f The Greek is hindring t0 marry, but that might be by forbidding yd : » __ itby a Law under a ſevere Penalty. There are diſputes whom the ** * MM Apoſtle ſpeaketh of, to find out which it is conſiderable, 1, That the Apoſtle ſpeaketh of a time that was then to come, 2, Of ſome who had it in their power to hinder it ; which will make the Pro» F phecy hardly applicable to any but the Romiſh Synagogue, to be ſure, it not ſo applicable ; for though there were ſome perſons before them | that condemned Marriages, yet as they were but a ſmall inconfide- rable Party, ſo they were Perſons that had no power to hinder Mar- riage by any penal Laws, nor any that did it in ſuch Hypocritie un- der a pretence of Piety,when he who runs may read that they do it to maintain the grandeur of their Ecclefiaftical Hierarchy, How ap- plicable therefore ſoever this might be to the Ebionzres, and thoſe that followed Saturnius and Marcion , and the Encratitz (which the hi Papiſts contend for) it certainly more nearly concerns the Papiſts themſelves, who more univerſally forbad them to their Clergy,and were the firft that had a power to hinder them, and fell into much later times than any of the others. g To abſtain from ſoine meats, Q and this alſo they ſhould teach in Hypocritie z 7, e, under a pretence r of Piety, . This every whit as well _ to the Romiſh Synagogue, as the other, whoſe Prohibitions of fleſh are ſutficiently known Mr. Mede is very confident that the Holy Ghoſt doth here deſcribe the Popiſh Monks,and thoſe that gave Ruleeto thoſe Orders.k Which Meats, as well as other, God hath createu'the uſe of Man,giving him a liberty to kill and eat, only we ought to receive them with b thanksgiving, which confirmeth our religious cuſtom both of begging a Blefling upon our Meat before we eat, and returning thanks to God when we have eaten,for which alſo we have our Saviour's Ex- ample, Marth, 14. 19. and 15. 35. I Not that ſuch as believe not, and are ignorant of the truth,may not eat,but they have not ſo good and comfortable a right to the Creatures as Believers, Titus 1. 15, and they know and underftand their Liberty to eat of thoſe things | which others deprive themſelves of, by their ſuperfticious opinions and conſtitutions, 4 For * every creature of God 75 good 71, and no- *Rom,t :; thing to be refuſed », if it be received with thankſ- 14, 20. il giving 0, 1 Cor. 10; m Not only good in it ſelf,as all was which God made, Gey.1, but 25* lawful to be uſed pure, Tit, 1. 15. there is no uncleanneſs in it, x And therefore nothing upon that account is to be refuled, as un- . clean and defiling, s Only it muft be made uſe of in ſuch a manner, as in and by the uſe of it we may glorihie and expreſs our thankfal- neſs to God, _ : 5 For it is ſanQtified p by the word of God q, and prayer #. | p Sanfified 1n this place ſignifies made pure, or lawful to be uſed; l q By the Goſpel which declares it ſo, As 10. 15, or by God's ordi- | 4 nation which hath ſo determined it, r And prayer to God for a ble(- ſing upon it, ay. 6 If thou put the brethren in remembrance of theſe things 5s, thou ſhalt be a good miniſter of Jeſus Chriſt 5, * nouriſhed up in the words of * 2Tin, ; 0 faith, and good doctrine « whereunto thou haſt at- 14, 15. ; tained w, s If by thy preaching publickly, and by thy more private inftru- &ions of Chriftians at Epheſus, thou teacheſt them thele things, : Thou ſhalt faithfully diſcharge the Office of him who is a Servant of Jeſus Chriſt, not of Men meerly. The Miniſters of the Goſpel are in the firſt place Minifters or Servants to Chrift. Secondarily Minifters (that is Servants) of the Church; as a Nobleman's Servant imployed todiftribute Wages or Meat to inferiour Servants,is a Mi- J niſter to thoſe to whom he ſo diftributeth Food, or Wages, but in the firſt place a ſervant to his Lord, # Such a Miniſter of the Goſpel ought to be, one bred upin the true Faith, and perſevering in ir. w Whereto thou art not a ſtranger, only I would have thee go on and perſevere in it, 7 But * refuſe prophane and old wives fables x : * c, 1.4; and exerciſe thy ſelf rather unto godlineſs y. x All impertinent Diſcourſes which tend nothing to promote ei- ther Faith or Holineſs, which he diſdainfully calls 014 wives fables ; Tales of a Tub (as we ſay) Diſcourſes having no bottom in the Word of God, are not fit for Pulpits. y Let thy conftant fiudy be things that may promote Codlinels, impart thoſe things unto People, and live up to them in thy Converſation, | 8 For * bodily exerciſe” profiteth || little z, bur , bs : : : - Col.2.,2F godlineſs is profitable unto all things a, having pro- 1 Or, for miſe of the life that now is b, and of that which is to jirtte rimes COme ec, ; Bodily Diſcipline, lying in abſtaining from certain Meats,keep- ing Set-faſts, Watchings, lying upon the Ground, going Bare-foot, | wearing oackcloth,or Haircloth,abſtaining from Wine,or Marriage, 4} is of little advantage, the Mind and Soul of Man is not bettered by = I chem. The Apoſtle doth not altogether deſpiſe cheſe things, ſome of i
z/
which may be uſeful (moderately uſea) ro make us more fic for T4 |. THhS Prayer, :
wherein Relicion is to be put, andalone they are of no avail, 2 But
univerfal advantage; 6 not from any meritoriouſne!s in it, but from
we live here upon the earth, c But alſo the Promiſes of Salvation
the ſame words are applied to the great Propoſition of the Goſpel,
into the World to ſave ſinners, and that ſuch ſinners as from un- godly will become godly, and perſevere in the praQtiſe of Godlineſs, ſhall be happy in this Life, and ſaved in the Life to come, are two faithful and remarkable ſayings, worthy the acceptation of all rea- ſonable Creatures,
10 For therefore we both labour, and ſuffer re-
*PGa1.36.6 proach, becauſe we trult in the living Gode, * who is & 107. 2, the Saviour of all men f, ſpecially of thoſe that be- 10, SC. lieve g.
e If we did not believe this as a faithful ſaying, That Godtineſs s
reproach as we do; labouring in the work of God, ſuffering re- proach in the cauſe of God, and for living godly lives, worſhipping
faQions, and ſenſible Enjoyments, that we might fulfil the Law of