vs . rv1_ Commentarie "'pon Chap.s. fcanda/1 ofthe croffeabot.[heil. •· A tion areport is raifed that Pa11/ preached cirH WoHid to God th'}wm cut off thatti•u, cumcifion, Jn thisweefee the falhion of the hl't'"· world 1 which is to raife fameo, reports,and hefenfe, Tet preach] nowwhilelaman flaundersof all perfor.s, fpecially vpon MaApuflle. HerePaulrakes tt for granted,that gt£lratcs andMiniflers, and tharvpon euery when be was a PhariGc hcc taught and mam· light and vniu(\ occafioo, Butgood men will rained Circumcilion: but hedenies that he e• take no fuch occalions of railing rcpom tier taught i[ afrer his cooucr!ion in his Apo~ Pfal.ls.3. ' OlcOtip. ThecroJJejrbcGofpel which is ado· · ButhowdidPa•ltakethis report I A•fr•: chine reaching deltucrance from hcl,and;Itfc He dtd not wjuitecuill for euill (as the man• cucrla£lmg,to bceobroincd bythedcath and nerofmtn is,)but hercrurncs loue andgoodpaflionof Cbri£lcrucifieJ,r.Cor.r.r8.z3. nes for cuill : and forthi& caufe (no dPobt of More plainely, the words are thus m11ch purpofc)he beginneohisfpeech onthismanin effeCt: It io repotted, thatI Pattl an Apo· ncr,Brtlhrn~,if I yet prrttchcircHmcifion. file, preach circumctfion : but tlie truth is, The apologic and defence followcs. And therei•nofilchrtmter: Forifl taught cir- B flt(l hcc dcnlesthe report. And his proofejs comcJlion, the Iewes, maimainerr ofcircum· thu: b<caufe for hts preaching hee is perfecucifion, would not perfetute mee as they doe: tcd of the Iewes, Here obfcrue, that they neither would they take olfence at the prea· which are called to teach, mufl preach the chingof Chrj(l cruct6ed,if I ioyned circumGofpel, what (rouble or daunger foeuer folcifion with Chr;[l, low,as Paul did. It may be demaunded,whcThe drift, p.,,i 1\erean[wero a new obie· thcr aMini!!ermay not in teaching conceale Cl: ion;which is on this manoer: There is no any partofthetruth at any time without fin? caufc,Pnt<l,why thou lhbuldeflthusrcprooue Anjw, _In rbeca{c of Confeffion when a man vs, for rliou thy fclfe art a t;achcr c.fc~tcum· is called tog1ue an account of his faith, no cilion, Tothi• Pnul m>kes a double anfwer. truth, nonot the leaf! truth may beconceaFirf!'~'he~: denies thcrcporr, and prooues bill led. Againe, when thefoulcs of men are to rjcnlall by a double reafon; one i,, becaufe bee releeued, and faued, all concealcmcnts thclewcs flill P"fecutcdhim; the other is, arc damnab!e, Yet inthc planting or in the becaufe they tookeoffencc flill at his prca· reOortng ot the Church, dodtinesmofl nechiog of Chriil cructfied. Secondly,Pn•lan- c cclfary may be concealed,Pa>lwas aboutt"·o livers by pronouncing acurfe vpon the falfe yeares at Ephcfus, and fpake nothing againfl Aponlcs. ' DiRnR,bUt tn gencralltearmes. If hehad,he ... The vfc. In the words, I confider two hadplanted no Church at Ephcfus. Againe, c~ings, the report giuen forth of P••l, and u,hcn people bcvncapable of dodrinc,itmay his Apologtc.Thc reportwas,that Pnulpr;abeeconcealed, till they bee prepared for it. chedcjrcumcifion, In thts we fee what isthe ChrHltolde his difciples, that bee hna man; conditton of the Miniflcrs of the word, things to tdlthem,which thq c~11/dnot thml~llnt. namely, tobefubied toflandcrand defama· Some bcleeuers mufl hauenoflrongrneatc, rton, 1191 ondy in rofpcct oftheir liues, but butmilke onely. Thirdly,when the teaching alfo,in refpect of their Minifleric and doof alelfer truth hinders the teachingofa fun- ~'rinc, as (f they were hcretickes. Thus the damentalltrurh,the letTer truthm~y be ccnNpiflm this day reproch the Minifleryof ceolcd; thar the fundameniall truth may bee the Church of England,chargingicwithfunraught,and takeplace. dry foule hcrefies.And manyainongvsfpare Here wee,fee the fidelityof Paul: if he had I 1191 rq:pharge it with the herefie of P•rit•- fought himfclfe, his honour, profit, or pleaI nifm,; And I doubc not to auoucb ic, that fure, hewould not hauc taughtany doCtrine [omeare condemnedfor heretickes in lhehi· D thac flwuld h:iue caufed perfccution. The llor,tc ofthe Church,who(ifall wcreknowne) ltkeminde mull bee·in all teachers, nay in all 'lhould. bee found to bee good [truants of belecuers,wh? are to receiue,tho Gofpcll for God. it felfe, ~·ithoutrefpect to honour, profit, or r. This verifie; the fayingofEcclefiafles, pleafure, c. 8.v.14Ther~arerighte~;u ment11whomeit be. Pa•l addes further in way ofdefence, that a(s aCcflrdin! to ihe work! of the wic~ed. the fcandall<>f th• crolfewasnorabolilhed. · 2. MiniiJcrs rnuflhencebe putinminde Hence it followes, that the Gofpcll mufl be I to v[e ctrcumfpedion both for the matter preached,though all men be offended. God ' , and1~e manneroftheirpreaching. mufl nor be~difpleafed, though all men bee I ;, Becinjldefamed, and that wrongfully, difpleafed, Act. S·:9· Indeede Chrifl pro· ih~ylmtfl hence take occafion to bee more nounceth a woe agoinflthem bywhome ofI c~roful to pleafcGod,asDauiddidin thelike fences ccme: but tl1at is meant of offences r··Pr........ giuen, and not of offences taken: ofwhich , Jl.~fhowcamerhisreportof Paul! Anfw, Chrifl bath an other r~le, Matth r s. 14. Let Sometime hc:e roiJerated circurncifion, aa a them alone,thqarethe flini/raJers 1 theblind. rhing,indiffcrent for atime: aod hereupon Againe, qy the offence of the!ewes, wee circumc1fcd Timt~thi~. And vpon this occa.. fee the minde ofmen,who canner be content with
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