A commentary or, exposition upon the divine second epistle general, writtenA commentary or, exposition vpon the diuine second epistle generall, written

2 As subjects of a Prince, and thus we partake with the King of heaven in many benefits. We have Defensionem legis, the tuition of his Law; through a blessed Advocate.^m If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. We are fain to sue in forma pauperis, therefore the great Judge of heaven hath appointed us a Counsellor to plead our cause; Jesus Christ, we have Tutelam Imperii, the safe-guard of the Empire; not only the protection of the King, from which the wicked as out-laws are secluded: but also the keeping of Angels, to whomⁿ He hath given a charge over us, to keep us in all his ways. So nearly we participate of his Divine things, that we have his own guard royal to attend us. I know, that Christ is king over all the world. The Lord reigneth, let the people tremble. This kingdom is material and formal. The material are his subjects, and these are both elect and reprobate: for all are under his kingdom, sed diverso affectu, diverso effectu; with a different desire with a different event. The will of the King fit de malis, fit à bonis; is done by the obedient, upon the rebellious. The form of his government is Herile in illos, Paternum in istos; to the wicked, the rule of a Lord over his slaves; to the faithful, the rule of a father over his sons. Accordingly he hath a double Sceptre; there is Virga Consolationis, the Rod of consolation, Psal. 23.4. Thy rod doth comfort me. And Virga confusionis, the rod of confusion, Psal. 2.9. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron. Christs kingdom is eternal;^o he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there shall be no end. And this not only Formaliter, in respect of the king: but also Materialiter, in respect of the subjects: for they^p shall stand continually before him, as the Queen of the South blessed Solomon. In the Persian army were ten thousand soldiers called Athanatoi, immortal: not indeed because they died not, but because that number was supplied, and continually made up. As a Divine handling a point of usury concerning a hundred sheep lent to a neighbour, with a certain rate or rent to be paid yearly for them, and the stock still at the years end to be made good; wittily called these Immortal sheep, for they never died to the owner, though to the borrower they all miscarried. But Christ says not as Laban did to Jacob;