themselves up to the forme of doctrine Rom. 6.17 and are cast into the mould of the Word Verse 12. No resurrection More then that of regeneration Math. 19.28 that estate of the Gospel called a new heaven and a new earth 2 Pet. 3.13 the world to come Heb. 2.5 that resurrection already past ◠Tim. 2.18 that first resurrection Revel 20.5 Verse 13. Then is not Christ risen But of Christs resurrection there were many both living and dead Witnesses as the earth-quake empty grave stone rolled away cloathes wrapt up c. Verse 14. Then is our preaching vain Never was there any such imposture put upon the world as Christianity if Christ be yet in the grave Verse 15. False witnesses of God For they might safely say with Ieremy Lord if we be deceived thou hast deceived us Verse 16. Then is not Christ raised And so Gods decree is cassated Act. 13.33 with Psal 2.7 Verse 17. Ye are yet in your sins Rom. 4.25 If he had not been let out of prison our debt had remained upon us But God sent his Angel to roul away the stone as the Judge sends an officer to fetch one out of prison and to release him And this is the strength of our Saviours reason Ioh. 16.10 The Spirit shall convince the world of righteousnesse that I am Jehovah their righteousnesse because I go to the Father which I could not have done unlesse you were acquitted of all your sins Verse 18. A sleep in Christ The Germanes call the Church-yard Godsaker because the bodies are sowed therein to be raised again The Greeks call them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sleeping-houses The Hebrews call the grave Bothchaijm the house of the living Iob cals it the Congregation-house of all living Job 30.23 As the Apostle cals heaven the Congregation-house of the first-born Heb. 12.23 Verse 19. Most miserable Because none out of hell ever suffered more then the Saints have done Verse 20. The first fruits c. As in the first-fruits offered to God the Jews were assured of Gods blessing on the whole harvest so by the resurrection of Christ our resurrection is ensured Verse 21. By man came also c. Gods justice would be satisfied in the same nature that had sinned Verse 22. Shall all be made alive The Saints shall be raised by vertue of the union with Christ to glory the wicked shall be dragged to his tribunall by his Almighty power as a Judge to be tumbled thence into hell-torment Verse 13. At his coming As in the mean time their very dust is precious the dead bodies consumed are not so destroied but that there is a substance preserved by a secret influence proceeding from Christ as a head Hence they are said to be dead in Christ who by rotting refineth them Verse 24. Delivered up the Kingdome Not his essentiall kingdome as God but his oeconomicall as Mediatour Verse 25. Till he hath put And after too but 1. Without adversaries 2. Without any outward means and ordinances Verse 26. That shall be destroied It is already to the Saints swallowed up in victory so that they may say to it as Jacob did to Esau Surely
in April both wholsome roots and poisonable discover themselves Macar Hom 12. which in the winter were not seen so at the day of judgement good and evil actions The things done in his body That is Bernard the just reward of those things In die judicy plus valebit conscientia pura quam marsupia plena Then shall a good conference be more worth then all the worlds good And this was that that made Paul so sincere a Preacher and so insatiable a server of God as Chrysostome calleth him Whether it be good or bad Wicked men shall give an account 1. Debonis commissis Of goods committed to them 2. De bodis dimissis of good neglected by them 3. De malis commissis of evils committed 4. De malis permissis of evils done by others suffered by them Itaque vivamus saith the Oratour Cic. 4 in Ver. Let us so live as those that must render an account of all Verse 11. Knowing therefore the terrour c. What a terrible time it will be with the wicked who shall in vain tire the deaf mountains with their hideous out-cries to fall upon them c. We perswade men To slee from the wrath to come to repent and be converted that their sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come Act. 3.19 We speak persuasively to this purpose but it is God only that perswades Verse 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which glory in appearance Gr. In the face Hypocrites as they repent in the face Mat. 6.16 so they rejoyce in the face not in the heart Their joy is but skin-deep it is but the hypocrisie of mirth they do not laugh but grin their hearts ake many times when their faces counterfeit a smile Their mirth is frothy and flashy such as smooths the brow but fils not the brest such as wets the mouth but warms not the heart Verse 13. It is to God i. e. When to the world we seem mad of pride and vain-glory yet then we respect only Gods glory It is for your sakes i. e. For your learning that we are more modest and sparing in commending our Apostleship It is a good rule Quicquid agas propter Deum agas Doe all for Gods sake Verse 14. The love of Christ c. As reward hath an attractive and punishment an impulsive so love hath a compulsive faculty This love of Christ had so closed in S. Paul so hemmed him in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and begirt him round that his adversaries reported him a mad man as vers 13. he erred in love toward his sweet Saviour and even exhaled his blessed soul in continuall sallies as it were and expressions of his dear affection to the Lord Jesus Then were all dead All the body suffered in and with Christ the head and so are freed by his death Heb. 2.9 as if themselves in person had died Verse 15. Should not hence forth Servati sumus ut serviamus The redeemed among the Romans were to observe and honour those that ransomed them as parents all their daies Verse 16. No man after the flesh i. e. We esteem no man simply the better or worse for his wealth poverty honour ignominy or any thing outward See jam 1.9 10 11. Thomas Wats Martyr spake thus at his death to his wife and children Wife and my good children I must now depart from you Act. and Mon. fol 1450. therefore henceforth know I you no more but as the Lord hath given you to me so I give you again to him whom I charge you see that ye obey c. Though we have known Christ As possibly Paul might have known Christ in the flesh for Jesus of Nazareth was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people Luk. 24. 19. Austin wished that he might have seen three things Rome flourishing Paul preaching Christ conversing with men upon earth Bede comes after and correcting this last wish faith yea but let me see the King in his beauty Christ in his heavenly kingdome Paul was so spiritualized that he took knowledge of nothing here below he passed thorow the world as a man in a deep muse or that so looks for a lost jewell that he overlooks all besides it Verse 17. Is a new creature Either a new man or no man in Christ All things are become new The substance of the soul is the same the qualities and operations altered In regeneration our natures are translated not destroied no not our constitution and complexion As the melancholy man doth not cease to be so after conversion only the humour is sanctified to a fitnesse for godly sorrow holy meditation c. so of other humours 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verse 18. And all things are of God He is both authour and finisher of our faith the God of all grace the Father of all lights c. And hath given to us the Ministery He hath taken this office from the Angels those first preachers of peace Luk. 2.10 14. The Angel told Cornelius his praiers were heard in heaven but for the doctrine of reconciliation he refers him to Peter Act. 10. Verse 19. That God was in Christ c. As the salt-waters of the sea when they are strained thorow the earth they are sweet in the rivers so saith one the waters of Majesty and Justice in God though terrible yet being strained and derived thorow Christ they are sweet and delightfull Verse 20. Embâ—ssadours for Christ And therefore sacred persons not to be violated on pain of Gods heavy displeasure Do my Prophets no harm As though God did beseech you Gods grace even kneels to us En flexanimam Suadae medullam Who can turn his back upon such blessed and bleeding embracements Verse 21. To be sin for us That is a sin-offering or an exceeding sinner as Exod. 29.14 So Christ was 1. By imputation for our sins were made to meet upon him as that Evangelicall Prophet hath it See Aug. Enchirid c. 41. Isa 53 6. And secondly By reputation for he was reckoned among malefactours ibid. And yet one Augustinus de Roma Archbishop of Nazareth was censured in the Councel of Basil for affirming that Christ was peccatorum maximus the greatest of sinners Christ so loved us saith one that he endured that which he most hated to become sin for us he was made sin passive in himself to satisfie for sin active in us and the want of that which was more worth then a world to him the sense of Gods favour for a time Ama amorem illius c. saith Bernard Who knew no sinne That is With a practicall knowledge with an intellectuall he did else he could not have reproved it We know no more then we practise Christ is said to know no sin because he did none That we might be made c. As Christ became sin not by sin inherent in him but by our sin imputed to him so are we made the
have no Subjects then Subjects of divers religions And out of a bloudy zeal suffered his eldest son Charles to be murdered by the bloudy Inquisition because he seemed to favour our profession Hieron Catina Verse 15. What concord hath Christ Those Moderatours that plead for a correspondency with Popery would make a pretty shew if there were no Bible But if these reconcilers as Franciscus de sancta clara and his fautors were the wisest men under heaven and should live to the worlds end they would be brought to their wits end before they could accomplish this works end to make a reconciliation betwixt Christ and Antichrist betwixt Rome and us Verse 16. I will dwell in them Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will indwell in them This notes Gods nearest communion with them He setteth them before his face continually Psal 41.12 as loving to look upon them The Philosopher told his friends when they came into his little low cottage The gods are here with me God and Angels are with his Saints 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And walk in them As they did in Solomons porch and other walks and galleries about the Temple And hereunto the Prophet alludes Zach. 3.7 The Turks wonder to see a man walk to and fro and usually ask such whether they be out of their way or out of their wits Biâ—lulph Verse 17. And be ye separate For grosse Idolatry and for fundamentall errours only must we separate Corruptions grew so great in the Church of Rome that it justly occasioned first the separation of the Greek Churches from the Latine and then of the Reformed Churches from the Roman Diâ—p derep l. 2. cap. 12. Machiavel observed that after the thousand year of Christ there was no where lesse piety then in those that dwelt nearest to Rome And Bellar mine bewails it Lib. 3. de Papa Rom cap. 21. That ever since we cried up the Pope for Antichrist his kingdom hath not only not encreased but hath greatly decreased And I will receive you So you shall be no losers â—e put you into my bosome God imparteth his sweetest comforts to his in the wildernes Hos 2.14 Verse 18. I will be a Father The fundamentall meritorious impulsive and finall causes of this precious priviledge see set forth Eph. 1.5 6. Saith the Lord Almighty This is added by our Apostle to Jer. 31.9 CHAP. VII Verse 1. Having therefore c. FAith in the promises purifieth the heart Act. 15.9 and argueth notably from mercy to duty From all filthinesse Sin defileth a man worse then any jakes or leprosie It is the devils excrement it is the corruption of a dead soul Seldome or never is there a birth of saving grace but there follows it a flux of mortification Of flesh and spirit i. e. Both of the outward and inward man Or of flesh that is worldly lusts and grosle evils as uncleannesse earthly-mindednesse c. And of spirit that is more spirituall lusts as pride presumption self-flattery c. These lie more up in the heart of the Countrey as it were those other in the fronâ—iers and skirts of it Perfecting holines Propounding to our selves the highest pitch and the best paterns In the fear of God Which is the fountain whence holinesse flows See Pro. 8.13 Verse 2. Receive us Gr. Make room for us in your hearts and houses Set wide open the everlasting doors 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Locum date that the King of glory may come in triumphantly riding upon us his white horses Revel 6 2. We have wronged no man Ministers must so live that they may if need be glory of their innocency and integrity as did Moses Samuel Paul Melancthon We have corrupted no man viz. As the false Apostles had done with their leaven of false Doctrine which eateth as a canker 2 Tim. 2.17 or a gangrene which presently over-runs the parts and takes the brain Protagoras in Plato boasted that of those sixty years that he had lived he had spent fourty in corrupting of youth We have defrauded no man We have cunningly made sale of no man as those old impostours that made prize of their prisoners 2 Pet. 2.3 And as those Popish Muscipulatores or Mice-catchers as the story calleth them that raked together their Peter-pence and other moneys here in England by most detestable arts Polydore Virgil was one of these ill officers that left not so much money in the whole Kingdome sometimes as they either carried with them or sent to Rome before them Verse 3. I speak not this c. Though cause enough he had to condemn them for their shamefull tenacity toward him whom they basely suffered to labour for his living and to preach gratis against all right and reason To die and to live with you Such faithfull friends are in this age all for the most part gone in pilgrimage and their return is uncertain as once the Duke of Buckingham said to Bishop Morton in Rich. the thirds time Jonathan and David Pylades and Orestes Polistratus and Hippoclides are famous for their love one to another These two last being Philosophers of Epicurus his sect Vâ—lâ—r Mâ—x l. â— c. 16. are said to have been born the same day to have lived together all their daies and to have died in the same moment of time being well stricken in years But the love of Irish foster-brothers is said far to surpasse all the loves of all men Câ—md Elizab. fol. 483. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verse 4. I am exceeding joyfull Gr. I do over-abound exceedingly with joy Others may revell the godly only rejoyce they have an exuberancy of joy such as no good can match no evil over-match Witnes the Martyrs ancient and modern Oh how my heart leapeth for joy said one of them that I am so near the apprehension of eternall blisse I God forgive me mine unthankfulnesse and unworthinesse of so great glory In all the daies of my life I was never so merry Act. and Mon. fol 1668 1669 1670. as now I am in this dark dungeon Beleeve me there is no such joy in the world as the people of Christ have under the crosse Thus and much more Mr Philpot Martyr Verse 5. Our flesh had no rest Our spirit had no unrest The outward man suffers much sometimes when the inward remains unmolested Philip Lantgrave of Hesse being asked how he could so well bear his seven years imprisonment answered Se divines Martyrum consolationes sensisse that he felt the divine consolations of the Martyrs which as bladders bore him aloft all waters Verse 6. God that comforteth This is a most sweet attribute of God such as we may profitably plead and produce in praier He loves to comfort those that are forsaken of their hopes By the coming of Titus Who came very opportunely 2 Cor. 2.12 13. even whiles Paul was writing this Epistle Gods comforts are therefore sweet because seasonable He never comes too soon nor
staies too long He waits to be gracious as being a God of judgement Were we but ripe he is ready and will lift us up in due time Isa 30 18. 1 Pet. 5.6 Verse 7. Your earnest desire Of seeing me or rather of satisfying me Your fervent minde Gr. Your zeal both against the incestuous person and the false Apostles Saint Pauls adversaries Verse 8. Though it were but for a season Gr. For an hour In sin the pleasure passeth the sorrow remaineth but in repentance the sorrow passeth the pleasure abideth for ever God soon poureth the oil of gladnesse into broken hearts Verse 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That ye sorrowed to repentance Gr. To a transmentation to a thorow change both of the minde and manners Optima aptissima poenitentia est nova vita saith Luther Which saying though condemned by Pope Leo 10. is certainly an excellent saying Repentance for sin is nothing worth without repentance from sin If thou repent with a contradiction saith Tertullian God will pardon thee with a contradiction Thou repentest and yet continuest in thy sin God will pardon thee and yet send thee to hell There 's a pardon with a contradiction Sorry after a godly manner Gr. According to God This is a sorrowing for sin as it is Offensivum Dei averfivum à Deo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This both comes from God and drives a man to God as it did the Church in the Canticles and the Prodigall Verse 10. Godly sorrow worketh Sin bred sorrow and sorrow being right destroieth sin as the worm that breeds in the wood eats into it and devours it Chrysost So that of this sorrow according to God we may say as the Romans did of Pompey the great 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plutarch That it is the fair and happy daughter of an ugly and odious mother Repentance never to be repented of That is saith one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mâ—rbâ—â—y of Repent Never to fall back again for a man in falling back seemeth to repent him of his repentance Others interpret it such a repentance as a man shall never have cause to repent of Job cursed the day of his birth but no man was ever heard to curse the day of his new birth For it is repentance to salvation it hath heaven it is that rain-bow which if God see shining in our hearts he will never drown our souls But the sorrow of the world That which carnall men conceive either for the want or losse of good or for the sense or fear of evil Worketh death As it did in Queen Mary Act. and Mon. fol. 1901. who died as some supposed by her much sighing before her death of thought and sorrow either for the departure of K. Philip or the losse of Callice Duke of the heâ—rt or both There are that interpret death in this place of spirituall death because it is opposed here to life and salvation Verse 11. What carefulnesse Gr. What study 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Veâ—emens ad aliquam rem magna cum volaâ—â—â—e applicatio which saith Tully is an earnest and serious bending and applying of the minde to some thing with a great deal of delight It is rendered here carefulnesse not that of diffidence but that of diligence putting a man upon those wholsome thoughts What have I done What shall I do c. Yea what clearing Gr. Apology or defence M Bradford Sâ—r. of Repent p. 14. The old interpreter renders it satisfaction It may be saith Mr Bradford he meant a new life to make amends thereby to the Congregation offended As the devil is called the Accuser so the Spirit is called The Comforter or pleader for us because as he maketh intercession in our hearts to God so upon true repentance he helpeth us to make apologies for our selves not by denying our sins or defending them but by confessing and disclaiming them as a childe to his father Yea what indignation Or stomach as Ephraim Jer. 31.19 The publican who smote himself upon the brest he would have knockt his corruptions if he could have come at them as those Isa 30.22 that polluted the Idols that they had perfumed and said unto them Get you hence be packing What have I to do any more with Idolds Hos 14.8 Out of doors with this Tamar here 's no room for her So foolish was I and so very a beast saith David Psal 73. How angry and hot was he against himself 2 Sam. 24.10 Yea what fear Of Gods heavy displeasure and of doing any more so the burnt childe dreads the fire He that hath been stung hates a snake Yea what vehement desire As that of Rachel after children as that of David after the water of the well of Bethlehem as that of the hunted Hinde after the water-brooks David panted and fainted after God Psal 119. That Martyr cried out None but Christ none but Christ. Yea what zeal Which is an extreme heat of all the affections for and toward God Davids zeal ate him up Paul was judg'd as mad for Christ as ever he had been against him 2 Cor. 5.13 with Act. 26.11 Yea what revenge Out of deepest self-abhorrency buffeting the flesh and giving it the blew eye as S. Paul that crucifix of mortification once did Thus the women parted with their looking-glasses Exod. 35. Mary Magdalen wiped Christs feet with her hair wherewith she had formerly made nets to catch fools in Cranmer burnt his right hand first wherewith he had subscribed Act. and Mon. fol. 1714. and oftentimes repeated in the flames This unworthy right hand so long as his voice would suffer him The true penitentiary amerceth himself and abridgeth his flesh of some lawfull comforts as having forfeited all These seven signs of godly sorrow are to be seen in the repenting Church Cant. 5. as in a worthy example or emblem I sleep there 's indignation but my heart waketh there 's Apology I arose to open c. there 's study or care and diligence My soul failed there 's her zeal I sought him I called on him there 's her vehement desire The watchmen found me they smote me c. There 's her revenge whiles she shrank not for any danger but followed Christ thorow thick and thin in the night among the watch And all this shews her fear of being again overtaken with drousinesse To be clear in this matter Because they had heartily repented of it Quem poenitet peccasse poenè est innocens Senec. in Agam. Repentance is almost equivalent to innocence Imò plus est propemodùm à vitijs se revocasse quam vitia ipsa nescivisse Amb. in Psal saith Ambrose Verse 12. Not for his cause That is Not so much for his cause That suffered the wrong viz. The father of the incestuous person Compare Gen. 49.4 But that our care for you That the Church might not suffer as allowing such foul facts How the Primitive
back oft on what they were before calling that they may thankfully cry out with Iphiâ—rates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from what misery to what dignity are we advanced Fulfilling the desires Gr. The wiles of the flesh Now therefore we must as diligently fulfill not the will but the wils of God as David did Act. 13.22 The children of wrath Deires Gregory the great said of the English boyes that were presented to him Angli quasi Angeli And demanding further what Province they were of in this Island it was returned that they were called Deires which caused him again to repeat the word Abbots Geog. pag. 119. and to say that it were great pity but that by being taught the Gospel they should be saved de ira Dei from the wrath of God Verse 4. But God who is rich in mercy Such a mercy as rejoyceth against judgement as a man against his adversary which he hath subdued Jam. 2.13 Verse 5. Hath quickned c. The very first stirrings in the womb of grace are precious to God he blesseth our very buds Isa 44.3 according to the Geneva translation Verse 6. And made us sit together We have taken up our rooms afore-hand in heaven whereunto we have just right upon earth by vertue of the union the ground of communion 1 Joh. 5.12 He that hath the son hath life he hath possession of it as by turf and twig Verse 7. In his kindenesse toward us We come not to the knowledge of God but by his works And even his way of knowing him we naturally abuse to idolatry Verse 8. For by grace ye are saved So ver 5. and every where almost S. Paul is a most constant preacher of the grace of God as Chrysostome stileth him Sub laudibus naturae latent inimici gratiae saith Augustine The patrons of mans free-will are enemies to Gods free-grace Verse 9. Least any man should boast As that fool did that said Vega. Coelum gratis non accipiam I will not have heaven but at a rate Non sic Does coluimus aut sic vivimus ut ille nos vinceret said the Emperour Antonius Philosophus Valcat Gallic in Avid Cassio We have not so lived and deserved of God that they enemy should vanquish us Verse 10. For we are his workmanship His artificiall facture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or creature that wherein he hath shewed singular skill by erecting the glorious fabrike of the new man Created to good works In the year 1559. there was published a paradox that good works are pernicious to salvation of mens souls David George the broacher of this heresie was digg'd up and burnt at Basile God hath before ordained i. e. By his eternall decree Oar Vivification then is not a work of yesterday but such as God hath with singular complacency contemplated from all eternity rejoycing in that habitable part of his earth Prov. 8.31 Verse 11. Who are called uncircumcision In great scorn and reproach as 1 Sam. 17.26 Howbeit unregenerate Israel was to God as Ethiopia Amos 9.7 And Iether by nature an Ismaelite 1 Chron. 7.17 was for his faith and religion called an Israelite 2 Sam. 17.25 Verse 12. Strangers from the Covenant The Saints only are heirs to the promises but the devil sweeps all the wicked as being out of the Covenant They stuff themselves with promises till they have made them a pillow for sin Deut. 29.19 Sed praesumendo sperant sperando pereunt Having no hope But such as will one day hop headlesse such as will serve them as Absoloms mule served her Master when she left him hanging by the head betwixt heaven and earth as rejected of both Without God in the world Because without a teaching Priest and without law 2 Chron. 15.3 As it is said of the poor Brasileans at this day that they are sine fide sine rege sine lege This was the case of our Pagan Predecessours Verse 13. Are made nigh by the bloud Christ hath paved us a new and living way to the throne of Gods grace by his own most precious bloud O happy lapidi-pavium Joh. 19 13-17 O Golgotha become our Gabbatha Verse 14. For he is our peace That is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our peace-maker and peace-matter When he was born there was among all Nations a generall aut pax aut pactio as Florus observeth When he took his name he would not have it either entirely Hebrew as Jesus or entirely Greek as Christ but both Jesus and Christ to shew saith one that he is our peace that hath reconciled two into one c. Verse 15. Having abolished in his flesh That is by his death in the flesh Colos 1.22 At which time the veil rent and the Ceremonies died only they were to be honourably buried For to make in himself Gr. To create sc by regeneration Gal. 6.15 So by conjoyning he new created them and by new creating he conjoyned them Verse 16. In one body Vbi igitur separatistae saith one Having slain the enmity Not the Ceremonies only as ver 15. but sin that great make-bate that sets God at odds with his own creature Verse 17. To them that were nigh That is The children of Israel a people â—ear unto him Psal 148.14 Verse 18. We both have an accesse With good assurance of successe The Persian Kings held it a piece of their silly glory to hold off their best friends who might not come near them but upon speciall licence Esth 1. Not so our King Oh come for the Master calleth thee Verse 19. Fellow citizens with the Saints Paul as a Citizen of Rome Act. 22. escaped whipping we as Citizens with the Saints escape hell tortures and torments Verse 20. Vpon the foundation Foundation is taken either for Christ 1 Cor. 3.11 Mat. 16.16 or the doctrine of the Scriptures which teach salvation only by Jesus Christ as here and Rev. 21.14 Verse 21. Fitly framed together Or perfectly joyned together by the ciment of the holy Spirit working in the Saints faith in Christ and love one toward another which the Apostle calleth the bond of perfection Verse 22. For an habitation of God c. The Father makes choice of this house the Son purchaseth it the holy Ghost taketh possession of it This happinesse he best understandeth that most feeleth The Cock on the dunghill knows it not CHAP. III. Verse 1. For this cause TO wit That you may be an habitation of God through the Spirit I Paul the prisoner I hold not S. Paul so happy for his rapture into Paradise saith Chrysostome upon this Text as for his imprisonment for Christ Verse 2. Of the dispensation Gr. Oeconomy The Church is Gods house 1 Tim. 3.15 Paul was faithfull therein as a steward Mat. 24.45 Verse 3. As I wrote afore in few Sc. Chap 1.9 2.13 c. Fulnesse of matter in fewnesse of words This is the Scriptures pre-cellency above all humane writings Verse 4. My knowledge in the
mystery The highest point of heavenly learning and hereby he proveth his calling to the Ministery Verse 5. Was not made known sc So clearly and particularly Peter himself could hardly be perswaded to it Act. 10.14 34 35. Verse 6. Gentiles should be fellow-heirs Co-heirs concorporate and consorts three sweet societies the former founded upon the two latter Verse 7. By the effectuall working c. Enabling me to accept and improve that gift of Gods grace whereunto I should otherwise turn not the palme but the back-side of the hand Verse 8. Lesse then the least Great Paul is least of Saints Oâ—ulentissima me aâ—la quâ—rum in â— to latent â—eâ—ae Sen. ep â—3 last of Apostles greatest of sinners The best bâ—lsomes sinke to the bottome the goodliest buildings have lowest foundations the heaviest ears of corn hang downward so do the â—â—ughes or trees that are best laden The unsearchable richeâ— Gr. Not to be traced out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Should not Ministers be made welcome that come to men on such golden messages Verse 9. And to make all men see Gr. To illighten them far more then the preaching of the Prophets could 2 Pet. 1.19 To us now is a great light sprung up Mat. 4 10. The fellowship Or as some copies have it the dispensation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who created all things i. e. Restored repaired hence gospel-Gospel-daies are called the world to come Heb. 2.5 Verse 10. Might be known by the Church As by a glasse or theatre The manifold wisdome c. Gr. That hath abundance of â—â—rious variety in it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as is seen in the best pictures or textures This the very Angels look intently into as the Cherubims in the Tabernacle did into the Mercy-seat and are much amused and amazed thereat They see that mans salvation by Christ is a plot of Gods own devising Verse 11. According to the eternall purpose Of calling and saving the Gentiles by Christ a secret that the Angels themselves could not understand till the time fore-appointed came Verse 12. Boldnesse and accesse True peace draws men to God false drives them from God Uprightnesse hath boldnes serenity hath security Verse 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherefore I desire Or I beg of God as one would doe an alms Menaico Act. 3.2 humbly heartily And here the Apostle returns to his former discourse after a long digression ver 2. to ver 13. At my tribulations for you For for your sakes am I maliced and molested by the Jews by whose means also I am now a prisoner Verse 14 For this cause sc That ye faint not but gather strength I bow my knees A most seemly and sutable gesture usuall among all Nations but Turks who kneel not nor uncover the head at praier as holding those postures unamâ—ly Verse 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Parenâ—eâ—a Of whom the whole family Or Paternity God is the only Father to speak properly Mat. 23 9. The Father of all the father-hood in heaven and earth Verse 16. According to the riches of his glory That is of his grace so 2 Cor 3.18 See the Note there Verse 17. That Christ may dwell As the Sun dwels in the house by his beams Faith fetcheth Christ into the heart as into his habitation And if he dwell there he is bound to all reparations Verse 18. The breadth and length c. Gods mercy hath all the dimensions Psal 36 5. Thy mercy ô God reacheth to the heavens There is the height of it Great is thy mercy toward me and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell There is the depth of his mercy The earth is full of thy goodnesse There is the breadth of it All the ends of the earth have seen thy salvation There is the length of it Psâ—l 86.13 Verse 19. With all the fulnesse of God That is of Christs diffusive fulnesse in whom the Godhead dwelt bodily and in whom we are complete Col. 2.9 10. Verse 20. Exceeding abundantly Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 More then exceedingly or excessively God hath not only a fulnesse of abundance but of redundancy of plenty but of bounty He is oft better to us then our praiers According to the power The Apostle begins his praier with mention of Gods fatherly mercy he shuts it up with a description of his power These two Gods might and Gods mercy are the Jachin and Boaz the two main pillars of a Christians faith whereon it rests in praier Verse 21. Glory in the Church by Christ Who is the refulgency of his Fathers glory Heb. 1.3 CHAP. IV. Verse 1. Worthy of the vocation THere is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a seemlinesse appertaining to each calling so here We must walk nobly and comfortably as becometh the heirs of God an co-heirs of Christ Scipio when a harlot was offered him answered Vellem si non essem Imperator I would if I were not Generall of the Army Antigonus being invited to a place where a notable harlot was to be present asked counsell of Menedemus what he should do He bad him only remember that he was a Kings sonne So let men remember their high and heavenly calling and do nothing unworthy of it Luth. in Gen. Luther counsels men to answer all temptations of Satan with this only Christianus sum I am a Christian Verse 2. With all lowlinesse and meeknesse These are virtutes collactaneae as Bernard calleth them a pair of twin-sisters never asunder Verse 3. The unity of the spirit That is Unanimity this keeps all together which else will shatter and fall asunder The daughter of dissension is dissolution saith Nazianzen Verse 4. In one hope of your calling That is unto one inheritance which we all hope for Fall not out therefore by the way as Ioseph charged his brethren Verse 5. One baptisme The Authour to the Hebrews speaketh of Baptismes Chap. 6.2 But either he puts the plurall for the singular or else he meaneth it of the outward and inward washing which the Schools call baptismum stuminis flaminis See the Note on Mat. 3.11 Verse 6. Mal. â— 10. One God and Father of all Have we not all one Father saith Malachy Why then dissent and jar we How is it that these many ones here instanced unite us not My dove mine undefiled is but one Cant 6 9. Verse 7. According to the measure And may not Christ do with his own as he listeth Those of greater gifts are put upon hotter service 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verse 8. He led captivity captive c. As in the Roman triumphs the Victor ascended up to the Capitoll in a Chariot of state the prisoners following on foot with their hands bound behinde and they threw certain pieces of coyn abroad to be pickt up by the common people So Christ in they day of his solemn inauguration into his heavenly Kingdom triumphed over sin death and hell Col. 2.15
hearts unto the Lord This is the best tune to any Psalm Spirituall songs they are called both because they are indited by the spirit and because they spiritualize us in the use of them Verse 20. Giving thanks alwaies In our deepest miseries let us sing chearfully as Paul and Silas in the dungeon as Philpot and his fellows in the cole-house as many Martyrs in the â—lames as Luther did in a great conflict with the devil Venite Joh Mâ—â—â— loc com page 43. said he to his company in contemptum diaboli Psalmum de profundis quatuor vocibus cantemus Let us sing the 130. Psalm in despite of the devil Happy was that tongue in the Primitive times that could sound out aliquid Davidicum any thing of Davids doing Verse 21. Submitting your selves This is a generall admonition to all inferiours whose duties are afterwards described Thus in the second Table of the Law the fifth Commandment for order and obedience is fitly premised to the following pâ—â—cepts In the fear of God This frameth the heart to a ready and regular submission Hence that saying of Luther Primo praecepto reliquorum omnium observantia praecipitur The first Commandment includes the other nine Verse 22. Wives submit c. This includes reverence obedience c. God hath scattered the duties of husbands and wives up and down the Scritptures that they may search and by learning to be good husbands and wives they may learn also to be good men and women As unto the Lord Who taketh himself dishonoured by wives disobedience And though husbands may remit the offence done to them yet they cannot remit Gods offence but there must be speciall repentance Verse 23. For the husband is the head And would it not be ill-favour'd to see the shoulders above the head Verse 24. Therefore as the Church Denying her self to please Christ making his will her law In every thing In all her husbands lawfull commands and restraints A wife should have no will of her own but submit to her husbands albeit there are that merrily say that when man lost free-will woman took it up Verse 25. Husbands love your wives He saith not Rule over them in answer to submit vers 22. for this they can readily do without bidding but love your wives and so make their yoke as easie as may be columbae trahunt currum Veneris Verse 26. That he might sanctifie The maids were first purified and perfumed before Ahashnerosh chose one But here it is otherwise Sanctification is a fruit of justification The Lord will not have a sluttish Church and therefore he came not by bloud only but by water also that clean water of his spirit whereby he washeth away the swinish nature of his Saints so that they desire no more to wallow in the mire Verse 27. Concil Arausican secund Oanon 12. That he might present As Isaac did his Rebecca adorned with his jewels See Ezek. 16.14 Tales nos amat Deus quales futuri sumns ipsius dono non quales sumus nostro merito saith an ancient Councel Verse 28. As their own bodies No man may hide himself from his own flesh at large Isa 58.7 that is from his neighbour of the same stock much lesse from a wife which is such another as himself Genesis 2.18 nay his very selfe as here Verse 29. For no man over hated No man but a Monk who whips himself or a mad man Mar. 5.5 who cuts himself It was the saying of the Emperour Aurelius A wife is to be oft admonished sometimes reproved but never beaten and yet of the Russian women it is reported that they love that husband best that beats them most and that they think themselves else not regarded unlesse two or three times a day well-favouredly swadled M. Jun in orat Heyl. Geog. Chrysostom saith It is the greatest reproach in the world for a man to beat his wise But nourisheth and cherisheth it As the hen doth her chickens or as the cock-pigeon doth the eggs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Columbarum masculus ipse ovis incubat Chytrae in Levit. 13. Mâ—lanctton Contrariwise the Pie hunts away his mate about autumn lest he should be forced to keep her all the Winter and so becometh the hieroglyphick of an unkinde husband Even as the Lord the Church Loe this is the patern of all true love whether to our selves or others Verse 30. Of his flesh and of his bones Whilest he that is joyned to the Lord is one spirit 1 Cor. 6.17 This union is neither naturall nor corporall nor politicall nor personall but mysticall and spirituall And yet it is no lesse true and reall then that of God the Father and God the Son Joh. 17.21 22. For as the holy Ghost did unite in the Virgins womb the divine and humane natures of Christ and made them one person by reason whereof Christ is of our flesh and of our bones So the Spirit unites that person of Christ his whole person God-man with our persons by reason whereof we are of his flesh and of his bones Verse 31. For this cause c. See the Note on Mat. 19.5 and on Gen. 2.24 Shall be one flesh By vertue of that Covenant of God betwixt married couples Prov. 2.17 for he keepeth the bonds of wedlock Verse 32. This is a great mystery To wit this mysticall marriage with Christ It passeth the capacity of man to understand it in the perfection of it Preachers can make it known but in part and hearers can but in part conceive it Let us therefore wait for perfect understanding of it till all things be perfected in Christ Verse 33. Neverthelessâ— q. d. But that I may return to my former discourse from the which I have somewhat digressed for your satisfaction See that she reverence 1. In heart as Sarah did Abraham and she is crowned and chronicled for it I Pet. 3.6 2. In her speeches both to him and of him as the Spouse in the Canticles 3. In all her gestures and deportments for she may scold with her looks c. Vultu saepè laeditur pietas God hath a barren Womb for mocking Michal CHAP. VI. Verse 1. Children obey your Parents AS Isaac did Abraham in submitting to be sacrificed As Christ became obedient even to the death of the Crosse For this is right Good and acceptable before God and men 1 Tim. 5.4 See the Note on Mat. 15.4 Verse 2. First Commandment with promise To wit with speciall promise of long life See more in the Note on Mat. 15.4 Verse 3. And thou maist live long Good children help to lengthen their parents daies as Joseph did Jacobs God therefore lengthens theâ—s in redhostimentum as it were Or if he take from them this long lease he gives them a free-hold of better value Verse 4. Provoke not c. God forbids bitternesse and austerity in husbands Colos 3.19 Masters Colos 4.1 parents here and Col 3.21 Superiours must so carry themselves as to
25.6 that is that liveth at hearts-ease All the daies of the affâ—â—cted are evil Prov. 15.15 As good be out of the world say they as have no joy of the world Now I have no greater joy faith S. John then to hear that my children walk in the truth 3 Joh. 4 This revived his good old heart and made it dance Levalto's in his bosome Verse 9. For what thanks c. q.d. No sufficient thanks Spirituall joy vents it self by an infinite desire of praising God whereby it seeks to fill up the distance betwixt God and the good soul In our thanksgivings let there be modus sine modo as Bâ—â—nard hath it Let us still deliberate what more to do as David Psal 1 16.12 Verse 10. Night and day praying exceedingly Praier must be constant and instant with utmost assiduity and intention of affection Luk. 18.1 See the Note there Verse 11. Now God himself c. At the very mentioning of praier he fals a praying Good affections soon kindle in a gracious heart Direct our way unto you A mans heart deviseth his way but the Lord directeth his steps Prov. 16.9 Let God be our Pilot if we mean to make a good voiage of it Let our hand be on the stern our eye on the star let our course as the mariners be guided by the heavens Verse 12. To encrease and abound By doubling his word be signifieth a double portion of Gods grace which he wisheth unto them We are sure to receive as much good from God by prayer as we can bring faith to bear away Hitherto ye have asked me nothing Ask faith Christ Ask enough Open your mouth wide c. Verse 13. To the end he may stablish Love is of a ferruminating stablishing property That grace will not hang together nor hold out that is severed from charity CHAP. IV. Verse 1. How ye ought to walk EVery good man is a great Peripatetick walks much Christ also walks so doth the devil apostates heretikes worldlings but with this difference Christ walketh in the middle Rev. 1.13 Revel 〈◊〉 the devil to and fro up and down Job 1.7 his motion is circular and therefore fraudulent 1 Pet. 5.8 Apostates run retrograde they stumble at the crosse and fall backward Heretikes run out on the right hand worldlings on the left Jam. 1.14 Hypocrites turn aside unto their crooked waies Psal 125.5 They follow Christ as Samson did his Parents till he came by the carease or as a dog doth his master till he meeteth with a carrion The true Christian only walks so as to please God his eyes look right on his eye-lids look strait before him Prov. 4.25 He goes not back wâ—th Hezekiah's Sun nor stands at a stay as Joshuah's but rejoyceth as a strong man to run his race as Davids Sun Ps 19 5. Yea he shineth more and more unto the perfect day as Solomons Prov 4.18 Verse 2. For ye know what c. It is expected therefore that ye do them else the more hainous will be your sin and the more heavy your reckoning Isa 59.11 12. What brought such roarings and trouble on them and that when salvation was looked for Our iniquities testifie to our faces and we know them Verse 3. For this is the will of God This is his prescribing will which we must obey as we must submit to his disposing will the will of his providence and grow acquainted with his approving will the will of his gracious acceptance Mat. 18.14 Joh. 1.23 Verse 4. To possesse his vessel That is his body wherein the soul is Toâ—a iâ— toto tota in qualibet parte If any ask why so glorious a soul should be in this corruptible body Besides Gods will and for the order of the universe Lib. 2. dist 1. Lombard gives this reason That by the conjunction of the soul with the body so far its inferiour man might learn a possibility of the union of man with God in glory notwithstanding the vast distance of nature and excellence the infinitenesse of both in God the sinitenesse of both in man In sanctification and honour Chastity is a mans honour incontinency seâ—s on an indeleble blot Prov. 6.33 Cast uâ— quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 veneratâ—o Verse 5. Not in the lust of concupiscence Or In the disease of lust that dishonourable disease Rom. 1.26 that wasteth not only the substance of the body but the honesty and the honour of it Verse 6. That no man go beyond or defraud Or Oppresse or theat Thest by unjust getting is either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by violence or cunning contrivance The Lord is the avenger Though haply they lie out of the walk of humane justice as not coming under mans cognizance Verse 7. For God hath not called us See the Note on Eph. 4.1 It is a true rule given by the Ancients Confusiones libidinum sunt signa cujuslibet sectae Simon Magus had his Helena Carpâ—â—rates his Marcellina Apelles his Philumena Montanus his Priscilla and Maximilla c. Verse 8. He therefore that despiseth That thinks it a trick of youth to fornicate and a trick of wit to over-reach or oppresse that holds it a matter of nothing to set light by the former lessons â—o shall finde that he hath to deal with God and not man in this businesse and that it is by the Spirit of God that we have spoken unto him who will punish their contempt of his counsels Verse 9. Ye need not that I write Sith the divine nature whereof ye are partakes prompteth you to it as common nature doth brethren to love one another The very name of a brother is potent enough to draw affections Are taught of God Therefore have no such need to be taught by men as those that are yet strangers to the life of God Quanâ—â— Gorisâ—us magâ—ster quam citò discitur quod docetur saith Augustine Nescit â—arda molimina gratia Spiritus sancts faith Ambrose All Christs schollars are nimble and notable prosiâ—â—enâ—s Verse 10. Towards all the brethren This universality of their love shew'd the sincerity of it and that it was for the truths sake 2 Joh. 2. One or more good men may be favoured of those that love no good man as Ieremy was of Nebuzaradan because he fore-told the victory Verse 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Study to be quiet Gr. Be ambitious of peace as earnest and eager after it as the Ambitionist is after honour And to do your own businesse Not oaring in other mens boats nor medling in other mens bishopricks 1 Pet. 4.15 Tu fuge ceu pestem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 With your own bâ—â—nds Or else with your own brains as students which is by far the harder labour Verse 12. Laâ—k of nothing He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand but the hand of the diligent maketh rich Pro. 10 4. Iabal that dwelt
five away Isa 35.10 Verse 9. This is a faithfull saying And yet who hath believed our report The promises are good free-hold and yet little looked after Godlines hath but cold entertainment because she lives much upon reversions Verse 10. For therefore Because godlinesse hath so much happinesse laid up in the promises vers 8. and there is so much certainty of the performance of those promises therefore we both do and suffer 1 Cor. 15 58. Finis edulcat mediae Who is the Saviour of all men Not of eternall preservation but of temporall reservation For every man should die the same day he is born the wages of death should be paid him presently but Christ begs wicked mens lives for a season saith one Sin hath hurled confusion over the world brought a vanity on the creature And had not Christ undertaken the shattered condition of the world to uphold it it had fallen about Adams ears saith another Divine Specially of those that believe Who therefore are in a special manner bound to observe and obey him Among the Romans they that were saved were wont to crown him that saved them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c Polybâ— 6. and to honour him as a father all their daies We must also set the crown upon Christs head Cant. 3.11 and obey this everlasting father Isa 9 6. Verse 11. These things command and teach Teach the tractable command the obstinate lay Gods charge upon all Verse 12. Let no man despise c. But how should I help it Might he say The Apostle answereth Be thou an example to the beleevers a patern of piety For holinesse hath honour wisdome maketh the face to shine naturall conscience cannot but stoop to the Image of God where ever and in whomsoever it discerneth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignat epist ad Magnes saith Ignatius Youth seasoned with the fear of God is not easily despised But be thou an example Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Such a thing as maketh the stamp upon the coyn Exemplis sciolâ bacâ—atate magis aedificant ministri quam concionibus Verse 13. Give attendance to reading First to reading and then to exhortation bringing as a good Scribe out of a good treasure new and old Father Latimer notwithstanding both his years and constant pains in preaching was at his book most diligently about two of the clock every morning A rare example Verse 14. Neglect not the gift Gods gifts grone under our disuse or misuse and God hearing gives them the wings of an Engle so that such may say as once Zedekiah did 1 King 22. â—4 When went the Spirit of the Lord from me to thee God dries up the arm and darkens the eye of idle and Idol shepherds Zech. 11.17 With the laying on of the hands A custome that came from the Church of the old Testament Gen. 8.14 Levit. 1.4 and 3.2 is laudably used to this day in the Ordination of Ministers but foolishly and sinfully abused by the upstart-Sectaries Verse 13. Meditate upon these things And so digest them turn them in succum sanguinem Let your heart fry a good matter that your pen may be as the tongue of a ready writer Ps 45.1 and not present crude and rude stuff When it was objected to Demosthenes that he was no sudden speaker but came ever to the Court after premeditation he answered Se si fieri posset dicturum non tantum scripta sed otiam sculpta Give thy self wholly to them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gr. Be thou in them totus in hoc sis It was Mr Perkins his Motto Verbi Minister es hoc age Thou art a Minister of the Word make it thy whole businesse Verse 16. Thou shalt beth save What an high honour is this to faithfull Ministers that they should be stiled Saviours in a sense So Job 33.24 Obad. 21. Jam. 5.21 CHAP. V. Verse 1. Rebuke not an Elder LAsh him not with the scourge of the tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ne plagam in â—ixeris as a puny-boy Jerk him not as the Pope did Henry 4. of France in the person of his Embassadour or as the Bishops and their shavelings did Henry the 2. of England till the bloud followed This is not civill usage for an Elder Verse 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 With all purity Not with some only but with as purity for fear of the worst and least any impure motion therewhile creep into the heart unawares Verse 3. Honour widows indead That is such as are widows not by divorce but by the death of their husbands and losse of their children such as was Naomi Honour them that is take them into the Colledge of widows to be maintained at the Churches charge Verse 4. Let them learn first to shew Such any one is in truth as he is at home Ps 101.2 The hypocrites vertues as that of the Sarmatians run all outward Something he seems abroad but follow him home and you shall soon see what he it â— follow stage-plaiers into their thing-house where they disrobe themselves and then it will appear they are vile varlets Like unto this Apostolicall procept was thee of Chilâ— one of the wise men of 〈◊〉 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to govern honestly a mans 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And to requite their parents See the Note on Matthew 15.4 Verse 5. Trusteth in God Whereas while she had an husband and children she trusted over-much in them The Hemorroisse sought not to our Saviour till all her money was gone Zâ—ph 3.12 They are an afflicted poor people therefore they trust in the name of the Lord. Verse 6. Is dead while she liveth Cùm careat purâ mente cadaver agit Pamphilus in Terence saith the like of a light huswife Sanè hercle homo voluptati obsequens fuit dum vixit Saint Pauls Greek cannot well be rendered but by Terences latine and Terences latine cannot be well put into other Greek Verse 7. And these things give in charge Often inculcate and set on with a great deal of vehemency that religion suffer not Verse 8. But if any provide not That they may have Gaiusses prosperity Mentem sanam in corpore sano Though the Apostles meaning here is chiefly as touching bodily nourishment and outward accommodations Specially for those of his own house Socrates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Infidel took care of the welfare of his family and allies as Libanius testifieth Bishop Ridley was very kinde and naturall to his kinsfolk And the Lord Cromwell before the time of his apprehension Act. and Dson fol. 1559. Ibid. 1086. took such order for his servants that many of them especially the younger brethren which had little else to trust unto had honestly lest for them in their friends hands to relieve them whatsoever should befall him Verse 9. The wife of one man As Anna Luke 1.36 Such are held to be more modest to whom the thoughts of death hath been
sirnamed Stator saith it was Quia ejus bene ficio stant omnia because all things are upheld by him How much better may this be said of Christ Sin had hurled confusion over the world which would have fallen about Adams ears saith one had not Christ undertaken the shattered condition thereof to uphold it He keeps the world together as the hoops do the barrell Purged our sins By his merit and spirit Verse 4. Better then the Angels Therefore is his doctrine the Gospel with more heed to be heard then the law ordained by Angels in the hand of a Mediatour that is Mases Gal. 3.19 Verse 5. This day Either the day of eternity and so it is meant of Christs eternall generation or else the fulnesse of time wherein God brought his first begotten into the world and mightily declared him to be the on of God by the resurrection from the dead Act. 1.33 Rom. 1 4. Verse 6. And let all the Angels of God The manhood of it self could not be thus adored because it is a creature Phil 2.8 but as it is received into unity of person with the Deity and hath a partner-agency therewith according to its measure in the work of redemption and mediation Verse 7. A flame of fire Hence they are called Seraphims because they flame like heavenly Salamanders in the fire of pure and perfect love to God and his people And Cherubims from their winged swiftnesse swift they are as the winde which may seem to be the sense of this text compared with Psal 104.4 5. Verse 8. Thy throne ô God is forever Christ is God then as is here set forth by many arguments God hath laid help in one that is mighty I and the Father am one Verse 9. Hath anointed thee This imports two things 1. Ordination to his office and so the Godhead also of Christ was anointed 2. Qualification for it and so the manhood only And as the holy oil was compounded of divers spices so was Christ filled with all gifts and graces Act. 10.38 but especially with wisdome as a Prophet holinesse as a Priest and power as a King Verse 10. The Works of thy bands Psal 8.3 they are called the works of Gods fingers artificially elaborated that heaven of heavens especially whole artificer and workman is God Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 11.10 The Apostle there intimates that it is cÌ„uriously and cunningly contrived Verse 11. They shall perish The visible heavens are defiled with mans sin and shall therefore be purged by the last fire as the vessels that held the sin offering were to passe the fire They shall all wax old See the Note on Rom. 8.22 Verse 12. But thou art the same As in effence so in will and counsel Repentance with man is the changing of his will Repentance with God is the willing of a change Mutatio rei non Dei effectus non affictus facti non confily Verse 13. Sit on my right-hand As mine equall in honour and power Verse 14. Sent forth to minister c. The Saints are the Spouse the bride yea the members of Christ and so in nearer union then Angels or any creature This the devil envied and fell from his station CHAP. II. Verse 1. We should let them slip OR Run out as water runs thorow a riven vessel The word mingled with saith in the heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Act. 16.14 must be care fully kept and it will safely keep us Prov. 6.20 22. Some render it Nequando prater fluamus lest we passe by the things we have heard as a river swiftly passeth by the side of a City as the fashion of this world passeth a way as a picture drawn upon the ice soon vanisheth c. Verse 2. For if the Word c. Moses-law Gal. 3 19. Was stedfast Ratified with this sanction Aut faciendum aut patiendum either do it or die And every transgression and disobedience that is every commission and omission Verse 3. If we neglect He saith not If we reject renounce persecute but if we neglect let slip shift off as the word is Heb. 12.25 and as those reâ—nsant guests did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 22. say we rather with Samuel Speak Lord for thy servant heareth And with that Dutch Divine Veniat veniat verbum Domini submittemus illi sexconta si nobis essent colla Let the Lord utter his minde and he shall have ready obedience whatever come of it So great salvation The doctrine of the Gospel that grace of God that bringeth salvation Tit. 2.11 I am fully perswaded saith a late learned light of our Church that in these daies of grace D. Preston the Lord is much more quick and peremptory in rejecting men the time is shorter he will not wait so long as he was wont to do The ground is How shall we escape if we neglect c Verse 4. And with divers miracles Whereby as by the wings of the winde the doctrine of the Gospel was divulged at first But he that now requireth a miracle is himself a miracle The establishing of the present reformation is and will be that miracle which we are in these times to look for It is that which the former age had despaired of the present admireth and the future shall stand amazed at Verse 5. For unto the Angels c. The Jews as they had embraced the Pythagorean transanimation Mat 16.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. so the Platonike opinion of Angels moving the heavens and ordering the world whom therefore they worshipped intruding into those things whereof there was no found either proof or profit Colos 2.18 The Angels say Proculus the Platonist and Plutarch are messengers that carry Gods minde to men and mens requests to God But who told them all this Egregie dicis sed quomodo probas said Aristotle of Moses may we better say of these bold affirmers Verse 6. But one in a certain place The full sense is Accommodatio est facitis ad personam Christi si interpretes non vellent esse nimli inge niofi Amel. in Psal 8 5. Paulisper But he hath subjected it to Christ as David testified Psal 8 4 5. where whatsoever is spoken to man is here applied to the man Christ Jesus and so is proper to the Saints by vertue of their union with Christ In which respect they are more glorious then heaven Angels or any creature Verse 7. A little lower Or For a little While viz. Ab utero ad urnam from the womb to the tomb from his birth to his buriall from his abasement to his advancement And didst sit him over the works Lions hate apes but fear men whereof no other probable reason can be given but this here in the text insomuch as the most timorous men dare kick and beat the hugest elephants Verse 8. Vnder his feet It is not said Vnder his hands but under his feet 1. That he may trample
O what mad men are these that bereave themselves of a room in that City of pearl for a few carnall pleasures amp c. Pope Sixtus the fifth sold his soul to the devil to enjoy the Popedome for seven years Verse 17. He was rejected Or Repulsed For Isaac 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when he saw that he had done unwilling justice in blessing Jacob he durst not reverse the blessing for he feared an exceeding great fear Gen. 27.33 Neither naturall affection nor Esau's importunity could make him repent and repeal what he had done Though he sought is carefully with tears Tears they were of discontent for he cries and at same time threatens his brother Jacob. Some weep for sin some for misery some for joy some for compassion some for revenge and in hypocrisie as Esau here who rued his deed but repented not his sin Vetse 18. For ye are not come c. q. d. You are not under the law but under grace beware therefore of prophanenesse and licentiousnesse For think you that God hath hired you to be wicked Are you delivered to do all these abominations Jer. 7.10 Ought you not to walk Gospel-high Phil. 1.27 Will not the Angel Christ that goeth along with you destroy you after that he hath done you good if ye turn not and repent according to the rules of his Law the Gospel Exodus 33.2 3 4 c. Verse 19. And the sound of a trumpet Shewing the nature of Gods Law to manifest Gods will mens sins and to warn them of the wrath deserved likewise to summon them to appear before the Judge The voice of Words That is The delivery of the Decalogue called the words of the Covenant Exodus 33.28 the ten words Verse 20. For they could not endure This shews the nature and use of the Law contrary to that of the Gospel It is a killing letter written in bloud holding forth justice only and no mercy Verse 21. Moses said I exceedingly This Paul might have by tradition or rather by revelation unlesse he gathered it from Exod. 19.19 compared with Dan. 108 16 17 19. Verse 22. But ye are come to Mount And the blessings that come out of Sion Grace and peace that come by Jesus Christ are better then all other the blessings of heaven and earth Psal 134.3 The heavenly Jerusalem As Jerusalem was distinguished into two Cities the superiour and the inferiour so is the Church into triumphant and militant yet both make up but one City of the living God To an innumerable company Gr. To Myriads or many ten thousands of Angels Some have said that they are 99. to one in comparison of the Saints grounding their conceit upon the Parable of the lost sheep Luk. 15. Verse 23. To the generall Assembly Or publike meeting of a whole Countrey as at a great Assize or some solemn celebrity The Roman Emperours raised up ample Amphitheatres in a circular form that the people sitting round about might have a commodious sight of such pleasant spectacles as were set before them That which Pompey erected was of such extent that it was able to receive 40000 men as Pliny witnesseth But O what a glorious Amphitheatre is that of heaven What a stately Congregation-house O praeclarum diem cum ad illud animorum concilium caetumque proficiscar cum ex hac turba colluvione discedam Cic desenectâ—te Surely if Cicero or some other Heathen could say so how much more may we exult and say O that dear day when we shall go out of this wretched world and wicked company to that generall Assembly of holy and happy souls And how should we in the mean while turn every solemnity into a school of Divinity as when Fulgentius saw the Nobility of Rome sit mounted in their bravery it mounted his meditation to the heavenly Jerusalem And another when he sat and heard a sweet consort of musick M. Esâ—y Art of Meditat. by D. Hall seemed upon this occasion carried up for the time before-hand to the place of his rest saying very passionately What musick may we think there is in heaven Which are written in heaven In Jerusalem records were kept of the names of all the Citizens Psal 48.3 so in heaven And as the Citizens of Rome might not accept of freedom in any other City so neither should we seek things on earth as those whose names are written in the earth Ier. 17. Verse 24. That speaketh better things Every drop whereof had a tongue to cry for vengeance whence it is called blouds in the plurall Gen. 4.10 Verse 25. See that ye refuse not c. Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That ye shift him not off by frivolous pretences and excuses as those Recusant guests did Mat. 22. It is as much as your souls are worth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Look to it therefore That speaketh from heaven By his bloud Word Sacraments motions of his Spirit mercies c. If we turn our backs upon such bleeding embracements and so kick against his naked bowels what will become of us And mark that he speaketh of himself as one Verse 26. Whose voice then shook c. viz. When he gave the Law What shall he do when he comes to judgement Not the earth only c. Not men only but angels who stand amazed at the mystery of Christ As for men they will never truly desire Christ till they are shaken Hag. 2.7 Gods shaking ends in settling it is not to ruine but to refine us Verse 27. And this word Yet once more The Apostle commenteth upon the Prophet whom he citeth and from that word of his Yet once concludeth the dissolution of the present frame of the world by the last fire and the establishing of that new heaven and new earth wherein dwelleth righteousnesse 2 Pet. 3.12 13. The force of Scripture-words is then well to be weighed by those that will draw there-hence right consequences And they have done singular good service to God and his Church that they have emploied their time and their talents for the finding out the sense of the Text by fishing out the full import and signification of the Originall words In which kinde learned Mr Leigh by his Critica Sacra upon both testaments hath merited much commendation Verse 28. A kingdome which cannot be moved As the mighty Monarchies of the world could for those had their times and their turns their ruine as well as their rise so that now they live but by fame only Not so the Kingdome of heaven You may write upon it the Venetian Motto Nec fluctu nec flatu movetur Neither windes nor waves can stir it With reverence Gr. With bashfulnesse as in Gods holy presence See Deut. 23.13 Verse 29. A consuming fire viz. To profligate professours ungirt Christians Isa 33.14 CHAP. XIII Verse 1. Let brotherly love continue IT shall continue in heaven pity therefore but it should on earth No such heaven upon earth next unto communion
restored Prayer raigns over all impediments See this excellently let forth by M. Harris in his Peters enlargement Verse 20. Now the God of peace He that would reap praiers must sow them What could the Hebrews do lesse then pray for him that praid so heartily for them Our Lord Jesus Here 's his kingly office God hath made him both Lord and Christ Act. 2.36 That great shepherd That feedeth his people daily and daintily with divine doctrine Here 's his Propheticall office Through the bloud Here 's his Priestly office And here we must begin if we will reckon them right Verse 21. In every good work c. Works materially good may never prove so formally and eventually As when they are but externall partiall coactive inconstant c. Verse 22. Suffer the Word Sharp though it be and to the flesh tiresome yet suffer it Better it is that the Vine should bleed then die But many are like the nettle touch it never so gently it will sting you Tange montes fumigabunt Offer to wake men out of their sleep and they will brawl in that case with their best friends yea though it be with them here as once it was with those that had the sweating sicknesse If they slept they died Verse 23. Know ye that our brother Good news should be spred abroad and are a fit matter for Christian Epistles as one well observeth from these words Verse 24. Salute all them This Epistle then was first read to the people who are required to deliver the Apostles commends to their Ministers The Papists debarre the people not of the Scriptures only but of all books of the Reformed Religion And for a terrour not to retain such books prohibited I have seen saith Sir Edwin Sands in their printed instructions for confession Spec. â—uropâ— the hearing or reading of books forbidden set in rank amongst the sins against the first Commandment They of Italy salute you Few Saints there now The Italians hold integrity for little better than sillinesse they blaspheme oftener then swear S. Edw. Sands they murther more then revile or slander And yet even in Italy there are full four thousand professed Protestants But their paucity and obscurity saith mine Authour shall enclose them in a Cipher Verse 25. Grace be with you See the Note on Philem. verse 25. A COMMENTARY OR EXPOSITION Vpon the Epistle generall of Saint JAMES CHAP. I. Verse 1. To the twelve Tribes ONce very devout Act. 26.7 still the most nimble and Mercuriall wits in the world but light acriall and fâ—â—aticall apt to work themselves into the fools Paradise of a sublime dotage Which are scattered abroad Banished from Rome by the Emperour Claudius Sueton. cap. 25. Act. 18.1 and called by S. Peter Strangers of the dispersion 1 Pet. 1.1 The Jews at this day are a disjected and despised people according to Deut. 28.64 having neither countrey nor resting-place even in Jerusalem there be not to be found at this day an hundred housholds of them Breen v. Enqui Verse 2. Count it all joy The world wondreth saith Master Phiâ—pot the Martyr how we can be so merry in such extream misery But our God is omnipotent who turneth misery into felicity Believe me there is no such joy in the world as the people of Christ have under the crosse Act. and Mon. fol. 1668. I speak it by experience c. Into divers temptations Crosses seldome come single Catenata piorum crux as neither do mercies Aliâ—â— ex aliâ— mâ—lum Terent. but trooping and treading one upon the heels of another After rain cometh clouds Eccl. 12.2 As in April no sooner is one shore unburdened but another is brewed Verse 3. The triall of your faith Yea such a well knit patience as maketh a man suffer after he hath suffered as David did from Shimei but first from Absolom Tile-stones till baked are not usefull but well burnt and hardened they stand out all storms and ill weather See my Love-tokens p. 170. Verse 4. Let patience have her perfect work Patience must not be an inch shorter then the affliction If the Bridge reach but half way over the Brook we shall have but ill-favoured passage It is the devils desire to set us on a hurry he knows his temptations will then work best Verse 5. If any of you lack wisdome That is Qui placidè sortem ferre scit ille sapit Patience to bear afflictions as he ought chearfully thankfully fruitfully so as to be able to say Well for the present and it will be better hereafter which is the patient mans Motto Let him ask it of God It hath been questioned by some Aquin. 2.2 q. 136. Whether a man can have patience sine auxilio gratiae without the help of Gods grace But Christians know they cannot It is not patience but pertinacy in godlesse men And upbraideth not Neither with present failings nor former infirmities Qui exprobrat reposcit So doth not God Tacit. unlesse in case of unthankfulnesse For then he will take his own and be gone Hos 2.8 9. Verse 6. But let him ask in faith See the Note on Heb. 11.6 Nothing wavering We are too ready in temptation to doubt yea to hold it a duty to doubt This saith one is to light a candle before the devil as we use to speak Verse 7. That he shall receive Unlesse he strive against his doubting and wade out of it as the Moon doth out of a cloud Qui timidè rogat negare docet He that praieth doubtingly shuts heaven gates against his own praiers Verse 8. Vnstable in all his waies As he is that stands on one leg or as a 〈◊〉 on a smooth table Contrariwise a believer is as a squâ—re-stone set into the building 1 Peter 2.7 Shaken he may be but he is rooted as a tree wagge he may up and down as a ship at anchour but yet he removes not Verse 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rejoyce in that be is exalted Gr. In his sublimity in that higâ— honour of his John 1.12 This should make him hold up his head but not too high be chearfull but not withall scornfull Laetisimus sed non sâ—â—â—ri gandentes in Domino sed caventes a recidivo Bâ—rn Verse 10. In that he is made low Drawn from that high esteem of outward excellencies He is now made a greater man because be seems too bigge for them Or low that is lowly Verse 11. Shall the rich man fade Perish eternally if he trust in uncertain riches and not in the living God See Jam. 5.1 Thus that saplesse fellow Nabal faded when his heart died within him not could his riches any more relieve him then they did that rich and wretched Cardinall Henry Beanford Chancellour of England in the raign of Henry the sixt who murmured at death that his riches could not reprieve him till a further time Fire quâ—th he will not death be hired Will money do nothing
Were burnt up Were tainted with errours and heresies whereof this age was so fertile and full that as Hierom speaketh it was a witty thing to be a right believer Verse 8. A great mountain Some notable haeresiarch possibly Pelagius a Monk of Bangor Morgan by name that is in the Welsh tongue a sea-man This Morgan travelling beyond sea to spread his heresie called himself Pelagius by a Greek word of the same signification because it sounded better in the ears of forraign Nations Lib 1. de grat Christ advers Pelag. Hence Augustine Quid eo pelago saith he vult mergi Pelagius unde per petram liberatus est Petrus Verse 9. And the third part Heresie as a gangrene spreads and kils as the leprosie in the head it renders a man utterly unclean Levit. 13.44 So cunning are some seducers and so close in the conveyance of their collusion that if possible the very elect may be deceived Verse 10. There fell a great starre Falling stars were never but meteors That grand apostate of Rome may well be meant by this blazing burning comet He was in falling by degrees from the time of Constantine till Phocas who set him upon the chair of pestilence The third part of the rivers i. e. Corrupted true doctrine and perverted the Scriptures with his false glossâ—s Verse 11. Was called wormwood Because himself was in the gall of bitternes and did imbitter others See Jer. 23.15 and Deu. 29 18. with Junius his Note there Verse 12. And the third part of the Sun The Prelates and Patriarchs And the third part of the Moon The inferiour Church-Officers And the third part of the starres The community of Christians All began to be over-spread with grosse ignorance not only of heavenly truths but of humane sciences which are here called the night in comparison of Gospel-light Gregory the great thought to be that Angel mentioned in the next verse though better then any that succeeded him in the Popedome calling himself the servant of Gods servants and carrying himself modestly in the daies of Mauricius the Emperour yet when Mauricius was slain by the traitour Phocas how basely did he claw the traitour and collogue with him commending to his care the Church of Rome and often minding him of Peters primacy and of that speech of our Saviour Thou art Peter c. for no other end but that he might enlarge his jurisdiction over all Churches by the favour of that parricide Verse 13. And I beheld and heard an Angel Or an Eagle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as some copies reade it See the Note on Verse 12. Gregory the great seems to be pointed at who is said to be the worst of all the Popes that went before him and the best of those that came after him Hence he is here brought in flying betwixt heaven and earth And that he cried with a loud voice pointing at and painting out that to be Antichrist that should challenge to himself the title of Vniversall Bishop and had an host of Priests ready to follow him Hic propè est in foribus said he and he said right for his immediate successour Boniface the third fulfilled the same that he had fore-told CHAP. IX Verse 1. A star fall from heaven GR. That had fallen from heaven viz. when the third Angel sounded Chap. 8.10 Then the Bishop of Rome began to fall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but here in Boniface the third and his successours He is fallen he is fallen from his primitive integrity into the deepest gulf of impiety The Jesuites to blinde the matter tell us that by this starre is meant Luther whom Satan sent out to disturbe the Church and God sent them to withstand him Bugenhagius also a Dutch-Divine when he first read Luthers book of the Babylonish Captivity rashly pronounced him the most pestilent heretike that ever the Church was pesterd with But a few daies after having thorowly read and weighed the contents of that book he recanted and affirmed that all the world was deceived Scultet Annal. and Luther only was in the right And so not only himself became a Lutheran Mâ—t. Parâ—s an 1072. but many others also perswaded by him The key of the bottomlesse pit Whereinto he lets souls innumerable so that in the daies of Hildebrand letters were set forth as sent from hell wherein the devil and his Angels give the Popish Clergy many thanks for sending them in so many souls as they never had in any age before Verse 2. And there arose a smoke Of hereticall opinions and flagitious practices All the old heretikes fled and hid themselves in the Popish Clergy Those dark corners also of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty Act. and Mon. fol 1117. Take heed said the Lord Audely Chancellour of England how you deal with Popish Priests for you may believe me some of them be knaves all Petrus de Aliacâ— long since wrote De reâ—orm eccl Ad hunc statum venit Romana Ecclesia ut non esset digna regi nisi per reprobos The Church of Rome hath for a long season been ruled by a rabble of reprobates Verse 3. Locusts upon the earth So the Monks Friers Jesuites c. Igna. Conclave are fitly called for their numerosity and voracity The Jesuites have sometimes maintained 200000 schollars The Duke of Bavaria's house is so pestered with them saith one that notwithstanding his great revenues he is very poor as spending all his estate upon those Popish flesh-flies Thinke the same of other Princes and places where they are received As the scorpious of the earth They are the sorest soul-stingers saith an Interpreter that ever the world had Pliny testifieth of the Scorpion that there is not one minute wherein it doth not put forth a most venemous sting to do mischief It creeps on crookedly and so it strikes the more at unawares It s sting is not much felt at first but soon proves uncurable Verse 4. And it was commanded As David charged his Captains to handle the young man Absolom gently so and much more sollicitous is the Lord of his servants safety The grasse of the earth nor any green thing I say that under the Papacy was true Christianity saith Luther yea the very keâ—nell of Christianity Luâ—h contra Anabapt Verse 5. And to them is was given This is oft repeated in this book to shew that though Antichrist and his actuaries bandy and bend all their forces to destroy souls yet they are bounded by God and can do no more then is given them from above Five moneths Locusts use to live no longer See Pliny l. 11. cap. 29. There are that interpret these five moneths of those 500. De pap Rom 1. 3. c. â—2 years wherein the Pope stood in his full pride and power For ab eo tempore quo per vâ—s Papa Antichristus esse coepit saith Bellarmine non modò non crevit ejus imperium
shall be the finest prey the greatest sinners the sorest sufferers CHAP. XX. Verse 1. And I saw an Angel COnstantine the great the Churches male-childe Chap. 12. Having the key Not that key Chap. 9.1 but another A great chain The succession of Christian Emperours Verse 2. And he laid hold on the Dragon Chap. 12.7 9. He took him in a field-fight and since then till now we have heard little of him more then that he substituted the Beast Chap. 13. whose destruction being declared the prophecy returns to shew the judgment of the Dragon And bound him From the open slaughtering of the Saints as he had done by the Heathen Emperours for from molesting and mischieving of Gods people other wise he is not bound one hour Job 1. 1 Pet. 5.8 And how his vicegerent the Beast hath bestirred him during the thousand years who knows not A thousand years Hos explicare fatâ—or trepidè mâ— aggredi saith Pareus He begins the thousand at the destructiâ—n of the Temple anno 73. and so it ends in Pope Hildebrand who stept into that chair of pestilence anno 1073. Others begin it at the birth of Christ and end in Silvester 2. Others at Christs passion and end in Benedict 9. But they do best in my opinion that begin at Constantine and end in Boniface the 8. who is of his own said to have entered like a fox raigned as a Lion and died as a dog He excommunicated the French King and published this decree That the Bishop of Rome ought to be judged of none although he should carry innumerable souls with him to hell Verse 3. And cast him into the bottomlesse pit That is into the earth Chap. 12.9 12. Chap. 13.11 the earth is the bottomlesse pit out of which the Beast was raised by the Dragon Deceive the Nations The Gentiles by defending Gentilisme and hindering the course of the Gospel amongst them And after that the must be losed He must because God hath so decreed it for the glory of his own name in the defence of his people but destruction of his enemies As also that the devil may shew his malice which God can restrain at his pleasure Roger Holland Martyr said to Bonner This I dare be bold in God to speak which by his Spirit I am moved to say that God will shorten your hand of cruelty that for a time you shall not molest his Church And after this day in this place shall there not any be by him put to the fire and faggot Aâ—â— and Monâ—â— 852. And it proved so for none after the suffered in Smithfield for the testimony of the Gospel Verse 4. And they sat upon them Resting from former pâ—rsecutions and raigning in righteousnesse even here upon earth And judgement was given unto them That is say some the spirit or discerning between Christianity and Antichristianisme Or the clearing of the innocency and doing them right say others Or they had their chairs seats and consistories wherein they did both preach the Word and execute the Churches censure as some sense it And I saw the souls This makes against the Millenaries Souls raign not but in heaven there are the spirits of just men made perfect Heb. 12. Cotton his pouring out of the 7. vioâ—s p. 26. True it is as Mr Cotton well observeth that there are many devises in the mindes of some to think that Jesus Christ shall come from heaven again and raign here with his Saints upon earth a thousand years But they are saith he but the mistakes of some high expressions in Scripture which describe the judgments poured out upon Gods enemies in making way to the Jews conversion by the patern of the last judgment Thus he The souls here mentioned are the same I conceive that were seen under the Altar Revel 6.9 and doe cry How long Lord These are not capable of a bodily resurrection nor of an earthly raigne And they lived and raigned with Christ They that is those that sat on the thrones not they that were beheaded Lived and raigned as spirituall Kings after the same manner as they are Priests vers 6. for else there should be more Kings then Subjects With Christ It is not said with Christ upon earth this is an addition to the text or if the words did import a raigning upon earth yet this would not inferre an earthly raign for a thousand years in great worldly delights begetting many children eating and drinking and enjoying all lawfull pleasures as some dream now a-daies The conceit I confesse is as ancient as Cerinthâ—â— the heretike and Pâ—pias scholar to S. John a man much reverenced for opinion of his holinesse but yet homo ingenij pertenuiâ— saith Eusebius not oppressed with wit Hierom and Augustine explode it as a Jewish fable and declare it to be agreat errour if not an heresie so do all the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at this day The Patrons of Christs personall raign upon earth Moses's choice p. 487. are Mr Archer and Mr Burroughes who tels us That if the opinion of some concerning Christs coming to raign here in the world before the day of judgement be not a truth he cannot make any thing of many places of Scripture as this place for one But if he cannot yet others can See an Answer to his and M. Archers chief Arguments in M. Baylâ— his disswasive from the errours of the times Chap. 21. p. 238. Verse 5. But the rest of the dead Dead in Baal-worship as Ephraim Hos 13.1 dead in sins as Sardis Rev. 3.1 Lived not again By repentance from dead works or they recovered not the life and immortality that is brought to light by the Gospel Vntill the thousand years Untill being taught better by Gods faithfull witnesses they abjured Popery This is the first resurrection From Romish superstitions M. Fox tels us Act. and Mon. fol 767. that by the reading of Chaucers books some were brought to the knowledge of the truth Verse 6. Blessed and happy is he The holy only have part in this resurrection 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and are therefore happy or out of harms-way as the word signifies The second death hath no power For they are brought from the jaws of death to the joyes of eternall life where is mirth without mourning riches without rust c. But they shall be Priests See the Note on Chap. 1.6 They shall raign The righteous are Kings Mat. 13.17 compared with Luk. 10.24 Many righteous is the same with Many Kings See the Note on ver 4. A thousand years These thousand years begin saith Master Brightman where the former ended that is in the year 1300. whereby continuance thereof is promised for a thousand years forward among some of the Gentiles and how long it shall raign afterwards among the Jews he onely knows that knows all Verse 7. Satan shall be loosed i. e. Suffered to rise up in open rage against the open professours of the truth and to make havock
he first put oft his rochet in his chamber among his friends suddenly gave a skip in the floor for joy feeling his shoulders so light and being discharged as he said of such an heavy burden Fructus honos oneris fructus honoris onus The Hebrew word for Honour signifieth weight or pressure In allusion whereunto S. Paul cals the glory of heaven a weight of glory But from aspiring to that heavenly glory earthly greatnesse is oft times no small impediment The Bustard or Ostrich can hardly get upon his wings whereas the Lark mounts with ease Nay as those that walk on the top of pinacles are in danger of a precipice so are great men of greatest ruine Even heigth it self makes mens brains to swim and he pourtia ed the ambitious man rightly that pictured him snatching at a Crown and falling with this Motto Sic mea fata sequor The poisonfull Aconite so much desired of the Panther is purposely hung up by the hunters in vessels above their reach whereof they are so greedy that they never leave leaping and straining thereat till they burst and kill themselves and so are taken So do men that aim at honour too high for their reach and too great for their merit their heads are lifted up but it is as Pharaohs Bakers was And it befals unto them Hic alicua appetendo prepria amisit Judg v. 15. Job â—â—2 Quemomnes made ut potioië se comitali fuis sent in Senaium eum pau ò post in carcevem tra bebaâ—t ut al jectum resariun Duse Sejano Sparitan as to that Duke of Moscoviah whom when the Tartarian had taken in battle he made a cup of his skull with this inscription All covet all lose Let not therefore the bramble be King let not earthly things bear rule in thine affections Fire will rise out of them that will consume the Cedars Exorientur sedexurentur as Jobs flower Jonas gourd Davids bay-tree or Xerxes his Steersman whom he crowned in the morning and beheaded in the evening of the same day The like befell Haman Sejanus and many others Severus the Emperour finding the emptinesse and insufficiency of honours and earthly happinesses sweeter farre in the ambition then fruition cries out at last Omnia fui nihil expedit I have tried all things and finde no solid content in any thing That was Solomons verdict of them long before And those in the Parable Mat. 20.13 when the end of the day came when they were to goe into another world they saw that which before they would not believe that preferment riches Non melior un quam fuit servm nec deterior Domino Galv Chro 478 Vespasianus unus accepto im perio melior factus lb 405. Cornel. a Lapid in Num. 11.11 Gen 14 21 Sic Tigraâ—es quam cum â—empeius vide ret 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. misericordia commotus accessi c. ' Dio. credit were but a peny were but empty things such as wherewith they were in no wise content In the very pursuit of them is much anguish many grievances fears jealousies disgraces interruptions c. Say a man obtain them they neither make him better in prosperity but the worse as Caligula then whom there never was a better servant nor a worse Lord. Vespasian is said to be the only man that ever became better by being made Emperour Pius Quintus acknowledged that he was farre the worse man after he came to be Pope Nor can they bear up the heart in the day of adversity How crest-fallen was the King of Sodom when overcome by the four Kings How basely behaves he himself before Abraham a stranger an exile that was before so haughty and refractory So Manasseh that faced the heavens in his prosperity in trouble basely hides his head among the bushes and is therehence drawn bound and carried captive 2 Cbron. 33.12 But after the unsanctified enjoyment of them follows the sting of conscience that will inexpressibly vex and torment the soul thorowout all eternity For if one drop of an evil unquiet conscience will extremely dissweeten a full cup of outward comforts in this life present as it will and make a man weary of the world Vna guttula malae conscientiae conturbat totum mare gaudiorum bumanorü Bucho Cor. Gallus tantum animi dolorem concepit ut sibiipsi mortem consciverit Ioh. Manl. loc com p. 136. Camd Elizab. fol. 406. as Abitophel Judas c. What shall we think of hell where the worm bred in the froth of these worldly lusts dies not where the fire of Gods wrath goes not out If the wrath of a King be as the roaring of a Lion and if honours darlings cannot bear their Princes frowns but die by them as it befell Cornelius Gallus under Augustus and St Christopher Hatton Lord Chancellour under Queen Elizabeth The Queen having once cast him down with a word could not raise him up again though she visited and comforted him but that he died of a slux of his urine and grief of minde How will they bear the wrath of God when David with whom God was but in jest as it were though mounted on his mountain could not bear his discountenance Thou didst hide thy face and I was troubled Psal 30.7 Angels HEB. 1.7 He maketh his Angels spirits his Ministers a flame of fire CHrist the Angel of the Covenant is here preferred before all created Angels â— Pet. 3.21 and worthily as Lord and heir of all Who is gone into heaven and is on the right hand of God Angels and Authorities and Powers being made subject unto him saith saith S. Peter The Papists not out of Peter but out of one Dionysius discourse largely of the heavenly Hierarchy and tell us of nine ranks and subordinations of Angels But the authour is suspected Satius est ignorare sine crimine quam serutaricum discrimine and the Scripture herein is silent Now where the Scripture hath no tongue we need not have ears but must content our selves with a learned ignorance lest we fall into the sin of those Angel-worshippers Col. 2.18 intruding into those those things which they had not seen vainly puft up by their fleshly mindes The Friars so puft up have names given them by their Governours each according to his merits and as they encrease in their pretended holinesse so they proceed in their aery titles from Padre benedicto to Padre Angelo then Archangelo Cherubino and lastly Sands his relation of West Religion p. 20. Cerephino which is the top of perfection The Seraphims those flames of fire whom the Papists place in the highest order as nearest to God and set them as rulers over the inferiour Angels Titen Syntag. pag. 199. they also are called here Gods Ministers yea they are his messengers too whatever the Papists say to the contrary Isa 6.6 sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation Heb. 1.14 And
remembreth mercy God also is angry with the Wicked or angered by them every day But what will he do in his anger If he turn not he will whet his sword before it devours flesh He first takes hold on judgement before his judgement takes hold on men He hath bent his bow and made it ready c. Sic patientiam exercet suam dum panitentid expectat tuam Aug. Amb. in Gen 9 Psal 7.12.13 We reade of Gods bow saith Ambrose set in the cloud but nothing of his arrow The how cannot hurt us but the bow fore-warns us of the arrow and the string of the bow is to us-Ward to shew how unwilling God is to punish even the wicked He must first turn the bow and then he bends his bow and then his arrow is unprepared too vers 14. So unready and unwilling is he to afflict to grieve the children of men Lam. 3.33 Isa 28.21 Hithhallech Gen. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sep. Ad Vesperam dâ—el Ambreâ— He cals it his worke his strange Worke he goes not about it till there be no remedy 2 Chron. 36.16 When God came to punish Adam he came slowly and in the cool of the day He ran not upon him as David did upon Goliah and cut off his head but with a softly pace and still voice and not till the evening And then convents him before sentence which he would not do for the devil and promiseth him a Saviour from the deadly sting of that old serpent Oh look upon this patern of patience as they did once upon the brazen serpent and it will cure our hearts when stung with impatiency Adam was the master-piece of Gods handy-work in whom he rested and rejoyced adorn'd him with his own image advanced him to dominion over all other sublunary creatures honoured him with the possession of Paradise and possibility of heaven held himself so farre honoured by him as that he is not called Lord God till man was created Gen. 1. Psal 49 12. But men being in honour continued not one night as it is thought but became like the beasts that perish nay worse like the devils with whom he should have perished had he not dealt with a sin-pardoning God none ever like him Mic. 7.18 Isa 57 7. He still multiplies pardons as we multiply provocations and stretcheth out his hand all the day long to a rebellious people 2 Cor 5.20 Isa 65.2 his grace even kneels to them beseeching them to be reconciled and bearing with such abominable practices in the mean while as the meekest Moses that ever breathed would never bear with if in his room but even for an hour If we consider especially how infinitely great he is and mighty armed with power at his will For the Lord your God is God of Gods and Lord of Lords a great God a mighty and a terrible Deut. 10. 17. Now the higher any person is the lesse patient of wrongs How rigidly dealt David with the Ammonites for the abuse done to his Embassadours And when the people stoned Adoram â— King 12 18 20. that was over the tribute Rehoboam gathered all Iudah and Benjamin to fight with them If God should be as short spirited what would soon become of all Let a man but put up an injury once or twice from another and he hath himself highly in admiration and in his own conceit deserves to be chronicled nay canonized for a Saint as our Henry the sixth had like to have been for this very vertue One of his successours King Henry the seventh laboured it saith the Historian and had obtained to have done it had not the charges thereof that so far exceeded mediocrity caused him to leave it undone Of this King it is reported That in both estates he so demeaned himself that he modestly carried the one and moderately under-went the other Passion at no time drowning his judgement nor will at any time domineering over his reason yea such was his deportment that the inconstancy of his estate could not alter the constancy of his minde He was never heard to swear oath which David did in his heat I Sam. 25.22 his greatest asseveration being for most part Forsooth forsooth or verily verily His patience was such that to one that strook him when he was taken prisoner he only said Forsooth you doe Wrong your self more then me to strike the Lords anointed Another that had drawn bloud of him when he was in prison he freely pardoned when restored saying Continuation of Daniels hâ—st of England by Tâ—uâ—gâ—â— so 198 Alas poor soul he struck me more to win favour with others then of any ill will he bare me Of that happy memory that he never forgat any thing but injuries This was a fair president and hardly matcht again in a man of his place and living in those dark times of grosse Popery Psal 74.20 Idcò deteriores sumâ—s quia meliores esse debemus Mâ—l 3.18 For the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty saith the Psalmist But what is all this to Gods infinite patience in suffering wrong and long too not from the vessels of wrath only Rom. 9.22 but his own elect who should be better spaâ—ing them as a man spares his son that serves him forgiving them seventy times seven times in a day passing by without grievance a world of infirmities yea taking advantage of their backsâ—â—dings to shew them the more mercy as Hos 2.13 The deep and due consideration of this patience in God will greatly patient our spirits and transform us into the same image as it did that Ethiopian Eunuch Act. 8.32 and that Earl called Elzearus of whom it is storied that being much given to immoderate anger the means he used to cure this disordered affection was by studying of Christ and of his patience This meditation he never suffered to passe from him In vita â—jus a pud Suriun before he found his heart transform'd and conform'd to the heavenly patern Lastly If to these means and meditations you adde a constant endeavour to become low in your own eyes keeping the strict watch of the Lord over your heart taking your self in the manner when impatience begins to boil in you and if you heartily pray down your passions arraigning and condemning them in Gods presence and desiring him to do execution you shall soon see that this your labour is not in vain in the Lord. Apostasie MATTH 24.12 13. And because iniquity shall abound the love of many shall wax cold But he that endureth to the end the same shall be saved IT is well observed concerning those two destructions of the world Ludolf de vita Christ l. 2.6.87 that as the first was by water for the heat of their lust so the second shall be by fire for the coldnesse of their love The deluge of iniquity shall quench the love of many But he that endureth c. It is but a He