Commentary on the Epistles and Revelation of John, Commentary 14 · Chapter 3
CHAP. III. Verſe 1. Holy brethren]
HOly, becauſe partakers of a calling that is heavenly. 1. Ratione fontis, Phil. 314, 15.2. Ratione finis, to the fruition of heavenly priviledges in Chriſt.
Verſe 2. As alſo Moſes was faithfull] And yet how unworthily handled by the authour of the Marrow of Modern Divinity, that ſlie Antinomian, in divers paſſages of his book, as might eaſily be inſtanced.
Verſe 3. Worthy of more glory then Moſes] In whom theſe Hebrews truſted,Spec. Europ. Job. 5.45. And the Jews at this day hold, That the law of nature ſhall bring to heaven thoſe that obſerve it, but the Hebrews (unto whom the law of Moſes was peculiarly given) by keeping it ſhall have a prerogative of glory. Poor ſeduced ſouls!
Verſe 4. He that built all things] Moſes and all.
Is God] That is Chriſt, whom he had proved to be God by many arguments, Chap. 1. Meſſias therefore is to be preferred before Moſes.
Verſe 5.foreign ex verbo foreign As a ſervant] Famulus ingenuus, a ſervant of the better fort, a man of worſhip, as the word ſeemeth to import: though it be honour enough to be Chriſts ſervant, of the meaneſt in his family.
Verſe 6. If we hold fast] See here a juſt deſcription of the inviſible Church of Chriſt.
Verſe 7. Wherefore as the holy Ghost] It is well obſerved by Calvin, Hier. Epiſt ad Algeſiam. Joh Ae…ran, apud ſo, Manl. loc com.that the words after Wherefore, to verſ. 12. ſhould be encloſed with a parentheſis, and then the ſenſe is clear. If Hierome and Egranus had obſerved ſo much in this and other places, they would not ſo ſharply have cenſured St Paul for his obſcurities and incongruities, and lame ſenſes and ſentences.
Verſe 8. Harden not your hearts] Some hearts are ſo hard, that neither Miniſtery, nor miſery, nor miracle, nor mercy can poſſibly mollifie them. Such an heart is in ſome reſpects worſe then hell. And if God broke Davids bones for his adultery, and the Angels backs for their pride, the Lord, if ever he ſave any, will break his heart too.
Verſe 9. Tempted me] God muſt be truſted, but not tempted, as he is, when men, 1. Queſtion and awake his power; 2. Limit the holy one of Iſrael, and preſume to preſcribe to him, ſet him a time, &c. 3. Neglect the uſe of means, and ſerve not his providence.
Verſe 10. I Was grieved] The Hebrew text hath it, I was nauſeated, and ready to rid my ſtomack at them, to ſpew them out of my mouth.
They do alway erre] They muſt needs erre, that know not Gods waies. Yet cannot they wander ſo wide, as to miſſe of hell.
Verſe 11. They ſhall not enter] This the Apoſtle propounds to the unbelievers of his time, that they may beware, Alterius perditio tua ſit eautio. Seeſt thou another ſuffer ſhipwrack? Look well to thy tackling.
Verſe 12. In departing from] foreign. Infidelity is the mother of apoſtacy; as in Cranmer: but worſe in John Dudley Duke of Northumberland in Queen Maries daies, who being brought to the ſcaffold on Tower-hill, and having promiſe of life, if he would recant his profeſſion, daſtard like forſook his maſter, and exhorted the people to the Romiſh religion.Speeds Chron. Which his death-Sermon afterwards came forth in print by authority.
Verſe 13. But exhort one another] A ſpeciall preſervative from apoſtacy. See my Common-place of Admonition, and my Treatiſe on Mal. 3.17.
Leſt any of you be hardened] Continuance in ſin hardeneth the heart, and gradually indiſpoſeth it to the work of repentance. Qui non eſt bodiè, &c. There is a deceitfulneſſe in ſin, a lie in vanity, Jon. 2.8.
Verſe 14, For we are made par takers] Chriſts conſorts, coheyrs with him, Rom. 8.17. This we are in preſent, if we perſevere to the end.
The beginning of our confidence] Gr. Of our ſubſiſtence, foreign.or ſubstance, that is, of our faith, Heb. 11.1. whereby we ſubſiſt, and become ſons of God, as Ambroſe expounds it.
Verſe 15. Whiles it is ſaid] ſo. To you now, as it was ſaid to them of old, verſ. 7. We muſt ſee our own names written on every precept, promiſe, example, &c. Hoſ. 12.4. There God ſpake with us.
To day if ye Will hear, &c.] The negligent ſpirit cries, Cr… Domino, To morrow Lord. In crastinum ſeria. But who can tell what a great-bellied-day may bring forth? Either ſpace or grace may be denied. God may leave men under his Ordinances, as rocks in the midſt of rivers, as blinde at noonday.
Verſe 16. Howbeit not all] Yet all fell in the wilderneſſe, ſave Joſhua and Caleb. Good men are oft wrapt up in a common calamity. The righteous periſheth, Iſa. 57.1. ſo the world thinketh: But whether they live, they live unto the Lord, or Whether they die, they die unto the Lord, &c. The good corn is cut down together with the tares, but to another, and to a better purpoſe.Rom. 14.8.
Verſe 17.foreign. whoſe carcaſes fell] Gr. Whoſe members, joints, limbs. Cadavera à cadendo. O that we could make that uſe of their diſaſter, that Waldus the French Merchant (father and founder of the Waldenſes) did of that ſad ſight that befell him, For walking in the ſtreets, and ſeeing one fall ſuddenly dead, he went home and repented of his Popiſh errours and profane courſes.
Verſe 18. To them that believe not] Or, That will not be perſwaded, uncounſellable perſons, that acquieſce not in wholſome advice.
Verſe 19. Becauſe of unbelief] A bloudy ſin, Job. 3.19. No ſin will gripe ſo in hell as this. The devil will keep holyday there, in reſpect of unbelievers.