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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A22481	A commentarie vpon the epistle of Saint Paule to Philemon VVherein, the Apostle handling a meane and low subiect, intreating for a fraudulent and fugitiue seruant, mounteth aloft vnto God, and deliuereth sundry high misteries of true religion, and the practise of duties œconomicall. Politicall. Ecclesiasticall. As of persecution for righteousnesse sake. ... And of the force and fruit of the ministery. Mouing all the ministers of the Gospell, to a diligent labouring in the spirituall haruest ... Written by William Attersoll, minister of the word of God, at Isfield in Suffex.	Attersoll, William, d. 1640.	1612 (1612)	STC 890; ESTC S106848	821,054	582

can a man liue where all kinde of vile and vicious dealing is not practised where all vncleannesse of life is not vsed There is great comfort in the society of the faithfull and not only great comfort but great profit The Wiseman teacheth u Prou. 13 20. That he which walketh with the wise shall bee wise but a Companion of fooles shall be worse On the other side the company of the wicked is accompanied with danger It is a presumption of our own strength to thrust our selues among wicked companions Such as are continually in the Sun must needs be Sun-burnt Such as walke in the mist must needes bee berayed such as touch pitch cannot but be defiled so such as abide in bad company liue in places of danger by reason of the infection of sinne of the weakenesse of the flesh of the forsaking of God and of the power and liberty that Sathan hath in such places where he setteth vp his Throne For wheresoeuer sinne is practised defended and maintained where it couereth the earth as water doth the Sea there the Deuill x Reuel 2 13. raigneth there he keepeth his court there hee hath his residence remaineth there he possesseth al things So long therefore as we keepe company with those that commit sinne with greedinesse and runne on in their euill courses without controulement wee shall be sure to learne their wayes and are in daunger to receiue destruction to our soules Thirdly it reprooueth those that go backeward in their profession that are corrupt trees and without fruite twice dead and plucked vp by the roots Where shall we in these daies find matter of ioy to comfort our selues when godlinesse so much decayeth and wickednesse is set aloft The Apostle sayth notably to the Corinthians y 2 Cor. 2 31. I feare least when I come againe my God abase me among you and I shal bewaile many of them which haue sinned alreadie and haue not repented of the vncleannesse fornication wantonnes which they haue committed Suffer me a little to paint out vnto you in his colours the vnclean leprosie and filthy morphew that hath by sprading so disfigured the face of this world as it is made odious in the eyes and iudgments of al that haue any light of Gods spirit to discerne it If we consider the times wherein we liue wee may truely say they are the perilous seasons y Luk 18. 8. 1 Tim 3 1 2. foreshewed by Christ and his Apostles when faith is scarce found vpon the earth What can we heare or see in any company to which we resort and not be either greeued or guilty For when we behold iniquity practised without feare maintained without shame if we be not greeued at the committing of it we are made guilty of it If all Recordes were searched from the beginning and a narrow vew of other times taken it would be found by experience our helpes and meanes greater then theirs considered that we ouermatch them all in all kind of prophanesse and abominations As forswearing lying whoring pride Atheisme wantonnesse loosenesse vnmercifulnesse oppression coueteousnesse sacriledge luxury drunkennesse enuy Hipocrisie malice contempt of the word and such like they haue ouerspread the whole world as a running soare as a fretting Canker and as a loathsome vlcer whereby our age is become as the dregs and lees of all that haue gone before vs yea as a common sinke that receiueth all filthinesse and corruption into it If any obiect there was neuer more light of knowledge then is in our daies and that the word was neuer so plainely and plentifully preached I answere if it be granted that the light of knowledge is wonderfull great yet it is also as true that there was neuer more darknesse of impiety neuer moe mistes of vngodlinesse then now remain among vs so that it seemeth our greatnesse of knowledge serueth to no other purpose then to add to the greatnesse of our condemnation We are growne worse then our predecssors and forefathers because if there had not been such light there could not be such darknesse If we had beene blind and not seen the light we should not haue so greatly sinned Thus our Sauiour speaketh to some of the Pharisies z Ioh 9 41 If ye were blind ye should not haue sinne but now ye say we see therefore your sinne remaineth The Sunne of the Gospell hauing shined vpon our marish groundes hath raised these stenches and giuen li●e and growth to these monsters For where the Gospell doth not soften it hardneth where it worketh not conuersion it worketh confusion where it effecteth no good it maketh men worse yea worse then Tyre and Sidon worse then Sodome and Gomorah Thus truth compelleth me and wofull experience constraineth me to be a witnesse of that I would not if I could otherwise chuse touching the common corruption and iniquity of our age Obiection But some man may say the goodnesse of our professors will make amends and heale this soare yea make a full recompence of the former disorders and abuses Answere Indeed I acknowledge with all thankfulnesse and reioysing that God hath his Church and chosen flocke among vs contrary to the opinion and practise of such as haue made a rent and separation from vs. But although we haue a true Church of Christ with vs it is a little flocke a small remnant a gathering after the Haruest a gleaning after the vintage It is an hard matter to finde a true Isralite in whose heart is no guile They are rare handes that are free from the contagions of the times and pure from the spots of filthinesse now raigning We may take vp the complaint of the Prophet a Mica 7 4. The best of them is a briar and the most righteous of them t s sharper then a Thorny heage A man would haue thought he might haue ingaged his life and pawned his soule for the sincerity of some whom now we may behold to be gone as farre as Demas was in the loue of this world Their loue to the Saintes their zeale to the word their affection to the Ministers seemed to be such that no man doubted but their names were written in the booke of life who now seeme to be rased out of that booke which God hath written They indured the bitternesse of the Crosse they despised the shame of the world they suffered the taunts of the wicked who now are set downe in the seate of the scornefull and are become luke-warme in their profession Selfe-loue hath quenched brotherly loue mercy is swallowed vp through hardnesse of heart compassion is turned into sencelesnesse yea all ciuill and iust dealing seeme to haue taken their Winges and to be fled vp into heauen or else to be sunke downe into the Center of the earth and to haue left the society of our new Christians It is now accounted a rashnesse an heat of youth yea a sinne worthy of sharpe punishment to stand

q 1 Cor 7 12 13 16. For what knowest thou O Wife whether thou shalt saue thy Husband Or what knowest thou O Man whether thou shalt saue thy Wife So the Apostle Peter setting downe the wiues duty toward her husband saith r 1 Pet. 3 1 Let their wiues be subiect to their Husbandes that euen they which obey not the word may without the word be wonne by the conuersation of their wiues Where we see that some are won to the Faith without the preaching of the worde Answere I answere it is true that God blesseth and sanctifieth many meanes beside the preaching of the word to the good of his Children as Meditation Conference priuate instruction Prayer feare of Hell and such like Notwithstanding many that are conuerted to God are deceiued in the meanes and instrument of their conuersion For albeit such as are afflicted are brought to know themselues and to acknowledge the damnable estate wherein they stood yet it is not the affliction it selfe that wrought their conuersion The trouble that they sustained and endured whether it were in body or in mind or in both was sent by the goodnesse of God vpon them to bring them to a loue of the word who before loathed it and made no account or reckning of it This is it which the Apostle teacheth Å¿ Rom. 3 20. That by the Lawe commeth the knowledge of sinne So affliction may lay before vs the knowledge of our sins but it cannot take them away it may shew vs our wound but it cannot help vs and heale vs it may cast vs downe but it cannot raise vs vp it may bee a Schoole-maister to bring vs to Christ but it cannot make vs partakers of Christ It is like a sharpe Needle which doth not nor cannot sow the cloth but it is necessarie to prepare the way for the thred or it is like an eating or a fretting corrasiue which cannot cure but yet it is profitable to make the way for the healing medicine So the afflictions that God layeth vpon vs may bring vs to the sight and knowledge of our sinnes and to the consideration of the miseries which we deserue and to the feeling of the flashes of hell fire but they cannot worke Faith in vs nor assure vs of pardon nor apply to vs the promise of God touching the remission of sinnes It maketh a good beginning but it cannot bring the worke to perfection The like may bee saide of priuate admonition and a godly conuersation which the Apostles teach may be meanes of saluation to others it is not spoken to lessen or weaken the authority or efficacy of publicke preaching as if it were not the ordinary meanes to conceiue nourish and encrease faith in vs neither is it simply to be vnderstood that they are able to conuert the soule but onely that they are good occasions fit inducements and profitable helpes to drawe vs and allure vs to a liking and louing and longing after faith For when a man that is not a Christian but an Infidell beholdeth the holy pure chast conuersation of his Wife after her calling to the knowledge of the truth and hir subiection and obedience toward himselfe he may be mooued to embrace the Christian Religion whereof he seeth such worthy fruites We haue a notable example heerof in u Ioh. 4 39. 42 the woman of Samaria who perswading the men of the Citty to go out and heare Christ they saide vnto her after they hadde heard his preaching Now we beleeue not because of thy saying for we haue herd him our selues and know that this is indeede that Christ the Sauior of the world The exhortation of this woman preuailed with them to heare Christ and by their hearing they were conuerted she was the cause of their hearing their hearing was the cause of their beleeuing shee was the Instrument that brought them to Christ and hee wrought Faith in them when they vvere brought vnto him Obiection 2. Secondly it is saide that reading is preaching and therefore it is a sufficient meanes of saluation To this purpose they quote Actes 21. Moses of olde time hath in euery City them that preach him seeing he is read in the Synagogue euery Saboth day Loe say they he is preached when he is read therfore the bare reading must needs be preaching yea some adde it is better then preaching because when they heare the Scriptures read they knowe it is the word of God but when they heare preaching it is mens exposition and interpretation and they know not whether it bee true or false sound or vnsound right or wrong Answere I answere this obiection falleth of it selfe and it is ouerthrowne by that whereby it is sought to be strengthned For if reading be preaching then reading cannot be better then preaching inasmuch as nothing can be better or worse then it selfe It is not denied but the word Preaching may in a general sence include not only the reading of the word x Marke 1 45. 5 20. 7. 36 but any other way of declaring and publishing the power truth glory and workes of God Rom. 2 20 21. Psal 19 1 2. but then it is not vsed as wee take the word in the state of the question For wee meane by preaching the expounding of the Scripture according to the proportion of faith applying thereof according to the capacity of the hearers And thus they are set downe in the place alledged before as two distinct things one accompanying and following the other according to the ordinance of God and practise of the seruants of God Hence it is that the Apostle giueth this as a duty and direction belonging to Timothy y 1 Tim. 4 13. Till I come giue attendance to reading to exhortation and to Doctrine So it is sayde in the booke of Nehemiah z Nehe. 8 7 8. The Leuites caused the people to vnderstand the Law and the people stood in their place and they read in the Booke of the Law of God distinctly and gaue the sence and caused them to vnderstand the reading Likewise when Christ came to Nazareth where he had beene brought vp and went into the Synagogue on the Saboth day he stood vp He opened the Booke a Luke 4 17. and read the Scripture then he closed the Booke he sate downe the eyes of all of them were fastned on him and he began to preach vnto them Thus also wee see that when the Apostle Paule wrote his Epistle to the Romaines hee excused himselfe that hee could not come to preach vnto them b Rom. 1 11 15 14. For he longed to see them that he might bestow some spirituall guift among them and acknowledged himselfe a debter to the Grecians and to the Barbarians to the Wisemen and vnto the vnwise so that as much as lay in him hee was ready to preach the Gospell to them also that were at Rome Whereby we see that preaching and hearing are

conuerted by vs ought to be deare and feruent We learne from hence that the loue which Christians ought to beare to all the Saints especially to those whom they haue beene meanes to conuert ought to be entire deare hearty earnest most faithfull and most feruent It is our duty to loue all men more especiallie the Saints but most especially such as haue beene gained to the Faith by vs. The Lord himselfe testifieth his tender compassion toward his Children to prouoke them to follow his example The Prophets declare l Deut. 32 10. Zach. 2 8. That he which toucheth them toucheth the apple of his eye So Zachariah blessed the God of Israell m Luke 1 78. Who through his tender mercy gaue life to them that sate in darkenesse and in the shaddow of death and guided their feete into the way of peace This appeareth notably in Christ Iesus n Heb. 2 17. Who was made like vnto his Brethren that he might be mercifull he will not breake the bruised Reede nor quench the smoaking Flaxe o Iohn 15 12 13. and 13 34. These thinges saith he haue I spoken vnto you that my ioy might remaine in you this is my Commaundement that ye loue one another as I haue loued you greater loue then this hath no man when any man bestoweth his life for his friends This affection we finde in many places in the Apostle p Phil. 1 8 9. 1 Thess 3 7 8 God is my record how I long after you all from the very heart-roote in Iesus Christ we had consolation in you in al our affliction necessity through your Faith for now are we aliue if ye stand fast in the Lord. The Euangelist Luke describing the Church of God gathered together after the ascention of Christ saith q Act. 2 44 45 All that beleeued were in one place and had all thinges common and they sold their possessions and goods and parted them to all men as euery one had neede This is a precept giuen in the Law and no duty more often vrged and touched in the Gospell Moses saith r Leuit. 19 18 Math. 5 43. Rom. 13 9. Gal. 5 14. Thou shalt not auenge nor bee mindfull of wrong against the Children of thy people but shall loue thy Neighbour as thy selfe I am the Lord. The Apostle Paule among many precepts that he giueth this is one of the chiefe and principall Å¿ Rom. 12 9 10. and 13 8. Let loue bee without dissimulation abhorre that which is euill and cleane vnto that which is good be affectioned to loue one another with brotherlie loue All these testimonies of God the Father of Christ Iesus our Lord of the Apostle of other Christians and of the whole Church doe sufficiently teach vs that howsoeuer all the Saints of God are to be loued yet those especially that haue beene conuerted to vs. Reason 1. The reasons that may be rendred to vphold as firme pillers to strengthen this Doctrine are many and infallible For first there is great labour imployed long time spent many meanes vsed and continuall care bestowed to conuert a Soule to God It is no idle worke it is not brought to passe without much adoe A Woman hauing had an hard labour with her child doth loue it the more and will vse speech accordinglie saying This was a very deere Childe vnto me I must needes loue it yea her loue t Iohn 16 21. is so heartie and entire that shee forgetteth the paines and sorrow that shee hath sustained Beniamin among all the Sonnes of Iacob was most tenderly beloued in whose byrth the Mother dyed the fruite was saued but the Tree withered and fell downe he cost Iacob therefore dear euen his best beloued wife and indeed his onely lawfull wife whom Laban promised for whom he serued u Gen. 35 18. so that he called him Beniamin the sonne of his right hand If then that which is dearly bought be deepely beloued it is no maruell if it worke effectually in spirituall things where the greatest paines and labor is shewed We see this in the Galathians who had put the Apostle to much trouble and exceeding torment in their recouery to Christ x Gal. 4 11 19 are by him called his Little Children of whom he trauailed in birth againe vntill Christ were formed in them and he was in much feare and perplexity least hee had bestowed on them labour in vaine This appeareth in his behauiour toward the Israelites to whom pertaineth the adoption the glory and the Couenants y Ro. 9 1 2 3. I say the truth in Christ I lye not my Conscience bearing me witnesse in the Holyghost that I haue great heauinesse and continuall sorrow in mine heart for I would wish my selfe to bee separated from Christ for my Brethren that are my Kinsmen according to the flesh The like affection is bewrayed in Moses toward Gods people who had carried them in his bosome as a Nursse doth the sucking Childe when God was offended with them and threatned to consume them he cried vnto the Lord z Ex. 32 31 32 Oh this people haue sinned a great sinne and haue made them Gods of Golde therefore now if thou pardon their sinne thy mercy shall appeare but if thou wilte not I pray thee rase me out of thy Booke which thou hast written Thus he shewed the bowels of his loue toward that people with whom hee had taken so great paines for whom he had so often prayed and by whom he had been so oftentimes prouoked Reason 2. Secondly by testifying of our loue and shewing forth the fruites thereof we gather great assurance that we are of the company of the faithfull of the Communion of Saints and of the society of them that belong to the trueth when we loue vnfaignedly those that are of the truth The Apostle Iohn teacheth that our loue to the brethren is a fruite of true faith a 1 Iohn 3 14 19. Heereby we know that we are of the truth and shall before him assure our hearts And againe hee saith We know we are translated from death vnto life because wee loue the Brethren he that loueth not his Brother abideth in death Whereby hee sheweth that we are assured that we belong to God are his children by the fruites of loue which are certaine tokens of our election to eternall life Reason 3. Thirdly loue is the liuery of Christ and as it were the badge and cognizance whereby we are knowne to be his Disciples and to be taught and directed by his spirit This agreeth with the Doctrine of Christ b Ioh. 13 34 35. A newe Commandement giue I vnto you that yee loue one another as I haue loued you that ye also loue another by this shall all men knowe that ye are my Disciples if yee haue loue one to another Christ Iesus did instruct his Disciples especially in loue and did as it were graft it and engraue

Seruants vnto their Creditors To conclude if we shew our selues readie and willing to put in practise the Rules giuen vnto vs to bring vs out of the Briars and bondage of suretyshippe wee shall finde rest to our soules and God will encline the heart of our Creditors to shewe fauour vnto vs who hath the hearts of all men in his owne handes Verse 19. I Paule haue written this with mine owne hand I will recompence it Philemon might well haue contented himselfe with the bare word and naked Promise of Paule forasmuch as his word and deede did not differ one from the other This is the defence that he maketh for himselfe to the Corinthians when he was accused of lightnesse and inconstancy promising to come vnto them and yet hee came not l 2 Cor. 1 17 18. When I was thus minded to come vnto you did I vse lightnesse Or minde I those thinges which I mind according to the Flesh that with mee should bee yea and nay Yea GOD is faithfull that our worde toward you was not yea and nay Notwithstanding albeit his word was as good as his bande and his saying accorded with his doing and his promise were as strong as an Obligation so that hee dealt not as men vsually doe which will rashly auouch any thing that commeth into their head and by and by chaunge their purpose in the turning of an hande Wee see in this place how hee promising to satisfie Philemons dammage and willing to leaue no scruple or doubt in him doeth farther confirme it and assureth him by his hand-writing and Couenants albeit they two were great and neare friends and had good interest one in another Doctrine 3. Couenants in writing for debts bargains and sales are honest lawfull We learne from hence that ciuill Instruments and Couenants in writing together with other assurances that may bee asked and graunted are good and lawfull euen amongst the best and greatest Friends I say when Debtes are owing when bargaines are made when money is lent when Lands are solde and when there are mutuall Contracts betweene man and man betweene Friend and Friend betweene Kinsman and Kinsman assurance in writing with hand and seale may be enterchangeably giuen and receiued This we see in the practise of all people in former times When Abraham had made a Couenant of peace and vnitie with Abimelech K. of Gerar he did deliuer vnto him seauen Lambes m Gen. 21 39 23. That the taking of them might be a witnesse of the truth and an assurance vnto him that he hadde digged that Well of waters To this purpose did the King require Abraham to take an Oath and solemnely to sweare by the name of God that hee woulde not deale falsely and fraudulently with him nor hurt him nor his Children nor his Childrens Children The like or rather greater assuraunce is required and yeelded in the 23. Chapter of the same Booke where Abraham buying a fielde of Ephron the Hittite requireth an Instrument with witnesses and a deliuerie of the possession The Field of Ephron n Gen. 23 17 18 20. which was in Machpelah and ouer against Mamre euen the Fielde and the Caue that was therein and all the Trees that were in the Fielde which were in all the Borders round about was made sure vnto Abraham for a possession in the sight of the Hittites euen of all that went in at the gates of his Cittie Where we see all the circumstances and manner of the contract which Abraham maketh are set downe and expressed First we see a large description of the place that was bought together with the bounding and confronting of the place as also the appurtenances Namely the Trees that grew therein Secondly wee see the name of the seller set downe who did openly auouch the sale thereof as being his owne Thirdly the name of the buyer that no doubt might be left Lastly the witnesses are recorded of this bargaine and sale that none might heereaftet lay claime vnto it or denie vnto Abraham the lawful possession of it and the holding of it to him and his And if we would yet see this more clearly wee haue more euident confirmation of it in the prophesies of Ieremie where to shew the certainety of the returne of the Israelites into their Lande and Countrey againe hee maketh a solemne purchase o Ier. 32 9 10. I bought the Fielde of Hanameel mine Vncles sonne and waighed him Siluer euen seauen Shekels ten peeces of Siluer and I writ in the Booke and signed it and tooke witnesses and I gaue the Booke of the possession vnto Baruch in the sight of Hanameel mine Vnckles Sonne and in the presence of the Witnesses which were vvritten in the Booke of the possession before all the Iewes that sate in the Court of the Prison In these wordes which are more at large related in the Prophet wee see what assuraunce and securitie was taken and giuen with VVriting Sealing VVitnesses deliuerie and keeping the Rolles and Records thereof This is set downe likewise in the latter end of the same Chapter Ieremy 32. 43 44. where he saith The Fields shall bee possessed in this Lande whereof ye say It is desolate without Man or Beast and shall bee giuen into the hand of the Caldeans Men shall buy Fieldes for Siluer and make Writinges and seale them and take witnesses in the Lande of Beniamin and rounde about Ierusalem c. for I will cause their Captiuitie to returne sayth the Lord. This discouereth the practise of those times and deliuereth the formes and fashions obserued among that people VVhen Iacob and Laban made a Couenant eyther with other p Ge 31 51 52 which might be a witnesse betweene them both they confirmed it by Oath and set vp an heape of stones to testify the amity and friendship renewed betweene both parties In the Parable of the vniust Steward it is remembred that all Debters and Debts were recorded in writing with the summe that euery one owed r Lu. 16 5 6 7 For hee called vnto euerie one of his Maisters Debters and saide vnto the first How much owest thou vnto my Maister And he saide An hundred measures of Oyle And he said to him Take thy writing and sit downe quickly and write fifty Then saide he to another How much owest thou And he saide An hundred measures of Wheate Then he saide to him take thy writing and write fourescore In this Parable wee see the manner that was vsed in the dayes of old namely that Bookes of recknings and accounts were commonly kept and vsually brought foorth when men did leuell their debts and make euen one with another All which Testimonies ratifying the practise of former times persons serue to teach vs that it is lawfull for the faithfull to vse all circumspection to assure their debts bargaines and contracts one with another Reason 1 And if we would enter into a further consideration of this truth we shall