he read ouer his owne Title and cast backe his eyes to consider what he began to write who if hee dwell vpon the matter is not to be accounted long but if he wander and straggle from it euery sentence is too too long and tedious The Epistle with which I deale I confesse is short the Commentary which I haue written vpon it long howbeit I haue bin carefull to remember the former rule and to keep me close to the present subiect and therefore hope to obtain pardon with patience One of the Ancients said of Carthage that contended so much and so long with Rome in emulation for greatnesse and Empire It is better to say nothing then to speake a little Much more may this be said of this Noble and Diuine Epistle wherein the Apostle doth so discouer his affections and stirre vp the affections of others that too much cannot be spoken of it Touching the Epistles of Paule some were written vnto whole Churches as that to the Romanes Corinthians Galathians c. Other were written to particular persons as two vnto Timothy one to Titus and this to Philemon Notwithstanding we must vnderstand that howsoeuer they were priuately directed to certaine men yet they were inspired of God and penned by the Apostle for the benefit of the whole Church For if respect had onely beene had to those vnto whom they were purposely and principally intended many thinges b Caluin comment in 1. Timoth might haue bin spared which are euery where dispersed and handled in them This appeareth expresly in the Epistle to Titus the which albeit it carry his Name alone whom Paule left in Candy c Titus 1 5. To redresse the thinges that remaine yet the scope of Paul was to profit the whole Church as we see in the finishing of the matter when he shutteth vp the whole in this manner d Titus 3 15. Grace be with you all The Inscription is to one but the conclusion is made to many euen all the elect So ought wee to apply vnto our selues such heauenly instructions as are handled in this Epistle no lesse then if it were particularly sent vnto euery one of vs from God The Bookes of the New-Testament may be ranged and ordered into three sorts whereof part are Historicall part Doctrinall and part Propheticall to omit the e Athanas in Synopsi distributions of others The Hystoricall are so called because they describe the History of Christ our Sauiour as the foure Euangelists or of the Apostles and the Church gathered by them as the Actes of the Apostles The Dogmaticall are such as are called the Epistles of the Apostles not that such f Paraeus comment vpon the Epistle to the Rom. as comprehend the History of Christ doe not also containe the Doctrine of Christ and of saluation by Christ but because these doe most especially handle the same True it is the Apostles laboured in preaching the Gospell and publishing it by liuely voyce in what places and to what persons and at what times soeuer they could but because they could not alwaies dwell among the Churches and guide them with their presence which once they had planted neither yet were able to see them all in the face and to speake vnto them mouth to mouth it pleased God to moue them and direct them to set downe in writing compiled in forme of Epistles the sum of Christian Doctrine touching piety toward God Faith in Christ and loue toward men but most especially concerning the miserable estate of man through his fall and of the remedies of this misery concerning the Person and Offices of Christ the mediator concerning the benefit of free Iustification by Christ and of the liuely fruits thereof which ought to shine forth in all them that are Iustified The Propheticall Booke is onely the Reuelation of Iohn which vnder certaine Types foretelleth the state of the Church to come both the combats which it shall endure and the victory which it shall receiue The Heretickes that liued in former times raised vp from the pit of hell by Satan himselfe to disturbe and destroy the faith of many haue called sundry of these Cannonicall Bookes of Holy Scripture into Question and reiected them altogether as Bastards or counterfeits Faustus the Maniche as S. Augustine witnesseth was not ashamed to open his blasphemous g Aug. cont Faust lib. 33. cap. 3. mouth and affirme that many things in the New Testament were false The Ebionites would receiue onely the Gospell according to Mathew the other three h Iren. lib. 1. ca. 26. they despised and refused The Marcionites another detestable and damned sect vsed onely Lukes Gospell and that also they miserably i Epiph. haeres 42. mangled according to their owne diuellish fancie The Acts of the Apostles and Paules Epistles were set at naught and flatly refused by the k Euseb hyst lib. 4. cap. 29. Tatians and other Heretickes called Seueriani as Eusebius maketh mention in his History Both the Epistles written vnto Timothy that to Titus l Hierom. praef in Tit. and the Hebrewes were cast away by Marcian and Basilides for whatsoeuer they saw to crosse m Tertul. lib. 5. aduersus Marcian and contradict their Heresies they rased out of the Canon and would not receiue it as authenticall Among all which this is to be obserued that such as did admit as Diuine any of the Epistles did neuer deny the authoritie of this Epistle to Philemon Some indeed haue renounced the Epistle to the Hebrues some the latter Epistle of Peter some the Epistle of Iames some the Epistles to Timothy and Titus and other the two latter familiar Epistles of Iohn but no Hereticke was so forsaken of God or euer grew to be so desperate to contemne and set light by this Epistle if euer he admitted and accepted the credit of any Which plainly declareth the Maiesty that shineth in this little and short Letter wherein Paule by his Diuine eloquence and pithinesse of argument doeth euen rauish and astonish all the Readers thereof To the end this may the better appeare let vs as in a Table set before our eyes n The contents and cheefe heads of this Epistle the chiefe heads and contents of this Epistle and view with how cunning a penne or Pensill the principall parts thereof are drawne together with the profite arising from thence following the example of them which when they bidde any guesse to Dinner or Supper are wont first to declare what shall be their cheare how many Dishes they shall haue praying them to take it in good worth and to looke for neither better nor worse then hath beene mentioned In like manner beeing determined to make a feast and hauing prouided a Banquet which I haue set forth and inuited the courteous Christian Reader that will come and tast of it I dare be bold to promise that the Meate is good and wholesome What foode soeuer is found that cannot
of prayer both publicke and priuate for our selues and others is most necessary It is a speciall gift of the spirit which is common to all for all haue not the grace of Prayer The Apostle saith i 1 Tim 2 1. I exhort that first of all supplications prayers intercessions and giuing of thankes be made for all men The neglect of this is a note of a ranke Atheist k Psalme 53 4. who is described not to call vpon God Christ Iesus did oftentimes pray he was feruent and continuall in it hee spent whole nights in Prayer When he was in his Agony he prayed once and againe and the third time This condemneth those that are carelesse and negligent in the practise of this dutie that are so couetous for themselues that they can craue nothing for their Brethren If one member of the body should scrape all to it selfe what would become of the rest Such are vnnaturall members as take care onely for themselues These can say the Lords Prayer and rehearse the wordes but their hearts are farre from the meaning and right vnderstanding They say Lord giue vs our daily Bread that is to me and to my brethren not to me alone nor to them alone but to me and to them to these my Brethren as well as to my selfe These men are liberall in words bur couetous in mind their mouths are opened and enlarged but their harts are restrained and instraightned they thinke they neuer haue enough and that their Brethren haue too much They are farre from giuing thankes vnto God for them who repine at euerie morsell that they eate and at euery blessing that they enioy Vse 2. Secondly we learne that the weakest and meanest in the Church are not to be despised and contemned inasmuch as they may by their prayers and other meanes helpe the strongest and the greatest The Apostle teacheth that God hath so framed the members of the body l 1 Cor. 12 21 22. That the eye cannot say vnto the hand I haue no need of thee nor the head againe to the feete I haue no neede of you yea much rather those members of the body which seeme to be feeble are necessarie The strongest stand in need of the helpe of the weakest the greatest of the meanest the highest of the lowest the richest of the poorest the Prince of the people All mankind are so created as that they are not perfect of themselues but euery one wanteth the ayde of another One Nation standeth in need of another no Countrey yeeldeth all commodities No man hath all the gifts of Nature but some one some haue others We see it euen among the brute beasts such as are excellent in craft and mighty in strength yet haue their wants together with their wiles and their maimes ioyned with their great might The Fox is subtle to keepe himselfe from snares yet hee is weake to guard himselfe from Wolues on the other side the Lion is strong enough to guard himselfe from Wolues but he is not subtle enough to keepe himselfe from nets We haue not all thinges requisite and necessary for vs we haue not all properties to be commended wee runne into many dangers from whence the meanest may helpe to deliuer the mightiest So then seeing we are enioyned to pray one for another and thereby may helpe one another let vs know that we must despise no man reproch no man hate no man but consider that at one time or other we may want the help hand of him This doth the Wise-man point vnto m Eccl. 9 14 15. when he mentioneth a little City and few men in it and a great King came against it compassed it about and builded forts against it and there was found therein a poore and Wise-man and he deliuered the Citty by his wisedome And wee haue a notable example heereof in the siedge of Abell by Ioab a wise woman cried out of the Cittie and mooued him to returne from the assault We see how forcible the praiers of Abraham were to mooue the Lord to spare the n Gen. 18. Sodomites if tenne righteous persons had beene found in the Citty Thus God testifyeth that he was restrained by the Prayers of Moses and as it were o Exod. 32 10 tied with bands that hee was not able to destroy the people Let vs therefore make much one of another and let no man hate his Brother in his heart but know that his prayers auaile with God for him Wee see the Prayers of the Church profited Peter much though he were an Apostle p Acts 12. for thereby he was deliuered out of prison and from the daunger of death by the Ministry of an Angel So they profit vs if they be faithfull and seruent Vse 3. Lastly it is our duty to entreat the mutuall Prayers one of another We heard before how all the people prayed Samuell to pray for them So did the people come to Moses and entreat this duty of him q Num. 21 7. that they might be deliuered from the fiery Serpents The Apostle is oftentimes earnest in requiring this at the Churches handes r Rom. 15 30 Brethren I beseech you for our Lorde Iesus Christs sake and for the loue of the spirit that ye would striue with me by prayers to God for me When we are poore and can doe our Brethren no other good yet may we benefit them by our Prayers When we see our Brethren in necessity in danger in affliction in persecution in sicknesse and in great misery when we haue no hand to help them no power to deliuer them no means to succour them no fauour to speake for them yet wee haue hearts to lifte vp for them to God the Father of all mercies and the God of all consolation and by praying vnto him for them we shall do them much good giue them much comfort minister vnto them much helpe and procure vnto them speedy deliuerance This shall bee more auaileable and profitable vnto them then all other meanes of helpe and succour vsed for their safety without this Let such as are of the greatest giftes earnestly craue and call for the prayers of those that haue lesser and smaller gifts This reproueth such as neuer regard them nor require them that thinke they haue no neede of them nor know the necessity of them It is all one to these men whether they bee prayed for or not whom God no doubt doth oftentimes crosse in the works of their hands that they do not prosper because they make no account of the Churches Prayers It reprooueth such also as regard not the publick assemblies of the faithfull and the meeting of the Congregation of Christ in one place where Prayers are made for the Church where praises are sung and thankes are rendred for the blessings of God yea heauen and earth are made to ring and rebound with sounding out his glorie as it were with the voice of one man All our
Doctrine 4. True religion must be openly confessed professed Heereby wee learne that faith and the fruits thereof must be openly professed True Religion must not onely bee inwardly beleeued and in the heart acknowledged but must outwardly be confessed and professed in the world before men We see this in Daniell and the three Children hee was cast into the Lyons den they into the hot fiery furnace because they thought it not sufficient to worship God closely and secretly in their hearts but publickly declared what God they serued and what religion they embraced The Apostle writing to the Hebrewes calleth Christ Iesus a Heb. 3 1. 10 23. 13 15. the High-Priest of our profession that is of the trueth which we professe and beleeue And afterward he saith Let vs keep the profession of our faith without wuuering And againe Let vs by him offer the sacrifice of praise alwaies to God that is the fruite of the lippes which confesse his name This duty of acknowledging and confessing the truth haue all the seruants of God practised made conscience of from the beginning giuing witnesse to God his truth When the Apostles were conuented before the counsel they did not hide their faith but said b Acts 4 8. 19 20. 5 30. Ye Rulers of the people and elders of Israell forasmuch as we this day are examined of the good deede done to the impotent man to wit by what meanes he is made whole be it known vnto you all and to al the people of Israell that by the Name of Iesus Christ of Nazareth whome yee haue crucified whom God raysed againe from the dead euen by him dooth this man stand heere before you whole And when they were charged to ho de their peace and to speake or teach no more in the Name of Iesus they aunsweared Whether it bee right in the sight of GOD to obey you rather then GOD iudge ye for wee cannot but speake the thinges which wee haue seene and heard The Apostle Paule vseth this boldnesse of speech before Felix c Acts 24 14 15. I confesse vnto thee that after the way which they call Heresie so worship I the God of my Fathers beleeuing all thinges which are written in the Law and in the Prophets c. And as the Apostle himselfe practised this dutie so Timothy is commended and praised by him for the same d 1 Tim. 6 12 13. Fight the good fight of Faith lay holde of eternall life whereunto thou art also called and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses wherein also hee followed the steppes and example of Iesus Christ which vnder Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession All these as a clowd of witnesses serue to confirme vs in the assured truth of this doctrine that God requireth this duty of vs to confesse his word boldly to manifest our faith openly to shew our Religion publickely that so wee may confesse before the Lord his louing kindnesse and his wonderfull works before the sons of men Reason 1. And howsoeuer these Testimonies may serue and suffice for the strengthning thereof yet it shall appeare more plain and euident vnto vs if we waigh the Reasons First the profession of our faith hath a great promise of a rich reward ioyned with it and added vnto it and the starting backe from it as a deceitful bow hath a sore threatning of a grieuous curse following after it It is that which our Sauiour teacheth his Disciples whom he sent out as Sheepe among Wolues and foretelleth them of afflictions and persecutions that should be raised against them e Math. 10 32 23. Marke 8 38. Luke 9 26. 12 8. Whosoeuer shall confesse me before men him will I confesse also before my Father which is in Heauen and whosoeuer shall denie me before men him will I also denie before my Father which is in Heauen It is an hard matter to stand when the storme falleth and to confesse Christ in time of daunger when persecuters arise and enemies shewe themselues but the earnest consideration of this that Christ will confesse vs in the glorie of his Father and before the Angels of God will be a forcible meanes and motiue to put life and courage into vs to enable vs and perswade vs to this practise For what can be more right and reasonable and stand better with the Lawe of equity then that the seruant should not feare to professe what Maister hee serueth who will know him and confesse him when he is entred into his glory If a Prince should come to a man among a great company and single him out by name if he should acknowledge him among a thousand others and speake kindly vnto him it woulde encourage him to liue and die in his quarrell euen so seeing Christ Iesus the sonne of God and the heire of alâ— things will at the last day do vs this honour to confesse vs to be his owne children and giue vnto vs the Crowne of glory how should we bee stirred vp in loue to him againe and strengthned in the inward man to waxe bold in the faith and feruent in spirite to giue out a cleare Testimonie before all the worlde whose Seruants wee are and in all troubles to cleaue vnto him with full purpose of heart On the other side wee must bee terrifyed from denying him least hee bee ashamed of vs and denie vs before his Father which is in Heauen Reason 2. Secondly confession is a necessary fruit and consequent of faith where true Faith is in the hart there wil follow confession with the mouth This is it which the Prophet speaketh in his owne experience f Psal 116 10. I beleeued therefore did I speake for I was sore troubled This is made a note of Faith what it beleeueth it speaketh albeit the confession of the truth be accompanied with daunger And least any should imagine this to be peculiar to the Prophet not common to others the Apostle draweth it likewise vnto himselfe g 2 Cor. 4 13. Because wee haue the same spirit of faith according as it is written I beleeued and therefore haue I spoken We also beleeue and therefore speake He that is afraid to confesse Christ hath no true faith but he that beleeueth in him will not be ashamed of him and his Gospell Reason 3. Thirdly the Faith of Christes true Religion is a most glorious thing containing in it the great praise and glory of Gods wisedome power mercie and righteousnesse and it deliuereth the matter of mans saluation and eternall happinesse This was it that mooued the Apostle to preach the Gospell freely and boldly h Rom. 1 16. I am not ashamed of the Gospell of Christ for it is the power of God vnto saluation to euery one that beleeueth to the Iew first and also to the Grecian Seeing therefore Christ hath promised to confesse vs before his Father seeing faith is manifested and shewed by
may appeare by examining the common practise of our common professors by these six notes First true Faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word preached as the Apostle sheweth Rom. 10. How shall they cal vpon him in whom they do not beleeue q Rom. 10 14 How shall they beleeue in him of whom they haue not heard how shall they heare without a Preacher and how shall they preach except they be sent This place is not vnfitly called a Ladder that reacheth to Heauen whereby as by certaine steppes we climbe vp to heauen God sendeth the Minister preacheth the people beleeueth The same Apostle asketh the Galathians r Gal. 3 2. Iohn 17 20. Whether they receiued the spirit by the workes of the Law or by the hearing of Faith But the Faith which many talke and boast of is conceiued and conceited without the preaching of the worde for they cannot abide it they will not attend vnto it they regard not to heare it True it is if they be asked whether they haue Faith or not they will thinke it a straunge question and maruell that we shold make doubt thereof they suppose themselues to haue a sound Faith in Christ but how come they by this faith They say they beleeue in Iesus Christ for their saluation and yet they liue in a perpetuall neglect and continuall contempt of the publicke Ministerie of the word Such is their beleeuing as is their hearing and their Faith is aunswerable to their attending It is a great foolishnesse worse then madnesse for any man to imagine to attaine to Faith by any other meanes then God hath ordained When God hath sayde that the ordinary way to obtaine Faith is by the preaching of the worde wilt thou in the high pride of thy ignorant heart say I can haue Fayth without preaching This is to crosse the ordinance of God and to thinke thy selfe wiser then God For although all haue not Faith that ordinarily heare yet ordinarily none haue faith that doo not heare If then we would haue Faith we must seeke it as God hath appointed where it is to be found and when it is to be found let vs be diligent hearers attentiue hearers constant hearers and then we shal see the blessing of God vpon vs that we shall be sauing hearers Secondly true Faith is also ioyned with Prayer to God and with repentance from dead workes for how shall they call vpon him in whom they doe not beleeue And the Apostle Å¿ Acts 15 9. Peter teacheth that Faith purifieth the hart Paule exhorting the Elders of Ephesus saith t Acts 20 21 That he witnessed both to the Iews and to the Grecians the Repentance toward God and faith toward our Lorde Iesus Christ It was the substance of Christs Sermons which he preached when hee came into Galile u Marke 1 15 The Kingdome of God is at hand repent and beleeue the Gospell But there are many amongest vs that professe Faith which haue a Faith of another kinde and Nature it is not ioyned with inuocation of Gods name they make no Conscience to call vpon him they haue not the Spirite of Prayer that cryeth in their hearts Abba Father it worketh not in them conuersion of heart a turning of the minde a chaunge of life they boast of Faith but they remaine the same men they were before a deade life a deade Faith a prophane life a false Fayth that will in the end deceyue them Thirdly true Faith worketh in vs an holy contentation in our estate and teacheth vs to depend vpon Gods prouidence touching Food Raiment and all things necessary for this present life This Christ our Sauiour teacheth vs from the example of the Fowles of the Heauen of the stature of our body of the Lillies of the fielde from the grasse of the earth what doo pensiue thoughts distracting and distrustfull cares auaile to sustaine vs or preserue our life Wherefore seeing the Birdes are nourished our stature is encreased the Lillies are beautified the Grasse is cloathed by the power and prouidence of God x Math. 6 30. and 8 20. Shall hee not do the same much more to you O ye of little Faith Faith therefore maketh vs rest vpon God want of Faith taketh away all trust in him But many among vs that will needes boast of Fayth in Christ want this Faith in his prouidence for they dare not trust GOD with their life they doo not depend vpon him for their liuing they are affraid he will leaue them and forsake them they do not beleeue he will bee a mercifull and gracious God vnto them they haue not that affiance confidence reposed him that naturall children haue in their Parents A Childe doth not wearie him-selfe with matters of the World hee dooth not fore-cast for manie yeares hee is not intangled and choaked with earthly Cogitations all his care is cast vppon his Father hee trusteth vppon him hee knoweth hee will prouide for him and so passeth his dayes without distrust or dispaire And shall wee not be ashamed to bee sent to Schoole to learne of little Children that depend vpon their Father whereas we haue not learned to lift vppe our eyes vnto our Father that dwelleth in the Heauens but vse vnlawfull meanes and vngodly shifts to helpe our selues A plaine argument that wee haue not that Faith which we falsely imagine and vainely imagine our selues to haue Fourthly true Faith is the Mother of loue and maketh vs liue in peace one with another the Apostle y Gala. 5 6. Paule teacheth That Faith worketh by loue And Iohn in his first Epistle saith z 1 Iohn 3 23 This is his commandement that we beleeue in the name of his son Iesus Christ loue one another But many that wil seeme to haue faith in Christ shew no fruits of loue toward their Brethren they are not careful if it be possible and so farre as lieth in them to haue peace with all men they do not seeke after peace and ensue it but liue in hatred and contention in malice and enuy and least of all do affect the children of God An enuious Faith is no Faith and therefore let such men looke vnto it Fiftly true faith is mingled with doubting and vnbeleefe with wauering and feare and oftentimes strongly shaken and assayled as with a mighty Tempest This we see in the Father of him that was possessed with an vncleane spirit he was readie to rest vpon Christ but he felt the fruite of his owne corruption the spirit was willing but the flesh was weake he found a fight within himselfe betweene Faith and Infidelity When he considered the infinite power of Christ that was able to cast out Satan and to binde the strong man he was moued to beleeue On the other side when he saw the strangenesse the continuance the incureablenesse of his sonnes disease when he marked that the Deuill tooke him tare him cast him into the fire to burne him
seeke the encrease and continuance of it which is continued preserued by the same meanes that it is bred and ingenderd This it it which the Apostle Peter teacheth in his first Epistle r 1 Pet 1 23. with Chap 2 2 that being borne anew not of mortall seed but of immortall by the word of God which liueth and endureth for euer we should as new borne babes desire that sincere milke that we may grow thereby Whereby we see that he calleth the word immortall seed to regenerate vs and sincere milke to nourish vs so that we haue as well our growing vp as our first birth by it and there is a continuall vse of the preaching of the word as well to men that are called aready as to them that are to be called heereafter For the end of preaching is not onely to conuert vs but to continue vs not onely to raise vs vp but to vphold vs not onely to beget vs to the faith but to strengthen vs in the faith not onely to giue the first life to vs but to renew vs after our manifold slippes and often infirmities We are euen in the state of our regeneration as a shippe which if it lye still without vse will rot in the Hauen and if it be kept neuer so carefully it will want rigging and repayring So is it with euery one of vs in this life Å¿ Phil 3 12. we haue not attained to perfection we alwayes lacke somewhat we stand in need of renewing and repairing we must be mending that which is impayred encreasing that which is lessened restoring that which is decayed and keeping in his course that which is rightly ordered So then we must acknowledge a perpetuall necessity of the word to encrease in vs the graces of Faith and Sanctification which without vse of the meanes are subiect if not to dying yet to decreasing if not to perishing yet to diminishing if not to withering away yet to a languishing and loosing of those degrees that haue beene begun in vs. Hence it is that the Lord saith t Esay 27 3. I the Lord doe keepe it that is the Church which is the Vineyard of the Lord I will water it euery moment least any assayle it I will keepe it night and day It is not with the Ministers of the word as it is with men of other Trades who when they haue begun a worke and are departed from it though they returne not to it in a long time yet they find it in the same case u Chrisost homit 13. ad popu Antioch as they left it The Gold-smith that hath melted his siluer in the fire and cast a vessell in the mould begun to hammer it with his Tooles if he lay it aside at night the next day when he commeth to his worke he findeth it as he left it The Carpenter that hath hewed his Timber or the Mason that hath squared his stones in what sort soeuer they left their worke when they departed from it in the same they are sure to see it it is not better it is not worse but as it lay so it continueth And thus it is in all other Sciences It is not so in the Art of hearing and teaching we do not alwaies find the people as we left them we labour to haue them reformed and made zealous yet they are no sooner departed but the multitude of businesse the strength of tentations the corruptions of their nature do so beset them and besiege them round about whereby they are beguiled and ensnared that they make the worke of reformation more hard and difficult then it was before This made the Apostle Paule say of the Galathians that he trauailed in birth againe with them vntill Christ were formed in them and was affraid least he had laboured among them in vaine Gal. 4. 11. 19. This also made the Apostles consent and agree together to visit the Churches where they had preached the Gospell x Acts 14. 22. to confirme them in the truth which they had receiued For as we eate often for the restoring of the force of nature and repairing of the decaies of the body so it is our duty to heare often for the making vp of the breaches and ruines that Sinne and Sathan haue made in our soules We see by daily experience that after our repentance the renewing of our mindes we are subiect to stumble and fal into sinne and ready to lye long in it as men cast into a deep and dead sleepe if we be not awaked with the Trumpet of the Lord in our eares Dauid was by the subtilty of the enemy surprized y 2 Sam 12 7. 13. and drawne to commit two horrible sinnes Adultery and murther he lay a long space securely in them vntill he was by the Prophet Nathan roused vp and recouered Wherefore as there is a continuall vse and exercise of repentance so is there a continuall vse of the preaching of the word that we should not stand at a stay but encrease more and more vntill we come to the fulnesse of the perfect age of Christ Iesus our Lord. Vse 3. Thirdly seeing we should desire our owne profit and others it condemneth three sortes of men first such as stand at a stay secondly such as goe backward thirdly such as enuy the good and growth of others in the best thinges The first reprofe Touching the first we haue many that stand still and moue not they are cast as it were into a dead sleepe call and cry vnto them lift vp thy voice as a Trumpet they haue no eares to heare If one come to a sicke man and feele his pulses yet cannot perceiue them to beate or stirre we will say he is neere vnto death or in some extasie so is it with such as haue the word of God preached vnto them if they be not moued by it to go forward but we find them at the yeares end where they were at the beginning it is an euident signe of a spirituall lethargy and slumber and that they are in danger of death He is accounted an euill scholler that learneth not somewhat euery day but many thousands remaine in the schoole-house of Christ that are so farre from profiting euery day that they suffer whole weekes and moneths and yeares to passe ouer their heads without calling themselues to an account what they haue learned that they knew not before and wherein they yeeld obedience which they practised not before If a man should aske them whether they haue bettered their knowledge encreased their faith furthered their sanctification more this yeare then before they cannot yeeld a reckoning of any accesse is come to any of their guifts In this number are the greatest sort that liue among vs they are standers and not walkers they are sitters and not mouers where you left them this yeare you shall be sure to find them the next yeare and many yeares after They see the time of their
they teach so they be not idle They are Ministers of the Church of England and therefore may preach in any part of the Land and are blamelesse Therefore there is no vnlawfull non-residency For God hath ordained saith the Å¿ 1 Cor. 9 14 Apostle That they which Preach the Gospell may liue of the Gospell Answere I answer they are not onely Ministers of England but of such a particular Congregation and haue their maintenance of such a particular Church and therefore are bound to imploy their labour in that particular place He that hath not a particular charge and Church to care for will care indeede for no Church as he ought to care For if that which is t Arist polit lib. 2. cared for of all is cared for of none then he that hath but a generall care of one place no more then of another commonly neglecteth all When God sent Ionah the Prophet to Niniue u Ion. 1 2 3. he sinned in going to Tarshish If he had preached neuer so duely and diligently in that Citty when God called him to another he had not discharged the duty of a good Prophet Besides whereas they say they are Ministers of England therefore sufficeth to preach in any corner or quarter of the Land they may as well say they are Ministers of Europe and consequently may preach in any part of Europe and be discharged in conscience of any farther duty to be required of them Nay some are so shamelesse as they dare openly auouch that they are as much bound to the Church of Ierusalem if they might haue accesse thereunto as to that people that called them and doe maintaine them Verily this argueth little learning and lesse conscience For this were to change a Pastor into an Apostle a limited office into an vnlimited and as great a wonder as to bring all the world into the circuit and compasse of a little Towne And we see it is directlie against the order of the Scripture which calleth them Ministers of such and such a particular Church x Acts 20 17. Phil. 1 1. Reue. 2 3. as of Ephesus of Pergamus of Sardi and the rest So when generall teaching y Math. 28 20 is Apostolicall particular is z 1 Pet. 5. 2. Heb. 13 17. Pastorall which is limited to a certaine place Againe it is a thing in it selfe vnreasonable and to the people iniurious that they shoulde receiue their Wages in one place and performe their seruice in another place that one should giue them their hire and another haue the profit of their paines Would not a man thinke he had wrong done him if he hyring a seruant another shoulde take the labour of his hands Or should that seruant be excused who hauing wages paid him by his Maister should apply himselfe in another mans work Or when a man hireth a shepheard to looke to his sheepe will hee not complaine if they be neglected and another mans sheepe fed and attended Or can such a shepheard thinke his duty discharged albeit he be neuer so diligent and watching in looking to the sheepe of another A Shepheard hath a particular Flocke to attend which hee must watch a Seruant must dispatch his worke that hath hired him Thus it ought to be with euery faithfull Minister he hath his speciall ground to Till his proper house to build his Flocke to feede his Citty to watch his Army to lead and may not wander out of the boundes and borders limited vnto him Obiection 7 Others alledge in excuse of this absence that many of them giue necessary attendance vpon their Lords and their Families and being their Houshold Chaplaines and so doing seruice to great persons are forced to bee absent from their Cures Answere I answere this sauoureth of couetousnesse or of ambition or rather of both They haue couetous hearts and aspiring mindes If they haue peculiar charges of their owne Who compelled them to be other mens Chaplaines Or if they be to attend vpon their Lords who compelled them to take the charge of Soules It was an vsuall thing among the godlie Kinges of Iudah to haue their Prophets at their elbowes to teach them to stirre them vp to good thinges and to keepe them from falling into sinne The Prophet Dauid had Gad the Seer belonging vnto him a 1 Sam. 22 5 2 Sam. 24 11 who was with him in his banishment and was as his Counsellour he was retained both in prosperity and aduersity with him And it is a commendable thing not only in Princes but in men of State and high place when they entertaine such for a loue of the truth to instruct them and their families in the knowledge of godlinesse when they esteeme them as the Ministers of God and giue them not single but that double honour which Gods word alloweth them and when they can be content to heare the Law at their mouthes and submit themselues to the obedience of that which is spoken vnto them in the Name of the Lord. Yea such as are so entertained may highly aduance Gods glory and doe great good with such great men and in such great Families if they regard to doe good seruice to God rather then to themselues if they doe not flatter to please men but deale carefully and conscionably in their places But such as are of high calling may haue attendance and sufficient seruice done vnto them by others that are without Cures and haue no charge of soules committed vnto them and as they are willing to entertaine them so they are able to maintaine them that they shall not liue of the Churches which they doe not instruct Obiection 8. Lastly they pretend that they teach commonly by themselues but continually by their substitutes They come often among their people and teach them by Curates which they haue set in their places and therefore they sinne not by Non-residency Answere I aunswer this often teaching is not sufficient where continuall watchfulnesse is required The Lord neuer said vnto him Teach often but preach the word in season and out of season He is accursed that doth the worke of the Lord negligently Iere. 48 10. Diligence is required where danger is feared The flockes that are in danger of the Wolfe b Gen. 31 40 Luke 2 8. Esay 62. 6. are watched day and night The Enemy is alwayes at hand and watcheth his aduantage by the absence of the Pastour If they could couenant and agree with the aduersary neuer to assault their charges but at cettaine times and seasons of the yeare and bargaine with him not to meddle in their absence they had some good pretence for their negligence and might bee ready to meete him when he commeth to tempt and seduce their people Againe they cannot bee discharged by a Deputy where they are to performe personall duty neyther are they freed from blame by other mens guifts where they are to practise their owne guifts These are
because Loue seeketh not her owne but the good of others Secondly as wee see selfe-loue checked and controuled so they are condemned that place brotherly loue in faire wordes and gentle speeches and yet many faile in these and cannot affoord them as if euery worde of their mouth were worth Gold whereas in such is no sound Religion but a vizard onely of holinesse True loue must be shewed in the fruits in sustaining helping pittying releeuing those that craue our releefe and are in necessity The Apostle teacheth them that are destitute of true faith that shroud themselues vnder the profession of the Gospell and yet are not able to make demonstration thereof by their workes A good Tree bringeth foorth good fruit If the Tree bring forth either no fruite or euill fruite it is an euill tree If we haue onely good words and either no workes at all or euil workes it is a plaine argument we are not yet in the number of true beleeuers z Gal. 5 6. neyther are endued with that faith which worketh by loue Hence it is that the Apostle Iames saith a Iam. 2 15 16 If a Brother or a Sister be naked and destitute of daily food and one of you say to them Depart in peace warme your selues and fill your bellies notwithstanding ye giue them not those things which are needfull to the body what helpeth it Euen so the Faith if it haue no workes is dead in it selfe If then we content our selues to giue the Almes of faire wordes which are but empty shewes it sheweth that we are barren trees full of leaues but voyd of fruite and it shall minister as little comfort to our hearts as it dooth releefe to their bodies We are taught to visit Christ in his members and apply our selues to do them good that in the last iudgement we may finde that mercie and compassion at the hands of Christ which wee haue shewed to the members of his body To giue kinde words is not that feruent loue which heere is commended vnto vs. Lastly it reproueth such as giue themselues to fraud and deceite to cruelty and oppression to subtilty and circumventing their brethren to lying vsing false Waights and Measures For if this should be the rule of our loue that it ought to be feruent we should examine our owne hearts whether wee would haue another man to deceiue and oppresse vs by forgery falshoode The Apostle reprooueth all such wrongfull and iniurious dealing and as a Prophet of God denounceth seuerely certain iudgement vpon such wickednesse b 1 Thess 4 6. Let no man oppresse or defraud his Brother in any matter for the Lord is an auenger of all such things as we also haue told you before time and testified It is common and wicked Obiection May I not do with mine owne as I list who shall hinder me to vse mine owne as I thinke good This is the common argument of Harlots Drunkards and other beasts which ought not to be in the mouths of Christians Let them vse it that are out of Christ let vs bee ashamed of such prophanenesse and ignorance For indeed thou hast nothing that is thine owne thou art but a Steward and the time shall come when thou must giue an account of thy Stewardship because thou mayst be no longer Steward Vse 3. Lastly seeing all are to be loued but especially such as haue bin conuerted by vs it teacheth vs to further their saluation that haue beene brought into the way by vs and neuer to forsake them vntill we haue brought them to their iournies end For what a vaine thing were it to finde a man wandering out of his way and going astray from the right path and when he hath brought him backe to leaue him without farther direction Or what an vnnaturall part were it for a Mother to bring forth her Childe into the worlde and then to take no more care of it neither to wash it in water nor to wrap it in swathling Clowts nor to haue any compassion vpon it but to cast it out into the open field The loue of Moses his Mother was greater toward him c Hebr. 11 23. Exod. 2 3 4. who being borne was hidden three moneths from the cruelty of the Egiptians and being put among the Bul-rushes in the water was watched by his Sister to see how God would prouide for his deliuerance euen so it standeth vs vpon hauing beene made blessed meanes and Instruments of the good of others to be assistants vnto them and to further their saluation as God shall enable vs. It is the part of a good Worke-man not to leaue his worke vnperfect A good Physitian will not leaue his patient when he hath doone but halfe his cure An Husbandman will not giue ouer when he hath halfe sowne but will labour vnto the end Hee that dooth but halfe builde an house is but halfe a Carpenter He that entreth into Christianity and beginneth wel is but halfe a Christian the greatest part of the worke remaineth behind Let vs all follow the example of God when he began the great worke of the Creation of the world he left not his workemanship vnfashioned and vnfinished but in six dayes fully accomplished it to the glory of his name And as he did in the generation of his creatures so he doth in their regeneration c Iohn 13 1. Those whom he loueth he loueth vnto the end This is it which the Apostle teacheth d Phil. 5 5. I am perswaded of this same thing that he that hath begunne this good worke in you will performe it vnto the day of Iesus Christ As then God neuer leaueth him whom once he loueth so shold we haue a care of those that we haue moued to imbrace the truth and watch ouer them for their good The Minister must preach sound Doctrine in loue to the soules of men that he hath vndertaken the charge of for whom he is to giue an account in the great day Wee see the Apostles hauing taught the Gentiles planted a Church among them did not cast off all care of them nor thinke themselues to haue discharged a sufficient duty toward them but knowing the malice of Satan the deceit of false Teachers and the frailty of mans nature e Acts 14 22. They returned back to confirm them in the faith and to settle them in that truth which they had receiued of them When Peter professed great loue to Christ f Iohn 21 15. he willed him to manifest it by feeding of his Sheepe and Lambes the greater his diligence was in feeding the flocke of Christ ouer which hee was made a principall Watchman the greater duty he performed to Christ himselfe When Agrippa the King had heard the defence that Paule made for himselfe and the confirmation of his calling by the heauenly vision that apeared vnto him he said g Acts. 26 28 29. Almost thou perswadest me to become a Christian But
before mine eyes cease to doe euill learn to do well All these were but as outwarde Ceremonies without substance which the Prophet Ieremy r Ier. 7 8. calleth Lying words that cannot profit Outward obseruations of religion wil deeeiue vs if we rest vpon them put our trust in them If we performe a worship to God without the heart we dishonor God we deceiue our owne soules and wee encrease our condemnation We draw neere Å¿ Esay 29 13. Math. 15 7 8 to God with our mouths and honor him with our lippes but our heart is farre from him and therefore wee worship him in vaine who is not delighted with outwarde shewes and with ydle shadowes but requireth the singlenesse of the soule and the willingnesse of the minde He looketh vpon the heart when we come before him Wee see how carefull men and weomen commonly are when they come to the place of Gods worship to haue all things in the outward man decent and cleanly they looke vppon themselues that their faces be washed their Garments brushed their linnen white that no spot no blemish no want no wrinckle may appeare in them but if wee go no farther we are but Hypocrites and dissemblers in the sight of God all our glorious shewes are no better then abhomination before him So then as the wiseman teacheth it standeth vs vpon to giue to God our harts which is the best present we can offer vnto him We are taught in the Lordes Prayer to pray vnto God t Math. 6 10. that we may do his will vpon the earth as the Angels do which are in heauen They performe the will of God readily and without any grudging they obey his commandements whensoeuer he sendeth employeth them faithfully and chearefully No one of them slacketh in his function but is diligent in the execution of that which is giuen him in charge Thus it ought to be with all of vs we must delight in Gods worship and encourage others to delight therein We must make the house of God a place of pleasure wee must make his word our meate and drinke and our continuall hearing must be a daily refreshing vnto our soules Vse 4 Lastly seeing all Christian duties must be performed of vs willingly wee are heereby guided and directed in our obedience that we are not to hinder the necessary duties of Christianity belonging vnto vs by obiecting fleshly reasons as it were laying stumbling blockes in our owne wayes to keep vs backe from a willing free and chearfull going forward in the works of our calling and in the parts of Gods worship We see when many are called to a new course of life and told of the necessity of labouring to get knowledge and hearing the worde of God they can obiect for themselues I shall loose my time neglect my businesse hinder my estate make my selfe a laughing stocke vnto others I shall misse such a bargaine I shall omit such a iourney I shall want such a meeting of Good-fellowes of Friendes and of Neighbours These are like u Mat. 22 5 6. Luk. 14 16 17 to those Guesse mentioned in the Gospell who beeing bid to the banket made their excuses and woulde not come they made light of it and went their wayes one vnto his Farme and another about his Merchandize Our Sauiour teacheth that when the word of God is preached vnto vs x Math. 13 22 the cares of this world the deceitfulnes of riches and the lusts of other things choake the word and it is made vnfruitful The world is a deceitfull baite and the glory thereof dazleth our eyes that wee cannot discerne the vanity thereof Againe when the duties of Loue and Charity ought to be extended toward those that want releefe and the fruits of mercie they are readie to obiect I shall weaken by giuing to others the means of my maintenance I shal disable my selfe I shall hinder my family and Children whom I must prouide for or else I should be worse then an Infidell and thereby giue cause to my aduersaries to reioyce and triumph ouer mee Thus euery one is wise in his owne eyes and carnall reason is apt enough to Minister fleshly obiections to slake our zeale and to hinder our course of obedience But let vs stop our eares against the songs of these enchanters which seeme to bewitch not our bodies but our soules These are nothing else but words full of distrust and doubting proceeding from Infidelity Let vs learn to rest vpon Gods prouidence by wel-dooing and looke for his blessing This is it which the Apostle remembreth where he laboureth to moue the Corinthians to releeue the distresses of the Saints y 2 Cor. 9 7 8 Giue not grudgingly or of necessitie and God is able to make all graces to abound toward you yet yee alwayes hauing all sufficiencie in all things may abound in euery good work As it is written he hath sparsed abroad and hath giuen to the poore his beneuolence remaineth for euer Such as liued in the Church in the dayes of the Apostles when there were many poore many extreamly poore z Acts 4 5 2 were moued to be liberall yea very liberall and bountifull vnto them so that they that had possessions solde them and distributed them as euery one had neede Many of them no doubt had wiues Children and were burthened with charge and family of their owne yet they accounted nothing peculiarly their owne but they had all things common they had them not only for themselues but for their brethren To conclude therefore we must beware wee be not led aside by the subtlety of Satan and the corrupt immagination of our owne Nature to bee hindered thereby from practising such duties as are required at our hands He that wil not follow the calling of God vntill the flesh minister no obiection against it shall neuer haue the commendation of obedience He shal neuer go about any good duty but we shall finde somwhat stand in the way to crosse it either our pleasure or profit or somewhat else will round vs in the eare to make vs forsake it or delay it or condemne it When the word of God reproueth any sinne in vs that seemeth sweete vnto the flesh we shall meete with a thousand tentations to perswade with vs to continue in it with greedinesse and to follow after it with all eagernesse Wherefore so soone as wee know the will of our heauenly Father let vs prepare our selues to do it and to delight in it and step ouer the rockes of offence that stand before vs to make vs fall that so God may be delighted with vs take pleasure in our obedience proceeding from the heart 15 It may be that he therefore departed for a season that thou shouldest receiue him for euer 16 Not now as a Seruant but aboue a Seruant euen as a Brother beloued especially to me how much more then vnto thee both in the flesh and in the
are Seruants to sinne other are Seruants to righteousnesse and whosoeuer is Seruant to one cannot be Seruant to the other they are so opposite and contrary the one to the other that no man can serue these two Maisters This is it which the Apostle Iohn handleth He that Å¿ 1 Iohn 3 8. committeth sinne is of the Deuill for the Deuill sinneth from the beginning for this purpose was made manifest that Son of God that he might loose the workes of the Deuill Let vs all suffer the Ministers of the Gospell to take vs out of the hands of Sathan and to subdue vs to the Kingdome of Christ by the two-edged Sword that goeth out of his mouth Thus much may suffice for the generall obseruations which arise out of the words and might be stood vpon at large but I haue onely breefelie pointed them out Now let vs particularly lay open such doctrins as are more especially aymed at in these words If he hath hurt thee or oweth thee ought c. In the former verse we haue heard how the Apostle hath reasoned on this manner with Philemon If our things be common thou oughtest to receiue him to fauour whom I haue so great cause to fauour vrging a community and fellowship in all Gods blessings But in this verse he acknowledgeth a debt to Philemon from Onesimus and doth take it vpon himselfe to answere it Doctrine 1. The communion of the Saints doth not take away the possession interest that is in the things of this life We learne from hence that the communion which is among the faithfull Saints doth not take away the priuate possession dominion distinction and interest in the things of this life Albeit the things belonging to this temporall life be in some respect common yet in another respect they are priuate They are common touching vse they are priuate touching possession This appeareth in the practise of the Fathers that liued after the flood as Abraham Isaac Iacob Iob Dauid and diuers others who albeit they willingly imparted to their Brethren the blessings of God bestowed vpon them yet they had their speciall houses of abode inheritances of lands possessions of goods Flocks of Sheep heards of Cattell and distinction of Seruants Mark this in the order that God tooke with his owne people when he had subdued their Enemies and brought them into the Land t Num. 32. and 34. euery Tribe had his seuerall inheritance and euery Family in the Tribe had his peculiar possession deuided vnto him by lot to auoyd all Controuersie and contention among them When Naboth was vrged by Ahab to passe his Vineyard to him eyther by sale or by exchange he answered u 1 King 21 3. The Lord keepe me from giuing the Inheritance of my Fathers vnto thee This is it which Salomon speaketh in the Prouerbs x Prâ—… 5 15 16 17. Drinke the Water of thy Cesterne and of the Riuers of Waters in the streetes but let them bee thine euen thine onely and not the Strangers with thee He teacheth the faithfull to liue of their owne labours and to be helpefull to the godly that want Great were the wants and miseries of the poore Saints of God as we see in the Actes of the Apostles so that many solde their possessions to releeue the distressed Members of the Church yet the Apostle Peter saith to Annanias who had kept backe a part of the price of that he had sold y Acts 5 4. Whilst it remained appertained it not vnto thee And after it was solde was it not in thine owne power How is it that thou hast conceiued this thing in thine heart Thou hast not lied vnto men but vnto God By which words it is manifest that albeit the Saints accounted nothing their owne but had all thinges common among themselues yet they alwaies retained a seuerall right and propriety in those things that they possessed Reason 1. This truth will yet further and better appeare vnto vs if we enter into the consideration of the Reasons that serue to strengthen it First it is confirmed by the Commaundements of God and by the fourth petition of the Lords Prayer The z Exod. 20 15 eight Commaundement forbiddeth vs to steale away our Neighbours goods and to do him the least hurt therein The tenth commandement a Exod. 20 17. restraineth the inward lusts motions that arise in our minds and condemneth the coueting of his house of his wife of his seruant of his oxe of his asse or of any thing that belongeth vnto him If then God commandeth the preseruation of euery mans goods and forbiddeth all iniuries to be offered vnto them it standeth vs vpon to acknowledge a right and interest that euery one hath in earthly things giuen vnto him Likewise our Sauiour Christ teacheth vs b Mat. 6 11. daily to aske our daily bread so that no man ought to desire that which is anothers bread but euery one to know his owne what God hath giuen him and what he hath giuen to others If then there be bread that is ours then also there is bread that is not ours And if somewhat be ours and somewhat not ours it followeth that euery one hath an interest in his owne goods and cannot lay hold on another mans Reason 2. Secondly the inuading of other mens inheritances and the incroaching vpon their priuate possessions is the fruit either of a confused Anarchy or of a loose gouernment and both of them are contrary to that ordinance which God establisheth and the order that he requireth This we see in the latter end of the booke of Iudges where it is recorded and oftentimes repeated that c Iudg. 17 6 18. 1. 19 1. 21 25. In those daies there was no King in Israell but euery man did that which was good in his owne eyes And what I pray you was that Euen that which was starke naught they brake out into open outrages riots vsurpations oppressions and community of women All thinges were out of course no man ordered his life aright euery man followed his owne lustes But God is a God of order and not of confusion d 1. Cor 14 33 40. as the Apostle teacheth 1. Cor. 14 God is not the author of confusion but of peace as we see in all the Churches of the Saintes let all thinges be done honestly and in order But if euery man may enter vpon the labours of other men and take to himselfe what he pleaseth it would bring as great a confusion of families and common wealths e Gen. 11 8. as once there was of tongues when one did not vnderstand another so that they were constrained to breake off the worke they had begun Reason 3. Thirdly euery one hath a proper and peculiar possession his owne seruants to order his owne ground to till his owne fieldes to husband his own family to gouerne and his owne domesticall affaires to manage that
deliuered the Poore that cryed the fatherlesse and him that had none to helpe him the blessing of him that was ready to perish came vpon me and I caused the Widdowes hart to reioyce Where we see how he rendereth an account of his life past being of his Aduersaries charged with great wickednesse and much dissimulation So the Prophet describing the blessednesse of that Man that feareth the Lorde and delighteth greatlie in his Commaundements saith y Psal 112 9. He hath distributed and giuen to the Poore his righteousnesse remaineth for euer his Horne shall be exalted with glorie He sheweth heereby that the godlie doe not spare niggardlie but distribute liberallie according as the necessitie of the poore Saints requireth and as his owne power and abilitie suffereth him Heereunto commeth the precept of Christ z Luke 12 33 Sell that yee haue and giue Almes make you Bagges which waxe not old a Treasure that can neuer faile in Heauen where no Theefe commeth neither Moath corrupteth Let vs consider that God hath made the poore as well as the Rich and that the poore man is our owne Flesh Especiallie let vs alwaies remember that the godly poore are our Bretheren in Christ a Math. 25 34. and that in the last iudgement the Lorde Iesus will account it and reward it as done vnto himselfe whatsoeuer hath beene bestowed vpon his needy and distressed Brethren If we be carefull to practise these duties of Christian Charity and Community it shall auaile to seale vp Gods fauour toward vs in the remission of our sins and much aduantage vs to obtaine many blessinges seeing many supplications shall be made and offered vp for vs and so we shall tast the fruite that wee haue planted and haruest the Corne that wee haue sowed For b Gal. 6 7. Whatsoeuer a Man soweth that he shall reape as the Apostle testifieth to the Galathians and therefore if wee be diligent to helpe the poore and needie we shall receiue a full recompence with much increase into our owne bosomes That impute to me I will recompence thee c. See heere the most earnest affection of Paule for this poore Seruant He offereth himselfe to become Suretie and Pay-maister for Onesimus to answere for his debt and to stand as a debter himselfe in his place in respect of his Creditor and to pay whatsoeuer would be or could bee required at his handes Obiection But before we come to the point of instruction here offered to our consideration it shall not be amisse to answer a question that may here be demanded how he promiseth the paiment of mony to another who vnlesse he were himself helped and sustained of the Churches had not whereupon to liue We know how it went oftentimes with the Apostles by the confession of Peter and of Iohn who said to the Cripple that lay at the gate of the temple c Actes 3. 6. Siluer gold haue we none And the Apostle Paule was also constrained to labour with his owne handes How then is he on a suddaine become so wealthy as to offer his seruice to another and to vndertake to discharge the debt of another Answere I answere the meaning of the Apostle is that he would haue him forgiue his Seruant and to require the debt neither of him nor of his Seruant as appeareth euidentlie by the whole course of the preuenting of this Obiection Hee would not therefore haue him to contend with his poore penitent Seruant nor seeke any trouble against him vnlesse he would account him a debter in his stead And furthermore he addeth forth-with that Philemon was indeede wholy his to whom he owed all that he had so that if he would require the debt he should consider that the paiment was already made From this offer that Paule maketh which is to satisfie another mans debt Wee d Doctrin 2. It is lawfull for one man to become surety for another learne that it is a lawfull thing for one man to become Suretie for another and to engage himselfe for his sure and faithfull Friend of whom he is well perswaded Howsoeuer suretiship be to some very hurtfull and to all dangerous yet it is to none in it selfe and of it owne nature vnlawfull or sinnefull This truth is confirmed vnto vs by diuers examples of such as haue gone before vs in the practise of this dutie When Iacob refused to send his youngest and beloued Sonne Beniamin whom he begat in his old age into Egipt with his other Sonnes to fetch Corne saying Ye haue robbed me of my Children Ioseph is not and Simeon is not and ye will take Beniamin all these things are against me e Gene. 42 36 37. Then Ruben answered his Father saying Slay my two Sons if I bring him not to thee againe deliuer him to mine hand and I will bring him to thee againe Where we see he offereth his Sonnes in hostage and was ready to deliuer them as pledges and to binde to his Father Man for Man Sonne for Sonne bodie for bodie and life for life which is a greater matter then to be bound mony for mony and goods for goods The like we see more euidently in the Chapter following when Iacob did hang backe and seemed resolued not to let Beniamin depart with them Iudah is earnest with his Father saying f Gene. 43 8 9 10. Send the Boy with me that we may rise and go and that we may liue and not dye both we and thou and our Children I will bee suretie for him of mine hand shalt thou require him If I bring him not to thee and set him before thee then let me beare the blame for euer In which words we see that when Iudah considered the cause of their long delay and the extreamitie of the great dearth and the daunger of their present estate that except they had made this tarrying doubtlesse they might haue departed from their Father and returned to their Father againe the second time he vndertaketh the matter and becommeth surety for the Child This is it which he freelie and francklie confesseth before Ioseph when they had beene brought backe to him the Cup being found in Beniamins sacke g Gen. 44 32. Doubtlesse thy Seruant became surety for the Childe to my Father and saide If I bring him not vnto thee againe then will I beare the blame vnto my Father for euer now therefore I pray thee let me thy Seruant abide for the Childe as a Seruant to my Lord and let the Childe go vp with his Brethren Whereby also it appeareth that he considering with himselfe that hee could not without impeachment of his credit without breach of his promise and without heauinesse to his Father returne to him except the Child were with him he offereth himselfe as a pawne and pledge and prisoner to Ioseph as before he had done to his Father This also we see euidentlie in the Actes of the Apostles when Paule was troubled fot
when he saith I hope through your Prayers c. it argueth that the Churches of the Gentiles did pray vncessantly vnto God for the deliuerance of Paul out of Prison as we see in the Actes of the Apostles when Herod had killed Iames and put Peter in Prison d Actes 12 5. earnest Prayer was made of the Church to God for him So that we see he had the Prayers of the faithfull and that he did acknowledge the benefit necessity of them that they should preuaile with God Lastly when he addeth I shall be giuen vnto you We must vnderstand that the word which the Holie Ghost vseth in this place signifieth to bee freely and frankly giuen noting thereby that when he should be deliuered and finde the effect of their Prayers it should be through the free grace and mercy of God and not merited by the Saints So then according to this order of the words and interpretation of the Text the reading of this Verse is to this effect Hauing now ended my suit mooued vnto thee touching Onesimus I am in the next place to sollicite thee for my selfe namely that as thou art inclined in loue to all the Saints of God so that thou prepare thy selfe to entertaine me at thy house with all the fruits of hospitality For although I be in bonds and kept fast in hold yet my hope is that by reason of the continuall and effectuall Prayers of the Saints I shall ere long through the free mercies of God be giuen vnto you and to the other Churches for their further edification in Christ Iesus our Lord. General obseruations pointed out in this verse Thus much touching the meaning Now follow certaine generall obseruations which I will onely point out and not stand vpon at large First of all obserue the different manner of the Apostles dealing heere and in the former words When he entreateth for another he is large and earnest but when he commendeth to him his owne cause and priuate businesse he dealeth in a word he dispatcheth it breefely he toucheth it by the way as if it were a thing impertinent or from the matter This sheweth that he had more respect and a greater regard to obtaine his suit for Onesimus and to further his saluation then to speed in his owne suit which pertained to the supporting and supplying the necessities of this present life This teacheth vs to be more earnest in another mans cause then in our owne but especiallie all Pastours that haue the charge of Soules committed vnto them to bee more earnest for the sauing of Soules then to procure their owne ease and that they seeke the benefit of others rather then the profit of themselues according to the rule of the Apostle 1. Pet. 2. e 1 Pet. 5 2. Feede the Flocke of God that dependeth vpon you caring for it not by constraint but willingly not for filthy lucre but of a ready mind This affection if it be found in vs shall minister exceeding comfort to our hearts when we remember that we haue imployed our guifts and labours to gaine a people to God and haue not sought theirs but them On the other side woe vnto idle Shepheards that feede not the Flocke but feede themselues Such as are to worke in the Lords Vineyard must be Labourers not Loyterers they must be able to feed not to fleese they must blow the Trumpet and not hold their peace Secondly the Apostle doth not assure himselfe or the Churches of God that he shall be deliuered but he hopeth to be set free as if he should say I haue conceiued an hope not vaine and foolish without ground of reason but I trust in Gods mercy to be set in safety that I may serue the Church and profit you in the Gospell a long time Now whether the Apostle being deliuered out of Prison euer came among the Colossians and tooke vp his lodging in the House of Philemon it is vncertaine and not to be found in the holy Scriptures The like hope he conceiueth in other places of his Epistles as when he writeth to the Phillippians Chapt. 1. f Phil. 1 24 25 To abide in the flesh is more needefull for you and this am I sure off that I shall abide and with you all continue for your furtherance and ioy of your Faith And in the Chapter following g Phil. 2 23 24 I hope to send Timothy as soone as I know how it will goe with me and I trust in the Lord that I also my selfe shall come shortly The like wee see in the Epistle to the Hebrewes if that were Paules Chapt. 13. h Hebr. 13 23. Know that our Brother Timotheus is deliuered with whom if he come shortly I will see you Obserue in this place that his hope is not absolute but condicionall not simply purposed but limited I hope in the Lorde This is expressed by him in the first Chapter of the Epistle to the Romaines i Rom. 1 10. I make mention of you alwaies in my Prayers beseeching that by some meanes one time or other I might haue a prosperous iourney by the will of God to come vnto you Wee must therefore know that all our steppes are directed of God they are not in our owne power to be ordered at our owne pleasure We must also beware of all vaine confidence and presumption in our selues and in vnder-taking our businesse and affaires of this life seeing the successe is vnknowne and our life is vncertain Whatsoeuer we take in hand we must depend vpon the prouidence of God and rely vpon his will Hence it is that the Apostle Iames reprooueth them that say k Iames. 4 13 14 15. Goe to now ye that say to day or to morrow we will goe into such a Cittie and continue there a yeare and buy and sell and get gaine and yet ye cannot tell what shall be to morrow For what is your life It is euen a vapour that appeareth but a little time and afterward vanisheth away For that ye ought to say If the Lord will both we shall liue and we shall doe this and that God is the cheefe Ruler and Moderatour of all persons and actions nothing is guided and gouerned by Fortune nor falleth out by Chance he sitteth as it were at the Sterne and ordereth al things to his owne glory and the good of his Church Thirdly he putteth them in hope and comfort that he should be deliuered and come vnto them as a matter that would be welcome and profitable vnto them Which teacheth that the company fellowship and presence of the faithfull Seruants of God is much to bee desired and looked after and much to be reioyced in Thereby they receiue mutuall comfort one in another and bestow mutuall graces one vpon another and likewise by hauing the fellowship one of another they whet and sharpen one another We are ready to grow dull as an edge-toole that is quickly blunted and turned Now the communion
vse it rather Where he willeth them to prefer freedom before bondage and to be their owne men rather then anothers and to be at liberty rather then to be Seruants to the Honour and Humour of other men Answere I answere such practise is not to be any wayes allowed vnlesse they be oppressed with beastly and intollerable Tyranny and bee denied meate and maintenance whereby life is to be sustained For then their Maisters that haue payed n Terent. in Andr act 1. scen 1 a price for them should bee defrauded the Couenant or promise that themselues haue passed should be disanulled and themselues beeing taken should thorough their owne misdemeanor be more cruelly handled and kept in harder straighter durance We see when Ioseph was sold by the Treachery of his enuious Brethren and thereupon carried farre from o Genes 39 1 his Fathers house he behaued himselfe with all Modesty and Meeknesse he endured the crosse with all patience being laide in fetters where p Psal 105 18 the Iron entred into his soule he neuer attempted to make a wilfull escape or to break open prison albeit it had been no hard matter to do it least while he thought to auoid the smoake he should fall into the fire like vnto Espops Fish who being in the pan leaped vpon the coales The Israelites when they were holden in q Exod. chap. 1 and 2. Egypt in bondage and great slauery neuer offered to make resistance but waited with all long suffering vntill God sent Moses and Aaron to worke their deliuerance The Doctrine of the Popish School-men alloweth in their deciding of cases of conscience such as are vniustly and wrongfully imprisoned to escape for their liues if they can and according to this determination is the practise of the Papists But this is no better then to resist the Magistrate r Rom. 13 2. vvhich is the Ordinance of GOD Rom. 13. The Apostles being clapt vp in prison neuer sought occasion and opportunity to deliuer themselues vntill God and Man deliuered them and brought them forth and sometimes ſ Acts 5 19. 12 7 8. the Lord sent his Angell from Heauen to open the prison doores and to smite off their chaines and to free them from the rage of their enemies The Apostle Peter warneth Seruants to bee subiect to their Maisters with all feare not onely to the good and courteous but also to such as are froward and he giueth this Reason t 1 Pet. 2 19. For this is thanke-worthy if a man for Conscience toward God endure greefe suffering wrongfully Wee must commit our selues and our causes to God and take heede we vse not vnlawfull meanes to set our selues at liberty Now concerning the counsell and direction of the Apostle he perswadeth no liberty but such as is lawfull euen to free themselues from thraldome by all good and honest meanes onely that God shall put into their heads and hands For when Seruants were bought and sold as Villaines nay as brute Beasts in the Market and while their Maister had power ouer them of life and death hee would haue all such as are vnder the yoak u 1 Tim. 6 1. Count their Maisters worthy of all Honor that the name of God and his Doctrine be not euill spoken of When Paule and Silas were committed to close prison as they sung Psalmes to God x Act. 16 25 26. suddenly there was a great Earth-quake and the Foundation of the Prison was shaken by and by all the doores opened and euerie Mans bandes were loosed so that they might without knowledge or disturbance of any haue escaped and gone their wayes but being committed by authority they remained as lawfull prisoners without euasion These thinges heere briefly touched are largely intreated of in this Commentarie touching the penning whereof to leaue mine owne Labors to the Iudgement of the indifferent Reader I cannot deny but doo ingenuously confesse that I haue benefited my selfe and do desire to benefit others by other Authors both Olde and New whom I haue searched and perused through whose trauailes I haue bin guided and directed in the way and by whose eyes I haue seene into many particulers heere discussed Concerning the ancient Writers that haue the grayest haires I cannot passe ouer Chrysostome and Theophylact both Greeke Writers Concerning the Moderne and later Caluine Beza Illyricus Rolloc Piscator Hunnius which for Honors sake I name remember Among whom some haue written shorter Annotations others haue written fuller expositions and al of them haue yeelded some matter and stuffe toward the erecting of this building Neither is this any shame or reproach to acknowledge y Prolog in Adelph but rather a fruit of Iustice and Equity to giue to euery one his owne Let no man therefore obiect that I haue thrust my Sickle into another mans Corne or put mine hand into another mans Coffer or ploughed my ground with another mans Heifer or set to sale other mens goods as mine owne much lesse vpbraide with contumely and contempt z Horat. lib. 1. epist 3. the saying of the Poet Si forte suas repetitum venerit olim Grex anium plumas moueat cornicula risum Furtiuis nudata coloribus that is If euerie Fowle shall fetch her plumes againe The Naked Crow shall stript of all remaine The Wiseman teacheth a Eccle. 1 9 10 There is no new thing vnder the Sun is there any thing whereof one may say Behold this it is new It hath bin already in the old time that was before vs. The Heathē man saw this could say Nihil est iam dictum quod non sit dictum prius that is There nothing is or saide or seene Before our times that hath not beene The Apostle writing to the Corinthians saith b 1 Cor. 3 22. All things are yours whether it be Paules or Apollos or Cephas c. all are helpes allowed and appointed vnto vs to bring vs vnto Christ It is no small comfort to Trauellers c Bucan praef in Institu Theolog to tread and trace the footsteps of such as haue walked the right way before them In like manner it is no small profit and pleasure to me grounded vpon the euidence of the trueth to haue followed the examples of learned and approoued Authours that haue laboured faithfully in the Vineyard of the Lord and lighted a Candle vnto others This Exposition such as it is I presume to offer vnto your Worship not fearing your Iudgement in the allowance nor doubting of your fauour in the acceptance thereof and therefore grounding my selfe vpon it I regard not the censure of Carpers and Cauillers who haue nothing to grace themselues but by seeking the disgrace of others nor yet any thing to raise themselues a great name but by taking away others good name so that as one saith well d Scaliger exercit in fine Ex alieni nominis ruina gradum sibi faciunt ad gloriam
suam They will dislike either the person or the matter or the stile or the allegations or they know not what and care not what so it be somewhat The proofes vsed are too many the Reasons too large the Vses too vehement yea nothing can please them that please them-selues in their owne conceits If I should craue pardon for my slippes in this Exposition or for my boldnesse in this Dedication I should therein also open the mouths of many to tax me of vanity and reproue me of folly For when Albinus who wrote an History of the Roman Offices in the Greek tongue requested the Readers in the Praeface to beare with him if they found any imperfections and wants in his worke M. Cato the Censor answered when he read it e Plut. in the life of Cato Doubtlesse he had deserued pardon indeed if he had bin forced to write his Story but he is a Trifler that had rather aske pardon for his fault then to be without fault For men are wont f Macrob. Saturn lib. 1. in Praefat. to desire forgiuenesse either when they erre at vnwares or when they commit a fault by constraint compulsion from such as haue authority ouer them whom they cannot or dare not deny Such seuere and sharpe Iudges I am like to light vpon who will demand the question of me what I meane to plead for pardon For who compelled mee to make the fault for which I craue fauour And why I did not rather keepe my selfe from offending then desire the forgiuenesse of the offence Wherefore leauing these rash and rigorous Censors of other mens doings I come to declare the causes that haue induced me to offer the exposition of this Epistle vnto you and to passe it vnder your Worships name For to whom doth a Treatise of Godlinesse more fitly agree then to him that professeth Godlinesse and hath the power of it dwelling in his heart Or to whom should I commend the Patronage of the truth better then to him that is a fauorer and louer of the truth and of such as fauour and loue the trueth Besides as I haue heeretofore tasted of your kindnesse and bountifulnesse toward me which I euer esteemed as a debt lying vpon me so I haue beene desirous to leaue a perpetuall Testimony to others of a thankefull heart I am not able to recompence like for like but may rather say with the Apostle g Acts 3 6. Siluer and Gold haue I none but such as I haue I giue vnto you and so much the more I will alwaies be ready to follow the example of Paul who when he had receiued mercy at the hands of Onesiphorus he praied vnto God to render backe into his bosom the fruits of his loue bestowed vpon him h 2 Tim. 1 16 17 18. The Lord shew mercy vnto the house of Onesiphorus for he oft refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chaine but when he was at Rome he sought me out very diligently found me The Lord grant vnto him that he may find mercy with the Lord at that day c. So my ernest prayer to God euen the Father of all mercy and God of al consolation is euer shal be to shew mercy for your mercy loue for your loue to preserue you vnto his heauenly kingdom And I beseech you oftentimes to Meditate vpon the 71. Psalme which as it was composed by the Prophet in his latter time so he oftentimes craueth of God to be with him to keepe him safe now that his head was hoare and his haires gray i Psal 71 5 9 17 18. Thou art my hope O Lord God euen my trust from my youth cast me not off in the time of age forsake me not whē my strength faileth And afterward O God thou hast taught me from my youth euen vntill now therefore will I tell of thy wonderous workes yea euen vnto mine old age and gray head O God forsake me not vntill I haue declared thine arme vnto this generation and thy power to al them that shal come For a man may fall away from God as well through the doting of age as through the lustes of youth Be faithfull vnto the death you shal receiue the crown of life continue vnto the end so shall you be safe The Wise-man teacheth that the daies will come when we shall say wee haue no pleasure in them k Eccle. 12 3. when the keepers of the house shall tremble that is the hands which safegard the body from iniuries shall shake as in a palsie The strong men shall bow themselues that is the legges which are as a strong Staffe or as a firme Piller to sustaine and beare vp the weight of the body shall begin to faile and waxe feeble The Grinders shall cease that is the teeth appointed to chew the meate eyther waxe loose or else are lost They waxe darke that looke out of the windowes that is the eyes of the body which are as the Windowes of the house to giue light l Liuy lib. 5. in the Oration of Licinius Caluus Pliny lib. 7. cap. 50. shall decay and grow weaker and weaker that they cannot behold the brightnesse of the Sunne The doores shall be shut without by the base sound of the Grinders that is the Lippes which are as two Doores or Gates shall scarce bee able to open themselues being become stiffe He shall rise vp at the voyce of the Bird that is the least noyse shall be able to awake him he that while he was young slept soundly so that the sound of a Trumpet coulde hardly mooue him is now by the crowing of the Cocke or the chirping of a Bird raised and disquieted All the daughters of singing shall be abased that is the eares and other Instruments of Musicke shall be so weakned and dulled that they shall take no pleasure nor delight therein m 2 Sa. 19 36. as Barzillai confesseth vnto Dauid also They shall be affraid of the high thing that is when once they grow crooked with age euery plaine way will seeme rough and euery stone a Mountaine vnto them And the Almond tree shall flourish that is their head shall be renowned with the comely ornament of white haires as the beautifull Blossomes of an Almond Tree c. Thus doth the Wise-man describe the discommodities and difficulties of old age which approacheth vnto vs all and will in the end ouertake vs to the end we should learne to remember our Creator in the dayes of our youth The Lord God Almighty who is the ancient of daies deliuer you from euery euill worke and blesse you and yours more and more with al spirituall blessings in heauenly things that as you beare the Image of his Eternity so you may be partaker of eternall Glory Amen Yours to commaund WILLIAM ATTERSOLL To the Reader IT was well said a Plini secund Epist 6. lib. 1. that the first duty of a Writer is that
please the tast of a well-affected stomacke I confesse the fault is in the Cooke that hath prepared and dressed it I would therefore entreat thee to accept of these three Dishes and to consider the person that was the writer the person to whom he writeth and the person for whom he writeth The person that penned it was Paule the Apostle the person to whom it was written was Philemon the Maister the person for whom hee wrote was Onesimus the Seruant Vpon these three as on certaine pillers stand the maine drift and purpose of this whole Epistle heere expounded Touching the first o The person of the Writer of the Epistle which is Paul the Writer he doth not stile himself in this place as commonly he vseth An Apostle of Iesus Christ but The Prisoner of Christ and declareth that he begat Onesimus to the Faith in Prison It is honourable to the Saintes to suffer for the truthes sake The Apostles reioyced that they were p Actes 5 41. Iames 1 2. Counted worthy to endure afflictions and troubles in a good cause They endured imprisonment as Martyrs not as Malefactors as Preachers of the Gospell r 1 Pet. 1 15 not As Busie-bodies in other mens matters as doers of good not as euill doers neuer ceasing to further the saluation of others euen when their bodies were restrained of libertie and yet in this want of enlargement they were mighty in deede and word to worke the conuersion of such as resorted vnto them verifying the saying of the Apostle 2. Tim. 2. 9. ſ 2 Tim. 2 9. I suffer trouble vnto bondes but the word of God is not bound Whiles he pleaded his cause in Chaines t Actes 16 28 hee had Almost caught Agrippa in the Chaine of the Gospell and wonne him to the Faith When he was come to Rome he would not be idle u Act. 28 17 23. but called the chiefe of the Iewes together and then expounded vnto them the way of Saluation testifying the Kingdome of God and perswading them those thinges that concerne Iesus both out of the Law of Moses and out of the Prophets from morning to night Thus doth one say most truely of him When he was bound he was stronger then they that bound him when he was a Captiue he was freer then they that kept him and when his Iudges examined him he examined them and set them at libertie that were vnder the thraldome of sinne and Sathan It is truely said of the Wise-man x Prou. 11 30 Dan. 12 3. He that winneth Soules is wise and shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament and such as turne many to righteousnes shall shine as the Starres for euer and euer This wisedome is no where to be found no where to be sought no where to be learned but in the Word of GOD which is the wisedome of God and the power of God So then we see it is not the punishment that maketh a Martyr but the cause Some are punished as Malefactors some dye as Martyrs Ioseph was cast into the same y Gene. 39 20 and 40 3. Prison with the Butler and Baker of King Pharaoh They suffered imprisonment in the same place but the cause was not one for which they suffered Iosephs Maister tooke him and put him in Prison in the place where the kings Prisoners lay bound and there he was in Prison but because it was in a good cause and for a good conscience the Lord was with him and shewed him mercy and got him fauour in the sight of the Maister of the Prison The like we might say of Paule and Sylas who were not onely beaten with Rods but clapped vppe in close Prison with Malefactors but they were not without comfort in their sufferings z Actes 16 25 For At midnight they prayed and sung Psalmes vnto God so that the rest of the Prisoners heard them They suffered a 2 Tim. 2 9. As euill doers but not for euill doing And albeit they were Prisoners yet they were Christian Prisoners and when the body was ready to be offered and the time of their departure drew neere forgat b August ser de Sanct. Cypr. not their Apostolicall care of the Churches and watchfulnesse ouer the Lordes Flocke yea we see Paule in this place forgetteth not a base Seruant as shall bee shewed afterward Touching the second point c The person to whom Paul writeth we are to consider the person to whom Paule writeth which is to Philemon crauing at his hands the fruit of Christian Equitie and Moderation to forgiue him that had offended him according to the doctrine of the common Maister of them both Iesus Christ Luke 17. d Luk. 17. 3 4 Take heede to your selues if thy Brother trespasse against thee rebuke him and if hee repent forgiue him and though hee sinne against thee seauen times in a day and seauen times in a day turne againe to thee saying It repenteth mee Thou shalt forgiue him It is a great vertue in thee if thou e Isidor lib. 2. soliloqu wrong not him of whom thou art wronged It is great Fortitude if when thou art wronged thou remit it It is great Glory if thou be willing to spare him whom thou hadst power and ability to hurt As Christ taught forgiuenesse to others so he practised his owne Doctrine and f Luke 23 34. prayed for those that were his persecuters Philemon had bin greatly wronged by his false and theeuish seruant yet Paul craueth pardon for him vpon his repentance toward God and his submission toward his Maister It is the Doctrine of the g The doctrine of the Nouatiā Heretickes Nouatian Heretickes to deny hope of fauour and forgiuenesse to such as are fallen against whom Cyprian hath written a learned Epistle h Cypri ad Nouatian haeretic whereby they go about to kill whereas they should cure them that are wounded and to swallow vp them in despaire whom they ought to raise vp with comfort For they alledge that Christ threatneth k Math. 10 33 Whosoeuer shall deny him before men them will he deny before his Father which is in heauen But he vnderstandeth such as perseuer in it without repentance denying him vnto the end and forsaking him vnto the death such indeede he will disclaime and deny in the kingdome of his Father which plainely appeareth by the contrary in the opposite Member going before l Math. 10 32. where he promiseth that Whosoeuer shall confesse him before men them will hee also confesse before his Father which is in Heauen whereby hee meaneth such as continue in that confession and are faithfull without starting backward Peter being in the High-priests house did deny his Maister that chose him not only to bee an Apostle but to bee an elect vessell to preach the Gospell both to Iewes and Gentiles he denied him that bought him and redeemed him in word with an Oath with Cursing and Execration
is in vaine for them to resist God and the power of his might Let them refraine from iniuring his Seruants and from going about to stop their mouthes let them remember what Gamaliell said n Acts 5 38. Now I say vnto you refraine your selues from these Men and let them alone for if this counsell or this worke be of men it will come to naught A notable lesson to bee learned of all malicious men and bloudy persecuters of the Gospell that would if it lay in them bury all remembrance of Christ and his Gospell they shall finde and feele the strength of him against whom they wrastle they shall see the folly of their owne waies and the madnesse of their owne workes and they shall in the end perceiue it to be as vnpossible and themselues as vnable to hinder the free passage of the Gospell as to bind the wind in their Fistes or to stop the Raine of Heauen from watering the earth Hence it is that the Prophet speaketh to like purpose to the Enemies of the Church o Esay 8 9. Gather together on heapes ô ye people and ye shall be broken in peeces and hearken all yee of farre Countries gird your selues and ye shall be broken in peeces gird your selues and ye shall shall bee broken in peeces Take counsell together yet it shall be brought to naught pronounce a decree yet it shall not stand for God is with vs. Vse 3. Thirdly seeing the Gospell cannot be stopped it it is the dutie of all of vs to pray for the free passage of it We haue a promise that God will spread abroade his sauing health and magnifie his great Name ouer all the Earth now it belongeth as a speciall duty to vs to pray vnto him to glorifie himselfe and to make his Name knowne among the Sonnes of Men. This charge doth the Apostle giue vnto the Thessalonians p 2 Thes 3 1 2 Furthermore Bretheren pray for vs that the word of the Lord may haue free passage and bee glorified euen as it is with you and that we may be deliuered from vnreasonable and euill Men for all men haue not Faith It is the duty of all the godly to pray for the enlarging of the Gospell whereby the Kingdome of God is also enlarged Let vs be mindfull daily of this duty desiring of the Lord this grace that the Gospell may be freely preached and cheerfully receiued q Math. 9 38. that he would send forth labourers into his Vineyard and maintaine them against rauening Wolues that seeke to deuour them that he would blesse their labours and remoue all stumbling blockes out of their way that hee would giue them courage and constancy in discharging their duty vtterly remoue al hirelings and false teachers out of his Vineyard It is God that must thrust forth Labourers into his Haruest It is he that fitteth them to the worke It is he that blesseth them in the worke Let vs not therefore be wanting to our selues but pray to the Lord of the Haruest to send out able worke-men to gather the Corne into his Garner The cause why we are not furnished with such Teachers and if we bee furnished yet the worke doth not prosper vnder their hands is because we doe not aske for a blessing from God from whom euery good guift proceedeth Vse 4. Lastly this serueth as a great comfort both to the Pastors and people For seeing the Gospell shall haue his course let the Ministers boldly go forward in the discharge of their dutie and teach the people committed to their charge Let vs not feare the faces of Men. The word which we preach is the word of God who is able to maintaine it and make it mighty in our mouthes to cast downe hils and holds that lift vp themselues against it He is able to danut and dash in peeces all those that set themselues against it The worke is the Lords the Worke-men are the Lordes the blessing and successe is the Lords and they that striue against it fight against the Lorde Let vs comfort our selues in these thinges against all the disgraces and reproaches of the World And concerning the Professors of this Gospell let this Minister comfort also vnto them that they builde not vpon the Sand or vppon a weake Foundation but their building standeth vpon a Rocke which shall neuer be remooued The Apostles comfort themselues and encourage one another r Acts 4 29. in the worke of the Ministery because they were assured that the word which they deliuered was no vaine word nor deceiueable Fable but the Gospell of Christ who chose them to the calling and sent them to the worke and strengthned them to stand and gaue them wisedome to conuince and confound all their Aduersaries Likewise Paule teacheth ſ Phil. 1 14. That many of the Brethren in the Lord were boldned through his bands to confesse and professe the truth of God We cannot fall except the word fall with vs nay except God fall with vs so long as wee stand fast in the Faith Wherefore howsoeuer others shrinke backe and make ship-wracke of a good conscience let vs hold out vnto the end and then wee shall be sure of eternall happinesse in the Heauens The occasion and argument of this Epistle Hitherto we haue handled the time when this Epistle was written and the place from whence it was written to wit when hee was in prison Now let vs consider the Argument thereof and the occasion whereof it was written The occasion of penning and writing this Epistle was double First generall for the instruction and direction of the whole Church in some necessary points of faith and obedience intreating most waightily and wisely of Iustice mercy mildnes meeknes moderation reconciliation Christian equity u Caluin vpon Philemon insomuch that he seems rather to respect the edification of the whole Church then to haue in hand the businesse of one poore and priuate man The speciall occasion was to intreat at Philemons hands to pardon his seruant that had offended him and to accept his subiection and submission vnto him This Phile. as it seemeth was a cittizen of Colosse x Hierom. in prolog Coloss Erasmus in hunc locum a citty scituate in Phrygia not far frō Laodicea whose seruant Onesimus committing either Theft in purloyning away his Maisters goods or some other great and grieuous crime as the manner of leud and euill Seruants is ran away from his M. as far as Rome being many hundred miles distant from Colosse where he supposed he should heare no more of him or if he did would not follow and pursue after him so far This Fugitiue and Runnagate Seruant false fingered and false hearted comming to Rome y Synop. Athana in hanc Epist was by the gratious prouidence of God brought where Paul the Apostle lay bound in prison and hearing him among others preaching the Gospel of Christ to Remission of sins to all
doers of the word and not hearers onely deceiuing our owne soules we must l Iam. 1 21. Lay apart all filthinesse and superfluity of maliciousnesse and receiue with meekenesse the word that is grafted in vs which is able to saue our Soules Now we haue in this Epistle m Illyr arg in hanc Epistol a most worthy example of receiuing them that are fallen of forgiuing the penitent of the pardoning of iniuries of ioy for the conuersion of a Sinner Yea we learne not onely to be louers of peace but to be makers of peace as Paul doth betweene the Maister and the Seruant Our Sauiour pronounceth them blessed n Math. 5 9. That are Peace-makers for they shall be called the Children of God We are charged not onely to seeke peace our selues but to make peace with others whereby we beare the liuely Image of God who is called the God of peace we are made like vnto Christ who is our peace and hath reconciled vs vnto his Father Vse 5. Fiftly we are taught to take heede we doe not rashly sit in iudgement vpon any This euill Seruant had picked and purloyned from his Maister and when he had done ranne his waies yet GOD found him out and gaue him repentance when he sought not after God It is a common Prouerb He runneth farre that neuer returneth Christ Iesus calleth some at the leaueth houre as hee did the Theefe that hung with him vpon the Crosse The Apostle chargeth that o 1 Cor. 4 5. We iudge nothing before the time vntill the Lord come who will lighten things that are hidden in darknesse and make the counsels of the heart manifest and then shall euery man haue praise of God And in another place p Rom. 14 4. Who art thou that condemnest another mans seruant He standeth or falleth to his owne Maister All men are in the hand of God and all times and seasons are disposed by him The Husbandman Tilleth the ground and soweth his Corne but it doth not by and by gtow vp The Disciples of Christ heard many things of his mouth which seemed buried and forgotten but the precious fruit thereof appeared plentifullie afterward Let vs not limit vnto God his times and seasons nor goe about to teach him knowledge Paul was a Persecuter of the truth a Blasphemer of God an oppressor of the Church yet in the end he was called by the voyce of Christ Let vs therefore condemne no man nor iudge any rashly least we be iudged Vse 6. Lastly we see euidently as in a Glasse in this Epistle that all that are elected of God to eternall life shal in Gods good time be called effectually to the knowledge of the truth God hath made all things in number waight and measure As no more shall be saued then he hath appointed so not one of them shall bee lost that he hath prepared to be heires of glory God hath many waies to pull them out of the fire whom he will haue saued So many as belong to him he will at one time or other send them and offer them the meanes of their saluation yea when we least of all seeke our owne good and intend our owne conuersion it pleaseth God to call vs and to gather vs into the bosome of the Church The Parable q Math. 20 1. of the Housholder hiring labourers into his Vineyard teacheth that he calleth at all times and houres of the day We see it in the example of Paul when Christ Iesus called vnto him from the Heauens he thought nothing of his owne conuersion but of the Churches subuersion Wee see it in the Penitent Theefe in Manasseth in Mary Magdalen and many others VVe see it in Onesimus in this place Who would haue imagined that this man playing the vile Runna-gate and the false Theefe and departing out of the religious House of godly Philemon which is honoured with the Name of a Church would euer haue turned a new leafe and come to the acknowledgement of the truth who would haue thought that the prodigal Son r Luke 15 24. going from his Father forsaking his Brother wasting his patrimony and spending his strength and wealth vpon Harlots would euer haue seene his owne folly and that it should be said of him My Son was dead and is aliue againe he was lost but he is found This is that which is set downe in the Actes of the Apostles Å¿ Acts 13 48. When the Gentiles heard it they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord and as many as were ordained to eternall life beleeued God is able to make a way for the execution of his purposes and knoweth how to accomplish his decrees Thus much of the circumstances of time and place as also of the Argument of this Epistle Now let vs come to the words 1 Paul a Prisoner of Iesus Christ and Brother Timotheus vnto Philemon our deare friend and fellow helper 2 And to our beloued Apphia and to Archippus our Fellow-Souldier and to the Church that is in thine House The order of the words and interpretation of them In this Epistle we are to consider two thinges First the Praeface in the three first verses Secondly the substance and matter of the Epistle in the rest The Praeface or entrance containeth the inscription or Title in these two verses sundry prayers in the foure verses following The inscription remembreth both the parties writing to wit Paul and Timothy and likewise the persons to whom the Epistle is written Philemon Apphia Archippus and the Church that was in Philemons house These persons as well writing as written vnto are not barely and nakedly set downe but are described by their seuerall notes and titles giuen vnto them wherein are contained seuerall Arguments of perswasion to mooue Philemon to that whereunto he exhorteth and intreateth him And first for himselfe a Captiue and Prisoner hee mooueth him to respect his suit in regard it was the suit of one vnder persecution bound in chaines and kept in thraldome whom he ought to pitty especially seeing he was a Prisoner of Iesus Christ that is not for any bad cause but for the professing and Preaching of the glorious Gospell of Christ Secondly he ioyneth in this suit with him Timothy a Brother nay more then a Brother a famous Euangelist whose commendation was thoroughout all the Churches who with him intreated for his Seruant Moreouer concerning those to whom this Epistle is written first Philemon himselfe is mentioned with whom he presumeth to preuaile both because there is mutuall loue between them louing one another in the truth and Christian Faith and because he is a fellow-helper seeking to promote and further by all good meanes the course of the Gospell in both which respects there should be a neere familiarity and speciall interest one with another Secondly to him he ioyneth Apphia which seemeth to be his Wife both because she hath the second place after Philemon and
them and one with them nay we are ioyned with Christ and made one with him so that the deeper we sinke downe vnder the crosse the more we are likened to the son of God This is it which he teacheth his Disciples g Mat. 5 10 11. Blessed are they which suffer persecution for righteousnes sake for theirs is the kingdom of heauen blessed shal ye be when men reuile you and persecute you and say all manner of euill against you for my sake falsly See here a difference between the spirit of God all carnal men All men indeed desire to be happy and blessed in this life in the life to come and they are much deceiued in their iudgement and estimation of true happinesse How many are there that account happinesse to consist in honors pleasures preferments riches friends peace prosperity plenty abundance and worldly dignities and esteeme of troubles afflictions crosses shame persecutions losses as the greatest miseries that can befall the Sons of men But God accounteth otherwise of them and would haue his Saints that suffer for a good conscience to account otherwise of them then the world accounteth seeing the fruits of mens wickednesse are turned to be the meanes of our blessednesse The Apostle Peter teacheth the Church this Lesson h 1 Pet. 3 14. Who is it that will harme you if ye follow that which is good Notwithstanding blessed are ye if ye suffer for righteousnes sake yea feare not their feare neither be troubled Christ our Sauior teacheth that to such belongeth the kingdome of heauen though they be accounted vnworthy of the coÌ„pany of men yet they shal enioy the blessed society of Christ and his holy Angels though they be driuen out of house home yet they shall haue their habitation in the Heauens though they be taunted and tearmed by the most odious names among men yet they shall haue praise and honour of God and their names are written in the Booke of life Vse 3. Lastly we are put in mind by this doctrine of a necessary duty that we faint not vnder the crosse but go boldly forward with our profession vnto the end and reioyce in our afflictions If we did suffer as euill doers as murtherers and malefactors wee could haue no comfort in our sufferings Hence it is that the Apostle chargeth i 1 Pet. 4 15. 1 Pet. 3 17 18 That none of vs suffer as a Murtherer or as a Theefe or an euill Doer or as a Busie-body in other Mens matters But if a Man suffer as a Christian let him not bee ashamed but let him glorifie GOD in this behalfe Many men suffer shame and reproach but it is for their offences in such sufferings we want peace of conscience and comfort vnder the crosse If we suffer as drunkards as robbers as riotous persons we suffer for our merits and deserts we cannot reioyce and be glad when we suffer in this manner But it is better if the will of God bee so that we suffer for well doing then for euill doing for Christ also hath once suffered for sinnes the iust for the vniust that he might bring vs to God Wherefore if God at any time call vs out for the Gospels sake to suffer aduersity let vs heerein reioyce with an exceeding great ioy and neuer be ashamed of the Gospell which is the power of God to saluation vnto all that beleeue Many k Phil. 3 19. there are that glory in their own shame but some are ashamed of their glory We see how many make a mocke of sinne and foame out the froth and scumme of their owne shame they striue who shall exceede and excell one another in drinking in reuelling in whoring in all vanitie and are not ashamed nay they are past all shame It were as great a shame for vs to bee ashamed of our glory as it is for these to glory in their owne confusion and shame Now to endure affliction for the Faiths sake is our glory and honour and therefore let no man be ashamed of it As for those that are ashamed of the Crosse let them also bee ashamed of the Gospell yea of Christ which is the subiect and substaunce of the Gospell Our Sauiour declaring that this must be the condition of all the Seruants of God to be reuiled and persecuted saith l Math. 5 12. Reioyce and bee glad for great is your reward in Heauen for so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you And the Apostle Peter m 1 Pet. 4 13. willeth the Iewes to reioyce inasmuch as they are partakers of Christes sufferings that when his glory shall appeare they may be glad and reioyce For if it bee no shame or infamy to be persecuted and imprisoned for the truth of Religion and the testimonie of a good conscience what greater matter of reioycing can there be offered vnto vs in the midst of our sufferings What greater occasion of gladnesse and cheerefulnesse of heart can we haue seeing the goodnesse of the cause swalloweth vp the disgrace of the crosse and the glory of the Gospel ouer-shaddoweth all the shame of persecution This made the Apostles depart from the councell of the Pharisies n Acts 5 41. Reioycing that they were counted worthy to suffer for the Name of Christ and the preaching of the truth So the Hebrewes are commended o Heb. 10 33 34. Who being made a gazing-stocke by reproaches and afflictions and becomming Companions of them which were so tossed too and fro did suffer with ioy the spoiling of their goods knowing that they had in Heauen a better and an enduring substance Of Iesus Christ c. Before wee heard that Paule entituled himselfe a Prisoner Now let vs see whose Prisoner he was He was imprisoned by the authority of Caesar and the malice of the Iewes yet for the cause of Christ the preaching of the Gospell to the Gentiles The cause of his bands and imprisonment was not the committing of any hainous crime but the publishing of the glad tidings of saluation to the world In this sense that Paul is a prisoner for Christ that is for the confessing and preaching of Christ he cals himselfe oftentimes by this title as Eph. 3 1. For this cause I Paule am the Prisoner of Iesus Christ for you Gentiles These words are taken in this place passiuely not actiuely passiuely in that he suffered imprisonment for Christs cause and was cast into prison for the maintaining of the glory of â—hrist not actiuely as if Christ had put him in prison for in this sense he might be cald the Prisoner of Caesar to whom he had appealed that the enuy of the Pharisies and mallice of the Iewes might be repeaâ—ed and defeated Doct. 3. The persecutions of all true Christians are the persecutions of Christ The doctrine from hence is this that faithfull 〈◊〉 afflicted for the truth may account their tribulations afflictions to be the tribulations and persecutions
we iustifie them both these belong vnto God and therefore are not to be vsurped by any man We must iudge the best of them according to the rule of Charity l 1 Cor. 13 7. Which hopeth all thinges and beleeueth all thinges We know God reserued to himselfe m 1 King 19 18. 7000. in Israell in the daies of Ahab that neuer bowed the knee to Baall and he hath a few n Reuel 3 4. names yet in Sardis which haue not defiled their garments which shall walke with him in white for they are worthy We may say with the Apostle of them o Acts 17 30. The time of this ignorance God regardeth not but now he admonisheth all men euery where to repent We are not therefore to looke what they haue done but consider what by the word they should haue done and what by the same wee ought to doe And touching the thriuing and prospering of them that neglect this duty this is an Obiection fitter for Atheists then Christians to vse Christ hath taught vs that this is no rule to measure good or euill he sheweth p Math. 5 45. That the Father maketh his Sunne to shine and his raine to fall vpon the iust and vniust vpon the godly and the vngodly The Wiseman hath taught that by outward thinges we cannot q Eccle. 9 1 2 vnderstand whether we be loued or hated of God We see the wicked for the most part prosper more in the World in worldly things then the godly as we read Psal 73. 3 4 5. and Iob 21. 8. 9. Obiect 7. Lastly it is obiected that some which haue beene diligently and duely taught doe yet liue as leudly and prophanely as they that neuer knew any thing of God I answere it may be this is thy wrong and rash iudgement The world speaketh euill of those that will not follow them into all excesse of ryot But let vs grant it to be so yet heerein they play the wrangling Sophisters and Cauillers alleadging a false cause for a true For I am sure this course of learning is not the cause of the loosenesse of their liuing If grace had beene in their hearts it would bee a meanes to make them beleeue and liue better He that knoweth his Maisters will is more likely to performe it then he that knoweth it not nor careth for the knowing of it He that hath his eye-sight is more likely to walke without stumbling and falling then he that is blinde so he that is instructed in the waies of godlinesse hath better meanes to walke in the feare of God then hee that is ignorant and knoweth nothing True it is some that know their Maisters will doe it not some that haue their eyes open fall downe now and then yet none can be so voide of reason to conclude from hence that it is not necessary to know his will or to open our eyes Thus much for the remouing of the obiections and the scattering of those Mists and Clouds that stood before vs. Vse 1. Now let vs come to the Vses of this Doctrine First seeing it belongeth to the Maisters and Gouernours of Families to instruct them in godlinesse we gather that it is not enough for them to prouide for the bodies of such as are vnder them and belong vnto them in this life but they must care most especially for their soules and bodies in the life to come They then are greatly deceiued who when they haue giuen them meate and Money thinke themselues sufficiently discharged If we onely feede them and fill them to the full what doe we more to them then to our brute Beasts If we onely cloath them and pay them their wages r Math. 5 20. what doe wee more to them then the Turkes and Infidels that feare not God that know not God doe performe to their Children and Seruants If we thinke our selues discharged by prouiding for them and leauing vnto them a temporall patrimony and possession and neuer regard to make them heires and Inheritors of the Kingdome of Heauen what do we more then the Iewes or Gentiles that are ignorant of Christ and his Gospell What should it auaile vs or them to leaue them rich in the World and poore in God To lay vp for them treasures on earth and to neglect the treasures of Heauen which are the true and enduring substance True it is Fathers and Mothers are bound concerning this bodily life to make honest prouision for the sustenance of their Children and therefore all vnthrifty Dicers and Drunkards which wast and wash away their goods whose Children may well bee accounted fatherlesse and their Wiues as Widdowes haue no Å¿ 1 Tim. 5 8. spark or portion of naturall Fathers in them neuerthelesse they are charged not onelie to bring them vp in the World but to prepare them for the World to come It is a vaine and foolish imagination to dreame that wee haue done our part or discharged a Fathers and a Mothers duty when we haue nourished appartelled and brought vp our Children whereas wee haue a farre greater account to make before God for their soules They are also greatly deceiued who if they send them to the Church on the Sabbaoth day and bring them to the place of Gods worship they thinke they haue answered the charge required of them These men post ouer all their dutie to the Minister and lay the burthen to ease themselues vpon his shoulders They care not they spare not to lay load vpon anothers backe that they may not beare it or touch it with their little finger But God cannot thus be mocked or deluded or defrauded who commaunded that themselues should rehearse his Lawes and Commaundements to their Children and Housholds Indeed it is a commendable duty to see that they serue God and to accompany them vnto the house of God but this is onelie halfe if halfe our dutie or rather to do our dutie to halues we must both prouide that they may bee taught and also teach them our selues when the Minister hath planted wee must water when he hath preached wee must see how they profit and by all meanes assist him in the worke of the Lord. They are also greatly deceiued who take themselues to be discharged of their duty when they haue taught them to say the ten Commaundements the Lords Prayer and the Creede or the Articles of Faith because they say they haue done what they can and are able to performe no more If they can doe no more it is a shame for them that they will be Fathers before they can doe that which is the duty of fathers It is one thing to teach them to say them another to vnderstand them It is not enough for vs to helpe them to speake the wordes vnlesse wee labour to make them conceiue the meaning of the wordes The Commaundements of the Law and the petitions of the Lords Prayer stand not in the bare wordes but in the true meaning
eye-sore vnto our selues Such as are dull and backe-ward themselues cannot abide those that are forward They that are ignoraunt thinke all others to haue too much knowledge They that are cold and slothfull in the matters of God do carpe and cauill at the zeale which they see in others and thinke them to bee too hasty too earnest too praecise Hence it is that oftentimes the Husband checketh the Wife the Father controuleth the Sonne and one Friend tebuketh another as running too fast and shooting beyond the marke Howsoeuer this is not greatly to bee feared in our daies wherein few runne at all many stand still wherein fewe shoot at the marke yet if it were so it is better to be a little too forward then to bee too backward to haue a little too much zeale then to be stark cold as many or luke-warme as the most are We see this in the state of a mans bodie it is easier to worke an euacuation of that which is too much then to procure a restitution of that which is too little It is an easier cure to purge our grosse superfluous humours when they abound then to repayre and restore Nature when it is decaying and consuming It is much easier to take away the sharpnesse of an edge tool then to set a sharp edge on that which is blunt dulled It is easier to pull downe a part of the building which is ouer-much then to lay a new foundation If there be one among vs that seeketh to be too iust and aymeth at a righteousnes aboue the Law there are a thousand that come too short and fayle in that which is required of them It is a most blessed thing to keepe the Golden meane betweene too much and too little It is easier to bring him that is in the excesse to the meane then to reduce him to the meane that is in the defect When a man lyeth dead in sinnes and trespasses and hath no sparke of the life of God in him to bring such an one to true godlinesse is as it were to raise him from the dead When a man lieth languishing and consuming by little and little and all good things begin to decay in him so that he is growne starke cold nothing is harder then to restore such a one it is as much as to worke a wonder and miracle But when our zeale is growne to be a little too hot and our edge made somewhat too sharpe it requireth no great labour it asketh no great paines to reduce vs backe againe and to make vs returne home the way by which we went There is no cause therefore that wee should so rashly and out-ragiously beare our selues toward those that climbe vp a step too high and beare them-selues a little too forward let vs rather examine our selues and consider whether we do not our selues many wayes faile of our duties so that wee may say and say truely we are vnprofitable seruants Let vs neuer enuy or grudge at the good of others remembering alwayes that what grace soeuer is graunted to one member is giuen to the whole bodie and to euerie particular member of the body As he that doth good to the eye doth good to the whole body the benefite redowndeth to the hand and foot Thus it is in the mystical bodie of Christ a Rom. 12 5. Wee being many are one bodie in Christ and euerie one one anothers Members Wee see in the Actes of the Apostles b Acts 11 18. when the Disciples had heard that Peter was called and warned by an Heauenly Vision to preach to Cornelius and other Gentiles they helde their peace and glorifyed God saying Then hath God also to the Gentiles graunted Repentance vnto life Thus much of the Ioy and Thankes-giuing of the Apostle Now let vs see to whom hee gaue thankes set downe in the next wordes I giue thankes to my God Heere is the first illustration of the Apostles Thankesgiuing declaring to whome it is made to wit to God The Apostle giuing Thankes and praising God hee calleth him his God He saith not simply I giue thankes to God but particularly I giue thankes to my God He calleth him his God and applyeth the promises of the gospel made to all that beleeue peculiarly and especially to himselfe Doctrine 2. It is the nature of faith to apply the promises and mercies of God to our owne selues Whereby we see for our instruction that the nature and property of a true and liuely faith is to aprehend and apply God and his promises particularly to our selues It is a duty required of vs to labor for that faith which may be as an hand to lay holde on the mercies of God and to appropriate them vnto our selues This we see in the vow of Iacob a Gen. 28 21. If God wil be with me and wil keep me in this iourny which I go and wil giue me Bread to eate cloaths to put on so that I come againe vnto my Fathers house in safety then shal the Lord be my God This speciall application we see oftentimes in Dauid b Psal 22. 1. 104 1. My God my God why hast thou forsaken me And againe O Lord my God thou art exceeding great The same appeareth in Thomas one of the twelue when Christ who will not breake the bruised Reed nor quench the smoaking Flaxe had respect to the weakenesse of his Fayth and bad him see the print of the Nayles in his handes and put his Finger into his side hee cryed out c Iohn 20 28. Thou art my Lord and my God This Christ practiseth himselfe and teacheth others when he sayde to Mary d Iohn 20 17. Touch me not for I am not yet ascended to my Father but go to my Bretheren and say vnto them I ascend vnto my Father and to your Father and vnto my God and to your God The Apostle Paule speaking of Christ and the benefites which he reapeth by him saith e Gal. 2 20. I am crucified with Christ but I liue yet not I any more but Christ liueth in me and in that I now liue in the flesh I liue by the faith in the sonne of God who hath loued me and giuen himselfe for me And in another place f 1 Tim. 1 12. I thanke him which hath made mee strong that is Christ our Lord for he counted me faithfull and put me in his seruice All these consents of the holy Scriptures serueth to confirme vs in this truth that true Fayth standeth in a particular applying of the generall promises of the Gospell Reason 1. The Reasons will make this yet more manifest vnto vs. For first euerie one that shall bee saued must haue a particular Faith of his owne and not satisfie himselfe with the Faith of another No man can be saued by another mans beleeuing no more then be nourished by another mans feeding The Prophet Habbakuk teacheth this point euidently saying g
iniurie to other men or to make him peculiar to our selues but to leaue him the same to others that hee is to vs as euery man enioyeth the light of the Sunne without excluding others from the vse thereof Vse 3. Lastly we learne that it is no Doctrine of pride and presumption to teach assurance confidence and certainty of Faith that euery one should beleeue that God is his God that Christ is his Sauiour that the Holy-Ghost is his sanctifier that forgiuenesse of sinnes and eternall life shall bee giuen vnto him If we beleeue not this we beleeue nothing if we deny this or doubt of this all our Faith is in vaine For as wee pray for the forgiuenesse of our owne sinnes so we must beleeue the forgiuenesse of our owne sinnes The promises of the Gospell are generall these we are to knowe do belong to vs and therefore must take them as spoken to vs. It is promised y Iosh 1 5. to Ioshua imediately after the death of Moses that God would not leaue him nor forsake him This the Apostle applyeth and maketh it common to all the faithfull whom he chargeth to haue their conuersation without couetousnesse z Heb. 13 5. seeing it is written That God will not leaue them nor forsake them God commandeth vs to call vpon him with promise to heare vs a Psal 50 15 and 4 3. Call vpon mee and I will heare thee This was the comfort of Dauid and the assurance that hee had When I call vpon the Lord he will heare him Christ our Sauiour giueth vs encouragement to prayer because b Iohn 14. 13 1 Iohn 5 14 Whatsoeuer we aske in his name that will hee do that the Father may be glorified in the Sonne Hence it is that Iohn sayeth This is the assurance that wee haue of him that whatsoeuer we aske according to his will he heareth vs And if we know that he heareth vs we know we haue the petitions which we aske of him When Christ sayde to the poore distressed man in the Gospell If thou canst beleeue all things are possible to him that beleeueth He answered c Marke 9 24 Lord I beleeue help mine vnbeleefe So saith the Prophet d Psal 116 16 and 119 125. Behold Lord I am thy seruant I am thy seruant ô giue mee vnderstanding that I may keepe thy Commandements c. The Lord saith generally e Iohn 3. 15. Math. 28. Whosoeuer beleeueth shall be saued Hence the Apostle inferreth this particular to the Iailor f Acts 16 32. Beleeue thou and thou shalt be saued When God saith g Psal 27. 8. Seeke ye my face the voyce of the faithfull doth returne and rebound this backe again Thy face Lord I will seeke God by his new Couenant bindeth himselfe to the heyres of promise saying h Ier. 31 33. Esay 25 9. I will be their God and they shall be my people whereupon they are emboldned to say Loe this is our God we haue waited for him and hee will saue vs we will reioyce and be ioyfull in his saluation God saith vnto vs I am thy saluation our heart againe with vnspeakeable comfort inwardly ministered answeareth Thou art my God So then when we say aright we belieue in God the Father it is as much as to say I beleeue that God is my God and I haue assurance and trust in him for my saluation And to beleeue that God is my God is to beleeue that he is my life my peace my deliuerance my saluation not onely that he is these things in himselfe and in his owne nature not onely that he is these things to other men that trust in him and depend vpon him but that he is indeede the same to mee that his mercy dooth compasse me his power defend me his prouidence watch ouer me and his fauor keepe and preserue me to himselfe in life and death For there are many degrees of faith i Credere deum Credere Deo credere in Deū one step is to beleeue that God is the second step is to beleeue God that is to giue credit to him that al his words which he hath spoken and the promises which he hath made are true the third step is to beleeue in God which requireth trust in God according to his word and promise being firmely resolued that he will do whatsoeuer he hath said Thus it is required of vs to doe in euery Article of Faith in euery promise of Mercy in euery word of grace offered vnto vs we must by a speciall faith receiue it and apply it Obiection If such a faith be required the question may be asked how Infants can be saued that cannot haue this faith of their owne and therefore it seemeth they must be saued by their Parents faith Answere I answere that the faith of Parents dooth bring the Infants to haue a Title and interrest in the Couenant of grace and in all the benefits of Christ but it cannot apply the merits of Christs death his obedience his righteousnesse vnto the Infant For this the Beleeuer and faithfull Parent doth onely to himselfe and to no other but the merrites and satisfaction of Christ and ingrafting into his bodie are wrought by some speciall and secret working of the Holy-Ghost vnto vs vnknowne but effectuall to the Infant and comfortable to the Parent albeit it be not done by his faith and therefore this that men are iustified by a speciall faith holdeth to be true in men of yeares and discretion not in Infants and children who are iustified and saued by an extraordinary woorking of Gods spirit k Iohn 3 8. Like the wind which bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whence it commeth and whether it goeth so is euerie man that is borne of the Spirit Obiection Againe sometimes the deare children of God faile in this speciall faith want this particular application they are not able to say God is my God Christ is my Sauiour Answere I aunswere this falleth out indeede sometimes in the tentations of Satan and in the infirmities of the flesh so that they haue not a feeling of Gods mercy toward them but euen then they cease not to beleeue We must liue by faith not by feeling A man may haue life in him though the sicke man in extremity do not know it or feele it so may faith bee in vs in some great tentation albeit we feele it not present Dauid lost and wanted this feeling l Psal 151. when he prayed God to create in him a cleane heart and to renew a right spirit within him But was it vtterly lost No for he sayth Take not away thy Spirit from me In this case it shall be good for vs to remember the former mercies of God toward vs and consider how hee hath dealt with vs and thereby assure our harts that howsoeuer God for a season with-holdeth the
and extreame necessity accompanied with extreame iniquity and impiety is a double misery a double wretchednesse a double vnhappines Let this therefore comfort vs and temper the greatnes of our affliction seeing God doth care for vs aboue all his Creatures yea before the rest of mankind charging those that are rich in this world to make a difference betweene man and man betweene person and person betweene poore and poore euen such a difference as he himselfe hath made who preferreth the sheepe of his owne Pasture before Goates the Sonnes and Daughters of his owne familie before bastards the heires of his Kingdome before Aliens and strangers the vessels of honour before the vessels of dishonour As for the poore that are wicked vngodly leud and prophane so long as they liue in their wickednesse vngodlines leudnesse and prophanenesse they are no parts of Gods family they are bastards not sonnes they are members of the Deuill not members of Christ they are cages of vncleane Birdes not Temples of the holy Ghost they are as dung and drosse of the earth not siluer and Gold for the Lords house Seeing therefore God doth cast them downe into the second ranke let not vs aduance them aboue their place God is the God of order not of confusion and if we be of God let vs establish among vs the order that he hath planted Let vs iudge with righteous iudgment and lay all partiality aside Let vs not respect the poore because they are our friends but because they are the freinds of God Let vs not see to those that are neerely alied to vs but to those that are of the kindred of Christ which heare o Mat. 12 50. Luke 11 28. his word and keepe it who are his Mother Sister and brother Heereby they shall be encouraged in well doing and we shall by our godly care of them prouoke them to greater zeale and to a constant continuance in their profession Wherefore let this be the rule to guide and gouerne vs Such are to be vsed best which are indeed best let them haue most releefe of the body that haue most grace and godlines in the heart Godlines giueth the preheminence and vngodlines bringeth reproach and setteth a note of infamy vpon his face that is defiled with it True it is others must haue their portion and proportion but it must be so rated that they be in the first place prouided for that are most religious in heart and painefull in their callings and thankfull to their weldoers For where true Religion hath taken place it will make them diligent in their busines and seruiceable to those of whom they haue receiued good thinges As for those that are idle and vnthankefull they neuer tasted of sound Religion and do nothing else but abuse their profession Thus much of the persons to whom we must do good that is especially to the faithfull Toward the Saintes The faithful are heere called by the name and title of Saints By this word are all such called as are the true members of Christ-Iesus whether they be liuing or dead in this life or out of this life But in this place onely such are meant as liue vnder the couenant of grace and fight the Lords battels against Sinne the World and the Deuill Now they p Why the Godly are called Saintes are called Saintes or holy for these causes First because they are separated by the mercies of God from the filthinesse and damnable condition of this world they are gathered into a Church and set apart for the pure seruice of God Secondly because they are purged and cleansed from their sinnes by the precious bloud of Christ Thirdly because they expresse the fruite heereof in holines and righteousnesse they are altered and changed from that which they were by nature they are regenerate and created anew they are renewed in their willes affections purposes and practises This is contray to prophanenesse Doctrine 9. Such as truely belong to Christ are Saintes We learne from this title giuen to the faithfull that they which truely belong to Christ are Saintes that is are sanctified cleansed and purged from their sinnes and iniquities by the bloud of Christ are deliuered from the slauery and bondage of sinne and are enabled by the grace of God in some measure to serue him in holines and righteousnesse all the daies of their life In this respect the Isralites when God had chosen them out of the world to be his people and seruants a Exod 19. 6. 1 Pet 2 9. are called a royall Priesthood and an holy Nation This name of Saints is vsuall and common with the Apostle Paule in all his Epistles In the Epistle to the Romanes he writeth to all Rome beloued of God b Rom 1 7. Acts 9 41. called to be Saints So he writeth to the Church of God which is at Corinth to them that are c 1. Cor 1 2. and 14 33. sanctified in Christ Iesus Saintes by calling with all that call on the name of our Lord Iesus Christ in euery place and afterward he saith God is not the author of confusion but of peace as we see in all the Churches of the Saintes So he sheweth in the Epistle to the Ephesians d Ephe 3 8. and 5 3. that to him the least of all Saintes this grace was giuen that he should preach among the Gentiles the vnsearchable riches of Christ The Prophet Dauid also saith e Psal 85 8. I will hearken what the Lord God will say he will speake peace vnto his people and to his Saintes that they turne not againe to folly All these places do plainely proue that they which beleeue in Christ and belong to him truely may be called Saintes and holy men Reason 1. The reasons are these First because they are there-vnto called and chosen in Christ they are thereunto iustified and redeemed by Christ For we are chosen before the foundations of the world to be holy f Ephe 1 4. He hath chosen vs in him that we should be holy and without blame before him in loue It is the end of our calling as the Apostle teaeheth 1. Thes 4. This is the will of God euen your sanctification and that ye should abstaine from fornication c. for g 1. Thes 4 3 7. God hath not called vs vnto vncleannesse but vnto holines It is the end of our redemption as Zachary sheweth that the Lord God of Israell hath visietd and redeemed his people h Luke 1 68 74 75. that we being deliuered out of the hands of our enemies should serue him without feare al the daies of our life in holines righteousnes befo rt him Seeing therefore God hath called vs with an holy calling and appointed vs to be Saintes by his decree of our election by the efficacy of our calling by the vertue of our Iustification and by the power of our redemptiō it followeth that all the faithfull may worthily
stirreth vp the people h Psal 122 6. and 51 9. to pray for the peace of Ierusalem and that dutie which he requireth of others he daily practiseth himself praying vnto GOD to bee fauourable to Syon and to builde the Walles of Ierusalem according to his good pleasure Let vs examine our selues whether this affection bee found in vs and learne to testifie our Loue towards them by procuring their good and safetie When wee are in miserie our desire is to taste of the kindnesse and compassion of our Brethren Let vs bee as carefull to promote their happinesse God is readie to heare vs his eares are open vnto our Prayers so that wee plainely bewray that wee shall remaine without feeling and sence of their miserie vnlesse wee pray vnto him for them who is the God of all Mercie and the Father of all Consolation Because by thee Brother the Bowelles of the Saints are refreshed These Wordes are a reason rendered of the words going before declaring wherefore he had great ioy and consolation in his loue because the needie Members of Christ were succoured by him This tendeth to the praise of Philemon who by his Charitie and mercifull dealing toward the poore Saints did continually refresh and comfort the bowelles of them that wanted Doctrine 5. The workes of mercy are to be shewed toward the poore Saintes Wee learne from hence that the workes of mercy and compassion are to be shewed toward the poore Saintes It is our duty to be bountifull and liberall to those that are in necessity This Doctrine is proued and confirmed vnto vs by sundry commandements and examples in the word of God Heereunto commeth the charge giuen by Moses a Deut 15 7. If one of thy bretheren with thee be poore within any of thy Gates in thy Land which the Lord thy God giueth thee thou shalt not harden thy heart nor shut thine hand from thy poore brother but thou shalt open thine hand vnto him and shalt lend him sufficient for his neede which he hath Likewise Salomon saith b Eccle 11 1 2. Cast thy bread vpon the waters for after many daies thou shalt find it giue a portion to seuen and also to eight for thou knowest not what euill shall be vpon the earth Also the Apostle speaketh to the same purpose c Heb 13 16. To do good and to distribute forget not for with such sacrifices God is pleased The examples of the Children of God that haue gone before vs in the perfourmance of this duty are many both in the old and new Testament It is recorded to the perpetuall praise and commendation d 1 King 18 13. of Obadiah that he hid the Prophets of God in a Caue from the cruelty of Iesabell and sustained them with food and ministred all thinges necessary vnto them The like we see in Iob e Iob 31 16. who restrained not the poore of their desire nor caused the eyes of the Widdow to faile he saw not any perish for want of clothing nor any poore without couering his loynes blessed him because he was warmed with the fleece of his sheepe The widdow of f 1 King 17 10. Zarephath releeued Eliah in the Famine The Apostle commendeth Onesiphorus g 2 Tim 1 16. because he oft refreshed him and was not ashamed of his Chaine but when he was at Rome he sought him out very diligently and found him The Euangelist Luke in the Actes of the Apostles declareth that Tabitha h Act 9 36. 39 and 10 2. was full of good workes and almes which she did for she made many Coates and Garments to couer the Saintes Cornelius is reported to be a deuout man and one that feared God with al his houshold which gaue much almes to the people and praysed God continually All these Testimonies of holy Scripture teach vs that to do good to yeeld releefe and to minister comfort vnto men especially to the Saintes of God is a necessary duty belonging to all the seruants of God Reason 1. Now as we haue heard sundry commandements and examples to moue vs heereunto so diuerse reasons may be produced to confirme the same vnto vs. The wise man in the booke of Ecclesiastes is plentifull in this argument First he presseth vpon vs this duty in respect of the rich reward that shall be rendred to those that are mercifull to the poore For exhorting all men to i Eccl 11 1. cast their bread vpon the Waters that is euen where it seemeth to be lost where no hope of recompence remaineth he giueth this reason for after many daies thou shalt finde it And in the booke of the Prouerbes he saith k Prou 19 17. Mat 10 42. He that hath mercy vpon the poore lendeth vnto the Lord and the Lord will recompence him that which he hath giuen When one lendeth to an honest man he feareth no losse but hopeth to receiue againe much more may we be assured that God himselfe will restore and repay who is not as the sonnes of men that he should delude or deceiue vs. Reason 2. Secondly he moueth vs to the fruites of Charity and compassion from the consideration of the vncertainty and vanity of all things insomuch as albeit we know what is present we are ignorant of that which is to come All things in this life are mutable and vncertain 1 The life of man is vncertaine we know not how short a time we haue to liue and to exercise our liberallity Wee know not what one l Prou 27 1. day may bring forth and that one minute and moment may cut off all opportunity to shew mercy 2 It is vncertaine whether the riches which now we haue in plenty and abundance shall continue and abide with vs. The Apostle calleth Riches by this title m 1 Tim 6 17 vncertaine riches and Salomon saith n Prou 23 5. Wilt thou cast thine eyes vpon them which are nothing For Riches taketh her to her Winges as an Eagle and flyeth into the heauen Who was to be compared with Iob among all the men of the East yet suddainly he was stripped of them and made one of the poorest It is vncertaine what our estate and condition may be and to what necessity our selues may come wee may be brought to that extremity that we may stand in need of the help of others and be constrained to aske almes and begge our releefe of them when as we by the righteous iudgement of God shal find rich men so affected toward vs as others haue found vs when we had the goods of this world Lastly it is vncertaine what thy sonne and heire will prooue thou knowest not whether he will riotously wast and prodigally consume all that thou hast left which thou hast gotten with care and trauell or whether a stranger shall enter vpon thy labours and vsurpe that which is not his owne This is that reason which Salomon setteth downe in his
his kingdome The fourth reproofe Fourthly if it be a calling of such dignity it reprooueth those that run before they be sent and wait not a lawful calling from God that they discharge it afterward with peace of heart and comfort of Conscience We see manie young men make more hast then good speede in entring into the Ministery who for the most part want that iudgment staydnesse experience grauity moderation that is meet to be in men of that profession Hence it is that they are called by the name of Elders in the Scripture The Apostle thought it necessary to giue this charge to Timothy a young man though he were of rare hope and of excellent guifts u 2 Tim. 2 22. To fly the lusts of youth and to follow after righteousnesse Faith Loue and peace with all them that call on the Lord with a pure heart And in another place he saith x 1 Tim. 4 12. Let no man despise thy youth but be vnto them that beleeue an ensample in word in conuersation in Loue in Spirite in Faith in Purenesse If hee had this neede of instruction howe much more others The fift reproofe Fiftly it reproueth those that are so hand-fasted that they repine at their maintenance that labour among them How many places and Parishes are there that regard not how they be taught or whether they be taught or not so they may be well dealt withall in their Tithes that is if they might pay little or nothing to maintaine their Minister There is growne in many congregations this agreement and bargaine betweene the Pastor and the people if he will spare them in temporall things they regarde not how hee deale with them in spirituall things If they may pay little they are content hee shall preach little If they may enioy their Tithes at a low rate they are well pleased that he take his ease and teach them seldome But albeit he preach in season and out of season and do his dutie with all diligence yet they murmure and repine at his allowaunce and thinke euery thing too much that is bestowed that way The sixt reproofe Lastly it reproueth such as regard not the censures of the Church inflicted vpon euill doers The censures of the Church are made as a scar-Crow and esteemed of many as a mocke But if that power and authority were regarded in the Ministers hand that the word of God alloweth and appointeth wherby he is authorized to exercise spirituall iurisdiction in Church-matters not onely to preach but to punish not onely to teach but to correct not onely to instruct but to excommunicate then would the Office be magnified then would the Ministry be esteemed according to the institution of them Our Sauiour giuing order and direction to informe the Gouernors of the Church when scandals and offences arose among them addeth y Math. 18 18 Verily I say vnto you whatsoeaer ye binde on earth shall be bound in Heauen and whatsoeuer ye loose on earth shall be loosed in Heauen We see God promiseth to ratifie the sentence pronounced and denounced in his name The abridgement of this power is the contempt of the men and of their Ministry and the curbing cutting short of their authority doth open a gappe to all contumely and reproach of their persons and office If a Magistrate shoulde prescribe and ordaine that Law which is wholesome and profitable to the Common-wealth and haue no power at all to punish the Malefactors and misdoers that transgresse who is it that would regard the Commandement If a School-maister had authority onely to rule and to teach but were restrained to take vp the rod to correct and chastise the obstinat sluggard what Scholler would harken or giue eare to his teaching In like manner so long as the Minister is allowed only to speake the word or to threaten but stinted that he shall go no farther his Ministry will be little regarded as if a Maister should tell some of his Schollers of their shrewde trickes but were not licensed to punnish their euill doing God hath ioyned authority to the Pastors office put into his hand the discipline of the Church and the Ministers of God haue exercised executed the same according to his ordinance Hence it is that the Apostle reprouing an heinous offence amongst the Corinthians and shewing the vse of Ecclesiasticall correction saith z 2 Cor. 4 21 What will ye Shall I com vnto you with a rod or in loue and in the spirit of meekenesse Vse 2. Secondly seeing boldnesse to command vnder Christ belongeth to the office of the Minister it teacheth vs and putteth vs in minde of manie good duties as first to aske this guift of God and craue of him to indue vs with the zeale of his glory and other graces of his spirit that we may speake the word a Ephes 6 20. boldly as we ought to speake We see an example heereof in the Apostles when they heard the threatnings of the enemies of the Gospel b Acts 4 29. 5 28 29. They lift vp their voices to God with one accord and said O Lord thou art the God which hast made the heauen and the earth the sea and all things that are in them beholde their threatnings and graunt vnto thy seruants with all boldnesse to speak thy word So when the cheefe Priests said Did not we straightly commaund you that yee should not teach in his name And behold ye haue filled Ierusalem with yoar Doctrine and ye would bring this mans bloud vpon vs. Then Peter and the Apostles answerd We ought rather to obey God then mē Many men are endued with great gifts of learning and knowledge but they want the tongue of the Learned to minister a worde in season they want zeale and vtteraunce to deliuer the word of God to the people Let euery one therefore seeke to fit and furnish himselfe to this calling and in Christ Iesus be bold to do this dutie This the Prophet saith c Esay 58 1. Crie alowd spare not lift vp thy voice like a Trumpet and shew my people their transgression and the house of Iacob their sinnes This reproueth those that haue the worde in respect of persons who dare not do their duties and are afraid of mens faces They would be counted the Embassadors of God but they are affraide to do their Maisters message Let such learne of Iohn Baptist who shrunke not backe but was bold to tell Herod that it was not lawfull for him to take his Brothers Wife Wee must not bee Dastards and faint-hearted souldiers to fight the Lords battels but first be sure we haue a good warrant out of the word and then go boldly into the fielde and feare not to looke the enemy in the face True it is if wee haue not our Commission signed and sealed vnto vs wee haue iust cause to feare we speake in our owne names and not in the name
which requireth his ordinary presence Fourthly it is against the order of Nature the rule of reason and the law of Iustice to take wages for that worke which he doth not performe and to eate where he doth not labour It is a great wrong and iniury done to those that labour in feeding the Flocke to bee denyed to eate of the Milke of the Flocke to do the seruice and another to receiue the reward to take the Corne and to giue others the Straw to sow spirituall things and to be depriued of temporall thinges to beare the burden and to endure the heate of the day and other to come and take away the penny and price for which they couenanted It is a kind of theft to eate without labour and to feed themselues without taking paines Fiftly the danger is very great that groweth both to the Pastors and people by this sin of absence and want of attendance For if any of the Soules which belong vnto their charge doe perrish through their negligence and starue through want of foode they shall be arraigned as guilty of their death and destruction The Prophet Ezekell setteth downe the threatning of God z Ezek. 33 8. When I shall say vnto the wicked O wicked man thou shalt dye the death if thou dost not speake and admonish the wicked of his way that wicked man shall dye for his iniquity but his blood will I require at thine hand Heereunto accordeth the saying of Christ a Math. 15 14 If the Blind lead the Blind both shall fall into the Ditch The losse of the b Ierom. epist ad Furiam flocke is the reproach of the Shepheard and the peoples destruction shall be the Pastors confusion And when the Pastor is absent the people wil soone decline from zeale to coldnesse fall from vertue to vice turne from the worship of God to Idolatry reuolt from the workes of piety to damnable security Let a man with-hold his hand and cease from sowing good seede or vnder-sow his ground by sparing his Corne Thistles and Weedes will spring vp in stead thereof Let a man haue food withdrawne from him and abstaine from nourishment that feedeth the body he shall be filled with winde and fall into weaknesse When Moses was absent from the Children of Istaell but forty daies while he was talking with God in the Mountain c Exod. 32 1. they committed horrible Idolatry and turned the glory of God into the similitude of a Calfe that eateth hay Iehoash the King of Iudah d 2 King 12 2 3. 2 Chro. 24 17 did that which was good in the sight of the Lord all his time that Iehoiada the Priest was with him and taught him but after his death both King and Princes people left the house of the Lorde God of their Fathers and erected Groues and serued Idols so that wrath came vpon them because of this their trespasse This also experience taught the Apostle in the Church of the Galathians while he was present e Gal. 4 18 20. they kept the Faith they turned neither to the right hand nor to the left they did cleaue to the Doctrine of Christs Gospell but when he was gone the false Apostles entred and tooke occasion by his absence to sow Tares among the Wheat and to corrupt the truth with Leauen of false Doctrine When the Shepheard is gone the Wolues may safely enter into the Sheepefold not sparing the Flocke When the Watch-man is gone or fallen asleepe the Enemy may enter and sacke the Citty When the Husbandman that sowed good seede in his fielde is departed f Math. 13 25 the enuious man came and sowed Cockle and Darnell among the Corne. While the people haue the presence and residence of their faithfull Pastor to feede them and to goe in and out before them both in Doctrin and example yet such is the weaknesse of Flesh the corruption of Nature the strength of sin the subtilty of the Enemy the vanity of the world the vnconstancy of humane thinges that they are ready to fall and to giue ouer albeit I say that he be with thē and conuersant among them and remain in the midst of them If then much euill be done while the Ouer-seers are present much more will be committed while they are absent while there is none to stay them while the Bridle is cast in their owne neckes Thus Moses proueth that the people would corrupt themselues and turn from the right way after his death because they had beene rebellious and stiffe-necked he being aliue Deut. 31 27 29. I g Deut. 33. know thy rebellion and thy stiffe-necke behold I being yet aliue with you this day ye are rebellious against the Lord how much more then after my death Sixtly the necessity of hauing the presence of the Pastour continually to call vpon the people appeareth heerein because the danger of the Wolfe is continuall and therefore the vse of the Shepheard is continuall The Apostle telleth the Elders of Ephesus h Acts 20 29. That he knoweth this that aftcr his departing grieuous Wolues would enter in among them not sparing the Flocke Besides Sathan is busie in tempting subtile in vndermining crafty in deceiuing malicious in spoyling and cruell in destroying he compasseth the earth too and and fro and walketh vp and downe in it Now the more diligent the spirituall enemy is the more violent and watchfull ought the Pastour to be If the good man of the House knew at what houre the Theefe would come to rob and to steale doubtlesse he would watch and not suffer his house to bee broken downe Hence it is that Peter saith Be sober and watch i 1 Pet. 5 8 for your aduersary the Deuill as a roaring Lyon walketh about seeking whom he may deuour And surely this is the cause that in some places the people are defiled with all abhominations in other places they are peruerted and seduced by Iesuits and Seminary Priests and in all places grow cold and carelesse in Religion because they want meanes to guide them and stay them in the right way they haue not zealous Pastours to stirre them vp to godlinesse and to driue away the Wolfe farre from them Seuenthly it is of euill report a note of couetousnesse or euill suspicion of it and giueth great offence to the Church of God For where there is an vnnecessary absence of the Minister from his cure and charge hee giueth occasion to suspect that he rather desireth to feed vpon them then to feed them to seeke theirs then them to prey vppon them then to pray with them to possesse their goods then to win their Soules We are commanded to abstaine from all appearance of euill And the Apostle approoueth his Ministery to the consciences of the Corinthians by this k 2 Cor. 12 14 That hee sought not theirs but them Eightly the inconuenience is great that commeth by this absence it is the cause of a Vagrant
case of those that are without the preaching of the word they liue in blindnesse darknesse they walke in places of continuall danger and yet cannot see their way they liue without the ordinarie meanes of life and saluation and so without hope to come to repentance without which there can be no saluation This is the estate of Iewes of Turkes and Infidels that are depriued of the comfortable vse of the word and they that liue in corners where the sound thereof is not heard These want the bread of life and therfore must needs starue perish They haue not the words c Iohn 6 68. Rom. 1 16. of eternal life which are the power of God to saluation therfore are neer to destruction For it is the maner of gods dealing d August de bono perseuer to deny vnto men the meanes whereby they should beleeue when hee hath no purpose that they should beleeue he withdrawes from them the instrument whereby they should be conuerted when he doth not purpose and intend their conuersion It was a fearfull cursse when God said to his Apostles e Math. 10 5. Acts 16 6 7. Go not into the way of the Gentiles and into the Citty of the Samaritans enter ye not Likewise when they had gone through Phrygia and the Region of Galatia they were forbidden by the Holy-Ghost to preach the worde in Asia then came they to Mysia and sought to go into Bithynia but the spirit suffered them not So when God vouchsafeth not this mercie vnto vs to wit the Ministry of his word it is a fearefull signe of his heauy indignation and as much in effect as if the Lord should say I will not haue them conuerted I haue no purpose to bring them to saluation This is it which is spoken concerning Israell by the Prophet f 2 Chr. 15 3. Now for a long season Israell hath beene without the true God and without a Priest to teach and without Law And to the same purpose Amos speaketh g Amos 8 11 12 13. Behold the daies come saith the Lord God that I will send a famine in the Land not a famine for Bread nor a thirst for water but of hearing the word of the Lorde and they shall wander from Sea to Sea and from the North euen vnto the East shall they runue too and fro to seeke the word of the Lord and shall not finde it in that day shall the young Virgins and the young men perrish for thirst O that we could consider of these things and lay before our eyes what daunger it is to want the preaching of the word that thereby we might be moued to pitty the desolations of so many of our poore Brethren and to feare the taking of it away for our vnthankfulnesse from our selues and to magnifie the vnspeakeable mercy of God toward vs while we do enioy it Great are the plagues and horrible are the ruines of the Church in many places Oh that we had harts to mourn for it and to pray to the Lord of the haruest to thrust forth Labourers into his haruest Secondly it teacheth the fearfull condition of such as contemne this ordinance of God and thinke it too base for them to seeke saluation by it It is very strange that so plaine a point as this should be so proudly gainsayed and resisted These carnall men will not giue the Lord of heauen leaue to apoint how and by what meanes he will saue vs. Shall flesh and blood presume thus farre and aduance it selfe against his Creator If we will be saued wee must seeke saluation as it is left vs to seeke and not after our owne fansie When God hath saide Giue attendance to my word wilt thou answere I will not attend and yet haue saluation as well as if thou diddest attend Take heede thou do not deceiue thy selfe and thine owne soule and in the end finde thy selfe frustrate of thy saluation How men will shift off these duties I knowe not because I know not their hearts but this I know and this I would haue them know and vnderstand that as there is a God that will bee worshipped after his owne will and not according to our naturall wit so this must bee our wisedome to submit our conceites and immaginations to his heauenlie pleasure It is the first point in Christian Religion to be learned to account thy selfe a Foole that thou mayest bee wise in Christ and to throwe downe all thy Naturall parts at his feete that thou mayest seeke true and Heauenlie Wisedome of him Thou must account thy selfe starke blinde and able to perceiue nothing aright in the matters of God and in the meanes of thy saluation to the end thou mayest recouer sight and see thy way wherein in thou oughtest to walke Hence it is that the Prophet sayth h Psal 119 18 27 34. Open mine eyes that I may see the wonders of thy Lawe Make mee to vnderstand the way of thy Precepts and I will meditate in thy wonderous workes Giue mee vnderstanding and I will keepe thy Law yea I will keepe it with my whole hart Where hee acknowledgeth his eyes to be closed his eares to be stopped his minde to be darkened his heart to be hardned by nature before Grace and Mercie come and make the way plaine before him wherby our eyes shall be opened out eares boared our mindes enlightned our hearts softened and our selues prepared to hearken to the voyce of God speaking vnto vs. Obiection But is not God able to saue vs without the Ministers preaching and the peoples hearing Are not all thinges possible to him Is hee bound and tyed to his owne meanes Is not he free to worke as it pleaseth him Answere I answer he is not tyed he is free hee is able to saue without preaching yea without reading without the Sacraments without Prayer Wilt thou from hence conclude against reading of the Scriptures against receiuing of the Sacraments against ioyning in Prayer The question is not of the power of God but of his will not what he is able to do but what he hath promised vs to do not what he is tyed to but what he hath bound vs to seek He is able to preserue our life without Bread without foode but he that presumeth vpon this power and abuseth his prouidence and neglecteth to seek his nourishment at his hands must look to perish So we deny not but God is able to saue vs without preaching but he hath not made vs any promise to obtain life any otherwise then as we seeke the Law at the mouths of his Ministers that bring glad tydings of good things He was able to preserue his three seruants in the hot fierie furnace and did preserue them yet hee that will voluntarily and violently cast himselfe into the fire shall feele the smart of his own folly and the danger of tempting God Let vs not therfore thinke our selues wiser then God least our
were added to the Church they continued in the Doctrine of the Apostles in the fellowship of the faithfull in the singlenesse of heart in the breaking of Bread in the communication of goods in the praising of God in the selling of their possessions and in the distribution of them to all men as euery one had neede The like we see in Zaccheus he was at the first a Publican a cheefe receiuer of the tribute and a cheefe deceiuer of the people he had robbed many by false accusations h Luke 19 2 7 8. so that he was growne rich and by his Riches into reproach and hatred but when Christ had reueiled himselfe vnto him he stood forth and saide vnto the Lord Behold Lord halfe my goods I giue vnto the poore and if I haue taken from any man by forged cauillation I restore him fourefold This is a great worke of God that he worketh at our conuersion which the i 1 Cor. 6 10 11. Apostle speaketh off 1. Corin. 6 10 11. Be not deceiued neither Fornicatours nor Idolatours nor Adulterers nor Wantons nor Buggerers nor Theeues nor Couetous nor Drunkards shall inherit the Kingdome of GOD and such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are iustified in the Name of the Lord Iesus and by the Spirit of our GOD. All these Testimonies and examples teach vs that where is a right conuersion of the heart there is also a true alteration of the life and where there is an embracing of the true Christian Religion there is a change of our conuersation Reason 1. The Reasons of this Doctrine are euident and shine as cleerely as the Sunne at Noone-day For first if we consider our naturall estate and condition what we are before our conuersion wee shall easily be brought to acknowledge both where and what and whence the change is For naturallie we hate the truth and the professours of the truth k Ro. 1 29 10 2 Tim. 3 2 3 4 Beeing full of all vnrighteousnesse Fornication wickednesse couetousnesse maliciousnesse full of Enuy of Murther of Debate of deceit taking all thinges in the euill part Whisperers Backe-biters Haters of GOD Doers of wrong proud Boasters Inuenters of euill thinges disobedient to Parents without vnderstanding Couenant-breakers without naturall affection such as can neuer be appeased mercilesse Louers of themselues curssed speakers vnthankefull vnholy false accusers intemperate fierce no louers at all of them which are good Traytors heady high-minded louers of pleasures more then louers of God hauing a shew of godlinesse but haue denyed the power thereof Behold heere a Glasse to behold our selues in a perfect Glasse to looke vpon that we may see our selues and know our selues what we are And albeit all these sinnes doe not actually breake out of vs yet they are all originallie bred in vs and albeit the fruit of them doe not appeare outwardly yet the very Spawne and Seede of them remaineth inwardly and albeit we doe not feele the Branches yet we haue cause to feare the bitter Rootes and Remnants and Reliques of them that are deepely setled in the Garden and Ground of our hearts Seeing therefore our Nature is thus corrupt and we so farre alienated and estranged one from another we cannot be healthfull or profitable to any of Gods people and Children Our Sauiour teacheth l Iohn 15 19. and 10 2. That the Men of this World should alwaies hate his Seruants and be vnto to them as Wolues to the Lambs yea that the time should come that they which kill them should thinke they did God good seruice This is it which the Apostle speaketh and confesseth as well of himselfe as of others m Tit. 3 3 4. We our selues also were in times past vnwise disobedient deceiued seruing the lustes and diuerse pleasures liuing in maliciousnesse and enuy hatefull and hating one another vntill the bountifulnesse and loue of GOD our Sauiour appeared who according to his mercy saued vs by the washing of the Newe-birth and renewing of the Holie-Ghost This is our naturall condition before wee haue freedome from this thraldome and deliuerance out of this misery which we bring with vs and vpon vs. Reason 2. Secondly when men are truely conuerted they will make conscience of hurting they will abstaine from wronges and iniuries they will be ready to doe good to others to profit others to walke in all the duties of their callinges and to keepe a good conscience toware God and man This appeareth in the Prophet Esay Chapter 65. where this Doctrine hath his confirmation when he hath saide n Esay 65 25. Actes 24 16. That the Wolfe and the Lambe shall feede together and the Lyon shall eate Straw like the Bullocke and to the Serpent Dust shall be his Meate Hee addeth They shall no more hurt nor destroy in all mine holy Mountaine saith the Lord. The Apostle saith Actes 24 16. I endeuour my selfe to haue alwayes a cleere conscience toward God and toward men Christ Iesus himselfe saith o Iohn 4 34. My meate is that I may doe the will of him that sent me and finish his worke So it is and will be meate and drinke to euery one of vs if we belong vnto him to doe good vnto all Men yea euen our Enemies and Persecutours as appeareth in the example of Stephen who prayed for his vtter Enemies that hated him with deadly hatred and stoned him to death and in the example of Ioseph when his Brethren feared reuenge and to be rewarded euill for euill according to their deserts he said Feare not for am not I vnder God Thus hee comforted them and spake kindelie vnto them Reason 3. Thirdly true conuersion worketh in vs the loue of God and men and so maketh vs fruitfull in all good workes it suffereth vs not to bee barren and vnfruitfull and it subdueth the rage and corruption of our sinfull Nature For such as performe not their duties to God in the seuerall partes of his worshippe nor abstaine from violence toward men whom they ought to loue as their Bretheren doe make it plaine and manifest that they were neuer rightly conuerted Such as are rightly conuerted are truely sanctified and therefore that is a false conuersion where there is want of sanctification When the Prophet hath sore-shewed the wonderfull change and alteration that the Gospell of Christ should make he maketh this the cause p Esay 11 9. For the Earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the Waters that couer the Sea We saw and shewed this before in the example of Paule we cannot doubt but he was before his conuersion as a roaring Lyon and as a raging Wolfe against the poore Lambes of Christ but being made a Christian and called to the knowledge of the truth from Heauen he couched down quietly with them so that we may truely say with the Prophet That the wolfe did dwell the Lambe the Leopard did lie
the knowledge of the Gospell the name of God and his Doctrine is blasphemed and euill spoken of Likewise speaking of beleeuing Wiues that haue vnbeleeuing Husbands he putteth them in minde of subiection to the end that by their holy conuersion they may winne their husbandes to embrace true Religion To this purpose the Apostle Paul teacheth seruants to be obedient to them that are their Maisters according to the flesh and chargeth them z Col. 3 22 23 that whatsoeuer they do they do it heartily as to the Lord and not to men Seeing therefore that God is the authour of order not of confusion seeing Christ came not to abolish but to establish the Lawe and lastly seeing the Gospell teacheth subiection and doth not release or acquite any of their duty it followeth that the gospel doth not bring in parity and equality among al the Mother of al mischiefe but discerneth and distinguisheth of the Callings of men it doth not giue liberty to peruert all order it maketh not Seruants to be Maisters and Maisters to be seruants but directeth euery one to keepe his place and to abide in his vocation Vse 1. Seeing this is the honor commendation of the gospel let vs see what Vses arise from the knoledge of this point First of al we conclude from hence necessarily that it hath alwaies bin a lying deuise and diuellish slander to Christian religion to be the author and fauorer of carnal liberty and to Christian professors to be enemies to states and commonwealths to magistrats lawes ciuil ordinances This hath alwaies bin the accusation of slāderous tongs to brand the Gospell as the breeder and bringer in of all vprores and conspiracies yet there is no Doctrine vnder the Heauen that lesse deserueth to bee defamed For the Gospell was a friend to Princes when Princes were enemies to the Gospell it teacheth to be subiect vnto them to pray to God for them to obey all their godly constitutions and therefore it is the Father of lies and enemy of al truth that hath sought to disgrace discredit the holy truth of God and such as in truth do embrace it Hee seeth and perceiueth that if the Gospel stand his kingdome must fal if the Gospel florish his kingdome must decay Hence it is that the church people of God haue in al ages and times of the world bin accused of rebellions treasons seditions insurrections many other greeuous impieties Heerof the scripture experience affoord plentiful examples In the book of Ezra the enemies accuse the guiltles Iewes z Ezra 4 15. 1 King 18 17. Ester 3 6. to be a rebellious people that they haue of old bin alwaies giuen to sedition Ahab burdeneth Elias that it was he his fathers house that trobled Israel Haman suggesteth vnto the king against the Iewes that their lawes were diuers from al people that they did not obserue the kings lawes and therfore it was not for the kings profit to suffer them The Apostles are accused to be authors of sedition troublers of cities raisers of tumults causers of rebellion breakers of lawes and teachers of ordinances not lawful to receiue they said of them b Acts 16 19 20. and 24 5. These men that are Iewes trouble our City they preach ordinances which are not lawful for vs to receiue neither to obserue seeing we are Romans Where we see they couer their couetousnesse with a shadowe pretence of standing against innouation but they discouer the hollownesse hypocrisie of their harts when they ioyn trobling of the state and preaching of the gospell together Whereby it appeareth that their troubling of the city was nothing els but because they preached the word which the deuill his instruments could not beare and abide Paule is accused by Tertullus to be a pestilent fellow and a moouer of sedition among all the Iewes thoroughout the world and that he taught al men euery where against the law of Moses And no maruel for thus they dealt with the son of God when he taught the truth without mixture of error and without respect of person he was accounted accused not onely to be a Sorcerer a Samaritan a Drunkard a glutton a deceiuer a deuil c Luke 23 2. but an enemy to Caesar and a troubler of the publick peace Now al these things being considered let vs remember what the Lord Iesus sayth to vs d Iohn 15 20. The seruant is not greater then his maister if they haue persecuted me they will also persecute you The heathē after Christs time cried out against the christians that they were the authors and causes of al publick plagues calamities that fel vpon kingdoms countries If Nilus flowed not ouer the fields if the heauen stayed if the earth quaked if famine encreased if the pestilence continued by and by the poor Christians as the sheep of Christ were cast vnto the lyons They charged them to make priuy conspiracies e Euseb lib. 5. cap. 11. Tertulli in Apologel Cyprian contra Demetrian to deuise secret counsels against the commonwealth to murther children to feed themselues with mans flesh and to practise all Iniquity they were so blinded that they could not perceiue that their Idolatries brought Gods iudgments Thus we see how the church hath lien open to all false surmises and suggestions of sedition But what can be immagined more vniust or vetrue If there be any peace in this world in any lande it is for the Gospels sake and it commeth through the bountifulnesse of God for his peoples sake that call vppon him Neuerthelesse as the Gentiles dealt with the Iewes and Christians from time to time so doe the wicked in these dayes with the godly they lay to their charge that they keep no lawes that they disobey Princes that they are seditious and tumultuous and enemies to the State If we see or heare the Saints of God thus handled and euilly intreated we must know that this is an olde deuise of the deuill practised against the Prophets against Christ against the Apostles and against all true Christians euen from the beginning And let this serue to comfort vs when wee finde such slaunderous imputations and accusations layde to our charge considering that thus they haue reuiled and railed vppon the Seruants of GOD that haue beene before vs in all times and that wee haue Christ Iesus the witnesse of our innocency who if not in this life yet in the life to come will reueale the thinges that are hidden in darknesse and bring to light the things that are couered In the mean season we must remember f Math. 5 11. that they are pronounced blessed that are reuiled and persecuted for righteousnesse sake and wee must labour to conuince them not so much by words as by deeds g Demosth de corona answearing the falshood of their slanders by the vprightnesse of our liues which shal be able to speak
faces from the faithfull as the Priest and Leuite did in the Gospell but be ready to helpe as God giueth ability and offereth opportunity Nay it is not enough for vs to succor such religious Saints as we see want succour but we must learne and labour to know the state of the Church and aske of others howe it fareth with the godly poore among vs. The children of God haue gone before vs in the doing of this dutie It is noted of Abraham the Father of the faithfull that he waited not till the strangers craued entertainment at his hands but he ran to meete them from the Tent doore and prayed them to take some refreshing at his hands z Ge. 18 19 Heb. 13 2. whereby he receiued Angels into his house at vnawares If we beleeue him to be the Father of the faithfull as the Scripture calleth him that we would be accounted as his children wee must be carefull to doo the workes of Abraham They are not children that tread not in his steps and follow not his example The like we might say of Lot who sat at the gate of Sodom and rose vp to meete the men and prayed them to turne into their seruants house and to lodge with him all night The holy man Iob iustifieth his innocency cleareth himselfe from Hypocrisie a Iob. 31 32 That he suffered not the stranger to lodge in the street but opened his doores vnto him that went by the way Nehemiah was carefull to know the state of the Church b Nehem. 1 2. and asked his brethren that came from Ierusalem concerning the Iewes that were deliuered which were of the residue of the captiuity by whom he heard that they liued in great affliction in reproach that the Citty was broken downe and the gates thereof burnt with fire So the Shunamite hauing prepared a Chamber for Elisha to lodge him and set therein a bed and a Table a Stoole and a Candlesticke constrained him to come into her house to eate bread We see how Lazarus and his two Sisters Martha and Mary receiued the Lord Iesus to house c Luke 10 38. Iohn 11 3. ministred vnto him They fed him and hee fed them they gaue him the meate that perisheth but he gaue them the bread of life and the meate that endureth for euer Likewise the Euangelist Luke noteth in the Acts of the Apostles that when the heart of Lydia was opened to attend to the thinges that Paule deliuered she besought them saying d Acts 16 15. If ye iudged me to be faithfull to the Lord come into my house and abide there and she constrained them These are worthy examples of faithfull men and women that teach vs by their owne practise what maner of seruice is due to the Saints not onely to helpe those whose miserie we know but to enquire of them whose state we do not know This indeed is pure and perfect loue when we do to our brethren as we desire they shold deale toward vs. The Wise-man would haue euery one e Prou. 27 23 to bee diligent to know the state of his flocke much more it is required of vs to enquire the state of Gods flocke which is his Church that hee hath redeemed with his precious blood It is not therefore enough for vs to say wee knew not their wants seeing all those are wilfully ignoraunt that haue the meanes to come knowledge and yet will not vse the meanes We may oftentimes know the necessities of the Saints but we will not enquire of them because we wil not know them This shal not excuse vs in the sight of God but accuse the more because our ignorance is affected ignorance inasmuch as we might knowe and yet we do not desire to know Verse 14. But without thy minde would I do nothing that thy benefit should not be as it were of necessitie but willingly We haue seene already the reason why Paul was desirous to haue retained Onesimus with him to wit that hee might haue ministred vnto him and serued him in his afflictions that did befall him for the Gospels sake Now he declareth the reason why without the knowledge and consent of Philemon he would not detaine him to the end that the dutie or good turne which he might that way receiue at his handes might be done freely willingly and chearefully not by constraint and compulsion Doctrine 2. All Christian duties done to God or man must be done willingly and cheerefully Heereby we learne that all Christian duties doone to God or man must be done with a free willing chearefull and hearty affection This is it which the Lord requireth Deut. 6. Heare ô Israell the Lord our God is Lorde onely And thou shalt loue the Lord thy God f Deut. 6 5. Math. 22 37. with all thine hart and with all thy soule and with all thy might So the Prophet Dauid g Psa 119 108 prayeth O Lord I beseech thee accept the free offerings of my mouth and teach me thy iudgments No other Sacrifices please God but such as are free and voluntary all things must bee done in loue with a ready minde The Apostle teacheth that h Rom. 12 8. Hee that distributeth must do it with simplicity he that ruleth with diligence he that sheweth mercie with chearefulnesse This also was figured out vnto vs in the shadowes and Ceremonies of the Law when the people were commaunded to offer a male without blemish presenting him i Leuitic 1 3. of his owne voluntarily vvill at the doore of the Tabernacle of the congregation before the Lorde declaring thereby that our seruing of him must not be grudgingly but wee must performe it frankly and freely and with a willing minde The Apostle moouing the Corinthians to bountifulnesse toward the poor Saints at Ierusalem teacheth them that they must offer a free will offring k 2 Cor 8 19 I sent the brother whose praise is in the Gospell which seemeth to bee l Acts 13 2. Barnabas who is also chosen of the Churches to be a fellow in our iourney concerning this grace which is ministred by vs vnto the glory of the same Lord and declaration of your prompt minde All these vvords of Scripture are vvitnesses of this trueth beyond all exception that God neuer liketh of constrained seruice but will haue men to doo their duties to him voluntarily as is fit to be performed of the creature toward his Creator and of the Childe tovvard his Father Reason 1. Let vs see hovv the reasons vvil make this better to appeare vnto vs that vve may haue strong proofe to put the matter out of all doubt First God loueth a cheerefull giuer a cheerefull seruant a cheerfull seruice It is the hart and the invvard affections that he accepteth regardeth vvhich is the principall part of a man and the fountaine from whence al outward actions proceed He will haue the heart or else he will
neither Iew nor Graecian there is neither Bond-man nor Free-man there is neyther Male nor Female for we are all one in Christ Iesus When God will punnish sinne and the breach of his Law he doth it without respect of persons Such as are in greatest Dignity and highest place of authority vppon the earth are subiect to sicknesses to diseases to death so that as the i Psal 82. 7. Prophet saith Ye Princes shall fall like others That which God laide in the beginning vpon mankind k Ge. 3 19 16 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eate thy Bread vntill thou return to the Earth And to the Woman he said I will greatly increase thy sorrowes and thy conceptions so that in anguish thou shalt bring forth Children What Man or what Woman can free themselues from this burthen or deliuer themselues from this punnishment We see the high subiect vnto them as well as the low the rich as well as the poore the Prince as well as the people So on the other side when God will bestow the graces of his Spirit that accompany saluation hee distributeth them according to his pleasure and respecteth not the outward person hee maketh no difference betweene Bond and Free betweene Maister and Seruant but giueth where it pleaseth him which serueth to teach patience and contentation to those that liue in lower places God looketh vpon them when he passeth many times by those that l Luke 1. are greater in the world yea he filleth them when he sendeth the other empty away Sixtly we may obserue that he ioyneth loue with Christian Brotherhood and calleth Onesimus A beloued Brother not onely a Seruant not only a brother but a Brother deare and beloued signifying therby that where a Christian calling is found there Charity and Loue is as a due debt required so that if any man be conuerted to become a true Christian indeede thereby is made our Brother who before was a Christian only in Name naked profession euen for this cause we are bound to embrace him with the greater loue Euery man in his order to be loued euen he that is no Christian if it be Turke or Infidell but whosoeuer is a right Christian not onely in title but in truth must more specially bee loued of vs and be deare vnto vs who is neerely ioyned vnto vs as a member of the same body with vs and is to be esteemed of vs not so much another man from vs m Ephe. 2 15. as one and the same man with vs. He that is out of Christ is another from vs he is diuers to vs and yet is to be loued as a man as one that beareth the Image of God Lastly obserue that the more causes there are of loue and coniunction one with another the deerer and deeper ought our loue to be There are many degrees of vniting vs together now the more there are the more degrees should there be of loue betweene vs. The coniunction betweene the Maister and the Seruant in the priuate society ought to be a cause of mutuall loue but when to this naturall respect there is added a spirituall fellowship and communion in Christ whereby the Seruant becommeth more then a Seruant euen a Brother with his Maister this requireth a farther degree of loue in them one toward the other Thus we see sundry obseruations and all very profitable offered to our considerations out of these words we cannot stand vpon them all and therefore we will onely select some of the prinpall and cheefest of them Verse 15. It may be that he therefore departed for a season that thou shouldst receiue him for euer In these words we see how he goeth about to mitigate the wrath and displeasure of Philemon by teaching him to consider that those thinges which were done peruersely and corruptly are by the direction and determination of God turned to another end For a ioyfull end and good issue in euils is as it were a remedy offered vnto vs by the hand of God to blot out offences Paule therefore admonisheth Philemon that he ought not now to be so greatly offended at the flight and running away of his Seruant because it fell out to be the cause of good not to be repented off So then he warneth that this departure of Onesimus from his Maister is not to be waied and pondered by his purpose and meaning but by the end euent which was most wholesome and profitable For by this meanes hee was brought to the Apostle and by hearing of him was instructed in the way of saluation to the end that afterward he might bee made more diligent and faithfull to his Maister Whereby we see that when he saith Therefore hee departed for a season that thou shouldst receiue him for euer It is not to be referred to the purpose and intent of Onesimus flying away who had no such thought or determination euer to come backe to his Maister againe much lesse to come backe better or a beleeuer but it hath relation to the prouidence of God disposing of his fault and flight to a good and gratious end Doctrine 1. All things euen sin it selfe are turned by the prouidence of God to the good of the elect Heereby we learne for our instruction that all things euen sinne it selfe are by the high prouidence of God turned to the good of the elect Such is the infinite wisedome and power of God that he bringeth euill to a good end We see in this place how the Apostle maketh the prouidence of God to turne the sinne of Onesimus to good and to the benefit of himselfe and many others For by running from his Maister he came to Rome by comming to Rome he lighted vpon Paule by falling into his company he heard the Gospell preached and by hearing the word he was conuerted which had not fallen out if he had not departed so that his stealing and running away turned by the goodnesse of God to his great benefit So the sinne of Adam turned to the greater gaine and glory of the elect To this purpose wee may profitably consider the vile and villainous act of Iocobs Sonnes against their Brother Ioseph n Gen. 45 5. Acts 7 13. who considereth that it was done by the maruailous prouidence of God that being sold for a Bond-slaue he might be aduanced to that honour and Dignitie whereby he might nourish both his Father and Brethren in the years of Famine therefore he said vnto them when he made himselfe knowne Be not sad neither grieued with your selues that ye sold mee hither for God did send me before you for your preseruation The like we might say of the crucifying of the Lord of Life he was deliuered into the handes of Sinners through the Treason of Iudas and other wicked and curssed Instruments for Iudas betrayed him the Iewes accused him and Pilat iudged him whereof the Apostles say Actes 4. o Act. 4 27 28 Doubtlesse against
causes to exercise his children with chastisements eyther to try them or to humble them we shal learn to submit our selues to him m Psal 39 9 to hold our peace because he hath done it and to keepe silence that we offend not against him This wil keepe vs that we do not rage against second causes that we do not mutter and murmure against God that we seeke not reuenge against our enemies We are ready in sicknes to complaine in pouerty to repine in iniuries and oppressions to retaile and returne like for like and in all troubles to be impatient and to vse vnlawfull meanes to deliuer our selues not attending the Lords leisure and the reason is because the prouidence of God is not learned of vs wee cannot depend vpon him we know not that he hath all things in his power to employ them to his glory and to vse them to our good We heard before that Ioseph was sold by his owne brethren made a seruant and slaue to the Egiptians If he had only cald to mind the vnkind vniust dealing of his vnnatural brethren could he haue retained a brotherly affection toward them Could he forgiue the wrong offered vnto him Could he haue repressed his rage and staid him selfe from reuenge and recompence to giue them according to their deedes and deserts toward him But when he lifted vp his mind to the Lord and saw how God had disposed their treachery to another purpose then they meant or imagined he forgaue them their offence hee inclined to mercy and of his owne accord did comfort his Brethren saying n Gen. 45 3 7 8. But now bee not sad neyther greeued with your selues that ye sold me hither for God did send me before you to saue you aliue in this land and to preserue you by a great deliuerance Now then you sent me not hither but God himselfe who made me a Father vnto Pharaoh Lord of all his house and Ruler throughout all the Land of Egipt So the holye man Iob if he had rested in the roberies of the Caldeans Sabeans by whom he was hurt and annoyed had by and by bin kindled with wrath and set on fire to work reuenge but because hee ascended higher and acknowledged the work of a superior hand he possessed his soul with patience comforted himselfe with this notable saying left vnto vs for our imitation o Iob. â— 21. 1 10. The lord hath giuen the Lord hath taken away as it pleaseth the Lord so is it com to passe The like we might say of Dauid when Shemei cursed him as he fled to saue his life p 2 Sam. 16 9 10 11. And Abishai the son of Zeruiah said vnto the King Why should this dead Dog curse my Lord the King Let me go now I pray thee take away his head He answered again What haue I do with you yee sons of Zeruiah For he curseth euen because the Lord hath bidden him curse Dauid Who dare then say wherfore hast thou done so Behold my son which came out of mine own bowels seeketh my life then how much more now may this son of Iemini Suffer him to curse for the Lord hath bidden him He knew that Gods prouidence would turn this to the best therfore he was ready to forgiue the wrong which this wicked man measured vnto him Thus doth the Apostle Peter speak comfortably to the people that gaue their consent to the killing and crucifying of Christ whom God raised from the dead q Acts 3 15 17 18. Now brethren I know that through ignorance ye did it as did also your Gouernors but those thinges which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his Prophets that Christ should suffer hee hath thus fulfilled Such therefore as are malicious to desire reuenge and cannot be intreated to moderate their anger neuer vnderstood the Doctrine of Gods prouidence We haue indeede many excellent reasons and notable Meditations to mooue vs to put vp wronges that are done vs and to roote out of our hearts the weede of reuenge and instead thereof to set the soueraigne plant of patience and long-suffering brought out of the Garden of God which is the Scripture that it may growe and flourish among vs. And neuer was there more need of them neuer was there lesse practise of them for nowe the manner is as one r Perk. on Gal. 5 22. truely speaketh a word and a blow a worde and a stabbe a word and a Writ Hee that hateth his Brother Å¿ 1 Iohn 3 15. Iames 1 19. is a Man-slayer for rash anger is the Fore-runner of murther and a degree and steppe to murther God is of a patient Nature and slowe to anger Christ Iesus t Math. 11 29 is meeke and lowly whose example we ought to remember that we may represse all choller and so finde rest vnto our soules for hee forgiueth more to vs then we can forgiue to others The wrath of God hangeth ouer all their heades that retaine wrath for such as will not forgiue are in danger neuer to bee forgiuen seeing we aske forgiuenesse as we our selues do forgiue It is a property of loue to suffer and beare and it is a note of iniustice to reuenge our owne quarrels for we take away the honour of God and make our selues the parties that receiue wrong the witnesses that accuse the Iudges that condemne and the Executioners that punnish which is against all Lawe of God and Man Lastly al wrongs done to vs by wicked men come by Gods prouidence to which we are to submit and subiect our selues knowing what he is able to do and what he hath promised to do toward vs euen make all things fal out for our comfort and saluation When Saule persecuted Dauid in the wildernesse and had enclosed and compassed him round ready to fall vppon him u 1 Sam. 23 27 28. there came a Messenger to Saule saying Hast thee and come for the Philistims haue inuaded the Land Wherefore Saule returned from pursuing Dauid and went against the Philistims They were the meanes of Dauids deliueraunce but they had no purpose to do him good or to deliuer him out of the hands of Saule or to free him out of trouble for their intent was wicked ambition moued them malice carried them reuenge furthered them and couetousnes resolued them to go to worke and inuade the Israelites Neuerthelesse the Lord vsed their vnlawfull act to his owne glory and ouer-ruled them to doe that which they neuer dreamed euen to be the Instruments of preseruing Dauid that was neere to death To conclude by all these things it appeareth that the Doctrine of Gods prouidence is the ground of all godlinesse but where it is denied the foundation of Religion is pulled asunder For vntil we know and consider that nothing hapneth by hap-hazard but all things are swayed by the determination of the most highest x Psal 29 3.
due debt vnto him whatsoeuer Philemon had Doctrine 5. Althogh christian religion do not take away the degrees of persons yet it maketh vs all equall in Christ From hence wee learne that wee are all of vs equall before God and our Brethren in Christ Iesus our Lord. Although Christian Religion doeth not take away the difference of persons and conditions before men but aloweth some to be high and some low some aboue and others beneath some to be Maisters and others to be Seruants yet it maketh vs alike and equal before God inasmuch as it causeth vs to be brethren in Christ This truth hath plentifull confirmation out of the books of Moses where al the Iewes of what quality and condition soeuer they were are oftentimes called brethren The poore are named the y Deut. 15 7 2 11 12. 17 20. Brethren of the rich the Debter is called the Brother of his Creditor the Seruant is Brother to the Maister the King set ouer them must not lift vp his heart aboue his Brethren This is it which Dauid confesseth in many places of the Psalmes z Psal 22. 22. and 22 8 9. I wil declare thy Name vnto my Brethren in the middest of the Congregation I will praise thee And in the 122. Psalme hee wished prosperity and would procure the good of Gods house for his Brethrens and Companions sake Where wee see that albeit he were the King of Israell and sate in the throne of glory and seat of dignity aboue them yet he refuseth not to cast himselfe into a common condition with others and to giue them the honour of his brethren This is it which the Prophets teach euery where a Ier. 31 34. They shal teach no more euery man his neighbor and euery man his Brother saying Know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least of them vnto the greatest of them saith the Lord. This is it which Christ speaketh to his Disciples b Math. 23 8. Be not ye called Rabbi for one is your Doctor euen Christ and all ye are Brethren The like precept the Apostle enioineth and the same rule he deliuereth to the Romans chap. 12 16. Be of like affection one toward another be not high-minded but make your selues equall to them of the lower sort be not wise in your selues And to the Phillippians Chap. 2 3. Let nothing be done through contention or vaine-glory but that in meekenesse of mind euerie man esteeme other better then himselfe Againe to this purpose hee writeth to the Galathians c Gal. 3 27 28 All yee that are baptized into Christ haue put on Christ there is neither Iew nor Grecian there is neither bond nor free there is neither male nor female for ye are all one in Christ Iesus All these Testimonies of the Old and New Testament do fully and euidently teach vs that howsoeuer the Gospell permitteth and prescribeth the differences and degrees of persons that some be Lords and others beare themselues as seruants yet it alloweth and maketh them to be equal in Christ to be brethren and Sisters in the common faith all members of Christ all pertakers of the same hope al heires of the same kingdome Reason 1. And what can be more plaine then this principle First it is the nature property of God to accept no mans person An high place a noble byrth a comely personage are much respected amongst men and such persons are highly aduanced and preferred But it is not so with God for in his election of vs to life in his calling of vs in his iustifying of vs in his sanctifyeng and sauing of vs he respecteth not whether we be high or low rich or poor learned or vnlearned he chooseth he calleth he iustifieth he sanctifieth he glorifieth the bond as well as the free the low as well as the high the Seruant as well as the Maister This is it which the holy man Iob setteth down d Iob 34 18 19. Wilt thou say vnto a King thou art wicked Or to Prince ye are vngodly How much lesse to him that accepteth not the rich more then the poore for they bee all the workes of his hands To this purpose the Apostle Paule speaketh e Rom. 2 9 10 11. Gal. 2 6. Act 10 34 35 Deut. 10 17. 2 Chro. 19 7. Prou. 24 13. To euery man that doth good shall be glory honour and peace to the Iew first and also to the Grecian for there is no respect of persons with God Likewise the Apostle Peter teacheth this in the Sermon that hee preached vnto the Gentiles Of a truth I perceiue that God is no accepter of persons but in euerie Nation hee that feareth him worketh righteousnesse is accepted with him Seeing then this is the Nature of God that he regardeth not the outward apearance and countenance of men we must know that he respecteth all as equall and alike Reason 2. Secondly Christ Iesus accepteth all that beleeue in him as his Bretheren and members of his body euen flesh of his flesh bone of his bones This is it which he speaketh to Mary Magdalen after his resurrection when he had appeared vnto her and manifested himself vnto her f Iohn 20 17. Go to my brethren and say vnto them I ascend vnto my Father and to your Father and to my God and to your God Where he sheweth that God is a common Father that all the godly are as brethren one to another Likewise the Apostle writeth to the Hebrewes g Heb. 2 11 12 He that sanctifieth and they that are sanstified are al of one wherefore he is not ashamed to call them Brethren saying I will declare thy name vnto my Brethren in the midst of the Church I will sing praises to thee The Lord Iesus is infinitely aboue vs h Phil. 2 6. who being in the forme of God thought it no robbery to be equall with God and we are poore wretched and miserable men yet he is ashamed of no man except we first bee ashamed of him He will deny no man he will reiect no man except wee first do deny and reiect him If then Christ do vouchsafe to account and accept vs as his bretheren we must needs acknowledge an equality and brotherly fellowshippe among all the faithfull that are in Christ Reason 3. Thirdly all the godly that are truly regenerate are adopted to the hope of the kingdome of glory and are redeemed by the blood of Christ It is not Gold or Siluer or Pearles i Psal 49 7. 1 Pet. 1 18. or the treasures that are in the world could pay a price sufficient to redeeme and ransome our soules it is the precious blood of Christ alone that must purchase our peace as of a Lambe vndefiled and without spot Now he came into the world to seeke and to saue that which was lost he came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance How meane
are the members one of another This is it which our Sauiour teacherh in the Gospell y Iohn 10 16. There shall be one sheep-fold and one Shepheard There cannot bee a neerer coniunction communion then the members of the same body haue one with another euery one seeketh the good of another and all labour after the benefit and preseruation of the whole This comparison is fitly alledged by the Apostle z 1 Cor. 12 12 As the body is one and hath many Members and all the members of the body which is one though they be many yet are but one body euen so is Christ So then seeing God is the common Creator of vs all and seeing we are made the members one of another through our coniunction and vnion with Christ we gather from both these considerations that our fellowship and communion one with another must cause and compell vs to doe all good one to another and to haue a speciall care one of another Vse 1 Let vs breefely see what profitable Vses may be concluded from hence And first if the communion that we haue one with another and the entercourse of friendship ought to moue vs to Christian duties then it followeth much more that the communion that we haue with Christ and the honour which God vouchsafeth vnto vs to account vs his Friendes should be auaileable to ioyne vs to him to teach vs to obey him to honor him to serue him to worship him and to walke in the practise of his Commandements Hence it is that Abraham performing the condicions of the Couenant that God hath required of him when he promised to be his God and the God of his Seede a 2 Chro. 20 7 Esay 41 8. Iames 2 23. is oftentimes renouned with this honourable Title to bee tearmed The Friend of God This Christ our Sauiour teacheth b Iohn 15. 14 15. and 14 15. Ye are my Friendes if ye do whatsoeuer I commaund you henceforth call I you not Seruants for the seruant knoweth not what the Maister doth but I haue called you Friendes for all thinges that I heard of my Father haue I made knowne to you No friendship is more glorious and gainefull then the frendship of God none is more constant or continuall seeing whom he loueth he loueth to the end Hereby we haue accesse vnto God as to our Friend then which what can be a greater Dignitie Now the honor is great so we must know wherein it consisteth for friendship is not an idle name without the truth of the thing The loue of God to vs is seene in his fauour toward vs in blessing of vs in taking the care of vs in pardoning our sins in adopting of vs to be his Sons and in giuing of vs eternall life Our loue toward God is to be measured by keeping his Commaundements in depending vpon him in beleeuing in him and in looking for all good things from him But if we rebell against him and forsake his lawes we cannot make any account of Gods friendship nor make our reckoning to haue him to be our friend For sin is a Make-bate Commonly we hate and detest those as the worst sort of men that raise contention among Friends But such is the nature of sinne it causest the greatest enmity where there should be the greatest amity The Prophet Esay teacheth this very euidently c Esa 59 1 2 3 The Lords hand is not shortned that it cannot saue neither is his eare heauy that it cannot heare but your iniquities haue separated betweene you and your God and your sins haue hid his face from you that he will not heare for your hands are defiled with blood and your Fingers with iniquities your lips haue spoken lies and your tongue hath murmured iniquitie They wanted many good blessings but they considered not the cause that their sinnes had made God their Enemie and caused him to depart from them If then we desire the friendship of God we must haue a desire to walke in his waies So then they are in a miserable case that haue no care to please him for they haue not God to be their friend but their aduersary We say commonly a friend in the court is as good as a penny in the pursse but to haue a friend in the highest Court of heauen and the friendship of the most high who is the â—ing of Kings is more worth and better to be esteemed then all the World beside From this ground our Sauior teacheth vs to regard his friendship aboue all to feare his wrath which if it be kindled rageth as the fire and not to stand in feare of the displeasure of men thereby to be hindred in our obedience d Luke 12 4 5 I say vnto you my friends be not afraid of them that kill the body and after that are not able to do any more but I will forewarne you whom ye shall feare feare him which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell yea I say vnto you him feare Thus it behooueth vs from the consideration of our communion one with another to ascend and rise vp to the contemplation of our fellowship with God and from the meditation of our duties to be performed to men to proceede to the practise of our duties to God Vse 2. Secondly seeing our communion is accompanied with duties of godlinesse we must be carefull to associate our selues with godlie men to whom we are most bound and from whom we may receiue the greatest benefit For seeing our fellowship one with another teacheth vs to loue and make much one of another we must delight in the company of the faithfull that so wee may heare counsell comfort regard and exhort one another All mankind are combined together in one societie but if we be brought by Gods ordinance into one Family we haue another and a neerer band to couple vs in the same yoake We must beware least we giue roome and entertainment to those that are vngodlie whereby the rest of the House may bee insected Thus the Apostle Peter exhorteth the beleeuing Iewes e Acts 20 40. Saue your selues from this froward Generation It is certaine that such as are good by vsing euill company are made euill and such as are euill are made worse Such as make no conscience of their company will make no conscience in time of any iniquitie Vse 3. Thirdly we must learne by this communion to shew the duties of compassion one to another to helpe and releeue them that want and euerie way to sustaine and succour such as are in necessitie When Iob considered that we haue one Creator and sprung all out of the Earth which as a common Mother bare vs in her Womb f Iob 31 19 20. He could not see any perish for want of clothing or any poore without couering And in another place he complaineth of them that offered great kindnesse vnto him in his prosperitie when he had no
Away from me ye wicked for I will keepe the Commandements of my God So the Apostle Peter admonisheth al those that would be deliuered from destruction m Acts 2 40. To saue themselues from a froward generation Likewise Moses Aaron exhorting the people to beware of Corah Dathan and Abiram and the Rebellious rowt of their adherents saith n Numb 16 21 24 26. Seperate your selues from among this Congregation depart from the Tents of these wicked men and touch nothing of theirs least ye perish in all their sinnes The vngodly haue their prophane meetings their drunken feasts their vnlawfull pastimes let vs not pertake with them in their euill which is the right way and the ready means to quench all holy desires and good purposes in vs as fast as the friendship of the faithfull is able to kindle them in our hearts When shall wee see wicked men striue and contend to come into the Company of the godly They account nothing so vnsauoury vnto them nothing so irkesome nothing so troublesome albeit they might bee helped and benefited by their blessed meetings How is it then that we should desire or affect the conuersation of the vngodly by whom we can no way bee furthered in any good thing but be corrupted and defiled in our wayes to the dishonour of God to the danger of our soules and to the peruerting and poysoning of others Vse 3 Lastly seeing there is a Communion and fellowship of all the blessinges of God bestowed vpon vs it is our dutie to loue one another to performe al duties of loue to the benefit of others as if we were one man This the Prophet teacheth o Ier. 32 38 39 They shall be my people and I will bee their God and I will giue them one heart and one way that they may feare me for euer for the wealth of them and of their Children after thē So the Apostle p 1 Pet. 2 17 3. 8 4 8. 5 5. Peter chargeth vs to loue brotherly fellowship saying Be of one mind one suffer with another loue as Brethren be pittifull be courteous submit your selues one to another render not euill for euill neither rebuke for rebuke but contrariwise blesse knowing that yee are thereunto called that ye should be heires of blessing Whereby it appeareth that there are many duties as it were branches of this loue as wee see Rom. 12 9 10 13. where many particulars of this vnfaigned and feruent loue are expressed and we are admonished as members of one body to prouide one for another We are bound to employ our gifts not only to our own benefit but to the benefit of the whole body as the eye seeth not for it self alone the hand worketh for all the parts the foot walketh for euery member So if we be true and faithfull Christians we ought to carry this minde to be ready to do seruice one to another If we haue knoledge it is our duty to teach others if we haue wisedome it is our duty to counsell and direct others if we haue the guift of exhortation we are to disswade from Vice to perswade to Vertue and to stirre vp others to good things If we haue riches and outward blessings we must giue chearefully not onely of our superfluity but of our penury and necessity if neede so require We haue al receiued som gifts none is an empty vessell without liquor or a dead tree without fruite God to make men without excuse hath bestowed somewhat vpon all q Math. 25. 1 Pet. 4 10. Some haue receiued fiue Talents some two Talents and some one Talent Let euery man as he hath receiued the guift minister the same one to another as good disposers of the manifold grace of God We are ioyned together in a spirituall society and haue great neede one of another as the hand cannot say to the foot I haue no neede of thee so no man can say to any of his Bretheren I haue no neede of you The rich cannot liue without the poore and contrariwise the poore cannot continue without the rich As it is the duty of such as are poore to labour in their callings it is the dutie of the rich to releeue them not to despise them to comfort them not to contemne them to help them not to disgrace them These practises of loue are a Christian mans badge declaring euidently what Maister he serueth to whom he belongeth We must shew our selues ready to ride and runne to vse our Friends and pursse for the good of others Hence it is that the Apostle commendeth in the Church of the Thessalonians not onely their loue r 1 Thess 1 3. but their labour of loue performed with all carefulnesse and cheerefulnesse Our loue therefore must not be idle but diligent not standing in word but in worke not in profession but in action Moreouer we must by all good meanes procure the good one of another and beare the reproofe of a friend that seeketh to set our sinnes before vs and to bring vs into the right way This is it which the Apostle signifieth to the Galathians ſ Gal. 4 12. Be you as I for I am euen as you I beseech you Brethren ye haue not hurt me at all Whereby he meaneth that albeit he was compelled to vse sharpe reproofes as it were eating Corasiues and strong Purgations that thereby he might stirre them vppe to repentance and shew them from whence they were fallen yet his minde was not changed toward them nor his loue turned into hatred as if he should say Think not that my conuincing of your errors and reprouing of your back-sliding from the sincerity of the Gospel proceedeth from any mallice toward you for I am the same man I was and therefore looke that your minds be not estrange from me for I doe tender you euen as mine owne selfe Seeing therefore a mans friend is all one with himselfe one is bound to seeke the good of another and to beare the reproofes of things amisse with all patience Lastly let our cōmunion worke in vs a liuely feeling as well of the prosperous estate as of the hard condition of our Brethren eyther to reioyce with them or to lament with them as occasion is offered This is the exhortation of the Apostle to the Romans Chapt. 12. when he hath stirred them vp to loue without dissimulation to seruice without slothfulnesse to humility without disdaine to patience without reuenge to blesse without curssing to distribute without grudging to pray without fainting he saith t Ro. 12 15 16 Reioyce with them that reioyce and weepe with them that weepe be of like affection one toward another This teacheth vs that all the godly ought to haue as it were the same will and wish u Phil. 3 16. they ought to thinke the same thinges to speake the same thinges to further the same thinges one in another The profits and disprofits of our
which he possessed was his owne but they had all thinges common But from hence wee may rightly gather that euerie man had speciall interest in his owne goods For if they had possessed nothing as their owne and that the communitie among them had destroyed the property that rested and remained with theÌ„ what is this that he saith any thing of that which he possessed was his owne Whereby we see that as yet they continued owners and possessours of their goods as they did before but they so possessed them that they were content to imploy them no lesse to the vse of others then to the benefit of themselues according to the precept of the Apostle o 1 Cor. 7 30 31. That they which buy be as though they possessed not and they that vse this World be as though they vsed it not because the fashion of this world goeth away Obiection 3. But be it that the Apostles had instituted such a communion as these imagine in this Church at Ierusalem and let vs graunt that among them there was no distinction or propertie retained Answere yet it cannot be proued that the same was required of all Christians or that it was vnlawfull for them to keepe that portion of earthly blessing befallen vnto them We heard before what Peter said to Annanias p Actes 5 3 4. Why hath Sathan filled thy heart that thou shouldst lie vnto the Holy-Ghost and keepe away part of the price of the possession Whilst it remained appertained it not vnto thee And after it was solde was it not in thine owne power How is it that thou hast conceiued this thing in thine hart Thou hast not lied vnto men but vnto God How could Peter speake this or with what warrant could he deliuer it if all Christians had beene enioyned to sell their possessions and to renounce their Title and interest in them to liue in common one with another Doth he not say that the possession might haue beene kept and vnsold And when State was deliuered doth he not affirme that the Money that he had receiued was in his owne power Obiection If any aske wherefore then is he so sharpely reprooued and seuerely punished Answere I answere because he supposed he could deceiue the Holy Ghost and so kept backe a part of the price and yet pretended to bring the whole summe vnto the Apostles His sinne therefore was lying fraud and deceit So then the Anabaptists are plainely conuinced and a lawfull propriety of goods is established This we read farther in other places of this Booke that the Christians held the possession of their houses and goods as their owne There was a certaine Woman a Disciple q Actes 9 36. named Tabitha she was ful of good works and Almes which she did and made many Coates and Garments which she gaue to the poore In the next Chapter among many Christian vertues Cornelius the Captaine is commended to r Actes 10 2. Be a deuout man and one that feared God withall his Houshold which gaue much Almes to the people and praised God continually In the eleauenth Chapter we see that after Agabus had signified by the Spirit that there should be a great Famine throughout all the World Å¿ Acts 11 29. The Disciples euery Man according to his ability purposed to send succour vnto the Brethren which dwelt in Iudea Marke heere that he saith Euery man according to his ability for what ability could any haue if no man did hold any thing as his owne Or what difference could there be betweene one another In like manner we heard before t Acts 11 12. of the house of Mary the Mother of Iohn where many were assembled and we read of the house of u Actes 9 43. and 10 6. Simon the Tanner where Peter lodged and continued for the space of many daies he was a true Christian and yet he kept his house after his conuersion to the Faith of the Gospell In the 16. Chapter Lydia a seller of Purple hauing her heart opened and being baptized saide u Actes 16 15. If ye haue iudged me to be faithfull to the Lord come into mine House and abide there and she constrained them She doth not say Sell my House but enter into my House which she so possessed as that she communicated it also to the Apostles In the twentith Chapter the Apostle Paule doth glorie before the Elders of Ephesus saying x Actes 20 33 I haue coueted no Mans Siluer nor Gold nor Apparrell What reason can be rendred of this saying if no Christian might lawfully retaine the possession and proprietie of Gold or Siluer In the 21. Chapter it is said that y Actes 21 8. Paule and they that were with him entred into the House of Phillip the Euangelist whtch was one of the seauen Deacons and abode with him If nothing ought in priuate to be possessed why had he not sold his house How dareth he retaine and reserue any thing to himselfe Wherefore is he not reprooued of the Apostle and the rest of the Brethren for breaking the supposed ordinance that they had planted and appointed in all Churches But of this z Vpon Num. 21 21. I haue spoken else-where a Muscul vpon Math. Chap. 6. and others discusse and dispute this point at large shewing that God hath setled this order to be obserued in the Church that euery one gouerne aright his owne house and distribute to the necessities of the Saints The Apostle speaketh to this purpose b 1 Tim. 5 4. If any Widdow haue Children or Nephewes let them learne first to shew godlinesse toward their owne house and to recompense their Kindred for that is an honest thing and acceptable before GOD. And afterward c 1 Tim. 5 8. If there be any that prouideth not for his owne and namely for them of his Houshold he denyeth the Faith and is worse then an Infidell Likewise writing to the Thessalonians he saith in the first Epistle chapt 4. d 1 Thess 4 to 11. We beseech you brethren that ye enâ—rease more and more and that ye studie to be quiet and to meddle with your owne businesse and to worke with your owne handes as we commaunded you And in his second Epistle Chapter 3. e 2 Thess 3 10 11 12. When we were with you this we warned you off that if there were any which would not worke that he should not eate for we heard that there are some which walke among you inordinatelie and worke not at all but are Busie-bodies therefore them that are such we commaund and exhort by our Lord Iesus Christ that they worke with quietnesse and eate their owne Bread c. Thus then it euidently appeareth that the Annabaptists are deceiued which goe about to bring in such a communion or rather confusion among men as neither Christ hath commaunded nor the Apostles haue instituted nor experience hath approoued nor any Christians
that after the Thessalonians had heard the Gospell of Christ published vnto them so many of them as were ordained vnto eternall life beleeued and submitted themselues to be duided and reformed by it This dutie hath c Foure degrees of submitting our selues to the Gospell manie branches First it is required of vs to heare the worde of God with patience This is the first step and degree that leadeth vnto life and it proceedeth from the meere grace and fauour of God whensoeuer it is wrought in our hearts For how many are there that when they heare stop their eares That when they see shut their eyes That when they vnderstand doe harden their hearts When Stephen made a defence for himselfe before the chiefe Priests that sat in the Counsel d Acts 7 57. They gaue a shout with a loud voyce and stopped their eares and ran violently vpon him all at once and cast him out of the Citty and stoned him with stones When one Alexander a Iew beckned with the hand prepared himselfe to speak and would haue excused the Apostles e Acts 19 33 There arose a great shout almost for the space of two houres of all men crying Great is Diana of the Ephesians Likewise when Paule made a perticuler rehearsal of the manner of his conuersion to the faith before the Iewes they heard him quietly and with silence vntill he said He was sent to the Gentiles but then thorough impatience f Acts 22 23. they cried out they cast off their cloathes and threw dust into the ayre and lift vp their voices saying Away with such a fellow from the earth for it is not meet that he should liue We see by these examples that it is a token of Gods goodnesse when he giueth vs circumcised eares to listen and attend to the word preached vnto vs with patience and perseuerance vnto the end albeit we heare our sins reproued our secret thoughts opened vnto vs. It is our dutie to shew our selues swift to heare but slow to speake and slow to wrath We must be slow to speake against that which hath bin deliuered and we must be slow to anger and indignation against those that haue deliuered the truth vnto vs. Secondly it is required that we receiue the word that we haue heard assent vnto it as to the word of truth and acknowledge it to bee good and true euen that part of the word that containeth his iudgements his threatnings his cursses his punnishments This is to be craued of God as being a special worke of grace in those that belong to his kingdom For many there are that heare and haue their eares open to attend these are not dull hearers that marke nothing but ate ready to listen and giue care and yet they will not giue their assent to that which they haue heard The Apostle teacheth g 1 Cor. 2 14. That the naturall man perceiueth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnesse vnto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned When Paule preached at Athens in the hearing of the Stoikes and Epicures touching the resurrection from the dead they saide h Acts 17 18 What will this Babler say A great part of our ordinary hearers may be placed in this rank who are content to heare and then sit in iudgement vppon that which they haue heard and neuer giue credit vnto it but measure the truth of God by their carnall conceits and naturall reasons Thirdly it is farther required of vs to embrace the truth in our hearts carefully to apply it to our owne soules It belongeth vnto vs not onely to heare it with the eare and to assent to it with the mind but to lay it vp deeply rooted in vs and to make it our owne by a speciall application This is the right vse of the word this is peculiar to the elect and this is a work of grace in our hearts The Hystoricall faith giueth a generall consent to the truth of God but neuer goeth farther to apprehend it as we see in Simon the Sorcerer who is said to haue beleeued that is in a generall maner to haue consented to the Gospell and yet Peter telleth him i Acts 8 21. That his heart was vpright and that he remained in the gall of bitternesse Let vs not therefore approbriate the word of grace that is able to build farther vnto our owne selues otherwise we shall haue no more comfort then the Reprobates haue who come so farre as to confesse the word to be true and that God by his Sonne will saue the Vessels of mercy Lastly it is required in this speciall manner to entertaine the worde to wit as the word of God Many receiue the word and imbrace it willingly readily chearfully and ioyfully but not as the word of God I wil not stand to speake of the Church of Rome which holdeth that the word written hath not authority in it selfe vnlesse the Church approue it and therefore albeit it embraceth the word of God yet it embraceth it not as the word of God For how many are there among our selues that receiue not the word of God with that reuerence and obedience that they ought as appeareth by the euil practises of their liues These men do not receiue the word of God as the word of God who if they did in truth sincerity acknowledge this truth to be of God to haue him for the author thereof they would lead their liues in another maner then they do they would be afraid to rush forward to run headlong as it were with violence into the breach transgression thereof They would consider that God will not beare and endure the contempt of his word but reuenge the dishonor done to his name with great plagues and most grieuous iudgments These are the duties that are to be performed of vs and the foure degrees that testifie our submitting of our selues to the truth of the Gospel preached deliuered vnto vs by the Ministers of Christ Vse 4 Lastly seeing they by whose ministry we are gained to God and preserued in the state of saluation being gained ought to be most deare to vs we owing vnto them our owne selues This must teach the Ministers of God a necessary duty and lesson to be marked of them to wit to endeuor by their daily diligence and continuall preaching of the Gospel to make the people indebted vnto them For how do the people come so much in their debt but that they receiue heauenly Doctrine by their Ministry as from the mouth of God Such as haue need of admonition must be exhorted such as are weak in the faith must be strengthned such as need comfort ought to be comforted such as are ignorant must be instructed such as are willing to be taught must be beseeched and intreated and euery one must be handled according to his nature and condition according to the rule
of the Apostle k 2 Tim. 2 15 Study to shew thy selfe approoued vnto God a Workeman that needeth not to bee ashamed diuiding the word of truth aright All men are not to be handled after one maner but one after one manner and another after another He were a badde and mad Physitian that would vse all his patients to one receit Some haue grosse humors in them and stand in need to be purged some more strongly others more gently according to their condition and Constitution Others haue more need to haue nature restored then purged such must haue Cordials and Restoratiues ministred vnto them So is it with such as neede Physicke for the soule The Minister must not be dumb and silent among his people but speake vnto them and instruct them as a good Father doeth his Childe one after one manner another after another manner and euerie one by some meanes or other This the Apostle setteth downe as a duty by his owne practise l 1 Thes 2 7 8 Phillip 2 17. Acts 20 24. Wee were gentle amongest you euen as a Nursse cherrisheth her Children Thus beeing affectioned towardes you our good will was to haue dealt vnto you not the Gospell of GOD onely but also our owne soules because ye were deare vnto vs. Where the Apostle testifieth his great loue and liberality toward them that he accounted not his owne life precious deare vnto himselfe but was content to offer it vp vppon the Sacrifice and seruice of their faith that he might reioyce in the day of Christ So then it belongeth to vs the Ministers of the word to preach the Gospell with all patience diligence and long-suffering Let vs be instant in season and out of season Let vs be gentle i 2 Tim. 2 24. toward all men apt to teach suffering the euill and instructing them that are contrary minded Paul writing to the Romaines and declaring vnto them that he oftentimes purposed to come vnto them that hee might haue some fruit also among them yeeldeth this as the reason k Ro. 1 14 15 I am Debter both to the Grecians and to the Barbarians both to the Wisemen and vnto the vnwise therefore so much as in me is I am readie to preach the Gospell to you also that are at Rome So in another place he testifieth that Albeit he was free l 1 Cor. 9 19. yet he had made himselfe a seruant vnto all men that he might win the moe To the Iewes he became as a Iew that hee might win the Iewes to them that are vnder the Law as though he were vnder the Law that he might winne them that are vnder the Law to the weake hee became as weake that hee might win the weake he was made all things to all men that he might by all meanes saue some Thus we see how the Ministers ought to apply and to imploy themselues in labouring in the Lords haruest to gaine a people vnto him and to bring them into the sheepfold of Christ For how or which way should the people be indebted vnto vs if we neuer commit the Gospell vnto them A Debter and a Creditor are Relatiues and haue reference one to another If we do not seeke to make our hearers pertakers of the treasures of the Gospell nor labour to inrich them with the sauing knowledge of the Doctrine of saluation we cannot be deare vnto them they cannot bee indebted vnto vs. If we reape and receiue their temporall things and eate and drinke feede and cloath our selues by their labor without labour in our places we run continually into their debt and they owe vs nothing but shame and contempt to be powred vpon vs according to our deserts It is a great comfort to the people that make much of them that haue the ouersight ouer them submitting thēselues to them that must giue an account for their souls considering that thereby they may gather confidence and get assurance to themselues that they are true beleeuers and haue embraced the Gospell in sincerity So on the other side it is a singuler point of sound comfort to all the Ministers of the word that haue bin painful in the work of the Lord they may claime as their owne right and proper possession of their people to bee maintained and honoured with double honor of them and nothing indeed can be sufficient or answerable in proportion to their paines But what reason can be alledged that the people should be burthened not instructed Charged with Tiths and not helped with teaching Pay their duties and receiue no Doctrine Hence it is that the Apostle saith m 1 Cor. 4 1 2 Let a man so think of vs as of the Ministers of Christ and disposers of the secrets of God and as for the rest it is required of the disposers that euery man bee found faithfull Whereby wee see the good account and estimation that the Minister receiueth of his people ought to mooue him to faithfulnesse and painefulnesse in his Office so that we must conclude that such as will be reputed for the Ministers of Christ should shew themselues to be so indeede by their care of the flock committed vnto them 20 Yea Brother let mee obtaine this pleasure of thee in the Lorde comfort my bowels in the Lord. 21 Trusting in thine obedience I wrote vnto thee knowing that thou wilt do euen more then I say The order of the words Hitherto we haue seene the Reasons that Paule hath propounded to vrge Philemon to receiue and entertaine his seruant In these words wee see the matter concluded and repeated againe howbeit not ydely or vnprofitably but with gaine and an holy aduantage for in the closing vp of the whole he reasoneth farther inferreth a new argument to perswade Philemon drawn from the benefit and comfort hee should receiue by it This reason is taken from the effects and may be thus concluded If heereby I shall obtaine fruite of thee in the Lorde and if thou doest refresh my bowels in the Lord Then thou shouldest receiue him to thee againe But I shall heereby obtaine fruite and haue my bowels refreshed Therefore receiue him to thee againe Or we may frame the Reason on this manner That which may greatly reioyce me and both please and pleasure mee I am assured thou wilt willingly do But the forgiuing of Onesimus will do so Therefore I am assured thou wilt willingly do it This is contained in the 20. verse In the next verse we haue the preuenting of another Obiection which might be made not against some part but against the whole Epistle and the Apostles manner of handling thereof The Obiection is wanting but may easily be gathered and may be thus supplied out of the Answere which is expressed Why are you so earnest and vehement in this matter Haue you so great distrust and so little confidence in me that you vse so many words and deale so earnestly with me Do you think I haue
Flesh it is not accompanied with thankefulnesse but with all loosenesse excesse and riotousnesse Verse 21. Trusting in thine obedience I haue written vnto thee In these words the Apostle excuseth that hee hath hitherto beene so earnest with Philemon declaring that notwithstanding his exact and effectuall manner of handling the matter he doubted not of his receiuing of him into his fauour againe So then his drift is to shew his good opinion of him that he would not sticke to forgiue him but yeeld readily to euery honest reasonable request Hee knew not certainly what Philemon would doe hee knew what wrongs he had receiued and what losses he had sustayned at his Seruants handes yet we see how grounding himselfe vpon the former triall of his Faith and Obedience he hopeth the best he doubteth nor the worst he trusteth in his obedience he feareth not his deniall Doctrine 4. Men ought alwayes to hope well and to thinke the best of their Brethren From hence wee learne that it is our dutie alwayes to hope well and to thinke the best not to suspect the worst of our brethren This appeareth to haue beene in Iacob towards his Children when they had sold their Brother and dipped his Coate in a Kids blood and brought it to their Father Albeit he knew they hated Ioseph whome he loued exceedingly yet hee would not suspect them for the murthering and making away of his Sonne but saide Gen. 37 33. It is my sonnes Coate a wicked Beast hath deuoured him Ioseph is surely torne in peeces The like appeareth in Ioseph who was betrothed to Marie the Mother of Christ when he saw that she was with Childe d Math. 1 19 hee concluded rather that it was by committing Fornication before the contract then by committing adultry after her betroathing When the matter was vncertaine and vnknowne vnto him he iudged the best Thus dealt Ionathan who was faithfull toward Dauid he perswaded himselfe and his friend the best of his Father For when Dauid said e 1 Sa. 20 1 2 What haue I done What is mine iniquity And what sinne haue I committed before thy Father that he seeketh my life He saide vnto him God forbid thou shalt not die Beholde my Father will doe nothing great nor small but he will shew it me and why should my Father hide this thing from me He will not do it There was more Charity in the sonne then there was piety in the Father for he iudged better then Saule deserued Likewise when the Apostle Peter had reprooued the Iewes for crucifying Christ the Lord of glory and deliuering of him into the hands of sinners he exhorteth them to repentance saying f Acts 3 17 19 Now Brethren I know that through ignoraunce ye did it as also your Gouernors amend your liues therefore and turne that your sinnes may bee put away when the time of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. He hopeth the best of them and doth not keepe or hide in his heart any hard conceite against any of them In like manner the Apostle writing to the Hebrewes and denouncing a sharpe and seuere threatning against those that fall from God deny his trueth and renounce his Religion he addeth g Heb. 6 9. But beloued wee haue perswaded our selues better thinges of you and such as accompany saluation though we thus speake Whereby he mittigateth and asswageth al that he had said hoping better of them to whom hee writeth All these Testimonies taken both out of the old new Testament do serue to teach vs that we are bound to iudge the best and charged not to nourish any hard conceits against our brethren Reason 1. The Reasons following will make it more plaine if any thing can yet bee plainer First it is a property of loue to be charitably affected as the Apostle testifieth in his description of it 1 Cor. 13 5 7. Loue thinketh not euill Againe he saith It suffereth all things it beleeueth all things it hopeth all things it endureth all things The Wise man also teacheth h Prou. 10 12 That loue couereth a multitude of sinnes So then where Christian Loue and Brotherly kindnesse is there is the best opinion and iudgement one of another Reason 1. Secondly it is a fruite of a righteous man to hope the best and to iudge charitably of his Brother The best man doth hardly suspect others to bee bad It is saide of Ioseph Math. 1 19. that being a iust and righteous man he was not willing to make the Virgin Mary that was betrothed vnto him a publicke example but was minded to put her away secretly Whereby we gather that the reason why he would not pursue his right with extreamity but conceyued the best according to the rule of Charity was because hee was a iust man ready to giue to euerie man his owne On the other side it is a note of a wicked man to thinke or immagine the worst of men It is a common Prouerbe A man doth muse as he doth vse as himselfe vseth to do so he immagineth of another He that iudgeth lewdly of another by meere suspition or supposition is commonly lewd himselfe For such as are wicked do thinke others as wicked as them-selues and such as are Hypocrites themselues are most forward to tax others of hypocrisie Seeing therefore to be charitably minded is both a property of loue and a fruit of righteousnesse it followeth that we ought to hope the best of all our brethren Vse 1. The Vses remaine to be considered First this serueth to reproue sundrie abuses that are crept in among vs and are too common in our practise directly condemned in the ninth Commaundement which tend to the hurt of our Brothers good name as all hard conceits and euill surmizes all vncharitable opinions and suspitions against them The good name of a man is very precious yet it hath many enemies If then we be charged to conceiue the best in doubtfull cases one of another the capitall sinne of Calumniation or slander is heerby condemned as the chiefe opposite to a mans estimation and credit This hath many branches that are breaches of the Law all of one kinde and Kindred and all enemies vnto the good Names of our Bretheren In this number are ranged these three as Companions one of another the Tale-breeder the Tale-bearer and the Tale beleeuer The first beginner of all the mischiefe is the Inuenter and Deuiser of Tales who forgeth them in the fire of hell who hammereth them vpon the A nuile of malice and enuy who venteth them abroad and letteth them flye vpon the wings of fame and report thereby maliciously intending the disgrace and damage of his Brother There is no sinne maketh a man so resemble the Deuill as this doth inasmuch as he hath his name from slaundering and backbyting These men the Lord doth greatly detest and wil shut them out of his kingdome Secondly heereby is reprooued the Tale-carrier
feed on Milke as they that are inexpert in the word of Righteousnesse It is a signe of health when men grow in strength and stature and it is a token of the true Childe of God when men grow in grace This is it which the Apostle speaketh to the Corrinthians x 2 Cor. 8 7. As ye abound in euery thing in faith and word and knowledge and in all diligence and in your loue toward vs euen so see that yee abound in this grace also And afterward he saith y verse 24. Shew toward them and before the Churches the proofe of your loue and of the reioycing that we haue of you Likewise Timothy had great praise in the Church who according to the prophesies that went before of him did answer the expectation of the faithful approuing himselfe in the sight of God and men Heerevnto commeth the counsell and commaundement of the Apostle z 1 Tim. 4 15 These thinges exercise and giue thy seife vnto them that it may be seene how thou profitest in all thinges It is a great comfort and encouragement to the people of God to see any the members of Christ to prosper and profit in good thinges On the otherside it ministreth occasion of much griefe and heauinesse of heart to behold the zeale of the Spirit quenched and the light of the Gospell that hath shined in their minds eclipsed If a man should looke vpon the members of his own body and see any one of them shriueled and withered as Arme or hand or Leg not prospering not growing not mouing not receiuing life from the head it would worke sorrow in vs and we would pitty others in whomsoeuer we should see such infirmities In like manner we must be well assured it cannot but greatly greeue the Church of God to behold the parts thereof to begin to faint and waxe feeble to grow groueling downeward when they should cast vp their eyes to Heauen and liue as Cittizens of that Kingdome 22 Moreouer also prepare me lodging for I hope through your Praiers I shall be freely giuen vnto you The order of the words THe chiefe matter of this Epistle concerning Onesimus hath hitherto bin handled and is now finished wherein we haue heard diuers and sundry reasons drawn partly from the person of Paule and partly from the person of Onesimus Now followeth the remainder intended chiefely by the Apostle concerning himselfe For we haue already shewed that the principall scope of this Epistle is double one touching Onesimus which hath thus far beene expounded the other touching Paul himselfe which now commeth to be considered This point is knit vnto the former and hath an euident dependance vpon it and is amplified by a transition in the first words Moreouer also Heereby he doth effectually mooue Philemon and seeketh to obtaine his former purpose For when he heareth that he shall shortly entertaine the Apostle himselfe in his house it must needes kindle a greater forwardnesse and willingnesse in him to graunt his request least hee make him heauy and deceiue his expectation Whereas therefore Philemon might haue thought with himselfe and thus reasoned touching Paules suit It skilleth not whether I graunt it or not he hath beene a most lewd Seruant vnto me and Paule liueth farre off from me he is held in Prison at Rome eyther he will not heare what becommeth of Onesimus or if he doe heare peraduenture he shall neuer be deliuered out of prison but remaine a Prisoner all the daies of his life and therefore I will deal with Onesimus as seemeth good to my selfe These and such like imaginations the Apostle putteth out of his head and telleth him he should shortly looke for his comming vnto him whereby he should know what account he made of his wordes and what obedience he would yeeld to his request Hence it is that for this cause Paule craueth to haue lodging prepared for him rather by Philemon then any other Citizen at Colosse not that he required much prouision and preparation to bee made for his entertainement a Phil. 4 11. Who had taught others and learned himselfe to be content with a little but because by this commaundement as by a sharpe Sword he would pierce the Bowels of Philemon and as by a strong Engine batter the Fort and Bulwark of his heart and throughly perswade him and preuaile with him to receiue Onesimus both into his house and into his fauour In this verse we haue to consider two pointes first a Commaundment secondly a reason whereby the commaundement is strengthened The commaundement is to prepare him hostage and lodging wherein he answereth a double doubt and question that might arise in him and trouble the motion and matter that Paule intended For first he might haue saide I may vse Onesimus as I list Paule is farre enough from hearing of it Againe he might haue thought b Theophil enarrat in epistol Philem. It is well he had such a cause to plead and such a request to make otherwise I should neuer haue heard from him These suspitions the Apostle remooueth when he saith in this place I haue not written for his cause alone but for my selfe that thou make account to be mine Host and to receiue mee into thine House The reason is drawne from the working cause I hope to be giuen vnto you through your Prayers and may be thus frame If I hope to be giuen vnto you by your Prayers then prepare me Hostage But I hope to be giuen vnto you by your Praiers Therefore prepare me Hostage Or rather the latter part of this Verse is the the taking away of an Obiection which Philemon might haue made vpon the hearing of the charge giuen vnto him of preparing him lodging which may be thus supplyed Shall wee looke for thy comming Why Thou art a Prisoner Thou art safe enough from comming to vs and lodging at mine house thou must be content with a cold lodging in another place thou maist well tell vs of thy forth comming but I doubt thou wilt not yet be cōming forth To this the Apostle aunswereth I hope in short time to be deliuered whereunto he annexeth two causes of his hope that he might know it was not builded in the Ayre without foundation but grounded and established sufficiently relying vpon the prayers of the faithfull and vpon the grace and mercy of God The Interpretation of the words This is the order of the wordes Now let vs consider the Interpretation of them as they lye When he saith Prepare me lodging he meaneth the entertainement of Hospitality whereof lodging is but a part The word signifieth al things requisite for the well vsing of a Stranger as receiuing to House food lodging and all other necessaries belonging thereunto whereof many parts are expressed c 1 Tim. 5 10 by the Apostle in the description of the Widdowes that were to be taken to serue the Church in attending vnto the sicke In the next place
Isaac Moses Hezekiah Iehoshaphat others Secondly albeit God do not bestow vpon vs alwaies those lawfull things which we desire and demand yet he heareth our prayers and answereth our cries when he giueth some thing proportionable to that we ask As if we craue earthly blessings he giueth vs heauenly and if we craue temporall things he yeeldeth eternal life and if instead of deliuerance of vs out of trouble he giueth vs strength and ability to beare trouble and patience to endure vnder the crosse without murmuring Thus is Christ said to be c Heb. 5 7. heard in that which he feared albeit he suffered death He prayed that the Cuppe might passe from him yet he was to drinke of it his Father had decreed it he had vndertaken it and we were to be d 2 Cor. 12 8 9 redeemed by it Notwithstanding he was heard when God gaue him strength to beare it and sent an Angel to comfort him in his Agony according to that he speaketh Iohn 11 41 42. Father I thank thee because thou hast heard me I know that thou hearest me alwayes So when Paule felt a pricke in the Flesh the Messenger of Sathan to buffet him for this thing hee besought the Lord thrice that it might Depart from him and he saide vnto him My Grace is sufficient for thee for my power is made perfect through weaknesse God did not heare him and yet hee did heare him He requesteth one thing and God graunteth him another He craueth freedome from tentation but he is promised a supply of grace to be made able to ouercome tentations Thus it fareth with euerie one of vs we must consider what we aske and how God heareth vs. Wee must not thinke he forgetteth vs when he doth not feed our fansies and answere our expectations he knoweth what is best for vs and he will giue vs that which he seeth to be best for vs. Vse 2 Secondly as this Doctrine sendeth vs to schoole to learne what true prayer is so it serueth to reprooue three sorts of men First such as are growne to this height of prophanesse that they thinke it to bee in vaine to pray vnto God The faithfull finde by a blessed experience of Gods fauor that nothing is more profitable vnto them They woulde rather leaue any earthly Commoditie and loose their liues then cease to call vppon the Name of God Wee see this in the example of Daniell Chapter 6. 7 8. when a Decree was confirmed sealed and published according to the Law of the Medes and Persians e Dan. 6 7 8. which altereth not That whosoeuer shall aske a petition of any God or Man for thirtie daies saue of the King he should be cast into the Denne of Lyons It might seeme no great matter to forbeare and abstaine from prayer for so short a time yet when Daniell vnderstood that the writing was passed and published hee went into his house and his window being open in his Chamber toward Ierusalem hee kneeled vppon his Knees three times in a day and prayed and praised his God as hee did afore-time It is therefore a Testimony of a very prophane and proud heart not onely not to pray but to contemne and abhorre it as an vnclean thing or as a superfluous and needlesse thing Thus doeth Iob bring in the vngodlie speaking who differ but one steppe from Atheistes the dearest and best beloued sonnes of the Deuill Chapt. 21. f Iob 21 14 15. They say also vnto GOD Depart from vs for wee desire not the knowledge of thy wayes Who is the Almightie that wee should serue him And what profite should wee haue if wee shoulde pray vnto him Ah vile Wretches whether will your blasphemous mouthes reach Will you thus bee at defiance with the most high and Omnipotent GOD and set your selues against Heauen Whereas wee are so oftentimes allured and prouoked to prayer and haue most gracious and precious promises added that God will heare vs Shall we bidde him battell as if we were stronger then hee and say If wee crie vnto him Day and Night what do we gaine or what aduantage shall growe vnto vs Do not they prosper alike that neuer haue God in their mindes and they that frequent diligently and daily the house of Prayer Who are more subiect to troubles then such as trouble themselues with the word of God and studie to keepe his commandements Wherefore whether we pray or not pray al is one all is alike there is no difference we loose our labor wee receiue no profit Thus do many speake thus do g Eccles. 9 2. Mal. 13 14. mo thinke the world is full of such vermine and venome Against which most wicked imaginations wee must oppose the commandement of God willing vs to pray the promise of mercy the examples of the faithfull which haue bin heard when they prayed Secondly this Doctrine reprooueth such as goe to Saints and Angelles from the Creator to the Creature which is a great dishonour done to God and a reproach to Christ Were not hee a foolish and sottish suppliant that when the Kings sonne offereth to speake for him to his father would refuse to vse his mediation and goe to one of his seruants to entreat for him Is it not meete that such a one should be saide nay and depart without his purpose Euen so inasmuch as the father sendeth vs vnto his sonne and the sonne calleth vs to himselfe what madnesse is it to runne as well from the one as from the other to go from the sonne to the Saints from him that can hear to them that cannot helpe Nay as the Father is depriued of his Honour and the sonne robbed of his Office so the Saints themselues are disgraced If a man should set any of the Subiectes downe in the Chaire of estate and then bowe downe before him and giue him any of the Royalties of the King were not this high Treason against the Prince and extreame wrong to the Subiect Thus the case standeth betweene vs God and the Saintes If wee shall aduance the Saintes to so high a degree as to pray vnto them which is proper vnto God and as it were the Princes Regality if they did see our impiety they would blush at it and be ashamed of it The Apostle Peter would not suffer Cornelius h Acts 10 25. when he met him to fall downe at his feet and worship him Paule and Barnabas rent their cloths i Act 14 13 14 when they saw Iupiters Priest bring Bulles with Garlands vnto the gates of the Citty to the end they might offer sacrifice vnto them Did they reiect this seruice done vnto them when they liued vpon the earth and shal we think they doe now affect it or would now accept of it Away therefore with the mediation of the Angels who know not our hearts nor hear our prayers Away with the mediation of the Saints who beeing now in heauen are accepted of God not
of the Gospell is accused to breede them but this is a false imputation The true cause is the mallice of Sathan and the furie of his Instruments that cannot abide the Light of the Truth to shine among them So then let vs not thinke it a straunge thing when we see such stirres and tumults arise but Arme our selues with Patience Learne to bee VVise as Serpents and Innocent as Doues and condemne those that are the authors and beginners of those broyles and contentions Fourthly obserue the Titles that hee giueth vnto our Lorde and Sauiour he describeth him by two Names First hee calleth him Christ then hee calleth him Iesus Christ signifyeth as much as Annointed Iesus importeth as much as a Sauiour who was so called h Math. 1 21. because hee saueth his people from their sinnes From whence obserue that Christ is the King the Prophet and the Priest of his Church to gouerne vs to teach vs to Redeeme vs to saue vs. This is his Office for these Ends and Vses hee was annointed of the Father with the Oyle of Gladnesse aboue his fellowes This serueth to our great good and the benefit of it is communicated vnto vs he maketh vs i Reuel 1 6. Kings and Priests to God his Father he armeth vs with power and strength against sinne the Flesh the World the Deuill and maketh vs able to ouercome them thorough him wee haue accesse to the father and may boldly appeare in his sight and offer vp our Prayers with assurance k Rom. 12 1. Yea he enableth vs to offer vppe our selues our soules and bodies an holy liuely and acceptable Sacrifice vnto him which is our reasonable seruing of him hee doth enstruct vs in the will of his Father enlighten vs in the knowledge of the trueth and maketh vs as it were his Household Disciples and Schollers to reueale vnto vs all thinges needefull for our saluation Let vs therefore confesse him to be the onely sonne of God perfect God and perfect Man l 1 Tim. 2 5. the sole Mediator betweene God and Man and let vs acknowledge no other Sauiour able to Redeeme and ransome vs to pay so great a price and to deliuer vs from so great wrath and destruction If wee make other Mediatours and set vp other Sauiours wee renounce the Mediation of Christ and Saluation purchased by Christ This pierceth the verie Marrow and entereth into the bowelles of the Romish Religion which setteth vp other Mediators and consequently establisheth a false Christ of their owne which indeed is no Christ no Iesus no Sauiour no Redeemer Fiftly obserue with me that speaking of Marcus Aristarchus Demas Luke he calleth them his fellow-helpers whereby he putteth the Ministers of the Gospell and all the Children of God in minde to bee helpers to the truth and to further the preaching and propagation of the Gospell by all possible meanes that God hath enabled them For this cause the Apostle commendeth many of the faithfull Rom. 16 3 9. Greet Aquila and Priscilla my fellow-helpers in Christ Iesus We must doe all for the truth and nothing against the truth This reproueth those that employ their wits and bestow their strength to hinder the truth and the professors thereof These haue no part nor fellowship in the Ministration nor in the sound profession of the Gospell but are professed enemies to the faith of Christ Moreouer this shall Minister vnspeakeable comfort vnto vs to consider that wee haue beene helpers to the truth and furtherers of the Faith which is in Christ Iesus we shall leaue a good Name behinde vs and receiue and incorruptible Crowne of eternall Glory Lastly note with mee that when Paule wrote this Epistle hee was at Rome and hee ioyneth with him sundry others which were the cheefe and principall whose verie names might carry some credite and authority to perswade Philemon in this matter which hee vndertooke yet in all this Epistle wee haue no mention of Peter who is supposed to haue liued there to haue dyed there to haue beene Byshop there fiue and twenty yeares He ioyneth to himselfe so many Assistants as he could to obtaine his suite He writeth as we heard before from Rome to haue Onesimus pardoned and hee vseth the name of Timothy to that purpose why is Peter heere forgotten Why doth he not ioyne him with himselfe in the same Epistle if he had been resident at Rome as a good Byshop ought to haue beene Againe we see he specifieth many by name Marcus Aristarchus Demas and Luke but we haue no mention of Peter And it is said that Marke was the Disciple of Peter and by his Commandement wrote his Gospell was it fit to name the Disciple and to forget the Maister to remember the members and to forget the Head To expresse meaner persons and to omit the principall Besides he calleth these men his fellow-helpers Paul was as the Master-workman and cheefe builder they were his helpers and partners in the businesse Was not Peter also one of his bretheren and either a fellow-prisoner or a fellow-helper in the Gospell Wherefore then is hee concealed Obserue with mee from hence and by Conference of many other Scriptures n Peters being at Rome is vncertaine that Peters being at Rome is an vncertaine opinion and an vngrounded assertion It was by composition agreed vpon betweene Paule and Peter o Gal. 2 9. that Peter should preach to the Iewes and Paul to the Gentiles how then could Peter sit as byshop at Rome Or if he preached to the Iewes at Rome how commeth it to passe that the christiā religion was strange in a maner vnknown vnto them when Paul came to Rome as appeareth in the end of the Actes of the Apostles where they say vnto him p Acts 28. 22 We will heare of thee what thou thinkest for as concerning this Sect we know that euery where it is spoken against Againe when Paule wrote to the Romaines hee willeth them to salute manie particularly and by name both men and weomen but he maketh no mention at all of Peter which no doubt he would haue done if hee had at that time also beene at Rome Furthermore the Apostle Wrote many of his Epistles from the Citty of Rome as we shewed in the beginning of this Epistle as for example to the Galathians Ephesians Colossians Phillippians to Timothy this to Philemon and that other Epistle vnto the Hebrewes if it were his and from thence hee sendeth manie salutations in the Name of manie that remained at Rome Among whome Peter is neuer mentioned but his name and beeing there is ouer-passed Lastly the Apostle testifieth that while he was called forth to giue an account of his Faith p 2 Tim. 4 16. All did forsake him and none assisted him wherefore either Peter was not then at Rome or if he were he did shamefully forsake him Thus then we conclude from these and such like Circumstances that it cannot be gathered out of
both what may bee learned by it and how it may bee applyed vnto vs. First of all it teatheth that though education bee a notable meanes of reformation and working good in the hearts of those that heare instruction and albeit Parents and Maysters bee thereby discharged as they that haue done their dutie yet bare teaching is not sufficient to conuert the soule and to settle the Conscience in good thinges Noah was as carefull for the instruction of Cham and Canaan as of the rest that were of his house belonged to his charge yet they followed not his Doctrine but scoffed at him that was both Pastor and Parent Dauid a man after Gods owne heart walked in the middest of his house in the vprightnesse of his Conscience yet he had an incestuous Ammon a Rebellious Absolom a licentious Adoniah all of them vngodly and vngracious Children So then although education be a good meanes yet it is not a sufficient meanes to worke reformation He that laboureth in planting and watering is nothing except God giue the blessing of encrease We see this euidently in the publicke assembly as well as in the priuate family in the house of God as well as in the house of man There is a difference of hearers according to their diuers dispositions f Math. 13 13 14. some are deafe hearers that haue not their eares boared through to the heart they haue onely outward eares and regarde no more but outward hearing and are no way mooued with that which is spoken dead-hearted dull-eared dim-sighted heauy-headed Others beside their bodily eares haue the eares of their hearts opened by the word and worke of the Spirit made plyable and tractable to receiue imbrace and beleeue that which they heare So is it in the priuate instruction vsed in priuate Families all that heare with the outwarde eare are not reformed all that are instructed are not conuerted Obiection What then Shall not Fathers teach their Children and Maisters their Seruants and Householders their Families because some haue not beleeued and many remaine as blinde and blockish as they were at the first Answere Yes it is their dutie to bee dilligent in teaching them and in laying the foundation of Christian Religion among them howsoeuer it bee receyued or reiected of such as bee in their houses and belong vnto them Were not he a simple Husbandman that would neglect to sowe his Ground because hee knoweth that some of the Corne will neuer grow vppe to bring foorth fruite but dye in the earth Or were not hee an vnwise Law-giuer that will not haue wholesome Lawes enacted and established because some transgresse them and disobey them and make no account of them Or were not hee a very foolish Father who because hee hath one rude and riotous Sonne that will not reuerence his person nor fulfill his Commaundements nor regarde his Authoritie nor feare his threatninges woulde therefore holde his peace and refraine himselfe from instructing and informing his other Children in the wayes of Godlinesse Or were hee not a badde Gardiner who because some of his Ground bringeth forth Weeds and Nettles would therefore refuse to water the Hearbes that are meete for the vse of man When the Lorde sent his holy Prophets to reprooue the stubborne and stiffe-necked Iewes hee knewe what entertainement them-selues shoulde finde and what effect their Doctrine woulde haue taken yet to make them without excuse they were commanded to go that they might be conuinced of sinne seeing there had beene a Prophet among them The Prophet Ieremy being called of God to preach the word is told afore-hand that they shoulde not obey his word g Ier. 1 19. Ezek. 2 5 7. and 3 7. but fight against him Likewise Ezekiell being sent to the children of Israel is shewed that they would not heare him nor cease from their waies Whereby we see that howsoeuer the people were stiffe-necked and stif-harted howsoeuer their faces were stronger then the Flint and their fore-heads were harder then the Adamant yet God would haue his worde offered vnto them and laid before them He hath mo endes then one of the preaching of his word sometimes he vseth it to soften and sometimes to harden sometimes to saue and sometimes to condemne somtimes to be h 2 Cor. 2 16 the sauor of life vnto life and sometimes to be the sauor of death vnto death So should it be with all godly housholders howsoeuer they haue many that harbour in their houses are entertained within their wals that regard not the fear of God but pull away their shoulders from the sweet yoak of God yet they are not to surcease or wax faint and weary but to continue the instruction of them the powring of water vpon the hard stone proouing if God at anytime will soften their harts and giue them repentance that they may come out of the snares of the Deuil of whom they are holdē captiues We know not at what time God may work in them and call them to a sight of their sinnes and to a turning from their sins They may heare that in the time of their ignorance which they may practise in the time of their knowledge They may hear that Doctrine which though it lye hid and couered as Corn in the earth or as fire in the ashes a long time and seeme buried in perpetuall forgetfulnesse yet it may afterwardes break forth as the light and kindle in their harts as a mightie flame Thus peraduenture it might be with this Onesimus when he was conuerted by the Ministry of the Apostle to the Faith of Christ he might cal to his remembrance many good thinges that hee had heard before but neuer a whit regarded nor respected and now profit by that Doctrine that before he had despised and derided The Disciples of Christ did not by and by receiue nor conceiue of his preaching but when i Iohn 2 22. hee was risen againe they remembered what hee had deliuered vnto them So ought wee to deale toward such as are committed vnto vs let vs plant and water committing and commending the successe and encrease of all our labours vnto God Vse 2 Secondly seeing where there are good meanes are many times godlesse and gracelesse men we learne that to heare to saluation and to receiue willingly instruction is no generall or common grace no man can beleeue sauing hee to whom it is giuen It is the guift of God that must open the vnderstanding and boare through the eare and sanctify the heart before any can heare with a desire to vnderstand or lay it vppe with a purpose to practise and obey Hence it is that the Prophet saith k Esay 50 5. The Lord GOD hath opened mine eare and I was not rebellious neyther turned I backe The Euangelist Luke teacheth that when the Apostles preached the Gospell so many as were appointed to saluation beleeued which was a fruite of their election others mocked which was a
signe of their Reprobation Lydia is commended in that she l Acts 16 4. attended vnto the things which Paule spake but it was the Lord that opened her heart before she could be a faithfull and fruitfull hearer To this purpose Moses speaketh to all Israell m Deut. 29 2 3 4. Ye haue seen all that the Lord did before your eyes in the Land of Egypt vnto Pharaoh and vnto al his seruants and vnto all his Land the great tentations which thine eyes haue seene those great Myracles and wonders yet the Lorde hath not giuen you an heart to perceiue and eyes to see and eares to heare vnto this day Nowe as this ouer-throweth such as teach and maintaine an vniuersall Vocation so it must serue to settle vs in the trueth of the Doctrine of particular election and predestination n Rom. 9 15 16 18 13 14 That it is neither in him that willeth nor in him that rundeth but in God that sheweth mercy He sheweth mercie vpon whom he will shew mercie and will haue compassion vpon whom he will haue compassion therefore he hath mercie vpon whom he will and whom he will he hardneth God loued Iacob and hated Esau so that it was saide The elder shall serue the younger The Lord electeth some vnto life and saluation before the foundations of the world he elected some and therefore not all before the beginning of the world and therefore not for their deserts who then had not their beeing vppon the earth Who art thou o Iob 9 4 Rom. 9 20. that wilt dispute with GOD Or what shall it auayle vs to question it and quarrell it with the Almightie May the p Esay 10 15. Rom. 9 21. Clay reason with the Potter or the Axe with the Carpenter or the Sawe with him that draweth it or the Rodde with him that taketh it Or shall the thing formed say vnto him that formed it Why hast thou made mee thus Dare any Seruant pry and search into all the secrets of his Maister Canst thou follow track the way of the Fish in the Waters of the Fowles in the Ayre of a Serpent vppon a stone of a Shippe in the Sea Let vs not aske a reason of his will but rather say with the Apostle q Ro. 11 33 34 O the deepenesse of the Riches both of the wisedome and Knowledge of GOD Howe vnsearchable are his Iudgementes and his wayes past finding out For who hath knowne the minde of the Lorde or who was his Counsellor or who hath giuen vnto him first and he shall be recompenced If God should doo equally well vnto all his Creatures then were hee after a sort so much lesse to be praised and magnifyed of some for his benefites seeing he should do nothing specially and singulerly to them more then to others Neither is there are iniquitie in our God in so doing for may hee not r Math. 20 13 do with his owne what he will May he not lighten what eyes hee will or shoot away what arrowes he is disposed without our certaine knowledge of his secret counsels Obiection But some man may say when an whole assembly haue the same meanes the same Ministery an whole Family the same teaching and instruction How is it that some beleeue others will not beleeue Some are conuerted others are hardned Some are elect others are reiected Answere I aunswere it is not for the Creature curiously to search into the workes of the Creator but to bee wise according to sobrietie and as well a man might demaund why all in the fielde is not pure Corne but some Tares Why all in the Barne is not Wheate but some Chaffe Why Trees beare some leaues and not all Fruite Why in a great house there are Vesselles of Golde and Siluer some to an honourable and others to a dishonourable vse Why there are as well Goats that will not heare as Sheepe that heare the voyce of the Shepheard The Lord Iesus adoreth the Counsell of his Father heerein and confesseth the reason to bee his will and heauenly pleasure and farther then this whosoeuer goeth higher then this whosoeuer ascendeth and deeper then this whosoeuer searcheth shall wander as in a maze and neuer returne shall fall downe headlong into a Gulfe and neuer rise vp againe Our Sauiour saith Å¿ Mat. 11 25 26 I giue thee thankes O Father Lord of Heauen and Earth because thou hast hid these thinges from the Wise and men of vnderstanding and hast opened them vnto Babes It is so O Father because thy good pleasure was such As for the condemnation of the wicked and the execution of the heauy wrath and iust iudgements of God there is more then sufficient due desert in the Reprobate and though the righteous Lord worke therein yet beware thou imagine any euill in him The raine moystneth an euill Tree and therefore it beareth bitter and no better fruite In that it beareth fruite it commeth of the moysture but in that it bringeth foorth euill fruite it commeth of his owne Nature The Sunne by the strength of his heate and vertue of the Beames thereof rayseth out of the Dirt and Dunghill many foule and filthy sauours that infect men and corrupt the Ayre the raising of them vp is from the Sunne the vnwholsome and noysome smelles are from the places themselues The Raine is not properly the cause of the euill fruite but the Nature of the Tree and therefore it woorthily calleth for the Axe to cut it downe and then iustly deserueth to be throwne into the fire The Sunne is not directly the cause of those filthie sauours that are extracted out of stinking Ponds and puddles but the Miery and marish Ditches themselues So is it with God he is as the Raine that falleth and as the Sunne that shyneth from Heauen t Acts 17 28. Hee mooueth the euill man who worketh euill the action is of God the euill is from the free will of man and from the soule spirite of the Deuill God is not the Authour of the euill and therefore let u Iam. 1 13 14 no man say when he is tempted I am tempted of God for God cannot be tempted with euil neither tempteth he any man but euery man is tempted when he is drawne away by his owne concupiscence and is entised Seeing then the grace of Election of Redemption of Iustification of Vocation of Sanctification is not generall nor generally giuen vnto all but according to the free purpose and pleasure of him that chooseth redeemeth calleth iustifieth and sanctifieth Let vs acknowledge his great mercie to the praise and glorie of his name when hee maketh his owne ordinances auayleable which we see in many to bee vnprofitable let vs confesse his louing kindnesse toward vs when he doth beget vs by the immortall seede of regeneration and worketh effectually our saluation For what haue wee in vs to mooue the Lorde to sauour vs and followe vs with a
preaching Christ crucified and risen againe from the dead h Acts 17 5 8 9. Insomuch that the Iewes which beleeued not moued with enuy tooke vnto them certaine vitious and Vagabond Fellowes and hauing assembled the multitude they made a tumult in the Cittie It is said that Iason receiued him and other of the Brethren into his house and offered to baile them and to be bound for them putting in good assurance that they should appeare and be forth-comming And if we require an example in the same kind and condition with this that is mentioned in this Epistle Our Sauiour expresseth the like in the Parable of him that went downe from Ierusalem to Iericho and fell among theeues who wounded him with their weapon and robbed him of his Raiment and left him in his trouble euen halfe dead i Luke 10 34 35. A certaine Samaritan as he iournied came neere vnto him and when he saw him he had compassion on him and went to him and bound vp his wounds and poured in Oyle and Wine and put him on his owne Beast and brought him to an Inne and made prouision for him and on the morrow when he departed he tooke out two pence and gaue them to the Host and said vnto him Take care of him and whatsoeuer thou spendest more when I come againe I will recompense thee This Samaritan did shew himselfe a right Neighbour both in shewing his present charity toward him and in offering himselfe to become a surety for him All these approued and allowed examples of the faithfull do sufficiently and euidently teach vs that it is in it selfe lawfull to vndertake payment for another and to become Suretie for him Reason 1. And if we require better groundes to satisfie vs in this truth let vs enter into the strength of reason to assure vs without any wauering heerein First waigh with me the example of Christ an excellent patterne and president of the practise of this an example farre beyond all exception an example that ouershadoweth and dazeleth k Heb. 12 1 2. and darkneth all that cloud of witnesses produced by the Apostle in the Epistle to the Hebrewes he became surety for his Church vnto his father to pay the debt of our sinnes and to satisfie his iustice If then any doubt or make a question of the former examples wherein we saw how Ruben offered himselfe to become as a pledge to his father Iudah to Ioseph Iason to the Gouernour and the Samaritan to his Hoast behold a most absolute and perfect example of Christ Iesus who bound himselfe for vs his body for our bodies and his soule for our soules that our sinfull bodies might be made cleane by his body and our soules washed through his most precious bloud For the Prophet prophesieth l Isay 53 10. that he should make his soule an offering for sinne And Christ himselfe saith m Mat. 26 38. Iohn 12 27. My soule is very heauy euen vnto the death c. Thus did his loue exceed and abound toward vs that our loue might exceed and abound one toward another To this purpose the Apostle sheweth n Heb. 7 22. that Iesus is made a surety of a better Testament He stood in our places he tooke vpon him our sinnes he bare in his body the punishments due to vs he felt the wrath of God kindled against vs. Reason 2. Secondly it is a fruit of loue euen this way to releeue and helpe such as are like to suffer damage and detriment by want of outward thinges Now humane society and Christian piety requireth that one should sustaine and succour another in their necessity as we see in the former examples of Reuben Iudah Iason and the Samaritan before mentioned and remembred The life of man can hardly stand without lending and borrowing without letting and hiring without buying and selling without bargaining and trusting one of another It is a worke of mercy o Leuit. 19 18 to become surety and therefore as lawfull no doubt as to giue or lend The law of God commandeth vs to helpe our Neighboures as we are able and as they haue neede and they are to be releeued by such meanes as are in our power by giuing by forgiuing by communicating to them such things as we haue and they haue not For if we loue them and haue true Charity in vs we must not be wanting to them but be ready to profit them and do them good so farre as wee do not hurt our selues It is no vnwise sentence of a wise man p Eccle. 29 18 The wicked will not become surety and he that is of an vnthankfull mind forsaketh him that deliuered him declaring thereby that as he is a foole that is surety for euery man so is he vngodly that in no wise will be surety for any man Wee are commanded to q Exod. 23 5. helpe vp our enemies Oxe that is fallen or his Asse that is sunke downe vnder his burden how much more ought we to shew pitty and compassion to our brother himselfe vexed with the creditor terrified with the prison oppressed with his debt and dismaid and discouraged with the paiment at hand that is to be made So then whether we do consider that Christ Iesus is made our surety or that suretiship is a fruit of Christian loue one toward another in both respects we see that in it selfe it is not to be disalowed or condemned Vse 1. The vses of this Doctrine are diligently to be considered of vs. And first of all if it be lawfull and warranted to become surety one for another as we haue before plainely prooued it conuinceth and confuteth those that hold it to be euill and vnlawfull to giue their word or offer their band or tender their promise or engage themselues any way for their brethren Loue is a debt that we owe to all men r Rom. 13 8. as the Apostle testifieth Rom. 13. 8. and therefore we ought not to faile in the perfourmance thereof It is imagined and supposed by some that all or the greatest part of the controuersies betweene man and man and suites of Law betweene party and party arise from hence that things are taken vp vpon trust that there is borrowing and lending among vs and that there is crediting one of another and so would haue these quite taken away and the Names of them vtterlie abolished out of all Incorporations and Common-wealths It is reported that among the Turkes are few suites and actions commenced one against another because there is with them no bargaine or sale no buying or selling but for ready Money and for present pay But this is a plaine fallation to put that for a cause which indeede is not the cause For the corrupt conscience of men the couetous desire of Money the greedy gaping after gaine the malicious humour of reuenge the bitter roote of strife and the extreame want of loue are the true causes of