Commentary on the Epistles and Revelation of John, Commentary 2 · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI. Verſe 1. Goe to law before the unjust]
ALl unbelievers are, 1. Void of Chriſts righteouſneſſe imputed. 2. Of true civill righteouſneſſe, as being ſelf-ſeekers in all. 3. They oppreſſe the Saints, and draw them before the judgement…ats. Jam. 2.6.
And not before the Saints] Chriſtians firſt brought their cauſes before the Biſhops to be judged. And hence grew their power (as Paraeus noteth) which the Chriſtian Emperours firſt would not, and afterwards could not take away from them. This raiſed Papacy and Prelacy to ſuch an height; they would be Princes as well as Biſhops.
Verſe 2. Shall judge the world] That is, The wicked, called the inhabitants of the earth, and of the ſea, Revel. 12.12. in oppoſition to the Burgeſſes of the new Jeruſalem, Phil. 3 20. And let this comfort us under the perverſe cenſures of worldly men, mad and beſides themſelves in point of ſalvation. The Lord ſeeth that their day is coming, Pſal. 37.13.
Verſe 3. Things that pertain to this, &c.] That ſerve to, and ſatisfie the body only, being nec vera, nec vestra, Luke 16.11, 12.
Verſe 4. If then ye have judgements] As the Corinthians being many of them merchants, had many law-ſutes. But if mens hearts were not bigger then their ſutes, there would not be half ſo many.
Who are leaſt eſteemed] Rather then go to law before Heathen Judges. The loweſt, if of any judgement, are high enough for ſuch a purpoſe. Why ſhould thoſe ſordida poſcinummia qui latrocinia intra mania exercent, as Columella hath it, thoſe Crumenimulgae, the unconſcionable Lawyers make a ſpoil of us; and then when they die build Hoſpitals for fools, as one of them did, ſaying, Of fools I got my eſtate, and to fools I will leave it?Purchas his Microcoſm. Of thoſe that go to Law, we may well ſay, as Charoudas once did of thoſe that go to ſea, Se non mirari qui ſemel mare ingreſſus ſit, ſed qui iterum, that he marvelled not at thoſe that went once,S…apl. mor…do, 2. poſt pent. but at thoſe that would go again.
Verſe 5. No, not one that ſhall be able] Our late Judge Dicr, if there came any controverſies of poor men to be tried afore him, would uſually ſay,The pr…ct. of Queeneſſe, p. 270. that either the parties are wilfull, or their neighbours uncharitable, becauſe their lutes were not quietly ended at home.
Verſe 6. But brother goeth to law] Once it was counted ominous to commence actions,Caeſ com. and follow ſutes. Of common barretters, we may ſay as the Hiſtorian doth of Mathematicians, Genus hominum quod in noſtra repub. & vetabitur ſemper, & retin…itur.Ta…t. l. 1. c. 1.
Verſe 7.foreign. There is utterly a fault] Gr. Adiſgrace, a loſſe of victory. q. d. By your litigious lawing one another, you betray a great deal of weakneſſe and impotency of affection. Theſe be ignoble quarrels, Ʋbi & vinc…re, inglorium eſt, & atteri ſordidum. See the Note on Rom. 12.21.
Becauſe ye go to law] Lightly, for every ſmall offence (which if Mahometans do, they are publikely puniſhed) and with ſpitefull vindictive ſpirits: whereas in going to law men ſhould not be tranſported with hate or heat; but as Tilters break their ſpears on each others breſts, yet without wrath or intention of hurt, ſo, &c. The French are ſaid to be very litigious, and full of Lawſutes.
Verſe 8. Nay you do wrong] In perſon and name.
And defraud] Of goods and eſtate.
And that your brethren] Which very name ſhould charm and allay all diſcords,In …thie. as betwixt Abraham and Lot, Gen. 13 8. Ariſtotle could ſay, It is better to ſuffer wrong then to do it. And I know how to bear injuries,foreign. ſaid Chilo to his brother, who took it ill that he was not choſen to be one of the Judges.
Verſe 9. Shall not inherit] It is an undefiled inheritance, 1 Pet. 1 4. no dirty dog ever trampled on that golden pavement, Revel. 22.15. Heaven ſpewed out the Angels, ſhall it lick up the unrighteous? The Serpent could ſ…ue himſelf into paradiſe, but no wicked could ever get into heaven.
Verſe 10. Nor theeves, nor covetous] Theſe two be fitly ſet together, as near akin, ſo are drunkards and railers.
Nor extortioners] Whoſe ſin is properly immoderate getting, as that of the covetous conſiſts in pinching and ſaving. So 1 Tim. 3.3.
Verſe 11. Such were ſome of you] Oh the infinite goodneſſe of God that would once look upon ſuch walking dunghils, ſuch monſtrous miſcreants …
But ye are waſhed] In generall: As in particular, 1. Ye are ſanctified] And that by the Spirit of our God. 2. Ye are juſtified] And that in the Name, or by the righteouſneſſe of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. His bloud cleanſeth us from ſins both guiltineſſe and filthineſſe. It is like to thoſe ſoveraign mundifying waters, which ſo waſh off the corruption of the ulcer, that they cool the heat and ſtay the ſpread of the infection, and by degrees heal the ſame.
Verſe 12. All things are lawfull] viz. All indifferent things amongſt which the Corinthians reckoned not only meats and drinks, but alſo fornication (their Nationall ſin.) The devil perhaps had perſwaded them, as he hath done the Turks at this day,Llunts voiage. that God did not give men ſuch appetites to have them fruſtrate, but enjoyed, as made for the guſt of man, not for his torment, wherein his Greatour delights nor. Now the Apoſtle grants that for …dats all things are lawfull (yet in caſe of offence or intemperance, they may become inexpedient, and ſo, unlawfull.) But for fornication, it was utterly unlawfull, as he proves by many powerfull arguments.
But I would not be brought] As thoſe ſwiniſh ſurfetters, that wearing their brains in their bellies (with the Aſter fiſh) their guts in their heads, do dig their graves with their own teeth: being like the Mule which cannot travell, they ſay, without a bottle of hay hanging at his noſe.
Verſe 13. God ſhall deſtroy,] The belly ſhall be deſtroied in the other world, not for the ſubſtance of it, but for the uſe of it. And the ſame may be ſaid for the difference of ſexes: the parts ſhall remain, the uſe ceaſe: Ca…o ſaid well, that he was an ill commonwealths man, Qui inter guttur & inguen, cuncta ſub ventris ditiane poſitiſſet, that was a ſlave to his ſenſuall appetite.
Verſe 14. And will alſo raiſe us up] He will make our vile bodies to be like unto his glorious body the ſtandard? Shall we then defiſe them with the kitchin-ſtu…e of uncleanneſſe?
Verſe 15. Shall I then take] Scipio, when a harlot was offered him, ſaid, Vellem, ſi non eſſ…m Imperator, I would, if I were not a Generall, Say thou, If I were not a Chriſtian.
Verſe 16. Is one body] By a moſt ſtrict, but vitious and infamous bond (ſaith an Interpreter) which is ſufficient to unty or break any other bond though lawfull and holy, either corporall or ſpirituall.
Verſe 17. Is one spirit] That is, One ſpirituall body: whiles Chriſt laies hold on us by his Spirit, we lay hold on him by faith. Hence the Church is called Chriſt, 1 Cor. 12.12. and the fulnes of Chriſt, Eph. 1.23. We have the honour of making Chriſt perfect, as the members do the body.
Verſe 18.foreign Flee fornication] With poſt-haſte flee it. Laera venire Venus, triſtis abire ſolet. Be not of thoſe men that are called Borboritae of their mity filthineſſe, whom Epiphanius and Oecumenius ſpeak of.
Verſe 19. That your body is the Temple] Shall we make the Temple of God, the ſtews of Satan? See Chap. 3.16. Antiochus and Pompey never proſpered after that they defiled the Temple.
Verſe 20. Ye are bought] Shall I drink the bloud of theſe men, ſaid David? So, ſhall I abuſe my body the price of Chriſts bloud, abandon it to Venery, &c?
Glorifie God in your body] The very Manichees that denied God to be the authour of the body, faſted on Sabbath daies, and in faſting exerciſed an humiliation of the body.