And then in the Fourth place, which I take to be the chief meaning of what the Apostle intends; To me to ⟨p. 107⟩live is Christ, that is, the great comfort of my Life, that's Christ. A man doth not live except he hath Comfort in his Life: For so the Scripture calls Life, when a man hath Comfort, Joy, and Contentment in his Life, Psal. 38. 19. But mine Enemies are lively; so you have it in your Books: Mine Enemies are living, so you may Translate it; the meaning is this, Mine Enemies are Jolly, and Jocund in their ways: And so it follows, And they are strong: They are Jolly and Jocund in their ways; and they that hate me wrongfully, are multiplied. There's a like phrase in Eccles. 6. 8. For what hath the Wise more than the Fool, what hath the Poor that knoweth to walk before the Living: That is, before the Rich men that have all Comforts in their Lives, to Live bravely, according to their hearts desire. What's the Wise more than the Fool? All things comes alike to them, and there's no great difference in their Lives. And what hath, (the word hath is not in the Original) but what a Poor that knoweth to walk before the Living. If a Poor man hath but Health of Body, and hath but Ability to work, and Wisdom to carry himself, and order his Affairs; why he can walk before Rich men, and can live a Comfortable life before them. Before the Living, that is, before the Rich that have all things to Live bravely in the World. So that's the meaning of Life in Scripture, not only in opposition to Death, but to Sorrow and Trouble. Now saith the Apostle, To me to live is Christ: Will you take Life in this sense, that is, for a Comfortable, a Contented, a Joyful life? Why I have it saith Paul: Where had Paul such a Joyful and Contented life? For alas, look upon him in the Course of his Life, and he suffered almost as much as ever man did; sometimes he wanted Bread, and he wanted Clothes to ⟨p. 108⟩cover the Nakedness of his Body, and whipped like a Rogue, and yet he accounted himself to live a brave life notwithstanding all this: But where lay all this? In Christ. I find it all made up in Christ, whatsoever I want in the Creature, whatever is cast upon me, whatever Scorn and Imprisonment; whatever it be that here I suffer, yet I find it all made up in Christ, and in Him I have as comfortable a life, as a mans Heart can desire.
And then in the Fourth place, which I take to be the chiefe meaning of what the Apostle intends; To me to ⟨p. 107⟩live is Christ, that is, the great comfort of my Life, that's Christ. A man doth not live except he hath Comfort in his Life: For so the Scripture calls Life, when a man hath Comfort, Joy, and Contentment in his Life, Psal. 38. 19. But mine Enemies are lively; so you have it in your Books: Mine Enemies are living, so you may Translate it; the meaning is this, Mine Enemies are Jolly, and Jocond in their wayes: And so it follows, And they are strong: They are Jolly and Jocond in their wayes; and they that hate me wrongfully, are multiplied. There's a like phrase in Eccles. 6. 8. For what hath the Wise more than the Fool, what hath the Poor that knoweth to walk before the Living: That is, before the Rich men that have all Comforts in their Lives, to Live bravely, according to their hearts desire. What's the Wise more than the Fool? All things comes alike to them, and there's no great difference in their Lives. And what hath, (the word hath is not in the Original) but what a Poor that knoweth to walk before the Living. If a Poor man hath but Health of Body, and hath but Ability to work, and Wisdom to carry himself, and order his Affairs; why he can walk before Rich men, and can live a Comfortable life before them. Before the Living, that is, before the Rich that have all things to Live bravely in the World. So that's the meaning of Life in Scripture, not only in opposition to Death, but to Sorrow and Trouble. Now saith the Apostle, To me to live is Christ: Will you take Life in this sense, that is, for a Comfortable, a Contented, a Joyful life? Why I have it saith Paul: Where had Paul such a Joyful and Contented life? For alas, look upon him in the Course of his Life, and he suffered almost as much as ever man did; sometimes he wanted Bread, and he wanted Clothes to ⟨p. 108⟩cover the Nakedness of his Body, and whipt like a Rogue, and yet he accounted himself to live a brave life notwithstanding all this: But where lay all this? In Christ. I find it all made up in Christ, whatsoever I want in the Creature, whatever is cast upon me, whatever Scorn and Imprisonment; whatever it be that here I suffer, yet I find it all made up in Christ, and in Him I have as comfortable a life, as a mans Heart can desire.
