A Catholicon, Part 1 · Subpart 3
The third lecture.
Vers. 4. Certaine men are crept in, &c.] 1. Doctrine. Teaching in corners to be suspected.Here beginneth the third part of this epistle, which containeth a description of the wicked hypocrites, that troubled and molested the Church, both as touching their sinne, and iust punishment. This description is either generall, as in this verse; or in particular, from hence to the 17. v.
This verse containeth three things, their hypocrisie, in that they are said to creepe in, to insinuate themselues vnderunder a pretense and shew of holines: 2. the certentie of their punishment, beeing of old ordained, &c. 3. their impietie both in their life, turning the grace of God into wantonnes: and as touching the faith, they denie the Lord Iesus Christ.
Creept in] Doctrine. It is the fashion of hypocrites closely and secretly to insinuate themselues, to corrupt the faith.
Testim. 2. Tim. 4. 6. Of this sort are they, which creepe into houses, &c.
Exempl. Math. 23. 14. Such were the Pharisies, which deuoured widowes houses vnderunder colour of long prayer: such corner creepers were Iaazaniah and his companie, that through a secret way in the wall committed idolatrie. Ezech. 8. 8. 11.
Exornat. These are likened vntounto frogs, Apocal. 16. 13. that doe craule secretly, and creepe into houses: and like the spider, that maketh her webbe euen in kings palaces. Prou. 30. 28.
The reason of their working is alleadged, Ioh. 3. 20. Because they hate the light, neither will come to the light, least their deeds should be reprooued.
Applicat. First against the Papists, and their Iesuits and Seminarie priests, that Error 9.lurke in corners, and secretly corrupt the faith of many: by this doe we know that they are deceitfull mockers.
Obiect. Protestants also in time of persecution did teach priuily and in secret places. Ans. The reason is not alike to preach faith secretly, when it is openly impugned, and to perswade errour priuily, where the faith is publikely preached: againe that faith which Protestants taught priuately, they defended publikely, in dying for the same; but Papists die not for religion: further, Protestants in their priuate teaching, though they perswaded faith, yet they seduced not the hearts of the subiect from the obedience of their prince, nor sought to bring in a forraine power, as the Papists doe.
2. For our instruction we are taught, to suspect all actions that are done in corners: Eph. 5. 12. as drunkennes, adulterie, theft, are workes of darknes, and to be auoided.
Of old. ordained] Doctrine. That God 2. Doctrin. Decree of Election not changed.from the beginning in his euerlasting decree hath appointed wicked and vngodly men to euerlasting damnation, as he hath elected some in his merciemercy to be heires of saluation.
Testim. Prouer. 16. 4. The wicked are made for the euill day. Revel. 17. 8. Whose names were not written in the booke of life from the beginning.
Exampl. So Pharao was appointed of God to destruction, Exod. 9. 16. Iudas also is called the child of perdition, Ioh. 17. 12. who was thereunto appointed of God.
Exornat. Like as in an house there are vessels of honour and vessels of dishonour, 2. Timoth. 2. 20. as psal. 60. 7. Iudah is the lawgiuer, Moab a washpot: as in the administration of ciuill affaires some are appointed to honour, some liue in dishonour: Pharaoh his butler was exalted, his baker was hanged, Gen. 40. so some are elected of God, some ordained to danation.
Confirmat. 1. The moouing cause is Gods gratious purpose, why some are elected, some not elected. 2. The ende is to Gods glorie. Eph. 2. 5, 6. both the efficient and finall cause are expressed.
Applicat. First this doctrine is profitable to improoue the doctrine of the Papists Error 10.and Lutherans: one Pighius affirmeth, that God decreed nothing aforehand before it beganne to be done, contrarie to the Apostle here, who saith, they were of old ordained. The Lutherans affirme, that the decree of election may be changed, and that one of the vessels of honour may be made a vessell of dishonour, contrarie to the Apostle, who calleth the decree of God, a sure foundation, 2. Tim. 2. 19. but if it might be changed, it is not sure.
2. This doctrine is profitable to instruction, that seeing none but the vngodly are condemned, they should endeauour to lead a godly life, so shall they be sure to escape the decree of reprobation: as Saint Paul saith, concerning the ciuill magistrate, Wilt thou be without feare of the power? doe well, Rom. 13. 3. so wilt thou be without feare of reprobation? lead a godly and vpright life, and feare to doe euill.
Turne the grace of God into wantonnesse] Doctrin. 3. Papists turne the grace of God into wantonnesse.Doctrine, That we should not abuse the lawe of libertie, and of the grace of God vntounto licentiousnesse.
Testim. Against such Saint Paul writeth, Rom. 3. 8. that did euill, that good might come thereof: that is, would commit sinne, more freely, that Gods mercy might more abound in remission of their sinnes. Saint Peter also would not hauehave vsus to make the lawe of libertie a cloake of maliciousnesse, 1. Pet. 2. 16.
Examp. Such were the Nicolaitanes, that beeing called to the knowledge of the Gospell, did teach licentious doctrine, as that it was lawfull for women to be common: these the Church of Ephesus were troubled with, Apoc. 2. 6. Simon Magus made baptisme a cloake of his couetousnes, and Diotrephes of his ambition, Ioh. epist. 3.
Exornat. As a lewde woman maketh marriage a cloake of her vitious and wanton life, Prouerb. 7. 19. So doe these take libertie by their profession, to liue vngodly. And as the Israelites abused Manna, and the quailes vntounto wantonnesse and excesse.
The reason, why we ought not to turne the grace of God into wantonnesse, is takē from the ende of our calling, Luk. 1. 74. that we beeing deliuered from our enemies should serue him without feare. As God deliuered the Israelites out of Egypt to serue him in the wildernesse.
Applicat. 1. Against the Papists, who vnderunder colour of religion, doe challenge exemption from the ciuill magistrate, and Error. 11.so, doe make their libertie a cloake as S. Peter saith: the like doe the Anabaptists, that doe vrge the libertie of the Gospell, to bring in an anarchie, and a popular cō munitie: likewise the Pope by his pardons and indulgences giueth men licence to sinne, as the Pharises by their Corban gaue children licence to be disobedient to their parents, Mark. 7. 11. 2. This dodoctrine is profitable to instruct; that men abuse not their holy profession vntounto wantonnesse: the grace of God teacheth vsus to denie vngodly lusts, not to liue in them, Tit. 2. 12. But thou, whosoeuer thou art, that art called to the faith of Christ, if thou be a blasphemer, a drunken person, enuious, an extortioner, thou art of them that turne the grace of God into wantonnesse, makest thy bellie thy God, the end of such is damnation, Phil. 3. 19.
And denie God the onelyonly Lord, and our Lord Iesus Christ] These words thus translated seeme to speake of two persons, of God the father and God the sonne: but indeede the whole sentence is to be vnderstood of Christ, who is called God, and foreign, master, and foreign, Lord: so that Lord here in the first place should be translated master: for Christ is God, in respect of his Godhead with his father: he is our master, because he hath bought vsus, 2. Pet. 2. 1. he is our Lord, because by him all things are preserued, 1. Cor. 8. 6. Hebr. 1. 3. so that he is God as our creatour, Lord as our preseruer, master as our Redeemer.
Doctrin. That there are two sorts of deniers Doctr. 4. Papists, how deniers of Christ.of Christ, either such as in opinion detract from Christ, and publish heresies, as the Arrians denied his Godhead, the Anabaptists his humanitie: or such as denie him in their life and conuersation.
Testim. For the first, 2. Pet. 2. 1. 1. Iohn, 4. 3. For the second, 2. Tim. 3. 5. They hauehave a shewe of godlinesse, denying the power, &c.
Exampl. Of the first deniers Hymeneus and Philetus, 2. Tim. 2. 18. which denied the resurrection of the body, and so consequently denied Christs resurrection. Of the second, such were the Iewes which gloried in the lawe, and yet in breaking the lawe dishonoured God, Rom. 2. 23.
Exornat. They which denie Christ are as those that should hauehave refused to strike the posts of their doores with the blood of the Paschall Lambe, or that did eate vnleauened bread; they should be cut off: Exod. 12. 13. 19. The striking of the blood is the profession of faith, the vnleauened bread is innocencie of life.
Confirmat. Iohn, 13. 35. Christ giueth charitie as his cognisance, whereby his Disciples are knowne: they then that liue not thereafter, denie their master, and pull off his cogniscance.
Applicat. 1. Against Papists, that denie the offices of Christ: his propheticall, …ror. 1….in making their traditions equall to scripture: regall, in setting vp another head, to make lawes to bind the conscience, namely the Pope: priestly office, in making other Mediators beside, and other satisfactorie sacrifice, as of the masse, beside his death.
Secondly, all carnall gospellers are reprooued, who are nowe conuinced to denie Christ, because by the power of his death, they die not vntounto sinne, Rom. 6. 6.