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do or work profitable to others: will they, nill they, they promote God's glory. So, God orders the matter of wicked men.

So, here we may learn, that Christ may be shewed of evil men, which profit not themselves, so doing, but others. So, evil men sometimes do works profitable to others, but not to themselves. If it had not been a good work and pleasant to God, that Christ should be openly preached of evil men, Paul would not have rejoiced in it.

Wherefore, we may see, that it is better that an evil man should give a penny to a poor man, and speak well of God, than to give nothing at all, or to speak nothing of God that is good. This work, done of an evil man, is not meritorious, as they call it, for it is not done in faith: but it is called, bonum opus in genere (a good work in itself). If it were done of a good faithful man, and of a good intent, it should have its reward. But because it cometh from an evil man, and of no good purpose, it lacketh its reward before God, for God doth not esteem works, done out of faith, and of an evil man. Such works are not acceptable before him, nor doth he promise life everlasting to such, as labour without faith, and lack charity. Such works do not profit, to obtain eternal felicity and endless joy with Christ (1 Cor. xiii.).

Ver. 19-21. For I know, the same shall chance to my salvation, and through your prayer and ministering of the spirit of Jesus Christ, as I look for and hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, bus that with all confidence (as always in times past, even so now), Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be through life or through death. For Christ is my life, and death is to me advantage.

Before, he hath shewed the evil purposes of them, that preached Christ of contention, and of a pre

tended holiness, and not of a good mind or will, but to hinder the Gospel (which they promoted, so doing), although they intended to do the contrary, and also to have added to Paul more grievous pains and afflictions.

Now, he declareth, that his adversaries could not hurt him, nor bring him to death. But rather, on the contrary, he trusted to their humble prayer and to the administration of the Spirit of God, given to him, which can and will make all the labours of the adversaries vain, and make them to serve God's truth, and to be profitable to God's ministers, rather than hurt to them. Now, Paul surely trusted that the evil purposes of his adversaries would be profitable to him, and to the Gospel of God, by two things. The one is, by their prayer: for he knew the prayer of a just man to be much worth before God (Jam.v.). And therefore he used much prayer, and desired ofttimes the prayers of others, to teach us to do such like.

Secondly, he hoped the evil doings of his adversaries would not hurt, but rather further, the Gospel, by the administration of the Holy Ghost, to whom nothing is impossible or difficult; but he will do what thing shall be most to God's glory, to the furtherance of his word, and the health of the people.

As I look for and hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed. The Apostle sheweth, that his hope should never deceive him, for he was sure that those that put their full trust and hope in God, should not be confounded, should never have cause to mistrust God, should at the length obtain that thing they hope for of God. As it is written ofttimes in David's Psalter, "our fathers have hoped in the good Lord, and they were not confounded;" they have obtained the thing they hoped. Yea, also, he surely trusteth,

that as God hath been present with him in other. times, and places, in his afflictions, so, he trusted, that God would not leave him now destitute of his aid and help, but would be with him, and help him, and deliver him, to the preferment of the Gospel.

Here, we may learn of Paul to desire others to pray for us, and know the prayers of others to be profitable, and to have a sure trust in God, and hope, that God will not leave his servants without help and comfort, although for a time he suffer them to be in afflictions.

As Christ always in times past, even so now, shall be magnified in my body, whether it be through life, or through death. Here, the Apostle sheweth, what thing he hoped of God, that Christ should be always magnified by him, both in life and in death. That, if so be it, he should live, he would preach and teach all-where Christ's glory, and make it famous to all the world, that all men above all worldly things should desire and study to set forth honour and glory to God and to our Saviour Jesus Christ, and to think them born for this end and purpose.

And most specially, bishops, prelates, pastors, and curates, should have their whole study to promote God's word by pure and sincere preaching of it. And so, by it purely preached, Christ should be magnified in their bodies: that is, by their living in this life in their bodies, saith he.

And if it should chance me to die; as to suffer death for the Gospel's sake, I do nothing doubt, but that by my death Christ Jesus should be magnified, and that he is the only Saviour, and that there is no salvation without him, that there is none other in whom we shall be saved, but only in Jesus Christ. And if I shall suffer death for the Gospel's sake, I should have no hurt by that, but much profit.

Which thing I desire, that I might be delivered from much sorry pain and many evils in this world, and to come to the heavenly joys that last always; unto the which I cannot come, without I be first delivered from this mortal body by bodily death, after the example of Christ, which first did suffer death, and so entered into his glory. So, must they do, that shall be partakers of his glory. Here, we learn of Paul, that death is more profitable to good men than life.

Ver. 22-26. But inasmuch, as to live in the flesh, is fruitful to me for the work; I wot not, what I shall choose. For both these things lie hard unto me. I desire to be loosed and to be with Christ, which thing were much better for me; but to abide in the flesh is more needful for you. And this am I sure of, that I shall abide and continue with you all, for the furtherance and joy of your faith, that ye may abundantly rejoice in Christ Jesu through me, by my coming to you again.

The Apostle openeth now more plainly, why he said his death should be to him advantage, for by it he should be delivered from the miseries, wretchedness, pains, torments, and afflictions of this world, and that he should be with Christ in heaven, in glory, and joy; and to live in this life, he knew. it was but pain and labour for him.

What I shall choose, I wot not. Two things came to the Apostle's mind; the one, what was good for himself only: the other, what was more profit to the people of Christ Jesu. As for himself, he knew it was much better for him to die, than live; for by that means he should be delivered from the troubles of the world, from imprisonments and chains, from rebukes and taunts of the world." But for the people, he knew his life should be much more profit than his death. For he knew he should much more profit the people, and bring them to salvation, by faith

ful preaching of God's holy word. And for the people's sake, looking to their profit, he did not desire death, but rather to live in his flesh, that he might bring them to Christ, and so to eternal salvation with Christ. But of these two, considering all things, he chose rather to die, than to live. Not that he refused labours, or to suffer pains of imprisonment, or of fetters, or of death; for these things he was contented to suffer: but that he might be delivered out of the miseries and wretchedness of this life; and that he might come to the eternal felicity and joy with Christ Jesu in heaven, always to be in bliss.

Here, we learn of Paul, death rather to be desired than life, and death to good men to be much better to them than this present life; that they should be no longer pilgrims, or far from God, but always to be present with him in glory and felicity. And therefore, holy men desired of God to be dissolved from this body and this naughty world, full of naughtiness and unhappiness; that they should displease God no more, that they should be wrapped no longer in the evils and miseries of this world, full of all evilness, that they might be with God in joy and in heavenly glory. So, after the example of good men, should we all desire rather death, than life, as they did.

The Apostle here reproveth them, that fear death, and shrink in their bodies, when they hear of death, as do carnal and worldly men, whose heart and mind is all upon carnal pleasures and worldly desires, honours, and dignities. For the flesh feareth death, and shrinketh at the voice of death, as Christ did, after his human nature. But he overcame death, that we should nothing fear the death of the body, which we know shall arise again, an immortal body (1 Cor. xv.). But if we will consider the matter well. as we should do, there is no cause why we should fear death. Because death is the debt of nature, which debt we must needs pay, nill we, will we. For the

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