The Apostle takes it here for granted; supposeth it as a received truth, that Christs way, and sufferings, are always together: As the Sun and shadow; as the Rose and pricks. So that what was said of Christ, is true also of every Member; It behoved him to suffer, and so enter into glory. Christianus is Crucianus, said Luther of old. I only add in the Doctrine, A true and unfeigned receiving of Christ: For, if so be we take only some truths, and some parts of Christs way, and leave those which most enrage and trouble the world; if we take his Doctrine, and not his Discipline, his truth, and not his godly order, the world is less moved. So if of his truths, we take some that are more speculative, and leave the rest which are more practical and searching; if we go no further, we may have some good entertainment in the world. Si di•idio Christoessemus contenti facilè transigeremus omnia, said Calvin on a particular occasion. Or, again, If men take up the whole profession of Christ, but upon politic and carnal ends, to hold Christ and his advantages, to be not [Greek or Hebrew], but [Greek or Hebrew], as Nazia•zen said, such will not be put to suffering. As the great heathenish Pleader Sy• for Romans Idolatry, to ⟨p. 198⟩the Emperors, when pressed to be a Christian, said, Fac me Episcopum Romanum & ero Christianus; Make me Bishop of Rome, and I will be a Christian. Thus when men think to serve Christ and Mammon, all this while they will not suffer: Yea, therefore they take up the profession of Christ (it may be) that they may not suffer. As in Mordecai's time, when the Jews had power given to slay their enemies, many became Jews for fear; so they may Christians also. And lastly, If they have not gross carnal ends, and so be dissembling hypocrites, as Simon Magus was, and Julian for a while, as some think of him, that he was never conscientiously, but politicly a Christian, to please his Uncle, and so obtain the Empire at last; yet if they do own Christ in a formal customary general way only, they may escape sufferings: But to follow Christ exactly, powerfully, precisely and singularly, against the fashion of the world; to get the Kingdom of Heaven by violence; to put out his right eye, and to cut off his right hand: he that will be thus a Christian indeed, he shall have sufferings enough;
The Apostle takes it here for granted; supposeth it as a received truth, that Christs way, and sufferings, are alwaies together: As the Sun and shadow; as the Rose and prickes. So that what was said of Christ, is true also of every Member; It behoved him to suffer, and so enter into glory. Christianus is Crucianus, said Luther of old. I only adde in the Doctrine, A true and unfeigned receiving of Christ: For, if so be we take only some truths, and some parts of Christs way, and leave those which most enrage and trouble the world; if we take his Doctrine, and not his Discipline, his truth, and not his godly order, the world is lesse moved. So if of his truths, we take some that are more speculative, and leave the rest which are more practical and searching; if we go no further, we may have some good entertainment in the world. Si di•idio Christoessemus contenti facilè transigeremus omnia, said Calvin on a particular occasion. Or, again, If men take up the whole profession of Christ, but upon politick and carnal ends, to hold Christ and his advantages, to be not 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, but 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, as Nazia•zen said, such will not be put to suffering. As the great heathenish Pleader Sy• for Romans Idolatry, to ⟨p. 198⟩the Emperours, when pressed to be a Christian, said, Fac me Episcopum Romanum & ero Christianus; Make me Bishop of Rome, and I will be a Christian. Thus when men think to serve Christ and Mammon, all this while they will not suffer: Yea, therefore they take up the profession of Christ (it may be) that they may not suffer. As in Mordechai's time, when the Jews had power given to slay their enemies, many became Jews for fear; so they may Christians also. And lastly, If they have not grosse carnal ends, and so be dissembling hypocrites, as Simon Magus was, and Julian for a while, as some think of him, that he was never conscientiously, but politiquely a Christian, to please his Uncle, and so obtain the Empire at last; yet if they do own Christ in a formal customary general way only, they may escape sufferings: But to follow Christ exactly, powerfully, precisely and singularly, against the fashion of the world; to get the Kingdom of Heaven by violence; to put out his right eye, and to cut off his right hand: he that will be thus a Christian indeed, he shall have sufferings enough;
