That according as so glorious a ministerie requireth, he liueth and preacheth sincerely,
7. the which glorie his Aduersaries can not count vaine, considering his persecutions: because
persecution is to God's glorie, and to our humilitie and hope, and meritorious of increase of
grace in this life, and of most glorious bodies and soules afterward.
1. THERFORE hauing this ministration; according as we haue obteined mercie, we faile not,
2. but we renounce the secret things of dishonestie, not walking in craftines, nor
Adulterating.
*Heretikes corrupters of God's word; Catholike Doctours, right handlers therof.
He giueth often warning of false Teachers, whose special and proper studie is to
falsifie and adulterate by deceitful constructions, interpretations, and applications,
the word of God: hauing no other end but to make their aduantage of the Scriptures,
and to againe glorie and estimation among the sinful and simple, by new deuised
expositions. Wherin the Protestants doe excel the ancient Heretikes, none euer more
impurely handling the word of God then they doe. **Origen calleth such
Scripturarum fures & adulteros, theeues and adulterers of the Scriptures. S.
Cyprian (de vnit. Ec. nu. 7.) calleth them, corrupters of the Ghospel, false
interpreters artificers and crafts-masters in corrupting the truth. On the other side,
for special reuerence and sinceritie of dealing it those matters, the Fathers and al
Catholike Preachers or Expositours were of old called according to S. Paules words to
Timothee, ***Recte tractantes verbum Dei, right handlers of the word of God.
*See Ire. li. 1. c. 1.
**in 2. ad Rom.
***2. Tim. 2.
adulterating the word of God, but in manifestation of the truth commending our-selues to euery
conscience of men before God.
3. And if our Ghospel be also hid, in them that perish it is hid,
4. in whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of the infidels, that the
illumination of the Ghospel of the glorie of Christ, who is the image of God, might not shine
to them.
5.
⋮
The Epistle for S. Athanasius. May, 3.
For we preach not our-selues, but Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ Christ our Lord: and vs, your
seruants by Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ:
6. because God that commanded light to shine of darkenes, he hath shined in our harts
to the illumination of the knowledge of the glorie of God, in the face of Christ Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ.
7. But we haue this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellencie may be of the
power of God, and not of vs.
8. In al things we suffer tribulation, but are not in distresse:
✟
aporiamur.
See S. Ambr. Theoph.
we want, but are not
destitute:
9. we suffer persecution, but are not forsaken: we are cast downe, but we perish not:
10. alwaies bearing about in our body the mortification of Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ, that the life
also of Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ may be manifested in our bodies.
11. For we that liue are alwaies deliuered vnto death for Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ: that the life
also of Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ may be manifested in our mortal flesh.
12. Death then worketh in vs, but life in you.
13. And hauing the same spirit of faith, as it is written:
*
Psa. 115,10.
I beleeued, for the which
cause I haue spoken, we also beleeue, for the which cause we speake also:
14. knowing that he which raised vp Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ, wil raise vp vs also with Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ
and set vs with you.
15. For al things are for you: that the grace abounding by many in giuing of thanks,
may abound vnto the glorie of God.
16. For which cause we faile not: but although that our man which is without,
✟
corrumpitur.
corrupt:
yet that which is within, is renewed from day to day.
17. For that our tribulation which presently is momentanie & light,
✟
κατεργάζεται.
The English Bible 1577, doth falsely translate, prepareth.
worketh
Worketh.
Tribulations meritorious of glorie.
The temporal and short tribulations which we patiently and willingly suffer for
Christ, doe winne vs euerlasting ioy and glorie. And it is here to be noted against
the Heretikes, that tribulations doe worke or cause the said saluation, which they
deny to be giuen for such things, but for or by faith only. *S. Augustin maketh such
tribulations for Christ so much the meritorious cause of euerlasting life and rest,
that he saith it is salable and bought thereby. And it is written Sap. 10, God
rendreth or repaieth to iust men the hire of their labours.
*Aug. in Ps. 93. prope finem.
aboue
measure exceedingly an eternal weight of glorie in vs,
18. we not considering the things that are seen, but that are not seen. For the things
that be seen, are temporal: but those that be not seen, are eternal.