Ver. 8. For ye were sometimes darkness] Which hath in it (as Mr Dugard well noteth): 1. Error. 2. Terror. 3. Inconsistency with light. 4. Impossibility of reducing itself to light. But now are ye light] Semper in sole sita est Rhodos, saith Sylvius. The saints are always in the sunshine. Walk as children of light] A godly man should be like a crystal glass with a light in the midst, which appeareth through every part thereof. He is in the light, and shall be more.

Ver. 9. For the fruit of the Spirit] Why grace is called fruit, see note: [See Trapp on “Ga 5:22”]

Ver. 10. Proving what is acceptable] By the practice of what you know. Let your knowledge and obedience run parallel, mutually transfusing life and vigour one into another.

Ver. 11. Have no fellowship] No needless society for fear of infection; get the wind of those stinking carcases; “hate the garment spotted by the flesh,” that is, avoid ill company (saith Perkins), as Leviticus 15:4. The Lacedaemonians would not allow a stranger to be with them more than three days; and shall we associate ourselves with such as are strangers to God? Works of darkness] Work done in the dark must be undone again, or else we are sure to be thrust into outer darkness, where we shall never see light again till we see all the world on a light fire. But rather reprove them] At least by your contrary courses, as Noah condemned the old world, by being righteous in his generation. Revelation 14:1-5, those who stood with the Lamb, had his Father’s name on their foreheads, led convincing lives: so did Luther, Bucer, Bradford, &c.

Ver. 12. For it is a shame] Sit honos auribus. Joannes a Casa so far forgot both honesty and nature, that he boasted openly of his beastly sodomy; yea, most impudently commended that odious sin in an Italian poem, set forth in print. Faber of Vienna, another filthy Papist, published such a stinking book that Erasmus thus wrote to him, “ Mente cares, si res agitur tibi seria: rursus Fronte cares, si sic ludis, amice Faber.” Which are done of them in secret] Sin secretly committed shall be strangely discovered, either by the sinner himself, as Judas, or by his companions in evil. When the solder is once melted, this glass will fall in pieces, and all will come out.

Ver. 13. But all things that are, &c.] Or, But all these things, viz. these unfruitful works of darkness, while they are reproved or discovered by the light (viz. of the word, as 1 Corinthians 14:24 Heb 4:12), are made manifest; so that thereby they grow abashed and abased before God and men.

Ver. 14. Wherefore he saith] Or, the Scriptare saith. See the like, James 4:6 “But he giveth (or the Scripture giveth) more grace.” It convinceth not only, but converteth; it discovereth not only, but cureth corrupt hearts. These waters of the sanctuary are healing, Isaiah 9:2 26:19 60:1. Some there are that interpret this “he” of our Saviour Christ, and take this saying for a sentence of his; such as was that, Acts 20:35. Others read, Therefore the light saith, &c. Awake, thou that sleepest] Lex iabet, gratia iuvat: praecipit Deus quod ipse praestat, God giveth us to do what he biddeth us to do.

Ver. 15. See then that ye walk circumspectly] Precisely, exactly, accurately, by line and by rule, and as it were in a frame, striving to get up to the top of godliness, as the word importeth; to keep God’s commandments to the utmost, to go to the extremity of it, ακριβως εις ακρον Βαινειν. Hereunto if we stand straightly, one may say safely, Lord, if I be deceived, thou and thy word have deceived me. Not as fools] Christians must excel others, standing as standard bearers. But as wise] Great need we have to fly to Christ, who dwells with prudence, Proverbs 8, to stand upon our watch. (Σοφος ab Heb. Tsopheh. Speculator.) And when we walk, to tread gingerly, step warily; since as those funambulones, rope walkers (it is Tertullian’s comparison), if we tread but one step awry, we are utterly gone.

Ver. 16. Redeeming the time] As wise merchants, trading for the most precious commodity, and taking their best opportunity. The common complaint is, We lack time; but the truth is, we do not so much lack it as waste it. Non parum habemus temporis, sed multum perdimus. (Sen.) The men of Issachar were in great account with David, because they had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, 1 Chronicles 12:32. So are they in great account with God that regard and use the season of well doing. It is reported of holy Ignatius, that when he heard a clock strike, he would say, here is one hour more now past that I have to answer for. And of Mr Hooper the martyr, that he was spare of diet, sparer of words, and sparest of time; for he well knew that whereas of all other possessions a man might have two at once, he cannot have two moments of time at once, for any money. Because the days are evil] Corrupted by the devil, who hath engrossed our time, and out of whose hands we must redeem time for holy uses and pious purposes.

Ver. 17. But understanding what] Drawing your knowledge into practice, as Ephesians 5:10. For “the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding,” Job 28:28: where wisdom (proper to the understanding) is ascribed to the will, because practice should be joined to knowledge. Hence also, Ecclesiastes 10:2 “A wise man’s heart is at his right hand,” because his heart teacheth his hand to put things in practice.

Ver. 18. And be not drunk with wine] Nothing so opposite to an accurate life as drunkenness; which therefore is not specially prohibited in any one of the Ten Commandments (saith a divine) because it is not the single breach of any one, but in effect the violation of all and every one; it is no one, but all sins, the inlet and sluice to all other sins, and by them to the devil. Behemoth lieth in the fens, Job 40:21, he finds no rest in dry places, sober souls, Luke 11:24. Oh that our carousers were persuaded (as Mahomet told his followers) that in every grape there dwelt a devil. Wherein is excess] Excessive drinking then is drunkenness; when as swine do their bellies, so men break their heads with filthy quaffing; and are besotted in their very parts, as a snuff of a candle in the socket, drowned in the tallow; a stench, but little or no light remains. Such a deep drunkard was Diotimus, surnamed Tundish, and young Cicero, surnamed Tricongius; and such are not a few in this day among us, to the great shame of our nation. But be filled with the Spirit] Call for flagons of this holy wine, Song of Solomon 2:5, that goeth down sweetly, causing the lips of those that are asleep to speak, Song of Solomon 7:9. This is called by Luther, Crapula sacra, a spiritual surquedry or surfeit. Arrogance, haughty pride, presumption. ŒD

Ver. 19. Speaking to yourselves, &c.] As drunkards sing and halloo over their cups in their goodfellow meetings; so in a sober sense, do you express your spiritual jollity in psalms, &c. Melody in your hearts unto the Lord] This is the best tune to any psalm. Spiritual songs they are called, both because they are indited by the Spirit, and because they spiritualize us in the use of them.

Ver. 20. Giving thanks always] In our deepest miseries let us sing cheerfully, as Paul and Silas in the dungeon, as Philpot and his fellows in the coal house, as many martyrs in the flames, as Luther did in a great conflict with the devil: Venite, said he to his company, in contemptum diaboli Psalmum de profundis quatuor vocibus cantemus: Let us sing the 130th Psalm in despite of the devil. (John Manli. loc. com.) Happy was that tongue in the primitive times that could sound out aliquid Davidicum, anything of David’s doing.

Ver. 21. Submitting yourselves] This is a general admonition to all inferiors, whose duties are afterwards described. Thus in the second table of the law, the fifth commandment for order and obedience is fitly premised to the following precepts. In the fear of God] This frameth the heart to a ready and regular submission. Hence that saying of Luther, Primo praecepto reliquorum omnium observantia praecipitur, The first commandment includes the other nine.

Ver. 22. Wives, submit, &c.] This includes reverence, obedience, &c. God hath scattered the duties of husbands and wives up and down the Scriptures, that they may search, and by learning to be good husbands and wives, they may learn also to be good men and women. As unto the Lord] Who taketh himself dishonoured by wives’ disobedience. And though husbands may remit the offence done to them, yet they cannot remit God’s offence, but there must be special repentance.

Ver. 23. For the husband is the head] And would it not be ill-favoured to see the shoulders above the head?

Ver. 24. Therefore as the Church] Denying herself to please Christ, making his will her law. In everything] In all her husband’s lawful commands and restraints. A wife should have no will of her own, but submit to her husband’s; albeit there are those who merrily say that when man lost freewill, woman took it up.

Ver. 25. Husbands, love your wives] He saith not, rule over them (in answer to submit, Ephesians 5:22), for this they can readily do without bidding; but love your wives, and so make their yoke as easy as may be. Columbae trahunt currum Veneris. Doves draw the charriot of Venus.

Ver. 26. That he might sanctify] The maids were first purified and perfumed before Ahasuerus chose one. But here it is otherwise. Sanctification is a fruit of justification. The Lord will not have a sluttish Church, and therefore he came not by blood only, but by water also, that clean water of his Spirit, whereby he washeth away the swinish nature of his saints, so that they desire no more to wallow in the mire.

Ver. 27. That he might present] As Isaac did his Rebecca, adorned with his jewels. See Ezekiel 16:14. Tales nos amat Deus, quales futuri sumus ipsius done, non quales sumus nostro merito, saith an ancient Council.

Ver. 28. As their own bodies] No man may hide himself from his own flesh at large, Isaiah 58:7, that is, from his neighbour of the same stock; much less from a wife, which is such another as himself, Genesis 2:18, nay, his very self, as here.

Ver. 29. For no man ever hated] No man but a monk, who whips himself, or a mad man, Mark 5:5, who cuts himself. It was the saying of the Emperor Aurelius, a wife is to be often admonished, sometimes reproved, but never beaten. And yet of the Russian women it is reported, that they love that husband best that beats them most, and that they think themselves else not regarded, unless two or three times a day well favouredly swadled. Chrysostom saith, It is the greatest reproach in the world for a man to beat his wife. But nourisheth it, and cherisheth it] Θαλπει. As the hen doth her chickens, or as the cock pigeon doth the eggs. Contrariwise the magpie hunts away from his mate about autumn, lest he should be forced to keep her all the winter; and so becometh the hieroglyphic of an unkind husband. Even as the Lord, the Church] Lo, this is the pattern of all true love, whether to ourselves or others. Columbarum masculus ipse ovis incubat.

Ver. 30. Of his flesh, and of his bones] While he that is joined to the Lord is one spirit, 1 Corinthians 6:17. This union is neither natural, nor corporal, nor political, nor personal, but mystical and spiritual; and yet it is no less true and real than that of God the Father and God the Son, John 17:21,22. For as the Holy Ghost did unite in the Virgin’s womb the Divine and human natures of Christ, and made them one person; by reason whereof Christ is of our flesh and of our bones; so the Spirit unites that person of Christ, his whole person, God-man, with our persons, by reason whereof we are of his flesh and of his bones.

Ver. 31. For this cause, &c.] [See Trapp on “Mt 19:5”] [See Trapp on “Ge 2:24”] Shall be one flesh] By virtue of that covenant of God between married couples, Proverbs 2:17, for he keepeth the bonds of wedlock.

Ver. 32. This is a great mystery] To wit, this mystical marriage with Christ. It passeth the capacity of man to understand it in the perfection of it. Preachers can make it known but in part, and hearers can but in part conceive it. Let us therefore wait for perfect understanding of it, till all things be perfected in Christ.

Ver. 33. Nevertheless] q.d. But that I may return to my former discourse, from the which I have somewhat digressed for your satisfaction. See that she reverence] 1. In heart, as Sarah did Abraham, and she is crowned and chronicled for it, 1 Peter 3:6 2. In her speeches both to him, and of him, as the spouse in the Canticles. 3. In all her gestures and deportments; for she may scold with her looks, &c. Vultu saepe laeditur pietas. By looks often is goodness offended. God hath a barren womb for mocking Michal.

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