one thing to be iust an other thing to be declared and knowne to be iust We are iust by faith but we are knowne to be iust by our works therefore men shall be iudged at the last day not by their faith but by their workes For the last iudgement serueth not to make men iust that are vniust which is done by faith but to manifest them to the world what they are in deede which is done by workes Men are often compared to trees in Scripture Now a tree is not knowne what it is by his sappe but by his fruit neither are men knowne to be iust by their faith but by their workes Indeede a tree is therefore good because his sappe is good but it is knowne to be good by his fruit So a man is iust because of his faith but he is knowne to be iust by his good works therefore seeing that the last iudgement must proceede according to euidence that is vpon record for the bookes must be opened and men must be iudged of those things that are written in the bookes all must be iudged by their workes which are euident and apparent to the view of all men and not by their faith which is not exposed to the sight of any And hence it is that the Scripture saith we shall be iudged according to our workes but it is no where said for our good workes Gregorie saith God will giue to euery one according to his workes but it is one thing to giue according to workes an other thing for workes For works are no way the cause of reward but onely the common measure according to which God giueth a greater or lesser reward Take this resemblance A King promiseth vnequal rewards to runners the least of which would equall the riches of a kingdome vpon condition that he which first commeth to the goale shall haue the greatest reward the second the next and so in order They hauing finished their race the King giueth them the reward according to their running Who would hence but childishly inferre that therefore they merited this reward by their running And whereas they vrge that text Matth. 25. Come ye blessed for I was hungrie and yee fedde me I answer first that the word for doth not alway signifie a cause but any argument or reason takē from any Topick place as Rom. 3. 22 23. The righteousnes of God is made manifest vnto all and vpon all that beleeue For there is no differēce for all haue sinned are depriued of the glorie of God Where sinne is no cause of the righteousnes of faith but onely an antecedent or adiunct common to all men So when we say This is the true mother of the child for shee will not haue it diuided There for doth not implie the cause as though her refusing to haue it diuided did make her the true mother of it but onely the signe that shee was the true mother indeed Secondly be it granted that it implieth the cause yet not the meritorious cause for good workes are said to be causes of eternall life not as meriting procuring or deseruing any thing at the hands of God but as they are the kings high way to eternall life God hauing prepared good works that we should walke in them If a King promise his subiect a treasure hid in the topp of a steepe and high mountaine vpon condition that he clime and digge it out his climing and digging is the efficient cause of enioying the treasure but no meritorious cause of obtaining it seeing it was freely giuen If it be further said that the word for doth here signifie the cause as well as in the words following Goe ye cursed for I was hungrie and ye gaue me no meat seeing our Sauiour Christ speaketh after the same māner of the reward of the godly and punishment of the wicked I ans The paritie of the reason stands in this that as by good works we come to eternall life so by wicked works we runne headlong to perdition The dissimilitude is this that euil works are not onely the way but also the cause of death good workes are the way but not the cause as Bernard saith they are via regni non causa regnandi Obiect III. Here God promiseth eternall life to good workes therefore good works merit eternall life Answ. There is a double couenant Legall and Euangelicall In the legali couenant the promise of eternall life is made vnto workes Doe this and liue If thou wilt enter into life keepe the commandements But thus no man can merit because none can fulfill the lawe In the Euangelicall couenant the promise is not made to the worke but to the worker and to the worker not for the merit of his work but for the merit of Christ as Apoc. 2. 20. Be faithfull vnto the end and I will giue thee the crowne of life the promise is not made to fidelitie but to the faithfull person whose fidelitie is a signe that he is in Christ in whome all the promises of God are yea and Amen that is most certaine and infallible Secondly if any thing be due to works it is not of the merit of the worke but of gods mercifull promise Augustine saith God made himselfe a debter not by owing any thing but by promising Thirdly no reward is due to workes of regeneration vpon compact and promise first because we are not vnder the couenant of works in which God doth couenant with vs vpon condition of our obedience but vnder the couenant of grace the tenour of which coue nant runneth vpon condition of the merits of Christ apprehended by faith Secondly though we were vnder the legall couenant yet we merit not because our workes are not answerable to the lawe Lastly wheras the pillars of the Romish church teach that the promise made vpon condition of performing the worke maketh the performer to merit is very false This is not sufficient to make a meritorious worke it is further required that the worke be answerable and correspondent in worth and value to the reward as if one shall promise a thousand crowns to him that will fetch a little water out of the next well it is debt indeed in the promiser but no merit in the performer because there is no proportion betweene the worke and the reward Obiect IV. Sowing to the spirit is a good worke and reaping eternall life the reward but reward presupposeth memerit therefore sowing to the spirit doth merit eternall life Ans. There is a double reward One of fauour another of debt Rom. 44. To him that worketh the wages is not counted by fauour but by debt So saith Ambrose There is one reward of liberalitie and fauour another reward which is the stipend of vertue and recompence of our labour Therefore reward signifieth generally any recompence or any gift that is bestowed vpon another whether it be more or lesse whether answerable to the worke or not
Gods Church or kingdome in which first comes the husbandman and sowes good seede and then after comes the deuill with his tares Matth. 13. 24. and all this is euident in the Church of Galatia first planted by Paul and then seduced by false teachers The third thing is that Paul preached bearing about him the triall of God This triall is a worke of God whereby he discouers vnto vs and to the world either the grace or the corruption of our hearts Thus God tried Abraham Hebr. 11. 17. the Israelites Deut. 6. 1. and Ezechias 2. Chron. 32. 31. and Paulin this place The vse We must not thinke it strange when we are afflicted any way Nay we must looke for trialls and be content when they come 1. Pet. 4. 12. Iam. 1. 2. We are either gold in deede or gold in shew if in deede we must be cast into the furnace that we may be purged if we be gold in appearance we must againe into the furnace that we may be knowne what we are The best vine in the vinyard must be lopped and cut with the pruning knife that it may beare the more fruit Ioh. 15. Againe we must take heede least there be any hidden corruptions raigning in our hearts and we must labour to be indeede that which we appeare to be For we must be tried by God and then that which now lies hidde shall be discouered to our shame Lastly we must looke to it that there be soundnes of grace in vs that we may be able to beare the trialls of God and shew forth some measure of faith potience obedience The first signe of Reuerence in the Galatians is that they did not despise Paul in his base condition This is a matter of commendation in them and it is to be followed of vs. And he is a blessed man that is not offended at Christ Math. 11. 6. The second signe of reuerence is that they receiued Paul as an angel of God or as Christ Iesus Here first we must distinguish betweene Pauls person and his doctrine or ministerie And he is said to be receiued as an angel or as Christ because his doctrine was receiued euen as if an angel or Christ had deliuered it Secondly we must put a difference betweene an Apostle and all ordinarie pastours and teachers And to be receiued as an angel or as Christ properly and simply concerns Paul and the rest of the Apostles For to them it was said it is not you that speake but the spirit of the father in you Math. 10. 20. Againe he that heareth you heareth me he that despiseth you despiseth me Luk. 10. 16. The Apostles were called of God immediately taught and inspired immediately and immediately gouerned by the spirit both in preaching and writing so as they could not erre in the things which they deliuered to the Church and therefore they were to be heard euen as Christ himselfe As for other ordinarie teachers they are in part and in the second place to be heard as angels and as Christ so farre forth as they follow the doctrine of the Apostles Thus are they also called the angels of the couenant Math. 2. 7. And Embassadours in the stead of Christ 2. Cor. 5. 21. Here Paul notably expresseth the Authoritie and honour of an Apostle which is to be heard euen as Christ himselfe because in preaching he is the mouth and in writing the hand of God This authoritie is to be maintained and the consideration of it is of great vse The Papists say we know the scripture to be the word of God by the testimonie of the Church but indeede the principall meanes whereby we are assured touching the truth of Scripture is that the books of scripture were penned by men whose writings and sayings we are to receiue euen as from Christ himselfe because they had either Propheticall or Apostolicall authoritie and were immediately taught and inspired in writing and all this may be discerned by the matter for me and circumstances of the foresaid books Secondly they are to be blamed that call the Pope the spouse of the Church and Christ by annointment as Bernard did for thus is he more then an Apostle Thirdly here we see the goodnesse of God that doth not speake to vs in his maiestie but appoints men in his stead who are his embassadours to beseech vs to be reconciled to him Fourthly there must be fidelitie in teachers because they stand in teaching in the stead of Christ and therefore must onely deliuer that which they knowe to be the will of Christ. Fiftly They must haue a speciall care of holinesse of life because they speake in the name and roome of God Read Leuit. 10. 2. Sixtly the people are to heare their teachers with all reuerence euen as if they would heare the very angels of God or Christ himselfe Seauenthly the comfort of the Ministerie is as sure and certen as if an angel came downe from heauen or Christ himselfe to comfort vs so be it we doe indeed truely turne to God and repent Vers. 15. What was your felicitie that is you esteemed it to be your felicitie that you receiued me and my doctrine Ye would haue plucked out your eies and haue giuen them to me a prouerbiall speech signifying the speciall loue of the Galatians to Paul so as nothing which they had could be to deare for him If it had bin possible this he saith because no mā can pluck out his eie to doe another man good or thus no man can possibly giue his eie and the sight thereof to another In these words Paul sets downe the third signe of the loue and reuerence which the Galatians shewed to him and that is that they thought themselues happie by reason of Pauls Ministerie and would haue parted with their owne eies for his good Hence we learne that there is a felicitie after the time of this life and that is to receiue and imbrace the doctrine of the Gospell So saith Christ else where Luk. 8. 21. and 11. 18. Math. 7. 26. True happinesse stands in our reconciliation with God in Christ. And this reconciliation is offered and giuen vs on gods part by his word and promise and it is receiued of vs when we turne to God and by faith rest on the said promise To be in Gods kingdome is happinesse and this is the kingdome of God when we resigne our selues in subiection to his will and word The preaching of the word is the key of this kingdome Matth. 16. 19. and when it is receiued into our hearts by faith heauen is set open vnto vs euen in this life Ioh. 1. 51. The Philosophers therefore haue erred that place our happinesse in honours riches pleasures or in ciuill vertue Secondly our common people are deceiued who thinke because they deale truely and iustly before men that they are in as good a case as they that heare all the sermons in the world as though true happinesse stood in ciuill conuersation
two respects 1. Because by faith we apprehend the righteousnesse of Christ and so in him who hath fulfilled the lawe for vs we fulfill it and so establish it 2. because hauing our hearts purified by faith we liue no more according to the flesh but according to the spirit and so by inchoaâ—e obedience we fulfill the law Lastly in the end in that both the lawe and the gospel tend directly to the manifestation of the glorie of God Yet they differ in 5. things First in the manner of reuealing the lawe before the fall was perfectly known by nature and since the falliâ— part Rom. 2. 15. The Gospel is not known by nature neither was it euer written in mans heart before or after the fall as Paul saith 1. Cor. 2. 9. Those things which the eie hath not seene nor the eare heard nor the heart of man conceiued are they which God hath prepared for them that loue him therefore the Gospel is called a mysterie Rom. 16. v. 25 26. First because the doctrine of the Gospel was made knowne to men and angels by the reuelation of God Eph. 3. 5. 9. Secondly because there is required a special reuelation worke of gods spirit before a man can yeeld assent vnto it Therefore Paul saith We haue not receiued the spirit of the world but the spirit of God that we might know the things that are giuen to vs of God 1. Cor. 2. 12. Secondly in the subiect or doctrine it selfe and that in two respects First the Law preacheth nothing but absolute iustice to the transgressours thereof the Gospel sheweth how iustice is qualified with mercie from all things from which ye could not be absolued by the Law of Moses by him euery one that beleeueth is iustified Act. 13. 39. Secondly the Law teacheth what manner of men we ought to be and what we ought to doe that we may come to eternall life but shewes not howe we may becom such indeed the Gospel teacheth that by faith in Christ we may be such as the Law requires God hath made him to be sinnâ— for vs who knewe no sinne that we might be made the righteousnes of God in him 2. Cor. 5. 21. Thirdly in the obiect The law is giuen to the vniâ—st lawles vngodly prophane 1. Tim. 1. 9 10. that it may shew them their sinnes and the punishment thereby deserued and so may accuse and condemne them the Gospel is to be published and dispensed onely to the penitent which are contrite and broken in heart mourne for their sinnes Math. 11. Esay 57. Luk. 4. IIII. The law promiseth eternall life vpon condition of works Doe this and liue If thou wiâ—â— enter into life keepe the commandements The Gospel promiseth eternall life freely without any condition of works Rom. 4. 5. To him that worketh not but beleeueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly his faith is counted to him for righteousnes Rom. 3. 21 22. The righteousnes of God is made manifest without the law by the faith of Iesus Christ vnto all and vpon all that beleeue V. In the effects The Law is no instrumentall cause of faith repentance or any sauing grace it is the minister of death 2. Cor. 3. 7. causing wrath Rom. 3. 15. But the Gospel causeth life it is the grace of God which bringeth saluation Tit. 2. 11. for this cause Paul calleth the Law a dead or killing letter the Gospel a quickning spirit 2. Cor. 3. Fourthly it may be demaÌ„ded whether any maÌ„ be able to fulfil the Law considering that Paul biddeth vs beare one anothers burdens and so fulfill the Law of Christ Ans. No meere man can perfectly fulfill the Law in this life This conclusion S. Paul prooueth in sundrie of his Epistles specially by these arguments First by the great and generall deprauation of nature which remaineth in part euen in the regenerate stayning their best actions and making them like a menstruous cloath confessing withall that his best workes are not answerable to the law by reason of the remainders of originall corruption Rom. 7. Now perfect fulfilling of the law cannot stand with corruption of nature and transgression in life For a corrupt fountaine cannot send forth sweete waters neither can a corrupt tree beare good fruit Saint Iames saith He that offendeth in one is guiltie of all and the Scripture pronounceth him accursed that abideth not in all things written in the bookâ— of the law to doe them Popish Doctours answer first that originall corruption which they call the fewell of sinne and the first motions to euill preuenting all consent of will are indeede in the regenerate but they are no sinnes properly But it is false which they teach For euery transgression of the law is a sinne as S. Iohn defines it 1. Ioh. 3. 4. but these are transgressions of the tenth commandement for it either forbiddeth these first motions whether they be primò primae or secundò primae as Schoolemen speake or it forbid doth nothing but the motioÌ„s which are with coÌ„sent of wil which were forbidden in the former commandements and so in effect there are but nine commandements the tenth forbidding no speciall sinne Againe Paul teacheth that these motions preuenting all consent of will are formally opposed to the Law I see another law in my members rebelling against the law of my minde Secondly they answer that Paul Rom. 7. speakes not of himselfe but in the person of the vnregenerate according to the opinion of S. Augustine Ans. Augustine indeede was once of that iudgement but he after retracted that opinion as it is manifest out of his booke of Retractations and the 6. booke against Iulian the Pelagian and that for these reasons First because Paul saith To will is present with me and I doe not the good I would and J delight in the law of God concerning the inward man all which are proper to the regenerate and cannot be affirmed of the wicked Secondly because he makes mention of the inward man which is all one with the new man or the new creature which agreeth onely to the regenerate Thirdly because he saith he is ledde captiue to sinne v. 23. whereas the wicked are not drawne to sinne by force against their wills but runne riot of their owne accord into all wickednes as the horse rusheth into the battell Ierem. 8. 6. Lastly in that he cries out in a sense and sorrow for his sinnes O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the bodie of this death v. 24. which can not be the voice of the vnregenerate for they feele not the burden of their sinne nor desire to be eased of it but take delight and pleasure in it His second reason is this such as our knowledge is such is our loue of God and man but our knowledge is onely in part therefore our loue is but in part and so consequently our obedience is but in part therfore there is no perfect fulfilling of
other mens sinnes saith Euery man shall beare his owne burden And to meete with the carelesnesse of others who respect themselues alone neuer minding the good of their brethren he saith Beare ye one anothers burdens II. Obiect By bearing of our owne burdens is vnderstood giuing an account for our selues vnto God Nowe euery man is not to giue account for himself alone but for those also that are coÌ„mitted to his charge as the father for his child the master for his seruant the magistrate for the subiect the sheapheard for the sheepe Ezek. 34. His blood will I require at thy hand Hebr 13. 17. They watch ouer your soules as they that must giue account Answ. Gouernour and superiours are not to giue account for the sinnes of those that are committed vnto them but for the sinnes which themselues commit in not looking vnto them not admonishing them not restraining them not taking condigne punishment of them for their offences This is plainly taâ—ght Ezek. 33. 8 9. If thou doest not admonish the wicked of his way he shall die for his iniquitie but his blood will I require at thâ— hand Neuerthelesse if thou warne the wicked of his way to turn from it if he doe not turne from his way he shall die for his iniquity but thou hast deliuered thy soule III. Obiect Infants which haue not sinned after the manner of the transgression of Adam doe beare the burden of Adams sinne therefore all doe not beare their own burden Ans. First the words are properly to be vnderstood of personall or actuall sinnes which are proper to euery man in particular and not of originall sinne or the sinne of our nature which is common to all mankind beeing propagated together with nature Secondly I answer that Adams sinne was our sinne and therefore seeing infants partake with him in the sinne it is iust with God they should partake with him in the punishment and so beare their owne burden For albeit the transgression of Adam was his actuall and personall sinne yet it is our originall sinne or the sinne of our nature seeing it is ours by imputation and propagation of nature together with corruption For as Leui was in the loynes of Abraham when Melchizedech met him and payed tithes in Abraham Hebr. 7. 9 10. So all mankind was in the loynes of Adam when he sinned as the branches are in the roote or in the seede And therefore when he sinned we also sinned as the Apostle saith Jn whome all sinned Rom. 5. 12. For so the words are in the originall and not as it is commonly translated for as much as all men haue sinned IV. Obiect In the second commandement the Lord threateneth to visit the sinnes of the Fathers vpon the children to the third and fourth generation Therefore they beare not their owne burden but part of their parents burden and parents doe not beare their owne whole and entire burden but their children for them Ans. The clause in the second commandement of visiting the sinnes of the fathers vpon the children doeth not contradict that of Ezek. 18. 19. The sonne shall not beare the iniquitie of the father neither shall the father beare the iniquitie of the sonne the same soule that sinneth that shall die For they are reconciled v. 14 17. If he that is a wicked man begette a sonne that seeth all his fathers sinnes which he hath done and feareth neither doth the like he shall not die in the iniquitie of his father but shall surely liue Therefore the threatning in the second commandement is not to be vnderstood absolutely as though God would alway plague the children for the fathers sinne but conditionally if they persist and continue in their sinnes walking in their waies and treading in their steps And the same answer is giuen in the second commandement that God will not visit the sinne of the fathers vpon the children saue vpon those that hate him It may be said The sinnes of the parents are not vindicated vpon the children because the punishment inflicted vpon their posteritie is not felt of the parents Ans. First children are as it were a part of their parents and therefore they beeing punished their parents are punished with them Secondly it is a corrasiue and a torment to parents to knowe thâ—â— their children shall be seuerely punished and afflicted Thirdly the punishment of posteritie hath a relation to the parent seeing God hath threatened he will punish the children which walke in the wicked waies of their fore-fathers that so he may testifie how extreamly he abhorreth both their sinne and the sinne of their progenitors Fourthly the parents sinne is often a cause of the childrens sinne seeing that God in his iust iudgement curseth a wicked mans posterity by leauing them to themselues to blindenesse of minde and hardnesse of heart that so they may fulfill the measure of their fathers as our Sauiour Christ speaketh Matth. 23. 32. And by their owne sinnes may iustly pull vpon them condigne punishment Lastly God doth more manifest his wrath against the sinne of the parent by punishing the child Obiect V. Numb 25. 4. The chiefest of the Israelites were hanged vp before the Lord for the fornication and idolstrie of the people therefore they did not beare the burden of their own sinne Ans. They were punished for their owne sinne for they consented to worship the idol and commit folly with the daughters of Moab or râ—ther were principall ring-leaders and first actors in this Commick-tragedie as may appeare by the practise of Zimri Prince of the familie of the Simeâ—nites v. 6. in bringing Câ—sbie a Madianitisâ— woman into his tent in the sight of Moses and the whole congregation Therefore because they did not hinder them from committing this fact as they might beeing in place of gouernment but did partake with them in the sin they are first punished that more seuerely for a thousand of them were hanged vp the same day v. 4. the rest of the people to the number of 23 thousand were slain by the sword at the commandement of God v. 5. to which Paul had an eye when he said that there fell in one day 23 thousand 1. Cor. 10. 8. meaning of the common sort excluding those that were hanged vp for in all there were 24 thousand Num. 25. 9. Thus the contrarietiâ— which seemes to be betwixt those two places may be better accorded then to say as some doe that the pen-men or scribes failed in copying out the bookes Or as others that it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Paul or as others that Paul is not contrarie to Moses seeing that if there were 24 thousand as Moses saith there were 23 thousand for there is no reason why the Apostle should vse the lesse number rather then the greater except that which I haue said considering the greater is as round a number as the lesse Obiect VI. Dauid sinned in numbring the people and they were punished for his sinne
his Church The Prophet reduceth all those things wherein we ought not to glorie to three heads wisedome strength riches all which we haue receiued thereof ought not to boast of them as though we had not receiued them In particular wisedome is not to be glorified in seeing it is very defectiue whether we speake of speculatiue wisedome standing in contemplation or practical consisting in action For in artes and sciences as also in the secrets of nature our ignorance is greater then our knowledge He that knowes not that be knowes nothing in these things let him read the booke of Iob chap. 28. and 37 and 38. And as for wisedome in diuine things We knowe nothing as we ought to knowe 1. Cor. 8. 2. for we know but in part and see but as in a glasse darkely 1. Cor. 13. 12. And as for practicall wisdome standing in pollicie it is not demonstratiue but meerely coniecturall therefore we cannot build vpon it considering in it there is the concurrence of so many causes that are casuall and of so many mindes which are mutable Salomon the great polititian had experience hereof for he thought that by ioining affinitie with his neighbour Princes round about him taking their daughters to be his wiues he should establish his own house strengthen his kingdome and drawe the Heathenish Idolatours to the worship of the true God But all things fell out contrarie to this his plot and proiect for it was so farre from winning others to imbrace true religion as that it drewe him to idolatrie and so farre from stablishing his house or strengthening his kingdome as that it was the cause of the rending of the one and the ruinating of the other Constantine the great was perswaded that by building the citie Constantinople in the confines of Europe and Asia and there placing one of his sonnes as his Lieutenant to keepe his court he should fortifie his Empire as with a wall of brasse But he was deceiued for the building of new Rome was the decay of the olde and the diuiding of the Empire was the destruction thereof So that it is truely said pollicie is often the ouerthrowe of politie Nowe if wisedome may not be gloried in much lesse may strength seeing that wisedome is better then strength Eccles. 9. 16. seeing that the greatest strength of man is not comparable to that of Behemoth Iob. 40. and other bruite beasts seeing it is but the strength of flesh seeing no power nor might can deliuer from wrath in the day of wrath Of all the puissant Princes and plotting polititians the Psalmist saith They are so vaine that if they be laid vpon the ballance euen vanitie it selfe will waigh them downe Psal. 62. 9. And as for riches besides that they make vs neuer a whitte the better nay oftentimes much worse they are also vncerten Salomon saith they make themselues wings like an Eagle and flie away Pro. 23. 5. They may not vnfitly be compared to Ionas his gourd which flourished in the morning yeelding him content delight but shortly after to his great griefe it was stricken by a worme and withered away The like may be said of honours and pleasures For what more vaine then to glorie in honour which is not in a mans power seeing as the Philosopher teacheth Honour is not in him that is honoured but in him that honoureth and therefore Courtiers are compared to counters which stand sometime for pounds sometime for pence beeing now aduanced now debased according to the pleasure of the Prince Haman to day highly honoured in the court at Shushan the next day hanged vpon a tree To omit the examples of Iob and Nebuchodonosar in whome we may see the mutabilitie of worldly dignitie Consider it in the glasse of these examples First of Geliner a puissant Prince of the Vandals who was brought so lowe that he was enforced to request his friend to send him a loafe of bread a sponge and a harpe a loafe to slake his hunger a sponge to drie vp his teares a harpe to solace him in his miserie Of Bellisarius for prowes honour the only man then liuing who came to that miserable estate that hauing his eies put out he was led in a string to beg by the high way side crying Date obolum Bellisario And of the victorious Emperour Henrie the fourth who had fought 52. pitched fields and yet was driuen to that exigent as that he became a suter for a poore Prebend in the Church of Spira to maintaine himselfe in his olde age And as for worldly pleasures least cause is there that any man should glorie in them seing they are more vanishing then the former seeing they are common to vs with bruite beasts seeing they are mingled with much griefe and vexation for in the midst of laughter the heart is sorrowfull Prou. 14. 13. And lastly seeing they leaue a sting behinde them for the ende of pleasure is nothing but paine as Salomon saith The ende of reioycing is mourning For feasting banquetting are often turned into surfetting vomiting drinkings into palsies lusts into goutes c. And if pleasures were but onely painefull the matter were the lesse but they are also sinnefull Ebr. 11. 25. and therefore in no wise to be gloried in By this we see that Paul had iust cause in this earnest manner to say God forbidde I should glorie saue in the crosse of Christ considering that this boasting in outward things is not onely a fault of vanitie but also of impietie as may appeare by these reasons I. God hath expressely forbidden it Ier. 9. 23. Gal. 5. 26. II. He hath alwaie seuerely punished it as in Dauid for numbring the people in a vaine-glorious minde 2. Sam. 24. In Ezekias for shewing his treasures in a brauery to the Embassadours of the king of Babel Isay. 39. In Herod for ascribing to himselfe the glorie proper to God alone Act. 12. III. The Saints of God haue alway abhorred it as Paul doth in this place and 2. Cor. 11. 30. If I must needs glorie I will glory in neine infirmities as if he should say I will be farre from carnall boasting IV. The heathen by the light of nature haue condemned it the Gretian Orator calls it an odious and burdensome thing And the Romane Orator prooues it be most true by his own practise making his words which flowed from his mouth as sweete as hony to taste as bitter as wormewood by interlacing his owne praises Obiect I. Paul gloried in something besides the crosse of Christ when he said It were better for him to die then that any should make his glorying vaine 1. Cor. 9. 15. Answ. Paul in glorying doeth distinguish his calling from his person Of such a one I wil boast of my selfe I wil not boast I was nothing inferior to the very cheife Apostles although I am nothing 2. Cor. 12. 5. 11. Of his person or personall gifts he
at Athens and they giue this reason of it because after the sending of Timothie to Thessalonica Paul and he meete not at Athens againe but at Corinth And Baronius affirmeth that it seemes to haue beene written presently after that Sylas and Timotheus came to him to Corinth out of Macedonia by comparing Act. 18. 5. with 1. Thess. 3. 6. Annal. tom 1. pag. 457. l. 1. And Emmanâ—â—i Sa doth censure the Syriacke postscript which saith it was sent from Athens by Timothie seeing that Timothie was then absent The like they affirme in the argument of the second Epistle for albeit the Greeke postscript hath it that it was written from Athens yet they rather thinke it was written from Corinth where Paul aboad a yeare and sixe moneths Act. 18. 11. because the title is like vnto the first Epistle Paul and Sylvanus and Timotheus c. And Baronius saith that it should be written from Athens impossibile est affirmare because it was written soone after the former as may appeare by the inscription Paul and Sylvanus and Timotheus they continuing together but the former was written from Corinth as hath bin prooued and therefore the latter specially considering that Paul went thence from Athens and aboad at Corinth a yeare and a halfe and returned not backe againe to Athens but went to Ephesus Annal. tom 1. pag. 457. l. 2â— Adde hereunto that whereas the postscript of the 1. to Timothie saith it was written from Lâ—odicea the chiefe Citie of Phrigia Pacaciana the Rhemists notwithstanding in the argumenâ— affirme that it is vncerten where it was written though it be commonly said to haue beene written at Lâ—odicca yet it seemeth to be otherwise because it is like he was neuer there as may be gathered by the Epistle to the Colossians which was written at Rome in his last trouble a little before his death for Coloss. 2. 1. Paul seemes to insinuate that he was neuer at that Laodicea of Phrigia neare to Colossos and Hierapolis and that they neuer saw his person Besides neither Plâ—nie who writ after Paul nor any other ancient classique author doth make mention of Phrigia Pacaciana so that it seemeth to haue beene so called long after Pauls discease the first mention that is made of it as some haue obserued beeing in the acts of the 5. Synode of Constantinop Baronius is of opinion that it was written from Macedonia Tom. 1. pag. 564. grounding his coniecture vpon 1. Tim. 1. 3. as I besought thee to abide at Ephesus when I went into Macedonia so doe The same doth Athanasius affirme in his Synopsis and Theodoret in his preface vpon that Epistle Againe the subscription of the 2. to Timothie that it was written from Rome vnto Timothie the first Bishop elected of the church of Ephesus cannot well stand as some thinke with that of S. Paul 2. Timothie 4. 5. Doe the worke of an Euangâ—list seeing that Euangelists were not tied to personall residencie to abide in one place as Bishops and pasters are but were to goe from place to place to confirme the Churches planted by the Apostles But the discussing of this argument whether Timothie were an Euangelist properly so called and whether the same man could not be an Euangelist and a bishop requireth a longer discourse then can be affoarded to this short treatise Lastly the postscript of the Epistle to Tâ—tus saith it was written from Nicopolis of Macedonia the deuisers of which assertion ground their opinion vpon Titus 3. 12. where Paul saith beâ—iligent to come to me to Nicopolis for I haue determined there to winter mistaking the text for he saith not be diligent to come to me to Nicopolis for I haue determined here to winter as beeing there alreadie but I haue determined there to winter By which it is plaine that when Paul wrote to Titus he was not at Nicopolis as the postscript affirmeth and so we see the text which they alleadge for them maketh most against them And this is the iudgement reason of Baronius Annal. tom 1. pag. 575. l. 33. Antuerp howsoeuer Claudius Espencaus shifts his fingers of it and passes it ouer in silence Thus much concerning Subscriptions a word or two touching Inscriptions or titles prefixed before Epistles That these be no part of scripture written by the Apostles but added to the Epistles by some others it may appeare by these reasons First generally if titles were canonicall as well as the epistles themselues the Fathers would neuer haue doubted as they did whether Paul were the author of the epistle to the Ebrewes or not seeing in all copies saue one as Beza hath obserued it beareth his name but some of them ascribe it to Barnabas as Tertullian others to Luke as Jerome witnesseth others to Clement Oecumenius infitleth it only thus The epistle to the Ebrewes without adding the name of Paul or any other as the penner of it and so Hentenius a papist doth translate it out of Occumenius Secondly some epistles as those seuen written by Iames Peter Iohn Iude haue vnfit titles prefixed before them in that they are called sometime Canonicall specially of the Latine church and sometime Catholick chiefly of the Greek church neither of which were euer giuen them by any Apostle or Apostolique writer For first touching the title Canonicall it may seeme strange that this inscription should euer haue been appropriated vnto them which is common with them to the whole word of God as though in them were contained a more perfect and absolute rule of doctrine and manners of things to be beleeued and practised then in the other bookes of holy writ considering that sundrie Diuines albeit erroniously I confesse haue beene so farre from giuing vnto them this preheminence aboue the rest of the bookes of Scripture that they haue altogether reiected them as no part of Canonicall Scripture by name the epistle of Iames the 2. of Peter the 2. and 3. of Iohn and that of Iude of all which it was doubted in auncient time as we see in Eusebius and the Syrian church receiueth them not to this day as beeing not in the Syriacke translation and Caietan a popish writer and the Lutherans at this present reiect them as may appeare by their writings Secondly that this inscription was added to these Epistles without sufficient ground and warrant of reason may appeare in that no reason can be giuen why these seuen should be called Canonicall rather then the Epistles of S. Paul or that to the Ebrewes whosoeuer was the penner thereof For whereas the ordinarie Glosse saith they are called Canonicall because they were receiued into the Canon with the other epistles by that reason they should be no more Canonicall then the rest nay not of that authenticall at least of that vndoubted authoritie the rest are of seeing they hardly obtained to be registred in the Canon with the rest as Canonicall Lastly this title was neuer giuen to these Epistles by the Greek church which was more auncient