Commentary on the Epistles and Revelation of John, Commentary 14 · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI. Verſe 1. Let us go on unto perfection]
GR. Let us be carried on, as with a force, Act. 2.2.foreign. breaking thorow all impediments, aiming at the higheſt pitch, and eying the beſt paterns. It is a low and unworthy ſtrain in ſome to labour after no more grace then will keep life and ſoul together, that is hell and ſoul a ſounder.
Repentance from dead Works] theſe are the ſix Principles of Chriſtian religion, that muſt be laid as a foundation.
Verſe 2. Doctrine of baptiſmes] Inward and out Ward, Falminis & ſluminis, of water, and of the ſpirit, that waſhing of regeneration, and renuing of the holy Ghoſt, Tit. 3.5
And of laying on of bands] hereby is meant the whole Miniſtery, and order of Church government,Wilſons theol. Ruaes. as preſcribed by the Word. The Scripture is to be taken in the largeſt ſenſe, if nothing hinder, neither matter, phraſe, nor ſcope.
Verſe 3, If God permit] If God give me life and ability,foreign as … of l…ming. and you capacity and ſtability: for many fall away, whoſe damnation ſleepeth not.
Verſe 4. Who were once enlightned] Knowing perſons, and thoſe they call the Wits of the World, are in greateſt ding…r of the unpardonable ſin; which begins in apoſtacy, holds on in perſecution, ends in blaſphemy.
And have t…aſt… ] As Cooks do their ſauces with the tip of their finger only, or, as the Iſraclites caſted … of the land, and yet periſhed in the wilderneſſe.
Partakers of the holy Ghost] Of his common and inferiour gif…s and operations. Theſe a man may loſe, and have his d…opſ… … to ſinne ſeven times more enl…m…ed then before, Mat. 12.41.
Verſe 5. And have taſted the good Word] Catching at the promiſes, as children do at ſweet-meats, rejoycing therein, as the ſtony-ground-hearers did, conceiving a rowling opinion, as Haman did, that they are the men when the King of heaven will honour.
Verſe 6. If they ſhall fall away] Totally and finally, as Iudas and Iulian did, and as Mr Iohn Glover thought he had done, and did therefore eat his meat againſt appetite, only to defer the time of his damnation, which by miſtake of this text, he though he could not poſſibly avoid. But God, who comforteth thoſe that are caſt down, did not only at laſt rid him cut of all his fears, but alſo flamed him to ſuch mortification of life, as the like lightly hath not been ſeen,Act. and Mon. fol. 55…. ſaith Mr Fox, who knew it.
And put him to an open ſhame] As if they had not found him the ſame that they took him for. In thoſe that have wilfully reſiſted divine truths made known to them, and after taſte deſpiſed them, a per…waſion that God hath forſaken them (ſet on ſtrongly by Satan) ſtirs up an helliſh hatred againſt God; carrying then to a revengefull deſire of oppoſing whatſoever is Gods, though not alwaies openly (for then they ſhould loſe the advantage of doing hurt) yet ſecretly and ſubtilly, and under pretence of the contrary, as one well obſerveth.
Verſe 7. And bringeth forth herbs] So the fruitfull Chriſtian (that watered with the Word and Spirit, bringeth forth a harveſt of holineſſe) ſhall receive the bleſſing of encreaſe, Iob. 1.2. Such trees as brought forth fruit fit for meat, were not to be deſtroied, Dout. 20.19. But trees that were not for fruit, were for the fire, Mat. 3.10.
Verſe 8. Is rejected, and is nigh to curſing] the ſin againſt the holy Ghoſt is therefore unpardonable, becauſe God (not ſuffering himſelf to be derided, or his Spirit of truth to be found a liar) ſmiteth theſe ſinners againſt their own ſouls, with blindeneſſe and reprobacy of minde, whence follows. 1. An impoſſibility of repentance, ſith it is the work of that spirit whom they have deſpited and will not ſuffer any ſaving operation of his to faſten on their ſouls. 2. Such a deſperate fury invadeth them, that they reſiſt and repudiate the matter of remiſſion, the bloud of Chriſt, thereby if they might have mercy, yet they would not; but continue raying and raging againſt both the phyſick and the phyſitian, to their endleſſe ruth and ruine.
Verſe 9. But beloved, We are perſwaded] He would not be miſtaken. Zuinglius when he had inveighed againſt vice, would uſually close up lus diſcourſe with Probe vir hac xibil ad te. All this is nothing to thee, thou honeſt man.Scultes Annal. We can hardly beat the dogs cut of doors, but the children will cry.
Things that accompany ſalvation] Cr. That have ſalvation, foreign i.e. foreignthat comprehend it, are contiguous to it, and touch upon it. Grace and glory differ not, but in degree.
Verſe 10. For God is not unrighteous] That is, unfaithfull, 1 Iohn 1.9. There is a juſtice of fidelity, as well as of equity.
To forget your Work] The Butler may forget Joſeph, and Ioſeph forget his fathers houſe: but forgetfulneſſe befals not God, to whom all things are preſent, and before whom there is written a book of remembrance for them that fear the Lord, and think upon his name, Mal. 3.17.
Verſe 11. Do ſhow the ſame diligence] A man may as truly ſay the ſea burns, or fire cools, as that certainty of ſalvation breeds ſecurity and looſnes.
To the full aſſurance] All duties tend to aſſurance or ſpring from it. strive we muſt to the riches of full aſſurance, Coloſ. 2.2. But in caſe our aſſurance be not ſo fair, yeeld not to temptations and carnall reſonings. Coyns that have little of the ſtamp left; yet are currant.
Verſe 12. That ye be not ſlothfull] A ready heart makes riddance of Gods work. shake off ſloth.
But followers of them] It was a good law that the Epheſians made, that men ſhould propound to themſelves the beſt paterns,foreign. and ever bear in minde ſome eminent man.
Verſe 13. For When god made promiſe] Of thoſe many that by ſaith and patience had inherited the promiſes, the Apoſtle inſtanceth in Abraham, famous both for his ſaith in Gods promiſe, our. 13. and for his patience, v. 15.
Verſe 14. Bleſſing I will bleſſe thee] Now the whom god bleſſeth, ſhall be bleſſed, as Iſaac ſaid of Iacob, Gen. 27.33.
Verſe 15. After he bad patiently endured] Waited many years for an Iſaac, and yet longer for eternall life. I have waited for thy ſalvation, O Lord, ſaith dying Iacob. Gen. 49.18.
Verſe 16. Swear by the greater] So do not they that ſwear by ſundry creatures and qualities, God can hardly ſpare ſuch, J…r. 5.7.
An end of all ſtrife] The end of an oath is to help the truth in neceſſity, and to clear mens innocency, Exod. 22.11.
Verſe 17. God willing more abundantly] His word is ſufficient, yet tendering our infirmity he hath bound it with an oath, and let to his ſeal. His Word cannot be made more true, but yet more credible. Now two things make a thing more credible. 1. The quality of the perſon ſpeaking. 2. The manner of the ſpeech. If God do not ſimply ſpeak, but ſolemnly ſwear, and ſeal to us remiſſion of ſins, and adoption of ſons by the broad ſeal of the Sacraments, and by the privy ſeal of his spirit, Should we not reſt aſſured?
Verſe 18. We might have ſtrong] Such as ſwalloweth up all worldly griefs, as Moſes his ſerpent did the Sorcerers ſerpents, or as the ſire doth the fewell. the Sacraments are gods viſible oaths unto us: he taketh, as it Were, the body and bloud of his Son into his hand, and ſolemnly ſweareth to beſtow upon us all the purchaſe of Chriſts paſſion.Nche…. 8 10. Should not therefore the joy of the Lord be our ſtength? The comforts of Philoſophy are foreign (as Plato hath it, as Socrates found it, when he was to die) that is, toyes and trifles. Neſcio quomodò imbecillior est medicina quam morbus, ſaith Cicero, the diſeaſe is too hard for the medieme. But the conſolations of God are ſtrong in themſelves, and ſhould not be ſmall With us. Job 15.11.
Verſe 19. Both ſure and ſtudfaſt] Spes in terrenis, incerti nomen boni: Spes in divinis, nomen est certiſſimi.
And Which entereth into that] This anchor is caſt upward, and faſtened not in the depth of the ſea, but in the height of heaven, whereof it gets firm hold, and ſure poſſeſſion.
Verſe 20 Whither the fore-runner] Like as the high-Prieſt once a year entered …to the Holy of Holies to pray for the people.