A COMMENTARIE VPON THE EPISTLE OF SAINT PAVLE TO PHILEMON Wherein 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 oeconomicall Politicall Ecclesiasticall As Of Persecution for Righteousnesse sake Of Christian Equity and Moderation Of Gods free Grace forgiuing offences Of Houshold Gouernment and priuate possessions Of the Conuersion of Sinners and Communion of Saints Of Faith and good workes Of Friendship and Suretiship Of Prayer and Hospitality Of the Gospell and Almes-deedes Of Gods Prouidence And of the force and fruit of the Ministery ¶ Mouing all the Ministers of the Gospell to a diligent labouring in the spirituall Haruest and the people to a conscionable attending to the word of Saluation as to Gods high and holy ordinance for our conuersion with assured hope of his wonderfull blessing vpon the sound Preaching of the one and the sauing hearing of the other Written by WILLIAM ATTERSOLL Minister of the word of God at Isfield in Sussex Luke 17. 3. ¶ Take heede to your selues if thy Brother trespasse against thee rebuke him and if he repent forgiue him ¶ Printed at London by William Iaggard 1612. TO THE RIGHT WORshipfull Sir THOMAS PELHAM Baronet encrease of GRACE in this life and eternall GLORIE in the life to come AGesilaus King of Lacedemon when one praised a certaine Orator that he could stretch out small matters at large and length and amplifie them with many words both fitly and fully answeared him But I cannot a Plut. Apotheg thinke him a good Shoo-maker that would put a great and wide Shoo vpon a slender foote There be many I feare who considering the shortnesse of this present Epistle and comparing it with the largenesse of my Exposition will bee ready to suppose and surmise through the fore-stalling of their preiudicate Opinion that to a little Citty I haue set vp wide Gates and to a slender body haue fashioned a wide Garment both which are faulty and vnfit But if these partiall Iudges would weigh the cause aright in iust and equal Ballances without the corrupt affections of Malice or Enuy I doubt not but they will rather thinke that to a great Foot I haue fitted and applied a little Shoo. For this Epistle Written to Philemon though it be short in words and comprehended in a little compasse yet if wee regard and respect as we ought to do either the pithy and profound substance of the matter or the cunning or rather curious Art of Paul the writer or the great and glorious Maiesty of God the Endighter which shineth and sheweth it selfe euen in the least things we shal be constrained to confesse that this is a right great Epistle and as b Macrob. comment in Som. Scipion. lib. 2. cap. 5. one saith in another case Verborum parua sed rerum foecunda and the Interpretation of it very breefe both in regard of the Worthinesse of the Argument and the Wisedome of the Spirit that appeareth therein A Diamond may be little yet it is of great price The eye is small yet it seeth farre The heart is little yet is it the life of the body It pleaseth God to shew forth the greatnesse of his power in the least works of his hands And as Merchants that cast Accounts c Vellei Pateri hyster lib. 1. comprize greater summes in shorter roome so doth the Apostle handle most weighty Matters Mysteries within the slender compasse of a few Verses that we should rather weigh the worke then number the words He seemeth no where to reason more exquisitely and to deale more pregnantly then in this place Euery word almost hath the force of a Motiue and seasoning his cause with Wisedome and his doings with Art he so creepeth into Philemons bosome and closeth with him at a suddaine that by no meanes hee can start from him Sometimes by louing Titles Sometimes by Artificiall insinvations Sometimes by fauourable preuenting of Obiections Sometimes by Rhetoricall perswasions Sometimes by earnest Preparations Sometimes by Charitable Mittigations Sometimes by strong Obligations Sometimes by deepe Protestations Sometimes by fit Reuocations and sometimes by forcible Arguments as it were by so many courteous Congies and vehement Adiurations hee dealeth and preuaileth in such sort with him d Liuy histor lib. 45. as Popilius the Romaine Ambassador against Antiochus King of Syria who hauing deliuered his message from the Senate made a circle about him with his rod and charged him to put off all delayes and giue him present answere before hee departed out of it Thus doth the Apostle lay his Net and cast his Chaine about Philemon that he hampereth him fast and holdeth him close before he is aware of any such matter This Philemon to whom the Epistle is directed was a Wealthy man a Cittizen of Colosse the Host of the Church who had a Seruant named Onesimus he hauing pilfered and purloyned some of his Maisters goods fled away from him and the Church that was in his house For whatsoeuer the care and diligence of the Gouernors be lewd persons do oftentimes shroud themselues vnder their Roofe But comming to Rome no better then a fugitiue hee heard Paule preach the Word which is as e Ier. 23 29. an Hammer to breake in pieces the stony hearts of vnregenerate men and f Rom. 1 16. the power of God to saluation to all that beleeue so that he acknowledged the falt he had committed and desired to be reconciled to his Maister whom hee had offended He being thus gained to the Faith g Gualt hom 1. in Philemon and kindely and courteously entreated by Paule Who becommeth all thinges to all men h 1 Cor. 9 22 that by all meanes he might saue some is by him sent back with these Letters of Commendation and intercession for him pleading his cause as it were at the barre effectually crauing pardon for him earnestly and teaching i Gualt hom 2 in Philemon thereby that no man albeit of the lowest sort and condition truly repenting ought to be despised and contemned He went away Vnprofitable he returned Profitable he went away k Gualt hom 5 in Philemon Peruerted he returned Conuerted hee went away a Seruant he returned a Brother Before he heard Paule preach hee was a Theefe but when he had heard him he became as his Naturall Sonne l Phile. ver 10 as he is not ashamed to call him and account him in this Epistle Question Vpon this occasion of this Seruants flying away and be-taking himselfe to his heeles a question may be demanded which also of some m Paraeus in Genes cap. 39. is handled whether it bee lawfull for bond-slaues that are bought with money such as the state of Seruants in those daies for the most part was to runne away from their Maisters forasmuch as the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 7 21. If thou mayest be free
that such as contemne their Parents and refuse to helpe and succour those that GOD hath made nearest vnto them and so bound them in a greater band doe commit the greater sinne and plainely declare that their hearts are voyd of naturall affection The third reproofe Thirdly this Doctrine reprooueth those that where most causes and reasons concurre and meete together to vrge them to their dutie do not make vse of them nor bind themselues more closely and straightly with them nor shew more kindnesse being moued by them so that the greater and moe the meanes are to tie them in affection one to another the lesse many times their loue is This may be made plainely to appeare vnto vs if we consider the particular practise of the people toward their Minister and the generall behauiour of one of the faithfull toward another God hath bound the people to their owne Pastor by a straighter and neerer coniunction then to the Shepheards of other Foldes because they haue a greater charge of their Soules and must giue an account for them to the cheefe Shepheard of the Sheep and yet we see they are most bitter and violent against them because they reprooue their sinnes and discouer their corruptions that they themselues may see them and forsake them and God may forgiue them Shall the sicke person hate the Phisition because hee sheweth him his disease and offereth his help best endeuour to cure it In like manner shall we be spightfully intreated and cruellie handled and mortally maligned that wish them the greatest good shew our selues their best friends deale faithfull with their Soules and labour to bring them to eternall happinesse This is it which the Apostle speaketh to the Galathians e Gal. 4 16. Am I therefore become your Enemy because I tellyou the truth Thus also the Prophet Ieremy complaineth f Ier. 18 20. Shall euill be recompensed for good For they haue digged a pit for my Soule remember that I stood before thee to speake good for them and to turne away thy wrath from them We pray for them we stand in the gap wee exhort and admonish them we desire to cure them of those sinnes that fight against their Soules to destroy them Secondly we are to draw from hence a generall consideration that as God hath called vs with an holy calling into the bosome of the Church so he hath linked the faithfull in loue one to another and yoaked them together with the sweet yoake of his Gospell and yet how many are there that professe the name of Christ and will needes be accounted true Christians that cannot abide the Children of God but hate them with an vnfained hatred and account them as their Mortall enemies If we should see a man rage against the members of his owne bodie g Marke 5 5. and strike himselfe with stones to the wounding of the flesh like the man possessed would we not seek to binde him with Chaines and say he were mad and out of his wits So likewise if we be in Christ we haue him as our head and are members one of another and therefore such as nourish the passions of hatred as Coales of fire kindled in their breastes are out of their right minde as men distracted and beside themselues No man euer yet hated his owne flesh but nourisheth h Ephe. 5 29. and cherisheth it euen as the Lord doth the Church We haue many effectuall meanes and strong reasons to ioyne our affections one to another i Ephe. 4 4 5. There is one Body and one Spirit there is one hope and one inheritance there is one Faith and one Baptisme there is one God and Father of all which is aboue all and thorough all and in vs all These are so many bands to hold vs together if wee plucke these Chaines asunder and breake the Fetters in peeces that no man can tame vs nor binde vs we are not liuing but dead members and offer violence to our owne flesh The single knot of nature ought to be sufficient to knit vs one to another and the least thred of naturall coniunction of our humane Nature ought to sew vs together as a Garment fitted for our bodie how much more when many occasions meet together which should establish brotherly loue to continue among vs Vse 3 Thirdly seeing coupling of many reasons together and the meeting of many good respects in one giueth the more cause of ioy and gladnesse of louing and caring one for another it giueth a profitable instruction to all Children and Seruants and other inferiors to performe the duties of honor and reuerence to their Fathers and Maisters If there were no other means this were a sufficient meanes to make them tractable and attentiue to the wordes and directions of their Fathers and Maisters euen because they are their Fathers and Maisters For this includeth many reasons and ioyneth them in neerer bandes then they were tyed together before and detecteth them of a greater sin and maketh them guilty of a greater iudgement When it pleased God to open the mouth of Baalams i Num. 22 28. Asse to reprooue the foolishnesse and wickednesse of that false Prophet it was his fault not to hearken nor giue heede to that which is spoken vnto him When God instructeth vs by the Creatures which are the common Maisters of all mankind we must learne the inuisible thinges of God by them When the Wise-man passed by the fielde of the slothfull k Prou. 24 30 31 32. and by the Vine-yard of the Man destitute of vnderstanding which was growne all ouer with Thornes and Nettles he behelde and considered it well he looked vpon it and receiued instruction But when the Lord chuseth one to speake vnto vs and to informe vs in his waies which hath beene the Instrument of our life and being of our peace and welfare of our good and saluation we ought to haue more respect to his person and to his perswasion as he is a more honorable Messenger and as his words do proceede from greater loue and kindnesse toward vs. This serueth greatlie to reprooue all rebellious Children and contemptuous Seruants which dislike and distast the holie instructions and informations of their Fathers and Maisters If they receiue any temporall commoditie from them this doth rellish well in their mouthes but they regard not their counsels they will none of their instructions These are wicked Children these are vngodlie Seruants An euill Child is but halfe a Child an euill Wife is but halfe a Wife an euill Seruant is but halfe a Seruant an euill Subiect is but halfe a Subiect The godly and gratious Child is a Childe indeede a godly and gratious Wife is a true Wife indeede a godly and gratious Seruant is a right Seruant indeede a godly and gratious Subiect is to be accounted and acknowledged a true Subiect indeede For as there are degrees of coniunction of mankinde one to another which are
them and cursse them and cannot behold them with a friendly looke and a louing countenance as if the fault were in the Clearkes Bayliffes and other publique Officers not in themselues and their owne vnfaithfulnesse which is all one as if a Male-factor should charge the Executioner who is the Minister of Iustice to be the cause of his death forgetting that his owne misdeedes and misdemeanors brought him vp vnto that place and punishment Vse 2. Secondly seeing it is needefull that to confirme our lawfull contractes there be Euidences to shew it is a good point of wisedome required of vs to vse the aduise of such as are learned in the law and are both men of knowledge and of conscience For heere if in any thing else we shall finde the common Prouerbe true That the best is best cheap Many there are that regard the Fee more then the Cause and speake for themselues rather then for the partie that hath chosen them Againe many suites arise through ignorance and vnskilfulnesse of the Law wherefore it is meete we should resort to a learned Counsell so that partly through the want of honesty and piety in some partly the want of skill and practise in others many poore Clients go to wracke We must all deale in the matter of our goods as wise Patients doe for the curing of their bodies and the recouery of their health They will not goe to euery Slubberer or Sorcerer to euery Leach or Mountebanke to take charge of their bodies to whom a man would be loath to commit his Beasts If any doubts arise auoyd all forgery and periury suborning of false Witnesses counterfeiting of Euidences and such like deceitfull practises as the God of this world hath taught the Children of darknesse and confusion Take that course which God alloweth and Iustice warranteth repaire to men of that profession giue him good instruction and follow thou his direction For this purpose I will craue leaue to set downe e Three rules belonging to Lawyers three rules that are required and are to be performed of men of Law the obseruation whereof shall giue peace and comfort of conscience with God and gaine them Crownes and credit among men First of all if they disdaine not to be aduised and taught by vs let the end of all their pleas and proceedings be the finding out of the ttuth Let this be the marke that they shoot at and the starre whereby they direct all their course which seasoneth all their pleadings as it were with Salt If they regard not the tryall of the truth nor which way the cause go so they may receiue their Fee they abuse the ballances of Iustice and turne equity into Iniquity God is truth and euery one that belongeth vnto him should labour to bring the truth to light It is a generall rule taught by the Apostle f 2 Cor. 13 8. We cannot doe any thing against the truth but for the truth Woe therefore vnto them that dig deepe to hide the truth and inuent shifts to bury it out of sight that it may not take place and do all things against the truth and nothing for it The second rule is that they doe not delay the causes of their Clients and protract the time in hope of farther gaine from Tearme to Tearme and from yeare to yeare As there may be too great hast so there may be too great delay and there are Rockes on eyther hand the safest course is to saile in the midst betweene them both for feare of shipwracke It is a dutie of the Surgeon not to linger the curing of his Patient and to torment him a whole yeare where he might restore him in a quarter Suites of Law are tedious and chargeable they are as the fits of a Feauer that vexe the body and trouble the minde It is an euill course to keepe sores alwaies raw and woundes greene in hope to get Mony So it is an vncharitable proceeding to retaine causes and to keepe them alwaies on foot except they may haue for expedition Lastly as the end of their pleading must bee truth and veritie and the course of it without delay so it is required of them when they know the cause to be euill and see the manifest signes of an ouerthrow that they doe not conceale it but discouer and open it vnto their Clients They are to forewarne them of the end that they doe not intangle themselues in vnnecessarie and vnlawfull suites It is deliuered as a dutie of the Physition and of the Minister when they come to a sicke man that lyeth on his death-bed and see manifest signes of death that they doe not hide it from him nor flatter him in his sicknesse saying I hope you shall doe well and recouer and be as merry among your Neighbours as euer you were but rather with wisdome warne him and with discretion certifie him of it to the end he may renounce all confidence in earthly thinges and put his whole affiance in God according to that sentence of the Apostle g 2 Cor. 1 9. We receiued the sentence of death in our selues because we should not trust in our selues but in God which raiseth the dead Thus ought it to be with the carefull and conscionable Lawyer when he seeth the cause of his Clyent desperate and languishing without hope of life he ought not to draw him on and moue him to proceede but perswade him to giue ouer and tell him the danger that will come vpon him It is too late to bid the Souldier beware when the victory is lost The wisest way is to preuent a mischiefe betimes before it be too late So then to trusse vp these thinges closely together and to couch them in a narrow roome if he shall vse his diligence that the truth may be discouered and right take place and make this the end of his pleading if he bend his wits to giue quicke dispatch to the causes he vndertaketh and not to prolong the time for his owne aduantage And last of all if he lay open the weaknesse of his Clyents cause vnto him and forewarne him of the issue thereof he shall doe the part of an honest man of a faithfull Christian of a learned Lawyer and of a discreet Counseller Vse 3 Thirdly from these assurances in writing to confirme our promises one to another we learn the cause why it pleased the Lord to vse so many waies and meanes with vs to giue vs his Word his Oath his promises his Miracles his Couenants and his Seales We learne wherefore all these do serue euen to strengthen our Faith in the good meaning of God toward vs. And as he thereby assureth his owne graces so he prouideth for our weakenesse If there were in vs that measure of Faith that ought to be the bare word of God might be all-sufficient to teach vs to acknowledge him to be the God of our saluation and to depend vpon him for our Redemption But seeing
we dare do not so much only as we ought to do not considering how lawfull it is but how powerfull we are how weake they are All the prophane Histories are full of worthy examples of many Seruants who are commended for their trust and faithfulnesse Wittinesse and Courage Might and Magnanimity to all posterity and haue not doubted to giue their liues to death in their Maisters quarrell It is not therefore much to bee maruelled at that the Apostle perceiuing how t Heb. 4 12. Mighty the word had bin in Operation vpon Philemons Seruant doth account him as his Sonne and seeketh to reconcile him to his Maister in which respect he was willing and desirous to haue u Phile. 13 14 kept him with him to Minister vnto him He claimeth some authoritie ouer him being his spirituall Father howbeit because he was not only his Sonne but also another mans Seruant he would not retaine him without his Maisters knowledge Let them not therefore for their low degree be contemned nor haue the meanes of instruction denied vnto them Thus I haue set downe to thy view Christian Reader the scope of this Epistle wherein the Apostle in a narrow compasse doth couch together many Mysteries of our Religion which I haue laboured to lay open in this Commentary And howsoeuer the worke is growne in bignesse extended in length vnder mine hands more then at the first I purposed and intended yet I hope the manner of handling heerein obserued shall easily recompence thy labour bestowed in reading I cannot in few words comprehend the matters that are heere and there dispersed throughout the Booke Among many other these points are principally handled Touching affliction for the truth and persecution for righteousnesse sake Touching Christian Equity and Moderation Touching Gods free grace forgiuing offences Touching houshold Gouernment and Priuate possessions Touching the conuersion of Sinners and the Communion of Saintes Touching Faith and Good Workes Touching Friendship and Surety-ship Touching Prayer and Hospitality Touching the Gospell and Almes-deeds Touching Gods prouidence and of the force fruite of the Ministry as is more at large to be seen in the Table of the doctrines Accept I pray thee the paines I haue taken in the discussing of these points pardon the escapes if any be into which I haue fallen as in trauelling so long a iourney it is easie to fall into a slumber and wheresoeuer thou vnderstandest the hand of God to haue beene with me in publishing the truth giue him the glory ascribe the praise vnto his great name to whose grace goodnesse I commend thee Thine in our common Sauiour William Attersoll A BRIEFE RECAPITVLATION OF ALL THE DOCTRINES HANDLED AT LARGE IN THIS EPISTLE Out of the Praeface THe course of the Gospell cannot bee stopped but will haue his passage in the world page 1. The Argument and occasion of the Epistle together with the vses thereof page 7. Verse 1 and 2. Doct. 1. Good things must be followed and sought after earnestly and feruently not coldly and carelesly pag. 9 Doct. 2. It is no disgrace or reproch to the Seruants of God to bee cast into prison for the Gospels sake pag 12. Doct. 3. The persecutions of all true Christians are the persecutions of Christ Iesus when they are imprisoned for Christs sake page 15. Doct. 4. All good duties to God or man are better doone by the helpe of others then alone by our selues pa 21 Doct. 5. A christian friend wil performe any christian duty to his friend page 25. Doct. 6. Christian women should be helpers vnto their husbandes as heires together of the grace of life page 29 Doct. 7. The calling of a Minister is a painfull and laborious a needefull and troublesome calling page 33. Doct. 8. It is the duty of all house-holders to teach and instruct their families that belong vnto them page 38 Verse 3. Doct. 1. The free fauour and mercy of God in Christ Iesus is first and aboue all other things to be desired and prayed for page 48 Doct. 2. Such as are in Gods fauor haue his blessings flowing vnto them and following them page 55 Doct. 3. All blessings temporall and eternall are to be craued from God alone in Christ Iesus page 61 Verse 4 and 5. Doct 1. Men ought to take cause of great ioy to see others growe and proceed in good things page 68 Doct. 2. It is the nature of faith to apply the mercies and promises of God to our owne selues page 76 Doct. 3. It is the duty of the faithfull to pray not onely for themselues but also for others page 82 Doct. 4. True Religion must not onely bee inwardly beleeued but also outwardly confessed and openly professed page 86 Doct. 5. Faith and Loue are the cheefest thinges that commend a man to God and his Church page 95 Doct. 6. Faith in Christ and Loue to the Saints do alwaies go together in all the seruants of God pag. 99. Doct. 7. Christ must be the Obiect of our faith we must looke vnto him and depend vpon him page 106 Doct. 8. The workes of mercy are especially and aboue before others to be shewed to the poore Saints that are godly 111 Doct. 9. Such as truely beleeue in Christ and belong to him are Saints page 117 Verse 6 and 7. Doct. 1. It is our duty to stir vp our selues and others to encrease in good things page 126 Doct. 2. The guifts which we haue receiued must not lye hid in vs but be employed to the good of others 140 Doct. 3. The goodnesse of God bestowed vpon our selus or others must be published abroad and made known to others page 142 Doct. 4. The spiritual graces of God bestowed vpon others doe giue occasion of ioy to the Saints pa. 147 Doct. 5. The workes of mercie are to bee shewed to the poore distressed Saints page 154 Verse 8 and 9. Doct. 1. The Office of the Pastour and Minister of God is an Office of power and authority vnder christ 163 Doct. 2. Gentle meanes are to bee vsed rather then seuere to perswade men to holy duties page 172 Doct. 3. Superiors in guifts or age or both are to bee reuerenced and regarded aboue others pa. 177. Verse 10. Doct. 1. The least and lowest member conuerted to Christ must not bee contemned or condemned page 184 Doct. 2. The same affection that is betweene the Father and the Sonne ought to be betweene the Minister the people committed vnto him 189 Doct. 3. The preaching of the word is the ordinary meanes and instrument of our conuersion and regeneration page 205 Verse 11. and 12. Doct. 1. Christian religion maketh a man profitable and helpfull vnto others that before hath been iniurious and hurtfull page 227. Doct. 2. In godly religious and reformed families are many times vngodly obstinate and vnreformed persons both Children and Seruaunts page 237 Doct. 3. Former Offences albeit great and heynous vppon true repentance are to bee
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
that repent had his hart opened and was by Gods blessing conuerted to the Faith became a sound and sincere Christian and performed sundry duties of loue to Paul ministring continually vnto him in the time of his Captiuity as a dutifull Sonne to his spirituall Father But after the Apostle vnderstood that hee was another Mans Seruaunt and belonged vnto him as it were a part of his possession though he found him in his distressed and afflicted estate very profitable comfortable and necessary vnto him yet he would not detaine him from his Mayster to whom by the Word of God by the light of Nature and by the Law of all Nations he appertained Hence it is that hee sent him backe againe to his Maister with this Epistle in which the Apostle dooth by force of reasons and vehemency of words vrge Philemon to entertaine and retaine with him his fugitiue and offensiue Seruant but now greatly altered and throughly changed by the power of Gods word z Psal 19. 7. Which conuerteth the Soule and giueth wisedome vnto the simple as the Prophet teacheth vs. The vses of the former Argument of this Epistle Thus we see how Paule intreateth and obtaineth pardon for Onesimus a Seruant that was conuerted by the preaching of the Apostle which offereth vnto vs diuers good and profitable vses Vse 1. First we see that Christ Iesus reiecteth none that come vnto him how base and simple soeuer they be All such as repent and beleeue the Gospell whether Maisters or Seruants high or low rich or poore are accepted of him who is Lord of all and with whom is no respect of persons A notable comfort to all of low place and meane condition to consider with themselues that howsoeuer the men of this World haue many times no respect vnto them yet they are deare to God and regarded of him who openeth to them the doore of saluation and reserueth for them a Crowne of righteousnesse He appointeth his Word and Sacraments for them as well as for others and hence it is that for the most part the poore receiue the Gospell a Gal. 3 28. There is neither Iew nor Graecian there is neither bond nor free there is neither Male nor Female for ye are all one in Christ Iesus Vse 2. Secondly this instructeth vs not to contemne or despise any how vile soeuer they may seeme in our eyes but to be carefull for their good and to further their conuersion b Mat 18 10. according to the counsell of Christ our Sauiour Math. 18. See that ye despise not one of these little ones for I say vnto you that in Heauen their Angels alwaies behold the Face of my Father which is in Heauen For the Sonne of Man is come to saue that which was lost Many are basely and badly thought off in this World who are in great price and estimation with GOD. Many are wronged and oppressed of Men of whom the high God of Heauen taketh care and charge We are ready to respect the outward face and person of Men but he regardeth the heart God the Father loueth them woe therefore to them that hate them Christ Iesus came to saue and redeeme them woe therefore to all them that seeke to hurt and destroy them It pleaseth God oftentimes to call the Seruant and to let the Maister alone suffering him to perrish in his sinnes This is the cause that the blessed Virgine magnifieth the Lord and that her Spirit reioyceth in God her Sauiour c Luke 1. 52 53. Because he looked on the poore degree of his Seruaunt and had doone great thinges for her Hee pulleth downe the mightie from their Seates and exalteth them of low degree He filleth the hungry with good things and sendeth away the Rich empty Vse 3. Thirdly we learne that no man ought vnder any colour of Religion and pretence of godlinesse to keepe away other mens Seruants from their owne Maisters Paule found the Seruant of Onesimus faithfull to helpe him and forward to Minister vnto him yea he might be bold with Philemon his Mayster yet he would not detaine him with him without his allowance and approbation The Gospell then doth not destroy and disanull the diuers degrees and orders established in the World but rather confirmeth and strengthneth them It alloweth not the Seruant to resist and rise vp against the Maister although hee should be a beleeuer and his Maister an vnbeleeuer or he be a beleeuer as well as his Maister and in knowledge of godlinesse be equall vnto him but teacheth him to obey for conscience sake d 1 Tim. 6 1 2. and to Count his Maister worthy of all honour that the Name of God and his Doctrine be not euill spoken of And they which haue beleeuing Maisters let them not despise them because they are Brethren but rather do seruice because they are faithfull and beloued and partakers of the benefit These things teach and exhort Vse 4. Fourthly we are to marke that the Lord requireth of vs to bee ready to forgiue and forget the wronges and iniuries that are done vnto vs. Let vs put from vs all rancor and mallice and not suffer the Sunne to goe downe vpon our wrath O how e Math. 18 27 great is the mercy of God toward vs How great is our debt toward him Let vs put on the bowels of pitty and compassion forbearing one another and forgiuing one another f Col. 3 13. If any Man haue a quarrell vnto another euen as Christ forgaue euen so doe ye If we come to any of the exercises of our Religion to heare the Word to receiue the Sacraments or to call vpon the Name of God if the Leauen of maliciousnesse haue infected our heartes the word of life is made the sauour of death the Sacraments are made Instruments of Wrath and our Prayers are turned into Sinne. We are taught in our Prayers to aske g Chrysost hom 1. in Philem. forgiuenesse at the hands of God as we our selues performe this duty toward our Brethren The promise of forgiuenesse is made to them that doe forgiue h Mark 11 25 When ye shall stand and pray forgiue if ye haue any thing against any man that your Father also which is in Heauen may forgiue you your trespasses For if ye will not forgiue your Father which is in Heauen will not pardon you your trespasses This accordeth with the precept of Christ Math. 5. If thou bring thy guift to the Altar and there remembrest that thy Brother hath ought against thee i Math. 5 24. Leaue there thine offering before the Altar and goe thy way first be reconciled to thy Brother and then come and offer thy guift If we desire As new borne Babes the sincere Milke of the word that we may grow thereby k 1 Pet. 2 1 2. We must lay aside all maliciousnesse and all guile and dissimulation and enuy and all euill speaking If we would be
suffer with Christ we shall raigne with him if we dye with Christ we shall liue with him if we n Rom. 8 29. 2 Tim. 2 11 12 1 Pet. 4 12. be made like vnto him in ignominy wee shall be made like vnto him in glory The Apostle Peter exhorteth the people of God Not to thinke it strange concerning the fiery tryall which was among them to prooue them as though some strange thing were come vnto them but to reioyce inasmuch as they were partakers of Christs sufferings If any thing be able to lift vp your handes and to raise vp your harts vnder the Crosse this consideration is able to refresh our weaknesse and comfort our feeble Spirits that our afflictions shall no otherwise bee respected and regarded then if the load were laid vpon Christ himselfe On the other side this serueth to terrifie the hearts of all persecuters of the godly and Enemies of all righteousnesse they can neuer escape the hand of God and of Christ whom they do persecute in his members They haue not to doe onely with men like vnto themselues but with him that is the eternall God against whom they can neuer preuaile This is it that deceiueth the proud persecuters of the poore people of God they dreame they haue to doe no further then with weake men who are not able to resist them and that they haue no farther account to make But they must know that their persecutions reach to Christ and that they slander reuile reproach and hurt the person of Christe himselfe so often as they slander reuile reproach and hurt the least and lowest member of Christ and therefore shall not escape fearefull punnishment Hence it is that Christ speaking vnto Saule when hee was conuerted to the Faith o Acts 9 5. It is hard for thee to kicke against prickes It is therefore a fearefull thing to be a persecuter p 2 Thess 1 6. It is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you and to you which are troubled rest with vs when the Lord Iesus shall shew himselfe from Heauen with his mighty Angels c. So the Apostle Iohn describing the tribulation of the Church saith q Reuel 2 10. Behold it shall come to passe that the Deuill shall cast some of you into Prison He doth not say the persecuters shall doe it but the Deuill because he ruleth in them hee carrieth them to do his will albeit they be blind and see it not albeit they be hardned and vnderstand it not albeit they be senselesse and regard it not And our Brother Timotheus c. Heere is the second person writing this Epistle Paule ioyneth vnto him Timothy a man of reuerent account and famous in the Church as he doth in many other places of his Epistles The former Epistle to the Corinthians r Magdeb. Centur. lib 2. cap. 7. was written by Paule and Sosthenes the latter by Paule and Timothy Paule and all the Bretheren which he had with him at Rome ioyned together in the writing the Epistle to the Galathians Paule Siluanus and Timothy wrote the Epistles to the Thessalonians So in this place Paule ioyneth Timothy with him in his suit because howsoeuer he were in great credit with Philemon and able to obtaine a great matter at his hands yet he knew he should preuaile better by the helpe and assistance of another then he could do himselfe alone seeing two may preuaile more then one He honoureth him also with the name of a deere Brother whom oftentimes hee calleth his naturall Sonne that his guiftes and graces may be considered with his person and carry the greater waight in his suite and so Philemon sooner yeeld his consent and grant this request beeing requested and as it were set vpon by so many Doct. 4. All duties are better done by the help of others then alone by our selues From this practise of the Apostle we learne that what good thing soeuer we enterprise and take in hand wee shall better effect it with others then alone by our selues The ioyning vnto vs the hand and help of others is profitable and necessary to all things belonging vnto vs for the better performing and accomplishing of them This the Wise man teacheth Eccl. 4. when he saith Å¿ Eccles 4 9 12 Two are better then one Abimelech being directed by God to stirre vp Abraham obtaineth by his meanes t Gen. 20 17. who prayed for him that which he could not compasse and accomplish alone by himselfe The like we might say of the three friends of Iob they obtained the fauour of God u Iob. 42. 8. and the accepting of their Sacrifice through the intercession of Iob which without him they could not obtaine Absolom not beeing x 2 Sam. 14 4 able to purchase procure of himselfe the good will of his Father moueth Ioab to deale for him Ioab vseth the helpe of the subtill Woman of Tekoah whereby hee is reconciled to his Father Heereby it commeth to passe y Ephe. 6 18. Col 4. 3. 2 Thes 3 1. that Paule so often requesteth and requireth the prayers of the Church that vtterance may be giuen vnto him that he may open his mouth boldly to publish the secrets of the Gospell All these places of Scripture prooue plainely and directly vnto vs that what matter of waight and importance soeuer we enterprise and goe about it is good for vs to take to our selues the helpe of others to further vs therein Reason 1. The truth of this Doctrine will better appeare vnto vs if wee weight the causes and consider the reasons For first the labour and wages of two is better and greater then of one alone In all doing of duties there z Psal 19 11. is profit reward but where greater strength is ioyned and force vnited there is greater fruit of the labour seene This is the reason vrged by the Wise man Eccle. 4. where the Doctrine hath his confirmation when hee had taught that two are better then one he addeth immediatly a Eccle 4 9. For they haue better Wages for their labour It maketh vs hauing company to be more cheerefull in labouring it deuoureth the tediousnesse and wearisomnesse of the worke and it prouoketh vs to an holy emulation who shall goe before each other Hence it is that Christ Iesus calling and sending out his Apostles b Mar. 6 7. Mat. 10 2 3. did send them forth two and two and the Euangelist doth couple and as it were yoake them together Peter and Andrew Iames and Iohn Philip and Bartlemew Thomas and Mathew c. Thus they were sent and thus they laboured together When God had called Moses to go to Pharaoh and to will him to let his people go he sent him not alone but ioyned vnto him his brother Aaron When the Lord Iesus appointed the seauenty disciples to second the labours of his twelu Apostles c Luke 10 1.
themselues toward them with meeknesse of Spirit and by patient waiting for a blessing from God The Water by often dropping pierceth the hard Stone the earth by continuall touching weareth the Tough Iron and what is it that length of time doth not alter The Apostle Peter z 1 Pet. 3 1 2. exhorteth Wiues to be subiect to their husbands that euen they which obey not the word may without the word be woon by the conuersation of their Wiues while they beholde their pure conuersation which is with feare Likewise Paule perswading the beleeuing Wife to dwell with the vnbeleeuing Husband and not to depart from him giueth this reason a 1 Cor. 7 16. What knowest thou ô Wife whether thou shalt saue thine Husband Seeing therefore they may bee effectuall meanes to saue the Soules of their Husbands and to winne them without the word and so gaine them a good report and a sweete Name in the Church they must consider that it belongeth vnto them to be helpers vnto their Husbands Reason 2. Secondly she is his yoake-fellow and ought to draw with him in an eeuen and equall course to make her obedience to him easie and cheerefull in the Lord. The Oxen that draw in a yoake together are an ease of the worke and burthen one to another Such a paire of yoake-fellowes were Abraham and Sara Isaac and Rebecca b Luke 1 6. Zachary and Elizabeth and sundry others The man and Wife are as the two eyes in the head or as the two feete in the Body The two eyes if they goe together and looke both one way bee it vpward or downeward bee it to the right hand or to the left hand all is well and comly in the face but if they be seuered and the one look one away the other another way what a blot and blemish is it to the face The two feete if they walke together and one step doe follow another they become the body well and one furthereth another but if one step one way and another step another way there is no agreement in the body So the man and the woman being made to draw in one yoke being as the two eies the two handes the two feete in the body working together and helping one another should neuer be seuered and diuided to crosse one another to reproach one another to shame or depart one from another This piety and honesty God and Nature doth teach vs to practise Vse 1. Let vs see what are the vses of this doctrine First seeing the Woman is made by the Law of her Creation to be an helper we learne that a good and Christian Wife that is wise and godly encouraging her Husband and stirring him vp to godlinesse is a great blessing of God If shee finde her Husband backward and vntoward cold and carelesse in good thinges shee will labour wisely to bring him on and to conceiue a liking of them that before distasted with him If shee perceiue him forward shee will endeuour to make him yet more forward If she finde a sparke she will striue to kindle the Coales and make it flame out to the comfort of many other If she see him wauer and waxe faint she will neuer cease vntill she haue strengthned and sustained him If she find a good beginning she will further it by a timely proceeding and a conscionable perseuering vnto the end It is a worthy saying set downe by Salomon c Pro. 18 22. and 19. He that findeth a Wife findeth a good thing and receiueth fauour of the Lord. And in another place House and Riches are the inheritance of the Fathers but a prudent Wife commeth of the Lord. He is blessed of God that hath such a portion She bringeth a blessing to his person to his Children to his Family to the meanes of his maintenance and to his whole estate She will seeke to better his estate howsoeuer she find it both with God and the world in heauenly thinges and in earthly This reproueth such as destroy or hinder his estate impouerish him decay him or vndoe him whether by dainty and delicate fare or by gay and gorgeous apparrell by costly and sumptuous furniture by feasting or idlenesse by carelesnesse and negligence or by any vanity whatsoeuer A wise Woman saith the d Prou. 14 1. Wise man buildeth vp her house but the foolish destroyeth it with her owne hand Secondly it reprooueth such Wiues as are vncomfortable and vncheerefull much more such as are bitter and reprochfull to their Husbands such as Micholl was to Dauid Of such Salomon saith e Prou. 19 13. A foolish Sonne is the calamity of his Father and the contentions of a Wife are like a continuall dropping Where he compareth the braulings and chidings of a Woman to the couer of an house which is so broken that when it raineth the Water droppeth in vpon the Planckes and Wals and rotteth the Timber of the house so that in short time it is very ruinous and ready to fall So when Women are giuen to contention and brauling they are the cause of great mischiefe and destruction to the whole family Ciuill wars were alwaies held among the Heathen most dangerous but the iars that are at home and made within the Walles of the house are as noysome and grieuous and doe threaten the ruine thereof Euery bitter word is as a shower of raine that falleth into the House This maketh many Husbands ill husbands and causeth them to delight any where rather then where they should delight to be and to desire any company rather then to be with the Companion of his life which he ought to desire An house thus diuided cannot stand long albeit for a time it may continue Vse 2. Secondly it serueth as a notable direction for godly Women in regard of the honourable Name and Title of an helper giuen vnto them to teach them to watch all occasions and waite all opportunities offered them to doe good and not to slacke them It is a great point of wisedome to take the occasion and there is a fit time for euery purpose vnder the Heauens Hence it is that the Apostle chargeth f 1 Cor. 7 20. euery one to abide in his calling when he speaketh of the Womans winning of her Husband And we haue a notable example hereof in the behauiour of Abigail toward Naball a wise woman toward a churlish and drunken Husband g 1 Sam. 25 36 when she saw euill ready to come vpon her and her Husband and the whole Family yet shee told him nothing neyther more nor lesse vntill the morning arose because he was drunken and so had no reason to consider or to conceiue what she had done for their deliuerance but in the morning when he had slept out his drunkennesse and the wine was gone out of Naball then she told him and set before him the wickednesse of his heart the purpose of Dauid the danger of death and the working
shall neuer be destitute but feele the fruit thereof to their endlesse comfort The Prophet saith i Psal 91 14. to this purpose Psal 91. Because he hath loued me therefore will I deliuer him I will exalt him because hee hath knowne my Name Lay now all these things together and consider that seeing we haue free accesse to the Throne of grace seeing wee haue Christ the greatest blessing of all giuen vnto vs seeing all Creatures are reconciled vnto vs and lastly we being loued do loue God againe and poure out streames issuing from his Fountaine and all this proceedeth from his grace wee conclude that such as are in Gods fauour haue his blessings following them Vse 1. Now let vs handle the vses First seeing the fauour of God is the Fountaine of all goodnesse and graces in vs we learne that no fauour is like to the fauour of God The grace and loue of Princes bringeth many priuiledges and preferments with it but can they assure vs of euery good thing Or doe they remaine and continue with vs for euer Nay they are most vnstable and vncertaine their honour is turned into dishonour and all their glory is changed into shame and confusion Haman was the happiest man in the kingdome in his owne eyes and in the eyes of many others one day hee was next vnto the King k Ester 5 12. and 7 9. the next day he was most wretched one day in fauor the next day out of fauour one day honored the next day hanged Nay thus it fareth falleth out oftentimes with the godly as wee see in Dauid who was greater in Sauls Court then he Who was more praised and preferred Was made the Sonne in Law of the King and the Captaine of the Hoast yet by and by hee was disgraced degraded and depraued by flatterers and false informers cast out of the fauour of the King and put in danger of his life It is not so with God it is not so with his fauour shewed toward the godly whom hee loueth once l Iohn 13 1. hee loueth euer he dooth not change he cannot lye he will not repent He is vnchangeable there is no shaddow of change with him his gifts are without repentance There is great comfort in such fauour seeke therefore for his fauour aboue the fauour of Princes and make much of it when we haue found it Great is the loue of Parents toward their Children but the loue of God surmounteth them all and that loue which can be in them Vse 2. Secondlie seeing such as are gratious with God are laden with many blessings we may see heereby the blessed estate of all that liue vnder the grace of God all thinges doe serue them that serue the Lorde and haue tasted how gratious the Lord our God is He is counted happy in the World that hath the fauour of Princes The Queen of Sheba pronounced m 1 Kin 10 8. the people and seruants of Salomon happy which did stand euer before him to hear his wisedom When Elisha demaunded of the Shunamite n 2 Kin 4 13. what hee should doe for her or whether there were any thing to be spoken for her to the King or to the Captaine of the hoast she answered I dwell among mine owne people She liued in peace and quietnesse she had no cause to make any complaint against any her Neighbours she was not driuen to make any suit to King or Captaine shee troubled not others and others troubled not her and this she accounted an happy life But the happy estate and blessed condition of the faithfull is a thousand times greater they are at peace with heauen and earth with Men Angels with themselues and with all others with life and death nothing shall be able to hurt them True it is they haue no promise to bee free from tentations and troubles Famine may come Persecution Pestilence nakednesse pouertie perill and tribulation may come and death shall come but we haue a gratious and sure promise that they shall not hurt vs or destroy vs or hinder our saluation they are all Enemies without Armour as Souldiers without a Sword as Serpents without a sting and as Aspes without venome This is it which the Prophet handleth at o Psal 91 1 3 5 6 7 10. large Psal 91. Who so dwelleth in the secret of the most High shall abide in the shaddow of the Almightie surely he will deliuer thee from the Snare of the Hunter and from the noysome Pestilence thou shalt not bee afraide of the feare of the night nor of the Arrow that flyeth by day nor of the Pestilence that walketh in the darknesse nor of the Plague that destroyeth at noone-day A thousand shall fall at thy side and ten thousand at thy right hand but it shall not come neere thee there shall none come vnto thee neyther shall any Plague come neere thy Tabernacle He meaneth not in these wordes that the godly shall bee free from troubles sicknesses al calamities but that God doth so care for them and watch ouer them that nothing shall be able to hurt and harme them but he will giue them a sanctified vse of the Crosse and make all thinges turne to their good and further their saluation This is it which the Apostle Paul offereth to our considerations p 1 Cor. 3 21 22 23. Let no man reioyce in men for all things are yours whether it be Paule or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death whether they bee thinges present or thinges to come euen all are yours and ye Christes and Christ Gods Great is the dignity and excellency of the godly that all things are made to serue to their vse and are appointed in the ordinance of God to serue for their profite according to that which he hath in another place q Rom. 8 28 We know that all thinges worke together for the best vnto them that loue God euen to them that are called of his purpose Where we see he teacheth that not onely thinges present are ours but thinges to come not onely life is ours but also death which is a gaine and aduantage to the godly and an entrance or doore that leadeth to euerlasting life What greater glory can befall vs or what greater happinesse can we desire then to haue all things ours Life is ours death is ours the world is ours the Crosse is ours the Crown is ours heauens is ours the Angels are ours Christ is ours God is ours all is ours and what is there that is not ours What a great honour is this Or who is it that can doubt of these thinges Or whom should not these priuiledges mooue The World is a place of our resting Life the time of our bettering Death is a change of our misery and an entrance into glorie things present are the beginning of our comfort things to come are the consummation of our comfort the Crosse is our
20. according to that which the Prophet hath They that reward euill for good are mine enemies because I follow goodnesse This agreeth with that which Christ told and taught his Disciples u Iohn 15 19. If ye were of the world the world would loue his owne but because ye are not of the World but I haue chosen you out of the World therefore the World hateth you Thus much touching the deciding of the doubts and answering of the questions that arise out of these two verses Now let vs come to the obseruations that arise therein Obseruations out of these verses The wordes beeing interpreted and diuers questions answered let vs see what points offer themselues fitly to bee deserued First he beginneth with a thanksgiuing to teach that it is meete and necessary to giue thanks to God for benefits receiued at his hands according to the Doctrine of the Apostles x 1 Thes 5 18 In all thinges giue thankes for this is the will of God in Christ Iesus Wee are ready to forget such mercies as we haue receiued and thereby make our selues vnworthy of further fauour Secondly consider to whom he giueth thankes to God not to any Saint or Angell or any Creatuâ—… to guide vs in the performance of this duty Thirdly marke the person for whom for Philemon so that wee are not onely bound to giue thankes for our selues but for other especially when we see Gods word to bring forth fruit in the hearts of Men. Thus doth Paule in this place reioyce for the godlinesse of Philemon and euery where in his Epistles sheweth himselfe exceeding glad for the conuersion of Nations and people to the Faith Thus the Church of the Iewes y Gal. 1 23. are said to glorifie God when they heard of Paules conuersion This is the dutie of all Christians specially of the Ministers to pray continually for the Flock committed vnto them and to praise the name of God for their increase in godlinesse Fourthly obserue that first he mentioneth his thanks-giuing then his praiers for him so that he ioyneth the one with the other Whereby we see that prayers conceiued for our selues or others are not to bee seuered from giuing of thankes For no man is so perfect in this life but be hath neede of dailie encrease in grace and therefore we must so giue thankes for our Bretheren to God in regard of the graces of his spirit which they haue receiued that wee also pray incessantly for their growth in those graces Besides no man standeth so firmely rooted and grounded in grace but hee may fall and by his fall haue his guifts lessened and diminished vnlesse he be strengthened and stayed vp by the meanes and helpes that God hath appointed among the which are Prayers both our owne and others Fiftly hee saith his Faith and loue were heard off and spread abroad farre and neere so that wee see Gods graces bestowed vpon vs will not be hidden and concealed We are set as vpon a Theater to be seene all mens eies are fixed vpon vs all Mens mouths will bee opened to speake of vs z Rom. 1 8. 1 Kin. 18 13. and all mens eares will listen what they can heare of vs euen then when they are absent from vs. On the otherside what euill soeuer we commit wee cannot conceale and couer we haue many eies vpon vs we shall haue a thousand eares to hearken and ten thousand mouths to prattle against vs so that we must so walke as we saw many with vs and many saw vs how we walke Sixtly wee see heere a notable difference betweene vnfained praise and fained flattery The Apostle without any faining and fawning rehearseth in this place the commendation of Philemon a 1 Thes 1 â— 2 13 5 6. as he doth in other places of the whole Churches thereby to encourage them in well doing and to stirre them vp to continue fast and faithfull to the death and to hasten to the end of the race set before them But such as flatter and vse colourable wordes are wholy at the becke of others extolling and admiring whatsoeuer they doe or speake whether it deserue praise or dispraise It standeth vs vpon to consider whom we praise and wherefore we praise them that it be for such good thinges as appeare to be in them I giue thankes to my God c. The Apostle finding and hearing of the excellent and worthy graces of God that were in Philemon was mooued with great ioy and thereby stirred vp to blesse and praise the Lord God Doct. 1. Men ought to take cause of great ioy to see others grow and proceed in good things We learne from hence that al Christians especially Teachers are greatly to reioyce and praise God when they see or know or heare that professors prosper and grow forward in heauenly graces It is a matter of great ioy and comfort to see men grow in graces as they doe in yeares and to encrease in heauenly things as they multiply their daies When the Prophet Dauid saw the forwardnesse of the people in offering willingly vnto the Lord with a perfect heart for the building of the Temple l 1 Chron. 29 10. He reioyced exceedingly and blessed the Lord before all the Congregation And Psal 122. I reioyced m Psal 122 1. when they said vnto me Come let vs goe into the house of the Lord. The Apostle writing to the Romanes giueth thankes through Iesus Christ for them all n Rom. 1 8. Because their Faith was published throughout the whole world When the Churches of Iudea heard that Paule a Persecuter was conuerted to the Faith and made a Preacher of the Faith which before he destroyed o Gal. 1 22 23 They glorified God for him The Apostle Iohn writing to an elect Lady whom he loued in the truth saith p 2 Iohn 4 3 Iohn 3 4. I reioyced greatly that I found of thy Children walking in truth as we haue receiued a Commaundement of the Father And writing to Gaius he saith I reioyced greatly when the Brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee how thou walkest in the truth I haue no greater ioy then these to heare that my Sonnes walke in veritie By these seuerall places alleadged as by so many witnesses produced wee see that it is our duty greatly to reioyce when we behold the Gospell flourish and the professors of the Gospell grow forward in good things Reason 1. And there are many reasons to warrant and confirme this Doctrine First it serueth exceedingly to aduance the glory of God that men grow in godlinesse which ought to be an effectuall reason to mooue vs to reioyce for what is there that should more cheere and reioyce vs then when Gods Name is magnified and his truth extolled among the Sonnes of Men. In all things that we doe if we doe them aright we should ayme at Gods glorie Now as the Name of GOD is
Churches for the most part on the Lords day assemble at one houre wee come together at one time a blessed houre a blessed time the best houre the best time in the whole Weeke O how should wee loue it how should we desire it how should wee delight in it Then do wee pray for the Church then the Church prayeth for vs then are wee mindfull of our Brethren then are our Bretheren likewise mindfull of vs then is God mindfull of vs all Then we call vpon God for his Saints then doo the Saintes vpon the earth call vppon God for vs then dooth GOD heare vs all both them and vs them for vs and vs for them This is a sweete Harmony and pleasant agreement when wee do thus with one minde and with one mouth glorifie God and with a feeling of Gods mercie can cry out Å¿ Psal 84 1 2 O Lord of Hoasts how amiable are thy Tabernacles My soule longeth yea fainteth for the Courts of the Lorde for mine heart and my flesh reioyce in the liuing God On the other side great is their wickednesse and prophanesse that do not affect such times of publicke Prayers they shewe themselues to bee beastly minded and ledâ—… with the wicked Spirit of the Deuill into all abhominations neyther may such looke to finde any benefite or feele any comfort by the Prayers and supplications in those places and at such holie times powred out It is a great priuiledge belonging onely to the faithfull to haue right and interrest in the Churches Prayers It is not so with the wicked so long as they abhorre such meetings which are the most fruitful seasons when God with a gracious dew doth raine vpon his inheritaunce they are as barren trees and as withered branches that are reserued for the fire of Gods vengeance and heauy indignation This is it which the Prophet sayeth t Psal 129 8. They which go by shall not say the blessing of the Lord be vpon you or We blesse you in the name of the Lord. So long therefore as they remaine in this contempt of God and of his Religion the prayers of the Church shall not auayle them 3. Lastly it reproueth such as neglect this duty and whereas they should pray for others do curse and ban them and wish all euil to come vpon them The Prophet Ieremy complaineth that hee had neyther bought nor solde among that contentious people u Ier. 15 10. and yet euery one did curse him These men loue cursing and therfore it shall come vpon themselues and enter into their soules and as they loue not blessing so it shall bee farre from them We are commaunded x Math. 5 44 to loue in stead of hating to do good instead of hurting to pray instead of persecuting and to blesse insteade of Curssing But of this Doctrine wee haue spoken more at large y Vpon the exposition of Numb 21. else-where and therefore will I heere passe it ouer and proceede vnto that which followeth Verse 5. When I heare of thy loue and Faith which thou hast towardes the Lord Iesus and toward all Saints In these words the former Thankes-giuing is amplified by another circumstaunce containing the cause wherefore the Apostle gaue thankes to his God for him and did make mention of him in his Prayers because he had heard by the report of the Brethren howe great Faith and Loue were in him Heerein we haue these particulars to be considered First hee reduceth the principall pointes of saluation to two heads Faith and Loue. In these standeth the happinesse of the godly by these a Christian man is perfected for they are the chiefe graces of the Holy-ghost Secondly he beginneth with Loue and placeth it before Faith Faith indeed is more precious but it is inward and hidden in the heart and in Nature and order goeth before Loue but hee first nameth Loue because it is better knowne to vs better seene of vs and is as the Touch-stone to try our Faith For though the cause be more worthy then the effect yet the effect is more perspicuous and manifest so Faith being the cause of works is more excellent but Loue as an effect is more euident Thirdly wee see that albeit Faith be set in the last place for the reason rendered before yet Fayth is first defined and so the order somewhat inuerted Now it is described and declared by his Obiect that it respecteth Christ Iesus Last of all hee defineth loue which he aplieth to the Saints albeit it extend to Infidels to reprobrates to prophane enemies whom also we are to loue yet a speciall maner of loue is due to the Saints which are members of the same body with vs. For euen as God loueth all mankind and all the workes of his hand who as hee created them so he preserueth them feedeth them giueth them fruitfull seasons filleth their hearts with ioy and gladnesse and maketh his Sun to shine vpon them and the raine to fall vppon them to make them without excuse but he loueth his Church with a speciall loue not onely giuing them temporall blessings but such as do accompany saluation the one hee loueth as his creatures the other both as his creatures and his Children so are wee to loue all mankind as our owne flesh but not in an equal degree with the faithfull who are tied together in a straighter band because there is not mutuall loue betweene the godly and vngodly neither do they grow vppe into one body But the godly are charged to loue one anothâ—… and they are made the members of Christ and heyres with vs of eternall life and therefore loue is especially and principally to be shewed to the Saints that is vnto the Elect which ought to be aboue all the creatures in the world deere vnto vs z Why the elect are called Saints who are called Saints for two causes First because they are purged clensed from their sinnes by the blood of Christ Secondly because they are framed and fashioned by the spirit of God to an holy life and godly profession and conuersation Thus much touching the order interpretation of the words Now let vs see what doctrines arise from hence for our instruction and edification When I heard of thy Loue and Faith The Apostle doth not say heere that he saw and beheld or was an eye-witnesse of the Faith and fruits of the faith of Philemon but that he heard of them by the report of the Brethren Paule at this time as we haue shewed liued at Rome and Philemon dwelled at Colosse many Miles distant the one from the other yet his faith was published and his loue manifested throughout the whole worlde which necessarily inferreth that he openly professed them and made it knowne what religion he was of For if Philemon had not shewed boldly his faith and witnessed a good confession before many witnesses it had beene vnpossible that Paule being so farre from him should haue heard of it
These men through their benumming and back-sliding cause the name of God to be euill spoken of raise a scandall vpon their profession bring an euil name vpon the word and open the mouths of wretched men to speak against true Religion and all those that do embrace it True Religion is a woorthy worke and a great building it requireth harde labour great patience much striuing and long continuance whereof our Sauiour Christ putteth vs in mind when he saith b Luke 14 28. 29. Which of you minding to builde a Tower sitteth not down before and counteth the cost whether he haue sufficient to performe it least that after he hath laide the foundation and is not able to performe it all that behold it begin to mocke nim saying This man began to build was not able to make an end Wherefore it standeth all Pastors people vpon to remember from whence they are falne and to do their first workes lest God come against them in his anger and vex them in his fore displeasure The calling of the Ministery is an high calling it is one of the highest callings but if wee make it a calling of ease and ydlenesse feeding our selues and not teaching the people we disgrace our office and make it most vile with God and men This is it which our Sauiour expresseth vnder the comparison of Salt when hee saith c Luke 14 35. Salt is good but if Salt haue lost his sauour wherwith shall it be salted It is neither meet for the Land not yet for the Dunghill but men cast it out All other things though corrupted and spoyled yet retaine some other vse as we see in Wine when it is sower in a Tree when it is dead and withered and in straw when it is rotten they are turned into other vses but if d Berent in Luke 14. the Salt be vnsauoury it is good for nothing it is hurtfull for the Land it is vnprofitable for the Dunghil no reckoning or account is to be made of it e Socrat. lib. 3. cap. 13. but to be troden vnder foot as vnsauoury So then such as are made Ouer-seers of others to teach the Church and watch ouer the people of God are reproued being idle slothfull and such as will take no paines in instructing those that are committed vnto them Let Ministets be diligent and watchfull to doe the duties of their calling let them preach the worde in season and out of season let them beware of sluggishnesse and slothfulnesse Al such as are idle and negligent are not worthy to be maintained they vsurpe that hire which they receiue they haue no right or interrest to liue of the Gospell that doe not preach the Gospell they haue no iust title to eate the milke of the flocke that do not feede the Sheepe albeit they may claim their wages by the Lawes of men yet they are no better in the account of the high God then Theeues and robbers that liue by ruine and spoyle of the people f Gal. 6. 6. who are partakers of all their goods and yet like wrongfull vsurpers they wil not teach them in the word yea the good ordinances of men require that such as receiue wages should doo the worke and such as take the hire should take the paines If any man haue an house to build if he see the Carpenter and Mason idle and do nothing so that the frame to bee set vp is in no greater forwardnesse in the end of the yeare then it was in the beginning will hee pay them their wages Or if we haue any businesse to do will we pay the workemen before the worke be finished or if they let it alone and leaue it vndone And shall it go worse with the people of God then all other that hire labourers to labor for them Or shall they alone be constrained to maintaine and sustaine ydle Lubbers and loyterers that can do nothing or will do nothing more then a Child of seauen yeares old may do as well as themselues We are the Lordes Builders and spirituall Masons to build his Church we are his husbandmen to Till his ground we are Shepheards to feede his flocke It is out dutie to frame his building and euery day to adde somewhat to the building It is our duty to Plough vp the fallow ground and sow the precious seed of the word among them that they may grow thereby It is our dutie to feed his Sheepe with wholesome food and to lead them into greene pastures If we bee not carefull to do our worke there is no reason we should receiue his wages and if we care not to discharge the duty we cannot with a good Conscience take a penny if we will be at no paines what warrant haue we to make any gaines by our ydlenesse God hath prouided for vs a liberall allowance hee requireth of the people a cheereful performance thereof and he chargeth the ministers to haue a carefull remembrance to labour in the Lordes haruest that so they may eate their owne bread and not liue by the sweate of other mens browes It is a generall rule deliuered by the Apostle binding all persons and degrees of men g 2 Thes 3 10 11. Euen when we were with you this we warned you of that if there were any which would not worke that he should not eate for wee heare that there are some which walke among you inordinately and worke not at all c. Let all such therefore as are negligent in the work of the Lord and stand ydle without employment consider that as God hath giuen no guifts to be ydle but to be vsed so he would haue no ydle persons to bee maintained he doth grudge them their meate he dooth not allow them a Morsell of bread he regardeth not though they starue that will not set their handes to labour For he inhibiteth and forbiddeth his Church and people to bestowe any thing vppon sluggards or to giue them any succour to the end that the forcible weapon of necessity may constraine them to set their hand to worke and also to busie themselues in the Calling which they professe And this standeth with exceeding great equitie and good reason For what is meate but the rewarde of Labour And what is the Wages which they haue but the recompence of the Worke Or what is hyre but onely the reward of paines-taking Now he that doth no good but is vnprofitable to mankind and is not dilligent in his businesse what right or reason is it that he should be rewarded as a Labourer The second reproofe Moreouer they are heere reprooued that vse their guiftes â—o the hurt and hinderance of others For if such be iustly blamed and condemned as hide their guifts to their hinderance and vse them not to the benefit of others they are much worse that abuse them vnto euill that vse their wit to vndermine the ignorant their wisedom to beguile the simple their learning to
GOD pondereth the hearts This is it which Christ spake to the Pharisees i Luke 16 15. Ye are they which iustifye your selues before Men but GOD knoweth your hearts for that which is highly esteemed among men is abhominable in the sight of God Let vs therefore publish the guiftes of God vppon our selues and our Bretheren not to the magnifying of our owne persons but to the extolling of his praises and let vs so spread abroad our graces as that wee remember his glorie that wrought them in vs by his Spirite Verse 7. For we haue great ioy and consolation in thy Loue. Hitherto wee haue spoken of the matter of his Prayer now let vs see the reason why hee made this the matter thereof For the Apostle might haue craued and asked of God many other things for him of God yet he desired that his faith might be communicated to many and so bee manifested to bee effectuall working by loue The reason heere rendered is from the effect or fruite of his prayers they were not vttered in the ayre they fell not without profit good successe to the ground but he felt great comfort and consolation wrought in him by the workes of Philemon performed to the glorie of God to the praise of his Faith and with the approbation of the church Heere then he sheweth that he had occasion offred him of great ioy and gladnesse in regard of the graces of God effects of faith fruits of true piety which he heard and knew to bee in Philemon Doctrine 4. The spirituall graces of God bestowed vpon others giue occasiō of ioy to the Saints From hence we learne that spirituall blessings and graces of God bestowed vpon others do giue iust occasion to the Saints of God of great gladnesse and comfort It is our dutie greatly to reioyce when we see spirituall blessings in heauenly thinges giuen to the Children of God This trueth our Sauiour Christ teacheth in the Parables of the stray Sheep of the lost Groat and of the prodigall Sonne The Shepheard a Luke 15 5 and 10 31. hauing found his sheep layeth it on his shoulder with ioy he commeth home he calleth his friendes saying Reioyce with me for I haue found my Sheep which was lost I say vnto you that likewise ioy shall be in heauen for one sinner that conuerteth more then for ninety and nine iust men which need none amendment of life The poore woman hauing lost a Groat lighteth a Candle sweepeth the house searcheth euery corner and when she hath found it she gathereth together her neighbors saying Reioyce with me for I haue found the Groat which I had lost wherevppon hee addeth Likewise I say vnto you there is ioy in the presence of the Angelles of God for one sinner that conuerteth The Father of that riotous sonne which wasted his goods hath compassion vpon him runneth to meete him fell on his necke and kissed him put apparrell on his back a ring on his finger and shooes on his feete reproued his sonne that enuied and repined at it saying let vs eate and reioyce it is meet we should make merry and bee glad for this thy Brother was dead and is aliue againe he was lost but hee is found Heereunto commeth the Thankesgiuing of Christ to his Father when he saw the encrease of his Church and the ouerthrowe of Satans kingdome c Luke 10 21 That same houre reioyced Iesus in the Spirite and saide I confesse vnto thee Father Lord of Heauen and earth that thou hast hid these thinges from the wise and vnderstanding and hast reuealed them to Babes euen so Father because it so pleased thee The Prophet Dauid reioyced with great ioy when hee sawe that the people d 1 Chron. 29 9 10. offred willingly vnto the Lord with a perfect hart he blessed the Lord God of Israel When the Iewes heard of the conuersion of the Gentiles that the Holy ghost fell vpon them as vpon themselues at the beginning e Acts 11 18. They held their peace and glorified God saying Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance vnto life When the apostle perceiued the notable zeal of the Thessalonians in receiuing entertaining the gospel not as the word of man but as it is indeed the word of God f 1 Thes 2 19 20. he witnesseth that they wer his hope his ioy his crown his glory in the presence of our Lord Iesus Christ at his comming Likewise the Apostle Iohn g 3 Iohn 4. reioyced greatly when the Brethren testified of the truth that was in Gaius how he walked therein Hee had no greater ioy then this to heare that his sons walked in the verity Whereby we see there ought to be great ioy amongst the faithfull when they see the Church prosper and flourish and the graces of God to encrease among them Reason 1. The Reasons are many that confirme this vnto vs. First the glory praise of God is much increased which shold comfort the harts reioice the spirits of the Saints The more wee abound with spiritual blessings in heauenly things the more God is honored and his name glorified This the Apostle teacheth speaking of the releeuing of the Church at Ierusalem h 2 Cor. 9 12. The ministration of this seruice not only supplieth the necessities of the Saintes but also abundantly causeth manie to giue thankes to God Where hee sheweth his ioy that he receiued and conceiued for their voluntary submission to the Gospell and compassion to the brethren this was a speciall cause that God was praised this ministered greater gladnesse to him then that the Saints were comforted and releeued Reason 2. Secondly the general good of the church must lead vs to this duty cause vs to reioyce which next vnto God shold be dearest to vs. For whē we see the Church encrease and many soules of many men women saued when we see their hearts conuerted regeneration wrought in them so that they begin to liue to God who before in the time of their ignorance liued to themselus to sin to condemnation who can haue such hearts of Flint or of Iron as not to be moued with ioy euen tickled with a sweet meditation of Gods mercy beholding the enlarging of the kingdom of Christ The prophet reioysed to see the people willingly affected religiously minded i Psal 122 1 2 to go to the house of the Lord Because Ierusalem did thereby prosper peace was within her wals and prosperitie within her pallaces Where he sheweth that his reioysing was for the wealth and welfare of the house of God Reason 3. Thirdly the Ordinances and Lawes of God are walked in and obserued so his blessings procured and obtained For if we hearken obey his voice we haue a promise to be respected and rewarded Such as walke in the Statutes commandements of the Lord to do them shal be blessed
Sonne What coulde bee more reproachfull then to robbe his Maister and then to play the runnagate that so he might runne on in his euill course and deliuer himselfe from punnishment Yet wee see the Apostle is not ashamed of him is not ashamed to cal him his Sonne that Philemon might not be ashamed to receiue and to accept him as his Seruant For if he be the sonne of Paule he may bee esteemed the seruant of Philemon Fourthly wee see how effectuall the sounde conuersion of a sinner to God ought to bee and how forcible it should bee to preuayle with vs to winne our Loue towardes him and cause vs to performe all the duties belonging vnto him For wee may not bee ashamed to account him eyther as a Sonne or as a Brother whome GOD accounteth for his owne sonne and seruant We are most vnworthy to be called the sonnes of God if we refuse his children to be our brethren But if we marke this aright we shal find the number of those to be few which regard the Faith conuersion saluation other spiritual blessings bestowed vpon their brethren as they ought and therefore testify no loue shew no ioy performe no duties when they behold sinners conuerted vnto God Fiftly we see that the name and praise of a spirituall Father which is proper to God alone is communicated to the Apostles and Ministers of God whereas God onely doth renew and regenerate vs by the power of his spirit the Ministry onely is mans whether hee be Pastor or Apostle Our Sauior teacheth vs l Math. 23 9. to cal no man Father vpon earth It is no worke of man be hee neuer so excellent to frame and reforme the soule into the Image of God But because we are borne anew by Faith and Faith commeth by hearing the Minister as the disposer of the Mysteries of God doth vnder God perfourme the dutie of a Father So then seeing the word of God preached by the mouth and Ministery of man is the immortall seede of eternall life it is no maruell if he bee called by the Title of a Father from whose lippes we conceiue that seede and receiue that worde Thus much is to be obserued of vs in general out of this verse Now let vs come to the particular Doctrines I beseech thee for my sonne Onesimus c. Wee are heere to marke the scope and purpose of the Apostle in these words We see he vseth exceeding earnestnesse and importunity to haue him receiued to his Maisters fauor The condition of Onesimus was this he was a seruant of the basest calling For men Seruants and Maid-seruants in those dayes were not as they be nowe Men had them not for Wages and hire as they that wer bound to do no more then Couenant but they were Bondslaues to bee bought and sold in the Market and their Maisters possessed them as Oxen and Cattle and hadde power ouer them of life and death Now albeit he were a seruant of this kind and condition and had beene besides a runnagate and a Theefe deseruing greeuous punishment euen death yet he pleadeth his cause being conuerted with as great force and feruency as can be expressed Doctrine 1. The least and lowest member conuerted to Christ must not bee contemned We learne from this loue appearing in the Apostle that the basest person in the Church truly conuerted brought vnto Christ should not be contemned but most louingly tenderly and Brotherly regarded The least lowest member that belongeth to God ought not to be reiected and debased but highly for Christs sake to be honored and respected We see how Christ calleth vnto him all that are weary and heauy laden m Mat. 11 28. promising to ease and refresh them Likewise he embraceth the poore and simple as louingly and cheerefully as the rich and wise of the world The Publicans and sinners are accepted of him that were hated of the Iewes The Woman taken in adultry accused by the Pharises is exhorted by him to repentance The Blinde man restored to his sight n Iohn 9 35. and 8 11. and cast out of the Synagogue is sought out by Christ and taught to beleeue and broght to be a true member of the Church The penitent Theefe hanging o Luke 23 43 vppon the Crosse and hearing Christ preach is conuerted to the Faith and receiued into paradise It is not the will of p Mat. 18 14. our heauenly Father that one of these little ones should perish When the prodigall sonne had wasted his wealth and his strength in riotous liuing q Lu. 15 20 24 so that necessity fell vppon him and Famine constrained him to eate of the huskes wherewith he fed his Swine his Father receiued him into his fauour and had compassion vpon him hee willed him not to returne backe to his Harlots and to betake himself to his former companions but while he was yet a farre off he reioyced to see him and embraced him when he saw him saying This my sonne was dead but is aliue againe he was lost but he is found and they began to be merry The incestuous Corinthian swept out of the Church by the censures thereof r 1 Cor. 5 4. 2 Cor. 2 6 7 and deliuered vp to Satan for the destruction of the flesh that the Spirit may be saued in the day of the Lord Iesus and wandering as a stray Sheepe from the sheepe-fold is brought againe into the house of God and into the assembly of the faithfull The Apostle hearing of his sorrow for his sinne and of his vnfaigned repentaunce saith It is sufficient vnto the same man that he was rebuked of many so that nowe contrary wise yee ought rather to forgiue him and comfort him least the same should be swallowed vp with ouermuch heauinesse The like we see might say of Mary Magdalen who was infamous in life out of whome Christ cast seauen diuels Of the Cananitish woman whom he heard and helped of the Cripple that lay at the Poole whom when Iesus founde in the Temple Å¿ 1 Iohn 5 14 hee exhorted to sinne no more being now made whole least a worse thing come vnto him Likewise the Euangelists declare that by the power and loue of Christ t Math 11 5. the blind had their sight restored the Leapers were clensed the dead were raised the halt walked the sicke were healed and the poore receiued the Gospell So the Apostle willeth u 1 Tim. 6 1. seruants that are vnder the yoke to account their Maisters worthy of all honour that the name of God his Doctrine be not euil spoken of All these places of Scripture serue to teach vs that such as are of meanest account and least estimation beeing conuerted to the Faith and belonging to Christ are greatly to bee regarded and entirely to be beloued Reason 1. This shall not seeme any thing strange vnto vs if we marke the Reasons whereupon it is grounded For first
to the Gospell and by submitting our selues to the Ministery of our owne Pastours to Minister all comfort and giue them cause of reioycing in their labours But if wee seuer our selues from them and refuse their Ministery we greeue them not comfort them we discourage them not encourage them we afflict them not reioyce them It is therefore a most vaine pretence and great folly of such as being reprooued for their negligence in resorting to their owne Pastours answere that they can profit more by another they can be edifyed better by hearing in another place whereas peraduenture they regard not to heare any man and contemne the Gospell out of whose mouth soeuer it proceed and be vttered Besides we haue greatest hope of receiuing blessing from our owne Pastour and euery member of the same assembly must seeke the Lord and serue him in the place appointed vnto vs for that purpose and therefore wee ought not to with-draw our selues from thence where our presence is required If God haue put the word of x 2 Cor. 5 15. Reconciliation into his mouth to say vnto vs in the Name of the Lord be ye reconciled vnto God and haue made an Ambassadour to speake in his Name who is he that shall ouer-rule the ordinance and counsell of God or refuse to submit himselfe vnto his most holy and mercifull assignement Secondly this conuinceth and reprooueth those that contemne deride scorne abase abuse and reuile their Ministers These are vngodly and vngratious Children that thus behaue themselues toward their spirituall Fathers and bereaue themselues of the blessinges that belong to such as obey their Parents These are like to curssed Cham that mocked his Father and heard an horrible cursse denounced against him which tooke effect afterward in his season or to those malicious Children y 2 King 2 24 which mocked the Prophet scorned him and his calling and brought vpon themselues the iudgements of God If we follow their sinne let vs looke for their end if we walke in their waies we must be assured of their wages and if we imitate their deedes wee shall be partakers of their destruction How many are there among vs that are growne to that hight of sinne that they regard not the doctrine that is deliuered but set themselues against the Minister that doth deliuer it These men are growne to bee shamelesse and impudent that regard not the meanes of saluation nor esteeme of the ordinance of God nor desire to heare of their sinnes These haue stiffe neckes and hard hearts they are come to sit downe in the seat of the Scorners and they shall haue the reward of Scorners And let all such as will know nothing else learne this as a certaine rule gathered out of a continual Tenor of the Scriptures and the constant course of Gods iudgements that when once they beginne to make a mocke of sinne and of the meanes that should recouer them out of their sinne then wrath is not farre from them but is neere vnto them The more presumptuous and secure they are the neerer to destruction We see this in the people of Israell 2. Chron. 36. 16. When once they began to dally with God nay with their owne soules z 2 Chron. 36 16. and mocked the Messengers that the Lord God of their Fathers sent to them rising early and late for he had compassion on his people and on his habitation he brought vpon them the King of the Caldeans who spared neither young man nor Virgine neither auncient nor aged God gaue all into his handes This is a fearefull example of his iudgements that fell vpon this people for their contempt of the word and misusing the Messengers that were sent vnto them to teach all men to beware and be warned of falling into the same sinne and returne betimes that if it be possible his plagues may be preuented by timely repentance Few that runne thus farre looke backe againe to say what haue we done When the measure of sinne is perfected the time of iudgement is hastned Howbeit God is able to touch and to turne their hearts and his word before contemned if now it be beleeued is able to saue their Soules Whom I haue begotten in my bondes Before wee heard how the Apostle calleth Onesimus his Sonne In these wordes he expresseth how he became his Sonne namely that by his Ministery hee begat him to God and turned him to beleeue the Gospell Hee setteth downe the force and efficacy of the Ministery of the word and sheweth that it is not an empty sound and an idle noyse of wast words vanished in the ayre without fruit or profit as foolish and franticke Spirits doe blasphemously report but is an effectuall instrument whereby God worketh the Regeneration Conuersion and Saluation of Men. Heereby we learne a Doctrine 3. The preaching of the word is the meanes of regeneration that men are regenerated and borne a-new by the Ministery of the Word to bee the Children of God and Coheires with Christ of eternall life God working by the meanes of his word and by the Ministery of his Seruants whereby hee conueyeth it vnto vs his Spirit being the powerfull Applyer Blesser and Effectour of this new-birth So the Apostle saith b 1 Cor. 4 15. In Christ Iesus through the Gospell I haue begotten you The Prophet Ieremy teacheth That his c Ier. 23 29. Word is like a fire and like an Hammer that breaketh the Stones It is able to burne vp and consume our corruption and to mollifie our stony hearts that we may haue hearts of Flesh This the Apostle Peter speaketh d 1 Pet. 1 23 25. Wee are borne againe not of Mortall but of immortall Seede by the word of God which endureth for euer and this is the word which is preached among you In like manner Iames saith e Iam. 1 18. Of his owne will begat he vs with the word of truth that we should be as the first Fruites of his Creatures To conclude Elihu setting downe diuers meanes that God hath and vseth to instruct Man and to draw him out of sinne vnto himselfe maketh this one and one of the principall f Iob. 33 23 24. If there be a Messenger with him or an Interpretour one of a thousand to declare vnto man his righteousnesse then will he haue mercy vpon him and will say Deliuer him that he goe not downe into the pit for I haue receiued a reconciliation These testimonies both of the Prophets and Apostles are plaine to proue that the word preached is the ordinary Instrumentall cause of our conuersion and regeneration and the meanes that God hath sanctified to bring vs to bee members of the Church and Heires of Saluation Reason 1. The Reasons are very plaine to confirme this point of Doctrine First the word is of a most powerfull and piercing Nature it is hotter then the fire it is stronger then the Hammer it is sharper then the Sword it
were filled with the Spirit of God in wisedom in vnderstanding in knowledge and in al workmanship If couetousnes be the cause of placing such blind guids which is as great an ouer-sight as to set a blind man to be a Watch-man or a dumb man to be a Messenger or a Lame man to be a Post or a deafe man to bee a Iudge we must obserue that the Lord compiaineth in the Prophet n Mal. 3 8. that he was spoyled and robbed when the Tithes and offerings were taken away from the true vse and from the right Owners and therefore would visit it with a greeuous plague and heauy iudgement The Iewes in the Gospell alledge it vnto Christ as an Argument of loue to them and their Nation that the Centurian whose Seruant was sicke o Luke 7 5. had built them a Synagogue so that on the otherside they would haue branded him with the note of hating them and their Nation if he had spoiled the Synagogue or taken away the priuiledges belonging vnto it The Prophet Dauid as we heard before would not drinke p 1 Chron. 11 16. of the Water of Bethleem because it was gotten with the danger of some few mens Temporall liues Ought not this to teach a great conscience to euery one to take heede that he doe not eate and drinke that which hazzardeth the Soules and bodies of many of their Brethren and to make them afraid to cloath themselues and their families by leauing the people naked to their enemies to be a pray vnto them and to be destroyed by them It is noted as a thing worthy of note and memory q Possid in vita August 10. 24. in the life of S. Austine that he sharpely rebuked and reproued a Gentleman in his time for re-calling and taking away his owne guift which before he had giuen to the maintenance of his Church how much more would he haue beene offended if he had liued in our daies wherein many are as friendlie and fauourable to the Ministery as the East wind is to the fruits of the earth how much more seuerely would hee haue censured those Caterpillers and Cormorants that take away by iniurious customes and corruptions the maintenance of the Church which neither they nor their Fathers haue giuen The ancient Romaines by the light of Nature as Liuy r Decad. 5. lib. 2 testifieth disliked and checked Qu. Fuluius Flaccus because he had vncouered a part of Iunoes Temple to couer another Temple of Fortune with the same Tiles they tolde him that Pirrhus or Hanniball would not haue done the like and that it had bin too much for him to haue done it to a priuate Cittizens house being a place farre inferior to a Temple and in conclusion forced compelled him to send home those Tiles againe by a publike decree of the Senate Let those things be duely waied and make these men ashamed to come behinde the Heathen who did more to their Idols then they will doe for the honour of the true God If they be not hewen out of Oakes and haue hearts of Flint let them open their eyes and behold the oppressions of the Church and the pulling away in whole or in part the prouision appointed for the Pastor whereby it commeth to passe that many places want the preaching of the Word and many Soules perrish for the want thereof When the Å¿ 1 Sam. 6 3. Philistims sent home Gods Arke from them they sent it not backe empty they returned it not without a guift When Zaccheus repented of his iniurious dealing t Luke 19 8. hee offered to restore foure-folde If these Church-pollers who haue robbed the Church and enriched themselues with the spoiles thereof will not restore that which they haue wrongfully taken and make vp the breaches which they haue wastfully made beeing without the feare of God and any fruit of true Religion they shall in the end receiue iudgement according to their workes and in the meane season their owne consciences shall sting and torment them It goeth indeede hard with the poore Church that is oppressed and it groneth and sigheth vnder the burden of her oppression yet in the end when the Lord cheefe-Iustice of Heauen and Earth shall pronounce sentence against them it shall bee knowne that they who oppresse others do u August epist 211. more hurt themselues then those whom they oppresse in as much as the sorrow and smart of the oppressed haue an ende but the woe and torment of the oppressour shall be euerlasting because he heapeth vnto himselfe wrath against the day of wrath and of the declaration of the iust iudgement of God 11 Which in times past was to thee vnprofitable but now very profitable both to thee and to me 12 Whom I haue sent againe thou therefore receiue him that is mine owne Bowels The order of the Words HItherto we haue heard the cheefe matter of this Epistle propounded and amplified Now let vs see how it is proued and confirmed The matter handled is that Onesimus should be receiued and entertained againe by his Maister This is first strengthned and then concluded To effect his purpose Paule draweth diuers reasons some taken from Onesimus others from the Apostle himselfe From Onesimus in the eleauenth verse because he should find him very profitable and seruiceable which is amplified by the contrary albeit he haue beene vnprofitable and vnthrifty vnto thee The reason may be thus framed If he will proue profitable vnto thee then thou oughtest to receiue him least thou be found an enemy to thine owne profit But he will proue profitable vnto thee Receiue him therefore This hath included in it the force of a close and secret Obiection Obiection For Philemon might obiect I haue found him hurtfull why then should I receiue into my House as a member of my Family that Seruant which will cause more harme then bring profit I haue had experience of the damage that he hath done me what homage he will doe me I know not Answere To this the Apostle maketh a double answer first by graunting then by correcting that which he had graunted and both waies by comparing the time past with the time present the time before he embraced Religion with the time of his conuersion as if he should say true it is and I grant he was once vnprofible to thee for while he was vnfaithfull to God he could do no faithfull seruice vnto thee but why dost thou vrge the time of his ignorance And why dost thou consider so much what he hath beene For now hee is become a new man he hath tasted of the true Religion he hath learned to know God to know himselfe to know thee and to know me To know God his mercifull Creatour to know himselfe a wretched Sinner to know thee his louing Maister to know me his spirituall Father whereas in former times he was ignorant of all these As he regarded not to know
the Lord tooke away good King Iosiah from the Children of Israell because the people were not worthy of him and God was angry against Iudah because of their iniquities This is the cheefe cause of the alterations of Kingdomes and of the often mutation and changing of Kinges and Princes For how can it be that such as are Rebels against God should be Frinds to Princes Wicked men are the greatest breakers of Princes lawes True it is it hath beene the ready way which the Deuill hath vsed as wee shewed before to bring such as are godly and feare God into hatred and detestation by his Instruments to beare the World in hand that they are Enemies to Princes Christ Iesus though he obeyed Caesar and taught obedience to Caesar and paied poll-money yet he was accused of Treason and charged to be an enemy to Caesar and condemned for it So was Paule slandered as a disturber of the State and Common-wealth But if we will rightly consider this point we shall find that these men that haue nothing in their mouths but obedience and harpe vpon no string so much as disobedience as if they themselues were made of obedience may iustly be censured and conuinced to breake three Lawes for their one whom they falsely and fraudulently accuse So that we may inuert the accusation turne it as a wheele vpon their owne heads and charge them iustly with that wherewith they vniustly ouercharge others When the zealous Prophet Eliah was blamed and reproued to be a troubler of Israell he answered the crime obiected vnto him and reiected it backe that it rebounded vpon him that gaue the charge t 1 Kin. 18 18. I haue not troubled Israell but thou and thy Fathers house in that ye haue forsaken the Commandements of the Lord and followed Baalim Such then as breake the Commaundements of God and despise his lawes cannot for conscience sake to be obedient to Princes and they that haue beene found vnfaithfull to God can neuer be iudged faithfull to men It is well knowne and seene how they transgresse the Kings lawes in their apparrell in their meat in their wordes in slandering in fighting in quarrelling in carding in bowling in dicing in drunkennesse in sitting at Ale-houses where the Magistrate and Minister are the common Table-talke and an hundred such like inormities As for the godly u Onely the godly are friends to princes though they be branded with breach of obedience and duty to Princes they will be found the best the greatest the cheefest nay the onely true Friends that Princes haue For first they pray vnto God earnestly and heartily for their Prince and the whole Land fareth the better for their prayers for God heareth the Prayers of such onely as heare his voyce and loue his Lawes and feare his Name when they call and cry vnto him for their Prince But he heareth not he granteth not he regardeth not the prayers of wicked men for he that turneth away his eare from hearing the Law euen his prayers shall be abhominable Hence it is that Salomon saith x Pro. 15 8 29 and 21 27. The Sacrifice of the wicked is abhomination to the Lord but the prayer of the righteous is acceptable vnto him he is farre off from the wicked but hee heareth the Prayer of the righteous the Sacrifice of the wicked is an ahhominaion how much more when he bringeth it with a wicked minde So then there can be no more vtter enemies to Princes then such as are wicked against God according to the saying of the Wise-man in another place y Pro. 25 4 5. Take the drosse from the Siluer and there shall proceede a Vessell for the finer take away the wicked from the King and his Throne shall be established in righteousnesse All men therefore may see how absurd and preposterous a thing it is that such as are no better then rebellious against God should be the Friends of the Prince and that such as are godly should bee accounted enemies Againe the godly are ready to subiect themselues according to Gods ordinance to Magistrates their obedience is in the Lord. When lawfull things are commaunded and required at their handes they addresse themselues to doe the thinges commaunded if vnlawfull they submit themselues in all thinges they resist not in any thing but suffer according to the pleasure of the Magistrate If then they be subiect with all feare not onely to such as are good and curteous but also to the froward knowing that this is thanke-worthy when a man for conscience sake toward God endureth griefe suffering wrongfully How is it that wicked men are not ashamed to account them as Traytors and Rebels If it should fall out that godly Princes commaund something which is contrary vnto Gods word we must obey z Actes 4 19. and 5 29. God rather then men but we must submit our selues in well-doing vnto Princes It is a grosse and vnreasonable thing to imagine that a man in obeying God doth disobey his Prince This appeareth in the example of the three children mentioned in the Prophesie of Daniell when the King commaunded them to fall downe before the golden Image that he had set vp a Dan. 3 16 17 18. and 6 22. they answered We are not carefull to answere thee in this matter Behold our God whom we serue is able to deliuer vs from the hot fiery Furnace and he will deliuer vs out of thy hand ô King but if not be it knowne to thee ô King that we will not serue thy Gods nor worship the golden Image that thou hast set vp The like we see in Daniell himselfe when he had beene throwne into the den of the Lyons he saith to the King My GOD hath sent his Angell and hath shut the Lyons mouths that they haue not hurt me for my Iustice was found out before him and vnto thee ô King I haue done no hurt He had indeede broken the Kinges edict but he accounted it no disobedience seeing therein he obeyed God Hence it is that the Apostle saith b 1 Pet. 2 17. Feare GOD honor the King where hee sheweth the order that is to be obserued the feare of God challengeth the first place and goeth before the honour of the King Let vs therefore suffer the reproaches that are cast out against vs and learne alwaies to obey in thinges lawfull but to submit our selues euen in thinges vnlawfull by enduring the punishment that shall be infflicted vpon vs. Thus the Seruants of God and faithfull Martyrs from time to time haue done they neuer rebelled they neuer tooke armes they neuer made resistance but alwaies prayed for Princes when Princes were enemies vnto them And concerning the vngodly whatsoeuer they pretend they cannot be the Princes Friends because as we haue shewed they care not to keep their Lawes and if they had a care of Princes Lawes they would also haue a regard of Gods Lawes 13 Whom I would haue retained
to the wants and necessities of the Saints Vse 1. Let vs now proceede to handle the Vses and edifie our selues thereby in our most holy Faith and in all Christian obedience First this serueth to reprooue those that haue forgotten all true seruice to the faithfull Many there are that haue no feeling of the troubles and turmoyles that fall vppon the deare Seruants of God Their eyes are closed and their hearts are hardned they haue no bowels of compassion to Minister vnto them they haue no handes open to releeue them The rich of our Churches who haue this Worlds good giuen vnto them are either in their vnsatiable desires as Hell or the Graue poore wrongfully getting miserably keeping vnconscionably scraping and vniustly pulling from others without meane or measure or else they spend their wealth and consume their substance some in Haukes and Hounds others in sumptuous apparrell others in excessiue Feastings others in worse vses which I will not name all being vnnecessary and fruitlesse things vnprofitable for the Church or Common-wealth so that little can bee spared for the poore Saints and that which is spared is as hardly drawne from them as a peece of flesh out of their sides These men neuer thinke of doing seruice to others but of seruing their owne turnes and commodities which ought not so to be among them that professe Christ Iesus who serued not himselfe nor sought his owne benefit nor minded his owne gaine and glory nor lifted vp himselfe aboue others nor desired to get earthly riches nor went about to empouerish others but being x 2 Cor. 8 9. rich he became poore being Heire of all things y Math. 8 20. he had not whereon to lay his head being Lord of all he became Seruant vnto all Hence it is that the Apostle saith z Hebr. 4 15. and 2 17 18. We haue not an High-priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all things tempted in like sort yet without sinne And a little before in the same Epistle In all things it behooued him to be made like vnto his Brethren that he might be mercifull and a faithfull High-priest in things concerning God that he might make reconciliation for the sins of the people for in that he suffered he was tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted Whereby it appeareth that Christ Iesus hath a liuely feeling of our infirmities and an inward touch of our wants he is not slightly affected with our infirmities but as the head is when the members are pained And if we be the true members of his body wee will remember and cannot forget them that are in bonds a Heb. 13 3. But be greeued as if we were bound with them and them that are in affliction as though we were also afflicted in the body This compassion toward those that are in misery is an assured pledge and a comfortable Testimony vnto vs that we are engrafted into Christ and vnited to all true Christians that we haue a Communion with him as with our head and that wee haue a communion with the faithfull as with his members But if we bee without feeling of the afflictions of Ioseph that is of the troubles of the Church we are without Christ without Faith without Loue without compassion and consequently without peace and consolation in our heartes For what peace can hee haue that is out of Christ who is the Authour of peace Without whom all thinges are but trouble and vexation of Spirit Or what consolation can we haue that we are his members when wee haue no sense or sight of the troubles and infirmities that are incident to our Fellow-members Secondly it reprooueth such as in the pride and haughtinesse of their harts do scorne to do seruice to the poore Saints and think it a great disgrace to them to cast their eyes vpon such contemptible creatures But wouldest thou haue Christ looke vpon thee and haue a respect vnto thee Then disdaine not thou to looke vpon his members which are vnto thee in place of Christ so often as they suffer in his cause In what a miserable case shall they be in at the last day to whom Christ Iesus the Lord of life shall say Depart from me I know ye not Now if we in this life turne away our faces from the faithful and are ashamed of them in the day of their calamity say to them Depart from me I know you not Let vs take heede that he be not ashamed of vs before his Father and before the elect Angels The highest that are vpon the earth must not refuse to shew all fruirs of loue euen toward the meanest for Christs sake but bee ready to acknowledge that they haue receiued their Callings and Dignities not to lift vp their hearts aboue their bretheren but be as Fathers as Shepheards as Nursses to nourish and cherish such as want their helpe This is it which good Mordecai did teach Ester when the church was as it were in trauell and in great danger b Est 4 13 14. Thinke not with thy selfe that thou shalt escape more then all the Iewes for if thou holdest thy peace at this time comfort and deliuerance shall appeare to the Iewes out of another place but thou and thy Fathers house shall perrish and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdome for such a time Where hee putteth her in minde that the cause of her aduancement was to be a Nursing Mother vnto the Church and that it was the end which God aymed at in calling of her to that place of dignitie And as the greatest are not to scorne the smallest nor the highest bee ashamed of the lowest nor the richest trample vnder their feete the poorest so on the other side the meanest and lowest must not enuie others that are aboue them but know that they likewise are bounde to doe seruice to them according to the vtmost of their power and endeuour Who was meaner in place and condition then Onesimus yet the Apostle testifyeth of him in this place that Hee had ministred vnto him in the bondes of the Gospell So there is no man so poore so lowe so small in his owne eyes and in the eyes of others but he may doe some good to others and thereby gaine glorie vnto God and to his Gospell If then wee thinke that the pouertie of our condition or the meannesse of our place or the basenesse of our person shall excuse vs or exempt vs from seruing Christ and his Church and that it skilleth not though wee liue as ydle Drones and vnprofitable burthens to the earth that beareth vs wee deceiue our selues and bereaue our selues of much comfort that wee might receiue by bearing our selues painefully and profitably in our Callings The Apostle instructing all personnes in the Church to behaue themselues without contempt and enuy prooueth it notably by a comparison drawne from the members of the bodie c
from them God hath giuen them breath and life to doe good to his Church and hee hath lifted vp their heads aboue others in wealth and authority to serue him but they are going out of the World before they know wherefore they came into the World And when they must leaue the World and depart out of it wherein they haue beene but Tennants at will they remember with anguish and terrour of conscience that they haue done nothing lesse then that for which they were sent into it but haue imployed their goods their strength their wit their wisedome their life their dignity and all to oppresse and vex the Church yea to root it if it were possible out of the earth It were good they could in time remember their fore-Fathers Pharaoh Senacharib Ahab Iezabell Iudas Herod and such like Persecutours and Enemies that breathed out threatnings against the Church and as they resemble them in their life let them take heede they follow them not in their death and after their death But let vs that practise better things know that God doubtlesse will remember them in kindnesse that remember the afflicted Saints and cast such off with shame and dishonour that doe despise and despight them We haue a worthy example heereof in Ebed-melech recorded by the Prophet Ieremy i Ier. 38 8 9. 39 16 17 18. who because he intreated for the Prophet and suffered him not to lie in the Dungeon and to dye for hunger through the false suggestions of his malicious enemies God shewed mercy vnto him and deliuered him from the plague that fell vpon the Citty This serueth as an k How the mister is to comfort himselfe in seruing the Church instruction both to the Minister and people If the Minister haue laboured in the duties of his calling and in the seruice of the Church and in the execution of his Ministry and in the feeding of the flock committed vnto him he hath wherein to comfort himselfe he may be assured of his loue vnto Christ and consequently of Christes loue toward him Wee must remember what Christ saide to Peter Louest l Iohn 21 16 17. thou me Feed my Sheepe feed my Lambs So the Apostle mentioning his great paines and troubles and daungers to preach the Gospell that hee seemed as a man eyther distract of his wits or puffed vp with ambition and vaine-glory he assigneth this as the true cause m 2 Cor. 5 13 14. The loue of Christ constraineth vs. If then we consider what loue the Lord hath shewed toward vs or behold how deare his Church is vnto him and with how great a price hee hath redeemed it wee cannot but in the Meditation thereof be thrust forward if we loue him or regard him to performe the duties of our Ministration although they be mightie painefull in seeding in weeding in plauting in strengthning and in comforting according as daily occasion shall be offered vnto vs. But if wee be entred into this calling and do nothing therein but please men and serue our selues and our owne lusts being entred what comfort can wee finde or what reward do we looke for at his hands that hath chosen vs to bee Shepheards and Watchmen Wee must not be like vnto the Prophets mentioned in the Prophet Micah n Mich. 3 11. The Priests of Sion teach for hire the prophets thereof prophesie for Money If then wee haue greater respect to the fleece then to the Sheepe or to the wages then to the worke we serue our selues and not the Lord Christ and he will accept no such seruice at our hands For wee serue our owne bellies but not the Church we fil our purses wee feede not the people Woe o Ezek. 34 1. be vnto such Shepheards should not the Shepheard feede the flocke What will our gaine and glory profite vs at the last day when they must leaue vs and we must leaue them We shall receiue more sound comfort and peace when we shal depart this world and remember what account we are to giue of our paines taken in our calling in our labours vndertaken in the Ministery then in the heaping vp of many liuinges and the getting of much riches If we haue gained but one soule to God he shall stand vp for vs when all the mucke of this earth shall fall downe He shall be our ioy and our crowne when all other delights shall giue vs the farewell Neyther doth this Doctrine and duty serue onely for the comfort of the Minister p How the people are to comfort them selus in seruing the Church but for the comfort of the people that haue endeuoured in their callings to serue the Church and laboured vnfaignedly to seeke the wel-fare thereof They that haue had a sweete feeling of the loue of God are carefull to loue him againe and they that loue him in singlenesse of heart will be enforced and constrained to loue his children and to doe all the seruice they can vnto them They will thinke no dutie too much they will thinke all they haue done all they can do to the Church to bee too little Hence it is that Christ Iesus commending the Church of Tyatira for such good works as were found therein q Reuel 2 19 beginneth with Loue and Seruice First he mentioneth their Loue then he addeth their Seruice to shew that as our Loue must appeare by our fruits of Seruice so all our Seruice must proceede from Loue to those whome wee serue If a man imploy himselfe neuer so dilligently and take neuer so great paines and trauaile with all his power for the peace and good of the church yet if it proceed not from a sincere loue toward them but either from a loue of gaine or a desire of glory or a fame of praise he shall receiue no rewarde at the hands of God This seruice as at all times we must bee ready to make it appeare so especially wee must shewe it in the necessities of the Church When it lyeth vnder the heat of persecution or feeleth the Arrow of famine or beareth the affliction of pouerty and groaneth vnder the waight of these burdens we must remember that we owe our seruice to them as a dutie and that we are the seruants of the Church This shall bee our crowne and comfort in the last day Vse 3. Thirdly seeing God requireth of all true Christians of what condition soeuer they be according to the meanes affoorded vnto them to vse their guifts their power their possessions and whatsoeuer benefits they haue receiued to vse them I say to the comfort and seruice of Gods Saintes it kindleth the affections of Gods people to blesse and praise God for them to speake well of them to pray vnto God for them and to obtain greater blessings for them then they haue bestowed Thus they that doo good to the Church do good to themselues they that giue much vnto them do receiue more and such as haue beene
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
pretenses or excuses or delayes shal auaile vs. Then shal the poore begger appeare without his rags the rich Glutton without his Robes Couetous Indas without his bagges Crafty Gehazi without his money Proud Haman without his Honor Aspyring Absolon without his Ambition Murthering Caine without his Weapon Cunning Achitophell without his Pollicy The Kings of the earth must lay downe the glory of their Crownes and the dignity of their Scepters the Nobles must renounce the Ensignes of honor and all persons must set aside outward respects of honor and dishonor of glory and shame of fauor and contempt Neuerthelesse it is to be obserued that albeit these men must stand before the throne of God without these respects that they made their chiefest felicity yet they shall not appeare without their cruelty bribery treachery blasphemy couetousnes such like impiety for their euill works shal follow them cleaue fast vnto them Let vs therefore neuer think to escape when we shal com naked before the eternal Iudge as euer we came into the world more naked then we departed out of the world for wheras some haue their Coffins to couer them others their Tombs to beutify them and all men their winding sheets to wrap their Carkasses in whē the Lord shal descend with thousands of his Angels they shal not haue a rag or a poore fig-leafe to hide their shame Let vs seek while we haue time to put on Christs righteousnesse as a Garment that we may be able to stand before the sonne of man and receiue the glory prepared for vs before the foundations of the earth were laide Specially to me how much more then vnto thee both in the flesh and in the Lord. We haue heard how the Apostle accounteth and how he would haue Philemon account of Onesimus to wit aboue a Seruant euen as a beloued Brother In these words he vrgeth him farther and sheweth that hee had more cause to respect him and greater reason to loue him then himselfe had because he was ioyned to him by more bands whereof two he nameth one of the flesh as being his seruant the other in the Lord as being his brother Paule was mooued to respect him onely in regarde of the common fayth and therefore he saith if he were not so much a Seruant as a Brother to him much more hee ought to bee so to his Maister not because hee was his seruant as other seruants are but because he was the Lords seruant so that hee was bounde to loue him both for the Lordes sake and for his owne sake Doctrine 6. The more bands reasons are giuen vs to care for any the more we are bound to care for him Heereby there is offered to our considerations this Lesson to bee learned that the more bandes and reasons are giuen vnto vs of God to care for anie the more wee are bound to care for him and to respect him A professor of the Gospell is more to be regarded then he that is wirhout One of the same Nation more then a stranger one of our own Kindred more then another farther from vs a Neighbour more then one that dwelleth manie Miles from vs one of a mans house more then him that is out of his house a Kinsman conuerted to the faith becom a true and perfect Christian more then a Kinsman not conuerted A Child that hath the sparks of grace in him more then a Childe voyde of them a Seruant fearing God more then a Seruant in the same family that doth not feare God nor regard his worde nor make Conscience of the meanes of his saluation Abraham loued Isaac the sonne of Promise hauing more graces in him f Gen. 21 9 10 14. 25 5 6. more then Ishmael the son of the bond-woman and a scoffing wretch and more then all the Sonnes of Keturah to whom he gaue guifts and sent them away Wee see this in the dealing of Abraham toward Lot his Nephew he would suffer no contention to rest among them and when he heard he was taken prisoner he would not haue stirred for the wicked sinners that dwelt in Sodome but hee armed his seruants to recouer him out of the hands of his enemies This is it which Salomon teacheth g Prou. 27 10 Better is a Neighbor that is neere then a Brother farre off The Apostle teacheth this truth when he giueth this precept While wee haue time let vt do good to all men h Gal. 6 10. but especially to them which are of the houshold of faith And in another place i Tim. 5 4. If any Widdow haue Children or Nephewes let thē learne first to shew godlinesse towardes their owne house and to recompence their Kindred To this also we are directed in the fift Commandement when we are commanded to Honour Father and Mother Wherby appeareth the truth of this doctrine that it standeth with Gods ordinance to haue the most care of those and to shew the greatest fruits of loue vnto them to whom wee are bound in the greatest and neerest bands Reason 1. The Reasons being wisely considered will make this plainely to appeare vnto vs. It is a generall sentence deliuered by Salomon in the booke of Ecclesiastes k Eccl. 4 9 10. Two are better then one and a threefold Cord is not easily broken Wheresoeuer there are stronger Cordes to tye vs and moe bandes to ioyne vs together our Loue ought to bee the more greater one towardes another Manie stickes make the greater Fire and many stringes the better Musicke Reason 2. Secondly it is a thing verie well pleasing in the sight of God to consider what meanes he hath affoorded to encrease mutuall loue and societie one with another This is the reason vrged by the Apostle to perswade the Children and Nephewes of poore Widdowes to take care for their Parents according to their ability l 1 Tim. 5 4. Because that is an honest thing and acceptable before God Now we are bound vnto them by many effectuall Reasons as it were with barres of Iron and bandes of Brasse to nourish those that haue nourished vs that haue fedde vs that haue cloathed vs that haue begotten vs and brought vs into the world so that wee must acknowledge it both right and reasonable Reason 3. Thirdly such as breake these bands cast away these Cords from them do set themselues against the Doctrine of Christ and may be sent to schoole to the Infidels nay to the brute beasts which are not voide of a certaine naturall affection This the Apostle teacheth m 1 Tim. 5 8. If there be any that prouideth not for his owne and namely for them of his houshold he denieth the faith is worse then an Infidell For howsoeuer they professe the Faith in words yet in deede and in truth they deny it But God is delighted with our workes not with our words and looketh vpon the substance not the shewe of our Religion
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
Superior power which is aboue all power in Heauen and earth Whatsoeuer they are commaunded to do can bind the conscience no farther then standeth with the pleasure of God It is not enough for them to say I was moued to it by others I was commanded to do it it lay not in my power to preuent it or resist it I am vnder the iurisdiction of others and am tyed to obey This will not goe for currant payment but beareth a counterfeit stampe it is like the Figge-leaues of Adam where-with he couered himselfe which serued his turne well enough vntill God came to examine him and to enter into iudgement with him So these weake excuses seeme wise reasons to iustifie our wicked obedience vntill they come to be searched and sifted by the light of Gods word For this cause the Apostle teaching subiection to Parents saith z Ephe. 6. 1. Children obey your Parents in the Lord for this is right Whereby we learne how to vnderstand that precept which seemeth to exact a generall or vniuersall obedience Coloss 3. Children obey your Parents in all thinges namely that it must be in good and lawfull things In like manner as the obedience of Inferiours is instinted and restrained not left at randome and at libertie so the iurisdiction of such as are in Superiour places is not so great as to tyrannize ouer mens consciences to require what they please and to commaund what seemeth good in their own eies but it must know the bounds that God hath appointed and not exceede the same This made the Apostle say to the Church of the Corinthians a 1 Cor. 11 1 Be ye followers of me as I am of Christ He chargeth them to goe no farther with him then they saw him to walke with Christ and therefore in another place he sheweth b Gal. 1 9. That if any Man or any Angell from Heauen should Preach otherwise then they had receiued he must be holden accursed This serueth to reprooue all such as binde their Inferiours to doe whatsoeuer they commaund This is to set vppe our selues in stead of GOD. Absolute obedience in all thinges without restraint is due to none but vnto him that hath an absolute power and commaund ouer all Creatures His authoritie is infinite and receiueth no limitation As for the Sonnes of men how great soeuer their power be yet it is finite and it vrgeth vs no farther then they haue warrant to commaund vs. Wherefore they are greatly deceiued and take too much vpon them that thinke themselues abused their places contemned and their authority diminished when they are not in all things obeyed Nay they themselues doe not sufficiently know themselues nor their high callings that looke for more then is due vnto them and require of their Inferiours so much as they with a good conscience cannot performe These are they that say Doe they not owe vs a dutie Are they not vnder vs Haue not wee power ouer them May not we commaund subiection and obedience vnto vs True it is all reuerence and obedience is due vnto them in the Lorde but if they will haue subiection against the Lord and against his will they forget their places they take too much vppon them and they vsurpe a Dominion that was neuer committed and communicated vnto them Let all that are in authoritie beware of this pride of hart and aduancing thēselues aboue that which ought to be in them This we see to haue beene in Saule as he persecuted Dauid from place to place so he commaunded c 1 Sam. 22 17 the Sergeants that stood about him To turne and slay the Priestes of the Lorde as if they were bound to doe it at his desire The like appeareth in Absalom when he would satisfie his owne mallice and reuenge the dishonour done to his Sister Tamar d 2 Sam. 13 28 he commaunded his seruants saying Marke now when Amnons heart is merry with Wine and when I say vnto you Smite Amnon kill him feare not for haue not I commaunded you Be bold therefore and play the Men. He doth not goe about to perswade their consciences of the lawfulnesse of the fact but he is blinde himselfe and seeketh to blinde the eyes of other he is carried away with mallice and filleth the handes of others with blood Thus are the wicked possessed with pride and presume in the height of their iniquity that all their vngodly commaundements whatsoeuer are to be obeyed But as they are reprooued that execute whatsoeuer they are required to doe so are they reprehended that will require euery thing that they list to glut their owne anger and mallice They that do commaund and such as are commaunded are both culpable of iudgement Saul in commaunding to slay the Priestes of the Lord was an horrible Murtherer so was also Doeg the Executioner of it Absalom charging his Seruants to kill his Brother was a detestible Parricide so also the Seruants had their handes defiled with blood that obeyed his commaundement Let vs therefore all of vs remember the rule of the Apostle 2 Cor. 13. 8. e 2 Cor. 13 8. We cannot doe any thing against the truth but for the truth So let all Superiors say We can commaund nothing against the Lord but for the Lord. And let all Inferiours say we cannot obey against the Lord but in the Lord and whether it be better to obey God or Man iudge you We must all consider before we require obedience what it is that wee would haue done that we may haue warrant to exact it and others comfort to execute it Refresh my Bowels in the Lord. This is another variable phrase whereby the Apostle requireth that Onesimus be receiued againe into his Maisters seruice This earnestnesse for him argueth both that the Man before his calling was most wicked but now after his conuersion was turned to bee most godlie and religious besides that his Maisters heart was wonderfullie estranged from him So then wee are heerein to consider two thinges first that vnlesse he had greatly wronged his Maister and done him iniurie in some heynous manner the Apostle would not haue been so vehement nor haue doubled his request for him Secondlie vnlesse he had beene throughlie assured and perswaded of his vnfained repentance doubtlesse he would neuer haue pleaded his cause with such effectuall Reasons earnest asseuerations and often repetitions Now in these wordes of comforting and refreshing his Bowels he witnesseth that he should receiue exceeding great ioy if Philemon would release Onesimus and receiue him into his loue and fauour againe as he desired of him Doctrine 3. Men ought greatly to reioyce at the good and benefit of their Brethren in temporall and eternall blessings We learne from hence that it is a speciall dutie required of vs to reioyce at the good and benefit of our Bretheren both in Temporall and Eternall blessinges When we see any good befall them in matters concerning this life or the life
when he entertained beleeued false Ziba against his faithful subiect Neither ought we to be hard of beleef to belieue nothing that is told vs though neuer so constantly and certainly as appeareth in Gedaliah who would not beleeue m Ier. 40 14 16. Iohanan and the Captaines of the hoast that certified him that Ishmael was sent to slay him But this his want of beleefe he bought with the losse of his owne life Againe as we are to construe things in the best sense and beware that we wrest nothing contrary to the meaning of the speaker considering that they are heinous sinners that n Rom. 1 29. take al things in the worse part so we are also bound to shew a louing heart a tender affection and a Charitable compassion toward our brethren in seeking to defend and maintaine his good name when we hear him slandered and his good name impaired If we heare a malicious enemy broach his malice by speaking lies and vttering slanders against our brethren ought not we as their friends in loue to open our mouths in the cause of the dumb shewing our dislike of their euill reportes and testifying our good affection toward their persons and relating the truth in their defence For wee must know that we may be slanderers as well by silence and holding our peace as by discrediting them by our tongues He is a false witnesse that hearing his neighbor falsely accused doth not labour to cleare him when he is able by giuing Testimony vnto the truth When Ionathan by his owne knowledge perceiued that the reports were false which flatterers had deuised and Saule had immagined against Dauid being then misled and misinformed he could not holde his tongue o 1 Sa. 20 32. but spake in his defence in the cause of the innocent saying Wherefore shall hee die What hath he done The like we see in Nicodemus when he saw the malice of the Scribes and Pharises to haue bin so great that they woulde haue condemned Christ absent and vnheard he stood vp in the Counsell said p Iohn 7. 51. Doth our Law iudge a man before it heare him and know what hee hath done This ought to be an example vnto vs how to behaue our selues when wee heare good and godly men reuiled and rayled vpon wrongfully accused and vniustly slandered we should not be tongue-tied but open our mouthes in their defence It is a firme testimony of our loue both to their person profession Lastly we are to shew the griefe sorrow which we conceiue when soeuer we heare a true report of any faults and sins committed by them that haue bin a blot and blemish vnto him We see this q Nehemiah 5 Esra 9. Phillip 3. in Nehemiah in Ezra in Paul and many others So then such as are ready to iudge the best of their brethren wil be careful to make the best of euery thing to defend their good name from slanders and reproaches and to testifie their greefe for such euils as breake out of them Vse 3. Thirdly albeit we are to hope the best of others and to iudge charitably of them yet we must know that it is our duty to admonish one another and seeke to conuert one another from going astrayâ— Heereby we shall saue a soule cleare their good name and couer a multitude of sinnes For it is most certaine we can neuer conceiue a good Opinion of them nor haue them in any estimation nor entertaine a Charitable Iudgement of their dooings vnlesse wee shew our selues forward to exhort and admonish them when wee see they walke not with a right foote nor tread in the steppes that leade vnto eternall life When Paule sawe Peter dissemble with the Iewes he r Galat. 2 14. reprooued him to his face so did Nathan the Prophet Dauid after hee had sinned It is a witnesse infallible of our loue in that we admonish our Bretheren and suffer not sinne vpon them It shall bee a precious balme that shall not breake their heads On the other side as we are to iudge the best of others and to admonish those that fall and offend so we ought not to thinke that they hate vs that shew vs our faultes or that they are our enemies that reprooue vs. A sharpe reproofe is more hardly digested then a bitter pill is swallowed We desire for the most part to be soothed and flattered in our sinnes and to haue soft pillowes sowed vnto our Elbowes that we may sleep in sinne without controulment and so runne into destruction without trouble and with much ease Neuer were there more miserable times then these ate in the which wee liue Hee that reprooueth maketh himselfe a prey and he that is reprooued stormeth and rageth at the matter as if hee had receiued a great iniurie and as if men had gone beyond the bounds of their Calling But if there be true Wisedome in vs wee must regard those that do admonish vs in the Lord. Vse 4 Lastly seeing it is our duty to hope and esteeme the best one of another let this be acknowledged and confessed of vs that we must iudge of no man before the time we must take heed of rash iudgement according to the rule of Christ Å¿ Math. 7 1 2. Iudge not that ye be not iudged for with what Iudgement yee Iudge ye shall be iudged and with what measuee you mete it shall be measured to you againe Likewise our Sauiour in the parable of the Housholder which went out at the dawning of the day to hire Laborers into his Vineyard signifieth That God calleth at all houres and times of the day some at one time and some at another according to the good pleasure of his owne will We must despaire of no mans saluation but hope the best of them that God will giue them repentance to come out of the snares and subtleties of the Deuill whereby they are holden captiues to do his will This offereth vnto vs these three Meditations First it is a comfort to those that at the last are brought to repentance No man is excluded from grace in this life and from glory in the life to come that turneth vnto God with all his heart The Theefe vpon the crosse was receiued to mercy they that were called at the eleuenth houre and laboured but one houre had their peny It falleth out oftentimes t Math 19 30. and 20 16. That the last are first the first are last Let none despaire through the greatnesse hainousnesse and multitude of his sins but rather make hast delay not the time to put off from day to day considering how ready the Lord is to imbrace him to receiue him to forgiue him Secondly albeit the gate of mercy be set wide open for all penitent persons yet this ought not to harden mens hearts in carelesnesse and securitie For the vngodly that continue in their sins haue no defence for themselues and their presumption
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
for themselues but for the precious merits of their Sauiour Christ I except not the blessed Virgin Mary his Mother but as once shee reioyced in God her Sauiour so now she triumpheth in Christ her Redeemer and is accepted through the deserts of her sonne To conclude this point let vs remember the saying of the Apostle Iohn k 1 Iohn 2 1. If any man sinne we haue an Aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the reconciliation for our sinnes Where we see he ioyneth these two together to bee an Aduocate and to make reconciliation and appropriateth them both to the person of Christ If then the Saints be our Aduocates that wee should present our prayers vnto them they to Christ and Christ to God they must also make reconciliation for our sinnes and appease the wrath of God the father which is vnpossible for them to do and blasphemous for vs to affirme It is our duty therefore to repair resort vnto God the father through the merits of his son Iesus Christ The Prophet complaineth l Psal 20 7. That some trust in Chariots some in horses So in time of troble some seeke to Saints Angels m Leuit. 19 31 Esa 8 19. 17 8. 44 17 18 others flye to Witches Idols but we must remember the name of the Lord our God But of this point we haue spoken before more at large Thirdly it reproueth such as see the want of many blessings in themselues and others feel great iudgements and publick calamities vpon themselues others and yet pray not at all to haue the one bestowed and the other remoued These are like to brute beasts that rore cry out for their prey when they want meat but they neuer consider from whence they receiue it and as the swine that eat the Mast in the woods but neuer look vp to the tree from whence it falleth or as the dog that biteth the stone that is cast at him but looks not to the hand that threw it So do these men they can mourne and murmure when they sustaine any losse feele any plague or finde any want but they haue no knowledge to search out the cause or the meanes how Gods blessings should be obtained or his iudgements be preuented Hence it is that the Prophets complaine of this sencelesnesse and want of feeling of Gods mercie and our owne misery as we see in Ezekiell and in other places n Ezek. 22 30. Esay 59 16. 63 5. I sought for a Man among them that should not make vp the hedge and stand in the gappe before the Land that I should not destroy it but I found none It is a vaine thing for a Physician to know the Disease and not to apply the Remedie so likewise is it a great folly for vs to knowe our owne wantes and yet to want Wisedome to take a right course to redresse the same What deadnesse of heart hath entred into vs that we haue forgotten the commandements of God and cannot remember the examples of his seruantes that haue obtained great things at his hands and cannot be encouraged by his manifolde and mercifull promises that he hath made vnto vs Let vs then bee prouoked to this dutie and not be wanting vnto our selues but respect our owne good and benefit in seeking vnto the Lord daily in calling vpon him earely and late The seruants of Naaman reproue him in that being commanded an easie and ready way to be cured and clensed of his Leprosie yet hee hung backe and would not vse the remedy o 2 King 5 13. If the Prophet say they to their Maister hadde commanded thee a greater thing wouldest thou not haue done it How much rather then when he saith to thee wash and be cleane So may it be said to vs to shake off our drowsinesse and to worke forwardnesse in vs to practise this duty If the Lord in our present wants should require at our hands any hard and difficult thing ought wee not to obey him and to performe his Commandement How much more then when hee respecteth our weakenesse and saith onely Aske and you shall haue seeke and ye shall finde knocke and it shall be opened vnto you We shall not need now to say in our owne hearts Who shall ascend into Heauen or descend into the deepe to bring his blessings vnto vs from thence The remedie is at hand the meanes are neere euen in our mouth and in our heart this is the prayer of faith which auaileth much if it be feruent It teacheth vs the way to the Lords treasures to put our hand into his Cofers to take such benefits as we want and to put vp the arrowes of his wrath into his quiuer which he hath drawn against vs to shoot at vs. Vse 3. Thirdly from hence ariseth great comfort to all the faithfull that call vpon the name of God For are the prayers of good men auayleable for our good Do they procure blessinges and stay iudgements Then haue wee great cause to reioyce and matter of great ioy offered vnto vs in the diligent practise of this duty We are assured that the Lord will not defraud deceiue vs but giue vs those things that we desire and he knoweth what we want Is our Faith weake He will strengthen vs. Are we ignorant He wil enstruct vs. Doe we want the Graces of his spirit He will supply them Is our Loue cold He will quicken it Is our Repentance vnperfect Hee will perfect it On the other side are his Iudgements among vs He will remooue them Are we in distresse He will haue mercie vppon vs. Doe our sinnes trouble vs He will discharge vs. Are we in sicknesse He wil restore vs. p Iames 5 13 14. Are we in any misery He will deliuer vs. If the consideration of this gracious dealing of God and the performance of his precious promises doe not put life into our dead hearts and assure comfort to our feeble spirits and raise vs vp when we are cast downe what weapon can be of sufficient force to pierce our hearts and to driue vs to the Conscionable practise of this duty If we had not a blessed experience of Gods goodnesse towards vs wee should haue the lesse sinne to doubt thereof But seeing there is no faithfull Man or Woman who hath not found the Lord readie to heare him in time of his need and that we are compassed about with so great a Cloude of witnesses let vs comfort our selues and one another in these things and bee stirred vp to call vpon his name Vse 4 Lastly are the Prayers of the faithfull profitable to all things and auaileable to make vs partakers of Gods blessinges and to stoppe the course of his Iudgements Then we must remember that it is our dutie to praise his name when hee hath heard our prayers and graunted our requestes either for our selues or our brethren It is
mee and hath embraced this present world and is departed vnto Thessalonica Lastly he reckoneth vp Luke to wit the Euangelist who came to Rome as a Companion with Paule as we read Acts 28 14. and is named in the Epistle to the Colossians Å¿ Colos 4 14. Luke the beloued Physitian greeteth you Hee was a Physitian by profession and after his conuersion he accompanied Paul in his greatest dangers Of these men heere described wee might speake much and handle their liues at large t Centu. 1. lib. 2. cap. 10. castig addit in lib. 2. centu 1. but this is doone by others and this may suffice for the Interpretation of these verses We heard in the beginning of this Epistle that Paule ioyned Timothy to him as a ioynt Writer thereof and directeth it to others besides to Philemon that they might bee meanes and Mediatours vnto him so in the winding vp of the Epistle hee hath mustered together many others by all which he setteth vppon Philemon as it were with an Army of Intercessers and Aduocates to soften and ouercome his greeued and offended minde and to encline him to mercie and compassion The time when this Epistle written Moreouer this salutation giueth vs some direction of the time when this Epistle was written Touching the which time there is some difference among the learned Some are of opinion that this Epistle was written after the second that hee wrote to Timothy and this reason is rendered because in that Epistle it appeareth that Timothy and Marke were not with him and hee willeth them to make speede to come vnto him z 2 Tim. 4 9 11. Onely Luke is with mee Take Marke and bring him with thee for hee is profitable vnto me to Minister But in this Epistle it is euident that these men were come vnto him Seeing therefore there hee sendeth for them and heere they are found to be with him it should seeme that this Epistle is Written after the other This is the Reason vrged a Illyr in argum huius Epistol by many which seemeth to be of great force to perswade But if we diligently marke it and throughly consider of it we shall finde it to be too weake to beare the waight of this conclusion For this present Epistle as also that to the Colossians was written when hee was first taken the second to Timothy when he was taken the second time For Paul hauing appealed to Caesar from the partial dealing of the High-Priests and the cruell persecution of his owne nation was brought to Rome in the beginning of Neroes raigne about the thirde or fourth yeare thereof Now it is euident and knowne to all that Nero in the fiue first yeares was one of the most milde and mercifull Princes and as in his last yeares hee exceeded all men in Tyranny and Crueltie so in his first b Sueto in Neron hee passed all his predecessors in Mercie and Gentlenesse In the beginning of his Empyre Paule pleaded his cause before him and was deliuered out of prison and let go whether he would But the rage of the enemies of the Gospell being endlesse hee was taken againe about the end of Neroes raigne who waxed madde against Christian Religion at which time hee wrote the latter Epistle to Timothy wherein he fore-telleth the approaching of his death and the time of his dissolution c 2 Tim. 4 6. I am now ready to be offered and the time of my departing is at hand Thus much touching the time when this Epistle was written Generall Obseruations pointed out in these verses Now let vs point out some generall Obseruations out of these Verses that might be enlarged and farther stood vpon if time would serue First we see the Apostle setteth down a salutation proceeding from others which teacheth that salutations are an ordinary meanes ordained of God to nourish and cherrish mutuall loue and that vnion and coniunction which the members of Christs body haue one with another who are onely in body in regard of bodily presence seuered one from another in this present life whereas in heart they are ioyned together and shall bee heereafter both in soule and body Secondly albeit the Apostle were a prisoner for the faithes sake yet God doth not leaue him alone hee hath A Fellow-prisoner ioyned with him and many Fellow-helpers added vnto him And albeit hee delighteth not himselfe in the imprisonment of another but could rather wish him deliuered as appeareth by his words to Agrippa who saide he was almost perswaded to become a Christian d Acts 26 28 29. I woulde to God that not onely thou but also all that heare mee to day were both almost and altogether such as I am except these bondes yet notwithstanding the Company of the Godly is gracious and comfortable both in prosperitie and in aduersity both in prison and out of prison Thus it is set downe by Luke Acts 16 25. when Paul was whipped and imprisoned and his feet made fast in the stockes he had Silas ioyned with him and they two spent the night in praying and praising God togither teaching admonishing themselues in Psalmes and Hymnes and spirituall songs singing with a grace in their hearts to the Lord so that the prisoners hearde them Thus we see the endlesse Mercie of God towards his afflicted and distressed Seruants hee rayseth them vp some comfort and some Comforters verifying the promise made to his Church If I depart I will send the Comforter vnto you Hee knoweth our infirmities hee seeth how readie we are to yeeld and slide back therefore as he strengthneth vs by others so he maketh vs meanes to strengthen others Thirdly hee calleth Epaphras a prisoner of Christ as hee also had called himselfe before in the beginning of this Epistle The reason is because he had preached Christ Heereby we learne that persecutions oftentimes follow the sincere preaching of the Gospell not that it is the propertie of the Gospell but the cause is the malice of such as will not embrace and receiue the Gospell and therefore they hate and persecute those that beleeue in Christ and giue entertainment to the Gospell This is it our Sauiour teacheth Mat. 10 34 35. Thinke not that I am come to send peace into the earth I came not to send peace but the sworde for I am come to set a Man at variance against his Father and the Daughter against the Mother c. and a mans enemies shall be they of his owne houshold To this purpose he speaketh in another place g Luke 12 49. I am come to put fire on the earth and what is my desire if it be already kindled The Gospell is the proper cause of peace among the godly so it is the occasion of great troble among the wicked They are therefore much deceiued that make the Gospell the cause of all diuision and hurly-burlies that are in the Worlde When any troubles arise the preaching
ground The like salutation we see in Iudas who had giuen the multitude that came with swords and staues from the High-Priests and Elders of the people a Token saying n Mat 26 48. 49. Whomsoeuer I shall kisse that is he lay hold on him and forthwith hee came to Iesus and said God saue thee Maister and kissed him Thus hee betrayed the sonne of man with a kisse We must haue our words and hearts goe together and not one wander and stray from the other We must not haue our words softer then Oyle hide swords and speares within vs. This is cruell and deceitfull dealing this is farre from true Christianity this is farre from that plaine and simple dealing that ought to be in vs. Such men are the most dangerous and pernitious enemies that are they are hardly knowne and therefore hardly auoyded One of these false hearted Brethren is worse then an hundred open professed aduersaries A pit which is couered so that thou canst not see it is more likely to worke thy hurt and cause thee to fall into it then that which is manifest to be seene Let vs therefore remember that our words bee alwayes seasoned and accompanied with truth Let our mouth speak as the heart thinketh and let vs take heed of lying cogging cozening glozing smoothing and dissembling which are the workes of the deuill the fruits of the flesh and the badges of Hypocrites Thirdly as we haue heard that they are to be reproued that disdaine to speake to others and such as are content to vse friendly greetings in word but their hearts go not with them so likewise such are condemned as vse vnkinde and vncourteous speeches nay foule and vncleane vngodly and prophane communication This the Apostle teacheth Ephes 4. o Ephe. 4 31. Let all bitternesse and anger and wrath crying and euill speaking be put away from you with all maliciousnesse Such was the snappish answere of Caine p Gen. 4 9. Am I my Brothers keeper So for this cause Nabell being a churlish currish man q 1 Sam. 25 10 11. is concluded to be a foole and a wicked man This vnciuill bitter dealing is a great signe and a certaine note of an vnregenerate and carnal man Let vs beware of al railing rotten speeches The mouth is the Messenger of the heart and from the aboundance of the heart the mouth speaketh A filthy tongue argueth a filthy heart an vnbrideled tongue a licentious heart A poysoned tongue that casteth out banning and cursing doth manifest a cursed and corrupt heart The tongue that raueth and rageth beyond all measure and belcheth out blasphemies and vomiteth out pocky and plaguy speech as it were the ouer-charging of a loathsome stomacke doth shew be it spoken with reuerence a pocky and plaguy heart It is a shame almost to speake those thinges I will not say which these men do in secret but which they speake openly publickely euidently And yet alas how common a thing is it when men and women are a little heated and prouoked to wish all euill to fall vpon the persons of their Bretheren and their Cattle nay sometimes vpon their owne wiues their own children their owne Seruants their owne Cattell crying out a vengeance on them a plague of God to come vpon them a Murraine take them the Deuill of hell go with thee and such like which come from an vncircumcised mouth nay from an vncircumcised and vnregenerate Neyther let any alledge for the excuse of their cursed and wretched speeches It is a custome they haue gotten but that they minde and meane no such thing whatsoeuer they speake for first this is a cursed custome and a custome in sinning the greater it is the worse it is The more thou doest accustome thy tongue vnto it the harder it is to be left Our Sauiour teacheth r Mat. 12 35. 36. that A good man out of the good Treasure of his heart bringeth forth good thinges and an euill man out of an euill Treasure bringeth forth euill thinge But I say vnto you that of euery idle word that men shall speake they shall giue account thereof at the day of Iudgement If then we must reckon and account at the end of the World and of our life for idle wordes what madnesse is it for vs to cast out and disgorge blasphemous wicked and cursed speeches which will bring vpon vs horrible plagues and heauy punishments to be suffered in hell fire Hence it is that Christ saith in the wordes following Å¿ Verse 37. By thy wordes thou shalt be iustified and by thy wordes thou shalt be condemned Heere-unto the Apostle Iames agreeth t Iam. 1. 26. Chap. 1. If any man among you seemeth Religious and refraineth not his tongue but deceiueth his owne heart this mans Religion is vaine Neither let them say they thinke not euill they meane not as they speake for this doth not take away the euill but rather increase it in asmuch as they adde sinne vnto sinne hypocrisie to impiety as it were drunkennesse vnto thirst Let such acquaint their hearts with blessiing not with cursing and striue against their corruptions which are growne to an head and haue gotten a custome in them remembring the saying of the Prophet Psal 109. u Psal 109 17 18. As he loued Cursing so shall it come vnto him and as he loued not blessing so shall it bee farre from him as he clothed himselfe with Cursing like a rayment so shall it come into his Bowels like water and like Oyle into his Bones Let vs therefore all of vs put in practise the precept of the Apostle x Ephe. 4 29. Let no corrupt communication proceede out of your mouthes but that which is good to the vse of edefying that it may minister grace vnto the hearers Where he declareth that corrupt speech should be to the eare as vnsauory meat to the stomacke A rotten Sheepe is knowne by his bleating so is an vnregenerate heart by his wordes Wherefore as the tast abhorreth rotten meate so should our mindes loath and detest rotten and vnreuerent talke Vse 3. Lastly seeing we are taught to vse all gentle and curteous communication and all louing salutations and well-wishings one toward another this teacheth vs that we must all diligently study and practise the gouernment of the tongue to order it aright and in due manner This is a worthy study it is an hard study it is a profitable study Hence it is that the Prophet saith y Psal 34 12 13. Psal 34. What man is he that desireth life and loueth long daies for to see good Keepe thy tongue from euill and thy lippes that they speake no guile To this purpose he speaketh in another Psalme z Psal 39 1. I thought I will take heede to my waies that I sinne not with my tongue I will keepe my mouth brideled while the wicked is in my fight The difficulty and hardnesse of this study the
day of the wrath of the Lord they shall not satisfie their Soules neither fill their Bowels for this ruine is for their iniquity The rich man thinketh himselfe fenced against all dangers of soule and body and knoweth not his owne errour and ignorance and folly It is the spirituall Armour that gineth strength it is the spirituall Graces of God that doe defend vs one drop of them is better then an whole Riuer or a great Sea of earthly blessings Reason 3. Thirdly the obtaining of spirituall thinges is the cause of the other blessings They bring with them when they come earthly thinges When we get wealth we doe not by it get Heauenly wisedome for many times they haue the greatest riches that haue the least Religion But when we get Godlinesse into our hearts it bringeth with it a competent and conuenient measure of all outward thinges The Prophet saith p Psal 34 10. The Lyons doe lacke and suffer hunger but they which seeke the Lord shall want nothing that is good He knoweth what is good for vs better then we doe for our selues as the Father knoweth what is good for the Childe better then the Childe doth and therefote he doth not say they shall want nothing but nothing that is good Likewise the Apostle 1 Tim. 4. q 1 Tim. 4 8. Godlinesse is profitable vnto all thinges and hath the promises of this life and of the life to come He doth not say that riches are profitable to all thinges neither doth he affirme that they haue the promises of this life and of the life to come but Godlinesse hath those profits and promises So then if we lay these thinges together and consider that the spirituall blessings being incorruptible and inuisible and eternall are in themselues more excellent that they are of great force and power with God whereas the earthly are vaine and transitory weake and vnable to remoue any iudgement and that Heauenly blessings are causes of the earthly and companions with them we may truely gather and collect from hence that it is our duty to preferre and pray for spirituall things before transitory for heauenly thinges before earthly for eternall thinges before temporall Vse 1. Now let vs see what vses will arise from hence First of all this serueth to condemne the practise of the greatest part of men that go cleane against this rule There is no truth of God oftner confessed in word that is more commonly denied in deede We are willing to acknowledge in iudgement the excellency of spirituall thinges aboue all thinges that are mortall and mutable and among spirituall blessings the price priueledge of Gods grace which bringeth a goodly traine and troope of his greatest Treasures yet notwith-standing our iudgement r The first reprofe our affections are chiefly set vpon the world and our desires runne after earthly thinges Such men are wholly earthly and carnall according to the rule of our Sauiour ſ Math 6 21. Where your treasure is there will your heart be also Such can neuer lift vp their mindes vnto Heauen that account the earth and earthly thinges their chiefest Treasure as on the other side they can neuer settle their desires and studies vpon the earth that esteeme the Heauens and Heauenly thinges their greatest Treasures When the Stomacke is ouerladen with meate and ouer-burdened with the same there followeth an obstruction and stopping of the passages of Nature so the inordinate desires of the world pressing downe better things bringeth a forgetfulnesse of God and so ouerfilleth the heart that it oppresseth and suppresseth all care and cogitation of a better life For euen as we see that when the shadow groweth lesser the heate groweth greater but when the shadow groweth greater the heat groweth lesser so it fareth and falleth out with vs whē this world which is but a shadow taketh vp the least roome in our hearts then the loue of the world to come is the greatest in vs but when this present world and the thinges therein occupie the gretest space and place in our heartes then the heat that was kindled in vs toward heauenly thinges is abated and diminished These two the loue of this world and of the world to come are so crosse and contrary one to another that they cannot rest and remaine in the highest degree within vs but one cooleth and quencheth the other one ouercommeth and ouermastereth the other We would account him a foole and destitute of ordinary vnderstanding a simple man or a very Child that would preferre Copper before Gold a graine of Barly before a Pearle or precious Stone or would make choise of Chaffe before the Wheate or chuse the Huskes before the Corne and yet there are a thousand and ten thousand worse Fooles in the World which take themselues to be great wise men prudent and politike men of deepe and profound reaches who would disdaine and scorne at it to be accounted either Childish or foolish Naball was t 1 Sam. 25. 25. a rich man and no doubt tooke himselfe and was taken of others to be a wise man yet setting his minde wholly vpon his goods he is called by the Scripture a foole The rich man mentioned in the Gospell u Luke 12 16 17 18 19 20. when his ground brought forth fruits plentifully thought with himselfe I will pull downe my Barnes and build greater and saide to his Soule Soule thou hast much goods laid vp for many yeares liue at ease eate drinke and take thy pastime but though he were rich and therefore thought himselfe wise yet God saide vnto him O foole this night will they fetch away thy Soule from thee and then whose shall those thinges be which thou hast prouided Neither was this the case and condition of this man alone but it is the case and condition of euery one that gathereth riches to himselfe and is not rich in God This rich man is dead and gone but hee hath left a plentifull of spring and a great generation behind him Looke vpon mens liues and see whether the cares of this life be not the first in their thoughtes purposes prayers and practises Giue them enough of this world and let him that will take the world to come All their study all their toyling and moyling is for the red and white earth that is for Gold and Siluer and other trash of this world as if they could neuer be full of it as if they would neuer be weary of it as if they should neuer depart out of it It is saide of Salomon Prou. 30 x Prou. 30. 15. The Horsse-leech hath two Daughters which cry bring bring so is it with these worldly minded men they can neuer be satisfied they alwaies cry out for more they will not be content they cannot say they haue enough It is a token of a brood basely borne that respecteth not the inheritance of sonnes so it is an euident signe that wee are not the sonnes
the Prophet lament his owne condition r Psal 120 5 6 7. Woe is to me that I remaine in Meshech dwell in the tents of Kedar my soule hath too long dwelt with him that hateth peace I seeke peace when I speake thereof they are bent to warre These corrupt and contagious societies are manifold in the world which we are to auoid more then a place of infection that may indanger the body among the which there is a knot and band of such leud companions and loose mates as accompany together in drinking gaming swearing whoring rioting reuelling and railing at all religion and at the seruants of God that are the professors of religion This society in euill is to be found in euery place but this society is not of God but of the deuill it is not the communion of Saints but the company of sinners that make a practise of all wickednes Againe there is another sort who albeit they bee not so fully fouly disordered yet are as far from the kingdom of God For when they should accompany the faithful in the assembly of the Saints they keep company with their catle beasts swine When the faithful on the lords day are going into the house of God they are going into their fieldes when they should be with their brethren they are looking on their bullocks shew no more conscience to religion then if they had no other soules then their Swine or dogs haue A lamentable case that such prophanesse shold be found in places where the precious word of God is preached and yet it were easie to point out such prophan persons among vs. These haue the harts of Esau ſ Heb. 12. who preferred a messe of pottage before his birthright If these be busie in their bargaining and buying or be with their friends gossips at home it is held no good maners to part company Many of our poore brethren in other places would greatly reioyce to heare the word that are barred from it and wold giue god thanks if they might be suffred publickly to professe it with freedom of heart and liberty of conscience which we proudly and scornfully cast from vs as a contemptible thing And yet if a suruey of most of our parishes were made a view taken of them it is to be feared that both these sorts would take vp the greatest company and the fewest sort be found of those that with good honest harts attend to the word with diligence and reuerence These men that thus absent themselues from the church of God deserue to be separated from the Saints and Sacraments from the word and prayers that they may learne not to be so prophane and be ashamed of their euill 6 That the fellowship of thy faith may be made effectuall that whatsoeuer good thing is in you through Christ Iesus may be knowne 7 For wee haue great ioy and consolation in thy loue because by thee Brother the Saints bowels are comforted The method and meaning of the words IN this place we haue the shutting vp of the entrance of this Epistle Wee heard before how Paul gaue thanks to God for Philemon he praied for him that daily he praised greatly his Faith toward Christ and his Loue toward the Saints that is the poore and distressed christians These words do depend vpon the fourth verse For we must know that the Apostle goeth not on in the praise and commendation of Philemon begun in the former verse magnifying his Faith and Loue whereof hee had heard by the report of the Church but they agree with that which he had spoken before namely that he is mindfull of him in his Prayers For if it bee asked for what cause did hee pray for Philemon The answer is to the end that his Faith shewing forth good fruites might not be found counterfetted but approued to be true We haue therefore in these two verses these two things to consider first what was the matter of his prayers what was the substaunce and contents of them to wit that he might manifest his Faith not to lye ydle but to be extended to others Secondly the reason why he made that the matter of his praiers wherefore he prayeth that his faith might be effectual Touching the first point which is the matter of his praiers he craued two things first that his faith might bee made common to many the benefit of it might comfortably flow to the refreshing of many soules For although faith haue her secret and hidden dwelling in the hart yet the fruits of it are imparted to others Secondly that it might be effectual now faith is effectual when it worketh by Loue bringeth foorth good works to the releeuing of others as if the Apostle shold haue said that thy Faith by communicating it selfe to others not remaining with thy selfe alone may more more shew the vertue force and power therof in al goodnes Thus he praieth not only for grace but for the increase of grace to be giuen vnto him Then he declareth wherein this effectuall faith standeth consisteth to wit in the acknowledging of those good things which were in him that so they may be brought into the light to be seen of al men to be felt of those that were in need For the apostle Iames as we haue shewed calleth that not an effectual or liuing faith t Iames 2 20. but a dead idle faith which is not declared and professed by works In the last place he addeth through Iesus Christ wherby he meaneth that whatsoeuer good thing we haue in vs we haue it by christ without whom we haue nothing that is good Touching the second point which is the reason why he praieth for an effectuall Faith in him because the loue that appeared to be in him had wrought great ioy and gladnesse of hart in him which loue of his he commendeth by the effect The bowels of the Saints were comforted through him This fact of his the Apostle commendeth first by the consideration of the persons to whō his loue was manifested not to those out of the church but to the saints For charity to the Saints is to be commended inasmuch as it cannot be bestowed on a better subiect they do stand in the place of Christ who accepteth of our loue liberality as extended toward himselfe Secondly his loue is commended by the name of bowels wherby the extreame necessity of the Saints is signified who were as it were pained in their bowels and inward parts Now the great pouerty penury of those vpon whom we bestow our charity increaseth and maketh it the greater Thirdly u Math. 11 28 the word of comforting refreshing and cherrishing the heart is a matter of great commendation For it is no smal thing to comfort and strengthen the weak and feeble and to giue rest to the soul body that hath bin tost trobled with much affliction Thus doth
the Apostle set forth the fruits of Philemons loue most effectualy This is to be obserued of vs concerning the method and meaning of these words which are thus much in effect If thou wouldest more fully know the cause of my giuing thanks and the remembrance of thee in my praiers surely it is this that as God in mercy hath bestowed vpon thee a true sauing faith so my earnest desire and humble request is vnto him that the offices fruits and duties of thy faith may bee more and more communicated and fitted to the benefit of the poore Saints that so whatsoeuer good thing is to be found in thee through the grace and working of Iesus Christ may bee acknowledged manifested and published abroade to the glory of God the comfort of the faithful and the prouocation of others For indeed thy loue giueth me great occasion of much ioy because thou my brother dost not only cheere the Saints and reioycest them but cause their very harts and bowels euen their secret and inward parts to be refreshed reioyced Diuers points to be obserued out of these Verses But before we handle the doctrines arising in this diuision it shal not be amisse a litle to examine the force of the words and the maner that Paule hath obserued in the penning of them First obserue that he saith not simply thy faith may bee made effectuall but The fellowship of thy Faith that the fruit thereof might redown and returne to many Secondly he saith not barely That his Faith might be knowne but Euery good thing that is euery grace that was in his heart because when Faith is made knowne to others and brought into sight open light many other guifts of the Holy-Ghost are made knowne as Loue Patience Liberality and such like For the grace of Faith is neuer alone in the heart but is garded with a troope and company of all other vertues and when it commeth as it were out of the doores it commeth abroad with a band and traine of all other graces Thirdly he declareth the author and cause of all these blessings from whence they proceed to wit from Christ that we shold learne not to thinke or speake of any benefite without making mention of Christ Fourthly he draweth an argument or reason why hee prayed for the efficacy of his Faith from the former experience of his Loue which was as effectuall as his Faith teaching that the experience of grace already giuen should mooue vs to begge and craue the encrease of that Grace and a perseuerance and continuance in that grace and therefore wee must not bee so simple or sencelesse to imagine when we see grace bestowed vpon any man that we haue no more neede to pray for the encreasing and growing of that grace For wee must know that there are degrees of grace there is a first Grace there is a second Grace Now that Grace may bee multiplyed and a continuall encrease and accesse to it may be added we must make daily praiers we must pray that we may haue Faith and when we haue it we must not be secure but pray that it may be effectuall and working by loue Last of al in the commending of Philemons liberality x Theophil in hunc locum he dooth not nakedly say that he gaue to the poore but To the poore Saints for all that are poore are not poore Saints many are poore that are wretched and vngodly and haue no part of sanctification neither doth he say onely that he gaue to the Saints but he refreshed them and not only that he refreshed the Saints but the very bowels of the Saints Now let vs come to the Doctrines That the fellowship of thy Faith may bee made effectuall Heere the Apostle remembreth the matter and substance of his prayer what it was that hee besought and requested of God where we see hee affirmeth that it consisted in this that the fruits of his Faith might be encreased continually augmented Doctrine 1. It is our dutie to stirre vp our selus others to increase in good things We learne from this place that it is the duty of all men earnestly to desire wish and procure the good of others and to stirre vp our selues others to encrease in the graces of Gods spirit The growing and proceeding of our brethren in the best things should be sought for of vs. When Moses had word brought vnto him that som in the host did prophesy that is had receiued notable gifts of the spirit for the guiding and directing of his people he saide a Num. 12 29 I would to God that not only these but that all the Lords people were Prophets and that he would poure out his spirit vpon them The Apostle writing to the Thessalonians saith b 1 Thess 4 1. Furthermore I beseech you Brethren and exhort you in the Lord Iesus that ye encrease more and more as ye haue receiued of vs how yee ought to walke and to please God They had encreased already exceedingly they had gained in the Faith and were growne to a perfect age they receiue this Testimony and commendation c 1 Thess 1 6 7 8. 2 13. 5 1 2. 4 9 10. 3 10 11 that they became followers of the Apostles of the Lord They receiued the word in much affliction with ioy of the Holy-Ghost They were as ensamples to all that beleeue in Macedonia from them sounded out the word into al quarters they receiued it not as the word of men but as it is indeede the word of God which worketh in them that beleeue Touching the times and seasons he had no neede to write vnto them because they knew perfectly that the day of the Lord should come as a theef in the night Touching brotherly loue they had no neede he should write vnto them for they were taught of God to loue one another yet he prayeth to God still to encrease them and make them abound in loue one towardes another and toward all men yea he desired exceedingly night and day that he might see their face and might accomplish that was lacking in their faith Heereunto tendeth the exhortation that Paule giueth to Timothy d 1 Tim. 4 14 15. Despise not the gift that is in thee which was giuen thee by prophesie with the laying on of the hands of the company of the Eldership these things exercise and giue thy selfe vnto them that it may be seene how thou profitest among all men When the writer to the Hebrewes had reprooued the sluggishnesse of that people hee addeth e Heb. 6 1. Therefore leauing the Doctrine of the beginning of Christ let vs be led forward vnto perfection not laying againe the foundation of repentance from dead-workes and of Faith toward God All these places of Scripture serue to teach vs the truth of this Doctrine that we must all labour to perfection that wee may be perfect as our heauenly Father is