Commentary on the Epistles and Revelation of John, Commentary 2 · Chapter 15
CHAP. XV. Verſe 1. And wherein ye ſtand]
A Military term, as Martyr noteth.foreign. Satan overthroweth the faith of ſome, 2 Tim. 2.18 and by this very engine wherewith he aſſaulted theſe Corinthians, ib. So that the Apoſtle was fain to make Apology, v. 19. to make a barricado.
Verſe 2. By which alſo ye are ſaved] Eternall life is potentially in the word, as the harveſt is potentially in the ſeed, or as the tree is in the kernell or ſience, Jam. 1.21.
If ye keep in memory] Helimiteth the promiſe of ſalvation to the condition of keeping in memory what they had heard. Tantum didicimus, quantum meminimus, ſaid Socrates. Many have memories like nets that let go the fair water, retain the filth only: or like ſives that keep the chaff, let go the corn. If God come to ſearch them with a candle, what ſhall he finde but old ſongs, old wrongs? &c. not a promiſe or any ſword of God hid there: for things of that nature, they are like Sabinus in Seneca, that never in all his life could remember thoſe three names of Homer, Ʋliſſes, and Achilles. But the ſoul ſhould be as an holy Arke, the memory like the pot of Mannah, preſerving holy truths.
Verſe 3. Firſt of all] Chriſt is to be preached with the firſt, as being the prora & puppis of mans happineſſe, Joh. 16.14. It is the office of the holy Ghoſt to take of Chriſts excellencies, and hold them out to the world. What then ſhould Miniſters, the mouth of the holy Ghoſt do rather?
Verſe 4. According to the Scriptures] Which both fore-ſhewed and fore-ſhadowed it in Adams waking, Iſaac's reviving, as it were from the dead, Joſephs abaſement and advancement, Samſons breaking the bars, and bearing away the gates of Gaza, Davids being drawn out of the deep, Daniels out of the den, Ieremies out of the dungeon, Ionas out of the belly of hell, Mat. 12.39. &c.
Verſe 5. Seen of Cephas] Adam died, and we hear no more of him. But Chriſt ſhew'd himſelf after death in ſix ſeverall apparitions for our confirmation.
Verſe 6. Above five hundred] The number of beleevers then were greater then ſome would gather out of Act. 1.15. Thoſe 120 may ſeem to have been Chieftains, ſuch as that any one of them might have been thought meet to ſucceed Iudas in his Apoſtleſhip.
Verſe 7. Seen of Iames] This is not mentioned in the Goſpel, as neither that of Peter, v.5.
Verſe 8. One born out of due time] Quaſi malo aſtro abortus, & adverſante natura coactus: One that deſerved to be rejected, as that forlorn Infant, Ezek. 16.4, 5.
Verſe 9. I am the leaſt of the Apoſtles] Not come to my juſt bigneſſe, as one born out of due time, and not without violence.
Not meet to be called] True humility, as true balm, ever ſinkes to the bottom of the water, when pride, like oil, ever ſwims on the top.
Verſe 10. I laboured more abundantly] See 2 Cor. 12.23. Rom. 15.19. George Eagles, Martyr in Q. Maries daies, for his great pains in travelling from place to place to confirm the brethren, was ſirnamed,Act. and Mon. fol. 1823. Trudge over the world. Might not St Paul have been fitly ſo ſirnamed?
Not I, but the grace of God] So thoſe good ſervants, Luke 19.16. Not we, but thy talents have gained other five, and other two, &c. Let God have the entire praiſe of all our good.
Verſe 11. So we preach, and ſo ye beleeved] A happy compliance, when the hearers affections and endeavours doe anſwer the affections and endeavours of the preacher, as here, and at Epheſus, Act. 20.31-37. When people deliver themſelves up to the forme of doctrine,Rom. 6.17. and are caſt into the mould of the Word?
Verſe 12. No reſurrection] More then that of regeneration, Math. 19.28. that eſtate of the Goſpel, called a new heaven, and a new earth, 2 Pet. 3.13. the world to come, Heb. 2.5. that reſurrection already paſt, … Tim. 2.18. that firſt reſurrection, Revel. 20.5.
Verſe 13. Then is not Chriſt riſen] But of Chriſts reſurrection, there were many both living and dead Witneſſes, as the earth-quake, empty grave, ſtone rolled away, cloathes wrapt up, &c.
Verſe 14. Then is our preaching vain] Never was there any ſuch impoſture put upon the world, as Chriſtianity, if Chriſt be yet in the grave.
Verſe 15. Falſe witneſſes of God] For they might ſafely ſay with Ieremy, Lord, if we be deceived, thou haſt deceived us.
Verſe 16. Then is not Chriſt raiſed] And ſo Gods decree is caſſated, Act. 13.33. with Pſal. 2.7.
Verſe 17. Ye are yet in your ſins] Rom. 4.25. If he had not been let out of priſon, our debt had remained upon us. But God ſent his Angel to roul away the ſtone, as the Judge ſends an officer to fetch one out of priſon, and to releaſe him. And this is the ſtrength of our Saviours reaſon, Ioh. 16.10. The Spirit ſhall convince the world of righteouſneſſe (that I am Jehovah their righteouſneſſe) becauſe I go to the Father, which I could not have done, unleſſe you were acquitted of all your ſins.
Verſe 18. A ſleep in Chriſt] The Germanes call the Churchyard Godſaker, becauſe the bodies are ſowed therein, to be raiſed again. The Greeks call them foreign, ſleeping-houſes. The Hebrews call the grave Bothchaijm, the houſe of the living. Iob cals it the Congregation-houſe of all living, Job 30.23. As the Apoſtle cals heaven the Congregation-houſe of the firſt-born, Heb. 12.23.
Verſe 19. Most miſerable] Becauſe none out of hell ever ſuffered more then the Saints have done.
Verſe 20. The firſt fruits, &c.] As in the firſt-fruits offered to God, the Jews were aſſured of Gods bleſſing on the whole harveſt: ſo by the reſurrection of Chriſt, our reſurrection is enſured.
Verſe 21. By man came alſo &c.] Gods juſtice would be ſatiſfied in the ſame nature that had ſinned.
Verſe 22. Shall all be made alive] The Saints ſhall be raiſed, by vertue of the union with Chriſt to glory: the wicked ſhall be dragged to his tribunall, by his Almighty power, as a Judge, to be tumbled thence into hell-torment.
Verſe 13. At his coming] As in the mean time, their very duſt is precious: the dead bodies conſumed are not ſo deſtroied, but that there is a ſubſtance preſerved by a ſecret influence proceeding from Chriſt as a head. Hence they are ſaid to be dead in Chriſt, who by rotting refineth them.
Verſe 24. Delivered up the Kingdome] Not his eſſentiall kingdome, as God, but his oeconomicall, as Mediatour.
Verſe 25. Till he hath put] And after too, but 1. Without adverſaries: 2. Without any outward means and ordinances.
Verſe 26. That ſhall be deſtroied] It is already to the Saints ſwallowed up in victory, ſo that they may ſay to it, as Jacob did to Eſau; Surely I have ſeen thy face as the face of God. This Eſau, death, meets a member of Chriſt with kiſſes inſtead of frowns, and guards him home, as he did Jacob to his fathers houſe.
Verſe 27. All things under his feet] This Pſal. 8, 7, 8. ſpoken of man in generall, is properly applied to the man Chriſt Jeſus: in whom alſo it extendeth to the Saints, who are therefore more glorious then heaven, earth, or any creature, and ſhall have power over all, Rev. 2.26.
Verſe 28. That God may be all in all] Till ſin and death be aboliſhed, we have no acceſſe to God, but by Chriſt. But after that all enemies be trod under foot, then ſhall we have an immediate union with God: yet ſo, as that this ſhall be the proper and everlaſting praiſe of Chriſt, that he is the procurer of that union.Cameron. de Eccleſ.
Verſe 29. Which are baptized, &c.] The ſeverall ſenſes that are ſet upon this Text. See in Beza, Piſcator, but eſpecially our new Annotations upon the Bible.
Verſe 30.foreign. Athenae. In jeopardy every hour] Carrying our lives in our hands, as both the Hebrews and Greeks phraſe it.
Verſe 31. By our rejoycing] i. e. By our infirmities, afflictions, wherein he ſo much glorieth, 2 Cor. 11. and 12. as an old ſouldier doth of his ſcars. As if the Apoſtle ſhould ſay, I appeal to all thoſe miſeries that I have ſuffered amongſt you for a teſtimony.
Verſe 32. If after the manner, &c.] Paul ſought with beaſts at Epheſus after the manner of men, that is, ſay ſome, the men of Epheſus fought with him after the manner of beaſts. Others more probably underſtand it literally: If after the manner of men,Beza. Sclatter. that is, as men uſe to do to ſhew their valour (he meaneth thoſe B…stia…ij among the Romans) I have been caſt to the beaſts,Chriſoſtom. Ambroſ. and have either overcome them, as Lyſimachus did the lion, or have been ſpared by them, as corpora ſanctorum Martyrum tangere multoties refugiebant beſtiae, ſaith the Hiſtorian, what advantageth it me, &c. And this later ſenſe is a ſtronger argument of the reſurrection.
Let us eat and drink] An ill inference of men of corrupt mindes, and deſtitute of the truth. Chryſoſtome ſaith, There were a ſort of ſuch in his time, as ſaid foreign.foreign An…on. Give me to day, and take thou tomorrow. And have not we thoſe that ſay, Let us be merry while we may: we ſhall never be younger, Ede, bibe, lude, post mortem nulla v…luptas. It was wiſely done of the Romans to baniſh Alaecus and Philiſcus, a couple of ſwiniſh Epicures, leſt they ſhould by their evil communication and converſation corrupt others.Aelian. l. 9.
Verſe 33. Evil communication] Evil words are not winde, as moſt imagine, but the devils drivell, that leaves a foul ſtain upon the ſpeaker, and oft ſets the like upon the hearer. Shun obſcene borborology (ſaith one) and unſavoury ſpeeches: thou loſeſt ſo much of thine honeſty and piety, as thou admitteſt evil into thy tongue.
Verſe 34. Awake to righteouſneſſe] Go forth and ſhake your ſelves (as Samſon did) out of that dead lethargy whereinto ſin hath caſt you: your enemies are upon you, and you faſt aſleep the while.
I speak this to your ſhame] Ignorance is a bluſhfull ſin. Are ye alſo ignorant? ſaid Chriſt to his Apoſtles: q. d. that's an arrant ſhame indeed. The Scripture ſets ſuch below the Oxe and the Aſſe.
Verſe 35. But ſome man will ſay] Some Epicure will object, and ſay, How can theſe things be? A privatione ad habitum non datur regreſſus. See the Note on Act. 17.18.
Verſe 36. Thou fool] A hard knot muſt have a hard wedge, a dead heart, a rouſing reproof. He confutes Atheiſts from the courſe of nature which they aſcribe ſo much unto.
Verſe 37. And that which thou ſowest] This is an anſwer to the Epicures ſecond demand, verſ. 35. with what body do they come? with a dead, diſeaſed, rotten body, &c? No, no, ſaith the Apoſtle. Sin only is rotted with it's concomitancies, infirmities: but the rotting of the body is but as the rotting of corn under the clod, that it may ariſe incorruptible. Or as the melting of an old piece of plate in the fire, to bring it out, of a better faſhion.
Verſe 38. But God giveth it a body] Deus naturae vires & vices ita moderatur, &c. ſaith one. God ſo orders all, that nothing is done without him.foreign The ſame Hebrew word that ſignifieth an ear of corn, doth alſo ſignifie a word; becauſe every field of corn, is a book of Gods praiſe, every land a leaf, every leaf a verſe, every ear a word, every corn of wheat a letter to expreſſe the power and goodnes of God.
Verſe 39. All fleſh is not the ſame] This is another anſwer to the Epicure, who might haply reply, and ſay, If mans fleſh, when rotted, ſhall revive, why not likewiſe the fleſh of other creatures? The Apoſtle anſwereth, All fleſh is not the ſame, &c. Mans fleſh only is informed by a reaſonable and immortall ſoul, not ſo the fleſh of other creatures: And hence the difference.
Verſe 40. There are alſo coelestiall] Stars and ſpirits (the inhabitants of that other heaven) I finde (ſaith a Divine) like one another. Meteors and fowls in as many varieties as there are ſeverall creatures. Why? Is it becauſe man, for whoſe ſake they were made, delights in variety, God in conſtancy? Or is it becauſe that in theſe God may ſhew his own skill, and their imperfection?
The glory of the terreſtriall] The glory of our terreſtriall bodies, ſhall at the reſurrection be celeſtiall; they ſhall be more like ſpirits then bodies: ſo clear and tranſparent, ſaith Aquinas, that all the veins, humours, nerves and bowels ſhall be ſeen, as in a glaſſe: they ſhall be conformed to the glorified body of Chriſt, as to the ſtandard.
Verſe 41. One ſtar differeth, &c.] The morning-ſtar is ſaid to caſt a ſhadow with it's ſhine. Canst thou binde the ſweet influences of the ſeven ſtarres? Job 38.31.Whoſe work is to bring the Spring, and which like ſeven ſiſters or lovers (as the word ſignifies) are joyned together in one fair conſtellation. Or loſe the bands of Orion? The ſtar that brings winter, and bindes the earth with froſt and cold. Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth, the Southern conſtellations? Or canſt thou guide Arcturus with his ſonnes, that is, the Northern ſtars, thoſe ſtore-houſes of Gods good treaſure, which he openeth to our profit? Deut. 28.12.
Verſe 42. So alſo is the reſurrection] Whether there are degrees of glory, as it ſeems probable, ſo we ſhall certainly know, when we come to heaven. Three glimpſes of the bodies glory were ſeen, in Moſes his face, in Chriſts transfiguration, and in Stephens countenance.
Verſe 43. It is raiſed in power] The reſurrection will cure all infirmities. At Stratford-bow were burned in Queen Maries daies, at one ſtake, a lame man and a blinde man. The lame man after he was chained, caſting away his crutch, bad the blinde man be of good comfort; for death would heal them both.Act. and Mon. fol. 1733. And ſo they patiently ſuffered.
Verſe 44. A spirituall body] Luther ſaith the body ſhall move up and down like a thought. Augustin ſaith, they ſhall move to any place they will, aſſoon as they will. As birds (ſaith Zanchius) being hatched, do flie lightly up into the skies,De operib. Dei. which being eggs, were a heavy and ſlimy matter: So man being hatched by the reſurrection, is made pure and nimble, and able to mount up into the heavens.
Verſe 45. A quickning ſpirit] Chriſt is called a ſpirit from his Deity, as Heb. 9.14. and a quickning ſpirit, becauſe he is the principle of life to all believers.
Verſe 46. And afterward, that is spirituall] Nature, Art, Grace, proceed from leſſe perfect to more perfect. Let us advance forward, and ripen apace, that we may be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the reſurrection from the dead, Luk. 20.35.
Verſe 47. Of the earth, earthy] Gr. Duſty, ſlimy, ex terra friabili. Let this pull down proud fleſh.
The Lord from heaven] Not for the matter of his body; for he was made of a woman; but for the originall and dignity of his perſon; whereof ſee a lively and lofty deſcription, Heb. 1.2, 3.
Verſe 48. They that are earthy] foreign, Vulgus fictilis. Man is but an earthen pot., Iſa. 64.8.
Verſe 49. The image of the heavenly] See Phil. 3.21. Our bodies ſhall be faſhioned like to Chriſts glorious body in beauty, brightneſſe, incorruption, immortality, grace, favour agility, ſtrength, and other unſpeakable qualities and excellencies. Whether they ſhall have that power as to toſſe the greateſt mountains like a ball, yea to ſhake the whole earth at the…r pleaſure, as Anſelme and Luther thinke, I have not to ſay.
Verſe 50. Fleſh and bloud] The body as it is corruptible, cannot enter heaven, but muſt be changed: we ſhall appear with him in glory. The vile body of Moſes, that was hid in the valley of Moab, was brought forth glorious in the hill of Tabor, Math. 17.
Verſe 51. I ſhew you a myſtery] Not known till now to any man living.foreign. This, likely, was one of thoſe wordleſſe words that Paul heard in his rapture, 2 Cor. 12.4
Verſe 52. The trumpet ſhall ſound] As at the giving of the law it did, Exod 19 16. If the law were thus given (ſaith a Divine) how ſhall it be required? If ſuch were the proclamation of Gods ſtatutes, what ſhall the ſeſſions be? I ſee and tremble at the reſemblance: The trumpet of the Angel called to the one; the trumpet of the Arch-angel ſhall ſummon us to the other. In the one, the Mount only was on a flame, all the world ſhall be ſo in the other. To the one Moſes ſaies, God came with ten thouſands of his Saints: In the other thouſand thouſands ſhall miniſter to him, and ten thouſand thouſands ſhall ſtand before him.
Verſe 53. For this corruptible] Pointing to his body, he that ſpeaketh, as Pſal. 34 6. This poor man cried, the Lord heard him. So the old believers, when they rehearſed the Creed, and came to that Article, I believe the Reſurrection of the fleſh, they were wont to adde, Etiam hu…s carnts, even of this ſelf-ſame fleſh. So Job 19.27.
Verſe 55. Death is ſwallowed up] As the fuell is ſwallowed up by the fire: as the Sorcerers ſerpents were ſwallowed up by Moſes his ſerpent.
Verſe 56. Death, where's thy ſting?] This is the ſharpeſt and the ſhrilleſt note, the boldeſt and the braveſt challenge that ever man rang in the ears of death. Sarcaſmo constat & hostili deriſione, quâ mors ridenda propinatur, ſaith one. Death is here out-braved, called craven to his face, and bidden, Do his worſt. So Simeon ſings out his ſoul;Tollitur mors, non ne ſit, ſed ne obſit. Aug. Hilarion chides it out. Ambroſe is bold to ſay, I am neither aſhamed to live, nor afraid to die. Anne Askew the Martyr,Act. and Mon. fol. 1131. thus ſubſcribeth her own confeſſion: Written by me Anne Askew that neither wiſheth for death, nor feareth his might; and as merry as one that is bound towards heaven.Ibid. Mr Bradford being told he ſhould be burned the next day, put off his cap, and lifting up his eyes, praiſed God for it.
Verſe 56. The ſting of death is ſinne] Chriſt having unſtinged death, and as it were diſarmed it, we may ſafely now put it into our boſoms, as we may a ſnake, whoſe ſting is pull'd out. If it ſhoot forth now a ſting at us, it is but an enchanted ſting, as was that of the Sorcerers ſerpents. Buzze it may about our ears, as a drone Bee; but ſting us it cannot. Chriſt as he hath taken away not ſinne it ſelf, but the guilt of ſinne, ſo not death it ſelf but the ſting of death.
Verſe 57. But thanks be to God, &c.] Here S. Paul, Chriſts chief Herauld, proclaims his victory with a world of ſolemnity and triumph.
Verſe 58. Alwaies abounding, &c.] This will ſtrengthen faith: as the oft knocking upon a ſtake faſtens it. When faith bears fruit upward, it will take root downward.