Josephs Party-Colored Coat, Part 2 – Part 3
I heare there be divisions among you.
How came Saint Paul by this intelligence?Quest. Was not hee at Philippi, when hee wrote this Epistle? (as appears by the Postscript) which was many miles from Corinth. How heard the Apostle of these divisions at such a distance?
Saint Paul was cunning in a kind of Christian and lawfull Magick.Answ. All the world was his circle, (for so he saith of himselfe, The care of all Churches lyeth upon me, 2 Cor. 11.28.) and some faithfull friends in every Church were his familiar Spirits in this circle, to inform him of all considerable passages. So that Saint Paul was at Corinth, when hee was not at Corinth, absent in person, present by Proxies, these Intelligencers which kept correspondencie with him.
Men in authority have quick eares to heare at a great distance.Doct The mutterings of Malefactors are hollowings to Magistrates, who heare distinctly what offenders but whisper to themselves.
Let none therefore be encouraged to sinne through a confidence to be concealed:Vse. What though Sinners be the servants of the Prince of darkenesse, and therefore hope to obtaine from their Lord and Master a protection that no punishment may arrest them; yet let them know, that though the place wherein they sin seeme to them as darke as Egypt, it is as light to men in authority, as the land of Goshen: Lyons sleepe with their eyes open; Magistrates with their eyes both open, and seeing: when wee thinke them blind, they Behold: when deafe, with Saint Paul they Heare.
Quest.Did these men (whosoever they were) well in telling Saint Paul these discords of the Corinthians? had they not better have gone backward, and covered the nakednesse of their neighbours with the cloake of silence? Pitty it is but that his tongue should bee for ever bound to the peace, who will prate of every fault hee finds in another, and at the best they are but clacks and tel-tales for their paines.
Answ.Had they told it to some scoffing Cham, or mocking Ismael, who would have made musick to himselfe of the Corinthians discords; then they had been faulty in relating the faults of others; Tell it not in Gath, nor publish it in Askalon, lest the &c. 2. Sam. 1.20. but it being told to S. Paul, who would not mock, but be moan; not defame, but reform these offenders, it was no breach, but a deed of charity, and the doers hereof, benefactors herein, to the Chuch of Corinth.
Doct.It is both lawfull, and laudable to discover the faults of our dearest friends, to those who have power and place to reforme them. Thus Ioseph brought to his father Iacob the evill deeds of his brethren, Gen. 37.2 Indeed the Devill is called the Accuser of the brethren, Revel. 10.12. but he accuseth them often without cause, even without charity, who since hee hath been cast into hell, knowes no other heaven then to doe mischiefe. But for a man to open the sins, the wounds of his neighbour, not with desire to put him to torment, but that the Chyrurgion may search and salve them, is an action most charitable.
There are divisions.Object.
But did not Saint Paul in the 2. verse of this Chapter prayse the Corinthians? Now I commend you brethren, that you remember me in all things, and keepe the Ordinances as I delivered them to you. Were they growne so bad since the beginning of this Chapter? or doth Saint Paul with Saint Augustine write a retractation of what hee had written before? Is this faire dealing, that hee who formerly had by his commendations given the Corinthians a generall Acquittance from al their faults, should now come over them with an after-reckoning, and charge them with the sin of divisions?
1 Some answer, *Cornel. … l. … pide on the Text.Omnia, Answ. 1.id est plera que omnia. So that al the ordinances are to be expounded the greatest part of them.
2 Others by Ordinances understand onelyonly certaine Ecclesiasticall *Thom. Morton in his comment upon the 1 Cor. 11.Rites and Ceremonies, touching the discipline of the Church, which had no necessary influence, either on doctrine, or manners; so that the Corinthians might be observant of all these, and yet peccant both in life and beliefe.
If this bee the meaning, then let us take heed, that though we be whole in discipline, wee be not halting in Doctrine, though sound in ceremonies, not sick in manners, ther being no such inseparable connexion betwixt the one & the other, but that a man may observe all orders in Church service, and yet be disorderly in his life & conversation, lightning oft times breaks the sword, yet bruises not the scabard; so error and vitiousnesse may breake all piety and religion in us, though in the mean time the sheath of Religion (formall decency, and outward conformity) remaine in us sound and entire.
*Cal. 1 Cor. 11.2.Calvins opinion is that the Apostle commending the Corinthians, meaneth the maine and general body of the Church, though there might be many straglers justly to be reproved, confessing Laborassè quidem alios alijs vitijs: Interea tamen ab universo corpore re tentam fuisse formam quam commendaverat. That Church therefore is, and is to be counted & commended for a good Church, whose head is whole, heart healthful, all vital parts entire, though having a lame leg, a bleared eye, a withered hand, some bad and vitious members, belonging unto it.