Answ. it is a weak cause, that hangeth upon the untwisted thread of a misapplied metaphor. For 1. espousing into Christ in the Text is opposed to being deceived and corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ, as Eve was deceived by the serpent, and opposed to the receiving of another spirit, and another Gospel; so then to be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ, and to receive another Gospel, must have this meaning; as Eve was deceived by the Serpent, so I fear that your simple minds be un-Churched and loosed from the visible Church of Corinth, and that you forget your covenant, wherein ye swear to take Christ for your husband, and me for the friend of the Bridegroom, and that you be remiss in the duties of external discipline; and Church-fellowship, and in excommunicating scandalous persons, &c. A• brethren, let not our Lords word be thus tortured and wrested. 2. He expoundeth this espousing, the presenting of them to Christ in the day of God, as a washed, redeemed, and saved wife of Christ, and not of their Church continuing in visible society. Yea, all interpreters, ancient and modern, as Augustine, Theophylact, Chrysostom, Oecumenius, Cyrillus, Ambrose, Our latter, Calvin, Bullinger, Beza, Pom•ran, Pellicanus, Sarcerius, Marlorat, Paraphrastes, Erasmus; and Papists, Aquinas, Haymo: give this sense. Paul as the friend to the Bridegroom ⟨p. 119⟩finding the Corinthians despising him, and in love with false teachers, grew jealous of them for his Lords cause, that though he had betrothed them to Christ, as a virgin hand fastened by promise to a husband, left they should be drawn away to other lovers, by the cunning of false teachers as Eve was led from her Lord, by subtle Satan. 3. Though he speak of them, as of one body, spouse, virgin, how doth it follow that he speaketh of them, as of a ministerial and a parochial body? for the marriage, the betrothing to Christ, and the acts contrary, the receiving of another spirit, the corrupting of their simple minds, are acts altogether spiritual, internal, invisible, and acts of a Church, as a true Church, & the contrary are acts of a false Church, as false, and not acts of a Church as visible, in a visible meeting, in a visible external act of marrying, nor is their any insinuation, that Paul feared the dissolving of the Church oath and visible order of government. 4.
Answ. it is a weake cause, that hangeth upon the untwisted thred of a misapplied metaphor. For 1. espoufing into Christ in the Text is opposed to being deceived and corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ, as Evah was deceived by the serpent, and opposed to the receiving of another spirit, and another Gospell; so then to be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ, and to receive another Gospell, must have this meaning; as Evah was deceived by the Serpent, so I feare that your simple minds be un-Churched and loosed from the visible Church of Corinth, and that you forget your covenant, wherein ye sweare to take Christ for your husband, and me for the friend of the Bridegroome, and that you be remisse in the duties of externall discipline; and Church-fellowship, and in excommunicating scandalous persons, &c. A• brethren, let not our Lords word be thus tortured and wrested. 2. He expoundeth this espoufing, the presenting of them to Christ in the day of God, as a washed, redeemed, and saved wife of Christ, and not of their Church continuing in visible society. Yea, all interpreters, ancient and moderne, as Augustine, Theophylact, Chrysostome, Oecumenius, Cyrillus, Ambrose, Our latter, Calvin, Bullinger, Beza, Pom•ran, Pellicanus, Sarcerius, Marlorat, Paraphrastes, Erasmus; and Papists, Aquinas, Haymo: give this sense. Paul as the friend to the Bridegroome ⟨p. 119⟩finding the Corinthians despising him, and in love with false teachers, grew jealous of them for his Lords cause, that though he had betrothed them to Christ, as a virgin hand fastned by promise to a husband, left they should be drawne away to other lovers, by the cunning of false teachers as Evah was led from her Lord, by subtill Satan. 3. Though he speake of them, as of one body, spouse, virgin, how doth it follow that he speaketh of them, as of a ministeriall and a parochiall body? for the marriage, the betrothing to Christ, and the acts contrary, the receiving of another spirit, the corrupting of their simple minds, are acts altogether spirituall, internall, invisible, and acts of a Church, as a true Church, & the contrary are acts of a false Church, as false, and not acts of a Church as visible, in a visible meeting, in a visible external act of marrying, nor is their any insinuation, that Paul feared the dissolving of the Church oath and visible order of government. 4.
