An Account of Cawdrys Triplex Diatribe, Chapter 6 · Section 13
Sect. 13. The third of Paul's going up to Ieruſalem: this under no precept. No refuſing to ſuffer, no retarding of the Goſpel. The example of Chriſt and S. Paul at other times, the teſtimony of Origen, and confeſſion of the Diatribiſt.
THe 3d inſtance was taken from Paul's going up to Hieruſalem, Act. 21. when, being told by a Prophet v. 11. that bonds expected him there, he might lawfully have avoided that danger, and gone ſome other way, and been juſtified by Mat. 10. 23. and yet in this conjuncture, when he might have abſtained, he would yet needs go up, v. 13. and ſo that was his foreign. Now to this, ſaith he, the like may be anſwered, viz. that it was no free-will offering, for though by the general allowance he might have fled, yet if he should have refuſed to ſuffer, with the retarding of the Goſpel, he had ſurely ſinned.
To this anſwer the reply may be brief, that Pauls not going to Ieruſalem at that time, did in no wiſe imply either his refuſing to ſuffer, or retarding the Goſpel: 1. The not going, when he knowes, that if he goes, he ſhall ſuffer, is not refuſing to ſuffer, it is only the diverting at that time, the not caſting himſelf upon apparent danger, which we find ſometimes exemplified by Chriſt, Mat. 12. 15. upon knowledge of the Phariſees deſigne to kill him, though ſure he never refuſed to ſuffer, but eſteemed it a prime part of his miſſion.
Upon this occaſion it was Contra Celſ.Origens obſervation, foreign &c. Chriſt did not this for fear of death, i. e. refuſing, or being in the leaſt degree unwilling to ſuffer, giving thereupon this univerſal axiome, foreign, Tis no degenerous thing to avoid dangers prudently, and not to go among them.
And ſure it would have been the ſame in S. Paul who was not obliged to runne into danger here, any more then to go unto the multitude, or into the Theatre, Act. 19. 30, 31. both which when he was willing to have done, he yet abſtained from both, upon the intreaty of the diſciples, & the Aſiarchae that were kind to him, And accordingly we know at other times he made uſe of the ſame liberty, & induſtriouſly avoided the perſecutors hands, 2 Co. 11. 33.
And 2. his not going up was no way the retarding the Goſpel, only the reſerving himſelf to do Chriſt more ſervice upon earth, in preaching the Goſpel and confirming the Churches; For of this there is no queſtion, that the Goſpel might be advanced by his life, as well as by his death, and as it appears in his Epiſtle to the Philippians, it might be better for the Chriſtians committed to his charge, that he ſhould continue to live and labour among them, and accordingly the pious Chriſtians here beſought him that he would not go up, and, I hope, were not guilty of deſigning treachery to the Goſpel in ſo doing, and ſo the Diſciples, v. 4. who had by the Spirit, i. e. by the gift of prophecy received knowledge of his danger, adviſed him alſo. Not that I think the Spirit, either by them, or by Agabut, diſſwaded his going, for then it had been an act of obedience to the Spirit, and ſo of duty not to go, but that the Spirit made known his hazard, which there he ſhould run, leaving it free to him to go, or not to go, and that there were Spiritual reaſons on both ſides, and for not going, over and above, motives prudential, in regard of his own ſafety, and no command to deſpiſe theſe, nor conſequently ground of neceſſity or obligation to go up, only an intuition of ſome things that ſeemed to be more excellent, exerciſing of many admirable graces, of courage, and conſtancy, and confeſſion of a perſecuted Chriſt, every of which received luſtre from the certain foreſight of his danger, and theſe, it ſeems, weighed down the ballance with him againſt all the importunities of his friends, ſuperadded to the contrary motives, and accordingly he choſe that which was moſt noble, moſt excellent, moſt contrary to fleſh and blood, made not uſe of that liberty which God had given him, and in that reſpect this is directly parallel to the former, that of refuſing of hire, foreign, he made not uſe of the power which he had, and ſo ſtill his foreign his voluntary, ſpontaneous oblation of himſelf even to martyrdome, without any command or obligation for it at this time.
Origen ſhall conclude this in his Books againſt Celſus, foreign. Though a Chriſtian fly (and yet that is more then not going up here) yet he flies not for cowardiſe, but obſerving the commandment of his Maſter, (and then ſure he offends not, much leſſe betrayes his Maſter) keeps himſelf pure, that others may be profited by his preſervation, and ſo ſtill this is not the betraying, but rather advancing of the Goſpel.
That there was no ſuch command to S. Paul or others, binding to be bound, beaten, ſtoned, is here acknowledged by the Diatribiſt, and from thence I conclude, therefore it had not been ſin in him not to go up, when he knew he ſhould be bound, for ſin is a breach or tranſgreſſion of a law. This Diatribiſt therefore denying it to be a free-will offering, that he choſe the danger, when he might have preferred his ſafety, ought in all reaſon to have ſhewed the ground which rendred his going neceſſary, which having not attempted to do, but only in ſtead of it, affirming, that if he had refuſed with the retarding of the Goſpel, he had ſurely ſinned (which is equivalent to acknowledging that his bare not going to Ieruſalem had not been ſin, in caſe it had not been (as certainly it might not have been) to the retarding of the Goſpel) tis certain there remains no appearance of reaſon for his negation, nor conſequenly of objection or pretence, why this ſhould not be a foreign as well as the former, or any thing which is moſt ſpontaneous.
The vulgar anſwer of ſome, that this was an inſtinct or motion of the Spirit, is not here adhered to by the Diatribiſt, and therefore I ſhall not ſpeak to that, being alſo ſure, that no ſuch thing doth here appear in the Storie, and therefore muſt not be ſuppoſed, without all proof.