Review of the Paraphrase of the New Testament, Ephesians
On the EPISTLE to the EPHESIANS.
Chap. I. ver. 8.
[*Which he hath made to abound, or abundantly powred out, foreign. Wherein he hath abounded.]
Ibid. ver. 10.
[*For the diſpenſation or adminiſtration. That in the diſpenſation of the fulneſs of times.]
To be peformed in theſe laſt and worſt times, when the ſinnes of men being advanced to ſuch an height, it might rather have been expected, that God ſhould proceed to execute vengeance on them.
Chap. II. ver. 7.
[The ages to come.]
All ages that ſhall follow this of the Apoſtles.
Ibid. ver. 15.
[Having aboliſhed—the enmity.]
Having brought the beleeving Chriſtian Gentiles to that condition, that the Chriſtian Jewes ought not to look upon them as enemies, and perſecute them, as now the Judaizers do, for neglecting the Ceremonies of the Moſaical Law.
Chap. III. ver. 13.
[*Or I deſire or pray not to be troubled, or that I be not troubled, ſo the Syriack that my ſpirit be not troubled. I deſire that you faint not.]
I that am perſecuted for preaching to the Gentiles (which the Jewes think unlawfull, and 'tis not ſtrange they ſhould, when it was a myſtery not formerly revealed to the very Angels, v. 10.) do deſire and pray firſt for my ſelf (as after he prayes for them, v. 16.) that I be not amated at any thing that befalls me in this cauſe; Or I do beſeech you, and pray for you, that you be not diſcouraged, &c.
foreign.Chap. IV. Of the cuſtome of largeſſes given in triumphs, Adde, So M. Aurelius gave eight pound a peece to the poor people, in the time of triumph. foreign.Of Chriſts giving his largeſſes the gifts of the holy Ghoſt, Adde, That which is here foreign gave, is in the Greek of the Pſalmes, 78.19. foreign received, probably from the nature of the Hebrew foreign, which as it ſignifies to give, ſo 'tis to receive alſo, as in Engliſh to take] ſometimes ſignifies to give, and in Greek foreign, and foreign are all one.
foreign.Note c. Of foreign Adde, ſee Theophylact, who comparing the falſe teachers to foreign Dicers, ſaith of them, that they do foreign, remove the ſimple as they pleaſe, as at dice they can caſt what throw they have a mind to; and this, ſaith he, is the foreign here ſpoken of, and the foreign, whatſoever their deceitfull artifice's have a mind to.
Ibid. ver. 14.
[cc *The managing of deceit. foreign.Lye in wait to deceive.]
Note cc. What foreign ſignifies in this place may thus be collected. Heſychius ſeems to render it foreign arts, for ſo I ſuppoſe the words in his Gloſſarie muſt be mended, in ſtead of foreign reading foreign; for as to foreign, that followes after, and is rendred foreign. Thus foreign in Suidas is foreign, to uſe any artifice, and to deceive. The word, ſaith *T…m. 3. p. 879. l 43.S. Chryſoſtome, is uſed foreign, in ſpeeches, in works, in wreſtlings. In ſpeech It is ſet down by the Rhetoricians for one of the foreign, ſee Hermogenes, foreign. p. 217. and becauſe theſe are all deſigned to the working on, and perſwading, the auditors, therefore foreign] is thus to contrive the ſpeech, that it may probably be moſt perſwaſive, ſee Chryſoſt. Tom. 4. p. 416. l. 16. foreign, he otherwiſe dreſſed up the ſame thing and propoſed it more ſoftly, or calmly, and cunningly. So Tom. 3. p. 495. l. 20. & p. 880. l. 1. foreign, he propoſes not ſins plainly, calling it idolatry, &c. but after another manner contrives and formes his ſpeech, ſo as it may beſt perſwade, by concealing what is likely to avert. So in Marcus Eremita in his foreign. p. 941. D. foreign, you deſired ſome method, and exhortatory diſcourſes, i. e. ſome colours of perſwaſion. And the like arts of diſſimulation and diſguiſe as theſe, in all ſorts of actions, and particularly in combates are in like manner expreſs'd by this word foreign.foreign. So foreign, Eph. 6.11. the crafts and ambuſhes, foreign, the treacheries, deceits, and cunning contrivances of the devil. Accordingly foreign] is one, that is not apt to be deceived by any ſubtilties, contrivances, concealements, as in Hermes Triſm. l. 13. p. 32. foreign, a moſt wiſe Judge, that cannot be impoſed upon by any artifices of the advocates or pleaders. And thus in this place, the craftyneſs of men is deſigned foreign to the managing and contriving of their falſe doctrine ſo as they may be moſt likely to perſwade and gain upon ſeducible auditors.
Ibid. Note g. That [foreign be angry] is not there allowd, but ſuppoſed, and ſo not concluſible thence to be no ſinne, to 1 Cor. 13.4. Adde, And Pſalm. 2.4. whence theſe words are recited from the Septuagint, 'tis certain, thoſe that are there ſpoken to, did ſinne, in being diſpleaſed at Gods ſetting up David, and their rebellion againſt him was but an higher degree of it, of which he forewarnes them in the next words, ſinne not, i. e. fall not into that horrible ſinne.
foreign.Ibid. Note i. Of ſealing of ſervants, Adde, So ſaith Theophylact on Rom. 8.10. foreign, He that hath not the ſeal, is not the ſervant or goods of the Maſter, who is expreſs'd to be ſo by that ſeal.
Chap. V. ver. 26.
[With the waſhing of water by the word.]
Or baptizing us in the name of the Father and the Sonne and the holy Ghoſt. Theophylact.
Ibid. ver. 27.
[Without ſpot or wrinkle.]
Purged from all ſpots, or newly contracted ſinnes, and ſtretched out from wrinkles, ſuch ſinnes as by long time of cuſtome and habit have been grown upon us, the former more eaſie, the latter more hard to be removed.
Ibid. ver. 32.
[But I ſpeak of Chriſt and the Church.]
This denotes, 1. The forming of the Church after the manner of Eve, out of Adams ſide. Adam was alone, God caſts him into a dead ſleep, then takes a bone out of his ſide, and makes a woman meet for him, and ſhe is the mother of all living. So Chriſt being the ſecond Adam, and alone alſo, he is caſt into a dead ſleep on the croſs, and then out of his ſide the Church is formed; and ſhe becomes his ſpouſe, and ſo the mother of all living, in the ſpirituall ſenſe. (See Proſper de praediction. l. 1. c. 1.) 2dly The conjunction conſequent to this marriage between Chriſt and his Church, &c. And ſo the Jewes ſay of the taking Eve out of Adams ſide, that it was to ſignifie the marriage of the moſt higheſt, God bleſſed for ever, who left his father in heaven (ſaith Chryſoſtome) to cleave to this wife this ſpouſe of his the Church.
Ibid. Note e.foreign. Of the proverbiall uſe of foreign, Take Plutarch who ſets it down for an Apophthegme of Scipio; foreign, ſeeing the madneſs of the enemies, he bid them buy the ſafety of the time, i. e. avoid fighting with them at that ſeaſon, for that it was with Commanders as with Phyſitians, who uſed not the ſword or lance, but in extreme cures. T…m 4. p. 148. l. 12.Thus S. Chryſoſtome interprets it by the contrariety to foreign, undergoing ſuperfluous dangers, p. 146.and ſuch as bring no gain, and again he explains this exhortation by paying tribute, &c. And never oppoſing them in any thing, but in preaching the Goſpel, l. 33.foreign foreign, in things wherein they hurt not, give them no occaſion. foreign. The very preaching the Goſpel ſhall bring their rage upon you, let it not take other beginning. Thus in Nazianzens foreign. &c.
foreign.Ibid. Note f. Of foreign in the notion of uncleanneſs, Adde, So Theophylact foreign, It ſignifies incontinent luſt, for that is begotten by drunkenneſs.
Chap. VI. ver. 18.
[Supplication in the Spirit.]
Prayer not ſo much for ſecular, as ſpiritual things (which Theophylact ſets as the meaning of the phraſe in the ſpirit.)
foreign.Ibid. Note b. Of ſhooes among armour, Adde. So *p. 331.Strabo lib. 10. ſpeaking of the Cretian youths, ſaith of them, that they did foreign, uſe military attire and ſhooes. Of the making them of braſs, lin. 634.Adde, As alſo of ſilver, in Virgil, l. 7. Aut laeves ocreas lento ducunt argento, They cover their bootes with ſilver.