God shows, that all these jealousies are but follies ; for all that he feared came to pass. In good Queen Ehzabeth's time, religion that he was so jealous of, was established : and she cared not for princes' correspondency, that were of other religions, further than might stand with reasons of state ; and did not she flourish, and her people in quiet all her time, notwith-
* Cf. note ss. — G.
t That is, Henry VIII. It is curious to find Sibbea anticiiiating the eulogy of Froude.— G.
2 CORINTHIANS CHAP. I, VER. 23. 487
standing all former jealousies, as if religion established could not stand with peace ? So that the event proved what kind of jealousies these were.*
Do we think then that a great deal of hurt is not done among particular persons, when in states there is such a world of hurt done by Hatan, and his instruments ? Well ! let us take notice therefore of our disposition, and of the inclination of men this way, that we may the better prevent it, and that will appear in the second thing, that,
Obs. We should labour bij all means to avoid suspicion, and to decline it as much as ve can.
It should be the care of ministers, and others (it generally belongs to all Christians), to free themselves from any ill suspicion in the hearts of others as much as they can ; as St Paul did here the suspicion of inconstancy, and lightness, and want of love to them that he did not come among them.
Suspicion is a canker that eats into the soul where it is, and it will con- sume and waste all love. It is the very venom of love and friendship. A little thing will breed it, but will not work it out. Therefore we ought first of all to take great heed that we give no ground of suspicion at all ; or if we do, that we be careful to get it out as soon as we can ; for usually where it takes place, it boils till it break out into words, and then words when they are discovered, breed strangeness, and that breeds other inconveniences.
And the rather we should labour to avoid it, because, quod snspectum, &c., that which is suspected, is made unprofitable ; for a man when he unwar- rantably suspects another thing, it is unprofitable to him. We take little good by those that we suspect are ill, or ill-aflected to us, and then we do little good to them ; for love is much daunted by the ill conceit we have taken against them. A man cannot do that good that he might, when he is suspected. There lies a bar in the way ; ill suspicion in the other party, which is an obstruction between him, and the good he might do. There- fore even for the love of others we ought to avoid suspicion as much as may be, that they may receive good from us.
As we ought not uncharitably to suspect others, that we may do good to them ; so we ought to avoid by all means suspicion from them, lest it be a bar for that good we might do towards them. Let us labour to clear our- selves from all suspicion of want of love, and ill carriage what we may, that so there may be nothing between our spirits and theirs that may hinder the good that might come from us to them, but that all may pass clear. You see how curious holy men have been in all times, to avoid suspicion as much as they could.
Even God himself, — we cannot have a more glorious pattern, — what course hath he taken from the beginning of the world with mankind ? He hath condescended, and stooped to man's weakness, to clear himself of suspicion of unkindness to man, that man might not cherish suspicion that he doth not love him. For there is that poison in the cursed nature of man, that do God what he can, he will lay imputations upon God, to bear himself out in stubborn com-ses, as if God delighted not in him, nor regarded him. And as you have it in Ezek. xviii, 2 seq. I am punished for other folks' sins, God deals hardly with me, and brings the sins of my fathers upon me ; and, ' the fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge.' God knows the cankered disposition of man since the fall. Satan lies upon the disposition of man, and broods upon it, to make it like him-
* Cf. Sir Pliilip Sidney's famous Letter to Elizabeth on her fears of isolation in Europe. It will be found in ' Life' of Sidney, by Bourne, and by Lloyd, both re- cently issued. — G.
488 COMMENTARY ON
self, malicious even against God himself. God, as it were, puts himself to his purgation, oven with no loss than an oath. ' As I live, saith the Lord, I will not the death of a sinner,' Ezek. xviii. 23. You think I am severe to you ; and men they will rather impute it to God's severity, than their own sin. That is the pride of man's nature.
A sinner is wondrous proud till he come to destruction itself, and the book of conscience be opened. Sin will have something to shelter itself with : sin is a proud thing. God purgeth himself by an oath. ' As I live, saith the Lord, I will not the death of a sinner.' If you die, you may thank your own sins. Though you be so bad, if you will repent, ' I will not the death of a sinner, but rather that he return, and live.' Yet not- withstanding, man to countenance himself in sin, he will fly perhaps to the decree of God. God perhaps doth not delight in me. Whereas the rule of our life is, ' He hath shewed thee, 0 man, what is good,' Micah vi. 8, to do good, and abstain from evil, and then that question will be out of (question, whether thou be God's or no. But man will force upon himself, that God doth not regard him, that he may sin with more freedom.