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

The world is none of the least; and in this there is a double opposition: on the left-hand Indigency, on the right-hand opulency.¹ They are both removed by Christ; Qui omnia bona terrena contempsit, quae contemnenda docuit: & omnia mala sustinuit, quae sustinenda pracepit; The good things of this world he despised, that he might teach us to despise them: the evil things he bore, that he might teach us to suffer them. 1 John 5.4. Whosoever is borne of God, overcometh the world: We so cast away this hinderance, whether of prosperous or adverse things; Ut nec in illis quaeritur foelicitas, nec in istis timetur infoelicitas; That we neither seek to be blessed in the one, nor fear to be cursed in the other, August. Faith is the principal in this victory: good works are underling soldiers, but Faith is the Captain,² which commands all under the great General, JESUS CHRIST. Opera bona vincunt executivè, sola fides imperativè; Is want an hinderance? No, Matth. 6.20. There is Treasure enough to be had in heaven. Is dearth? No, Prov. 15.15. For a good conscience is a continual feast. Is exile? No; for the home we seek, is a City to come, Hebr. 13.14. Doth prosperity assault us? Indeed this is a sore bar to our entrance; for one man could foil the Devil in his misery,³ whereas many have been foiled by the Devil in their felicity. Isaiah 38.17. In my peace I had great bitterness. The Churches estate, saith Bernard, was Amara in niece martyrum, amarior in conflictu haereticorum, amarissima in moribus domesticorum; bitter in the loss of her children's blood, more bitter in the oppugnations of her doctrine, most bitter in the vices of her professed friends. Thus the world hinders our entrance, worse by his courtesies, than he can by his crosses. Yet let him do his worst, faith follows Christ, and he is that great Martial that makes way for us through the world,