The monster of sinful self-seeking, anatomized together with a description of the heavenly and…The monster of sinful self-seeking, anatomizd together with a description of the heavenly and…

A. The word All is not here to be taken collectively, but distributively; not for every one of all sorts, but for all sorts; not for all men properly, but for many, as it is taken 1 Cor. 10. 23. or for the most of men, as it is 2 Tim. 4. 16. All men forsake me, &c. that is, most men. Thus Calvin, Quod omnes dicit, non urgenda est particula universalis, no nullam exceptionem admittas, erant enim alii quoque qualis Epaphroditus, sed pauci: Verum omnibus tribuit quod passim erat vulgare.

The full meaning then of the text is this, That even in the Apostles days, In aureo illo saeculo, in quo omnes virtutes ⟨p. 5⟩¹effloruerunt, in that golden age, in which all virtues did flourish, there were many, and very many Church members and Church-officers that professed outwardly a great deal of love to Christ & his Church, and yet notwithstanding sought their own ease, quiet, honour, and profit, more than the preservation and propagation of the Kingdom of Christ; their own private gain and interest before, and more than the interest of Jesus Christ.

The full meaning then of the text is this, That even in the Apostles dayes, In aureo illo saeculo, in quo omnes virtutes ⟨p. 5⟩¹effloruerunt, in that golden age, in which all vertues did flourish, there were many, and very many Church members and Church-officers that professed outwardly a great deale of love to Christ & his Church, and yet notwithstanding sought their owne ease, quiet, honour, and profit, more than the preservation and propagation of the Kingdome of Christ; their owne private gaine and interest before, and more than the interest of Jesus Christ.