Daily Sermons Upon Jonah, Exposition 13 – Exposition 22
Verſ. 13 ¶The ſonnes of thine Elect Siſter ſalute thee.
THe ſonnes of thine Elect, &c. Marlorat PelicanusHe addeth after the manner of writers, a ſalutation in the ende. The Nephewes, ſayth he, the ſonnes of thine Electe Siſter, bydde God ſaue thée. A doubtfull kinde of ſpeache trulie: but it troubleth vsus nothing at all. Some ſuſpect that thoſe ſonnes of her Siſter were with the writers of this Epiſtle.Oecume. Some other wyll builde vponupon it, that this Epiſtle was not written to a Woman, but to the Church,Bullinger whoſe Siſters here (they ſaye) he maketh other Churches, which begot Sonnes vntounto Chriſt, of which thing reade the Argument ſet before this Epiſtle.Marlorat.
FINIS.
¶A Catholike expoſition vponupon the thirde Epiſtle of S. Iohn.
Marlorat ImlerusE Ʋen as many men hauehave doubted of the authour of the former Epiſtle: So alſo of the writers of this Epiſt, they are not throughly agreed, which hauehave written Commentaries vpō the ſame. For there are, which aſcribe it al wholie to Iohn the Euangeliſt, other to Iohn a certaine diuine, others to Iohn an elder. But howſoeuer the matter is, it muſt needes be ſome godly man; and faithfull miniſter of Chriſt in the dispenſation of the word, which writeth of matters verie neceſſarie vntounto a certaine ſeruaunt of God: vntounto whome not without great ardencie of minde he cōmendeth certaine brethren.Oecume. And firſt he praiſeth Gaius vntounto whom he writeth, of whoſe hoſpitalitie many gaue teſtimony: and exhorteth that he cōtinue in the ſame purpoſe, both in accompanying or bringing the brethrē on their way, & in gentlie entertaining them: and (that the exhortation may be of the more effycacie) he affirmeth him which worketh wel, to be of God. Again, ſecondly, he sharplie toucheth Diotrephes, & accuſeth him,Bullin. Oecum. for that neither he himſelfe gaue any thing to the poore, and forbiddeth others ſo to do, and alſo bableth forth many euil ſpeaches. And by this he ſtirreth vp Gaius to perſeuer in wel doing.Marlorat. Oecum. Marlorat. Oecum. Laſtlie he commendeth Demetrius, and geueth a faithfull teſtimonie of him, and ſo finallie with a happie and Chriſtian prayer, ioygned with friendlie ſalutations, he concludeth his Epiſtle, which he teſtifieth to be briefe for this cauſe, for that he truſted to come shortly, and to adde thoſe things which remained vnwritten.
Ʋerſ. 1 ¶The Elder to the beloued Gaius, whome I louelove in the trueth.
THe Elder to the beloued Gaius. PelicanusWe thinke this Gaius to be ſome chiefe man, moſt Chriſtian, & alſo very rych, who not only harbored, the Apoſtles & preachers of ye goſpel of that tyme: but alſo prouided them of all other neceſſaries for their way. Some thinke this mā to be the hoſt of Paul, of whom Paule him ſelfe wrytte vntounto the Romanes: Ro. 16.23Gaius mine host, and the host of the whole Church ſaluteth you. Not therfore vnworthely doth this holie mā cal him, beloued: becauſe that he was both endued with true fayth towarde God,Oecumnius. and alſo wholy was inflamed with louelove towarde the ſeruauntes of Chriſt. It followeth. VVhome I louelove in the truth. He loueth in the truth, which according to God loueth with a harty and vnfayned louelove: as wée hauehave alſo often ſayde in our former writings.
Ʋerſ. 2 ❧Beloued, I wiſhe chieflie that thou proſperedſt and faredſt well as thy ſoule proſpereth.
BEloued, I wish chieflie. This ſalutation truly is very plaine but yet ſomething different from the common ſalutations of the Apoſtles. As if he ſhould ſaye.Bullinger Pelica. This wiſhe I chieflye that euen as thou proſpereſt, and from the hart are deuout toward God, perſeuering by all meanes in furthering the doctrine of the Goſpel: ſo alſo in all other thinges thou mayſt proſper, Chriſt bleſſing thée.Bul. For a ſounde ſoule in a ſounde body, is chiefe felicitie. It may alſo be referred to the houſholde of Gaius: that the ſenſe maye be: I deſire and wiſh that euen as thy ſoule proſpereth in all thinges, being happy and bleſſed, and adorned with celeſtial gifts: ſo alſo thy houſholde, or thy familiars, maye proſper and farewell.
Ʋerſ. 3 ¶For I reioyced greatlie when the brethren came, and teſtified of the truth that is in thee, how thou walkeſt in the truth.
BullingerFOr I greatly reioyced. He reioyceth firſt that he receiued the trueth, and next that he walketh therein with the great prayſe of the brethren. As if he ſhoulde ſaye: No ſmall pleaſure hauehave I taken by the voyce of the brethren, which came vntounto vsus, and gaue teſtimony of thine integritie, or were euen as true wytneſſes of thine integritie, as thou truely doſt followe the Euangelicall veritie, not in profeſſion onelyonly, but alſo in déede, in ſtudie, and in all thy whole lyfe. It foloweth: Euen as thou walkest (or howe thou walkest) in the trueth. To walke in the trueth, is to leade a godlie lyfe according to the rule of veritie without all counterfaicy and ſymulation. For by Walke in this place,Oecume. he meaneth not a moueing of the legges (ſéeing that ſuch kinde of going, paſſing from place to place, is common to all lyuing creatures that hauehave féete:) but he meaneth an ordered and temperate going forewarde according to the earneſt affect of the minde, which few men, yea euen of thoſe which are not voyde of vnderſtanding, doo attayne vntounto.Bullinger For it is not inough to hauehave knowne the trueth, except we walke in the ſame, that is, faſhion our liues, wordes and déedes, according vntounto it. This Paule calleth to walke in the ſpirite:Marlorat. Ga. 5.16 I ſaye vntounto you walke in the ſpirite, and ye ſhall not fulfill the luſtes of the fleſh.
Ʋerſ. 4 ❧I hauehave no greater ioyes, then theſe, that is, to heare that my ſonnes walke in the veritie.
PelicanusI HaueHave noe greater ioye then theſe. That is: Nothing can touch my minde with greater ioye, then if it come to paſſe, that I maye heare my ſonnes, whome I hauehave begotten vntounto Chriſte through the Goſpell, to followe the veritie by vsus delyuered. And this trulie is the ioye of all Saynts,Marlorat Mat. 13.8 Imlerus. 1. cor. 14.15 Gal. 4.19 1. Theſ. 2, 7 Oecum. Luk. 15.10 but chieflie of the Miniſters of the worde, when they vnderſtand that the ſéede fell into good grounde. But he calleth thoſe here his ſonnes, vntounto whome he hath preached the Goſpell of Chriſt: which manner of ſpeaking Paule often times vſeth.
Note therefore that the chiefeſt ioye of holie men is, when they vnderſtande their ſonnes to walke in the trueth: Euen as the Angels are ſayde, to reioyce ouer ſinners turned to repentaunce, which ought not a lytle to encorage vsus, that with all diligence we maye publiſh the trueth.
Ʋerſ. 5 ¶Beloued, thou doeſt faithfullie, what ſo thou doeſt towarde the brerhren and towarde ſtraungers.
BEloued, thou doest faithfullie. Imlerus BullingerNowe declareth he the fruite of fayth, which is louelove towarde our neyghbour. For the firſte thing is, that we receyue the trueth, and be perfect in fayth: and the next is, that we be charytable. This Elder therefore ſignifieth his ioye vntounto Gaius for his hoſpitalitie and benificence, which he ſhewed towarde the brethren, after he had made mencion of the receyte of the trueth:Pelica. as if he ſhoulde ſaye. That thou arte officious towarde the Chriſtians, which lyue there, or which come thyther as ſtraungers, thou doeſt a thing worthy of him which trulie beléeléeueth the goſpell, and loueth Chriſt, and immitateth the examples of hoſpitalitie in the Patriarches and Prophets.Eſai. 58.6 Ma. 10.40 This hoſpitalitie euerie where the Scripture commendeth. Rom. 12.13. And the Author of the Epiſtle to the Hebrewes ſayth: Be mindefull of hoſpitalitie, for thereby ſome hauehave receyued Angelles into their houſes vnawares.Imlerus Ma. 25.35 Heb. 13.2 1. Pet. 4.9 But this office ought to be performed with a ioyfull minde, and chéerfull harte: according to that exhortation of Peter. Be ye harborus one to another without grudging.
1. Pet. 4.9.But as we owe beneficence vntounto all men, ſo chieflie vntounto the Miniſters of the Lordes worde: as the ſcripture euerie where commendeth them.
Ʋerſ. 6 ¶ Which hauehave geuen teſtimony of thy louelove before the Churches, whome if thou bringeſt on their iourney as it beſeemeth, according to God, thou ſhalte doo well.
Pelica.WHich hauehave geuen testimonie. That is: the brethren whom thou gentlie haſt entreated, hauehave teſtified of thy ſinceritie before all the congregation of the Chriſtians. This place teacheth thankfulneſſe,Bullinger & that no man is to be defrauded of his due praiſe. So Paule prayſeth the Philippians, ſaying: I reioyce in the Lorde greatlie, that nowe at the laſte your care for mée ſpringeth a freſhe,Phil. 4.20 wherein notwithſtanding ye were careful, but you lacked oportunitie: And a litle after: I hauehave receyued, ſayth he, all thinges, and abounde, I was euen filled after that I had receyued of Epaphroditus that which came from you, an Odor that ſmelleth ſwéete, a Sacrifice acceptable and pleaſant vntounto God. And in another place:Phil. 4.18 As touching the miniſtring to the Saints, it is ſuperfluous for me to write vntounto you. For I know ye promptneſſe of your minde,2. Cor. 9.1 wherof I boaſt my ſelfe of you to thē of Macedonia, that Achaia was prepared a yeare agoe, and your example hath prouoked many. And the author of the Epiſtle to the Hebrewes: God is not vnrighteous, ſayth he, that he ſhoulde forgette your worke and labour of louelove, which ye ſhewed towardes his name,Heb. 6.10 in that ye hauehave miniſtred vntounto his Saintes, and yet doo miniſter.
Marlorat.It followeth: VVhome if thou bringect, &c. He exhorteth to perceueraunce, leaſt Gaius ſhoulde be weary of well doing. As if he ſhould ſaye: But thou ſhalt doo well, if thoſe, whom thou haſt curteouſlie entertained,Pelica. comming vntounto thée, thou bringeſt with lyke humanitie on their waye, whether they wyll go. Sée therfore that by thée they be furniſhed of things neceſſarie to their iourney,Bullinger Marlorat that nothing let them in theyr waye.
Ʋerſ. 7 ¶Becauſe that for his name ſake they went forth, and tooke nothing of the Gentiles.
BEcauſe that for his name ſake. Marlorat.He rendereth a reaſon why ſuch men ſhoulde not onelyonly be gentlie receyued, but alſo curteouſlie brought on their waye. They doo, ſayth he,Pelicanus the buſineſſe of God, and not their owne. For they go not to trafficque, whereby they might increaſe their owne goodes, but to preach the name of our Lorde Ieſus Chriſte. It followeth. And tooke nothing of the Gentiles. That is:Bullin. Therefore take they no ſtipende of ye Gentiles to whome they preached, that by ſo much may they bring the more fruite vntounto Chriſt, by howe much the Gentiles are voyde of ſuſpition, that they preache for lucre.Marlorat. For this cauſe Paule of his owne accorde woulde ſpare the Corinthians vntounto whome he preached, taking nothing of them, leaſt he ſhoulde be offenſiue vntounto any of them, as he plainlie teſtifieth, but chieflie to the Corinthes.1. Cor 9.19
Ʋerſ. 8 ¶We therefore ought to receyue ſuch, that we might be helpers to the trueth.
WEe therefore ought to receiue ſuch. As if he ſhould ſaye:Bullinger we therefore which knowe, the labourer to be worthy of his rewarde ought to receyue ſuch good men,Mat. 10 10. and to helpe them with our ritches, and to take care that nothing be wanting to the ſuſtentation of their liues. The word,1. Cor. 9.14 Oecum. foreign receiue, is taken for, foreign, Suſcipere, to take in charge. And by this he teacheth vsus, that we ſhould not waite for the poore tyll they come to vsus,Ge. 18.2. & 19.1 but that we ſhoulde méete them and followe them, as dyd Abraham and Lotte.
Marlorat.It followeth: That we might be helpers to the trueth. Whereby he myght the more encourage him, he teacheth that they loſe not theyr labour, which be helpfull to ſuch. As if he ſayde: we ought not to fayle them, but to our power helpe them: that in ſome parte we mayebe partakers of thoſe thinges which they doo to the glorie of God.
BullingerSéeing that therefore the charge of Preaching is not inioyned to all men: other men ought to ſupplie it with their ritches, euen by helping thoſe which are called, and furniſhed with the charges of teaching. For the Lorde in the Goſpell ſayde: VVho ſo recyueth a Prophece in the name of a Prophet, shal receyue the reward of a Prophet: and he which receyueth a righteouſe man, Ma. 10.41in the name of a righteouſe man, shall receyue a righteouſe mans rewarde. And he that shall geue to one of theſe little ones a cuppe of coulde water to drinke onelyonly in the name of a diſciple verely I ſay vntounto you, he shall not looſe his reward. Whervnto alſo tēdeth that which we brought lately out of the Hebrues. But it appeareth out of this place,Heb. 6.10 that at that tyme, there were many good men, which immitating the example of Paul, preached the goſpell vntounto the Gentiles fréelie. And of ye Conuertes they which were rytch, ſtryuing who ſhould be fyrſt,Pelicanus mayntained the Euangeliſtes, and made theyr rytches to be ſeruauntes to pietie, and the glorie of Chriſte, and alſo to the ſafegarde of many of the faythfull: leaſt any man ſhould thinke, that rytches ſhould hinder Chriſtian ſaluation and perfection. For euerie of vsus can not doo all thinges.
Bul.So men of the Primitiue Churche, deſired that the glorie of Chriſte the Lorde, might be promoted, in ſuch ſorte, that for this cauſe they woulde doo and ſuffer any thing: and men of the mydle age, lyberallie dyd helpe the ſtudie of godlyneſſe: And we alone vppon whome the endes of the worldes are come, hauehave ſtoode ſlouthfull. And they vntounto whome from God is geuen the grace to teache,1. Co. 10, 11 wyll not put them ſelues and their ſubſtaunce in hazarde, or elſe wyll not vndertake the charge of teachinge,Neither geue they vntounto the miniſter any of their ſubſtaunce to maintaine him, nor yet ſuffer him to keepe ſtil that maintenance which was geuen him long agoe by others, for they care not how miſerablie he liueth wherby they ſhowe that they neither regarde the doctrine of the word nor the glorie of Chriſtes name. Bullinger. vnleſſe they be brought thereto with fatte and kinglie ſtypendes. But to verie fewe or elſe to none at all are ſuch ſtypendes geuen.
For thoſe rytche men vntounto whome the care of the Myniſters of the worde is committed, doo ſuffer them myſerablie to wante, and ſo lyttle doo they geue vntounto them of their owne goodes, that they enuie and take from them thoſe thinges which by others long agoe were geuen vntounto them. But ſo is the doctrine of pietie endaungered, and alſo the glorie of the name of Chriſt. But the Lorde graunt vntounto vsus that ſpyrite which here we ſée to hauehave dwelt in the hartes of thoſe which in this place are commended.
9. I wrote vntounto the Church, but Diotrephes which loueth to hauehave the preheminence among them, receyueth vsus not.
I VVrote to the Churche. It doth not ſufficientlie appeare of what kinde of wryting mencion is here made. Yet is it euident that this Senior wrote an Epiſtle to that congregation wherin Gaius lyued, wherin he exhorted the Church to go forwarde to doo that thing, which it ſawe Gaius to doo.Marlorat. But not this Epiſtle alone by the ingratitude of men, and malignitie of tymes is periſhed and loſt. It followeth.Bullin. Marlorat. Mat. 11.29. But he which loueth. &c. Diotrephes a certaine man withſtoode theſe holy admonitions, whome here, this ſeruaunt of Chriſt toucheth verie narowlie, accuſing in him the mallaparte wickedneſſe of his tongue, and his ſtudy of ſclaundering, and alſo his ambition, which thing in the Church is woont to be the greateſt plague, and almoſt the mother of all diſcention.Mat. 18.3.23.11 Luk. 22.26 Wheſefore Chriſte woulde hauehave his Diſciples to be voyde from all ambition and pride.