Exposition on the Catholic Epistles, 1 Peter

Exposition on the Catholic Epistles · 1 Peter

p. 67THE FIRST CATHOLIKE EPISTLE OF THE APOSTLE PETER.

THis Epiſtle is held by ſome to hauehave beene written before that of Iames, as by Pareus: Baron. Annal. tom. 1.and Baronius ſaith, that it was written at Rome An. Dom. 45. when Marke was there with him, whoſe ſalutations he ſendeth. And his ſecond Epiſtle an. 68. when Peter was now neere vntounto his end, as is intimated 2 Pet. 1.14. If this were written ſo ſoone, it was before all the Epiſtles of Paul, the firſt written of which was the firſt to the Theſſalonians, which came forth an. 52. Others thinke that theſe Epiſtles were put out according to their order, as Lyra, Iames writing firſt,Lyra. and then Peter, Auguſtine ſpeaketh of all theſe ſmaller Epiſtles, as written after Pauls Epiſtles, wherein Faith iuſtifying without Workes, had beene ſo much ſet forth; vponupon which ſome gathered, that good workes were not neceſſary to ſaluation:Auguſt. tem. 4. de fid. & opere. c. 14. and therefore both Iames, Peter, Iohn, and Iude, doe mightily vrge Workes, affirming Faith without Workes to be vnprofitable. Thus I hauehave related what I finde touching the time of this Epiſtle, and p. 68the reſt, but as I ſaid before vponupon that of Iames. This diſpute is not much materiall, but either becauſe Iames his Epiſtle was firſt written; or becauſe to the Iewes, who were Gods firſt people, it is placed firſt. And this of Peter after, becauſe to ſuch, as being Gentiles became firſt Iewes, and then were conuerted to the faith of Chriſt,Hugo Card. as Hugo Cardinalis coniectureth; and after Peters, the Epiſtles of Iohn, becauſe they were written to the Gentiles conuerted to Chriſtianity. Touching this, it was neuer doubted of to be Canonicall, yea, it hath beene alwaies accounted a moſt excellent Epiſtle, and worthy to be written in letters of gold: for Boniface the Biſhop of Rome, Baron. …om. 9. annal.that was a Martyr, as Baronius faith, deſired by his Letters of Eadburga an Abbeſſe, and kinſwoman to the King of Kent, to ſend him the Epiſtles of Peter, written in letters of gold.

The maine ſcope of this Epiſtle is to comfort, and to confirme in ſufferings for the Goſpels ſake. And therefore after the ſcattered Chriſtians named, to whom he writeth verſe 1. hee comforteth them firſt by ſetting forth their eſtate, Elect according to the fore-knowledge of God, &c. verſ. 2, 3, 4, 5.2. the benefit of afflictions, the praiſe of God, and the ſaluation of their ſoules, verſ. 6, 7, 8, 9. And confirmeth them touching this ſaluation to be attained in a Chriſtian profeſſion, from the ancient propheſies ſet forth in the holy Scriptures, wherein thus much is declared, verſ. 10, 11, 12. Making vſe of this conſolation to ſtirre vp to holineſſe and righteouſneſſe, verſ. 13, 14, 15, 16, 17. Which that it might be the more effectuall, there is a commemoration made, by what a price wee are redeemed to this excellent eſtate, verſ. 18, 19, 20, 21, 22. And what is the inſtrument of our being begotten again hereunto, viz. the word of God, which is not as fleſh, which fadeth like graſſe, but endureth for euer, verſ. 23, 24, 25. And hauing ſpoken of this being borne againe, hee vrgeth them, as now borne babes to deſire the milke of the Word, &c. Chap. 2. Wherein, as in the reſt, how things cohere together, we ſhall ſee when we come to handle them in order.

p. 69CHAP. I.

1 PETER Chapter 1. Verſe 1.

To the ſtrangers ſcattered thorow Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Aſia, and Bythinia. Verſ. 2 Elect according to the fore knowledge of God the Father, in the ſanctification of the ſpirit, vntounto obedience and ſprinkling of the bloud of Ieſus Chriſt, &c.

THe Countries here mentioned are all towards the Eaſt, and are large,Luther in 1 Pet. 1.1 Pet 1 being now vnderunder the Dominion of the Turke. Pontus is a great Countrey neere to the Sea. Cappadocia is next vntounto it, for their borders ioyne together. Galatia is ſeated behinde theſe. Aſia and Bythinia before. Strangers he calleth the Chriſtians there, becauſe although they were Gentiles inhabiting in thoſe parts, yet they were ſtrangers from the Common-wealth of Iſrael by their originall, and in this reſpect are ſaid to be ſtrangers, though being conuerted, they ioyned with the Iewes that were Chriſtians, and became one people, According to the fore-knowledge of God the Father. This is the cauſe of our election, Gods preordaining of vsus, and not any free will in vsus. In the ſanctification of the ſpirit, that is that we might be holy and ſpirituall, which holineſſe flowing from election is the onelyonly true holineſſe: oppoſed here to the many kinds of externall ſanctification, which the Iewes had vntounto the obedience and ſprinkling, &c. that is, then hauehave we part in this ſanctification, and are truly Saints, when we obey the word of Chriſt in beleeuing in his name, being thus ſprinkled with his bloud: for this which is here ſpoken in other words, is no more but what S. Paul ſaith, We are ſaued by faith, for this maketh vsus obedient and ſubiect vntounto Chriſt. So that to obey the word of God, to be ſubiect to Chriſt, to be ſprinkled with his bloud, and to beleeue, is all one. The phraſe of ſprinkling is borrowed from Pſal. 51. being an alluſion to the ſprinkling of the Tabernacle,Exod. 24.Exod 24 and of all p. 70the people with the bloud of Goats vſed by Moſes.

The queſtions of this place are firſt touching the Countries mentioned.Mayer. 1They were all of Aſia, by Aſia being meant Aſia the leſſer,Th. Aquinas. according to Tho. Aquinas; for both Aſia the leſſer, and all the other here named, lie in Aſia the greater, Acts 2. Pontus, Aſia, and Cappadocia, are named, as out of which there were ſome preſent, when Peter preached after the comming downe of the Holy Ghoſt: and it is likely that Galatia and Bythinia yeelded him ſome hearers alſo, though there for breuities ſake omitted. It is likely, that by them being at that Sermon conuerted, other neighbour places came to vnderſtand of the Goſpell; and becauſe this our Apoſtle was the beginner of ſo good a worke amongſt them, he wrote vntounto them now altogether, to inſtruct, confirme, and comfort them more.

2Touching the name giuen vntounto them, ſtrangers; Some will hauehave them to be ſuch as were Proſelytes firſt,Gloſ. ord. Lorinus. Tho. Aquinas. Faber Stapul. and after by the hearing of the Goſpell conuerted to the Chriſtian Religion. Some, both Iewes ſcattered in theſe Countries, becauſe verſe 18. mention is made of vaine conuerſation, according to the tradition of their fathers, becauſe the Iewes were led much by traditions; and Gentiles imbracing the faith,Beza, Piſcator. becauſe ch. 2.9, 10. they are ſaid to be called out of darkneſſe into light, and to be made a people of no people; and ſome Iewes onelyonly. But the reaſon of Luther ſeemeth beſt vntounto mee, that they are called ſtrangers,Acts 2.10.Acts 2:10 becauſe no Iſraelites, as wee reade of Romane ſtrangers, ſuch as dwelt in Rome, but were no Citizens of Rome. And it is moſt probable, that they had beene Proſelytes in times paſt, and ſo ſuch as for religions ſake dwelt at Ieruſalem, but being turned Chriſtians when perſecution was raiſed, Acts 8. the whole Church being ſcattered, it is likely that they were diſperſed into theſe Countries.Aug. tractat. de ſobrietate. Auguſtine ſpeaking of theſe Epiſtles, ſaith that Peter wrote two Epiſtles to the Gentiles. Fabers reaſon, that by ſtrangers both Iewes and Gentiles are to be vnderſtood, is weake, ſeeing a vaine conuerſation vſed by tradition of Fathers, may as well agree to the Gentiles, as to Phariſaicall Iewes,Hieron. deſcript. cc…ſ. A…hanaſ. Syno…ſi Oecum. and the other place, chap. 2.9, 10. doth certainly ſet forth Gentiles, neither are the Iewes any where called ſtrangers; yet ſome vnderſtand the conuerted Iewes onelyonly.

p. 71Touching theſe words, In the ſanctification of the ſpirit, 3and to obedience, Oecumen. in 1 Pet.and ſprinkling of Chriſts bloud; Some referre all this, according to the fore-knowledge of God the Father in the ſanctification of the ſpirit, &c. vntounto Peter an Apoſtle, holding that the other words, To the elect ſtrangers in Pontus, &c. came in by a Parentheſis. And he called himſelfe an Apoſtle, according to the fore-knowledge of God the Father, to ſhew that though in time he were after the Prophets, yet in Gods decree he was not. And he ſaith that he was an Apoſtle, in the ſanctification of the ſpirit, that is, to ſegregate the beleeuing amongſt the Gentiles from other heathen people by the ſpirit, ſanctifying them to the obedience of the Goſpell, and to the purging of their ſinnes by his bloud, and to the making of them willing to hauehave their bloud ſhed for his ſake, which is alſo intimated here. And whereas we reade it Pontus and Galatia, he readeth Galatia of Pontus, holding that it is ſo ſet forth to diſtinguiſh this Galatia from that in France. Hitherto Oecumenius. But I follow rather the common ſtreame, referring theſe words vntounto the elect ſtrangers.

Note,Note. that we hauehave not attained to the Chriſtian profeſſion by the liberty of our owne will, but it is of God, who did long before euen from eternity know vsus, and appoint that his holy Goſpell ſhould be profeſſed amongſt vsus.

Note againe,Note. that holineſſe and obedience vntounto God are moſt neceſſary for all Chriſtian people, neither doe any come to the ſprinkling of Chriſts bloud, but in holineſſe and righteouſneſſe. The true Chriſtian is elect in the ſanctification of the ſpirit, &c. and therefore it is as vaine for prophane men to looke to be bleſſed by the Goſpell, as for Eſau to looke for the bleſſing of his Father Iſaac, when he had prophanely contemned his birth-right. As for the Verſes following vntounto the 10. they are eaſie to be vnderſtood. Verſ. 3. he calleth the hope vntounto which we are begotten, a liuely hope, becauſe we doe not hope for things that periſh, which are dead things, as it were,Tho. Aquin… but for euerlaſting life, and our hope is liuely, and not as preſumption, where the life and power of grace is wanting; and the life that we hope to riſe vntounto is by the reſurrection of Ieſus Chriſt, for his ariſing againe giueth vsus this hope, that we ſhall p. 72riſe alſo, verſ. 8. He calleth their ioy wherewith they reioyce vnſpeakable and glorious. Aug. tract. 86. in Iohan.Auguſtine mentioning this place, readeth it, quem cùm videritis exultabitis gandio memorabili & honorato; and the vulgar Latine, With ioy vnſpeakable and glorified, which the word foreign will well beare. Thomas Aquinas followeth Auguſtine in the future tenſe; but if it bee in the preſent, as the word is, or in the future, it is all one, for that ioy which ſhall be vnſpeakably glorious is now begunne in the faithfull before they ſee it.

CHAP. 1. VER. 10, 11, 12.

Concerning which ſaluation the Prophets enquired and ſearched, who propheſied of the grace giuen vntounto vsus. Verſ. 11. Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Chriſt that was in them, did ſignifie, &c.

Becauſe he had ſpoken of the ſaluation of the ſoule,Oecumen. in 1 Pet. 1.1 Pet 1 a thing not heard of almoſt in times paſt, hee bringeth in the Prophets, that long agoe made ſearch about it. Daniel for his inquiring was called a man of deſires. They ſearched, what time, that is, the time to come at the end of the world, and what manner of time, that is, the time after many captiuities, wherein they might be fit to receiue the myſtery of the Goſpell. The Spirit ſignified the Paſſions of Chriſt, by Eſay 53. and Ieremy 11. and the glory to follow, Hoſ. 6. We ſhall riſe againe the third day, and liue in his ſight. And theſe things, hee ſaith, were reuealed vntounto them, not for themſelues, but for vsus, that they might not ſet light by them or neglect them being now preached. For if the Prophets tooke paines to ſearch into them and to ſet them forth, not for their owne, but for the benefit of poſterity, it were a moſt vnworthy part for poſterity to neglect their labours herein. The which things the Angels deſire to behold, that is, before they were accompliſhed, they deſired to ſee them fulfilled, and therefore reioyced and fung at their accompliſhment, Glory to God on high, &c.

The doubts of this place are firſt,Mayer. Whether the Prophets attained to the foreknowledge of things to come by ſearching or p. 73ſtudying, becauſe, he ſaith, they ſearched into theſe things, and ſo propheſied of them.

Anſw. It was by inſpiration doubtleſſe, Anſw. that they propheſied, which was the immediate illumination of the Spirit, but they firſt prayed and deſired to be herein inlightened, as wee reade that Daniel did, Dan. 10.11. and Eſdras, and the faithfull aſſembled, Acts 1. There is alſo a ſearch by comparing Scriptures together and by arguing,Note. Dan. 9. This commendeth ſtudying and praying to be inlightened in the myſteries of ſaluation to thoſe that deſire to know them. Chryſoſtome affirmeth, that where diligence is wanting in man,Chryſ. Hom. 31. in Gen. God will not from aboue inlighten the minde in the knowledge of his truth.

Secondly, What is meant by the grace reuealed vntounto them, 2of which they propheſied?

Anſ. It was the grace of the redemption of man by Chriſt, Anſw. his Incarnation, Death, Reſurrection and Glory that followed, as is partly more expreſſed, verſ. 11.

Thirdly, What is meant by the ſpirit ſpeaking in the Prophets of Chriſts Paſſions and following glory, 3and where theſe things are ſpoken of, and whether after that they were inſpired to ſpeake of theſe things, they were ſtill to ſeeke touching the time, and what is meant by what, and what manner of time?

Anſ. Some ſay, Anſw. Gloſ. Ord.That by the Spirit of Chriſt the Angels that came and declared things to the Prophets are ſet forth. Some, either the Angels or the holy Ghoſt.Beda. Hugo. But the trueſt and moſt generally receiued is, that the holy Ghoſt is here meant, who is peculiarly called the Spirit of Chriſt,Oecumen. Tho. Aquin. &c. becauſe he dwelt in him, as hee was Man, and proceeded from him, as God. Oecumenius ſheweth the Trinity here, the Spirit of Chriſt; here Chriſt is ſet forth to be God, and the third perſon of the Trinity, the Spirit, is mentioned; and verſ. 12. where hee is ſaid to be ſent from Heauen, the Father is ſet forth. Touching the places where Chriſts Paſſions are ſpoken of, looke backe to Occumenius, and there are many more which are eaſie to be found out. For both Chriſt vrged the Iewes to reade Moſes, Ioh. 5.39. Luk. 24.25.John 5:39Luke 24:25ſpeaking of him, and inſtructed the two Diſciples going to Emmaus, out of Moſes and the Prophets: ſee 1 Cor. 15.4. Act. p. 743.24. Act. 10.43. Rom. 1.1. Touching the time when Chriſt ſhould come, all the Prophets that propheſied of Chriſt vnderſtood it not, either when it ſhould bee, or in what manner of ſtate the common wealth of the Iewes ſhould then be, whether in peace or warre, in liberty or captiuity: ſome knew it as it ſeemeth, Dan. 9.24. Iaacob, Gen. 49.10. Eſa. 2.4. Mic. 4.1. and others by ſearching and diſceptation might attaine to the knowledge of it alſo.Lib. 3. Generat. Adae, c 8. Gen. 3.Gen 3 Arias Montanus ſaith, that the firſt occaſion of this ſearch was the Promiſe, that the feed of the woman ſhould breake the Serpents head. Therefore Eue called her firſt ſonnes name Cain, Poſſeſſion; ſuppoſing that he was the ſeed which ſhould bring this benefit into the poſſeſſion of poſterity: but the next, Abel, Vanity, as vnfit for ſuch a worke: and thus Seth was named, and Noe, and Abram, and Shem, &c. all hauing names that imply an expectation of ſome notable thing expected by them.

Note. The. Aquinas prolog. in Pſal.Note that it is to be reiected as an herefie, that of Theodorus Mapſueſtienſis, condemned in the Conſtantinopolitan Councell, that nothing is expreſly ſpoken of Chriſt in the old Teſtament: for there are all things long agoe ſet forth, and nothing more is in the new Teſtament but what is grounded vponupon the old.

4Fourthly, what is meant was reuealed vntounto them, when he ſaith, verſ. 12.Verſ. 12. To whom it was reuealed, that they miniſtered thoſe things not vntounto themſelues, &c. The Syriacke Interpreter readeth it thus, And was reuealed vntounto thē eueryevery thing that they ſearched. Didym. de Spi. Sanct.And Didymus readeth it, Wherein it was reuealed. But the right reading followed by all others is this. And that they vnderſtood that the Propheſies which they ſet forth touching Chriſt, ſhould not take effect in their daies, but long after, is plaine Hab. 2.3. Eſay 2.4. Ezech. 12.22, 27. Eſay 28.10, 13. Mich. 4.1, &c. Touching the holy Ghoſt ſaid to be ſent from Heauen, this was certainly done at the Feaſt of Pentecoſt, and doth notably ſerue to expreſſe the vnity of the Spirit, by which the Prophets anciently, and the Apoſtles more lately ſpake.

5Laſtly, how the Angels are ſaid to deſire to looke into theſe things. The Latine tranſlation is, in quem, into whom, as if it p. 75were meant, that the Angels deſired to looke into the Holy Ghoſt, mentioned before. But all Greeke Expoſitors reade it, foreign, into which things: ſo alſo the Syriacke, and Cyril Alexand. and Ephrem, Didymus and Ireneus. The things that they deſire to looke into then, are the myſteries of our ſaluation, to behold which, they ſtoope downe as it were, for the ſame word foreign is vſed, that Ioh. 20.5. of the Diſciple,Iam. 1.25.Jas 1:25 that came and ſtooped to looke into that part of the Sepulchre where Ieſus was laid.Cyril. Alexand. ſerm. de eo quòd verbum caro fit. Theſe Myſteries the very Angels are ſaid to deſire to looke into, partly for the delight that they take herein, according to Cyril Alexan. and partly becauſe when the Incarnation, Death, Reſurrection and Aſcenſion of Chriſt were acted, ſuch things touching our ſaluation were made manifeſt vntounto them, as they did not ſo fully vnderſtand before, Eph. 3.10. 1 Tim. 3.16. and herewith they deſired to bee acquainted, that they might declare them vntounto men,Beza annot. the phraſe vſed to expreſſe their intent, looking into theſe things, being an alluſion to the Cherubins placed in the Arke ſo as that they did alwaies looke towards the mercy ſeat.Exod. 25.20. Origen. Hom. …1. in Num.Exod 25:20 Origen ſaith, That they deſired to looke into theſe things, and to ſet them forth for our ſaluation, leſt they ſhould come ſhort of men, which might turne to their iudgement. Some thinke, that by the Angels are meant the euill angels, as Didymus ſheweth, and Clemens Alexan. but they reiect it. Some ſay, That the Angels deſire to ſee Chriſt in their nature,Philip. Solitarius as he hath taken vponupon him the nature of man, that their nature might be adored by vsus in him, as ours is now by them; not that they can hope that euer it ſhall be thus, but to expreſſe the great benefit redounding to man by Chriſts Incarnation.

I ſubſcribe to that which expoundeth theſe words, of the Angels delighting to looke into theſe myſteries, euen as a man loueth to looke vponupon that againe and againe which doth greatly delight him, and into theſe things they deſire to look, the rather to declare them vntounto men, as Gabriel to Mary, and many Angels to the Shepherds.

It is moſt groſſe negligence therefore in men not to regard to know theſe myſteries, when as both Prophets and Angels,Note. for our ſakes, hauehave beene ſo intent about them, and taken ſo p. 76much pleaſure to ſearch, and finde out, and know them.

Greg. Moral. 18. cap. 28. Bed. Tom vlt. qu. 9. Iſidor. lib. 1. ſententiarum. Tho. Aquinas. Gloſ. ordin. Beda. Th. Aquinas. Sophron. Orat. 1. de natiu. Chri.There are many, that following the Latine tranſlation, apply it to the Spirit of God, ſaying, That they deſire to behold him, not that they behold him not, but becauſe their delight is ſuch in beholding him, as that it is alwaies freſh, and as it were then beginning, there being herein no ſatiety. Some alſo expound it of Chriſt, whom the Angels deſire to behold, and to looke vponupon his glory; as he is man, vponupon his birth and place where he was borne. The reſidue of this Chapter hath nothing difficult in it, but that hauing ſpoken of thoſe to whom he writeth, as Gentiles, verſ. 14. liuing before in ignorance, he ſaith,Verſ. 18. verſ. 18. that they were redeemed from their vaine conuerſation deliuered vntounto them by tradition of their fathers, as if they were Iewes, to whom he writeth, who were knowne to hauehave beene led by ſuch traditions. Some, as I hauehave already noted,Lyra. Lorinus. thinke that this Epiſtle was written both to Iewes and Gentiles conuerted, and therefore by theſe traditions vnderſtand both the traditions of the Iewes, ouerthrowing Gods Lawes,Titleman. Caietan. Beza. and the idolatries of the Gentiles. Some vnderſtand onelyonly the idolatries of the Gentiles, which were deliuered and taught from father to ſonne; of ſuch it is ſpoken, Ezech. 20.18. And Oneſimus, Surius 16. Febru.the ſeruant of Philemon, as Surius reporteth, anſwering one that queſtioned with him, about the price wherewith he was bought, ſpake in theſe words, That the vaine conuerſation from which he was redeemed, was Adultery, Couetouſneſſe, Witchcraft, Arrogancy, Back-biting, Diſſembling, Anger, Drunkenneſſe, and Idolatry the mother of all vices. And this indeed muſt needs be the right meaning, ſeeing that from all wickedneſſe wee are redeemed by the bloud of Chriſt, which it was the more hard to be deliucred from, becauſe this wickedneſſe had beene ſo long rooted and grounded, being deliuered for many ages from generation to generation.

Note that they which are deliuered from their ſinnes by Chriſt,Note. are turned from that which they hauehave beene nuzled vp in, and their fathers before, though they had vſed to liue in that vaine manner from the firſt father vponupon earth, Adam. That any corruption hath beene ancient, is no plea amongſt p. 77ſuch as come to hauehave part in the bloud of Chriſt.

Note. Traditions.Hee doth alſo glance at traditions of the fathers here, after which to liue, is but to vſe a vaine conuerſation, and ſuch as they muſt be turned from that will be ſaued, of ſuch traditions reade Mat. 15. and ſuch be the traditions of the Church of Rome, many of them tending to the ouerthrow of Gods truth. We imbrace ſuch as are agreeable hereunto, as touching the Lords Day, the baptizing of Infants, the communion of either ſex, and in the publike place, &c. but others, whereof that Church is full, being ſome abſurd and ſuperſtitious, and ſome impious, we doe vtterly reiect.

Whereas it is ſaid,Verſe 20. that he was foreknowne from the beginning of the world, it is to be vnderſtood, becauſe it was foreknowne that there would be ſinne, from which that we might be redeemed, the ſhedding of this Lambes bloud was neceſſary, otherwiſe this ſhould not hauehave beene preordained:Verſ. 22. purifying your ſoules in the obedience of the truth by the ſpirit. In the Greeke it is, making your ſelues chaſte. Here is the fruit of a true and liuely Faith, they in whom it is are ſanctified in their hearts, which is when they endeuour, and by endeuouring attaine to hauehave chaſte and pure minds, the Word of God deſcending into them, and not being outwardly receiued only; a like place vntounto this is 1 Ioh. 3.3. He that hath this hope purgeth himſelfe; and this is done by the Spirit, a fruit whereof is to be holy and pure, Gal. 5.19. And this is the onelyonly way to become chaſte in deede, for which it is laboured in vaine by abſtinence, as both Ierome and Bernard doe teſtifie of themſelues; he that would bee chaſte indeede muſt hauehave a chaſte heart, made ſo by the Spirit entring in by the Word.Luther. Luther expoundeth the ſpirit here of the heart, ſaying, That the ſoule is purified by the obedience of the ſpirit, when the heart becommeth obedient vntounto the truth. The collection made here by Lorinus, that our free will doth co-operate together with faith to our iuſtification, is falſe: for hee doth not teach, what is to bee done for our iuſtification, but for the exorning of our holy and excellent condition,Verſ. 25. to which wee that beleeue hauehave attained. The Word of God is ſaid to be the ſeed of our regeneration, becauſe it entereth into the heart,Luth. in 1 …. p. 78and lying there maketh one a new man, ſo that hee hath other thoughts and deſires now, neither is it changed as mans ſeed is,Tho. Aquinas. Baſil. Epiſt. 79. Lyrinenſ. Dogma Chriſtianae relig. his ſequitur profectuum leges, vt annis conſolidetur, tempore dilatetur, aetate ſublimetur, incorruptum tamen, illibatumque mane…t. but remaineth the ſame for euer, changing vsus that are regenerate hereby, and therefore it is ſaid to endure for euer, that is, in the effect thereof, becauſe he that is regenerate hereby remaineth ſuch for euer, neuer being againe corrupted. A ſpeech like vntounto this is Pſal. 118.89. Pſal. 148.6. Mat. 24.35. The ſeed of the Word groweth yet and is augmented in the heart, as Baſil obſerueth, as the ſeed ſowne in the ground. It followeth, ſaith Lyrinenſis, theſe Lawes of increaſe. It is conſolidated in yeeres, dilated in time, ſublimated in age, and yet remaineth incorrupt.

CHAP. II.

IN this Chapter he commendeth vntounto them the Word of God, whereby he had before ſhewed that they were begotten, viz. the Word, wherein Chriſt is ſet forth as the foundation, vponupon whom wee muſt build vntounto eternall life, exhorting to a conuerſation worthy of the eſtate into which we are brought hereby. So that here is, Firſt, an exhortation to the right receiuing of the Word of God, verſ. 1, 2. inforced from the good taſte therein, verſ. 3. and from this conſideration, that it is the way to the Lord, who is as a moſt precious corner ſtone, and by the Word we are built vponupon him, and ſo become a moſt excellent people, from verſ. 4. to verſ. 11. Secondly, an exhortation to walke worthy of this eſtate by flying from euill, verſ. 11. and doing of good, verſ. 12. the particular parts whereof are ſet downe: Firſt, ſubiection to Gouernours in the Common-wealth, verſ. 13, 14, 15, 16, 17. Secondly, ſubiection to maſters, from verſ. 18. to the end of the Chapter. After which, followeth the ſubiection of wiues to their owne husbands, chap. 3.

p. 791 PETER Chapter 2. Verſe 6.

Behold, I put in Sion a chiefe corner ſtone, elect and precious, and he that beleeueth in him ſhall not be aſhamed. Verſ. 7. To you that beleeue it is precious, &c.

THe Scripture from whence this is taken,Mayer. is Eſay 28.16. from which it varieth not, but that there it is ſaid,Lib. 2. paral. 15. Hee that beleeueth ſhall not make haſte: here, ſhall not be aſhamed. But theſe words being well conſidered, the difference is nothing, as Iunius ſheweth, for to make haſte, according to the Prophet, is to preuent Chriſt with his faith, by truſting to the workes of the Law, and to that which a man can doe, and this is the very way to ſhame and confuſion; and ſo the Apoſtle here altereth the word by way of interpretation, as if hee ſhould hauehave ſaid, Shall by making haſte thus to become righteous of himſelfe be put to ſhame. This place of Eſay is alleaged once before, Rom. 9.33. where there is an other difference, for whereas the Prophet hath it, Behold, I put in Sion a corner ſtone of probation, precious, and a ſtone of foundation; there it is, a ſtone to ſtumble at and a rocke of offence. But Iunius reconcileth this alſo, ſaying, That Chriſt is a ſtone of probation, when as hee being preached, ſome beleeue, but ſome are hardened, and ſo it is proued who are Elect and who Reprobate; and in this proofe making, they that are hardened ſtumble againſt this ſtone through their owne malice and fall, and therefore the ſame Prophet elſewhere vſeth theſe very words,Eſa. 8.14.Isa 8:14 A ſtone of ſtumbling and a rocke of offence. That which followeth, verſ. 8. for which thing they were ſet, is not ſo to be vnderſtood,Oecumen. in 1 Pet. 2.1 Pet 2 as if God had ſet ſome in ſuch an eſtate, as that they cannot but periſh, for there is no cauſe of condemnation from him, who would that all ſhould bee ſaued, 1 Tim. 2.1 Tim 2but they make themſelues veſſels of wrath, being ſet to ſtumble by the liberty of their owne corrupt will. For the will of man is ſo free, that it cannot p. 80be compelled, and therefore hee cannot complaine of God, that hee hath ſet him in that eſtate, which hee hath brought himſelfe into by his owne workes. Hitherto Oecumenius, whom Gagneus and Salmeron follow, and ſome others. But Beza reiecteth this,Beza annot… in …. 2. that God ſhould not be ſaid to hauehave ſet them, but they themſelues, for that God doth it, is plaine, Rom. 9.17. Pro. 16.4. Luk. 2.34. Iude v. 4. He therfore from the beginning decreed to reiect ſome, it being alwaies prouided, that betwixt the decree and the excution thereof, ſinnes ſhould come betweene, for which the wicked ſhall be iuſtly damned. And this, I take it, is the ſoundeſt conſtruction, it is by a ſecret iudgement of God vponupon them for their ſinnes, that they are offended and hardened at the preaching of the Goſpell to their condemnation. But I hauehave entreated more at large already vponupon this argument in my ſecond booke, Rom. 9.11.

Many for vntounto which they were ſet, Syriacus. Faber, Stapul. Lyra. Tho. Aquin. &c.reade it, in which, in quo poſiti ſunt, and expound it either of Chriſt, called the corner Stone, in whom eueryevery one is ſet, ſo as that hee might hauehave beene ſaued, but through their owne fault they proue reprobates, as Catharinus, or both ſorts, both the faithfull and vnbeleeuers are ſet in him, the one to ſaluation, the other to damnation, according to that of Simeon. Luk. 2.34. Syriac. Oecumen. Duos parietes qui pa…ernam domum abſoluunt, hoc eſt, gentiles & Iudaeos ſuo contactu connectit, dum & inutiles horum immolationes tollit, & gentilium daem…niacam ſuperſtitionem in pietatem traducit. Verſ. 9.Luke 2:34He is appointed for the riſing and fall againe of many in Iſrael, as Arias Montanus. Some following this reading, expound it of the Word, wherein they ſay, all were ſet, that is, appointed to heare and obey it. But the firſt reading [vntounto which] is moſt agreeable to the Greeke, and to ſenſe, and therefore is alſo preferred by Beda, and Lucas Burgenſis. And Chriſt is ſet forth as a corner ſtone here, becauſe in him two peoples, Iewes and Gentiles are coupled together and became one, the vnprofitable ſacrifices of the one being taken away, and the deuilliſh ſuperſtition of the other being traduced into godly piety.

But ye are a choſen generation, a royall prieſt-hood, an holy nation, &c. this is taken out of Exod. 19.5, 6. but that there it is a kingdome of prieſts, but according to the Septuagint, whom the Apoſtles commonly follow, it is as here, a royall Prieſt-hood. Oecumenius obſerueth,Oecumen. that he hauing ſpoken againſt ſuch as through vnbeliefe ſtumble at this ſtone, now he prayſeth p. 91the faithful. A choſen generation, the whole congregation of the faithfull is called, as the nation of the Iewes is ſaid to be elect, Rom. 11.2. becauſe they are choſen out of the reſt of the world to profeſſe the Goſpell, and to be a peculiar Church vntounto God. A royall Prieſt-hood, or Kings and Prieſts, Reuel. 1.6. they are called,Am…roſe. becauſe Chriſt with the Father and the Holy Ghoſt reigneth in them, exempting them from all other dominion, but only ſuch as is to be obeyed in him and for him:Didym…s. and becauſe they are members of Chriſt, a Prieſt after the order of Melchiſedicke, & do offer ſpiritual ſacrifices of prayers vntounto God: the ſame phraſe of holy Prieſt-hood is vſed before, ver. 5. Some reſtraine it vntounto Prieſts vnderunder the Goſpell only,Hugo. Tho. Anglicus. the congregation being called ſo, becauſe there are ſuch therein, that offer the ſacrifice of Chriſts Body, and hauehave the Keyes as their Scepter, and receiue Tithes as their tribute,Iſider. and a ſhauen crowne as a crowne. And this Prieſt-hood, they ſay, is called kingly, becauſe more excellent than that vnderunder the Law. But ſeeing it is ſaid of all faithfull perſons in generall, and they vnderunder the old Teſtament are called a Kingdome of Prieſts alſo; this expoſition is but a deprauation of the place, and therefore to be reiected. All the Fathers alſo vnderſtood it as we do. Some againe,Raban. in Exo. 19 Auguſt, de ciuit. Dei, p. 10. c. 6. Greg. Hom. 12. in Ezech. Lactant. Epiphan. b…r. 49. & 79.Exod 19 becauſe all Chriſtians are called Kings and Prieſts, will hauehave no difference, holding that all, yea euen women, are Prieſts alike, as the Heretikes called Pepuziani and Collyridiani. But it is to bee vnderſtood, that all are called Prieſts only in a ſpirituall ſenſe, becauſe they offer the ſacrifices of praiſe and prayer; but there are ſome, to whom this office more peculiarly belongeth, that are externally by their orders ſegregated from the reſt, whoſe calling is to tend vponupon theſe ſacrifices, not only in priuate as others, but in publike, and to ſerue about holy things, the Word and Sacraments. If any therefore ſhall preſume, vnderunder the pretence of being a Prieſts as well as others to miniſter theſe things,1 Chron. 26. 1 Sam. 13.14.1 Chr 261 Sam 13:14 with Ʋzziah he is to be reſiſted, as going beyond his bounds, and hee may well looke for a iudgement to be ſent from God vponupon him, as vponupon Vzziah by leproſie, and vponupon Saul to the loſſe of his Kingdome.

This place is worth the noting,Note. both for the credit of thoſe p. 92that are now in the office of Prieſts vntounto God, whom the prophane ſort thinke to vilifie by this name: for it is the greateſt dignity of the Chriſtian profeſſion, herein the houour of it ſtandeth, that true Chriſtians are Prieſts and Kings, theſe being coupled together, as dignities of the higheſt ranke and much alike: and for the name giuen vntounto the faithfull, Kings and Prieſts, the remembrance hereof ſhould worke a kingly and prieſtly minde in eueryevery one of vsus, to rule ouer our affections, and to offer vp a pure conſcience and conuerſation daily vntounto God, as**Leo Serm. 3. anniuerſ. d…e ſue aſ ſump…r. N…il t…m r…giant, quamſubditum d…o a ninu… corpor… ſu… eſſe rectorem, … nihil ſace…dotah, quam vou…e domino conſei…ntiam puram, & immac… lat…s pietatis …oſtias dealtari cordis offerre. Leo excellently teacheth: Nothing is ſo kingly, as when a minde ſubiect vntounto God ruleth the body; nothing is ſo prieſtly as to vow vntounto God a pure conſcience, and to offer the immaculate ſacrifices of piety vponupon the altar of the heart.

Againe,Note. let all keepe within the bounds of their Prieſt hood, not preſuming to doe the publike office of a Prieſt without a particular calling, becauſe they are ſaid to be Prieſts, no more than they will take vponupon them as Kings, becauſe they are ſaid to be Kings.

CHAP. 2. VER. 13.

Be ye ſubiect to eueryevery humane ordinance for the Lord: whether to the King as chiefe, Verſ. 14. or to Rulers, as being ſent forth by him, &c.

This other part of the Chapter being an exhortation to an holy and inoffenſiue life,M…y…r. beginning verſ. 11. hath nothing almoſt of any difficulty. But that here beginning with particular duties, he commandeth ſubiection to eueryevery humane creature: foreign. Beza reiecteth this reading as abſurd, and followeth the other, eueryevery humane ordinance. But I ſee no reaſon why this reading being moſt proper ſhould bee reiected, ſeeing it may alſo hauehave a good expoſition thus, Be ſubiect to eueryevery man that is in the place of authority, as verſ. 17. Honour all men, where ſuch a ſupply muſt needs be vnderſtood, for to expound honouring thereof, doing the offices of louelove, is to confound things diſtinguiſhed: for he ſaith, Honour all men, meaning Superiours, Oecumen. Beza. Faber Sta….louelove brotherly louelove, meaning equals. Honour the King, as Superiour to all others. Yet I confeſſe, that both Oecumenius, and Faber, and Beza, and all generally by all p. 93men vnderſtand all indefinitely, to the pooreſt and meaneſt amongſt whom an honour is due for that Image of God which he beareth, for ſo ſaith Faber. Honour in a poore man Chriſt humble, by doing good vntounto Chriſts poore; in a rich man honour God, who is rich in beneficence towards all; in a Lord and Ruler honour God the Lord of all; in the mighty honour God likewiſe that is Almighty; and ſo in all others hauing reference ſtill to God only, and not vntounto carnall things, for ſo thou ſhouldeſt become a reſpecter of perſons. Let the Reader conſider and follow whether expoſition he pleaſeth, but the authority of ſo graue and many Expoſitors cannot ſway me to thinke, that by all men are meant any other than Rulers and Gouernours, ſeeing there is no place to ſecond it being taken otherwiſe; and there is one place whereby it ſeemeth that honour is not due to all, no more than feare and tribute is, Rom. 13.7. Render to all men their dues, tribute to whom tribute, feare to whom feare, honour to whom honour is due. Now the Apoſtle ſetteth downe this duty of ſubiection to Magiſtrates firſt and chiefly, as ſome hauehave noted;Didymus. Oecumen. Chryſoſt: in Titum. Auguſt. Epiſt. 5. left Chriſtians, hearing of the liberty of their condition, ſhould refuſe to obey, and to preuent enuy in the Heathen, who were apt to hauehave a ſiniſter conceit of Chriſtians in this regard, euer ſince one Iudas of Galelee aroſe and drew away many,Act. 5. Joſeph. antiqu. ib. 18. c. 1, 2.Acts 5 holding that Gouernours were not to be obeyed, nor tribute to be paid, and for as much as moſt of the Apoſtles were Galileans, they were the rather apt to cheriſh this opinion againſt them and their followers,Rom. 13. Iude Epiſt.Rom 13 and therefore Saint Paul is earneſt in commending duty and obedience alſo, and Iude impugneth ſuch as deſpiſe gouernment, moſt ſharpely cenſuring them.

Wherefore the Anabaptiſts are hence to bee condemned, who deny Magiſtracy in a Chriſtian ſtate, and that obedience is due to any ſuch, becauſe Chriſtians are a free kinde of people and not ſubiect vntounto men: for here, and Rom. 13. ſubiection is expreſly commanded, neither was there euer any ſtate well gouerned without Magiſtrates: reade Iudg. 19.20, &c. Touching this ſubiection, how farre it extendeth, and how the Lawes of Gouernours binde, I hauehave already treated, Rom. 13.

p. 94As free, and not hauing liberty, as a cloake of euill. Verſ. 16.This may ſeeme to be contradictory to that which went before touching ſubiection;Chryſoſtome. but Chryſoſtome reſolueth it thus, as I finde in Oecumenius: Oecumen.Obey Gouernours as free, that is, as beleeuing him that hath made you free and commanded you to be ſubiect vntounto them. Or elſe, as Oecumenius himſelfe hath it, Be ſubiect as free, that is, not hauing a minde ill affected towards Gouernours, for the enuious or malicious minde is a ſlauiſh minde; ſeeing euill luſts and affections ruling in a man make him a ſlaue, and not to be ſubiect to Superiours; for to obey them freely and willingly, the minde not going againſt it, is to obey them, as free; but to obey them by compulſion is to obey as ſlaues, though they that doe ſo may pretend a liberty by their Chriſtian profeſſion.Luther. Luther expoundeth it, as not abuſing your Chriſtian liberty to licentiouſneſſe, to liue now as ye liſt in rebelling againſt Princes, and contemning their Lawes, but freely and willingly obey them, as if there were nothing to compell you thereunto: for the true Chriſtian doth ſo willingly performe the things of the Law, as that it is ſaid,1 Tim. 1.9.1 Tim 1:9 The Law is not giuen vntounto him, but to the wicked. And this is to the ſame effect with that of Oecumenius, and moſt genuine.

But committed it to him that iudgeth iuſtly. Verſ. 23.The vulgar Latine hath it, but d liuered to him that iudged him vniuſtly, as if it were ſpoken of his willing going to the death, whereunto he was vniuſtly condemned by Pilat at the inſtigation of the Iewes. There is another reading alſo mentioned by ſome: He deliuered thoſe that iudged him vniuſtly; Th. Aqu…nas. Gorra…. Lorin.that is, either to puniſhment, that they might be corrected; or elſe by praying for them, that the ſinne might not bee laid to their charge. But amongſt all the Greekes it is read as we reade it,Tract. 21. in Joh. and it is thus cited by Auguſtine and by Fulgentius ad Traſim, cap. 11. and ſo the Syriake Tranſlator readeth it, and it is ſupplied by ſome thus,Vatablus. Caietan. Hee commended the cauſe or vengeance to him that iudgeth iuſtly, which he ſeemeth alſo to ſpeake of, Ioh. 8.50. And he committed it to him, when ſo patiently he bare the wrongs that were offered vntounto him, reſting in this, that God knew that he was innocent,Luther. howſoeuer they traduced p. 95him, being aſſured, that ſuffering thus vniuſtly, it would redound to his greater glory, and to their confuſion, if they repented not. It is not meant that hee called for reuenge againſt them, for he prayed that they might bee forgiuen, and rebuked his Diſciples, when they would hauehave had fire called for from Heauen, but onelyonly that he referred quietly the matter to the Lord; in regard of whoſe ſuperin tendency ouer all things that are offered vntounto vsus, wee ſhould likewiſe be patient and referre the matter to him, who will one day rectifie eueryevery thing amiſſe.

One expoundeth it, hee committed himſelfe to God,… He… who iudgeth iuſtly, and ſo for our ſinnes appointed him to thoſe ſufferings, and looked not at the inſtruments, wicked men, who in ſpight and malice offered theſe things vntounto him.

Note,Note. that the liberty which Chriſt hath brought vntounto his, is not a liberty from lawfull gouernment; they which vnderunder the colour of Religion diſobey the lawfull Magiſtrates, or from whom ſubiection to them is forced, in ſtead of liberty hauehave nothing but a cloke of maliciouſneſſe.

Againe,Note. note a moſt effectuall reaſon to perſwade eueryevery one to ſuffer patiently any iniury, viz. becauſe Chriſt ſuffered patiently when he was railed vponupon, diuerſly abuſed, and crucified.Luther. Cur t… itaque malis te non affici pateris, cum totus miniſi p…ccatum est If hee that had no ſinne did beare ſuch horrible indignities, much more we that are all ſinne, ſhould beare the iniuries offered vntounto vsus.

CHAP. III.

IN this Chapter the Apoſtle proceedeth to other oeconomicall duties, ſhewing how Wiues ſhould carry themſelues towards their Husbands, and in how modeſt a manner they ſhould go… attired, vntounto verſ. 7. and then how Husbands are to ca…y themſelues towards their Wiues, p. 96verſ. 7. after which hee inlargeth himſelfe, exhorting all to ſuch vertues as doe generally conduce vntounto peace and vnity, from the eighth verſe vntounto the eighteenth, where againe the ground of vnity is firſt laid, verſ. 8. Secondly, we are exhorted to one particular point, viz. not to require ill language with ill language, but to bleſſe thoſe that curſe vsus, verſ. 9. Thirdly, here is an argument to perſwade vntounto this, drawne from Pſalme 34.13. a man muſt neceſſarily reſtraine his tongue that hee may bee bleſſed, verſ. 10, 11. Fourthly, another reaſon is vſed, becauſe in praying for thoſe that raile vponupon vsus, wee ſhall obtaine ſuour of the Lord, whereas, if wee ſhould doe otherwiſe, hee would be againſt vsus, verſ. 12. Fifthly, hee argueth from the bleſſedneſſe of thoſe that hauehave this patience when they are wronged, verſ. 13, 14, 15, 16, 17. Sixtly, hee doth againe reaſon from the example of Chriſt, becauſe he had ſomething more to deliuer concerning him, viz. How be hauing wrongfully ſuffered death, was raiſed againe, there being in the remembrance of that his death, a Sacrament of Baptiſme in the Church, ſetting forth the ineſtimable benefit comming by his bloud-ſhed: euen as by the Arke Noah and his family were ſaued, ſo the faithfull being now ſaued by his bloud beſprinkling the conſcience in Baptiſme, in the confidence whereof we pray and preuaile now that Chriſt is riſen and aſcended vp to the right hand of God, from verſ. 18, to the end of the Chapter.

p. 971 PETER Chapter 3. Verſe. 3.

Whoſe apparell let it not bee any outward thing of the broidring of the haire, or of putting gold about, or the ornament of apparell put on. Verſ. 4. But the hidden man of the heart, &c.

IN ſetting forth the carriage of the Wife towards the Husband,Luther in 1 Pes. 3. here the Apoſtle argueth from the good, that will thereby redound vntounto the man, verſ. 2. Hee that by the Word is not brought to beleeue, may without the Word bee thus wonne; that is, for ſo much as women are no Preachers in Word, they ought to preach yet by a good example, and when the Husband by the Wiues modeſt, and humble, and honeſt carriage of her ſelfe is won to the Faith, hee is ſaid to be won without the Word. Whereas outward ornaments are forbidden vntounto women, it may ſeeme that this was not obſerued by Heſter, nor by Iudith, for they decked themſelues in goodly apparell: but it is to be vnderſtood that they delighted not in theſe things, they arayed themſelues thus onelyonly for neceſſities ſake, and ſo ſhould all faithfull women; they ſhould preferre the going without ſuch ornaments, and when they vſe them, doe it without taking delight therein, only to pleaſe their Husbands: but whatſoeuer dreſſe they vſe outwardly, let them be ſure to put on the inward aray of modeſty and humility, and when women are admoniſhed about their apparell, men are to vnderſtand that ſuch curioſity about their haire and apparell is much more forbidden to them.

Other Expoſitors ſpeake almoſt to the ſame effect with Luther, vponupon that of womens winning men without the word;Mayer. we ſhall not need to dwell on it, hauing beene ſufficiently explained already. The maine queſtion of this place is, whether it be altogether vnlawfull for women to vſe ſuch ornaments of haire, and gold put about, and of coſtly apparell, becauſe it ſeemeth here to be expreſly forbidden? Some write ſo vponupon this ſubiect, as if the reward of it were damnation.**Cypr. lib. 3. c. 3. l. Cyprian ſaith, p. 98Women that are clad with ſilke and purple,Serico & purpara ind…ae Chriſtum induere nequ…n…: aur…, margaritis & monilibas ornatae ornamenta cordes & pectoris perdiderunt. cannot be clothed with Chriſt; and they which are adorned with gold and precious ſtones, hauehave loſt the ornaments of the heart.

Againe he ſaith, that it is the property of an harlot to decke her ſelfe thus, bringing in the example of Thamar, and of the Whore in the Reuelation, adding, that ſuperfluous adorning of the body is worſe than adultery, becauſe there the chaſtity onelyonly, here nature it ſelfe is adulterated.**Tert. leg. 3. Habit…s muherum dupl…em circumfert ſpeciem, cultum & ornatit, cultum mundam mulieorem vocant, ornatam immundum muliebrem conuemt dici, illum in auro, gemmis, & veſtibus deputari, iſtum in cura capilli & cutis, & carum partium corporis, quae oculos trahunt, alteri ambitionis trimen intendi, alteri proſtitutionis. Gen. 24. Prou. 31.22. Rom. 14.17. Ruth. 3.3. Aug. Epiſi. 199. ad Ediciam.Gen 24Prov 31:22Rom 14:17Ruth 3:3 Tertullian ſaith, that in the habit of women there are two things pretended, cleanlineſſe and comelineſſe; the one in the care of the haire and the skin, the other in gold, and pretious ſtones, and coſtly apparell; this they call the adorning, but it may rather be termed the impure making of a woman, the fault of ambition being in this, and of proſtitution in the other.

But that the wearing of coſtly apparell, and conſequently of broided haire and gold, is not ſimply vnlawfull for Chriſtian women, appeareth by Heſter and Iudith before named; and Abraham ſent ſuch ornaments to be put vponupon Rebecca; and the vertuous woman is deſcribed to be cloathed with ſilke and purple. Againe it is ſaid, that the kingdome of God ſtandeth not in meat and drinke, nor other outward things, but in righteouſneſſe, &c. Ruth alſo is ſaid to hauehave waſhed her ſelfe, to hauehave anointed her, and put on good raiment. And Auguſtine faith, that a woman may ſinne if ſhe weareth meaner apparell than her husband is willing withall. It is therefore to be vnderſtood, that women ought not to weare ſuch coſtly apparell, & other ornamants here mentioned, in pride, or to allure other men vntounto them, but for diſtinctions ſake according to their husbands place and calling, and to pleaſe them, and that they may take the more delight in them, and not be drawne to goe after ſtrange women, and according to the cuſtome of the place and Countrey wherein they liue. Neither is Cyprian or Tertullian ſo ſharpe againſt theſe things, but onelyonly in the caſe of pride and vanity, and when they decke themſelues to pleaſe adulterers,Tho. Aquinas. Aug. Epiſt. 73. Ne affectent veſtitus placere ſed moribus. as Tho. Aquinas hath rightly obſerued. Auguſtine ſaith, that women ſhould pleaſe their husbands, not ſo much with apparell and dreſſes, as with good manners and conditions. The ſcope therefore of the Apoſtle here is not to p. 99beat downe all womanly ornaments, or theſe here named, but to teach, wherein both womens and mens adorning chiefly ſtandeth, viz. in grace and vertue. But all painting of faces, and colouring of haire, and wearing of other haire, is by all condemned, as the peruerting of nature, and may not vnderunder any pretext of pleaſing the husband be vſed, Cyprian. de habitu mulierum. Nazianzen. Carm. contra mulieres. And by the ſame reaſon much more is coſtly apparell, and curioſity about haire condemned in men. Gregory ſaith,Greg. Hom. 6. in Euang. penſate quae culpa fit, hoetiam viros appetere, à quo. paſh… Eccleſiae & feemmas prohib…. Clem. Alex. 3. p… dag. cap. 3. Hieron. de vi…. Pauli eremitae. weigh what a fault this is, that men ſhould affect that which the Paſtour of the Church had a care to forbid vntounto women. Clemens Alexandrius calleth ſuch effeminate perſons, ſuch as cut themſelues with an illiberall and whoriſh cutting, Illiberali & meritriceo ſe tonſu tondentes. Ierom ſaith, Yee weaue gold in your coats, but hell fire ſhall deuoure you being clad in gold. As I ſaid before of women, ſo it is not to be doubted, but that men according to their place and degree may hauehave more coſtly habits. The high Prieſt had coſtly cloathing appointed him to weare in the execution of his Office: and Solomon had royall apparell, which is not diſcommended by our Sauiour Chriſt, when hee maketh mention thereof. And it hath beene a thing accordingly vſed by great perſons eueryevery where, and is vſed at this day: for apparell if it be coſtly, maketh a man in authority to be the more reuerenced of the common ſort, but being baſe and poore, it maketh him contemptible as Pholopaemen, of whom Plutarch writeth. But eueryevery one is to take heed of abuſing his apparell to pride and vanity,Euag. l. 5. cap. 13. as Iuſtinus iunior the Emperour godlily aduiſed Tiberius his ſucceſſour, when the Imperiall habit being by him reſigned, was to be put vponupon him; Let not the glory of this garment deceiue thee, nor the illuſtrious adorning of theſe things to the eye leade thee to errour, whereby I my ſelfe hauing beene deceiued, hauehave become ſubiect to moſt grieuous puniſhments. Behold God, who hath done good vntounto thee, hath giuen thee this habit, and not I; honour him, that thou maiſt alſo be honoured of him.

Touching Husbands, verſ. 7. he ſaith,Verſ. 7. Dwell with them according to knowledge; giuing honour to the Wife as to the weaker veſſell, &c. Here ariſe two queſtions.

p. 100Queſt. 1. What it is for a man to dwell with his wife according to knowledge? Queſt. 1

Anſ. Oecumenius, Oecumen. …. Beda. …. Ord. Faber Stapul.with whom others agree, ſaith, that this is both in wiſely bearing with the woman, & not too rigidly exacting a reaſon of all her doings, if ſhe hath bin more liberall in giuing to the poore; & in going in vntounto her, not out of the violence of luſt, but according to reaſon, for the obtaining of iſſue in the feare of God.…. Beda. …. Some adde alſo, knowing what God would hauehave them doe, and being able to inſtruct his wife in things pertaining to God.…u…er. …. Some will hauehave this dwelling with them according to knowledge, to be by gouerning of them, not in a mad-braine manner, as their paſſions carry them; but if there be any fault in the wiſe, in diſcretion and reaſon bearing with it, and ſeeking by good perſwaſions and reaſons to reforme it.

Queſt. 2. What it is to giuegive honour to her as to the weaker veſſell? Queſt. 2

Anſw. This is alſo expounded according to the firſt, by ſome of giuing her honour by abſtaining from the marriage duty at certaine times, and not at all times ruſhing into it, as bruit beaſts, who are carried onelyonly by luſt: for ſometimes the woman doth deſire that the man ſhould reframe, when as it is fit that he ſhould yeeld ſo much reſpect vntounto her as to forbeare; and ſometime for faſting and prayer it is requiſite, for which cauſe it is added,…o…us. That your prayers be not hinared. And hereupon ſome hauehave commended abſtinence from the marriage bed all the time of Lent, applying to the approuing of this expoſition that of S. Paul, Theſ. 4.4.That eueryevery one of you may know how to poſſeſſe his veſſell in holineſſe and honour. And thus all that were for the firſt expoſition vnderſtand this. But others interpret giuing honour to the woman of vſing her as fellow, and not as a ſeruant; for as wiues ought to obey their husbands, ſo huſbands ought to giuegive a kinde of honor to their wiues, not carrying themſelues inſolently towards them, when they are worthy of blame, whereby they may thinke that they are contemned, but by reaſon perſwading them, ſeeing otherwiſe there will be nothing but ſtrife and brawling, in which caſe no acceptable prayers can be offered vp vntounto God. And this ſeemeth p. 101to be the moſt genuine expoſition, becauſe hee addeth ſomething of a parity betwixt a married couple in reſpect of the beſt things, as heires together of the grace of life, ſo that, as wiues ought, according to that which was taught before, to obey and reuerence their husbands; ſo husbands ought to giuegive reſpect to their wiues, they being in ſome reſpect equall one vntounto another. This honouring of the wife is by forbearing to deale with her by checkes and ſtripes as with a ſeruant; and likewiſe by putting her to any baſe office, which doth not ſure with the condition of ſuch an husband, and by louing and reſpectiue termes to ſpeake vntounto her, and in place preferring her, and for food and apparell maintaining her according to his degree and quality: and for his vnderſtanding, the vſe of that is in wiſely admoniſhing her of ſuch things as be amiſſe, that by the force of reaſon being conuinced ſhe may reforme thē. That there ſhould be ſuch a mutuall ſtriuing betwixt man and wife, in reuerencing and reſpecting each other, the word likewiſe doth imply, Likewiſe ye husbands dwell, &c. that is, as I hauehave hitherto exhorted women to imitate Sarah in reuerencing their husbands; ſo doe yee giuegive honour to them alſo, becauſe howſoeuer they are ſubiect vntounto you, yet there is an honour and reſpect from you againe due vntounto them.

Note,Note, that a woman is not ſo much ſet forth by apparell as by vertue, and eueryevery wiſe man will eſteeme better of her that is modeſt, and doth her duty well towards her husband, than of her that is outwardly moſt gorgeous and beautifull. So that if any woman doth deſire to winne the heart of her husband, & if he be out of the way, to conuert him into the right way, let her not attempt it by ſuch meanes as may make her ſeeme outwardly more beautifull, but by ſuch Matron-like vertue as is required in a Chriſtian woman.

Note againe, that he is a foole and no wiſe man,Note. that vſeth his wiſe as his vnderling, or ſeruant. A wiſe man will giuegive that honour to his wife, as whereby her affection may bee drawne more towards him, to doe her duty the more cheerefully. She is his veſſell, but ſhe is tender and weake, therefore that ſhe may be the more commodious for him, he muſt not be harſh towards her, nor proudly dominere ouer her, but p. 102he muſt intreat her gently as ſhe is able to beare. To vſe the compariſon of Luther here,I…r as a man vſeth any inſtrument for any purpoſe, as his knifeto cut withall, to the end that he may keepe it ſharpe he will not daſh it againſt hard ſtones. He then that beateth and miſuſeth his wife, as his cholericke paſſions ſway him, is a foole, and wanteth the reaſon of a man whereby to gouerne a woman, and there is ſuch a barre put in the way of his prayers, that they are hindred from euer comming vp and preuailing before the Lord.

Laſtly note,… that it is the mans duty to dwell together with his wife, and not hauing a wife to keepe abroad, and to company with other women, nor hauing married a wife to liue ſeparate any long time from her, but for a certaine ſpace onelyonly as the neceſſity of his affaires doth require, and that by mutuall conſent, as 1 Cor. 7.5.

CHAP. 3. VERS. 13.

And who will hurt you, if yee be followers of that which is good? Verſ. 14 But if ye ſuffer for righteouſneſſe, yee are bleſſed, feare not their feare, &c. Verſ. 15 Being ready alwaies for apologie to eueryevery one that asketh you, &c.

… in …Becauſe none can doe any thing againſt any man without God, who will neuer doe any ill to ſuch as liue righteouſly, hee moueth this queſtion, Who will hurt you, that is, no hurt can be done vntounto you; and if it ſhall ſeeme an hurt which is offered to the godly, euen for religions ſake, yee muſt know, that this is a matter of bleſſedneſſe, and if it were an hurt, God would not ſuffer it to be thus. Feare nothing therefore that perſecutors can doe againſt you, but ſanctifie the Lord in your hearts, that is, by ſeparating from the wickedneſſe wherewith they are polluted. And be ready, that is, be ſo ſtudied in the faith which yee profeſſe, that ye may hauehave in a readineſſe a ſufficient reaſon hereof to be rendred, when ye are required thereunto, becauſe in this caſe, if a man ſhould come to ſpeake vnpreparedly, he might haply by making a weake anſwer wrong his moſt iuſt cauſe; but when with holineſſe of life, a ſound anſwer to confirme the truth concurreth, the aduerſary is put to ſhame, p. 103and oft-times brought to glorifie God by an happy conuerſion thus wrought in him. The Lord biddeth that wee ſhould not take thought what to anſwer, when we are brought before Rulers and Gouernours, but it is to be vnderſtood that that was in the caſe of ſuffering; this is in the caſe of Apology concerning the Chriſtian doctrine.

Who can hurt you, Tho. Aquinas in 1 Pet. 3.1 Pet 3either man or deuill, for none can pull him backe from good vntounto euill that is reſolutely bent to doe well, and if they doe any hurt to ſuch a one, they benefit him more than they hurt him, by the exerciſe of his patience. Feare not their feare, that is, ſuch things as in them may ſeeme to be able to ſtrike terrour into the minde, as their outward greatneſſe, and power to puniſh, they be the words of Eſa. 8.12. Sanctifie the Lord in your hearts, that is, holding faſt the faith of the Lord Ieſus, and both in word and ſuffering for the Goſpell, being ready to make apologie by word, when any out of a deſire to learne doe aske you; otherwiſe to ſpeake of the myſteries of ſaluation, is but to caſt Pearles before Swine: and by ſuffering moſt notably do we ſhew our hope, when we expoſe our ſelues to any torments for the ioy that we hope afterwards to poſſeſſe.

He that ſuffereth in his body,Luther in 1 Pet. 3.1 Pet 3 or by the loſſe of goods for the Goſpell, is not hurt, becauſe theſe outward things are nothing worth in compariſon of the reward to come. Feare not, though they make themſelues terrible vntounto you, but ſanctifie the Lord in your hearts, that is, whatſoeuer befalleth you, whether to the outward ſenſe it be grieuous or pleaſant, acknowledge that it commeth iuſtly vponupon you, and that it is good, and for w^ch ye ought to giuegive God thanks, for he that is impatient, and murmureth vnderunder ſufferings, prophaneth God, but the patient and thankfull ſanctifie giuegive glory to him. See an example of one ſanctifying God in his heart, Pſal. 144. and Dan. 3. And be ready to make anſwer, that is, be ſo acquainted with the word of God, as that thou maiſt be able by plaine ſentences our of it to iuſtifie the truth, and yet doe it with meekneſſe and feare, not imitating the aduerſary in railing ſpeeches, and conſidering, that when thou art beſt prouided with ſentences of Scripture, thy memory may either faile thee, or the deuill by p. 104art and cunning brought to elude thy places, may as it were, wreſt thy weapon out of thy hand; in feare and reuerence depend vponupon God, who muſt put into thy mouth what to ſay at that time. Wherefore it is neceſſary that eueryevery one get by heart ſome plaine ſentences of Scripture, whereupon our faith is founded, and not reſt vponupon the Church, thinking it ſufficient to beleeue as the Church beleeueth, or by humane reaſon to defend the doctrine of our faith, as the Papiſts teach to iuſtifie their ſhutting vp of the Scriptures frō the reading of the lay people. But this was a notable cunning of the deuill to make a way for their Prieſts to teach any thing, though neuer ſo groſſe, when the people being ignorant of the Scriptures, could nor contradict them herein, and to make the Prieſts themſelues to neglect the reading of the Scriptures, w^ch by the liberty of the Scriptures they ſhould hauehave been inforced to reade diligently, leſt ſome of the Laity ſhould oppoſe them in their errours.

Becauſe it is an vſuall thing for the godly to ſuffer at the hands of the wicked,Mayer. it may ſeeme a paradox which is here deliuered. No man will hurt you, if ye be followers of that which is good. But it hath beene well reſolued, that the hard meaſure offered to Chriſtians by perſecutors, is no hurt vntounto them. Chryſoſtome in that Homily intituled,Coryſoſt Hom. Nemo laeditur, niſi à ſeipſo. Nemo laeditur niſi à ſeipſo, foreign, hath notably declared the truth of this, willing Olympias his friend, to whom he ſent it, to reade it ouer daily, and if he could to run it by heart. Loſſes, ſaith he, pouerty, reproches, bands, baniſhments, or ſeruitude, or any other thing that we count euill, cannot hurt vsus, becauſe they touch not the Orthodox opinion concerning God, or vertue, or the ſoule, the ſeat of theſe, vntounto which they are an ornament and true good. They onelyonly are hurt that doe hurt, and not they which ſeeme to be hurt, vnleſſe they will hurt themſelues, through their impotency of minde and impatiēce.**Nulla nocebit tibi aduerſ… as, ſi n…lla dom…netur in teiniquitas, Pſal. 139.2. Aug. Serm. 107. de diuerſis. Tu noli tib… eſſemalus, libert te Deus à te. Quando …nim Deus gratia & miſericordia ſua de malo fa…at te, bonam, vn…e te liberat, niſi à terpſo homine ma…, omnino (frat…es mei… hoc ve…m, io…erin eſt, bec ſixum, ſi Deus te liberauit a teipſo, homine malo, nibi… tibi noc…bit, quaſquis ſuerit in te alius homo malus.Ps 139:2 It is a true ſaying, None aduerſity will hurt thee, if none iniquity reigneth in thee. And that of S. Auguſt. of that prayer of Dauid, Lord deliuer me from the euill man. Be not thou euill to thy ſelfe, let God deliuer thee from thy ſelfe, for when God by his grace & mercy, of euill maketh thee good, whence doth he deliuer thee, but from thy ſelfe an euill man? And if p. 105God hath deliuered thee from thy ſelfe being euill, nothing ſhall hurt thee, whatſoeuer another euill man doth vntounto thee.

Touching the place alledged out of Eſay 8.11, 13. it hath beene ſufficiently reſolued already, as concerning the not fearing of their feare, and for ſanctifying the Lord in our hearts, Luther hath ſpoken fully. It is the ſame in effect with that, Matth. 10.28. Feare not him that can kill the body, and then can goe no further, but feare him that can deſtroy body and ſoule in hell fire. Feare not their feare, is, feare not them that can kill the body, ſanctifie the Lord in your hearts, is, feare him that can deſtroy body and ſoule in hell fire, let the dread and feare of him be ſo in you, as that ye may not be ouer-much troubled with any other feare. For the beſt may hauehave ſome feare of men, as**Paraphraſicald, Iuſium qu…quid acciderit non conuſ…at. Met…s tangi poteſ… ſed non perturba…i, Prou. 12.21. Hugo.Prov 12:21 Ioſeph had of Archelaus, but he feareth not man ouermuch, according to the paraphraſe. No accident can make the iuſt man ſad, hee may be touched with feare, but not troubled, as the Lord hath ſaid, Let not your hearts be troubled, neither feare yee, Iohn 14.1, 27.

Touching the apologie which we muſt be ready to make to eueryevery one, that asketh; ſome thinke that it was meant of the diſperſion of the Iewes, which were Chriſtians, if any did queſtion with them about this iudgement vponupon them: or elſe, that it is meant of all that come to baptiſme, it being required that they ſhould be able to giuegive account of their faith. But it is plainly meant of that defence of the truth, which eueryevery one ſhould be able to make, when by the aduerſaries of the truth they were required hereunto, whenſoeuer they ſhould ſee that their apology, and the opening of the myſteries of Chriſtianity might doe good. Otherwiſe that rule is to be followed,Matth. 7.Matt 7 Caſt not pearles before ſwine, &c. and as we are to vſe patience in ſuffering, ſo we are to defend our cauſe with meekneſſe, not with v…le and inſolent ſpeeches againſt our oppoſers, becauſe we hauehave the truth on our ſide. This is the common courſe generally to be followed, eueryevery one to labour to be furniſhed at the leaſt with ſome generall arguments to confirme the truth, though the Apoſtles being extraordinary perſons needed not to make any ſuch preparation.Chryſoſt. Hom. 24. in Matth. Matth. 10.19.Matt 10:19 And thus Chryſoſtome reconcileth this with that of our Sauiour, Take no thought what to p. 106ſay, this is ſpoken, ſaith he, to ſhew what the vertue of the ſpirit was in thoſe extraordinary times, not that we ſhould not doe what we can to arme our ſelues againſt the combat, when as euen out of the caſe of danger, euen the moſt eloquent and wiſe being vnprepared, become ſpeechleſſe in diſputation.

Note,Note. that the onelyonly ſure way to b…reſeured from all that might hurt vsus, is to liue innocently, and not to hurt others by word or deed, no not being prouoked: for if any ſhall offer to doe any thing in this caſe againſt vsus, they hurt themſelues, and not vsus, and further our bleſſedneſſe.

Note againe,Note. that a man may be vilely intreated outwardly, beaten, impriſoned, and tormented, and yet not hurt hereby, as all that ſuffer wrongfully being patient, and therefore no outward ſufferings ſhould moue vsus, they are things not to be feared by a Chriſtian, Quid homo hominem timeat in ſinu Dei poſitus, ſaith Auguſtine.

Note laſtly,Note. that it concerneth eueryevery one, be he learned or vnlearned, to reade and ſtudie vponupon the holy Scriptures, that he may not be to ſeeke in his anſwers about the doctrine of faith,Hom. 16. in Iohan. when he is required thereunto. Chryſoſtome doth ſharply reproue Chriſtians, that labour not for knowledge, that they may vnderſtand the reaſon of the Chriſtian faith, alleaging, how Artificers will fight in the defence of their profeſſion, and the Gentiles will argue ſtrongly for their ſuperſtition, and againſt the Chriſtian religion: and yet hee ſaith, that many Chriſtians are ſo ignorant, that they cannot giuegive an anſwer what the Trinity is, what the reſurrection, or why Chriſt was incarnate at ſuch a time? And laſtly, he refuteth that tenent, that a ſimple ſoule is bleſſed, that is, one that is ignorant, and knoweth nothing. Oh how contrary to this is the teaching of the Papiſts at this day, who commend ignorance, and ſpeake againſt reading of the Scriptures, as moſt dangerous?

CHAP. 3. VERS. 18, 19, &c.

Being put to death in the fleſh, but quickened in the ſpirit. Verſ. 19 Wherein he went & preached to the ſpirits in priſon, which had ſometime beene diſobedient, when once the long-ſuffering of God waited in the daies of Noah, &c.

p. 107As Chriſt was both God and man, ſo he dyed as man,Occumen. in 1 Pet. 3.1 Pet 3 and as God roſe againe to deliuer vsus from death and corruption. For he was raiſed by the power of his deity, to ſhew that we ſhal riſe againe, raiſing vp the bodies of many that were dead alſo, for our further confirmation herein. In which he went, &c. Here is ſhewed how the benefit of his paſſion extended to the vniuſt not onelyonly liuing, but dead long before, becauſe hee had ſaid, He ſuffered, the iuſt for the vniuſt. Wherein, therefore is as much as for which cauſe, that there might redound benefit from him to ſuch as were dead long before, as well as to the liuing, namely to ſo many as liued well, and would hauehave beene ready to embrace the faith of Chriſt, if hee had come amongſt them, hee went and preached to them, that they might bee deliuerd by him. And that it might appeare, that there hauehave beene alwaies meanes of comming to faith and obedience, ſo that the condemnation of the vnfaithfull is iuſt, he maketh mention of Noah, who was long agoe, euen almoſt from the beginning, by whom they might hauehave beene conuerted. And hauing ſpoken of the Arke, and thoſe that were in it ſaued by the waters, he applieth it vntounto Baptiſme: for as the waters then drowned the wicked world, but thoſe that fled into the Arke were preſerued; ſo by baptiſme the wicked and vnbeleeuing deuils are drowned, but the faithfull are ſaued; & as water waſheth away the filthines of the fleſh, ſo baptiſme cleanſeth the ſoule in a myſticall and wonderfull manner, and it is called the interrogation of a good conſcience towards God, becauſe they only which apply their minds to an holy life, are wont to make queſtions, and to ſeeke vntounto God, by what meanes they may be ſaued, and ſo vnderſtanding that baptiſme is the meanes, they hauehave recourſe thereunto.

Chriſt is ſaid to hauehave died once, it being implied,Th. Aquinas. Gorran. Gloſ. Ordin. that hee ſhall die no more, againſt thoſe heretikes, that held, that he ſuffered in the aire for the deuils, after that he had done ſuffering here vponupon earth, and to rouze vp the ſecure from ſinne, becauſe, if now after that Chriſt hath ſuffered they liue in ſinne, there will be no more redemption for them,Mortificatos car ne, vtuificatos autem ſpirtus. ſeeing Chriſt dieth no more. That he might offer vsus vp vntounto God being p. 108quickened in the ſpirit, that is, either the holy Ghoſt, or our ſpirit, becauſe the true Chriſtian dieth to the fleſh, but liueth to the ſpirit. In which he went, that is, in a ſpirituall manner, by internall inſpiration, euen before that he was incarnate, preaching by Noah, & by his Angels, whom he vſed as his M…niſters to declare his will in thoſe times. To thoſe that were in priſon, that is, of the fleſh of ſin & errour, according to that Pſ. 141. Take my ſoule out of priſon; in one tranſlation therefore it is, To them that were ſhut vp in the fleſh. When they expected Gods patience, that is, thinking that God would ſtill with patience beare with them. They were ſaued by the water, becauſe the water lifted vp the Arke; and eight perſons are mentioned as alluding to him that ſhould riſe againe the eighth day, and to the time of the generall reſurrection, which ſome thinke ſhall be vponupon the ſame day. Baptiſme is like vntounto the Arke, and ſo is tribulation, through which a Chriſtian muſt goe in diuers things. Firſt, The Arke was made of boords hallowed, ſo the Church conſiſteth of perſons afflicted. Secondly, The Arke was of incorruptible wood, ſo are Chriſtians ſuch as will not be corrupted. Thirdly, They that were ſaued in the Arke, were ſaued by Noah, ſignifying reſt, ſo the Church is ſaued by Chriſt. Fourthly, Out of the Arke none were ſaued, ſo neither out of the Church. Fiftly, The waters being increaſed, the Arke was borne vp higher, ſo the Church grew greater by tribulations. But the Baptiſme that ſaueth is not any Baptiſme, for there is no ſuch thing in the Iewes baptizings, or in Iohns baptiſme, or in that of heretikes, in which there is onelyonly water, but not the ſpirit: but the baptiſme vſed in the true Church, wherein the Miniſter demandeth, whether he beleeueth and renounceth the deuill, &c. exacting a pure conſcience in him that commeth to be baptized, which good conſcience tendeth to God, and he that comming with ſuch a conſcience is baptized,Iuther in 1 Peter 3.1 Pet 3 is ſaued by the reſurrection of Ieſus Chriſt, that is, exemplariter, riſing from ſinne to vertue, as he roſe againe, Rom. 6. Chriſt is ſaid to be put to death in the fleſh, when the man Chriſt died vponupon the Croſſe, his naturall faculties ceaſing, he not liuing by meat, and drinke, and reſt any more, as is vſuall amongſt men that are liuing here. And p. 109he was quickned in the ſpirit, that is, was raiſed vp againe to a ſpirituall life, wherein he liueth for euer both in ſoule and body. And liuing this life now he preacheth not vocally, as hee did, but ſpiritually, when his Apoſtles and other Miniſters preach, being ſpiritually preſent with them vntounto the end of the world. The ſpirits, vntounto which he is ſaid to preach, are they that were ſometime diſobedient in the daies of Noah, not that they preciſely are meant, but ſuch as they were: for when hee preacheth in wardly to mens hearts and ſpirits now, hee may well be ſaid to preach to the ſpirits in priſon, becauſe ſome are ſuch as they, that now are in priſon, were, ſo that they are in the number of rebellious ſpirits, to whom it is daily preached. Here is therefore a Synecdoche, whereby the part is put for the whole. The eight perſons preſerued, are ſaid to be ſaued by the water, becauſe when all others periſhed in the water, they were borne in the Arke vponupon the waters, and eſcaped drowning. So likewiſe by Baptiſme, whatſoeuer is carnall & naturall is deſtroyed, and we are made ſpirituall, when we are hereby receiued into the Church, as into the Arke, depending vponupon Chriſt by faith. But it is nothing outward in baptiſme that ſaueth vsus, but the couenant whereupon a good conſcience doth comfortably reſt, being able to ſay, This thou haſt promiſed Lord vntounto me, and therefore wilt performe it. By the reſurrection of Chriſt, that is, it being by faith apprehended not onelyonly that Chriſt died for vsus, but that he roſe againe to make his death effectuall vntounto vsus.

Luther acknowledgeth this place to be ſo obſcure,Mayer as that he is not fully ſatisfied about the ſenſe of it, but preferreth this, as ſeeming to him the beſt that yet could be found out. Caietan ſaith, that Chriſt went and preached to the ſpirits in hell, and that not vnfruitfully. But this is worthily reiected by Luther, becauſe there is no comming out of that place.Gagneus And Gagneus a Papiſt alſo derideth it, asking who told him of any that were there conuerted: He alſo confeſſeth, that he cannot attaine to any ſatisfying reſolution of this place. Some, he ſaith, expound it of Chriſts comming once before his comming in the fleſh, euen in Noahs time to preach, whileſt the Arke was in building: but as they diſobeying, & not flying into the Arke, were p. 110drowned; ſo now that Chriſt hath come in the fleſh, if any obey not to fly to the Sacrament of Baptiſme, they cannot but periſh. The Greekes reade that foreign, the ſpirits in hell, which we read in priſon, holding, that he went to preach vntounto them, not to ſaue them, but to vpbraid them with their infidelity and ſinnes, notwithſtanding the long warning which they had by Noah. Beda.Beda is altogether for preaching to men in this world, and therefore readeth it either in priſon, that is, to ſuch as were ſhut vp in the body, as in a priſon, or in the fleſh, that is, ſuch as were greatly oppreſſed with fleſhly deſires. But to examine and determine in order the doubts or this place; firſt, what is meant by being put to death, or mortified in the fleſh, and quickened in the ſpirit? The old Latine tranſlation followed by Tho. Aquinas, and Gorra… readeth it, Mortificatos carne, &c. as I hauehave ſhewed already, and it is expounded by them accordingly of our being mortified and quickened. But the Latine tranſlation hath beene amended according to the Greeke, as Lorinus acknowledgeth, being by the fault of the Writer corrupted, according to Gagneus, and Auguſtine. Ierom and Cyprian, and Ruffin. follow this reading, He being quickened, &c. But it being agreed about this reading, yet there is a queſtion what is meant by Chriſts being quickened in the ſpirit.…. An anſwer to certaine obiections againſt Chriſts deſcent. Some contend, that his ſoule was preſerued aliue, when he was bodily dead, and that nothing elſe is meant. And one taketh great paines in alleaging other places of Scripture, where to quicken doth ſignifie to keepe aliue, as Luke 17.33. Luke 9.24. Marke 8.33. Iohn 12.25. Exod. 1.22. 1 Sam. 27.9, &c. And the Syrian Interpreter, who readeth theſe words here,Gecumen. Auguſt. Th…. Aquin. Euther. He died in body, but liued in ſpirit. Some would hauehave his diuine power meant, quickening others that were dead, who came out of their graues. Some vnderſtand his reuiuing againe to a ſpirituall life after his bodily death, the quickening ſpirit comming againe into his dead body. Some laſtly vnderſtand his diuinity wherein he liued,…d ras. …. and alwaies liueth, becauſe the Godhead is a ſpirit, expounding his being quickened in the ſpirit, of his being reſtored to life by the power of his diuinity. Beda citeth Athanaſius, taking the ſpirit here for the holy Ghoſt,Athaneſues. as if it were meant, p. 111that he was quickened in the faithfull, his members in the ſpirit comming into them. I ſubſcribe to that of Auguſtine and Luther, as ſeeming to me moſt genuine, he died the naturall death, but liued againe the ſpirituall life in ſoule and body. For although the word here vſed foreign, be often put for preſerued aliue, yet here it being oppoſed to foreign, it agreeth better to vnderſtand it of that which is oppoſite to being put to death, that is, being raiſed to life againe in the ſpirit, that is, by the power of the Deity, his very body is now become ſpirituall, as ours ſhall alſo be. And thus it agreeth excellently with that which went before, that we ſhould patiently ſuffer any wrongs, becauſe as the Lord Ieſus did not, ſo neither ſhall we loſe any thing, no not though we ſhould be put to death, for we ſhall but exchange, as Chriſt did, a naturall life for a ſpirituall and heauenly which is for euer.

2Secondly, What is meant by Chriſts going in the ſpirit to preach to the ſpirits in priſon, &c. To this it is anſwered diuerſly by diuers, ſome of which anſwers I hauehave ſhewed already. Firſt, It was a generall receiued opinion amongſt moſt, 1that Chriſt deſcended into hell, there in perſon to preach to ſuch ſpirits as were departed out of this world before his comming. Clemens Alexandrinus Strom. 6. Athanaſius Epiſt. ad Ep…ctet. Epiphan. Haereſ. 77. Cyrillus Alex. in Iohan. cap. 36. lib. 12. Hillar. in Pſal. 118. Ieronym. in cap. 54. Eſa. Ambroſ. in Rom. 10. Iuſtin. in tryphon. Irenaeus lib. 3. cap. 23. And the laſt of theſe two alleageth a place out of Eſay, the former of Ieremy, in theſe words, The holy Lord of Iſrael was mindfull of his dead which ſlept in the earth, and deſcended to preach ſaluation to them, that he might ſaue them. Which words are not now extant any where, but are thought by Irenaeus through the hatred of Chriſtianity to hauehave beene put out by the Iewes: yet they that agree in the generall of Chriſt his deſcent, doe greatly differ about the effect thereof. Some holding that hee ſaued all that were in hell before by his preaching, as Hilary, and Hermes in his booke entituled Paſtor; but the diſobedient in Noahs time are named onelyonly, becauſe they were the greateſt number that periſhed together. This is mentioned and reiected as an hereſie by Auguſtine, Auguſt. lib. de Hareſ. cap. 79.and that p. 112worthily, becauſe ſo contrary to the holy Scriptures, Eſa. 66.24. Matth. 18.8. Luke 16.26. Some aga…ne hold, that hee ſaued onelyonly thoſe that were worthy, who led a good life, and would hauehave beleeued, if he had before come amongſt them, but vpbraided the reſt by their diſobedience and infidelity, as Occum. Gregory Nazianzen, &c. or that there were ſome penitent amongſt them that were drowned by the floud, whom he had ſaued, as Lyra teacheth. And it is a thing generally held amongſt the Papiſts, that there were in Limbo patrum the ſoules of the faithfull, who died before Chriſts incarnation, who were by his deſcent deliuered. Some againe, and they be the Diuines of our ſide, which teach a deſcent of Chriſts ſoule, hold, that he went downe to vpbraid the incredulous in Noahs time, and ſuch like, with their infidelity, ſhewing them what he had ſuffered for the ſaluation of the faithfull, of the benefit whereof they were altogether depriued through their owne default, to their greater terrour. Touching the diſtinction which is made of Chriſts preaching, as if it had beene partly to ſuch as were appointed to life, when it is ſpoken onelyonly of the diſobedient in priſon; it is a plaine wreſting of the place: and therefore Lorinus himſelfe a Ieſuite calleth it in queſtion, how it can ſtand. Touching the penitency ſuppoſed to hauehave beene in ſome that were drowned, it is a meere coniecture without all ground, and if any ſuch were, they went not with the reſt doubtleſſe to this priſon, but to Abrahams boſome; or as the theefe vponupon the croſſe to Paradiſe. Touching the laſt, it ſeemes to be implied in an article of our Church, determined in a Synod**Synod. Angl. Quemadmodum Chriſtus pro nobis mortuus eſt & ſep…ltus, i…a …tiam cred…ndus eſt ad inferos deſe…nd…ſſe. Nam corpu… ſque ad reſurrect…o…m in ſepulchro iacu…, ſpiritus ab illo commiſſas cum ſpiritibus, qui in carcere vel inſer…o detinebantur, fuit, illiſque praedican…t, quemadmodum …ſtatur Petrilocus. aſſembled in King Edwards daies An. 1552. Artic. 3. Euen as Chriſt died for vsus, and was buried; ſo he is alſo to be beleeued to hauehave gone downe into hell, for his body lay in the graue to the time of his reſurrection, but his ſpirit, that went out of him, was with the ſpirits in hell, or in priſon, and preached vntounto them, as Peter teſtifieth.

Secondly, Some hold, that Chriſts preaching in a ſpirituall manner by Noah is meant; herein Thomas Aquinas followeth Auguſtine. 2Auguſt. epiſt. 99.In this alſo ioyne Beda, Hugo, Carthuſianus, Beza, &c.

3Thirdly,Luther. Some vnderſtand his preaching by the Apoſtles, p. 113to whom he ſent the holy Ghoſt,Heſſil…u…. and herein they went and preached to the Gentiles being in the priſon of the fleſh, who are deſcribed as bound in chaines, Pſal. 106. Eſa. 42.49. And to ſhew that of olde they were bound with the chaines of infidelity, he mentioneth the impriſoned in the daies of Noah, and they are called ſpirits, to intimate the immortality of the ſoule.

4Fourthly, Some vnderſtand by the priſon here Purgatorie.Franciſ. Turria.

5Fiftly, and laſtly, Some moſt abſurdly apply this preaching to the eight perſons in the Arke,A…ias Montan Caluanſtu. lib. 2. cap. 16. §. 9. as in a priſon for the time. And yet there is another interpretation of Caluin, by his going and preaching, vnderſtanding his making them to feele the power of his paſſion, who died long agoe, and yet remained in their ſoules, expecting the Lord Ieſus; and he ſaith, that it ſhould not be read in priſon, but in a watch-tower, in ſpecula, as the word foreign ſignifieth.

For my owne part I ſubſcribe to thoſe, that hold this to be the moſt obſcure place in all the Epiſtles; for no Expoſition that hath hitherto beene giuen doth ſo fully ſatisfie, but that ſome exceptions will lie there againſt. That of Arias Montanus falleth of it ſelfe, becauſe they in the Arke were obedient, whereas this preaching was to the diſobedient. 2. That of Purgatory is a meere fiction, there being no ſuch place in rerum natura. 3. That of Caluin, applying it in part to the ſoules of the faithfull ſeemeth to be improbable, becauſe theſe were the diſobedient, and it is not onelyonly ſaid, that hee preached, but went and preached, intimating a locall motion, and not onelyonly a vertuall penetration. 4. To expound it of his preaching by Noah, is to peruert the order of the Text, according to which this his going muſt be after his inclining againe, and why ſhould he call the men liuing at that time ſpirits, which is a word no where vſed to ſet forth liuing men by, but either Angels good or bad, or ſoules departed. 5. Much leſſe can the Gentiles bee vnderſtood by the ſpirits in priſon, amongſt whom the Apoſtles came, becauſe they were ſuch as liued in the daies of Noah, not men of like quality, but thoſe very men. 6. The Popiſh Limbus is but an imaginary place, and to hold p. 114that any being in hell were deliuered againe, ſeemeth to be contrary to the holy Scriptures, as hath beene already ſhewed. There remaineth then onelyonly that of his deſcending to triumph ouer the Deuils, and to vpbraid the damned ſpirits with their infidelity and impenitency, ſhewing how iuſtly they were for euer therefore ſhut vp in that place of torment; and becauſe they of the old world were the moſt noted for their great multitude that went downe thither together; hee mentioneth them, but in them vnderſtandeth all other then damned ſpirits alſo. And this is the moſt probable of all other expoſitions, and moſt conſonant with the reſt of the holy Scriptures. For this is one part of Chriſts preaching to conuince the impenitent, as iuſtly and certainly reprobate and damned, as appeareth, Mat. 11.21. Mat. 12.41, &c.

3What is meant, when Baptiſme is ſaid not to be an outward waſhing,Verſe 21. but the requeſt of a good conſcience vntounto God by the reſurrection of Ieſus Chriſt? What others hauehave ſaid hath beene already ſet downe.Piſcator. Scholia. Piſcator to this ſpeaketh moſt fully and excellently: Baptiſme ſtandeth not ſo much in the outward waſhing of the body, as in the remiſſion of ſinnes by the bloud of Chriſt, which is the waſhing of the ſoule and conſcience, which being by faith apprehended, the conſcience becommeth good; and ſo the faithfull in the confidence hereof boldly queſtioneth with God about his fauour reconciled vntounto him by Chriſts death, and teſtified by his reſurrection; ſaying, Hath not Chriſt reconciled thy fauour vntounto vsus by his death to endure for euer? Certainly it is ſo, for his reſurrection doth teſtifie it, ſeeing that vnleſſe he had made a perfect expiation of our ſins by his death, & reconciled thy fauour vntounto vsus, he could not hauehave riſen againe to life and heauenly glory. So that theſe words, by the reſurrection of Ieſus Chriſt, hauehave not reference to the word ſaueth, but to the requeſt of a good conſcience, for this ariſeth from Chriſt his reſurrection.Auguſt. contra Fauſtum, cap. 12. Beda. Gagneus. Anguſtine and Beda ſay the ſame with Thomas Aquinas, and Gagneus alſo, ſetting it forth more fully thus: The word foreign, ſignifieth a ſtipulation or promiſe conceiued in words, whereby he that is baptized couenanteth to beleeue and doe as hee is in baptiſme required,Act. 8.Acts 8 as the Eunuch anſwered Philip. And p. 115this beleeuing, and renouncing of ſinne and Satan, ſaueth, and not the waſhing with water, by the reſurrection of Ieſus Chriſt; that is, becauſe his Reſurrection is our iuſtification, who by riſing againe deſtroyed death and went vp into Heauen, that we might hauehave a place there. Here growth a great queſtion whether Baptiſme, which is outward, hath any effect to the ſauing of the ſoule, or whether all the vertue lieth not in Faith, and internall grace ſanctifying the ſoule and conſcience. But Chriſt hath cut off all this queſtion by ſaying, He that beleeueth, and is baptized, ſhall be ſaued; thus ioyning them together, ſo that it is vnlawfull for any to ſeuer them. Baptiſme is then perfect and ſalutiferous when the conſcience is baptized, there being an inward working of the Spirit to the purifying of the heart by Faith, as water is outwardly vſed.

4How is Baptiſme an antitype of the Arke? and how is it ſaid to hauehave ſaued thoſe eight perſons by the water? Thomas Aquinas hath already ſet downe fiue things wherein the Arke doth ſerue fitly to ſet forth Baptiſme.Auguſt. lib. de vnitate Eccl. ſ. cap. 5. Gagneus. Auguſtine hath an Allegory in the pitching within and without, holding that this ſetteth forth charity. Gagneus ſaith, that as the waters lifted vp the Arke, and ſo they within were ſaued, in like manner Baptiſme lifting vsus vp from the earth to Heauen, in an heauenly conuerſation, ſaueth vsus; and as the Arke, though it were toſſed with tempeſts, yet could not be drowned, ſo the Church is ſaued through many afflictions, neither can it bee ouerthrowne.

He that will, may gather other notes of ſimilitude alſo out of Pererius, and Pagnan. in Iſagoge ad Scripturas. Perer. lib. 10. in Gen. diſp. 11.Touching the ſauing of thoſe eight by the water, it is meant of their corporall deliuerance, for it is a queſtion whether all their ſoules were ſaued or no, it ſeemeth Chams was not. By the water is expounded, by ſome from the water, by others in the water, as per is vſually taken, as a Ship is ſaid to be ſafe going in the water, and this I take to be the beſt.

Of the Angels powers and vertues ſubiected vntounto Chriſt,Verſ. 22. enough hath beene ſpoken already, vponupon Epheſ. 1.21.

Note,Note. that he which ſuffereth vniuſtly doth not finally ſuffer; for Chriſt ſuffering thus, ſuffered in reſpect of the outward p. 116man, his enemies could not touch his ſpirituall eſtate, but that herein he liued ſtill, and was the more highly exalted, and ſo ſhall we his members be.

Note againe,Note. that Baptiſme which is outward, is not like the Arke, to ſaue all that come vntounto it, but eueryevery one that is of diſcretion muſt hauehave an inward worke wrought in him, that from a good and ſanctified heart he may aske mercy of God through Ieſus Chriſt, who is riſen againe and aſcended into Heauen, there preſenting the prayers of ſuch before his Father. Therefore he that beleeueth not, Mark. 16.16. 1 Ioh. 3.3. Verſ 9.Mark 16:161 John 3:3ſaith Chriſt, ſhall bee damned though he be baptized, and he that hath this hope purgeth himſelfe, and he that is borne of God ſinneth not.

CHAP. IIII.

THE Apoſtle hauing in the former Chapter propounded Chriſts example, proceedeth here to preſſe it vntounto them, that as he ſuffered in the fleſh, ſo they being his members, ſhould approue themſelues to ſuffer in the fleſh by the mortifying of their corruptions, and as hee was quickned in the Spirit, leading a new ſpirituall life, verſ. 1, 2. Firſt, proſecuting that of ſuffering by the conſideration of what they had formerly beene, and what ſome ſtill were, for which they ſhould giuegive account, verſ. 3, 4, 5. and how the dead, of whom hee ſpake before, were not ſaued, but by being iudged in the fleſh, verſ. 6. Secondly, hee that ſetteth forth that which might moue them to a new life, the end of all is at hand, verſ. 7. and wherein it conſiſteth, viz. in being wiſe, and ſober, and praying, and louing, and hoſpitable, &c. from verſ. 7. to verſ. 12. where he returneth to ſpeake of ſuffering againe, being properly vnderſtood by being perſecuted and railed vponupon as Chriſt was; touching which, firſt hee comforteth them with the glory and ioy after this to come, verſ. 13, 14. Secondly, he giueth a caueat againſt doing ill, whereby a man commeth to ſuffer, verſ. 15. Thirdly, whereas they p. 117might be troubled in thinking that the eſtate of the wicked was better, for ſo much as they were not ſo ſubiect to ſufferings, he ſheweth that the time of the Chriſtians ſuffering was now, but theirs ſhould be hereafter when it would bee much more terrible, verſ. 17, 18. Laſtly, that they might bee without all trouble of minde about their ſufferings, he directeth them to God, to whom they ought wholly to commit themſelues in ſuffering as to a faithfull Creator, verſ. 19.

1 PETER Chapter 4. Verſe 1, 2, 3, &c.

Chriſt therefore hauing ſuffered in the fleſh for vsus, put vponupon you the ſame minde alſo, for he that hath ſuffered in the fleſh hath ceaſed from ſinne, &c.

FRom Chriſts ſuffering death, as hee was man,Oecumen. in 1 Pet. 4.1 Pet 4 and led a naturall life here, hee argueth, that we ought to ſuffer that death, which is vntounto ſinne for him that we might liue vntounto righteouſneſſe; and if we be dead vntounto ſinne or to the world, there will be in vsus a ceſſation from ſinne.2 Tim. 2.2 Tim 2 To ſuffer in the fleſh therefore is to be dead vntounto ſinne, as Saint Paul elſewhere expreſſeth it, to bee dead with Chriſt.

Some of the ancient Fathers hauehave expounded this of the Goſpell preached to the dead, of the dead vntounto ſinne,Verſ. 6. holding that men are ſaid to bee dead two waies: firſt, in ſinne; ſecondly, vntounto ſinne and to the world, by being made conformable to Chriſt in his death; and theſe laſt, by receiuing the Goſpell are ſtirred vp to condemne themſelues for their former carnall liuing, which they doe when they leade a new life.

To ſuffer for Chriſt here,Tho. Aquin. Gorran. Iſidor. is either to ſubdue carnall concupiſcence by taming the fleſh, or elſe by expoſing the body to martyrdome for righteouſneſſe. It is, according to Iſidor, to ſuffer in the whole man, as Chriſt ſuffered in the whole man, both exteriour and interiour; the inner is the ſoule, wherein p. 118we ſuffer by contrition; the outward is the body, wherein we ſuffer by macerating it, and by ſuffering both theſe waies, wee ceaſe from all ſinnes both carnall and ſpirituall.

For this cauſe it was preached to the dead; Verſe 6.that is, either yee ought not for this cauſe to regard the blaſphemies of the wicked, or elſe for the auoiding of the danger of the Day of Iudgement, it was preached to ſuch as are ſpiritually dead, that iudging themſelues for ſuch things as they hauehave carnally done, they might eſcape Gods iudgement and liue, as 1 Cor. 11.31.

To take the ſix former verſes of this Chapter together,Mayer. wherein an exhortation is ſet forth from Chriſts death conſidered, as I hauehave ſhewed in the Analyſis; Here are three doubts, 1. What is meant by our ſuffering in the fleſh,Verſe 1. whereupon followeth a ceſſation from ſinne. I anſwer with Oecumenius, that the ſuffering of death in the body cannot bee meant, though he who is ſet for example ſuffered death when he ſuffered in the fleſh: for verſ. 2. hee ſpeaketh of the reſidue of his time in the fleſh being ſpent, according to the will of God. Wherefore to ſuffer in the fleſh here is to be mortified to ſinne,Luther. in 1 Pet. 4.1 Pet 4 which to follow, it is a life vntounto vsus naturally. For as Luther ſaith, there were two ends of CHRIST his ſuffering, as he was man, which is meant by his ſuffering in the fleſh; firſt, to ſatisfie for our ſinnes; ſecondly, to giuegive vsus example, both of ſuffering perſecution, and of ſuffering by being mortified vntounto ſinne, as vntounto luſt, or hatred and enuy: for if theſe inordinacies be ſubdued in vsus, then we ceaſe from ſeeking how to ſatisfie our carnall luſts, and from attempting reuenge in word or deed. It is true, we are iuſtified by Faith when we firſt beleeue, and then the Spirit of Sanctification entreth into vsus, but we muſt be more holy and righteous daily, as he that had his wounds bound vp by the Samaritan was ſtaied from bleeding and being indangered any further thereby, but yet they were not altogether healed till after ſome time.Rom. 6.6, 7.Rom 6:6Rom 6:7 Saint Paul hath a place to the ſame effect with this; Our old man is crucified together with him, that the body of ſinne may be deſtroyed, that we may not ſerue ſinne any longer. To meditate vponupon Chriſts Paſſion is a moſt effectuall meanes to make p. 119vsus to be thus mortified to ſinne, and willingly to beare our aduerſities. Some vnderſtand theſe words,Ieron. contr. Jouin. Auguſt. de fide & op…re…. 10. &c. 1 Cor. 5.2….1 Cor 5:2 He which hath ſuffered in the fleſh hath ceaſed from ſin, either of Chriſt or of the Chriſtian; he hath ceaſed from ſinne both becauſe he neuer did any, and as he is ſaid to hauehave beene made ſinne, that is, a ſacrifice for ſinne, for he is now no ſacrifice any more: but all preferre the other, as it is indeed the moſt genuine, the mortified Chriſtian ceaſeth from ſinne, ſo that it doth no more rule and reigne in him.

2What are the ſeuerall vices here mentioned, Laſciuiouſneſſe, Verſ. …Luſts, exceſſe of Wine, Reuellings, Banquetings, &c. wherein hee ſaith, they liued before.Lyra Lyranus by Laſciuiouſneſſe vnderſtandeth all externall acts in the matter of venery, and by Luſts the internall deſires of a luſtfull minde, and indeed by Laſciuiouſneſſe is meant not onelyonly adultery, but that wantonneſſe which is ingeſture and apparell and words. The luſts here ſpoken of are defined by the Pontificians to be onelyonly luſt with conſent, denying luſt ſimply to be ſinne; but of this enough before, Rom. 7. foreign, expounded the exceſſe of Wine, ſignifieth properly thoſe boilings vp, which breake into puſtules and red tumours. The next word is foreign, eatings after the meale ended. Some ſay, it is ſo called becauſe of the dead ſleepe following after, called foreign. Some, becauſe of the pipe which is commonly preſent at ſuch feaſtings. Some, from ſtreets and rowes of houſes together, which are called foreign, where they inuite one another. The next word is foreign, drinkings, becauſe as Lyra noteth, there bee other waies and meanes to drunkenneſſe beſides by Wine.

3Who are meant by the dead, to whom it is ſaid, For this cauſe it was preached to the dead, Verſ. 6.that they might be iudged according to men in the fleſh, and liue according to God in the Spirit. That of Thomas Aquinas and Occumenius, which is followed alſo by Luther, that by the dead are meant the dead in ſinne, cannot ſtand, becauſe the Particle foreign were then redundant; it being hereby intimated, that the Goſpell was preached to others beſides the now liuing, and by the quicke and the dead, verſ. 5. are no ſuch dead meant, according to which it is fit that this ſhould be expounded.Beza. Beza therefore holdeth p. 120it moſt eaſie to giuegive the ſenſe of theſe words, that as the Goſpell was preached to the liuing, ſo it had beene preached to them that died long agoe, and ſo is no new doctrine. The ſpirits of the dead cannot be meant, becauſe of the diſtinction following, according to man and according to God, that is the naturall and the ſpirituall man. And to this doe I ſubſcribe: and ſo of the words following this is the meaning; As now they to whom the Goſpell is preached, are required to die vntounto ſin and to liue vntounto righteouſneſſe, ſo were they like wiſe required then, to be iudged according to man, that is, to be mortified as they were naturall men, for hee that is iudged or condemned, is iudged to die, and to liue according to God, that is,Piſcator. to be renued vntounto holineſſe. Piſcator expoundeth it of thoſe in Noahs time before ſpoken of, Chap. 3. of whom hee ſaith, ſome when they ſaw the iudgement of God comming vponupon them, repented and were ſaued, and ſo they were iudged according to man, that is, periſhed in their corporall life, but were receiued to euerlaſting life.Aug…piſt 99. Auguſtine vnderſtandeth by the dead, the dead in ſinne and infidelity, as Thomas Aquinas doth, ſaying, that vponupon their conuerſion they are iudged according to men in the fleſh, becauſe they are perſecuted and ſpoken againſt, but they are euen hereby furthered in their ſpirituall life, and this is followed without much difference by Beda, Vatablus, Arias Montanus, and Huge. Bellarmine, Valentia and Suarez hold, that by the dead, are meant the ſpirits in priſon before ſpoken of, as Oecumenius doth: and Lorinus ſaith, that it is a moſt plaine place to confirme Chriſts locall deſcent into hell, but I cannot ſee how it may bee thus taken, vnleſſe it be yeelded, that they in hell were conuerted and ſaued by his preaching there, becauſe he ſaith, that they might be iudged according to men in the fleſh, but liue according to God in the Spirit: which cannot be expounded of any thing elſe but of the conuerſion of a ſinner. But that any are conuerted and ſaued out of Hell, abhorreth from all ſound Diuinitie.

Note,Note. that there is a conformity betwixt Chriſtians and their patterne,Verſ. 1. Chriſt: as he ſuffered in the fleſh, ſo ceaſing to be any more in this world after the manner of men; ſo true p. 121Chriſtians ſuffer by mortification vntounto ſinne, which ſpringeth from the fleſh, but that being once mortified, there is in them a ceſſation from all their former wickedneſſe. Howſoeuer they may ſtill fall out of infirmity, yet the courſe of their life is not intemperate and riotous as it was before, they trade not in ſinne. They therefore that liue a wicked life ſtill, though they are called Chriſtians, yet they hauehave no communion with Chriſt, becauſe they ſuffer not with him.

Note againe, that ſuch as are conformable to Chriſt by being dead vntounto ſinne, ſhall hauehave enemies euen for this,Note. and ſhall be railed vponupon by thoſe that ſtill remaine in the fleſh; but ſuch enemies of theirs and railers need none other ſigne of reprobation, as ſhall appeare when the Day of iudgement commeth.

Note laſtly,Note. that the onelyonly meanes to eſcape iudgement at the laſt day, is by the preaching of the Goſpell, to be brought to that, that we are iudged according to the fleſh, and quickened according to the Spirit; that is, truly conuerted and brought to liue an holy and righteous life: others in whom there is no ſuch effect, can looke for nothing but a moſt terrible ſentence to be denounced againſt them, when Chriſt ſhall come to iudge the quicke and the dead.

CHAP. 4. VER. 12.

My brethren, eſtrange not your ſelues from the fiery triall which is amongst you to proue you, as if ſome ſtrange thing had happened vntounto you.

The vulgar Latine readeth it, Nolite peregrinari in feruore. Doe not play the ſtrangers by reaſon of the feruent heat. Our Engliſh tranſlation, Thinke not ſtrange of the fiery triall: in Greeke it is, foreign.

There is little difficulty in any thing,Mayer. Verſ. 7. before wee come at theſe words, verſ. 7. The end of all is at hand, is commonly expounded of the end of this world, from whence it is vſuall with the holy Apoſtles to raiſe a motiue to watchfulneſſe. Only Oecumenius expoundeth it of Chriſt, The end of all is come; Oecumen.that is, Chriſt, the end of all the Prophets, & therefore after his example we ought to aſpire after perfection. But the firſt is p. 122moſt genuine.Verſ 8. Ʋerſ. 8. LoueLove couereth a multitude of ſinnes, this he alſo expoundeth of the ſinnes of him that loueth, God being made hereby propitious and mercifull to him, ſo that none of his ſinnes are laid to his charge, and herein he is followed by Gorran and other popiſh Writers, that would hauehave louelove the cauſe of our iuſtification. But it is plaine from the place from whence theſe words are taken, that it is meant of his ſinnes,… 10.12. to whom louelove is ſhewed; Hatred ſtirreth vp ſtrife, but louelove couereth all ſinnes: Chryſ. Hom. 4. All. ap…ſt.and therefore Chryſoſtome expoundeth it thus, as hatred will finde matter againſt a man when there is none, ſo louelove paſſeth ouer and winketh at, and will not ſee many faults, in whom they are, though againſt our ſelues, and excuſeth,Hern. Epiſt. 7. …emie…tiae au…. …a quae non … ſ…cantar. as much as may be, the ſinnes of others. So alſo Bernard, LoueLove couereth many ſinnes, but enmity ſuſpecteth euen thoſe that are not.

Touching the preſent, verſ. 12. all Expoſitors generally agree, that the fire here ſpoken of ſetteth forth aduerſity and trouble in this world, which commeth vponupon the Chriſtian for his profeſſions ſake. And the Syriacke Interpreter doth not mention any fire at all, but, thinke not ſtrange of the tentatiers that are amongst you. And it is no new phraſe to expreſſe afflictions by fire.Eſa. 48. Pſal. 16. Pſal 65. 1 Pet. 1.Isa 48Ps 16Ps 651 Pet 1 Eſay ſpeaketh of the furnace of pouerty. Dauid ſaith, That the Lord tried him with fire, and we hauehave paſſed thorow fire and water; and Peter ſpeaketh to the ſame effect before, that your faith might be found more precious than gold which is tried in the fire. But for the reading of the words there is ſome difference,Tertulan Scorp. c. 12. No expaueſeata vſitonem Fulg. ad Fraſim. c. 30. Cypri. Epiſt. 56. whereof ſomewhat hath beene ſaid already. Tertullian readeth it, Be not afraid of the burning. And Fulgentius not much differing, Nolite expaueſcere in feruorem, Cyprian readeth it, Do not wonder at the burning which happeneth vntounto you: and Ierom not much differing, Wonder not in the burning.Hieren. in cap. 4. Amoſ. And as there be diuerſities of readings, ſo there is in rendring the ſenſe. But the moſt generally receiued is, Wonder not, or thinke not ſtrange of the fire of tribulation, as though it were a thing not compatible with the ſtate of a Chriſtian: for it is rather a ſtrange thing that a Chriſtian ſhould be without tribulation, & argueth a baſtard,Lyto. Hugo. Heb. 12.9. Some expound it of eſtranging themſelues from the faith and p. 123louelove of Chriſt, for the fire of tribulation.Turrian. One expoundeth it of the fire of luſt, wherewith if a Chriſtian be burned, he ought not to thinke ſtrange of it. It ſeemeth to me, that eſtranging of a mans ſelfe from perſecution for the Chriſtian profeſſion, is meant, being taken with ſo much feare thereof, as that he will rather forſake Chriſt than endure it. And aptly fire is named, becauſe ſo many of Gods ſeruants hauehave beene committed to the fire and burnt for Religion.

Touching the reſidue of the Chapter, there is ſome difficulty in verſ. 14.Verſe 14. Becauſe the Spirit of glory and of God reſteth vponupon you, word for word, as Beza readeth it, That of glory and that Spirit of God reſteth vponupon you. Quod ſ…norit, gloria, & virtutis Der, & qui eſt c…us … ſuper …, re…ſcit. Cyprian. Epiſt. 5…The Latine tranſlation hath it, That which is of glory, and honour, and vertue of God, and which is his Spirit reſteth vponupon you. Some againe reade it, The glory and Spirit of God. Cyprian hath another reading, The name of the Maieſty and vertue of the Lord reſteth vponupon you. The Syriacke, The glorious Spirit of God reſteth vponupon you. Of all theſe, that doubtleſſe is to bee preferred which is firſt, as being moſt agreeable to the Greeke. The meaning is, that if any man ſuffereth for Chriſt, not being terrified or ſhrinking through feare, it is by Gods Spirit in him, that he is made thus couragious and confident, which is the Spirit of glory, ſo called in reſpect of the glory that is in thus ſuffering; as it is a baſe and ignoble thing to be timorous and daunted at ſufferings for the Lord, and the end ſhall be glory in Heauen to thoſe that ſuffer: againe, it is called the Spirit of God, that is, of the louelove of God, there being no ſuch great louelove to be ſhewed vntounto the Lord as by ſuffering for him. There be not two ſpirits then here ſpoken of, but one and the ſame diuerſly called to ſet forth the excellency thereof the more.

In ſetting downe in what caſe there is no comfort in ſuffering he nameth,Verſ. 1…. as a buſie body in other mens matters, foreign, an ouerſeer of other mens matters, ſo as to be ready rigidly to cenſure and reproue them hauing no calling ſo to doe: for hereby ofttimes convention ariſeth, and he that is thus ouer-buſie and medling, ſmarteth for his labour.

Becauſe the time is that iudgement ſhould begin at Gods houſe. Verſ 1….Here may ſeeme to be ſome difficulty, what is meant by p. 124Gods houſe and by the iudgement ſpoken of, and in that it is further added,Oecumen. Baſil. mag. if the righteous ſcarely be ſaued, &c. But Oecumenius alone may reſolue theſe things for all: By Gods houſe are meant the faithfull, who are the familiars, as it were, of God; by iudgement is not to be vnderſtood condemnation, but an examining and trying by troubles in this world. Now it is vſuall amongſt men to bee moſt offended with a mans neereſt and deareſt friend when he ſinneth againſt him, and ſo God beginneth firſt to ſhew his anger againſt the faithfull during this life, which is the ſeaſon for it, as the word foreign ſignifieth. In many places it is ſpoken almoſt to the ſame effect, as Amos 3.2. Eſay 29.1. Ezech. 9.6. Ierem. 25.29. Pro. 11.31. and there be many examples of thoſe, that being neere vntounto the Lord, hauehave had iudgement vntounto the death, and that for none of the greateſt offences, as Vzzah, Ioſiah, the Prophet that came to Ieroboam, and the men of Bethſhemeſh, and the ſubiects of Dauid, and ſome amongſt the Corinthians, who are ſaid for their diſorderly comming to the Communion to hauehave fallen aſleepe.1 Cor. 11.1 Cor 11 But that they were not deſtroyed in ſoule alſo appeareth, becauſe he addeth, ye are iudged here, that ye may not periſh with the world. If God be ſo ſeuere againſt his owne, offending, much more will he be terrible to the wicked his enemies.

Hieron. contr. Pelag. Iuſius eſt quis meo, quod ſlo… et multis virtutibus; vix ſaluatur in …, quod in quibuſdam Dei miſericordia indiget: ſaluaretur axtem facile, ſi …hil in ſe haberet maculae.Touching the righteous being ſcarcely ſaued, Ierome ſaith well, That none is perfectly righteous; but the faithfull that are ſo called are ſcarcely ſaued, becauſe there be ſome faults in them ſtill; they are ſaid to be righteous, becauſe they flouriſh with many vertues, but ſhall ſcarcely be ſaued, becauſe in many things they need Gods mercy. And Oecumenius ſaith, that the righteous are ſaued with much difficulty, in regard of the violence wherewith the Kingdome of Heauen muſt be taken, and the ſufferings to which they are expoſed for Religions ſake, which are ſufficient, if God did not ſtrengthen them greatly with his grace, to beat them from their Chriſtian profeſſion to their euerlaſting deſtruction. In a word, the meaning is, if the moſt holy and beſt muſt paſſe thorow ſuch ſharpe temporall iudgements before that they can be deliuered from eternall deſtruction, the wicked and negligent p. 125doubtleſſe ſhall rue it when the great Day of reckoning commeth.

Note,Note. that it ought to bee our daily meditation that this world and this life is fraile and tranſitory, that we may intend vertue the more earneſtly, that will auaile vsus when this life ſhall be ended.

Note againe,Note. that we ought to hauehave a care of preſeruing one another from ſinne, which is by a louing and milde carriage of our ſelues towards others, for thus many offences are preuented in our brethren, and ſo couered, and therefore wee muſt not ſee all that we ſee in others, but in louelove winke at many things, ſo farre forth as not to be prouoked hereby, not to forbeare to reproue them, for this is alwaies neceſſary, Leu. 19.17.

Note moreouer,Note. that there is a fire thorow which the faithfull muſt goe, but it is in this world by perſecution and aduerſities, not in purgatory, which is imagined to be afterwards. And ſeeing the fire of afflictions is no ſtrange matter, but ordinary to the godly, we ought not to be affected with feare and terrour, as at ſome ſtrange and vnwonted accident, but rather with ioy, which argueth an excellent Spirit, euen that of God to be in vsus.

Laſtly note,Note. that the puniſhments which hauehave beene and are inflicted vponupon the faithfull, doe certainly argue the generall iudgement and condemnation of the wicked at the laſt Day: for it agreeth not with reaſon that holy men ſhould be ſo ſeuerely dealt withall for ſinning once, and that in leſſer matters; and that vngodly prophane wretches, who make a trade of ſinne, ſhould paſſe on for euer without iudgement. There ſhall be a iudgement therefore doubtleſſe, when all euill doers ſhall be paid home to the full for all their wickedneſſes. Neither is it ſo eaſie to be ſaued from condemnation then, that all may hope well, for euen the beſt are in much hazzard, and doe with great difficulty and ſtriuing obtaine euerlaſting life in the end. Let all wicked and careleſſe perſons thinke vponupon this and tremble.

p. 126CHAP. V.

THe Apoſtle hauing finiſhed his diſcourſe about afflictions, now commeth to exhort both the elders and younger to the moſt neceſſary duties of their ſeuerall conditions. The elders he exhorteth to feed Chriſts Flocke, verſ. 1. the younger to be obedient vntounto them, verſ. 5. and all of them to be humble and to flie pride, verſ. 6, &c. and then concludeth the Epiſtle with praiſing of God and ſalutations. There is nothing in this Chapter almoſt that requireth expoſition, but it hath beene already ſet forth. Touching Elders, ſee Text 11. Iam. 5. and whereas Peter calleth himſelfe an Elder together with them, note, that he was not their Prince and Lord ouer them, as the Pope of Rome, pretending to be his ſucceſſor, taketh vponupon him to be; and therefore this Biſhop anciently was ſtiled by Ireneus, but Preſbyter, an Elder. Touching the lording it ouer Gods heritage, verſ. 3. I hauehave alſo declared what kinde of dominion is to be auoided by all Gods people that be in authority, Text 106. in Mat. 20. the word tranſlated heritage, is foreign, from whence commeth the word Clergy, appropriated by a long cuſtome of ſpeech to eccleſiaſt call perſons only, but the Lords Lot, all the faithfull are indeed meant hereby, amongſt whom, becauſe Eccleſiaſticall perſons are the principall, this name hath beene chiefly giuen to them, and the name of Laity to others for diſtinctions ſake. Touching the ſubmitting one to another, ſee chap. 2.13, 17. where a like ſpeech is vſed. It is meant here by humility and lowlineſſe of minde, wherein eueryevery one is to be ſubiect to another by thinking meanly of himſelfe, as the word humility immediatly following doth declare. And the reſt of v. 5. and v. 6, 7, 8, 9. is almoſt the ſame word for word with Iam. 4.6, 7. Only whereas he biddeth the younger to be ſubiect to the elders,Verſ. 5. verſ. 5. there is ſome queſtion, whether by the younger, inferiour perſons are to bee vnderſtood, or the younger in yeeres:Beda. Hugo. Carthuſ. ſome ſeeme to hold, that inferiour perſons are meant, as Beda, Hugo, Carthuſianus, and Titlemannu…, p. 127and Caietan plainly affirmeth it. Others by younger, vnderſtand the younger in yeeres, as Luther, and Beza. Luther. Beza.I preferre the firſt, becauſe the word Elders, to which the younger are here oppoſed, ſetteth forth ſuch as are ſuperiour in order, and therefore it agreeth beſt to vnderſtand it of thoſe that be of an inferiour ranke, amongſt whom all younger perſons are included, as Saint Paul ſheweth, Gal. 4.1. and ſo the word foreign is vſed, Luk. 22.26.

1 PETER Chapter 5. Verſe 13.

The Church that is at Babylon ſaluteth you. Verſ. 14. Greet yee one another with a kiſſe of charity.

BY Babylon here, all the Ancients generally,Mayer, Luther, Faber. and Luther and Faber vnderſtand Rome, ſo called becauſe of the idolatrous confuſion that was then there, and cruelty that was vſed againſt the faithfull in that City; and this allegoricall Expoſition follow all popiſh Writers, of whom Lorinus hath made a Catalogue to the number of 26. But Beza, and Piſcator, Beza. Piſcator.and other newer Writers, vnderſtand Babylon in Chaldea, where Peter was when he wrote this Epiſtle, holding, that it cannot be proued that he was euer at Rome, and if he had meant the Church at Rome, he had no reaſon to conceale the name; and Luther ſaith, that he knoweth not, whether by Babylon here Rome be meant or no. It ſeemeth the more probable, that Rome is not meant, but Babylon properly vnderſtood, becauſe Peter was the Apoſtle of the circumciſion, and therefore according to his Office, might well be in thoſe parts where many Iewes were. But becauſe it hath beene the common receiued opinion of the Church thorow ſo many ages, I ſubſcribe rather to the allegoricall expoſition, that Rome is meant here. For Peter was ſent to preach vntounto the Gentiles alſo, Act. 10. and ſo might well be at Rome, though there bee no certaine proofe hereof in ſacred Story, but rather a probability that hee p. 128was not there. What if the Lord would guide this bleſſed Apoſtle, who was the firſt and chiefe in ſetting forth diuine Myſteries, to name Rome Babylon, to giuegive the more light to that which ſhould afterwards be propheſied of Rome vnderunder this name in the Reuelation? The Roman Catholikes contend the rather for this expoſition of the name, that it may appeare that Peter was at Rome: But be it ſo, yet by their owne choice Rome is called Babylon in the phraſe of Gods Spirit, and then Babylon is Rome, which is ſo infamous in the Reuelation, and that not heathen Rome, as they pretend, thinking thus to ſalue all againe; but popiſh Rome, as I hauehave ſhewed more at large there. His ſonne Marcus, who is ſaid to hauehave ſaluted them, was Marke the Euangeliſt, called his ſonne, becauſe he begat him by the Goſpell, as Paul calleth Timotheus his ſonne. Piſcator ſpeaketh of him as his naturall ſonne; but Oecumenius confuteth that opinion, as hauing too weake a ground, viz. Act. 12. where it is ſaid, that Peter came to the houſe of Mary, the mother of Iohn, whoſe ſurname was Marke, that is, ſay ſome, to his owne houſe, where his wife and children were. But if this had beene meant, there could hauehave beene no reaſon to ſpeake by a periphraſis, but directly and plainly.

Touching the ſaluting of one another with a kiſſe of charity, enough hath beene ſpoken, 1 Cor. 16.20. Touching the Meſſenger that carried this Epiſtle, Siluanus, it is thought by many that he was the ſame who is called Silas, Act. 15.22. and whoſe name is prefixed with the name of Timotheus before ſome of Pauls Epiſtles.