THis is an higher title th●n Monarch of the world , as Numa , second King of Rome could say . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . Pult.

Verse 2. Promised ] Fore-shewed and foreshadowed .

Verse 3. Concerning his Son ] Here 's a lofty and lively description of Christs sacred person . The whole Epistle being the Confession of our Churches , as Melancthon calleth it , Scultet . Annal. who therefore went over it ten severall times in his ordinary Lectures : The Epistle being such , as never can any man possibly think , speak or write sufficiently of it's worth and excellency .

Verse 4. Declared to be , &c. ] Gr. Defined ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . for definitions explain obscurities .

With power ] For , Superas evadere ad auras ; Hic labor , hoc opus est — a work befitting a God , See Ephes. 1.20 . with the Note there .

The Spirit of holinesse ] The divine essence of Christ , 2 Cor. 13 4. which sanctifieth the humane nature assumed by him .

Verse 5. For obedience to the faith ] That is , to the Gospel ( that doctrine of faith ) or to Christ , who is oft put for faith ( whereof he is the proper object ) in this Epistle . Kisse the Son , &c. Psal. 2 12. Math. 17.5 . Hear him .

Verse 6. Ye are the called ] With an high and heavenly calling , Heb. 3.1 . See the Note there .

Verse 7. Called to be Saints ] Those then that are called , are Saints , whilest alive , and not only those that are canonized by the Pope after they are dead , Bemb in List . Venet. In numerum Deorum ab Ecclesia Romana relati , as Bembus profanely speaketh of their Saint Francis , a sorry man , Dan hist of Engl. fol. 99. of whom ( as once of Becket 48 years after his death ) it may well be disputed , Whether he were damned or saved . Pope Callistus 3. sainted some such in his time , as of whom Cardinall Bess●rion , Iac. Revius . bist . Pontis . knowing them for naught , said , These new Saints make me doubt much of the old .

Grace he to you , and peace ] See the Note on 1 Cor. 1.2 .

Verse 8. Your faith is spoken of ] See chap. 16. and Juvenal , Tacitus , and other profane writers , who bitterly exagitate the doctrines and practices of those Roman Christians .

Verse 9. Whom I serve in my spirit ] That is , with all the faculties of my soul concentred and co-united .

Verse 10 I might have a prosperous journey ] This he praied , and this he had by such a way as he little dreamt of . Little thought Paul , that when he was bound at Ierusalem , and posted from one prison to another , that God was now sending him to Rome : yet he sent him , and very safe , with a great Convoy . God goes oft another way to work , for our good , then we could imagine .

Verse 11. That I may impart ] There is no envy in spirituall things , because they may be divided in solidum ; one may have as much as another , Theat Naturae . and all alike . Scientiarum ( sic & gratiarum ) ca vis est & natura , ut quò plus doceas , & alteride tuo largiare , cò ditior ac doctior fias , saith Bodine . Such is the nature and property of sciences and graces , that the more you communicate them , the more you encrease them .

Verse 12. That I may be comforted ] Or exhorted , Ad communem exhortationem percipiendam , saith Beza out of Bucer , and others . The meanest of Christs members may contribute somewhat to the edifying even of an Apostle .

Verse 13. But was let hitherto ] Either by Satan , 1 Thess. 2.18 . or by the holy Spirit , otherwise disposing of him , as Act. 19.6 , 7. or by some intervenient , but important occasion : as Chap. 15.20 , 21.

Verse 14. I am debter ] Because entrusted with talents for that purpose , 1 Cor. 9.16 . See the Note there .

Verse 15. So as much ] Quicquid in me situm est , promptum est . A notable expression .

Verse 16. For I am not ashamed ] As men are apt to be ; whence that fatherly charge , 2 Tim. 1.8 . Doe ye thinke ( said Iohn Frith , Martyr , to the Archbishops men that would have let him go ) that I am afraid to declare mine opinion unto the Bishops of England in a manifest truth ? Act. and Mon. 1917. If you should both leave me here , and go tell the Bishops that you had lost Frith , I would surely follow as fast after , as I might , and bring them news that I had found and brought Frith again .

For it is the power , &c. ] Eternall life is potentially in the Word preached , as the harvest is potentially in the seed .

Verse 17. The just shall live by faith ] Hab. 2.4 . that is , they shall enjoy themselves by their faith , in greatest disasters , or dangers , when others are at their wits ends , that 's the Prophets sense ; and the Apostle not unfitly applieth it to prove justification by faith alone : for if a man live by faith , he is just by faith .

Verse 18. Who hold the truth ] Hold the light of their consciences ( which is as a Prophet from God ) prisoner . The naturall man , that he may sin the more securely , imprisons the truth , which he acknowledgeth , and laies hold on all the principles in his head , that might any way disturb his course in sin , locking them up in restraint . Hence it appears that no man is righteous in himself , or by his own righteousnes , which was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉

Verse 19. Because that which may ] Heathens might know God the Creatour , per species creaturarum ( as they speak ) either in way of negation , or causality , or eminence ; not so God the Redeemer .

Verse 20. Are clearly seen ] As in a mirrour , Pervidentur . or as on a theatre . Vt solem in aquis , sic Deum in operibus contemplamur .

Verse 21. Neither were thankefull ] How then shall we answer to God our hatefull unthankfulnesse , which is ( saith one ) a monster in nature , a solecisme in manners , a paradox in divinity , a parching winde to damme up the fountain of divine favours .

But became vain in their imaginations ] Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . In their reasonings , disputations , discourses upon serious deliberation . They stood not to their own principles ( as , That there is one God only , That this God is to be worshipped , &c. ) but were Atheists by night that worshipped the Sun , and Atheists by day that worshipped the Moon , as Cyril saith wittily .

Verse 22. Professing themselves to be wise ] Aristotle , Natures chief Secretary , writeth many things most absurdly concerning God : As , Metaphys . l. 12. that he is a living creature , That he worketh not freely , Ib. lib 1. Bodin . Theat. Nat p 29. but by a kinde of servile necessity ; and that therefore he deserveth no praise or thanks from men for his many benefits , sith he doth but what he must needs do . These are Aristotles absurd assertions . And yet at Stuckard in Germany , was found a Doctour of Divinity that preached to the people , That the Church might be sufficiently well taught and governed by Aristotles Ethicks , though we had no Bible : And the Collen Divines set forth a book , concerning Aristotles salvation .

Verse 23. Made like to corruptible man ] God made man in his own image : And ( to be even with him , as it were ) will needs make God , after his image .

And fourfooted beasts ] God therefore justly gave them up to Sodomy , whith did abase them below the beasts : that there might be an analogy between the sin and the punishment . This is called a meet recompence , ver. 27. They dishonoured God , they dishonoured therefore themselves . They would not know nor honour him , they shall not therefore know , nor spare one another , &c. so severely will God punish the contempt of rebellion against the light .

And creeping things ] In Lapland the people worship that all day for a god , Abbots his Geog. whatsoever they see first in the morning , be it a bird or worme .

Verse 24. Arist. Etb . l 7. c. 3 , 4. Gave them up to uncleannesse ] Aristotle confesseth the disability of morall knowledge to rectifie the intemperance of nature ; and made it good in his practice : for he used a common strumpet to satisfie his lust . Socrates is said to have had his Catamite , Iavenal . Inter Socratices , &c.

GR. What odds , singular thing , prerogative ? See my True Treasure , Chap. 7. Sect. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 .

Verse 2. Chiefly , because that , &c. ] This was their prime priviledge , that they were Gods library-keepers , that this heavenly treasure was concredited unto them . Other Nations are said to have been without God , because without those lively oracles , 2 Chron. 15.3 . Ephes. 2.12 . Prize we this priviledge , and improve it . You must never expect another edition of the faith once received , Jude 3 , once for all .

Verse 3. The faith of God ] That is , his faithfull promises , opposed to mans perfidy .

Verse 4. Every man a lier ] viz. By nature . But Isa. 63.8 . Gods people are children that will not lie , they will die rather . Non ideò negare volo , ne peream : sed ideò mentiri nolo ne peccem , saith she upon the rack , of whom St Hieron● writeth . The officers of Merindol answered the Bishop that moved them to abjure , That they marvelled much that he would perswade them to lie to God and the world . Act and Mon. ●ol . 860. And albeit that all men by nature are liers , yet they had learned by the Word of God , that they ought diligently to take heed of lying in any matter , be it never so small , &c.

That thou maist be justified in thy sayings ] David speaketh of the truth of Nathans reprehension ; Paul applies it to the truth of God in his promises also . Let us give him a testimoniall , Ioh. 3.33 . Such as is that Deut. 32.4 . A God of truth , and without iniquity , just and right is he .

And mightest overcome ] Maist be pure , Psal. 51. saith David . Zacah in the Syriack is used for overcoming . Vincit veritas , & dare non dignis res magè digna Deo est .

Verse 5. Is God unrighteous ] Such heart-boilings there were in the rejected Jews . And Iob said little lesle , till God over-hearing him , steps , as it were , from behinde the hangings , and takes him up for it , Iob 38.2 . Who is this , saith he , that talketh thus ? How now ?

Verse 6. I speak as a man ] q. d. Is there not such language heard in some mens hearts ?

Verse 7. For if the truth of God ] Here the former objection is repeated , explicated , and more fully answered , that every month might be stopped . Lomelius . Ferunt ranas lampade supra lacum , in quo tumultuantur , appensâ , illius sulgore repercussas conticescere . So gain-sayers are silenced , when the truth is thorowly cleared .

Verse 8. As we be slanderously reported ] So are the reformed Churches by the black mouthed Papists . See the abatement of Popish brags by Alex. Cook , the Preface : Eudaemon Ioannes against Casaubon , & Calvino-Turcismum , &c.

Whose damnation is just ] In the yeer of grace 1525. a Monk of Berline in Germany , who in the Pulpit charged St Paul with a lie , was suddenly smitten with an apoplex , whiles the word was yet in his mouth , ●cultel . Annal. and fell down dead in the place on S. Stevens day , as they call it .

Verse 9. That they are all under sin ] Whole evil is in man , and whole man in evil . Homo est inversus decalogus . Man by nature is no better then a filthy dunghill of all abominable vices . His heart the devils store-house , throne , nest . His eyes great thorow-fares of lust , pride , vanity , &c. His life a long chain of sinnefull actions , a web of wickednesse spunne out and made up by the hands of the devil and the flesh , an evil spinner , M. Whate'y his new birth . and a worse Weaver .

Verse 10. As it is written ] What the Prophets had said of some particular people or person , is here applied to the whole race of mankinde , because by nature there is never a better of us , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eras . Adag .

Verse 11. None that seeketh ] That seeketh and fetcheth him out of his retiring-room , as she did , Mark 7.24 , 25.

Verse 12. Become unprosimble ] Or rotten , nasty , stinking , as the Hebrew hath it , Psalm 14.3 . The old world was grown so foul , that God was forced to wash it with a deluge .

Verse 13. The poison of Aspes ] Of that sort of Aspes that spit their venome farre from them upon the by standers . P●ya●es . There is a great deal of such vermine and venome in that new found world of wickednesse , the tongue , Iam. 3. It is easie to observe , that S. Paul here making the anatomy of a naturall man , stands more on the organs of speaking then all other members , and sheweth how his tongue is tipped with fraud , his lips tainted with venome , his mouth full of gall , his throat a gaping grave , his tongue as a rapier to run men thorow with , and his throat as a sepulcher to bury them in . As for the Asp , they write of her , That whereas her poison is so deadly , that the part infected cannot be cured , Io Wover . ●●nd 8. c. 23. but by cutting off , succurrit periclit●●tibus benignior natura , & noxiosissimo animali caliginosos obtutus dedit . Aspidi ( saith Psiny ) hebetes oculi dati , co●que non in fronte , sed in temporibus habet .

Verse 14. Full ] As a ship that hath it's full fraught and lading . 〈◊〉 .

Verse 15. Swift to shed bloud ] As Paul , till God stopt him in his cursed career .

Verse 16. They minde nothing but mischief . ]

Verse 17. They are restlesse and troublesome . ]

Verse 18. There is no fear of God ] This is set last , as the source of all the former evils .

Verse 19. Guilty ] Culpable , and such as cannot plead their own cause without an advocate . Chrysost.