Commentary on the Epistles and Revelation of John, Commentary 14 · Chapter 1 – Chapter 2
CHAP. I. Verſe 1. God who at ſundry times, &c.]
SEe my True Treaſure, Page 1, 2, 3.
Verſe 2. Heir of all things] Be married to this heir, and have all, Vbitu Caius, ego Caia, may the Shulamite ſay to her husband, as the Roman Ladies ſaid to theirs.
Verſe 3. Vpholding all things] Both in reſpect of being, excellencies and operations. Seneca rendering the reaſon why Jupiter was by the Ancient Romans ſirnamed Stator, ſaith it was, Quia ejus bene ficio ſtant omnia, becauſe all things are upheld by him. How much better may this be ſaid of Chriſt? Sin had hurled confuſion over the world, which would have fallen about Adams ears (ſaith one) had not Chriſt undertaken the ſhattered condition thereof, to uphold it. He keeps the world together, as the hoops do the barrell.
Purged our ſins] By his merit and ſpirit.
Verſe 4. Better then the Angels] Therefore is his doctrine, the Goſpel, with more heed to be heard, then the law ordained by Angels in the hand of a Mediatour, that is Maſes, Gal. 3.19.
Verſe 5. This day] Either the day of eternity, and ſo it is meant of Chriſts eternall generation; or elſe the fulneſſe of time, wherein God brought his firſt begotten into the world, and mightily declared him to be the on of God by the reſurrection from the dead, Act. 1.33. Rom. 1 4.
Verſe 6. And let all the Angels of God] The manhood of it ſelf could not be thus adored (becauſe it is a creature)Phil, 2.8. but as it is received into unity of perſon with the Deity, and hath a partneragency therewith, according to its meaſure, in the work of redemption and mediation.
Verſe 7. A flame of fire] Hence they are called Seraphims, becauſe they flame, like heavenly Salamanders in the fire of pure and perfect love to God and his people: And Cherubims from their winged ſwiftneſſe, ſwift they are as the winde: which may ſeem to be the ſenſe of this text, compared with Pſal. 104.4, 5.
Verſe 8. Thy throne, ô God, is forever] Chriſt is God then, as is here ſet forth by many arguments. God hath laid help in one that is mighty. I and the Father am one.
Verſe 9. Hath anointed thee] This imports two things. 1. Ordination to his office, and ſo the Godhead alſo of Chriſt was anointed. 2. Qualification for it, and ſo the manhood only, And as the holy oil was compounded of divers ſpices, ſo was Chriſt filled with all gifts and graces, Act. 10.38. but eſpecially with wiſdome, as a Prophet, holineſſe as a Prieſt, and power as a King.
Verſe 10. The Works of thy bands] Pſal. 8.3. they are called the works of Gods fingers, artificially elaborated; that heaven of heavens eſpecially, whole artificer and workman is God, Heb. foreign.11.10. The Apoſtle there intimates, that it is c̄uriouſly and cunningly contrived.
Verſe 11. They ſhall periſh] The viſible heavens are defiled with mans ſin, and ſhall therefore be purged by the laſt fire, as the veſſels that held the ſin offering were to paſſe the fire.
They ſhall all wax old] See the Note on Rom. 8.22.
Verſe 12. But thou art the ſame] As in effence, ſo in will and counſel. Repentance with man is the changing of his will: Repentance with God is the willing of a change: Mutatio rei, non Dei, effectus non affictus, facti non confily.
Verſe 13. Sit on my right-hand] As mine equall in honour and power.
Verſe 14. Sent forth to minister, &c.] The Saints are the Spouſe, the bride, yea the members of Chriſt; and ſo in nearer union then Angels, or any creature. This the devil envied, and fell from his ſtation.
CHAP. II. Verſe 1. We ſhould let them ſlip]
OR, Run out, as water runs thorow a riven veſſel. The word mingled with ſaith in the heart,foreign. as Act. 16.14. muſt be care. fully kept, and it will ſafely keep us, Prov. 6.20, 22. Some render it, Nequando prater fluamus, leſt we paſſe by the things we have heard, as a river ſwiftly paſſeth by the ſide of a City, as the faſhion of this world paſſeth a way as a picture drawn upon the ice, ſoon vaniſheth, &c.
Verſe 2. For if the Word, &c.] Moſes-law, Gal. 3 19.
Was ſtedfast] Ratified with this ſanction, Aut faciendum aut patiendum, either do it, or die.
And every tranſgreſſion and diſobedience] that is, every commiſſion and omiſſion,.
Verſe 3. If we neglect] He ſaith not, If we reject, renounce, perſecute: but if we neglect, let ſlip, ſhift off, as the word is, Heb. 12.25. and as thoſe re…nſant gueſts did,foreign. Mat. 22. ſay we rather with Samuel, Speak Lord, for thy ſervant heareth. And with that Dutch Divine, Veniat, veniat verbum Domini, & ſubmittemus illi, ſexconta ſi nobis eſſent colla. Let the Lord utter his minde, and he ſhall have ready obedience, whatever come of it.
So great ſalvation] The doctrine of the Goſpel, that grace of God that bringeth ſalvation, Tit. 2.11. I am fully perſwaded (ſaith a late learned light of our Church) that in theſe daies of grace,D. Preſton. the Lord is much more quick and peremptory in rejecting men: the time is ſhorter, he will not wait ſo long as he was wont to do. The ground is, How ſhall we eſcape if we neglect, &c?
Verſe 4. And with divers miracles] Whereby, as by the wings of the winde, the doctrine of the Goſpel was divulged at firſt. But he that now requireth a miracle, is himſelf a miracle, The eſtabliſhing of the preſent reformation is and will be that miracle which we are in theſe times to look for. It is that which the former age had deſpaired of, the preſent admireth, and the future ſhall ſtand amazed at.
Verſe 5. For unto the Angels, &c.] The Jews, as they had embraced the Pythagorean tranſanimation, Mat, 16.14.foreign &c. ſo the Platonike opinion of Angels, moving the heavens, and ordering the world; whom therefore they worſhipped, intruding into thoſe things, whereof there was no found either proof or profit, Coloſ. 2.18. The Angels (ſay Proculus the Platoniſt and Plutarch) are meſſengers that carry Gods minde to men, and mens requeſts to God. But who told them all this. Egregie dicis, ſed quomodo probas? ſaid Ariſtotle of Moſes, may we better ſay of theſe bold affirmers.
Verſe 6. But one in a certain place] The full ſenſe is,Accommodatio eſt facitis ad perſonam Chriſti, ſi interpretes non vellent eſſe nimli inge. niofi Amel. in Pſal. 8 5. Pauliſper. But he hath ſubjected it to Chriſt, as David teſtified, Pſal. 8 4, 5. where whatſoever is ſpoken to man, is here applied to the man Chriſt Jeſus; and ſo is proper to the Saints by vertue of their union with Chriſt. In which reſpect, they are more glorious then heaven, Angels, or any creature.
Verſe 7. A little lower] Or, For a little While, viz. Ab utero ad urnam, from the womb to the tomb, from his birth to his buriall, from his abaſement to his advancement.
And didst ſit him over the works] Lions hate apes, but fear men; whereof no other probable reaſon can be given, but this here in the text; inſomuch as the moſt timorous men dare kick and beat the hugeſt elephants.
Verſe 8. VnderUnder his feet] It is not ſaid, VnderUnder his hands, but under his feet. 1. That he may trample upon them with his feet, and not dote upon them with his heart. 2. That by them, as by a ſtep or ſtirrop, he may raiſe his heart to things above. A ſanctified fancy can make every creature a ladder to heaven.
He left nothing] No, not Angels.
Not yet all things put under him]Rebellis fact a eſt, quia ho…o numini …eatura bomini. Aug. The creature rebelleth againſt man, becauſe he rebelleth againſt God. If the Maſter be let upon, the ſervants will draw, and fight for him.
Verſe 9. But we ſee Jeſus] The Saints hold all in capite tenure, in Chriſt. Now in him all things are already ſubjected unto us, and made ſerviceable to our ſalvation.
For the ſuffering of death] Or that he might be in a condition to ſuffer death, this Sun of righteouſneſſe went ten degrees backward, not only below his Father, Job. 14.28. but below the Angels: for man (as man) is inferiour to the Angels.
Verſe 10. For it became him] That is, God, whoſe perfect wiſdome, juſtice, &c. ſhineth moſt clearly in that great work of our redemption: then the which God could not have done any thing more beſeeming himſelf; what ever the worlds wizards conceit to, the contrary, 1 Cor. 1.23.
For Whom are all things] See the Note on Rom. 11.36.
To make the captain, &c.] He that is Captain of the Lords hoaſts, Joſh. 5.14. is alſo Captain of our ſalvation. This is comfort.
To make perfect]foreign. Or, Conſecrate. The Prieſts were firſt conſecrated with oil, then with bloud: ſo was Chriſt firſt by the Spirit, and then by his own bloud.
Verſe 11. Are all of one] viz. of Adam: Only with this difference; that we are of Adam and by Adam, but Chriſt was of Adam, not by Adam: for he was not begotten, but made, and ſo originall ſin was a voided.
He is not aſhamed] Chriſt was not aſhamed of us, when we had never a rag to our backs: Should we be aſhamed of him and his ſervice?
Verſe 12. I Will declare, &c] Pſal. 22.22. A Pſalm of Chriſts ſufferings, entituled, upon, Ajaleth Shachar, that is, The morning-ſtagge, ſuch an one as the huntſman ſingleth out to hunt for that day. Chriſt thus hunted and praying for deliverance, promiſeth to praiſe Gods name amidſt his brethren, that is, his faithfull ſervants.
Verſe 13. I Will put my trust in him] Which he needed not, had he not been a man ſubject to miſery.
And the children, &c.] Chriſt is the everlaſting Father, Iſa. 9.6. and the Saints are the travel of his ſoul, that prolong his days upon earth, Iſa. 53.10.11. Filiabitur nomine ejus, Pſal. 72.17. There ſhall be a ſucceſſion of Chriſts name, till he preſent all his to his heavenly Father at laſt day, with, Behold I, and the children whom thou haſt given me.
Verſe 14.foreign. Children are partakers] Little children: Chriſt alſo became a little childe, the babe of Bethlehem, Iſa. 9 6. catch him up, as old Simeon did; Kiſſe him, leſt he be angry, Pſal. 2. Stumble not at his weakneſt, bat gather aſſurance of his love, and grow up unto the meaſure of the ſtature of the fulneſſe of Chriſt, Epheſ 4.13.
Him that had the power of death] As the hang man hath the power of the gallows, to kill men with death, Rev. 2.23.
Verſe 15 And deliver them,] So that to thoſe that are in Chriſt, death is but the day-break of eternall brightneſſe: Not the puniſhment of ſin, but the period of ſin. It is but a ſturdy Porter, opening the door of eternity: a rougher paſſage to eternall pleaſure. What need they fear to paſſe the waters of J…rdan to take poſſeſſion of the land, that have the Ark of Gods Covenant in their eye? Tollitur mors, non ne ſit, ſed ne obſit. As Chriſt took away, not ſin, but the guilt of it, ſo neither death, but the ſting of i….
Who through fear of death] That King of terrours, as Job calleth death: that terrible of ad terribles, as Aristotle. Nature will have a bout with the beſt when they come to die. But I wonder (ſaith a grave Divine) how the ſouls of wicked men go not out of their bodies, as the devils did out of the daemoniacks, rending, raging, tearing, ſoming. I wonder how any can die in their wits, that die not in the ſaith of Jeſus Chriſt. Appius Cl…ndius loyed not the Greek Zeta, becauſe when it is pronounced, it repreſenteth the gnaſhing teeth of a dying man. Sigiſmund the Emperour being ready to die, commanded his ſervants not to name death in his hearing, &c.
Verſe 16. For verily be took not] Or,foreign. For no where took he, q. d. We ſinde not any where, either in the Scriptures, or in any Church record.
But he took] He aſſumed, apprehended, caught,foreign. laid hold on, as the Ange… did on Lot, Gen. 1.16. as Chriſt did on Peter, Mat. 14.31, as men uſe to do upon a thing they are glad they have got, and are loth to let go again. It is a main pillar of our comfort, that Chriſt took our fleſh: for if he took not our fleſh, we are not ſaved by him.
Verſe 17. In all things] Except in ſin,foreign as the brazen ſerpent was like the fiery ſerpent, but had no ſting.
To make reconciliation] To expiate our ſins,foreign. and to appeaſe Gods wrath.
Verſe 18. He is able to ſuccour] And no leſſe apt then able: as he that hath been poor or troubled with tooth-ach, will pity thoſe that are ſo.