CHAP.3.3 c%4 Commentarre zpon the 588, all men,foes as well as friends,yea the wort} as well as thebefi. The rea- fon is drawne from the confideration of the prefent condition of con- netted Chri(lians, compared with that dime they were in before their conuerfiou andcalling to the faith: to which purpofehe is very large in defcribing , r. our Clareofcorruption in this 3. verl 2. our elate after conuerfion, in4, 5, 6, and7. verles: from both which theApatite thus concludeth the fame thing thus. Firft, from theformer: If we our felues were in times pall in the felfe famecondition, which ocher men are not yet calledout of;then ought we to be meeke andmerciful cues CO chofe whoarc not yet converted. But weour Celtics were in times pall as they are, we lay in the fame puddle of corruption, were hewneout of the famepit,and though we may thinkewewere neuer fo graceleffe as we fee Come others,yec we cannot charge them fo deepely for time prefent, but theymay comeouervs wich the tame in times pa(i,asthis thirdverfe will teach vs: and therefore weought to fbewall lenityand mceknes to all men.Secondly,from our latter condition of conuer(ion,chusour Apo- file framethhis reafon; IfGod hauebin fobountifull a benefaáor veto vs,when we were fo vnworrhy;as the former verfe defcribeth , that his meere andalone mercy Caved vs;then'mußwe in imitation of our hea- ueuly father,doe the like toour brethren. But Godhath donechili , ver. 4,5.fo as from both we may well reafon,thata new condition requireth anew conusrfation;newmen mull haue new manners; we beeingChri- fiiansmay not carry our felues fo crookedly as in times pall, nor fo roughly cowards thole who now doe the fame things which then we, did,confideringour owne felues. But before we come to theparticular defcriptionsofthele twoelates, one or twogeneral! obferuations are neceffarily to be colle&ed out of the (copeofthe verlès. The confidera. DoEir. r. The confideration ofthe common condition , is anotable tionofour ed. moncondition ground ofmeeknes& moderation towards chofe who yet are uncalled is ground of to thefaith. For r. whereas pride maketh the heart to (well againß the `ceknc. brother,andiis a motewhence chele bitter fruits stile: thisconfiderati- i onpulleth thole peacock feathers,andhumbleth the heart, fo as when it can finde noother reafon of forbearance , here it neuer wanteth a moll effeéluall one. What ,wcare brethrcn,ofcommon parents , of common conditiô,our efiate,our temperwas all alike,' wasborne into theworld as naked in foule, in body , as he was. And thus by this confderatíon, the Apoßle beaceth downe thepride of man: whofeparatedthee ?haft r.cor.y.y. rhouany thing aboueanother which thou haft not receixedf avd then why daaftefr thou a if thoubag not recciued it? and elfewhere dilputing of thebreakingoff of thenaturali branches the Iewes , and ingrafting the Gen-
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