For his sins, how great they were he himself doth aggravate them sufficiently; 1insomuch that he saith, he was the chiefest of all sinners, 1 Tim. 1. 15. In what sense Paul could say this truly is disputed; for it's plain, he was not a greater sinner, than such who sinned the sin against the holy Ghost. Some therefore restrain it to converted sinners, as if Paul meant, he was the greatest sinner that ever 2was converted. Others understand it thus, that he was in the number of the greatest one of the chiefest, and that seemeth most genuine. He was a blasphemer, a persecutor; the blood, sighs and groans of many Christians would witness against him. And although he saith, he did this in ignorance, yet that did not excuse him; for he confesseth himself a blasphemer, and a persecutor for all that: for this ignorance was vincible, it was affected and wilful, he had means to the contrary. Behold then here a worse sinner than Mary Magdalen, out of whom seven Devils were cast, for her sins were carnal and bodily, but Paul's sins were spiritual, and seated principally in his soul, so that as the Devils are spiritual wickednesses, thus was Paul; and because he was thus corrupted in his spirit, his disease was the more incurable. For, If the eye be dark, how great is that darkness? The profane gross sinner, he is easily convinced, he is presently apprehensive of his evil; but where sinfulness hath possessed the vital parts of the soul, the mind and the heart, what hope can remain for such an one? This made our Saviour say, The Publicans and Harlots entered the Kingdom of Heaven above the Pharisees. Now Paul he was a Pharisee, and most zealous above others for the tradition of his fathers, and therefore thought his wild zeal to be true love to God. A man then so great a sinner, and yet so self-confident, that he had all the disadvantages in the world, yet is converted, and that when he had for some while lived in such a way, being habituated and rooted in it. For, as some think, he was converted about the thirtieth year of his age.
For his sins, how great they were he himself doth aggravate them sufficiently; 1insomuch that he saith, he was the chiefest of all sinners, 1 Tim. 1. 15. In what sense Paul could say this truly is disputed; for it's plain, he was not a greater sinner, than such who sinned the sin against the holy Ghost. Some therefore restrain it to converted sinners, as if Paul meant, he was the greatest sinner that ever 2was converted. Others understand it thus, that he was in the number of the greatest one of the chiefest, and that seemeth most genuine. He was a blasphemer, a persecuter; the blood, sighes and groans of many Christians would witness against him. And although he saith, he did this in ignorance, yet that did not excuse him; for he confesseth himself a blasphemer, and a persecuter for all that: for this ignorance was vincible, it was affected and wilfull, he had means to the contrary. Behold then here a worse sinner than Mary Magdalen, out of whom seven Devils were cast, for her sinnes were carnal and bodily, but Paul's sinnes were spiritual, and seated principally in his soul, so that as the Devils are spiritual wickednesses, thus was Paul; and because he was thus corrupted in his spirit, his disease was the more incurable. For, If the eye be dark, how great is that darkness? The prophane gross sinner, he is easily convinced, he is presently apprehensive of his evil; but where sinfullness hath possessed the vital parts of the soul, the mind and the heart, what hope can remain for such an one? This made our Saviour say, The Publicans and Harlots entered the Kingdom of Heaven above the Pharisees. Now Paul he was a Pharisee, and most zealous above others for the tradition of his fathers, and therefore thought his wilde zeal to be true love to God. A man then so great a sinner, and yet so self-confident, that he had all the disadvantages in the world, yet is converted, and that when he had for some while lived in such a way, being habituated and rooted in it. For, as some think, he was converted about the thirtieth year of his age.
- 1Pauls sins great.
- 2How the chiefest of sinners.
