Commentary on the Epistles and Revelation of John, Commentary 3

Commentary on the Epistles and Revelation of John · Commentary 3

p. 129A COMMENTARY OR EXPOSITION VponUpon the ſecond Epiſtle of S. Paul to the CORINTHIANS.

CHAP. I. Verſe 1. Our brother]

IN the faith, not in the fleſh, Sanctior eſt copula cordis, quam corporis, Prov. 18.24.

Verſe 2. From God the Father] The Father is the Fountain, the Son the conduit, whereby all good things are derived to us.

Verſe 3. The Father of mercies] Only it muſt be remembred, that as he is Pater miſerationum, ſo he is Deus ultionum, Pſal 94.1. As he hath ubera, ſo he hath verbera. Chriſt is girt about the paps with a golden girdle, to ſhew his love; but yet he hath eyes like flaming fire, and feet like burning braſſe, Rev. 1. to look thorow and keep under his enemies.

The God of all comfort] It is he that ſhines thorow the creature, which elſe is but as the air without light. It is he that comforteth by the means. It is not the Word alone; for that is but as the veins and arteries that convey the bloud and ſpirits: So the Spirit p. 130being convey'd by the promiſes, helpeth the ſoul to lay it ſelf upon Chriſt by faith, and ſo it is comforted. Sometimes comfort comes not by the uſe of the means till afterwards, that he may have the whole glory, Cant. 3. The Church found not him, whom her ſoul loved, till ſhe was a little paſt the watchmen. The ſoul is apt to hang her comforts on every hedge, to ſhift and ſhark in every by-corner for comfort. But as air lights not without the Sun, and as fuell heats not without fire, ſo neither can any thing ſoundly comfort us without God.

Ʋna est in trepida mihi re medicina JehovaeNath. Chytraus.

Cor patrium, os verax, omnipotenſ que manus.

Verſe 4. By the comfort wherewith] How forcible are right words? eſpecially when uttered more from the bowels then the brain, and from our own experience: which made even Chriſt himſelf a more compaſſionate high-prieſt, and Luther ſuch an heart-affecting preacher, becauſe from his tender years he was much beaten and exerciſed with ſpirituall conflicts, as Melancthon teſtifieth.In vita. He was alſo wont to ſay that three things make a Preacher, Reading, Praier, and Temptation. Reading maketh a full man, Praier an holy man, Temptation an experienced man.

Wherewith we our ſelves are comforted] Goodneſſe is communicative. M^r Knox, a little afore his death, role out of his bed; and being asked wherefore, being ſo ſick, he would offer to riſe? He anſwered, that he had had ſweet meditations of the reſurrection of Jeſus Chriſt that night, and now he would go into the Pulpit,Mel…b Adam. and impart to others the comforts that he felt in his ſoul.

Verſe 5. As the ſufferings of Christ] So called either becauſe the Saints ſuffer for Chriſt, or becauſe they have him ſuffering with them, Act. 9.4. God is more provoked then Nehemiah, Nehem. 4.3, 5.

So our conſolation] As the lower the ebbe, the higher the tide. foreign, ſaith Ignatius. The more pain, the more gain. It is to my loſſe, if you bate me any thing in my ſufferings.

Verſe 6. And whether we be afflicted] Let the winde ſit in what corner ſoever it will, it blows good to the Saints, Cant. ….16. Though North and South be of contrary qualities, yet they make the Churches ſpices to flow and give forth their ſent.

p. 131Verſe 7. So ſhall ye be alſo, &c.] Our troubles therefore are compared to the throws of a travelling woman that tend to a birth, and end in comfort Joh. 16.21.

Verſe 8. For we would not, &c.] It is of great uſe to know the ſufferings that others have ſuſtained before us. The Primitive Chriſtians kept Catalogues of their Martyrs. D^r Tailor the Martyr at his death gave his ſon Thomas a latine book, containing the ſayings and ſufferings of the old Martyrs, collected by himſelf. In the Engliſh Seminaries beyond ſeas, they have at dinner time their Martyrology read, that is, the legend of our Engliſh Traitours.

We deſpaired even of life] God is oft better to us then our hopes: he reſerves uſually his holy hand for a dead lift. He comes in the nick of time: and our extremity is his opportunity. See the Note on Luk. 18.8.

Verſe 9. But we had the ſentence] Gr.foreign. The anſwer or denunciation of death. Here we muſt diſtinguiſh between anſwers of triall, and direct anſwers. This was of the former ſort: for Paul died not at that time. When Leyden was ſo long, and ſo ſtrictly beſieged by the Duke of Alva, that they were forced for their ſuſtenance to ſearch and ſcrape dung-hils, &c. and the Duke, in the language of blaſphemy, threatned the defendants with cruell death, that very night the windes turned, the tide ſwelled, and the waters came in, and forced him to raiſe the ſiege.

That we ſhould not truſt] Hope is never higher-elevated then when our ſtate in all mens eyes is at loweſt.

Verſe 10. In whom we truſt] Experience breeds confidence. Thou haſt, thou ſhalt, is an ordinary medium made uſe of by the Pſalmiſt.

Verſe 11. You alſo helping together] The beſt may have benefit by the praiers of the meaneſt. Melancthon was much cheared and confirmed by the praiers of certain women and children, whom he found tugging with God in a corner for the ſetling of the Reformation in Germany.S…lneccer. paedagog. Chriſtian. pag. 196.

Verſe 12. For this is our rejoycing, &c.] He was merry under his load, becauſe his heart was upright. The ſincere will well ſtand under great preſſures, becauſe they are ſound. Whereas if a bone be broke, or but the skin rub'd up and raw, the lighteſt load will be grievous.

And godly ſincerity] A fine word he here uſeth:foreign. and it is a p. 132Metaphor either from the Eagle that trieth her young by holding them forth againſt the full ſight of the Sun;Ariſtot. Plin. (ſo ſhould we the motions of our mindes to the Word of God) or elſe from a wiſe and wary chapman, that holds up the cloth he buyes, betwixt his eye and the Sun.

Verſe 13. Then what ye read, &c.] Or, then what you can both recognize and approve of: for you have known me thorow and thorow.

Verſe 14. You have acknowledged in part] q. d. You ought to have done it more fully: but you have been carried away, as ye were led by the falſe Apoſtles.

Verſe 15. A ſecond benefit] Gr. Grace not converting only, but confirming alſo. All is but enough.

Verſe 16. And to paſſe by you] So indefatigable and unſatisfiable was he in doing God ſervice. Calvin ſaid, Ne decem quidem maria, &c. That it would not grieve him to ſail over ten ſeas, about a uniform draught for religion.

Verſe 17. Did I uſe lightneſſe] So the falſe Apoſtles ſuggeſted againſt him. Miniſters muſt carefully clear themſelves of ſuſpitions and aſperſions caſt upon them, either by a verball or reall Apology.

Verſe 18. Our word toward you, &c.] Gods children are all ſuch as will not lie, ſay and unſay, blow hot and cold with a blaſt, Iſa. 63.8.

Verſe 19. For the Sonne of God] What is that to the purpoſe? Thus: if the Goſpel that Paul preached be not yea and nay, then neither are Pauls promiſes yea and nay. This is his intendment: elſe his inference is nothing. And by that which follows, it reacheth all Chriſtians,M. Cotton on the ſeven vi…als 25. q. d. Look what a Chriſtian doth promiſe, he is bound by the earneſt-peny of Gods Spirit to perform. He dares no more alter his words to the diſcredit of his profeſſion, then the Spirit of God can lie.

Verſe 20. In him are yea and amen] That is, truth and aſſurance. They will eat their way over all alpes of oppoſition, as one ſpeaketh.

Verſe 21. Hath anointed us] i. e. Conſecrated and qualified us.

Verſe 22. Sealed us] As the Merchant ſets his ſeal upon his goods.

The earnest of the Spirit] Whereof God ſhould undergoe p. 133the loſſe, if he ſhould not give the inheritance, as Chryſoſtome noteth.

Verſe 23. I call God to record] He purgeth himſelf by oath. So thoſe Ioſh. 22.22.

Verſe 24. Dominion over your faith] As Maſters of your conſciences: ſuch as the Bridge-maker of Rome will needs be.Pontiſex Romanus.

CHAP. II. Verſe 1. That I would not come again]

ILle dolet, quoties cogitur eſſe ferox. It goes as much againſt the heart of a good Miniſter, as againſt the hair with his people, if he ſay or do any thing to their grief. It is no pleaſure to him to fling daggers, to ſpeak milſtones, to preach damnation, &c. But there is a cruell lenity, as was that of Eli to his ſons, and evil men muſt be ſharply rebuked, that they may be ſound in the faith, Tit. 1.13.

Verſe 2. But the ſame which is made, &c.] Nothing can cure a faithfull Miniſter of his cordolium, of his hearts grief, but his peoples amendment. Now we live if ye ſtand fast in the Lord, 1 Theſſ. 3.8. elſe we are all amort, and you kill the very hearts of us.

Verſe 3. Of whom I ought to rejoyce] Nothing ſticks a man more then the unkindeneſſe of a friend, then expectation of love daſhed and diſappointed: All evils, as elements are moſt troubleſome, when out of their proper place, as impiety in profeſſours, injuſtice in Judges, unkindenes or untowardnes in a people toward their Paſtour, &c.

Verſe 4. With many tears] Non tàm atramento quam lachrymis chartas illevit, ſaith Lorinus. In Act. 22.19.Acts 22:19S. Pauls epiſtles were written rather with tears then with ink.

Verſe 5. Have cauſed grief] Wicked livers are Hazaels to the godly, and draw many ſighes and tears from them. Lots righteous ſoul was ſet upon the rack by the filthy Sodomites. Ieremy weeps in ſecret for Iudah's ſins. Paul cannot ſpeak of thoſe belly-gods with dry eyes, Phil. 3.18.

Verſe 16. Sufficient to ſuch a man] The Novatians therefore were out, that refuſed to receive in thoſe that repented of their former faults and follies. The Papiſts burnt ſome that recanted at p. 134the ſtake, ſaying that they would ſend them out of the world, while they were in a good minde.Act. and Mon. fol. 1392.

Verſe 7. Should be ſwallowed up] It was a ſaying of M^r Philpot, Martyr: Satan goes about to mix the deteſtable darnell of deſperation with the godly ſorrow of a pure penitent heart.Ibid. 1665.

With overmuch grief] Some holy men (as M^r Leaver) have deſired to ſee their ſin in the moſt ugly colours, and God hath heard them.D. Sibbs on Pſ. 42.5.Ps 42:5 But yet his hand was ſo heavy upon them therein, that they went alwaies mourning to their graves; and thought it fitter to leave it to Gods wiſdome to mingle the potion of ſorrow, then to be their own chooſers. It is a ſaying of Austin, Let a man grieve for his ſin, and then joy for his grief. Sorrow for ſin, if it ſo far exceed as that thereby we are diſabled for the diſcharge of our duties, it is a ſinfull ſorrow, yea though it be for ſinne.

Verſe 8.foreign. Confirm your love, &c.] Gr. Ratifie it, and declare it authentike, as it were in open court, and by publike ſentence (as Gal. 3.15.) and that at mine inſtance,foreign. as an advocate.

Verſe 9. Whether ye be obedient] Firſt to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God, 2 Cor. 8.5. Confer Heb. 13.17. Iſa. 50.10.

Verſe 10. To whom ye forgive] Or, Gratifie. Mercy is that we muſt mutually lend and borrow one of another. Let the rigid read Gal 6.1. See the Note there.

Verſe 11.foreign Leſt Satan] That wily merchant, that greedy bloud-ſucker, that devoureth not widdows houſes, but moſt mens ſouls. See ver. 7.

For we are not ignorant] He is but a titular Chriſtian that hath not perſonall experience of Satans ſtratagems, his ſet and compoſed machinations,foreign. his artificially-moulded methods, his plots, darts, depths, whereby he outwitted our firſt parents, and fits us a peny-worth ſtill, as he ſees reaſon.

Verſe 12. A door was opened] An opportunity offered. Where the Maſter ſets up a light, there is ſome work to be done; where he ſends forth his labourers, there is ſome harveſt to be gotten in.

Verſe 13.foreign. I had no rest, &c.] Gr. No relaxation, viz. from my former cares and anxieties about you, becauſe he was not yet returned to tell me how it was with you, 2 Cor. 7.6. Gods comforts p. 135are either rationall, fetcht from grounds which faith miniſtreth, or reall from the preſence of comfortable perſons or things.

Verſe 14. Now thanks be to God] Deo gratias was ever in Pauls mouth, ever in Auſtins. And a thankfull man is ever ready with his preſent, as Joſeph's brethren were, Geneſis 43.26.

Cauſeth us to triumph] Maketh us more then conquerours, even triumphers; whiles he rides upon us as upon his white horſes all the world over, Conquering and to conquer, Rev. 6.2.

Verſe 15. A ſweet ſavour] The Church is the morter, preaching the peſtell, the promiſes are the ſweet ſpices, which being beaten,Biſ. on 1 Pet. 2.1 Pet 2 yeeld an heavenly and ſupernaturall ſmell in the ſouls of the godly hearers.

Verſe 16. The ſavour of death] Aristotle writeth,De mirabil. auſ…ultat. that vultures are killed with oil of roſes. Swine (ſaith Pliny) cannot live in ſome parts of Arabia, by reaſon of the ſweet ſent of aromaticall trees there growing in every wood. Tigers are enraged with perfumes. Vipera interficitur palmis, ſaith Pa…ſanias, Moſes killed the Aegyptian, ſaved the Iſraelite. Obed-Edom was bleſſed for the Ark, the Philistims were curſed. The Sun of the Goſpel ſhining upon one that is ordained to eternall life, reviveth and quickneth him: but lighting upon a childe of death, it cauſeth him to ſtink more abominably.

And who is ſufficient] And yet now who is it almoſt that thinks not himſelf ſufficient for that ſacred and tremend function of the Miniſtery? Who am I? ſaith Moſes: Who am I not? ſaith our upſtart. Bradford was hardly perſwaded to become a Preacher.Act. and Mon. fol. 1578. Latimer leapt when he laid down his Biſhoprick, being diſcharged, as he ſaid, of ſuch an heavy burthen. Luther was wont to ſay, That if he were again to chuſe his calling, he would dig, or do any thing rather then take upon him the office of a Miniſter. So ſaid reverend M^r Whately of Banbury once in my hearing.

Verſe 17. Which corrupt the word] Gr. Which huckſter it,foreign. by handling it craftily and covetouſly, not ſerving the Lord Jeſus Chriſt but their own bellies, as thoſe Popiſh trencher-flies, and our Court paraſites.

In the ſight of God] It is impoſſible to ſpeak as in Gods preſence, and not ſincerely.

p. 136CHAP. III. Verſe 1. Doe we begin again, &c.]

AS we had done before, cap. 1.12.Plin. l. 1. epiſt. 8

To commend our ſelves] Quod magnificum referente alio fuiſſet, ipſo qui geſſerat recenſente vaneſcit. Let another man praiſe thee, and not thine own mouth, Prov. 27.2. Laus proprio ſordeſcit in ore. But the Apoſtle was neceſſitated to it.

As ſome others, letters of commendation] As the falſe Apoſtles, who carried it by teſtimonials: in giving whereof many good people are much too blame. Beauty needs no letters of commendation, ſaith Aristotle: much leſſe doth vertue, where it is known. If morall vertue could be ſeen with mortall eyes, ſaith Plato, it would ſoon draw all hearts to it ſelf.

Verſe 2. You are our Epistle] The fruitfulneſſe of the people is the Preachers teſtimoniall: as the profiting of the ſchollar is the teachers commendation.

Written in our hearts] Or rather in your hearts, as tables; the Spirit writing thereon, by his Miniſters as pens, that form of doctrine, Rom. 6.17. that law of their mindes, Rom. 7.23. Heb. 8.10. to be known and read of all men.

Verſe 3. Ministred by us] Who are devoted to the ſervice of your faith, and are the Lord Chriſts Sectaries.

But in fleſhly tables] In the ſoftened heart God writes his law, puts an inward aptneſſe anſwering the Law of God without, as lead anſwers the mould, as tally anſwers tally, as indenture anſwers indenture.

Verſe 4 Such trust have we] i. e. Such boldneſſe of holy boaſting, If Tully could ſay, Two things I have to bear me bold upon,Cic. ep ſam … 7. the knowledge of good arts, and the glory of great acts; how much more might Paul?

Verſe 5. Not that we are ſufficient] Leſt they ſhould think him arrogant. Cyrus had this written upon his Tombe, I could doe all things, foreign.as Arrianus reports. So could Paul too; but it was thorow Chriſt which ſtrengthned him. Phil. 4.1….

All our ſufficiency is of God] Had not Miniſters then need to pray? Benè oraſſe eſt benè ſtudniſſe, ſaith Luther. And whether a Miniſter ſhall do more good to others by his praiers or preaching, p. 137I will not determine (ſaith a reverend Writer) but he ſhall certainly by his praiers reap more comfort to himſelf. Whereto I adde,D. Tailour on 1 Theſſ 5.23.1 Thess 5:23 that unleſſe he pray for his hearers as well as preach to them, he may preach to as little purpoſe as Bede did, when he preached to an heap of ſtones.

Verſe 6. Not of the letter] To wit, of the law, which requireth perfect obedience, preſuppoſing holineſſe in us,Lex jubet grat…a juvat. Aug. and curſing the diſobedient: But the Goſpel (called here the Spirit) pre-ſuppoſeth unholineſſe, and, as an inſtrument, maketh us holy, Ioh. 17.17. Act. …0.32. For we preach Chriſt, 1 Cor. 1.23. We give what we preach. The Spirit is received by the preaching of faith, Gal 3.2. This Mannah is rained down in the ſweet dews of the Miniſtery of the Goſpel, 1 Pet. 1.22.

For the letter killeth] Many Popiſh Prieſts, that hardly ever had ſeen, much leſſe read S^t Pauls writings, having gotten this ſentence by the end, The letter killeth; took care of being killed, by not medling with good literature. Hence that of S^r Thomas Moore to one of them,

Tu benè caviſti, ne te ulla occidere poſſit

Littera: nam nulla eſt littera nota tibi.

Verſe 7. The miniſtration of death] That is, the Law. David was the voice of the Law awarding death to ſin, He ſhall ſurely die. Nathan was the voice of the Goſpel, awarding life to repentance for ſin, Thou ſhalt not die.

For the glory of his countenance] Which yet reflected not upon his own eyes. He ſhone bright and knew not of it: He ſaw Gods face glorious, he did not think others had ſo ſeen his. How many have excellent graces, and perceive them not?

Verſe 8. Be rather glorious] Let this comfort the Miniſters of the Goſpel under the contempts caſt upon them by the mad world ever beſides it ſelf in point of ſalvation. See Iſa. 49.5.

Verſe 9. Exceedin glory] A throne was ſet in heaven, Rev. 4.2. Not in the Mount, as Exod. 25 9. The patern of our Church is ſhewed in the heavens themſelves, becauſe of that more abundant glory of the Goſpel above the Law. And therefore alſo Iohn deſcribeth the City far greater and larger then Ezekiel, Revel. 21. Becauſe Ezekiel was a Miniſter of the Law,Brightman in loc. Iohn of the Goſpel.

Verſe 10. Had no glory] To ſpeak of, and in compariſon. The p. 138light of the Law was obſcured and overcaſt by the light of the Goſpel. The ſea about the altar was brazen, 1 King, 7.23. and what eyes could pierce thorow it? Now our ſea about the throne is glaſſie, Rev. 4.6. like to cryſtall clearly conveying the light and ſight of God in Chriſt to our eyes.

Verſe 11. Much more that, &c.] As the Sun outſhineth Lucifer his herald.

Verſe 12. Plainneſſe of speech] Or, much evidence, as Ioh. 10.24. and 11.14. and 16.29. with much perſpicuity and authority we deliver our ſelves: we ſpeak with open face, not fearing colours.

Verſe 13. Could not ſtedfaſtly, &c.] Could not clearly ſee Chriſt the end of the Law, Rom. 10.4. Gal. 3.24.

Verſe 14. But their mindes] Unleſſe God give ſight as well as light, and enlighten both organ and object, we can ſee nothing.

Which vail is done away] See Iſa. 25.7. Faith freeth from blindeneſſe: we no ſooner taſt of that ſtately feaſt by faith, but the vail of ignorance, which naturally covereth all fleſh, is torne and rent.

Verſe 15. The vail is upon their hearts] By a malicious and voluntary hardning; they curſe Chriſt and his worſhippers in their daily devotions, and call Evangelium Avengillaion, the Goſpel, a volume of vanity or iniquity.Eliab in Th…b.

Verſe 16. When it ſhall turn] Of the Jews converſion, and what hinders it. See the Note on Rom. 11.7, 8, 25.

Verſe 17. The Lord is that ſpirit] Chriſt only can give the Jews that noble spirit, as David calleth him, Pſal. 50.12. that freeth a man from the inviſible chains of the kingdome of darkneſſe.

Verſe 18. Are changed] As the pearl, by the often beating of the Sun-beams upon it, becomes radiant.

From glory to glory] That is, From grace to grace. Fulneſſe of grace is the beſt thing in glory. Other things, as peace and joy, are but the ſhinings forth of this fulneſſe of grace in glory.

p. 139CHAP. IIII. Verſe 1. As we have received mercy]

SIth we have ſo freely been called to the Miniſtery of meer mercy, we ſhew forth therein all ſedulity and ſincerity. When I was born, ſaid that French King, thouſand others were born beſides my ſelf. Now what have I done to God more then they, that I ſhould be a King, and not they? Tamerlane having overcome Bajazet, asked him whether ever he had given God thanks for making him ſo great an Emperour: who confeſſed ingenuouſly he never thought of it. To whom Tamerlane replied, that it was no wonder ſo ungratefull a man ſhould be made a ſpectacle of miſery. For you, ſaith he, being blinde of one eye, and I lame of a leg,Leunelau. Annal, Tu…. was there any worth in us, why God ſhould ſet us over two ſuch great Empires of Turks and Tartars? So may Miniſters ſay, What are we that God ſhould call us to ſo high an office, &c.?

We faint not] We droope not, we flag not,foreign. we hang not the wing, though hardly handled. For, Pradicare nihil alind est, quam derivare in ſe furorem totius mundi, as Luther ſaid.

Verſe 2. The hidden things of diſhonesty] All legerdemain, and under-hand dealing. They that do evil hate the light, love to lurk. But ſin hath woaded an impudency in ſome mens faces, that they dare do any thing.

To every mans conſcience] A pure conſcience hath a witnes in every mans boſome. See 1 Cor. 14.24.

Verſe 3. To them that are loſt] It is a ſign of a reprobate-goat, Joh. 8 43, 47. Senſuall, baving not the spirit, Jude 19. The devil hides his black hand before their eyes.

Verſe 4. The god of this world] The devil uſurps ſuch a power, and wicked men will have it ſo. They ſet him up for God: If he do but hold up his finger, give the leaſt hint, they are at his obedience, as God at firſt did but ſpeak the word, and it was done. All their buildings, plowings, plantings, ſailings are for the devil. And if we could rip up their hearts, we ſhould finde written therein, The god of this preſent world.

Verſe 5. We preach not our ſelves] We are Chriſts paranymphes, or ſpokeſmen, and muſt wooe for him. Now if we ſhould p. 140ſpeak one word for him, and two for our ſelves, as all ſelf-ſeekers do, how can we anſwer it?

Verſe 6. Hath ſhined] The firſt work of the ſpirit in mans heart is, to beat out new windows there, and to let in light, Act. 26, 18. And then, Semper in ſole ſita eſt Rhodos, qui & calorem & colorem nobis impertit.Aeneas Sylv.

Verſe 7.foreign. In earthen veſſels] Gr. In oyſter-ſhels: as the ill-favoured oyſter hath In it a bright pearl. Vilis ſaepe cadus nobile nectar habet. In a leathern purſe may be a precious pearl.

Verſe 8. We are troubled on every ſide] This is the worlds wages to Gods Miniſters. Veritas odium parit. Oppoſition is Evangely genius, ſaid Calvin. Tru…h goes ever with a ſcratcht face.

We are perplexed] Pray for me, I ſay, Pray for me, ſaid Latimer. Act. and Mon. fol 1565.For I am ſometimes ſo fearfull, that I could creep into a Mouſe-hole, ſometimes God doth viſit me again with comfort, &c.

Verſe 9. Perſecuted but not for ſaken] The Church may be ſhaken,Concuti, non excuti, Duris ut ilex …onſa bipennibus. not ſhivered, perſecuted, not conquered. Roma cladibus animoſior, ſaid one. 'Tis more true of the Church: She gets by her loſſes, and as the Oak ſhe taketh heart to grace from the maims and wounds given her,

Niteris incaſſum Chriſti ſubmergere navem,

Tluctuat, at nunquam mergitur illaratis.

As the Pope wrote once to the great Turk,

Cast down, but not destroied] Impellere poſſunt (ſaid Luther of his enemies) ſed totum proſternere non poſſunt: crudeliter me tractare poſſunt, ſed non extirpare: dentes nudare, ſed non devorare: occidere me poſſunt, ſed in totum me perdere non poſſunt. They may thruſt me, but not throw me, ſhew their teeth, but not devout me, kill me, but not hunt me, &c.

Verſe 10. The dying of the Lord] A condition obnoxious to daily deaths and dangers.

Might be made manifeſt] As it was in Paul, when being ſtoned, he ſtarted up with a ſic, ſic oportet intrare. Thus, thus muſt heaven be had, and no otherwiſe.

Verſe 11. For we which live, &c.] Good men only are heirs of the grace of life, 1 Pet. 3.7. Others are living ghoſts, and walking ſepulchres of themſelves.

Verſe 12. Death worketh in us] It hath already ceized upon p. 141us, but yet we are not killed with death, as thoſe were, Revel. 2. 23. As a godly man ſaid, That he did agrotare vitaluèr, ſo the Saints do Mori vitalitèr, die to live for ever.

But life in you] q. d. You have the happineſſe to be exempted, whiles we are tantùm non interempti, little leſſe then done to death.

Verſe 13. The ſame spirit] That you have and ſhall be heirs together of heaven with you, though here we meet with more miſeries.

I beleeved and therefore, &c.] The Spirit of faith is no indweller, where the door of the lips open not in holy confeſtion and communication.

Verſe 14. Shall preſent us with you] Shall bring us from the jaws of death, to the joyes of eternall life.

Verſe 15. That the abundant grace] This is one end wherefore God ſuffers his Miniſters to be ſubject to ſo many miſeries, that the people might be put upon praier and praiſe for their deliverance.

Verſe 16. Yet the inward man] Peter Martyr dying ſaid, My body is weak, my minde is well. Well for the preſent, and it will be better hereafter, This is the godly mans Motto.

Verſe 17. For our light affliction] Here we have an elegant Antitheſis, and a double hyperbole beyond engliſhing. For affliction, here's glory; for light affliction, a weight of glory; for mome…ary affliction, eternall glory.

Which is but for a moment] For a ſhort braid only, as that Martyr ſaid. Mourning laſteth but till morning. It is but winking, and thou ſhalt be in heaven preſently, quoth another Martyr.

Worketh unto us] As a cauſa ſine quâ non, as the law worketh wrath, Rom. 4.15.

Afarre more exceeding] An exceeding exceſſive eternall weight. Or, a far moſt excellent, eternall weight. Nec Chriſtus, nec coelum patitur hyper…olen, ſaith one. Here it is hard to hyperbolize.

Weight of glory] The Apoſtle a…ſeth to the Hebrew and Chaldee words, which ſignifie both weight and glory. foreignGlory is ſuch a weight, as if the body were not upheld by the power of God, it were impoſſible it ſhould bear it. Joy ſo great, as that we muſt enter into it: it is too big to enter into us. Enter into p. 142thy Maſters joy, Mat. 25. Here we finde that when there is great joy, the body is not able to bear it; our ſpirits are ready to expire; What ſhall it then be in heaven?

Verſe 18.foreign. Whiles we look not] Gr. Whiles we make them not our ſcope our mark to aim at. Heaven we may make our mark, our aim, though not our higheſt aim.

At the things that are ſeen] Whiles we eye things preſent only, it will be with us as with an houſe without pillars, tottering with every blaſt, or as a ſhip without anchor, toſſed with every wave.

But at the things which are not ſeen] Pericula non reſpicit Martyr, coronas reſpicit: Plagas non horret, praemium numerat: non videt lictores inſernè flagellantes, ſed Angelos ſupernè acclamantes, ſaith Baſil: Who alſo tels us how the Martyrs that were caſt out naked in a winters night, being to be burned the next day,foreign. comforted themſelves and one another with theſe words; Sharp is the cold, but ſweet is Paradiſe: Troubleſome is the way, but pleaſant ſhall be the end of our journey: let us endure cold a little, and the Patriarchs boſome ſhall ſoon warmus: let our foot burn a while, that we may dance for ever with Angels: Let our hand full into the fire, that it may lay hold upon eternall life, &c.

But the things which, &c.] The Latines call proſperous things Res ſecundas, becauſe they are to be had hereafter, they are not the firſt things; theſe are paſt, Rev. 21.

CHAP. V. Verſe 1. For we know]

NOt we think, or hope only: This is the top gallant of faith, the triumph of truſt, this is as Latimer ca…s it, the ſweet-meats of the feaſt of a good conſcience. There are other dainty diſhes in this feaſt, but this is the banquet. The cock on the dung-hill knows not the worth of his jewel.

Our earthly houſe of this Tabernacle] Our clayie cottage. Man is but terra friabilis, 1 Cor. 15.47.1 Cor 15:47a piece of earth neatly made up. The firſt man is of the earth earthy: and his earthly houſe is ever mouldering over him, ready to fall upon his head. Hence it is called, The life of his hands, Iſa. 47.Isa 47becauſe hardly held up with the labour of his p. 143hands. Paul a Tent-maker, elegantly compares mans body to a Tent. Plato alſo in his dialogue of death, calleth the body a Tabernacle.foreign.

We have a buiding of God] The Ark tranſportative till then, was ſetled in Solomons temple: So ſhall the ſoul be in heaven. As when one skin fals off, another comes on, ſo when our earthly tabernacle ſhall be diſſolved or taken down, we ſhall have a heavenly houſe. The ſoul wears the body as a garment, which when it is worn out, we ſhall be clothed with a better ſnit; we ſhall change our rags for robes, &c. Ita que non plangimus, ſed plandimus quando vitam claudimus: quia dies iste non t…m fatalis quam natalis eſt.

Verſe 2. For in this] That is, in this tabernacle of the body.

We groan earneſtly] As that Avis Paradiſi, Macrob l. 1. c. 11.which being once caught and enraged, never leaves ſighing, they ſay, till ſet at liberty. The Greeks call the body foreign the ſouls bond, and foreign, quaſi foreign the ſouls ſepulchre.

To be clothed upon] By a ſudden change, and not to die at all, as 1 Theſſ. 4.17 1 Cor. 15.51 52. Quis enim vult mori? prorſus nemo. Death when it comes will have a bout with the beſt, as it had with Hezekiah, David, Jonas, others. For nature abhors it, and every new man is two men. But when a Chriſtian conſiders, that non niſi per anguſta ad auguſta perveniatur, that there's no paſſing into Paradiſe, but under the flaming ſword of this Angel death, that ſtandeth at the Porch; that there's no coming to the City of God, but thorow this ſtraight and heavy lane no wiping all tears from his eyes, but with his winding ſheet, he yeelds, and is not only content, but full glad of his departure. As in the mean while he accepts of life rather then affects it, he endures it rather then deſires, Phil. 1.23.

Verſe 3. If ſo be that, &c.] q. d. Howbeit, I know not whether we ſhall be ſo cloathed upon, that is, whether we that are now foreign, ſhall be ſound alive at Chriſts coming to judgement, whether we ſhall then be found clothed with our bodies, or naked, that is, ſtript of our bodies.

Verſe 4. Do groan, being burdened] viz. With ſin and miſery, whereof we have here our back-burdens.M Bradford. Act. and Mon. fol. 1492. And ſurely great ſhame it were (as that Martyr ſaid) that all the whole creatures of God ſhould deſire, yea groan in their kinde for our liberty, and we our p. 144ſelves to loath it: as doubtleſſe we do, if for the croſſe, yea for death it ſelf we with joy ſwallow not up all ſorrow that might let us from following the Lords call, and obeying the Lords providence, &c.

Might be ſw…llowed up of life] Not as a gulf or fire ſwallows up that is caſt into it, but as perfection ſwallows up imperfection; As the perfecting of a picture ſwallows up the rude draught, as perfect skill ſwallows up bungling, or manhood, childehood; not extinguiſhing,D. Preſton. but drowning it that it is not ſeen.

Verſe 5. He that hath wrought us] Curiouſly wrought us in the lowermoſt parts of the earth, that is in the womb, as curious workmen perfect their choice pieces in private, and then ſet them forth to publike view.Pſal 139.15. with Eph. …19.Ps 139:15 Others expound it by Rom 9.23.

The earneſt of the spirit] He ſaith not the Pawn, but the earneſt. A pawn is to be returned again, but an earneſt is part of the whole bargain.

Verſe 6. Therefore we are confident] Not haeſitant, or halting, as Hadrian the Emperour was, and as he that cried out on his death-bed, Anxius vixi, dubius morior, neſcio quò vado, I have lived carefully,Plato. I die doubtfully, I go I know not whither. Socrates alſo that wiſeſt of Philoſophers could not with all his skill reſolve his friends, whether it were better for a man to die or to live longer. Cicero comforting himſelf as well as he could by the help of philoſophy againſt the fear of death, cries out and complains at length,Neſcio quomo do, imbe…ior eſt med cina qudm morbus. that the medicine was too weak for the diſeaſe. It is the true Chriſtian only that can be confident that his end ſhall be happy, though his beginning and middle haply may be troubleſome, Pſal. 37.37.

Whilest we are at home] Or ſtay for a night, as in an Inne. A man that comes into an Inne,foreign. if he can get a better room, he will: if not, he can be content with it; for, ſaith he, it is but for a night. So it ſhould be with us.

Verſe 7. For we walk by faith] Which puts our heads into heaven, ſets us on the top of Piſgah with Moſes, and therehence deſcries and deſcribes unto us the promiſed Land, gives us to ſet one foot afore-hand in the porch of Paradiſe, to ſee as Stephen did Chriſt holding out a Crown, with this inſcription, Vincenti dabo.

Not by ſight] Senſe corrects imagination, reaſon ſenſe, but faith corrects both, thruſting Hagar out of doors, when haughty and haunty grown.

p. 145Verſe 8. And willing rather] Death is not to be deſired as a puniſhment of ſin, but as a period of ſin: not as a poſtern gate to let out our temporall, but as a ſtreet door to let in eternall life.

To be preſent with the Lord] This Bernard calleth Repatriaſſe. Plotinus the Philoſopher could ſay when he died,Bern, de morte. That which is divine in me I carry back, foreign,Syneſ. ep 139. to the Originall divine, that is, to God. But whether this man beleeved himſelf or not, I greatly doubt.

Verſe 9. Wherefore we labour] Our hope of heaven maketh us active and abundant in Gods ſervice. The doctrine of aſſurance is not a doctrine of liberty, but the contrary, 1 Joh. 3.3.foreign. We make it our ambition, faith the Apoſtle here, to get acceptance in heaven, waiting till our father ſhall call us home, and paſſing the time of our ſojourning here in fear, 1 Pet. 1.17.foreign. The Saints have their commotation upon earth, their converſation in heaven.

Verſe 10. For we muſt all, &c.] This great aſſize will not be ſuch an Aſſembly as that of Ahaſhueroſh, of his Nobles, Princes and Captains only: nor ſuch as the biddings of rich men to their feaſts, of their rich neighbours only,Luk. 14.12.Luke 14:12 but like the invitation of that houſholder that ſent his ſervants to compell all to come in. On that day Adam ſhall ſee all his nephews together.

Appear before, &c.] Be…aid open, and have all ript up. Our ſins that are now written as it were, with the juice of lemmons,foreign. ſhall then by the fire of the laſt day be made legible. And as in April both wholſome roots and poiſonable, diſcover themſelves,Macar. Hom 12. which in the winter were not ſeen, ſo at the day of judgement good and evil actions.

The things done in his body] That is,Bernard. the juſt reward of thoſe things. In die judicy plus valebit conſcientia pura, quam marſupia plena. Then ſhall a good conference be more worth then all the worlds good. And this was that that made Paul ſo ſincere a Preacher, and ſo inſatiable a ſerver of God, as Chryſoſtome calleth him.

Whether it be good or bad] Wicked men ſhall give an account, 1. Debonis commiſſis: Of goods committed to them: 2. De bodis dimiſſis, of good neglected by them. 3. De malis commiſſis, of evils committed. 4. De malis permiſſis, of evils done by others, ſuffered by them. Ita que vivamus, ſaith the Oratour.Cic. 4 in Ver. Let p. 146us ſo live as thoſe that muſt render an account of all.

Verſe 11. Knowing therefore the terrour, &c.] What a terrible time it will be with the wicked, who ſhall in vain tire the deaf mountains with their hideous out-cries to fall upon them, &c.

We perſwade men] To ſlee from the wrath to come, to repent and be converted, that their ſins may be blotted out, when the times of refreſhing ſhall come, Act. 3.19. We ſpeak perſuaſively to this purpoſe, but it is God only that perſwades.

Verſe 12.foreign. Which glory in appearance] Gr. In the face. Hypocrites as they repent in the face, Mat. 6.16. ſo they rejoyce in the face, not in the heart. Their joy is but skin-deep, it is but the hypocriſie of mirth, they do not laugh but grin, their hearts ake many times, when their faces counterfeit a ſmile: Their mirth is frothy and flaſhy, ſuch as ſmooths the brow, but fils not the breſt, ſuch as wets the mouth, but warms not the heart.

Verſe 13. It is to God] i. e. When to the world we ſeem mad of pride and vain-glory, yet then we reſpect only Gods glory.

It is for your ſakes] i. e. For your learning, that we are more modeſt and ſparing in commending our Apoſtleſhip. It is a good rule, Quicquid agas, propter Deum agas. Doe all for Gods ſake.

Verſe 14. The love of Chriſt, &c.] As reward hath an attractive, and puniſhment an impulſive, ſo love hath a compulſive faculty. This love of Chriſt had ſo cloſed in S. Paul, ſo hemmed him in,foreign. and begirt him round, that his adverſaries reported him a mad man, as verſ. 13. he erred in love toward his ſweet Saviour, and even exhaled his bleſſed ſoul in continuall ſallies, as it were, and expreſſions of his dear affection to the Lord Jeſus.

Then were all dead] All the body ſuffered in and with Chriſt the head, and ſo are freed by his death, Heb. 2.9. as if themſelves in perſon had died.

Verſe 15. Should not hence forth] Servati ſumus ut ſerviamus. The redeemed among the Romans were to obſerve and honour thoſe that ranſomed them as parents, all their daies.

Verſe 16. No man after the fleſh] i. e. We eſteem no man ſimply the better or worſe for his wealth, poverty, honour, ignominy, or any thing outward. See jam. 1.9, 10, 11. Thomas Wats p. 147Martyr, ſpake thus at his death to his wife and children, Wife, and my good children, I muſt now depart from you,Act. and Mon. fol 1450. therefore henceforth know I you no more: but as the Lord hath given you to me, ſo I give you again to him, whom I charge you ſee that ye obey, &c.

Though we have known Christ] As poſſibly Paul might have known Chriſt in the fleſh: for Jeſus of Nazareth was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, Luk. 24. 19. Auſtin wiſhed that he might have ſeen three things, Rome flouriſhing, Paul preaching, Chriſt converſing with men upon earth. Bede comes after, and correcting this laſt wiſh, faith, yea but let me ſee the King in his beauty, Chriſt in his heavenly kingdome. Paul was ſo ſpiritualized that he took knowledge of nothing here below: he paſſed thorow the world as a man in a deep muſe, or that ſo looks for a loſt jewell, that he overlooks all beſides it.

Verſe 17. Is a new creature] Either a new man, or no man in Chriſt.

All things are become new] The ſubſtance of the ſoul is the ſame, the qualities and operations altered. In regeneration our natures are tranſlated, not deſtroied, no not our conſtitution and complexion. As the melancholy man doth not ceaſe to be ſo after converſion, only the humour is ſanctified to a fitneſſe for godly ſorrow, holy meditation, &c. ſo, of other humours.foreign

Verſe 18. And all things are of God] He is both authour and finiſher of our faith, the God of all grace, the Father of all lights, &c.

And hath given to us the Miniſtery] He hath taken this office from the Angels, thoſe firſt preachers of peace, Luk. 2.10, 14. The Angel told Cornelius, his praiers were heard in heaven: but for the doctrine of reconciliation he refers him to Peter, Act. 10.

Verſe 19. That God was in Chriſt, &c.] As the ſalt-waters of the ſea, when they are ſtrained thorow the earth, they are ſweet in the rivers: ſo (ſaith one) the waters of Majeſty and Juſtice in God, though terrible, yet being ſtrained and derived thorow Chriſt, they are ſweet and delightfull.

Verſe 20. Emb…ſſadours for Chriſt] And therefore ſacred perſons, not to be violated on pain of Gods heavy diſpleaſure. Do my Prophets no harm.

As though God did beſeech you] Gods grace even kneels to us. En flexanimam Suadae medullam: Who can turn his p. 148back upon ſuch bleſſed and bleeding embracements?

Verſe 21. To be ſin for us] That is, a ſin-offering, or an exceeding ſinner, as Exod. 29.14. So Chriſt was, 1. By imputation, for our ſins were made to meet upon him, as that Evangelicall Prophet hath it,See Aug. Enchirid. c. 41. Iſa. 53 6. And ſecondly, By reputation, for he was reckoned among malefactours, ibid. And yet one Auguſtinus de Roma Archbiſhop of Nazareth was cenſured in the Councel of Baſil, for affirming that Chriſt was peccatorum maximus, the greateſt of ſinners. Chriſt ſo loved us, ſaith one, that he endured that which he moſt hated, to become ſin for us (he was made ſin paſſive in himſelf to ſatisfie for ſin active in us) and the want of that which was more worth then a world to him, the ſenſe of Gods favour for a time, Ama amorem illius, &c. ſaith Bernard.

Who knew no ſinne] That is, With a practicall knowledge, with an intellectuall he did, elſe he could not have reproved it. We know no more then we practiſe. Chriſt is ſaid to know no ſin, becauſe he did none.

That we might be made, &c.] As Chriſt became ſin, not by ſin inherent in him, but by our ſin imputed to him; ſo are we made the righteouſneſſe of God, by Chriſts righteouſneſſe imputed and given unto us. This the Papiſts jearingly call putative righteouſneſſe.

CHAP. VI. Verſe 1. As workers together]

NOt as coadjutours, but as inſtruments, ſuch as God is pleaſed to make uſe of. See the Note on 1 Cor. 3.9.

The grace of God in vain] That Embaſſage of grace, Chap. 5. 20.Life of K. Ed. 6. by S^t …. Hay p. 74. Or that unſpeakable gift of Chriſt, v. 21. which many uſe as homely as Rachel did her fathers gods; ſhe hid them in the litter and ſat on them: or as that lewd boy in Kets conſpiracy, who when the Kings pardon was offered the Rebels by an herald, he turned toward him his naked poſteriours, and uſed words ſutable to that geſture. One ſtanding by diſcharged an harquebuz upon the body, &c.

Verſe 2. Now is the accepted time] He purpoſely beats upon the foreign, becauſe opportunity is headlong, and, if once paſt, irrecoverable. p. 149Some are Semper victuri, as Seneca ſaith, they ſtand trifling out their time, and ſo fool away their ſalvation. God will not alwaies ſerve men for a ſinning-ſtock. Patientia laſa fit furor. Doe we therefore as Millers and Mariners, who take the gale when it cometh, and make uſe of it, becauſe they have not the winde in a bottle.

Now is the day of ſalvation] And God will not ſuffer men twice to neglect it. If once paſt, it will never dawn again. Catch therefore at opportunities, as the Eccho catcheth the voice, Pſal. 27. take the nick of time. God is more peremptory now then ever, Heb. 2.2, 3.

Verſe 3. Giving no offence] A Miniſter ſhould be as Abſolom was, without blemiſh from head to foot. His fruit ſhould be, as that of Paradiſe, fair to the eye, and ſweet to the taſte. A ſmall fault is ſoon ſeen in him, and eaſily either imitated or upbraided. God appointed both the weights and meaſures of the Sanctuary to be twice as large as thoſe of the Common-wealth.

Verſe 4. In much patience] Or tolerance, ſuffering hardſhip, as good ſouldiers of Jeſus Chriſt.

In afflictions] Out of which there is little or no uſe of patience: at leaſt ſhe cannot have her perfect work, Jam. 1.4.

In neceſſities] Want of neceſſaries.

In diſtreſſes] Such ſtraits, as that we are at a ſtand,foreign. and have not whether to turn us: we are in a little eaſe, as it were.

Verſe 5. In impriſonments] Chryſostome ſaith, he had rather be Paul caſt into priſon, then Paul wrapt up into Paradiſe.

Verſe 6. By pureneſſe] By lamb-like ſimplicity or ſincerity.foreign. Religion loves to lie clean, ſaid one. Godlineſſe muſt run thorow our whole lives as the woof doth thorow the web. See Iſa. 33.14. No gold or precious ſtone is ſo pure as the prudent minde of a pious man, ſaid divine Plato.

Verſe 7. On the right hand, &c.] Againſt the worlds both irritamenta and terriculamenta, both allurements and affrightments. Contempt us eſt à me Romanus & favor & furor, ſaid Luther, when the Pope one while entiſed him, and another while threatned him. When he was offered to be Cardinall, if he would be quiet, he replied, No, not if I might be Pope. When he was told that he ſhould finde no favour. Quid verò facere poterunt? p. 150Epiſt ad Spal.(ſaid he) occident? Nunquid reſuſcitabunt, ut iterum occidant… What will they do? will they kill me? But can they raiſe me to life again, that they may kill me again? Can they kill me the ſecond time?

Verſe 8.Act. and Mon. fol. 1491. By honour and diſhonour, &c.] It is written on heaven-doors (ſaid that Martyr) Do well and hear ill. A bad report port is the ordinary reward of very-well-doing: which made Luther wax proud even of his reproach.Tom. 1. oper. Lat. p 31. … Superbus fio, ſaid he quod video nomen peſſimum mihi creſcere. Hierome alſo writeth to Auguſtine, Quod ſignum major is gloriae eſt, omnes haeretici me deteſtantur. This is my glory, that none of the heretikes can give me a good word or look.Qui boni viri famam perdidit ne conſcientiam perderet, Sen. It was a divine ſaying of Seneca, No man ſets a better rate upon vertue, then he that loſeth a good name to keep a good conſcience.

As deceivers] Aſperſed for ſuch, as Chriſt was, Mat. 27.63. And Lucian blaſphemouſly termeth him foreign, the crucified cezener.

Verſe 9. As unknown] To the world, 1 Joh. 3, 1, 2. A Prince in a ſtrange Land is little ſet by, as not known. Ʋnkent unkiſt, as the Northern Proverb hath it.

Well known] To them that have ſpirituall judgement, and can prize a perſon to his worth: which the worlds wizards cannot do, Iſa. 53.2, 3.

And not killed] God will have a care of that: he corrects in meaſure, he ſmites his, not at the root, but in the branches, Iſa. 27.8. As it is a rule in phyſick ſtill to maintain nature, &c. ſo doth God ſtill keep up the ſpirits of his people by cordials, Iſa. 57.16.

Verſe 10. As ſorrowfull, yet, &c] Gods works are uſually done in oppoſitis contrarys, as Luther ſaid. Out of the eater he brings meat, &c. This riddle the world underſtands not.

Yet poſſeſſing all things] Godlineſſe hath an autarkie, a ſelf-ſufficiency, 1 Tim. 6.6. Cuicum paupertate benè convenit, pauper non eſt, faith Seneca. A contented man cannot be a poor man.

Verſe 11. Our mouth is open unto you] We ſpeak thus freely unto you, out of our deep affection towards you: we even carve you a piece of our heart, we pour forth our ſelves in this floud of ſpeech, that thereby ye may take a ſcantling of our over-abundant love to your fouls. foreign, open-mouthed men are put for fools p. 151oftentimes in Lucian and Aristophanes. But in another ſenſe then the Apoſtle here uſeth it. A large heart maketh a man full in the mouth, as if it ſought that way to get out to the thing affected.

Verſe 12. ye are not ſtraitned in us] Non habitatis anguſtè in nobis: ſo Piſcator renders it.

But ye are ſtraitned] Ye are bankrupts in love, ye comply not, ye do not reciprocate. Plain things will joyn in every point, one with another: not ſo, round and rugged things.

Verſe 13. I ſpeak as unto my children] Here are ſoft words, hard arguments. This is the way to win: and that was a ſad complaint, 2 Cor. 12.15. Love loſt is a bitter affliction.M. Ward.

Verſe 14. Be not unequally yoked] Dare not (ſaith a Divine) to yoke thy ſelf with any untamed heifer, that bears not Chriſts yoke. Quam maſe inaequales veniuni juvenci? Ovid. epiſt.An Oxe and an Aſſe might not be coupled together in the Law. And hereunto the Apoſtle ſeems to allude. The Doctours of Doway upon Levit. 19.19. Here all participation, ſay they, with heretikes and ſchiſmatiques is forbidden. Philip King of Spain ſaid, He had rather have no Subjects, then Subjects of divers religions. And, out of a bloudy zeal, ſuffered his eldeſt ſon Charles to be murdered by the bloudy Inquiſition, becauſe he ſeemed to favour our profeſſion.Hieron. Catina.

Verſe 15. What concord hath Christ] Thoſe Moderatours that plead for a correſpondency with Popery, would make a pretty ſhew, if there were no Bible. But if theſe reconcilers (as Franciſcus de ſancta clara, and his fautors) were the wiſeſt men under heaven, and ſhould live to the worlds end, they would be brought to their wits end, before they could accompliſh this works end, to make a reconciliation betwixt Chriſt and Antichriſt, betwixt Rome and us.

Verſe 16. I will dwell in them] Gr.foreign. I will indwell in them: This notes Gods neareſt communion with them. He ſetteth them before his face continually, Pſal. 41.12. as loving to look upon them. The Philoſopher told his friends, when they came into his little low cottage, The gods are here with me. God and Angels are with his Saints.foreign.

And walk in them] As they did in Solomons porch, and other walks and galleries about the Temple. And hereunto the Prophet alludes, Zach. 3.7. The Turks wonder to ſee a man walk p. 152to and fro, and uſually ask ſuch whether they be out of their way, or out of their wits.Bi…lulph.

Verſe 17. And be ye ſeparate] For groſſe Idolatry, and for fundamentall errours only muſt we ſeparate. Corruptions grew ſo great in the Church of Rome, that it juſtly occaſioned firſt the ſeparation of the Greek Churches from the Latine, and then of the Reformed Churches from the Roman.Di…p derep. l. 2. cap. 12. Machiavel obſerved, that after the thouſand year of Chriſt, there was no where leſſe piety then in thoſe that dwelt neareſt to Rome. And Bellar mine bewails it,Lib. 3. de Papa Rom, cap. 21. That ever ſince we cried up the Pope for Antichriſt, his kingdom hath not only not encreaſed, but hath greatly decreaſed.

And I will receive you] So you ſhall be no loſers, …e put you into my boſome. God imparteth his ſweeteſt comforts to his in the wildernes, Hoſ. 2.14.

Verſe 18. I will be a Father] The fundamentall, meritorious, impulſive and finall cauſes of this precious priviledge, ſee ſet forth, Eph. 1.5, 6.

Saith the Lord Almighty] This is added by our Apoſtle to Jer. 31.9.

CHAP. VII. Verſe 1. Having therefore, &c.]

FAith in the promiſes purifieth the heart, Act. 15.9. and argueth notably from mercy to duty.

From all filthineſſe] Sin defileth a man worſe then any jakes or leproſie. It is the devils excrement, it is the corruption of a dead ſoul. Seldome or never is there a birth of ſaving grace, but there follows it a flux of mortification.

Of fleſh and spirit] i. e. Both of the outward and inward man. Or of fleſh, that is, worldly luſts, and groſle evils, as uncleanneſſe, earthly-mindedneſſe, &c. And of spirit, that is, more ſpirituall luſts, as pride, preſumption, ſelf-flattery, &c. Theſe lie more up in the heart of the Countrey, as it were: thoſe other in the fron…iers and skirts of it.

Perfecting holines] Propounding to our ſelves, the higheſt pitch, and the beſt paterns.

In the fear of God] Which is the fountain, whence holineſſe flows, See Pro. 8.13.

p. 153Verſe 2. Receive us] Gr. Make room for us in your hearts and houſes. Set wide open the everlaſting doors,foreign. Locum date. that the King of glory may come in, triumphantly riding upon us his white horſes, Revel. 6 2.

We have wronged no man] Miniſters muſt ſo live, that they may, if need be, glory of their innocency and integrity, as did Moſes, Samuel, Paul, Melancthon.

We have corrupted no man] viz. As the falſe Apoſtles had done with their leaven of falſe Doctrine, which eateth as a canker, 2 Tim. 2.17. or a gangrene, which preſently over-runs the parts, and takes the brain. Protagoras in Plato boaſted that of thoſe ſixty years that he had lived, he had ſpent fourty in corrupting of youth.

We have defrauded no man] We have cunningly made ſale of no man, as thoſe old impoſtours, that made prize of their priſoners, 2 Pet. 2.3. And as thoſe Popiſh Muſcipulatores or Mice-catchers, as the ſtory calleth them, that raked together their Peter-pence, and other moneys here in England by moſt deteſtable arts. Polydore Virgil was one of theſe ill officers, that left not ſo much money in the whole Kingdome ſometimes, as they either carried with them, or ſent to Rome before them.

Verſe 3. I speak not this, &c.] Though cauſe enough he had to condemn them for their ſhamefull tenacity toward him, whom they baſely ſuffered to labour for his living, and to preach gratis; againſt all right and reaſon.

To die and to live with you] Such faithfull friends are in this age all for the moſt part gone in pilgrimage, and their return is uncertain, as once the Duke of Buckingham ſaid to Biſhop Morton in Rich. the thirds time. Jonathan and David, Pylades and Oreſtes, Poliſtratus and Hippoclides are famous for their love one to another. Theſe two laſt being Philoſophers of Epicurus his ſect,V…l…r, M…x, l. …. c. 16. are ſaid to have been born the ſame day, to have lived together all their daies, and to have died in the ſame moment of time, being well ſtricken in years. But the love of Iriſh foſter-brothers, is ſaid far to ſurpaſſe all the loves of all men.C…md. Elizab. fol. 483. foreign.

Verſe 4. I am exceeding joyfull] Gr. I do over-abound exceedingly with joy. Others may revell, the godly only rejoyce: they have an exuberancy of joy, ſuch as no good can match, no evil over-match: Witnes the Martyrs ancient and modern. Oh how my heart leapeth for joy (ſaid one of them) that I am ſo near the apprehenſion of p. 154eternall bliſſe I God forgive me mine unthankfulneſſe and unworthineſſe of ſo great glory. In all the daies of my life I was never ſo merry,Act. and Mon. fol 1668, 1669 1670. as now I am in this dark dungeon. Beleeve me there is no ſuch joy in the world, as the people of Chriſt have under the croſſe. Thus and much more M^r Philpot Martyr.

Verſe 5. Our fleſh had no rest] Our ſpirit had no unreſt. The outward man ſuffers much ſometimes, when the inward remains unmoleſted. Philip Lantgrave of Heſſe, being asked how he could ſo well bear his ſeven years impriſonment, anſwered, Se divines Martyrum conſolationes ſenſiſſe, that he felt the divine conſolations of the Martyrs, which as bladders bore him aloft all waters.

Verſe 6. God that comforteth] This is a moſt ſweet attribute of God, ſuch as we may profitably plead and produce in praier. He loves to comfort thoſe that are forſaken of their hopes.

By the coming of Titus] Who came very opportunely,2 Cor. 2.12, 13.2 Cor 2:122 Cor 2:13 even whiles Paul was writing this Epiſtle. Gods comforts are therefore ſweet, becauſe ſeaſonable. He never comes too ſoon, nor ſtaies too long. He waits to be gracious, as being a God of judgement. Were we but ripe, he is ready, and will lift us up in due time, Iſa. 30 18.Isa 30:181 Pet. 5.6.

Verſe 7. Your earnest deſire] Of ſeeing me, or rather of ſatiſfying me.

Your fervent minde] Gr. Your zeal, both againſt the inceſtuous perſon, and the falſe Apoſtles, Saint Pauls adverſaries.

Verſe 8. Though it were but for a ſeaſon] Gr. For an hour. In ſin, the pleaſure paſſeth, the ſorrow remaineth: but in repentance, the ſorrow paſſeth, the pleaſure abideth for ever. God ſoon poureth the oil of gladneſſe into broken hearts.

Verſe 9.foreign. That ye ſorrowed to repentance] Gr. To a tranſmentation, to a thorow change both of the minde and manners. Optima & aptiſſima poenitentia est nova vita. ſaith Luther. Which ſaying (though condemned by Pope Leo 10.) is certainly an excellent ſaying. Repentance for ſin is nothing worth without repentance from ſin. If thou repent with a contradiction (ſaith Tertullian) God will pardon thee with a contradiction. Thou repenteſt, and yet continueſt in thy ſin. God will pardon thee, and yet ſend thee to hell. There's a pardon with a contradiction.

p. 155Sorry after a godly manner] Gr. According to God. This is a ſorrowing for ſin, as it is Offenſivum Dei, averfivum à Deo. foreign.This both comes from God, and drives a man to God, as it did the Church in the Canticles, and the Prodigall.

Verſe 10. Godly ſorrow worketh] Sin bred ſorrow, and ſorrow, being right, deſtroieth ſin: as the worm that breeds in the wood, eats into it, and devours it.Chryſoſt. So that of this ſorrow according to God we may ſay as the Romans did of Pompey the great,foreign Plutarch. That it is the fair and happy daughter of an ugly and odious mother.

Repentance never to be repented of] That is, ſaith one,foreign. M…rb…y of Repent. Never to fall back again: for a man in falling back, ſeemeth to repent him of his repentance. Others interpret it, ſuch a repentance, as a man ſhall never have cauſe to repent of. Job curſed the day of his birth; but no man was ever heard to curſe the day of his new birth. For it is repentance to ſalvation, it hath heaven: it is that rain-bow, which if God ſee ſhining in our hearts, he will never drown our ſouls.

But the ſorrow of the world] That which carnall men conceive either for the want or loſſe of good, or for the ſenſe or fear of evil.

Worketh death] As it did in Queen Mary, Act. and Mon. fol. 1901.who died (as ſome ſuppoſed by her much ſighing before her death) of thought and ſorrow either for the departure of K. Philip, or the loſſe of Callice, Duke of the he…rt.or both. There are that interpret death in this place, of ſpirituall death, becauſe it is oppoſed here to life and ſalvation.

Verſe 11. What carefulneſſe] Gr. What ſtudy, foreign. Ve…emens ad aliquam rem magna cum vola…e applicatio.which (ſaith Tully) is an earneſt and ſerious bending and applying of the minde to ſome thing with a great deal of delight. It is rendered here carefulneſſe, not that of diffidence, but that of diligence putting a man upon thoſe wholſome thoughts, What have I done? What ſhall I do, &c.?

Yea what clearing] Gr. Apology or defence. M Bradford. S…r. of Repent. p. 14.The old interpreter renders it ſatisfaction. It may be (ſaith M^r Bradford) he meant a new life, to make amends thereby to the Congregation offended. As the devil is called the Accuſer, ſo the Spirit is called, The Comforter or pleader for us: becauſe as he maketh interceſſion in our hearts to God: ſo upon true repentance he helpeth us to make apologies for our ſelves; not by denying our ſins or defending them, but by confeſſing and diſclaiming them, as a childe to his father.

p. 156Yea, what indignation] Or ſtomach, as Ephraim, Jer. 31.19. The publican who ſmote himſelf upon the breſt; he would have knockt his corruptions, if he could have come at them: as thoſe Iſa. 30.22. that polluted the Idols that they had perfumed, and ſaid unto them, Get you hence, be packing, What have I to do any more with Idolds? Hoſ. 14.8. Out of doors with this Tamar, here's no room for her. So fooliſh was I, and ſo very a beaſt, ſaith David, Pſal. 73. How angry and hot was he againſt himſelf, 2 Sam. 24.10.

Yea, what fear] Of Gods heavy diſpleaſure, and of doing any more ſo; the burnt childe dreads the fire. He that hath been ſtung, hates a ſnake.

Yea, what vehement deſire] As that of Rachel after children, as that of David after the water of the well of Bethlehem, as that of the hunted Hinde after the water-brooks. David panted and fainted after God.Pſal. 119.Ps 119 That Martyr cried out, None but Christ, none but Christ.

Yea, what zeal] Which is an extreme heat of all the affections for and toward God. Davids zeal ate him up. Paul was judg'd as mad for Chriſt, as ever he had been againſt him, 2 Cor. 5.13. with Act. 26.11.

Yea, what revenge] Out of deepeſt ſelf-abhorrency, buffeting the fleſh, and giving it the blew eye, as S. Paul (that crucifix of mortification) once did. Thus the women parted with their looking-glaſſes, Exod. 35. Mary Magdalen wiped Chriſts feet with her hair, wherewith ſhe had formerly made nets to catch fools in. Cranmer burnt his right hand firſt, wherewith he had ſubſcribed,Act. and Mon. fol. 1714. and oftentimes repeated in the flames. This unworthy right hand, ſo long as his voice would ſuffer him. The true penitentiary amerceth himſelf, and abridgeth his fleſh of ſome lawfull comforts, as having forfeited all. Theſe ſeven ſigns of godly ſorrow are to be ſeen in the repenting Church, Cant. 5. as in a worthy example or emblem. I ſleep, there's indignation, but my heart waketh, there's Apology. I aroſe to open &c. there's ſtudy or care and diligence. My ſoul failed, there's her zeal. I ſought him, I called on him, there's her vehement deſire. The watchmen found me, they ſmote me, &c. There's her revenge, whiles ſhe ſhrank not for any danger, but followed Chriſt thorow thick and thin in the night among the watch. And all this ſhews her fear of being again overtaken with drouſineſſe.

p. 157To be clear in this matter] Becauſe they had heartily repented of it. Quem poenitet peccaſſe, poenè eſt innocens. Senec. in Agam.Repentance is almoſt equivalent to innocence. Imò plus eſt propemodùm à vitijs ſe revocaſſe, quam vitia ipſa neſciviſſe, Amb. in Pſal.ſaith Ambroſe.

Verſe 12. Not for his cauſe] That is, Not ſo much for his cauſe.

That ſuffered the wrong] viz. The father of the inceſtuous perſon. Compare Gen. 49.4.

But that our care for you] That the Church might not ſuffer, as allowing ſuch foul facts. How the Primitive Chriſtians were ſlandered by the Heathens in this kinde, who knows not?Act. and Mon… 838. Cenalis Biſhop of Auranches wrote againſt the Church at Paris, defending impudently that their aſſemblies were to maintain whoredom. Such reports alſo they caſt abroad a little before the maſſacre, They tell the people in Italy, that Geneva is a profeſſed Sanctuary of all roguery, that in England the people is grown barbarous, and eat young children, &c.

Verſe 13. His spirit was refreſhed] After his long and tedious toil and travell to come to you, he never thought much of his labour. Calvin ſaid, That it would not grieve him to ſail over ten ſeas about an uniform draught for religion.Ne decem quidem maria, &c.

Verſe 14. I am not aſhamed] As I ſhould have been, had it proved otherwiſe. Lying is a bluſhfull ſin: and therefore the lier denies his own lie, becauſe he is a ſhamed to be taken with it: and our ruffians revenge it with a ſtab.

Verſe 15. Whiles he remembreth] Deep affections make deep impreſſions.

CHAP. VIII. Verſe 1. Of the grace of God]

IT is a favour, yea an honour to us, that we may relieve poor Chriſt in his neceſſitous members, Pſal. 16.2. When therefore he ſets us up an Altar, be we ready with this Sacrifice, Heb. 13.16.

Verſe 2. In a great triall of affliction] For affliction tries what …ettle we are made of. Alchymy gold will not endure the ſeventh …re, as true gold will. Affliction (the triall of our faith) is more p. 158precious then gold, 1 Pet. 1.7. What then is faith it ſelf ſo tried? Revel. 3.18.

The abundance of their joy] Whileſt the ſpirit of glory, and of God reſted upon them, 1 Pet. 4.14. Well my grace be called the divine nature: for, as God brings light cut of darkneſſe, riches out of poverty, &c. ſo doth grace: it turns dirt into gold, &c. The world wonders (ſaid that Martyr) how we can be ſo merry, in ſuch extreme miſery.Act. and Mon. fol. 1…88. But our God is omnipotent, which turneth miſery into felicity, &c. See the Note on 2 Cor. 7.4.

Their deep poverty] Gr.foreign Their poverty being now at the very bottome, and having little left beſide hope: they were even exhauſted, and yet gave liberally. Giles of Bruſſels, Martyr, gave to the poor whatſoever he had, that neceſſity could ſpare, and only lived by his ſcience, which was of a Cutler. Some he refreſht with his meat,Act. and Mon. fol. 811. ſome with his clothes, ſome with his houſhold-ſtuff. One poor woman there was brought to bed, and had no bed to lie in; to whom he brought his own bed, himſelf content to lie in the ſtraw.

Ʋnto the riches of their liberality] Gr.foreign. Of their ſimplicity: in oppoſition to that crafty and witty wilineſſe of the covetous to defend themſelves from the danger of liberality. Wherein alſo they are utterly miſtaken; for not getting, but giving is the way to thrive. See the Note on Mat. 6.4.

Verſe 3. Yea and beyond their power] One ſuch poor Macedonian might well ſhame a hundred rich Corinthian cur-mudgins.

They were willing] Gr.foreign They were voluntiers, full of chearfull charity.

Verſe 4.foreign. Receive the gift] Gr. The grace, i. e. the alms: it being of Gods free grace that we have, 1. What to give. 2. Hearts to give it. For naturally we are all like children which though they have their boſoms, mouths, and both hands full, yet are loth to part with any.

Verſe 5. Not as we hoped] God is uſually better to us then our hopes.

Firſt gave their own ſelves to the Lord] Ay, this is the right way of giving alms; and this is done by faith, the work whereof is to be an empty hand, Mendica manus (as Luther calleth it) a beggers hand to receive it: but when it hath received, it gives p. 159back again it ſelf and all, and thinks all too little, as Mary Magdalen did her precious ointment.

And unto us by the will] The good ſoul delivers up it ſelf to Chriſts faithfull Miniſters, and ſaith in effect to them, as Luther, before he was better informed, wrote to Pope Leo X, anno 1518.Scul. Annal. …8 Proſtratum pedibus me tibi offero, cum omnibus quae ſum & habeo:—Vocem tuam vocem Chriſti in to praeſidentis & loquentis agnoſcam. I humbly proſtrate my ſelf with all that I have, and am, at thy feet, &c.

Verſe 6. So he would finiſh] Finis opus coronat, the end is better then the beginning, ſaith Solomon. Charles the 5. his emblem was Ʋlteriùs. Titus was here deſired to take up the whole alms, and not to faint till he had finiſh…d, Gal 6 9.

Verſe 7. As ye abound in faith] He purpoſely commendeth them, that he may the better inſinuate into them. Miniſters may profitably praiſe their people in ſome caſes, that they may the ſooner win them to duty: For there is no ſo ſweet hearing (ſaith Xenophon) as a mans own commendation.foreign.

Verſe 8. To prove the ſincerity] Gr. The germanity, foreign.the naturalneſſe, legitimateneſſe, oppoſed to baſtardlineſſe. This age aboundeth with mouth-mercy, which is good cheap, and therefore, like refuſe fruit, is found growing in every hedge. But a little handfull were worth a great many ſuch mouth-fuls, Iſa. 51.18. Complaint is made, that there is not any one that taketh Sion by the hand. S. James tels of ſome in his time that would feed their poor brethren with good words, and good wiſhes, Jam. 2.15, 16. as if they had been of the Cameleon-kinde, to live with Ephraim upon winde, Hoſ. 12.1. But what ſaid the poor man to the Cardinall, who denied him a peny which he begged, and offered him his bleſſing, which he begg'd not? If thy bleſſing had been worth a peny, I ſhould not have had it; keep it therefore to thy ſelfe, Carle.

Verſe 9. He became poor] Not having where to lay his head, nor wherewith to pay tribute, till he had ſent to ſea for it, &c. Lo he that was heir of all things, Heb. 1.2. was ſcarce owner of any thing, but diſinriched and diſrobed himſelf of all, that through his poverty, he might crown us with the ineſtimable riches of heavenly glory: This is ſuch a motive to mercifulneſſe as may melt the moſt flinty heart that is.

Verſe 10. But alſo to be forward] Gr. To be willing. This p. 160the Apoſtle makes to be more then to do, that is, then to do with an ill will.Pſal. 110.3.Ps 110:3 or for by-reſpects. Virtus nolentium nulla eſt. Chriſt will enjoy his Spouſes love by a willing contract, not by a raviſhment: the title of all converts is, a willing people.

Verſe 11. Now therefore perform] Unleſſe our willing of good be ſeconded with endeavour, it is nothing worth: Balaam wiſhed well to heaven, ſo did he that came kneeling to our Saviour with good master, &c. but they ſtuck at the hardſhip of holineſſe, without which there is no heaven to be had: they would not come off here, and therefore gat nothing by their ſhort-winded wiſhes. Solomon compares ſuch ſluggards to the door, that turns on the hinges,Virtutem exoptant contabeſcu…t que relictà. Perſ. but yet hangs ſtill upon them, it comes not off for all the turnings.

Verſe 12. It is accepted] Sic minimo capitur thuris honore Deus. Noahs Sacrifice could not be great, yet was greatly accepted. Jacob bad his ſons take a little of every good thing, and carry for a preſent to the Lord of Aegypt. Saul and his ſervant preſent Samuel with the fourth part of a ſhekel, to the value of about our five-pence. Thankfulneſſe (they had learned) was not meaſured by God and good men by the weight, but by the will of the retributour. God cals for that which a mans heart inclines him to do, be it more, be it leſſe: ſo low doth his highneſſe ſtoop to our meanneſſe; preferring the willingneſſe of the minde, before the worthineſſe of the work.

Verſe 13.foreign. And you burdened] Gr. Pinched or preſſed, viz. with poverty.

Verſe 14. Your abundance] That your cup may overflow into their leſſer diſhes, that your ſuperfluities both in reſpect of the neceſſity of nature and exigency of eſtate (as the Schoolmen ſpeak) may ſupply the wants of Gods poor afflicted.

A ſupply for your want] Thoſe that lend mercy may have need to borrow. The Shunamite that refuſed once to be ſpoken for to the King by the Prophet, little thought ſhe ſhould afterwards have craved that curteſie of his man Gehezi. Thoſe that ſtand faſteſt upon earth, have but ſlippery footing: No man can ſay, that he ſhall not need friends. Pythias was ſo wealthy a man, that he was able to entertain Xerxes his whole Army conſiſting of a million of men: yet afterwards he became ſo poor that he wanted bread.

Verſe 15. He that had gathered much] He that was ſo nimble p. 161as to gather more then his neighbour, was to ſupply his neighbour, that every man might have his Omer. Now the equity of this law being common and perpetuall, the Apoſtle draweth his argument from it. Riches, ſaith one, are but as Manna: thoſe that gathered more of it, had but enough to ſerve their turn (or if they gathered more, 'twas but a trouble and annoyance to them) and they that gathered leſſe had no want. Let the rich account themſelves the poor mans ſtewards. With-hold not good from the owners thereof (the poor) when it is in the power of thy hand to do it.

Verſe 16. But thanks be to God] Deo gratias was ever in Pauls mouth, and in Auſtins, and ſhould be in ours.

Verſe 17. But being more forward] A good heart is ready to every good work, waiting the occaſions thereof, Tit. 3.1. as the Bee, ſo ſoon as ever the Sun breaks forth, flies abroad to gather honey and wax.

Verſe 18. Whoſe praiſe is in the Gospel] S. Luke, likely, who wrote firſt Goſpel, as ſome gather out of Luke 1.1. and whom Ambroſe highly commendeth for the moſt clear and diſtinct Goſpel-writer.

Verſe 19. Choſen of the Churches] This compared with Act. 13.1, 2. it may ſeem the Apoſtle meaneth not Luke, but Barnabas: though others think Timothy.Danae in 1 Tim. 612. foreign.

Verſe 20. Avoiding this] As ſhipmen avoid a rock or ſhelf: for it is a ſeafaring terme, and ſhews how ſhie we ſhould be doing ought, that may render our honeſty ſuſpected. Ego ſi bonam famam ſervaſſo, ſat dives ero, ſaid he in the Comedy.

Verſe 21. Providing] Projecting, procuring. foreignA good name is a great bleſſing, and therefore the ſame word in Hebrew ſignifieth both, Prov. 28.20.foreign

Verſe 22. Whom we have oft] Some are of opinion that Luke is here deciphered rather then verſ. 19. Whoever it was, it is much for his honour, that Apelles-like he was approved in Chriſt,Rom. 16.Rom 16 and active for the Church.

Verſe 23. Meſſengers] Gr. Apoſtles, Emandati, Ambaſſadours of ſpeciall and high emploiment.

The glory of Chriſt] So the Church is called the glory, Iſa. 4.5. Gods glory, Iſa. 46.13. a crown of glory, and a roiall diadem in the hand of Jehovah, Iſa. 62.3. The throne of God, Exod. 17.16. The throne of glory, Jer. 4.21. The ornament of God, yea p. 162the beauty of his ornament, ſet in Majeſty, Ezek. 7.20. There is not ſo much of the glory of God (ſaith one) in all his works of creation and providence, as in one gracious action that a Chriſtian performs.foreign.

Verſe 24. Wherefore ſhew ye] As by an ocular demonſtration, or as by pointing the finger.

Before the Churches] In the face of the Churches, whoſe eyes are now full ſet upon you,foreign. to ſee what entertainment ye will give to their meſſengers. A Chriſtian is like a cryſtall glaſſe, with a lamp in the midſt.

CHAP IX. Verſe 1. The ministring to the Saints]

OR the ſervice that ye owe the Saints in miniſtring to their neceſſities. Amadeus Duke of Savoy, Stephanus King of Hungary. Hooper Biſhop of Gloceſter, foreign.and D^r Tailour Martyr, are famous for their labour of love in miniſtring to the Saints.

Verſe 2. Was ready] To wit, in their reſolutions: for the collection was not yet made.

And your zeal] i.e. Your liberall contribution out of deep affection, and an holy emulation to exceed others in bounty.

Verſe 4.Capel. in Spic. In this ſame confident boasting] Gr. In this confidence of glorying: A Metaphor from hunters, who confidently expect the beaſt, and valiantly ſet upon him. Sic latini dicunt, ſubſiſtere apram.

Verſe 5. Not of covetouſneſſe] Non ut extortum aliquid, ſaith Piſcator, velut illiberale aliquid. Not as wrung out of you, ſqueezed out, as verjuice is out of a crab. Covetous perſons part with their peny, as with bloud out of their hearts, Citiùs aquam ex pumice, clavam ex manu Herculis extorqueas. God will ſet off all hearts from ſuch miſers in their miſery, that are ſo unreaſonably mercileſſe.

Verſe 6.foreign Which ſoweth bountifully] Gr. That ſoweth in bleſſings; alluding to Ezek. 34.26. Eccleſ. 11.1. Cast thy bread upon the water, that is, upon fat and fertile places, loca irrigua. A Metaphor from ſeedſmen, who eat not all, ſell not all, but ſow ſome: ſo ſhould we ſow that we have upon the backs and bellies of the poor, ſow more of this ſeed in Gods bleſſed boſome, p. 163the fruit whereof we are ſure to reap in our greateſt need.

Verſe 7. According as he purpoſeth] God ſtraineth upon none: See Levit. 5.6, 12, and 14.10, 21, 30. Liberality implieth liberty.

God loveth a chearfull giver] Dat benè, dat mulium, qui dat cum munere vultum, One may give with his hand, and pull it back with his looks.

Verſe 8. And God is able] Fear not therefore leſt your ſelves ſhould want hereafter, if you ſhould give liberally now. Is not mercy as ſure a grain as vanity? Is God like to break?

Having all ſufficiency] He ſaith not, ſuperfluity. Enough we ſhall be ſure of, and an honeſt affluence, if fit for it,De civit Dei l. 5 c. 25. and can make us friends with it. Bonus Deus Conſtantinum magnum tantis terrenis implevit muneribus, quanta optare nullus auderet, ſaith Auſtin. God gave Conſtantine more wealth then heart could wiſh, and he was no niggard of it to poor Chriſtians.

In all things] The Apoſtle uſeth many Ali's on purpoſe to croſſe and confute our covetouſneſſe, who are apt to think we have never enough.

Verſe 9. He hath disperſed abroad] Generall Norice was like that Biſhop of Lincolne, that never thought he had that thing that he did not give. Of M^r Wiſeheart the Scottiſh Martyr it is reported, that his charity had never end, night, day, nor noon.Act. and Mon. fol. 1155. He forbare one meal in three, one day in four for the moſt part to beſtow it on the poor. He never changed his ſheets, but he gave them away, &c.

His righteouſneſſe endureth for ever] Never did a charitable act go away without the retribution of a bleſſing. See the Note on Mat. 10.42.

Verſe 10. And multiply your ſeed ſown] He that ſoweth ſeemeth to caſt away his ſeed, but he knows he ſhall receive his own with uſury. Iſaac had a hundred-fold encreaſe. In Aegypt ſo far as the river Nilus watereth, the ground is ſo fruitfull,Blunts voiage, 77. that they do but throw in the ſeed, and have four rich harveſts in leſſe then four moneths. Temporalia Dei ſervis impenſa non pereunt, ſed parturiunt. Sidediſſes tres aureos, accepiſſes trecentos, ſaid that Biſhop of Millain to his ſervant, that had not given ſo much to the poor as he had appointed him. If we never ſow,Iob Manlij. loc. com pag. 359. we ſhall never reape, ſaid that …ood poor Miniſter that bad p. 164his wife give three-pence (his whole ſtock) to a poor brother.

Verſe 11.Rogers of love. Which cauſeth through us] Whiles we not only relieve them, but inſtruct them, as Biſhop Hooper did his board of beggars, as D^r Tailour the Martyr did the Almſ-people of Hadley, and other poor of his Pariſh.Act. and Mon. fol. 1370. Ibid 1387. As Giles of Bruſſels did, miniſtring wholſome exhortation of ſound doctrine to them he relieved, and ſo eliciting from them many thankſgivings unto God.

Verſe 13. For your profeſſed ſubjection] Whileſt you teſtifie your faith by your works, as they produced the coats that Dorcas made, to prove her a devout woman; and as Numb. 13.13. it appeared by the fruits it was a good land. Heathens acknowledged, That no people in the world did love one another ſo as Chriſtians did.

Verſe 14. And by their praier for you] A poor Chriſtians praiers cannot be bought too dear. I will restore comfort to him, and to his mourners, Iſa. 57.18. Such can do much with God. Et cum talis fueris memento mei, ſaith Bernard to his poor, but pure friend. How heartily praieth Paul for One ſiphorus, 2 Tim. 1.18?Meditat. devetiſſ cap. 5.

Verſe 15. For his unſpeakable gift] That is, for Chriſt (ſaith Theophylact, whom Piſcator followeth) who is called the gift, by an excellency, Joh. 4.10. and the benefit, 1 Tim. 6.2.

CHAP. X. Verſe 1. By the meekneſſe and gentleneſſe]

VVHom in thoſe ſweet vertues I deſire to imitate. The praiſe of Chriſts meekneſſe recorded by the Prophet, and explained by Philip, converted the Eunuch, Act. 8.

Who in preſence am baſe] i. e. Deſpicable, becauſe I take not upon me, and bear a port, as the falſe Apoſtles doe. Meekneſſe of ſpirit commonly draws on injuries. A Crow will ſtand upon a ſheeps back pulling off wool from her ſides.

Am bold toward you] So mine adverſaries report me, as if I were over-bold and buſie by my letters.

Verſe 2. That I may not be bold] That you neceſſitate me not. Non niſi coactus hoc facio, ſaid that Emperour that p. 165ſubſcribed a warrant to put one to death.

With that confidence] It was but confidence: but they made the worſt of it, and called it boldneſſe, Quam vitio verterunt. Evil will never ſpeaks well.

Verſe 3. We do not warre, &c.] The Miniſtery is a kinde of Militia, 1 Tim. 1.18. Chriſt rideth on Miniſters, as his white horſes, conquering and to conquer, Rev 6.2.

Verſe 4. Are not carnall] i.e. Weak, oppoſed here to mighty. The fleſh is weak as water, therefore called the old man, old leaven, &c. Theſe weak weapons of the falſe Apoſtles (here intimated and taxed) are humane eloquence, artificiall compoſures, &c. of thoſe Verbaliſts, Qui exceptis verbis tinnulis & emendicatis, nihil loquuntur, as Hierom hath it.

But mighty through God] Note here the Apoſtles modeſty, Not we, ſaith he, but our weapons are mighty, and not thorow us that wield them, but thorow God that works by and with them. See the Note on 1 Cor. 15.10.

To the pulling down of ſtrong-holds] Forts, Munitions, Trenches, Cages of foul ſpirits inhabiting mens hearts.

Verſe 5. Caſting down imaginations] As the ſpettle that comes out of mans mouth ſlaieth ſerpents: ſo doth that which proceedeth out of the mouths of Gods faithfull Miniſters quell and kill evil imaginations, carnall reaſonings, which are that legion of domeſticall devils, that hold near intelligence with the old Serpent. Nemo ſibi de ſuo palpet: quiſ que ſibi Satan eſt. Corrupt reaſon, like Eve and Jobs wife, is alwaies drawing us from God. Out of doors with this Hagar.

And bringing into captivity] See here the proceſſe of S^t Pauls Miniſtery. He overthrows, captivates, ſubdues to the obedience of the Lord Chriſt. See the like Jer. 1.10. Choſroes King of Parthia, was ſo ſubdued by the Romans, that he made a law that none of his ſucceſſours ſhould ever wage war with them again, So here.

Verſe 6. And having in a readineſſe] Vengeance is every whit as ready in Gods hand, as in the Miniſters mouth. See Mat. 16.19. & 18.18. Eliſha hath his ſword as well as Jehu and Hazael, 1 King. 19.17. God hews men by his Prophets, and ſlaies them by the words of his mouth, Hoſ. 6.5. By preaching, Chriſt many times ſmites the earth, Iſa. 11.4. his word laies hold on them, Zach. 1.6. and that which they have counted winde, hath become p. 166fire to devour them, Ieremy 5.13, 14.

Verſe 7. Doe ye look on things] q. d. Are ye ſo weak as to be cozened by an out-ſide, to be carried away with ſhews and ſhadows of true worth? Doe not many things gliſter beſides gold? Every bird that hath a ſeemly feather, hath not the ſweeteſt fleſh: nor doth every tree that beareth a goodly leaf, bring good fruit. Glaſſe giveth a clearer ſound, then ſilver, &c.

Even ſo are we Chriſts] The Rogation heretikes would have made the world believe, that they were the only Catholikes. The Arrians called the true Chriſtians, Ambroſians, Athanaſians, Homouſians, &c. The Donatists made themſelves the only true Church, &c.

Verſe 8. And not for destruction] If it prove ſo, it is by accident, and not as we intend it. See the Note on 2 Cor. 2.16.

Verſe 9. Terrifie you by letters] As the falſe Apoſtles object againſt me. Aſperſions muſt be carefully cleared, when the fruit of a mans Miniſtry is thereby impeached and impeded.

Verſe 10. Weighty and powerfull] As often as I read Pauls Epiſtles, Non verba ſed tonitrua audire mihi videor, ſaith Hierome, Me thinks I hear not words but thunder-claps. But that his bodily preſence was not weak, nor his ſpeech contemptible. See Act. 13.10. together with the Note thereon.

Verſe 11. Such will we be, &c.] That we have not hitherto been ſo, was becauſe we ſpared you. Poſſe & nolle nobile, ſaith Chryſoſtome, foreignKindeneſſe is goodlineſſe, Iſa. 40.6.

Verſe 12. For we dare not] This he ſpeaks by an irony, whereof he is full in this Epiſtle: and may therefore be called, as Socrates was foreign.

But they meaſuring themſelves, &c.] Turning the other end of the perſpective, they ſee themſelves bigger, and others leſſer then they are. So bladder-like is the ſoul, that filled with earthly vanities, though but winde, it grows great and ſwels in pride. O pray to be preſerved from this perilous pinnacle of ſelf-exaltation. Look into the perfect law of liberty, and draw nigh to God. The nearer we come to God, the more rottenneſſe we finde in our bones. The more any man looks into the body of the Sun, the leſſe he ſeeth, when he looks down again.

Verſe 13. But we will not boaſt, &c.] As any man is more worthfull, he is more modeſt: full veſſels yeeld no ſuch ſound as p. 167empty casks do. A veſſel caſt into the ſea, the more it fils, the deeper it ſinks: the loaden ſcale goes downward: the moſt precious balm ſinks to the bottom. The good ear of corn, the fuller it is, the lower it hangs the head.

Verſe 14. For we ſtretch not, &c.] We tenter not our ſelves beyond our ſcantling.foreign

Verſe 15. Not boasting of things] Ammianus Marcellinus tels of one Lampadius a great perſon in Rome, who through all parts of the City, where other men had beſtowed coſt in building, he would ſet up his own name, not as a repairer of the work, but as the chief builder. Of the ſame fault Trajan the Emperour is ſaid to have been guilty: Whence he was commonly called, Herba parietina, or Wall-wort.

Verſe 16. In the regions beyond you] This was a piece of the Bragadochio falſe-Apoſtles vain boaſting: as it is now of the Jeſuites thoſe Circulatores and Agyrtae, that compaſſe ſea and land,Am. Marcel. crack of what converſions they have wrought in India and Afrike, and Lampadius-like take it ill at any mans hand that commend them not every time they ſpet upon the ground. Caius the Emperour was ready to deſtroy the whole Senate, becauſe they did not deifie him for marching with his whole Army to the Ocean,Dio in vit… Caligulae. and fetching thence a few oyſter-ſhels, Quibus ſpolys acceptis magnificè gloriabatur, quaſi Oceano ſubacto.

Verſe 17. Glory in the Lord] See the Note on 1 Cor. 1.31.

Verſe 18. Whom the Lord commendeth] As he did his ſervant Iob. chap. 1.8. And as he did his handmaid Sarah, for calling her husband Lord, though there was never a good word beſides in the whole ſentence, 1 Pet. 36. with Gen. 18.22. Neither was Iob ſo patient, but that he had his out-burſts. All which not withſtanding, ye have heard of the patience of Iob, &c. Iam. 5.11. He is not challenged at all for his impatience, but crowned and chronicled for his patience. See here the wonderfull goodneſſe of God toward his: and take comfort in his white ſtone, againſt the black coals of ill-affected perſons.

p. 168CHAP. XI. Verſe 1. In my folly]

HOw fooliſh were the Phariſees, Ioh. 7.49. and after them the Gnosticks, the Illuminates, and now the Jeſuites that boaſt themſelves to be the only knowing men? Palemon the Grammarian that bragged that all learning was born with him,Sueton. and would die when he died? Epicurus, that he firſt found out the truth, &c. Richardus de S. Victore, Parei. biſt. occl.that gave out that he knew more in Divinity, then any Prophet or Apoſtle of them all? Theſe were fools to purpoſe. The Apoſtle was put upon a neceſſity of commending himſelf, ſo to vindicate his Miniſtery from the contempt caſt upon him by the Corinthians.

Verſe 2. For I am jealous] q.d. My dear love to you puts me upon this praiſing my ſelf.

With a godly jealouſie] Gr. With a zeal of God, called the flame of God, Cant. 8.6. ſuch as was that of Iob over his children, for fear they ſhould ſinne againſt God: not ſuch as was that of the Phariſees over the Galatians, the hypocriſie of jealouſie, Gal. 4.17.foreign Velut ca quae glutino aut ferrumine com mittuntur. Eraſm. 2 King. 14.9.2 Kgs 14:9

For I have eſpouſed you] Gr. I have fitted you, as things that are pieced together, are glewed or ſoddered.

To one husband] Here the Cedar taketh the thiſtle to wife (tantùs taentillos) and doth all the offices of an husband to her. He firſt loveth his Church, and then puriſieth her, Epheſ. 5.25, 26. (Abaſhueroſh had the virgins firſt purified and perfumed, before he took them to his bed) He puts upon her his own comelineſſe, Ezek. 16.Ezek 16as Eleazar put the jewels upon Rebecca (hence ſhe is called Callah of the perfection of her attire, ornaments and beauty, Ier. 2.32.) 3. He maketh love to her by his Paranymphes. his Miniſters, who wooe for him, and preſent her to Chriſt as a chaſte virgin. 4. He cohabits with her, Cant. 7. 5. The King is tied in the ra…ters. 5. He rejoyceth over her, Iſa. 62.4, 5. 6. He doth the marriage duty to her, and maketh her the mother of us all, Gal. 4.26. Rom. 7. 1… 4. 7. He nouriſheth and cheriſheth her, Epheſ. 5.29. 8. He hateth putting away, Mal. 2.16. and provideth for her eternall welfare, Eph. 1.27. Col. 1.21, 22.

Verſe 3. But I fear] Jealouſie is made up of love, fear and anger.

p. 169By his ſubtilty] He muſtered all his forces, or rather all his frauds together to cheat her. That old Serpent when he was young, outwitted our firſt parents. Now that he is old, and we young, Epheſ. 4.14. What will he not do, if we watch not? Bellar mine ſaith of his Romaniſts, Romani ſicut non acumina, ita nec impoſturas habent, that they are neither ſharp nor ſubtle. The devil is both, and ſo are they: witneſſe their crafty cruell both poſitions and diſpoſitions. This old Serpent having lent them both his ſeven heads to plot, and his ten horns to puſh.

So your mindes ſhould be corrupted] Satan hath his foreign, his ſet and compoſed machinations, 2 Cor. 2.11. whereby he adulterateth out foreign, our judgements.

From the ſimplicity, &c.] Of all graces Satan would beguile us of this ſimplicity: the world cals it ſillineſſe, ſheepiſhneſſe

Verſe 4. But if he that cometh] Giddy hearers, wherried about with every novelty, have no mould, but what the next teacher caſts them into: being blown like glaſſes into this or that ſhape at the pleaſure of his breath. See Ioh. 5.43.

Verſe 5. The very chiefeſt Apoſtles] Either he meaneth thoſe pillars, Peter, Iames, Iohn, &c. Gal. 2.6. Or the falſe Apoſtles, whom he ſtileth chiefiſt by an irony, becauſe they ſought to bear away the bell, and be counted prime preachers.

Verſe 6. But though I be rude in ſpeech] Gr. An idiot, a plain down-right, home-ſpun, homely-ſpoken perſon. The Ancients buſied themſelves (ſaith Cyril) foreign, not about coynt and new coyn'd language, but foreign,Cyril. Hicroſolom. about ſolid demonſtrations drawn out of the holy Scriptures. Hierome reports of Didymus that he was an Apoſtolike writer, as you might eaſily gather by his ſtile, T…m ſenſuum nomine, quàm ſimplicitate verborum. His matter was as lofty, as his language low and ordinary. Hierom himſelf is much commended by learned men, Quòd ubi que non ſi… aequè Latinus, Viver l 2. & 3. de trad diſ…ip.that he is not alwaies ſo curious and choice of his words. But what reaſon he had I ſee not, to cenſure S^t Paul ſo ſharply as he doth, Ob ſenſus involutos, cloquium implicatum, & artis Grammaticae imperitiam, for his intricate ſenſe, dark clocution, and unskilfulneſſe in Grammar-learning.Hieron epiſt. ad Ageſiant. True it is he was a plain preacher, as he here acknowledgeth: and why he affected plainneſſe, he telleth us, 1 Cor. 1.17. as ſtooping to vulgar capacities. But that he could play the Oratour p. 170if he pleaſed, appears, Act 17.2…. &c. and Act. 26.2 Inſomuch as the Lycaonians called him Mercury, becauſe he was a Master of ſpeech, Act. 14.12. And as for his Epiſtles, there is as good thetorike found in them, as in any Heathen Oratour whatſoever; Demoſthones is but dull to him: and Auſtins wiſh was to have ſeen, Paulum in ore, Paul preaching, which he would have eſteemed an high happineſſe.

Verſe 7. I have preached to you freely] Becauſe he gat his living with his hands, that he might preach gratis, they deſpiſed him as a mean mechanick, This is merces mundi, the worlds wages, Nil habot inf…elix paupertas, &c. Miniſters muſt have an honourable maintenance (and not be forced to weave for a living, as Muſoulus was, or to ſerve the Maſon, as another great ſchollar) or elſe they will be ſhamefully ſlighted.

Verſe 8. I robbed other Churches] Grandis Metaphora, ſaith Piſcator. I took maintenance from them (as the Apoſtle preſently expounds himſelf.) I made a prey and prize of them.

Verſe 9.foreign. And wanted] Gr. And was behinde hand.

I was chargeable to no man] I was none of thoſe droans that chill the charity of well-diſpoſed people, as the cramp-fiſh benummeth thoſe that touch or come near it.foreign. Torpe lo.

Verſe 10. As the truth of Christ is in me] He confirms it with an oath, that he will not take a peny of them, whiles he preacheth in thoſe parts. A Miniſter ſhould be carefull of whom he receives a kindeneſſe.

Verſe 11. Becauſe I love you not?] It ſhould be a Miniſters care to preſerve in the hearts of his people an opinion of his love to them. For if they once concerve an incurable prejudice againſt him that he hates them, or the like, there's no good will be done.

Verſe 12. That I may cut off occaſion] There were thoſe that waited for it, as earneſtly as a dog doth for a bone, as we …y. Habuerunt ſuos cuculos omnes docti & hearoici quolibet tempore, ſaith Melancthon. Every Zopyrus hath his Zoilus.

That wherein they glory] They, likely, had feathered their neſts, and ſo might well afford to preach gratis. Paul, though not ſo well under-laid, would not come behinde them in that neither. He would not be leſſe buſie (though he laboured hard for it) in building ſtair-caſes to heaven, then they were in digging deſcents down to hell.

p. 171Verſe 13. Deceitfull workers] They ſeemed to labour, but indeed they loitered, or worſe; ſeeking to ſet up themſelves in the hearts of Gods people.

Transforming themſelves, &c.] The Mannichees derived their name of Manna, becauſe they held, That whatſoever they taught was to be received as food from heaven. Montanus ſaid, He was the Comforter, &c. Novatus called himſelf Moſes, and a brother that he had Aaron. The Family of Love ſet out their Evangelium regni. The Swenckfeldians (Stinckſeldians Luther called them, from the ill ſavour of their opinions) entituled themſelves with that glorious name, The Confeſſours of the glory of Chriſt.Schluſſenburg. …

Verſe 14. Satan himſelf is, &c.] Satan (ſaith one) doth not alwaies appear in one and the ſame faſhion, but hath as many ſeverall changes as Proteus among the Poets. At Lyſtra he appears like a Comaedian, as if a ſcene of Plautus were to be preſented on the ſtage. At Antioch like a Jeſuite with traditions in his month. At Athens he ſallies out like a Philoſopher. At Epheſus like an Artiſicer, and here at Corinth he is transformed into an Angel of light. Fiery Serpents full of deadly poiſon are called Seraphims, Numb. 21.6. Iſa. 30.6.

Verſe 15. As the Miniſters of righteouſnes] Cavete a Melampygo. Try before you truſt: Sectaries and ſeducers are very ſubtle and inſinuative; the locuſts have faces like women; know them and avoid them. When one commended the Popes Legate at the Councel of Baſil, Sigiſmund the Emperour anſwered, Tamen Romanus eſt, yet he is a Roman. So, let Satan or his Agents come never ſo much commended to us in his ſugred allurements, let us anſwer, Yet he is a devil.

Verſe 16. Let no man thinke me] There was never man, nor action, but was ſubject to variety of cenſures and miſconſtructions, fooliſh men daring to reprehend that which they do not comprehend. I like S. Auguſtines reſolution in this caſe. Non curo illos cenſores, qui vel non intelligendo reprehendunt, vel reprehend ndo non intelligunt.Aug. cont Fan. l. 22. c. 34.

Verſe 17. I ſpeak it not after the Lord] Neither by his command nor example, but permiſſion only.

Verſe 18. Glory after the fleſh] Or in the ſleſh, Gal. 6.13. or have confidence in the fleſh, Phil. ….….

Verſe 19. For ye ſuffer ſcols] Inter indoctos etiam Corydus p. 172ſonat, Wiſe men hold them for fools, whom fools admire for wiſe men.Quintilian. As one ſaith of Atturneys, Quòd inter opiliones ſe jactitent Juriſperitos, inter Jurisperitos ne opilionum quidem aestimatione habeantur.Rex Platonicus.

Verſe 20. For ye ſuffer, if &c.] As the Popiſh penitentiaries, thoſe miſerably miſled and muzzled creatures. They write of out King Henry the ſecond, that going to Canterbury to viſit the ſepulchre of his own Martyr Thomas Becket, coming within the ſight of the Church, he alighted, and went three miles on his bare feet,Daniels hiſt. fol …02. which with the hard ſtones were forced to yeeld bloudy tokens of his devotion on the way. Clemens the fifth, Pope, cauſed Dandalus the Venetian Embaſſadour to come before him tied in chams,Incl p. 379. Gab. Powell of Tolerat. and to wallow under his table with dogs, whileſt his Holineſſe ſat at ſupper. The Pope laſhed Henry 4. of France (in the perſon of his Embaſſadour at Rome) after the ſinging of every verſe of Miſerere, untill the whole Pſalm was ſung out. Sed exor to jam Evangely yubare, ſagaciores (ut ſpero) principes ad nutum Romani Orbily non ſolvent ſubligacula, ſaith a great Divine.

If a man take of you] By way of gratuity, but not of wages: or by their followers, and not by themſelves. No Cappucine among the Papiſts may take or touch ſilver. This mettall is as very Anathema to theſe,D. Hallſ; epiſt. 5. Decade. 1. as the wedge of gold to Achan: At the offer whereof he ſtarts back, as Moſes from the Serpent. Yet he carries a boy with him that takes and carries it, and never complains of either mettall or meaſure.

Verſe 21. As though we had been weak] i. e. Worthleſſe and ſpiritleſſe. But miſtake not your ſelves; I am another manner of man then you imagine me. It is ſaid of Athanaſius, that he was Magnes & Adamas; a loadſtone in his ſweet, gentle, drawing nature, and yet an adamant in his reſolute, ſtout carriage againſt heretikes and evil doers.Nazianz.

Verſe 22. Are they Iſraelites] Gods ſelect, peculiar. Happy art thou, ô Iſrael: who is like unto thee, ô people … Deut. 33.29. The Jews ſay that thoſe ſeventy ſouls that went with Iacob into Aegypt, were as much as all the ſeventy Nations of the world. Tabor and Hermon, the Eaſt and Weſt of Iudea, are put for the Eaſt and Weſt of the world, Pſ. 89.12.

Verſe 23. In labours more abundant] Chry ſoftome calleth Paul, Inſatiabilem Dei cultorem, an unweariable ſervant of God.

p. 173Verſe 24. Fourty ſtripes ſave one] That they might be ſure not to exceed the ſet number of ſtripes, limited by the Law, Deut. 25.3.

Verſe 25. Thrice was I beaten, &c.] By the Roman Magiſtrates, as alſo the Martyrs were by the Romiſh Biſhops.Act. and Mon. fol. 1854. Thomas Hinſhaw was beaten with rods by Bonner, and abode his fury ſo long as the fat-paunched Biſhop could endure with breath, and till for wearineſſe he was fain to ceaſe. So alſo he dealt by Iohn Willis, and by M. Bartlet Green, who greatly rejoyced in the ſame.Ibid 1684.

I have been in the deep] Sine nave in mari fu… So the Syriack renders it. For 24. hours together I have been floting in the ſea.

Verſe 26. By mine own countreymen] A Gentilibus meis, & a Gentibus.

Verſe 27. In wearineſſe and painfulneſſe] Here's dainty rhetorick. Tully calleth Ariſtotles Politikes, Aureum flumen orationis, a golden floud of eloquence in reſpect of the purity of the ſtile, and the excellency of the matter, May it not be more truly ſaid of this great Apoſtles writings?

Verſe 28. That which cometh, &c.] Quaſi agmine facto, & repetitis vicibus. His care came upon him, as an armed man,foreign. and gave him no reſt or reſpite.

The care of all the Churches] Calvin was no otherwiſe affected toward the Churches though far remote, then if he had born them upon his ſhoulders, ſaith Beza. He often ſighed out, Vſquequo Domine; over the poor afflicted Churches of Chriſt; with the miſeries whereof he was much more affected then with any of his own private miſeries. I could not but love the man (ſaid Theodoſius of Ambroſe) for that, whileſt he lived,Magis de eccl… ſiaru ſtatu, quā de ſuis periculis angebatur. and when he died, he took more care for the Church then for himſelf.

Verſe 29. Who is weak] By paſſion.

And I am not weak] By compaſſion.

And I burnt not] i. e. Am exceedingly grieved. Compare Pſ. 10.2. & 7.14. He hotly purſueth the poor.

Verſe 30. I will glory of the things] As a conquering of his ſpoils, or as an old ſouldier of his ſears. The Apoſtle glorieth in thoſe things that his adverſaries condemned, as infirme in him.

p. 174Verſe 31. Which is bleſſed for ever] And therefore to be bleſſed, as he that is the father of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. This is a praiſe that he much ſtands upon, Rom. 15.6. And ſurely if all generations ſhall call the virgin bleſſed, for that ſhe was the mother of Chriſt, Luk. 1.48. how much more, &c.

Verſe 32. In Damaſius] The chief City of Syria, built (ſay ſome) in the place where the bloud of Abel was ſpilt, and thence called. Dameſek, i. e. a bag of bloud. Thither Paul marched with a bloudy minde, but was miraculouſly converted, and ſo powerfully confounded his countreymen there, that they incenſed the governour againſt him, to his great peril. That is the guiſe of godleſſe perſecutours, to attempt that againſt the truth by arms, that they cannot effect by arguments. See Act. 9.23, 24.

Verſe 33. And thorow a window, &c.] An honeſt ſhift, though againſt the Roman Law of leaping over the walls, Quia leges ſemper ad aequitatem flectendae ſunt, ſaith Ciero. The ſenſe of the law is the law,Apices juries non just j…s. and not alwaies the letter.

And eſcaped his hands] Of the lawfulnes of flight in ſome caſes, See the Note on Mat. 10.23. & Act. 9.24.

CHAP. XII. Verſe 1. It is not expedient for me]

BEcauſe it carries a ſhew at leaſt of pride and folly: and Chriſtians muſt be ſhy of the very ſhews and ſhadows of ſin; Miniſters eſpecially, whole practice eaſily paſſeth into an example. Howbeit for the Corinthians it was expedient, becauſe they thought more meanly of Paul then was meet.

To viſions and revelations] The falſe Apoſtles, haply, boaſted of ſuch; as ſome ſeducers do now-adaies, who dream Midianitiſh dreams, and then tell the ſame to their neighbours for Goſpel. But take heed, the old Prophet may bring men into the lions mouth by telling them of an Angel that ſpake to him.

Verſe 2. I knew a man in Chriſt] i. e. A Chriſtian and approved, 2 Cor. 13.5.

Above fourteen years ago] See the Note on Act. 9.9, All this while till now,foreign. he had held his tongue. Taciturnity (in ſome caſes) is a Chriſtian vertue. Either be ſilent, or ſay ſomewhat that is better then ſilence, was an old morall precept.

p. 175Verſe 3. Whether in the body, &c.] So far did he forget and neglect his own body, which is ſo dear and near a thing in compariſon of that incomparable delight he then took in the Lord, Oh that joy! ò my God when ſhall I be with thee! Theſe were the dying words of the laſt Lord Harrington, that was in heaven afore-hand, O the joyes, the joyes, the unspeakable joyes that … fe…l in my ſoul! ſaid another that was even entting into heaven, and had a foretaſte of eternall life. Peter in the transfiguration was ſo tranſported that he never thought of a tabernacle for himſelf, Mat. 17. he cared not to lie without doors, ſo he might longer enjoy that glimpſe of heavens glory.

Verſe 4. How that he was caught up] Not locally (likely) but in ſpirit, as Act 7.56. Ezek. 8.3.

Into Paradiſe] heaven, whereof that earthly Paradiſe was but a dark ſhadow. Hierome comforting a young Hermite, bad him look up to heaven, Et paradiſum mente deambulare, to take a few turns in Paradiſe by his meditations, aſſuring him that ſo long as he had Paradiſe in his minde, and heaven in his thought, Tamdiù in eremo non eris, He ſhould not be ſenſible of his ſolitarineſſe.

Ʋnspeakable words] Wordleſſe words,foreign. ſuch as words are too weak to utter. Nec Christies, nec Coelum patitur hyperbolen. A man cannot hyperbolize in ſpeaking of Chriſt and heaven; but muſt entreat his hearers, as Tully doth his Readers concerning the worth of L. Craſſus, Ʋt majus quiddam de ijs, quàm quae ſcripta ſunt ſuspicarentur, …. De Oratore.that they would conceive much more then he was able to expreſſe. It is as eaſie to compaſſe the heaven with a ſpan, or contain the ſea in a nut-ſhell, as to relate heavens happineſſe.

Verſe 5. Yet of my ſelf I will not glory] Non niſi coactus, ut ſuprà. Paul was a modell of modeſty, a very crucifix of mortification, as one calleth him.

But in mine infirmities] i. e. My troubles; ſo called, either becauſe under them we ſeem infirm and contemptible: or elſe, for that afflictions oft ſhew our infirmities, our impatience, &c. they make us ſick of the fret, &c.

Verſe 6. Leſt any man ſhould think of me] Let no man, ſaith Gregery, deſire to ſeem more then he is, that ſo he may be more then he ſeems. It pleaſeth me not, ſaith Augustine, that by many I am thought to be that which I am not. For truly they love p. 176not me, but another for me, Si non quod ſum, ſed quod non ſum diligunt, if they love not that I am, but that I am not.

Verſe 7. And leſt I ſhould be exalted] So leſt Ezekiel ſhould be lifted up with his many rare viſions, he is frequently called Sonne of man, to put him in minde of his mortall, miſerable condition.

A thorn in the fleſh] A corruption edg'd with a temptation. Satan ſent ſome Dalilah to lull Paul aſleep in her lap, and binde him with withes of green delights: but his watchfull ſoul diſpleaſed deeply with that fleſh-pleaſing force, complained thereof, ſhaked himſelf, and ſo found eaſe.

To buffet me] Perhaps in a proper ſenſe Paul might feel the devils fingers: Take it metaphorically for temptations, and then they are fitly called buffetings, becauſe they come ſo thick upon a mans ſpirit, that he can hardly take breath. He dogs good hearts with fouleſt luſts ſometimes, as of Atheiſme, Idolatry, blaſphemy, murther, &c. In all or any of which, if the ſoul be meerly paſſive (as the word buffeting here implies) they are Satans ſins, and our croſſes only.

Leſt I ſhould be exalted] If Paul had not been buffetted, who knows whether he would have ſwelled. He might have been carried higher in conceit, then before he was in his ecſtaſie.

Verſe 8. I beſought the Lord thrice] i. e. Frequently and fervently. God reſpecteth not the Arithmetike of our praiers, how many they are, nor the thetorike of our praiers, how neat they are, or the Geometry of our praiers, how long they are: nor the muſick of our praiers, how melodious they are: nor the Logick of our praiers, how methodicall they are: but the Divinity of our praiers, how heart-ſprung they are. Not gifts, but graces prevail in praier.

Verſe 9. My grace is ſufficient for thee] God ſometimes gives pardoning grace, where yet he denies prevailing grace. He roots not out all our Canaanites at once, but leaves ſome to try and exerciſe us.

For my ſtrength is made perfect] It is an act of as great power in God, to keep our ſpark of grace alive amidſt ſo many corruptions, as to keep a ſire alive upon the face of the ſea. The angels are kept with much leſſe care, charge and power then we; becauſe they have no biaſſe, no weight of ſin hung upon them.

Verſe 10.foreign. Therefore I take pleaſure] I am well apaid of them, p. 177I reckon them among Gods love-tokens, pledges of his, loves and badges of my ſonſhip.

For I am weak, then, &c.] This is a ſeeming contradiction. God, ſaid Luther, doth moſt of his works in medijs contrarijs, foreign.by contraries. He hath a way by himſelf, ſaith Nazianzen, that he may be the more admired.

Verſe 11. For in nothing am I behinde] And yet there were a ſort of ſilly ſouls (that thought themſelves jolly fellows) in the daies of Zuinglius, anno 1519. that talked thus at Zurich, Quis tandem Paulus? nonne homo est? Apoſtolus eſt, ſed ſuburbanus tantùm, non ex 12. viris, non cum Chriſto eſt converſatus, articulum fidei non compoſuit. Zuing l. Tom. 1. 1. operum.What was Paul? but a man: an Apoſtle he was, but of an inferiour rank. He was not of the twelve; he converſed not with Chriſt, he compoſed not any of the twelve Articles of the Creed. We would as ſoon believe Thomas or Scorus, as Paul, &c.

Verſe 12. In all patience] A grace to be gloried in: Job is crowned and chronicled for it.

Verſe 13. Forgive me this wrong] A pleaſant irony, ſuch as whereof this Epiſtle is full. It is ſaid of a wiſe man, Quod objecta probra ut viſus nocturnos, & vanas ſomniorum imagines digno ſupplicio puniat, festivo ſcilicet contemptu & oblivione, vel ſi tanti eſt, miſericordia elevet.Joh Wover in Polymath.

Verſe 14. For I ſeek not yours] Not the fleece but the flock. He had not thoſe inſtruments of a fooliſh ſhepherd, forcipes & mulctram, the ſhears and milke-pale, &c. The whole Senate can witneſſe, ſaith Beza, that whereas Calvin had a very ſmall ſtipend, yet was he ſo farre from being diſcontent therewith, that a more ample allowance being freely offered him, he obſtinately refuſed it. All the goods that he left behinde him when he died, his library alſo being ſold very dear, came ſcarce to three hundred French-crowns.Melch Adam. 359. Non opes, non gloriam, non voluptates quaeſivi, ſaid Melancthon, I never ſought riches, pleaſures or preferments: This conſcience I carry with me, whetherſoever I goe.Melch. Adam. in vita. 187. I doe ingenuouſly profeſſe, ſaith M^r Rolloc, that of all my ſtipends I have not laid up two pence, for I never cared for the things of this world. Luther never found himſelf once tempted p. 178to covetouſneſſe. And herein I could wiſh we were all Lutherans.

Verſe 15.Act. and Mon. fol 789. Spend and be spent] If like clouds we doe ſweat our ſelves to death, ſo ſouls may be brought home to God, it is a bleſſed way of dying.

The leſſe I be loved] This is many a good mans grief, but his reward is nevertheleſſe with God. The nurſe looks not for her wages from the childe, but from the parent.

Verſe 16. Being crafty I caught] A bleſſed craft, a high point of heavenly wiſdome, Dan. 12, 3. It is written of the fox, that when he is very hungry after prey, and can finde none, he lieth down and faineth himſelf to be a dead carcaſe, and ſo the fowls fall upon him, and then he catcheth them. Saint Paul hungering after the ſouls-health of his Corinthians, denies himſelf to gain them.

Verſe 17. Whom I ſent unto you] It is ſaid of the Pope, that he can never lack money ſo long as he can hold a pen in his hand: he can command it and have it. But Saint Paul could not skill of thoſe arts.

Verſe 18. In the ſame ſpirit] Who worketh with his own tools only, and is ever like himſelf in all the Saints: through whoſe whole courſe godlineſſe runs, as the woof doth thorow the web, as the ſpirit doth thorow the body.

In the ſame ſteps] With an upright foot, Gal. 2.14. in Chriſt, Col. 2.6. as Chriſt, 1 Joh. 2.6.

Verſe 19. That we excuſe our ſelves] And ſo, yeeld a fault.

I ſpeak before God] The witneſſe of mine innocency, Job. 16, 19. Gen. 20.6.

For your edifying] Whileſt ye conceive no ill opinion of us, which, like muddy water in a veſſel, might cauſe the moſt precious liquour of our doctrine to run over.

Verſe 20.Mimus. And that I ſhall be found] Crudelem medicum intemperans aeger facit. We delight not to fling daggers at mens faces: but if men be not told their owne, and that with ſome ſharpneſſe, they will on in ſinne to their utter ruine. Sharp waters clear the eye-ſight: and bitter potions bring on ſweet health. A weak doſe doth but ſtirre bad humours, and anger them, not purge them out: ſo it fareth with ſinnes.

p. 179Lest there be debates, envyings, &c.] K. Edward the fourth, the night before his death, ſaid to his kinſmen and friends: I remember it to my grief, that there hath bin diſcord amongſt you a great time, not alwaies for great cauſes, but poor miſtakings, &c. Some,Daniels hiſt. of Engl 2.0. like Salamanders, live alway in the fire, like trouts they love to ſwim againſt ſtream, like Phocion, they think it a goodly thing to diſſent from others.

Verſe 21. That have not repented] Impenitence maketh ſinne mortall, ſaith S. John, 1 epiſt. 5.16. or rather immortall. as ſaith S. Paul. Rom. 2.5. It is not the falling into the water that drowns, but lying in it. Gods people may ſink once and again to the bottome, but the third time they riſe and recover by repentance.

CHAP. XIII. Verſe 1. Of two or three witneſſes]

SO he calleth his threefold admonition. Gods Word neglected will one day be a ſwift witneſſe againſt the contemners. Moſes ſhall accuſe men, Joh. 5.46. Gods Word lay hold on them, Zech. 1.6. and ſtick in their hearts and fleſh, as fire, thorowout all eternity, Ier. 5.14.

Verſe 2. I told you before] Sed ſurdo fabulam, no telling would ſerve turn. Many are ſo wedded and wedged to their ſins, that nothing will ſunder them, but an extraordinary touch from the hand of heaven.

Verſe 3. A proof of Chriſt ſpeaking in me] The Church is Chriſti docentis auditorium, ſaith Bernard, the place wherein he ordinarily teacheth, who hath his ſchool on earth, though his chair in heaven.Sebolam babe… in terris, cathedram in coelis, Aug.

Verſe 4. Crucified through weakneſſe] i. e. Ex afflicto ejus ſtatu, as Gal. 4.14. as having voluntarily ſubjected himſelf to all ſorts of ſufferings for our ſakes.

Verſe 5. Examine your ſelves] The finall triall of our eternall eſtate doth immediately and ſolely appertain to the Court of heaven. Indeed the diſquiſitive part belongs to us, the deciſive to God.

Prove your own ſelves] Redouble your diligence in this moſt needfull, but much neglected duty of ſelf-examination: an errour p. 180here is eaſie and dangerous; hence the precept is doubled: So Zeph. 2.1. Excutite vos, iterum que excutite, as Tremellius renders it.

Verſe 6. But I trust that ye ſhall know] Whereas they were ready to retort, that they were no reprobates, he ſhould well know, let him ſee that himſelf were not one: I truſt ye ſhall know, ſaith he, that we are no reprobates, counterfeits, or unapprovable, oppoſed to approved, verſe 7.

Verſe 7. Though we be as reprobates] viz. In your eſteem. The good heart is content to vilifie, yea nullifie it ſelf, ſo God may be glorified, and his people edified: let him be a footſtool, or what ye will,…piſt. ad Spalat. to help Chriſt into his throne. Prorſus Satan est Lutherus, ſed Christus vivit, & regnat, Amen, ſaith Luther. Let me be called a devil, or any thing, ſo Chriſt may be exalted.

Verſe 8. For we can doe nothing] A temporary many ſo fall away as to perſecute the truth that he once profeſſed, and the Miniſtery that he once admired. Never fals a Saint ſo farre in his greateſt relapſes.Lat. Seru… afore … Edward. Biſhop Latimer tels of one, who fell away from the known truth, to mocking and ſcorning it; yet was afterwards touched in conſcience for it. Beware of this ſinne, ſaith he, for I have known no more then this that repented. It is a very dangerous precipice.

Verſe 9. Even your perfection] Or, Your reſtauration, or joynting again. foreign.His meaning is, ſaith Beza. That whereas the members of this Church, were all, as it were, diſlocated and out of joynt, they ſhould now again be joyned together in love, and they ſhould endeavour to amend what was amiſſe amongſt them, either in faith or manners.

Verſe 10.foreign. And not to deſtruction] Unleſſe by accident: or, if to the deſtruction of the fleſh, it is that the ſpirit may be ſaved in the day of the Lord Jeſus, 1 Cor. 5.5. See the Note there, and on 2 Cor. 10.8.

Verſe 11. Finally] Gr. That which yet remains to ſay more, and then an end.

Be perfect] Or, Peece again.

Be of one minde] For matter of opinion.

Live in peace] For matter of affection.

p. 181The God of love] The authour and fautour.

Verſe 12. With an holy kiſſe] A cuſtome proper to thoſe times, See the Note on Rom. 16.16. and on 1 Cor. 16.20.

Verſe 13. All the Saints ſalute you] Sanctity is no enemy to curteſie: it doth not remove but rectifie it.

Verſe 14. The grace of our Lord] A friendly valediction, or fatherly benediction.