granted vnto them The Prince may please his people but not in suffering them to violate the lawes The Pastor must please his flock but not to suffer them to arrogate power to themselues to make innouations in the house of God Please not thy neighbour in that which is euill Vse 3 Some man would be pleased if thou wilt drinke with him as a beast or forsweare thy selfe for him like a Diuell c. but if thou shalt please men in such things thou wert not the seruant of Christ Gal. 1.10 If men will be pleased with that which is good please them on Gods name but if they will not be pleased vnlesse thou doe euill displease them and please God Some would bee pleased exceedingly if their Minister would not preach and so sharply reproue sinne but wee must reproue sinne though we displease It is a signe of a very ill mind not to be pleased with good but with euill as it is a signe of a very ill affected stomacke to preferre the eating of coles before wholesome meat If thou beest humble sober godly thou shalt please God and man VERSE 3. For euen Christ pleased not himselfe but as it is written The reproaches of them which reproached thee fell on me IN this Verse is another Argument prouing that we should not please our selues and it is richly amplified in the verses following It is taken from example Longum iter per praecepta breue efficax per exempla Seneca said a Philosopher A compendious way to vertue is to obserue and follow good example and therefore Paul vrgeth the precept with example yea with the best example of all others euen of Christ Christ pleased not himselfe therefore nor we must Or thus Whatsoeuer is written of Christ in regard of his morall obedience we must follow But it is written that he pleased not himselfe Therefore The maior is proued in the fourth verse The minor is in this The Conclusion in the seuenth verse In this verse we haue two things The Proposition of the Example and the Proofe of it The Proposition in these words Christ pleased not himselfe but. The Proofe from a written testimonie in the rest In the Proposition are The person from whom the Example is drawne which is Christ and the Illustration of the person first from a particle of speciall note whereby hee is accented Euen Christ Secondly from dissentany effects He pleased not himselfe but vs or others Euen Christ The liuely and only absolute patterne of all vertue in whom we neuer want matter of imitation All others are to be followed with this restraint si rectè praecesserint if they haue gone aright And therefore Paul propoundeth his example to the Corinthians with this clause 1. Cor. 11.1 as I am of Christ and to the Philippians Philip. 3.17 he propoundeth himselfe and others as Types and Copies not as Prototypes and Principalls for so only is Christ Pleased not himselfe not that hee was displeased in taking vpon him and working our Redemption for he most willingly vndertooke it Luke 12.50 and was straitned and grieued till it was finished But he sought not his owne ease or the content and satisfaction of the inclination of Nature which abhorreth paine and the destruction of it selfe He tooke such a course which demonstrated that he sought therein our good more then his owne ease or pleasure But here is an Elipsis of some thing which is supplied thus but vs or but others and it is an elegant bringing in of the proofe where in stead of the other Dissentany the probation is inferred It is written The reproches of them which reproched thee fell on mee This testimony is taken out of Psal 69.9 the first part of the verse The zeale of thine house hath eaten me vp is applied to our Sauiour by his Disciples Ioh. 2.17 the other part here by Paul in the first he sheweth his zeale to God in the second his loue to vs for hee grieuously tooke the sinnes of men against his Father and translated the sinnes of the Elect vpon himselfe 1. Pet. 2.24 and expiated them His owne selfe bare our sinnes in his body on the tree By reproches he meaneth the sinnes of the Elect by a Synechdoche one outragious kinde being put for all and indeed all sinne is a kind of reproch and despite to God Here also is another figure the cause being put for the effect sinne for the punishment of it Fell on mee as a most heauie burthen vnto which no strength was sufficient but Christs Christ was not in all his life and death indulgent to himselfe Doctr. pleasing himselfe but he pleased vs. 1. Cor. 11.1 Bee yee followers of me euen as I also am of Christ which words depend vpon the last verse of the tenth Chapter where Paul declared that he pleased not himselfe as Christ sought not his owne glory Ioh. 8.50 so nor to please himselfe Hence we are to be admonished Vse 1 to beare with the infirmities of our neighbours Christ was without sinne or any defect and needed not that any should beare with him wee need our selues to be borne withall Christ bore the abominable sinnes of his enemies we the infirmities of our neighbours Christ was not obliged by precept to haue done it but we are therefore if he did so much for vs freely of his owne accord we are to doe so small a thing for our brethren at his commandement otherwise the reproofe of the vnmercifull seruant will lye vpon vs I forgaue thee ten thousand Talents shouldest not thou haue had compassion on thy fellow seruant and haue forgiuen him an hundred pence He that will liue godly Vse 2 must follow the example of our Sauiour Christ Iudges 7.17 as Gideon bade his souldiers looke on him and doe likewise Matth. 11.29 so Christ prouoketh vs to his example and also the Apostles as Peter 1. Pet. 2.21 and Paul in many places for many particular duties for Forgiuenesse Ephe. 4.32 for Loue Ephes 5.2 for Humility Philip. 2.5 for Beneficence 2. Cor. 8.9 for the Profession of faith 1. Tim. 6.13 for Fidelity Hebr. 3.2 c. Examine thy selfe whether thou be conformable to his example if not then art thou so farre wicked as thou followest not his steppes He was peaceable obedient to Magistrates frequent in prayer if thou beest contrary neither art thou holy nor belonging to his discipline Christ was a patterne of temperance sobriety c. The drunkard then of all other is one who liueth most contrarie to our Sauiour Christ No maruell if the Heathen were notoriously guilty of whoredome drunkennesse c. for such things are spoken of their gods but our God he is holy our Master most innocent a Lambe without spot wholly pure and without all sin like whom we must liue here if we would liue like him hereafter When then thou shalt be tempted to drunkennesse or any other sinne say as Vriah did My Lord and the
that blessed Saint our Noble Queene Elizabeth And of this our most gratious King Iames hath beene a pregnant example God grant he may alwaies so be Amen When the King commands Vse 3 see thou obey for if thou refuse thou fightest against God himselfe resisting his ordinance so the Lord himselfe interprets namely himselfe to be opposed when the commands of Magistrates are not obeyed o See Exod. 16.8 Pretend not conscience Num 16.11 1 Sam. 8.7 or religion for thy refusall Thy conscience thou saist smites thee if thou submit to orders Ecclesiasticall commanded but for disobeying the Magistrate and resisting the ordinance of God thy conscience smites thee not Take heed this is the way to plucke vpon thy selfe the wrath of God to thy condemnation VERSE 3. For Rulers are not a terrour to goed workes but to the euill wilt thou then not be afraid of the power doe that which is good and thou shalt haue praise of the same 4. For he is the Minister of God to thee for good THe occasion and order of this Text may be from the latter part of the second verse but the Argument is principally to be applied to the precept in the first verse So Chrisostome and Caluin The Argument is taken from the end for which powers were ordained which is the good of mankind in these two branches Reward and punishment the sinewes of gouerment Thus That which is ordained for the singular good of Man is to be obeyed submitted vnto and not resisted But Powers or Magistrates were so ordained For there can be nothing better then that good men should be rewarded and euill men punished This Argument is first set downe in these words For Rulers are not a terror to good workes but to euill and afterward repeated to the end of the 4. verse Rulers This word is so generall that it extendeth it selfe to domesticke gouernors but here is to be vnderstood only of them which haue the power of the sword whether they be supreme or subordinate Are not a terror to good workes but to euill We must feare God and the King and authority languisheth where it is not feared But yet Rulers are not that is ought not to be a terrour To good workes workes for workers the effect for the cause but to ill workes that is workers the Apostle so speaking because men are to be rewarded or punished according to their workes Good and ill workes Not so Theologically as a good worke that is done of faith of a sincere minde and for the glory of God ill works contrarilie for the Magistrate cannot iudge of this but ciuilly good or euill which are according or contrary to the lawes diuine humane positiue municipall of Kingdomes Cities and Corporations whereby the conuenient and necessary discipline of euery State is established This is repeated in the words following and the repetition elegantly set forth by a Rhetoricall communication whereby both parts are declared first that Rulers are not a terrour to the good Secondly that they are a terrour to the euill The first in these words Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power doe that which is good and thou shalt haue praise of the same verse 4. For he is the Minister of God to thee for good The second in the words following to the end of the 4. verse The first hath two parts A Question and an Answer The Question Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power As if Paul called vnto him a fearefull and carefull subiect who studied so to liue as that he might not offend the Ruler nor come within the dint of his sword The Answer Doe that which is good c. Where we haue an aduice exhortation or praecept and the reason The Aduice Doe good that is obey and resist not He meaneth not the profession of Christianity for that bred hatred but such good as was so in the iudgement of the Heathen themselues which is a ciuill conuersation agreeing to the lawes of the State wherein we liue The Reason And thou shalt haue praise of the same The fruit of subiection is praise a sweet fruit and of all exceedingly desired though it may be deserued but of a few Praise is here largely taken as Tehillah in the Hebrew implying not onely immunity of punishment as a verball commendation but a partaking of all liberties freedomes priuiledges commodities of a good subiect according to the lawes This is confirmed for better assurance and incouragement from the end why Magistrates were ordained which is the good of man as before He is the Minister of God to thee for good He is the Minister of God The word which is ordinarily giuen to Ministers of the word is here giuen to the Ministers of the sword There is a great agreement betweene them in regard of the Lord whom they serue which is one and the same euen the Lord Iesus and in regard of the common end of both their Ministeries which is the good of men But there is also great difference in regard of the obiect and the manner The ciuill Magistrate is for the Naturall Morall Ciuill and Spirituall good by the power of the sword The Minister of the Word is for the Spirituall good not by Law or force but by preaching the word administring the Sacraments and execution of Ecclesiasticall discipline vnto which also reacheth the power of the Magistrate not to execute them in his owne person but to see them executed For good What good For naturall good that thy life and safety may be preserued For Morall that thou maist bee brought from vice to vertue Ciuill that thou maiest safely enioy thy possessions and that society and publike honesty may be defended and maintained For Spirituall establishing the true worship of God as the keeper of the first Table of the Law To thee euen thee which art a Christian also who of all others wert least in safety if there were no Rulers nor Lawes Magistrates are ordained for the praise and good Doctr. of the good and them which liue in order Prou. 14.35 The Kings fauour is toward a wise seruant And 16.13 Righteous lips are the delight of Kings and they loue him that speaketh right 1 Pet. 2.14 Gouernours are sent for the praise of them which doe well Of this Dauid is an example Psal 101.6 Mine eyes shall be vpon the faithfull in the Land c. But many liue in order and doe good Obiect which yet receiue no praise but vexation How is the Magistrate then for their good It is thus answered by one a Anselmus in locum Si bonus nutritor tuus Answ si malus tentator tuus est Nutrimenta libenter accipe sic etiam tentationem vt aurum probere If he be a good Magistrate he is thy nourisher if an ill one he is thy prouer take thy nourishment willingly and also thy triall that thou mayest be proued to bee gold And thus by another b
vnnecessary bibbing and quaffing Thy conscience tels thee that drunkennesse is a sinne Obs deceiue not thy selfe as to thinke thou art not guilty vnlesse thou make thy selfe abeast to be depriued of the vse of reason is the highest degree of this sinne but to drinke immoderately is drunkennesse in some degree If by thy constitution and strength of thy braine thou beest able to beare as much drink as two or three men without the alienation of thy mind yet know that thou art not the lesse but the more culpable thereby Remember what the Prophet saith Woe to them that are mighty to drinke wine Esay 5.22 and men of strength to mingle strong drink Gluttony and Drunkennesse Doctr. disgrace the persons and profession of Christians Pro. 23.20 We must not be amongst wine bibbers and riotous eaters of flesh much lesse may wee doe such things Luke 21.34 Take heed lest your hearts be ouer charged with surfetting and drunkennesse 1 Peter 4.3 1 Cor. 6.10 Gal. 5.21 Wee may not genio indulgere be greedy of dainty cates Vse 1 like the rich glutton who fared delitiously euery day It is lawfull vpon occasion to exceed in prouision but neuer lawfull to exceed the bounds of moderate eating Iude. 12. nor without feare to feed our selues The Romanes were greatly faulty herein also the Iewes in the dayes of Esay and Amos. These are belly-gods of whom Paul Phil. 3.19 Epicuri de grege porci Swinish Epicures which know nothing nor intend but curare cutem to pamper themselues with dainty fare And surely so exceedingly are wee of this Nation peccant this way that that scoffe may bee returned vpon vs which was cast vpon the Agrigentiâ—es or men of Megara They build as if they were to liue euer they prouide for their bellies as if they were to dye to morrow But venter paruo contentus si das quod debes non quod potes The belly is content with a little Seneca if you giue it so much as you owe not so much as you can Rich Alcamenes prouided and fed sparingly being asked the reason he answered that it became multapossidentem pro ratione non pro libidine viuere Plato inuited to supper Timothy the Athenian Duke and intertained him with a roote and a sallet but with Philosophicall discourses also for which Timothy gaue thankes to Plato the next day on this manner They which sup with Plato feele themselues the better for it the next day for indeed many through gurmundizing feele themselues the worse many dayes after It hath beene obserued and affirmed that more perish by surfetting then by the sword These examples of the Heathens should admonish vs to beware of excesse whereby we dull our apprehension and vnfit our selues for our duties to God and man The frugality and moderation of the Patriarchs and holy Kings is remarkeable and also of the Christians of former times One instance for many In the dayes of Tertullian Tertull. in Apolog. it was imputed to the Christians that the were prodigall and giuen to belly cheere because of their loue feasts which therefore Tertullian describes thus Non prius discumbitur c. We sit not downe till an assay be taken by prayer to God Wee eate so much as may stay hunger and drink so much as is profitable for the chast and snamefast We are filled so as that we remember that we must worship God in the night we discourse so as they who know that God heares them Post aquam manualem after water and lights euery man is prouoked to sing vnto God something out of the Scriptures or out of his owne inuention by which a triall is made how he hath eaten and drunk Also Grace and prayer takes away and ends the feast and from thence wee depart not to any wanton riotous or lasciuious practices but to the same care of modesty and chastity Vt qui non tam caenum caenauerint quam disciplinam so that you might thinke that they had beene rather at a Sermon or at some Lecture of sobriety then at a Supper Vse 2 Abhorre Drunkennesse and be sober The fearfull effects of Drunkennesse are manifold 1 It wasts our Substance it hath brought many families to lesse then a morsell of bread and hath clothed men of some note with ragges Pro. 23.20.21 Diogenes seeing a bill fastened vpon a drunkards doore signifying that the house was to bee sould I thought said he that he would at last vomit his house also 2 It oucrthrowes health causing Palsies Apoplexies and diuers other diseases as the Physitians witnesse 3 It takes away a mans good name Scurrarum est saith a Father It was wont to be the beggars sinne Hieran ep 83. ad Oceanum according to the Prouerbe As drunke as a beggar but now many that are no beggars are grieuously faulty in this bruitishnes 4 It extinguisheth the light of reason and robbes vs of that pretious Iewell Anima sicca sapientissima the dry soule is the wise soule Many seeme to haue animam pro sale a soule they haue but as salt onely to keepe their bodies from rotting aboue ground They drowne their wits that as the earth oppressed with water is vnfruitfull so they are altogether vnprofitable Nabuchodonosor was not more a beast then is a drunkard 5 It is the sountaine of all luxurious and filthy doings and the cause of much sinne In it is excesse of riot saith Saint Paul Ephes 5.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Drunkards are many of them of the principallest factors for the Diuell for hauing beene ouertaken themselues they neuer cease labouring to make others the children of hell like themselues and therein after a hellish manner reioyce Consul Amb. l. de Elia Jeiunio ca. 11. Amb loc cit c. 17 These are they which knowe no way to honour their friends but by arinking their healths against which Ambrose declaimes and this forsooth is to be done by threes which Saint Austin calles a filthy custome the poyson of the Diuell and the vnhappy vse of the Pagans he saith farther Aug. ser 231. de tempere adâ— sinem Quicunque hee in suo conuiuio aut alieno fieri acquieuerit diabelo se sacrificasse non dubitauerit that is whosoeuer shall consent to such healths-drinking by threes at his owne or at any other mans table let him not doubt but that hee hath by so doing sacrificed to the Diuell and therefore hee adiureth his hearers by the dreadfull day of iudgement that they banish this heathenish custome It damnes the soule 1. Cor. 6.10 Gal. 5.20 Howle therefore you drunkards for the misery which shall come vpon you when euery drop of wine or beare immoderately taken shall be recompensed with a sea of wrath If thou desirest to be able to serue God in prayer faith abhor drunkennes for a drunkard is a very Atheist these are they which in Esayes and Pauls time denyed the prouidence of God 1 Cor. 15.32
we may enuy and haue iust cause to be ashamed of as a learned man speakes Our Sauiour oft disputed with the Scribes and Pharisies but hee would not turne his Disciples to them and Saint Paul a great learned Apostle disputed daily in the schoole of Tyrannus Act. 19.9 It is not for simple men and ignorant women to dispute of points of religion nor to enter combate with the cunning Brownists It is not for euery Protestant no not for euery Minister or Preacher to dispute with learned Iesuits that haue Schoole distinctions at their fingers ends and trauell in nothing else but controuersies What if thou hast a good wit and a great and strong apprehension praise God for it and so vse it that the Church may be the better not the worse for thee I reade of a Philosopher among the Lacedemonians who boasted that hee could holde argument and dispute of any position true or false a whole day but the Magistrates considering that such a fellow might bee dangerous among the common people to disturb the peace of the state banisht him for it Children delight in kniues which will hurt them and for the most part the weakest are busiest in questioning the laudable customes and orders of the Church Study rather to liue well then to dispute and when thou meetest with thy neighbour spend thy time in conferring not of controuersies or of things which concerne thee not or be aboue thy capacity but of obedience repentance mortification preparation for death and such like VERSE 2. For one beleeues he may eat of all things another who is weake eates hearbes IN this verse begins the Explication of the generall precept of which there are three parts A direction to the strong and weake A speciall dehortation to the strong and a repetition of the precept The Direction is from the beginning of this verse to the 13. The Effect of it is to remedy the offence betweene them by teaching them how to carry themselues one toward another They were both faulty but in this part principally the weak one is taxed In the dehortation the strong In the Direction are two things 1. The cause of their dissention which was the diuersitie of their opinions in things indifferent 2. The remedie or direction it selfe Both these are propounded in two cases the one of meats the other of dayes Of meates in the 2.3 and 4. verses of daies in the rest In that of meates we haue the case and the remedy The case ver 2. The remedy ver 3.4 In the case are set downe the parties dissenting and their opinions concerning meates The parties are the strong and the weake Christian The opinion of the strong that he may eate of all things the opinion of the weake that hee ought not to eate of some meats One that is the strong who for the most part was a Gentile Beleeueth it is not onely his opinion but his faith that is he certainly knowes and is fully perswaded vpon good ground He may eate of all things he hath liberty by Christ to eate of all things wholesome to mans body without scruple or hurt to his conscience But he that is weake for the most part the Iew weake in knowledge Eateth hearbs Not let him eate hearbs as the vulgar Latine vpon which the ordinary glosse makes Paul as a Physitian directing dyet for the repressing of lust But eateth hearbs as being of opinion that some meates were vncleane and therefore not to be eaten Some thinke that these weake ones ate no flesh at all but onely hearbs some which is likelier that when they could come by no meat but that which was forbidden by Moses that then they chose to eate of hearbs which wee read not to be forbidden They abstained not as Pythagoreans holding the passing of mens soules into beasts sometimes of which opinion Herod smelt of when hee thought that Christ had beene Iohn nor as Marcionites and Manichees who held flesh to be vnlawfull and to haue come from an ill beginning whom Augustine confutes in his bookes against Faustus but they abstained for the reuerence of Moses law Some hold opinion that the Fathers had no liberty to eate flesh before the flood and some that no beast was actually carniuorous before that time But it is manifest that after the flood liberty to eate of euery mouing thing that liueth was granted vnto them De vtroque consule Pererium in Genesim lib. 4. de creat hom num 256. et lib. 14. de car esu nu 9. ad num 26. Gen. 9.3 Afterwards when God chose the people of Israel to be a peculiar people to himselfe he forbad them certaine beasts and fowles both for sacrifice and with certaine fishes for meat of which Leuit. 11. Deut. 14. There are foure reasons alledged why God forbad some fowles beasts and fishes to be eaten of the Iewes First to acknowledge Gods Dominion Secondly to inure them to obedience Thirdly to teach them to liue holily since their diet must be so choice much more must their liues Fourthly to distinguish them from other people and that they might abhor the fashions of the nations This difference of meats was taken away by Christ Mat. 15.17 Act. 10.11 1 Tim. 4.4 and the liberty granted to Noah renewed as appeares in the New Testament But the Iew did not well vnderstand that point and so the Church of Rome others also were exceedingly troubled In the Church of God vpon earth there are alwaies some which thinke one thing Doctr. and some another So was it in Pauls time at Rome as appeares in this place and at Corinth what differences of opinions were about things offered to Idols and some maine fundamentall points may appeare in Pauls first Epistle to the Corinthians And after this before two hundred yeeres were expired after the Incarnation of Christ what variance in opinions concerning the time of keeping the feast of Easter was in the Church Euseb bist eccl l. 5. ca. 21 22 23. with the arrogancy of Victor Bishop of Rome about the same Eusebius makes mention It were infinite to reckon the sundry opinions which haue at all times beene in the Church In Germany to this day there is irreconcileable difference of opinions concerning the presence of Christ in the Sacrament and concerning the breaking of the bread which is doubtlesse of the integrity of the Sacrament And at this very time none can be ignorant of the difference of opinions in the Lowcountries about the doctrine of Arminians and in our owne Church about Church-discipline and ceremonies though through the great blessing of God the vigilant care of our gratious Lord King Iames and the worthy diligence of our Reuerend Bishops and other learned men both these places are notably quieted estabilished But thus it must be to the end for Pauls reason viz. That they which are approued may be made manifest 1 Cor. 11.19 Saint Paul attributes faith to the strong Vse 1 he
is now vsed in some colleges Hereby also wee are kept from surfetting and drunkennesse and from feeding our selues vnto an inflaming to lust Saint Chrysostome speaketh of this excellently Opus est nos et mensam petentes et desistentes gratias agere c. It is needfull that sitting down to meat and rising from meate we should giue thankes For he that is prepared hereunto shall neither fall into drunkennesse or insolence nor be swollen with gurmundizing but hauing the expectation of prayer as a bridle to his senses Chrys loco supra citato hee will with due modesty take of those things which are set before him and so fill his body and his soule with a plentifull blessing Holy Christians eate to the Lord but such as giue not thankes but surfet themselues and are drunke eate and drink to the Diuell VERSE 7. For none of vs liueth to himselfe and no man dyeth to himselfe THis verse hath another Reason to proue that the beleeuing Gentiles and Iewes the strong and the weake doe eate or not eate to the glory of God The reason is taken à generali intentione fidelium Aquinas Caluinus Pareus from the generall intention of the faithful which is to consecrate their whole life and death also to God Or you may say it is taken à toto ad partes from the whole to the parts thus They who liue and die to the Lord doe eate or not eat c. to the Lord. But both the strong and weake beleeuer doe liue and die to the Lord. Therefore c. For all our particular actions and passages are comprehended vnder life and death and therefore Peter Martyr calleth this Argument a generall cause and Rollocke a general reason from the end of life and death Here are the Thing Life and Death and the Amplification first from the Subiect None of vs secondly from the End denyed Not to our selues Life and Death A liuing to righteousnesse and dying to sinne is not here meant though only such glorifie God Neither is here meant a good life and a dying in sinne as Chrysostome expoundeth for this will not agree with that in the next verse Wee are the Lords for they which dye in sinne are not his children But here Naturall life and death are meant comprehending generally all actions and passions and whatsoeuer befalleth vs in life or death None of vs Though all men liue and dye yet here only the faithfull are vnderstood which are set downe generally in respect of themselues None and restrictiuely in respect of others none of vs. None liue c. True of right but not of fact but here of fact is to be vnderstood and therefore he saith None of vs iudging charitably that they were beleeuers in truth as himselfe Paul from their thankesgiuing iudgeth charitably of them Obser so where thou seest any signes of goodnesse iudge the best if thou knowest not the contrary The want of this charity is the cause of much contention Liueth Dieth To himselfe The end is denyed not to our selues and it is affirmed in the next verse To the Lord. To liue and die to a mans selfe may be taken Ciuilly or Theologically To liue to a mans selfe Ciuilly hath two Expositions First to be suiiuris as they say to be his owne man not to be subiect to the command and direction of others as a seruant and bondmen are and this is a Ciuill good 1. Cor. 7.21 and therefore Paul saith to a bondman if thou mayest be made free vse it rather Secondly In liuing onely to care for and respect a mans solfe and this is euill for wee are not borne for our selues but partly for our Countrey partly for our parents c. To liue and die to our selues Theologically both must bee denyed We may not liue to our selues for we are not our owne wee must liue to God and respect him in all things preferre his will before our owne to be at his becke and to refer all things to his glory To dye to a mans selfe is to die so as that wee respect no body and no body respecteth or careth for vs No man saith Ah my brother To die to the Lord is to acknowledge God to trust in God to haue hope of going to the Lord to beare our sicknesse and death patiently and to be content to glorifie God in any manner of death which God shall appoint All Christians must liue and dye to the Lord Doctr. not to themselues 2. Cor. 5.9 Wherefore we labour that whether present or absent we may be accepted of him 1. Pet. 42. That hee no longer should liue the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men but to the will of God Pauls drift is to perswade to vnity Vse 1 whomsoeuer therefore we see to haue a care to please God and to auoid the sinnes of the times wee ought not to iudge and censure them and to contend with them but to loue and embrace them for with whom should a man liue louingly if not with them which liue to the Lord ayming at nothing but how to please him Our whole life and Death must be to the glory of God Vse 2 Euery thought euery word and deed must bee directed to this maine end the glory of God at home abroad in the Church in the market in prosperitie in aduersitie Many wil shew a face of glorifying God and liuing to him while they are taking and while they thriue but if God beginne to take and in stead of health and riches send the Crosse then they murmure It was falsely said of Iob Doth he serue God for naught let vs take heed it be not truly said of vs that we serue God onely for our bellies Some would be contented to dye to the Lord but haue no care to liue in the Lord It was Balaams wish to dye well but the onely way to this is to liue well True Christians both liue and dye to the Lord. Hee that liues to God shall die to God hee that liues to himselfe shall dye to himselfe and it is a thousand to one but that he which liues not to God shall die to the diuell None of vs Vse 3 as if wicked men had no such care as indeed they haue not Here we learne that the conuersation of beleeuers and the godly must bee otherwise directed then is the conuersation of wicked and profane beasts Their practices become not vs as they care not how they liue so they care not how they dye neither doth God care for them which is fearefull But all our care ought to bee for a good life and a comfortable death Wouldst thou not dye like a drunkard nor rise to the last iudgement as the Reprobates then liue not as they liue to themselues to Satan to sinne to vanity but to the Lord. A good death followes a good life Vse 4 and to liue well is to liue to the Lord and the first and hardest
The first is vsed as an Introduction to vsher in the second And it hath two parts First The Prohibition not to iudge one another By Iudging he meaneth censuring condemning not all Iudging forbidden not publike by the Magistrate but priuate and rash such principally which hath with a diuersitie of opinion an alienation of affections as hath beene shewed before There are foure things we may not iudge 1 Secret things Deut. 29.29 of God so saith Moses The secret things belong to the Lord our God but things reuealed to vs c. If thou seest a wicked man say not a reprobate for the decree of God is secret and he which hath shewed mercy to thee may shew mercy to thy neighbour also Of Man as the heart for no man knoweth his neighbours heart 1. Cor. 2.11 When thou seest a man in prayer lift vp his eyes take heed of rash iudgement to say an Hypocrite for thou knowest not his heart Duo sunt in quibus temerarium iudicium cauere debemus Aug. ser 202. de Tempore cum incertum est quo animo quicquam factum fit vel cum incertum est qualis futurus sit qui nunc vel bonus vel malus apparet There are two things saith Anselme here out of Saint Augustine in which we must beware of rash iudgement when it is vncertaine with what minde a thing is done and when it is vncertaine what he may be who now appeareth to bee good or bad 2 Things doubtfull when things may haue a double interpretation take the fairest this is charitie 3 Things to come Prou. 27.1 Thou knowest not what a day may bring forth 4 Things indifferent of the which Saint Paul intreateth in this Chapter Things openly and certainly euill we may and must iudge and it were to bee wished that Drunkards vncleane persons c. were more censured Aug. loco supra citato but yet with Saint Augustines prouiso that we hate and detest non hominem sed peccatum non vitiosum sed vitium morbum potius quam aegrotum not the man but his fault the disease rather then the patient The Amplification is three-fold 1 From the Illation Therefore In as much as our brother standeth or falleth to his owne Master and whether he liue or die is the Lords and that wee must all stand before the Iudgement-seat of Christ to giue an account for himselfe let vs chamber our tongues and not iudge and censure one another 2 From the persons who may not iudge implied in the verbe and expressed in the English Vs Let vs not hee annumbreth himselfe eyther because hee is a fellow-member with them of the same body and so in some sort it pertaineth to him as one who is sensible of his brothers failings Musculus or vt hoc tolerabilior sit admonitio quo minus habet pudoris that the Admonition might bee the more tolerable the lesse it shameth them or from the remembrance of his owne pronenesse and forwardnesse to rash censuring in former times for he was a Pharisie whose sect was intemperately censorious In many things we sinne all James 3.1 Optimus ille est qui minimis vrgetur Happie is he that hath least and fewest faults 3 From the consideration of something spoken or done before in this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 any more wherein there is a secret accusation of some thing past and a warning of something to come as if hee should say Indeed it hath beene your fault heretofore to be too busy and forward in censuring your brethren but now being admonished and taught the contrary you ought to leaue such rash iudging From this part of the Amplification wee haue this Doctrine After admonition and instruction Doctr. wee must bee carefull to amend our wayes Matth. 3.10 Now is the â—xe layd to the roote of the trees c. Now though heretofore you haue beene fruitlesse yet now seeing I haue admonished you and God hath sent his owne Sonne to teach you see you bring forth good fruit and repent So Iohn 5.14 Act. 17.30.31 1. Pet. 4 1 2 3. When a Minister hath instructed and admonished his people Vse 1 hee may looke that they should leaue their sinnes and be conformable to good orders The Husbandman reioyceth in his good croppe and the Physitian in the health of his patient to whom hee hath administred So wee reioyce if our admonitions preuaile and haue good successe to your amendment if otherwise it is a great griefe to vs and not profitable to you Admonition is necessary Vse 2 as may appeare by this Admonition repeated This necessitie appeareth 1 Because wee are hardly drawne from our errours conceited opinions and sinnes therefore our Sauiour requireth three Admonitions Matth. 18. and an Hereticke to be twice admonished before auoided 2 Because when we are recouered by Admonition into the right way we easily steppe aside as waxe melteth with the heate and loseth the former impression He is miserable which wanteth a faithfull Admonitour but he is more who hauing one will not heare him and bee reformed The Vse of all Admonition is that we should cease to doe euill Vse 3 and beginne to doe well that we may be perfect in the way of righteousnesse 2. Tim. 3.16.17 Here are to bee reproued such who will not obey Admonition but notwithstanding still continue the same which is to make voyd the end why God hath commanded Admonition and to wrappe our selues in grieuous guiltinesse for an euill man not admonished shall bee damned much more admonished if hee amend not Iohn 15.22 Not to be bettered by Admonitions Deut. 21.20 is a signe of a very wretch as in the vncorrigible sonne and in the sonnes of Ely may appeare 1. Sam. 2.25 Ecclesiastas 4.13 and Salomon saith Better is a poore and wise childe then an old and a foolish King that will no more be admonished It is the way by the iust iudgement of God to runne into farther and more dangerous errours and sinnes It is a rule Minus peccatum cum arguitur Remigius citatus à Chemnitio Har. c. 31. non corrigitur causa fit maioris peccati A lesse sinne reprooued and not amended is made the cause of a greater sinne as Herod not reforming his incest vpon admonition fell into the sinne of murder cutting off the head of Iohn Baptist. So the Brownists wee see by experience haue by the iudgement of God runne farther and farther into absurd errours as many also among vs finding fault with the gouernment of the Church and not being reclaymed by admonition haue turned Brownists Let euery man therefore looke to it how he behaue himselfe after admonition This shall one day torment thee thou drunkard because thou hast beene often admonished and repentest not To bee bettered by admonition is the token of a wise man but to harden the necke Pro. 9.9 and 17.10 Pro. 29.1 is the fore-runner of destruction I am blacke but
picke his way and be aduised of his doings whether lawfull by the word if lawfull whether conuenient and expedient whether any hurt may come to our brother thereby 1 Cor. 9.12 of this Paul is an example who will not vse his liberty where the Gospell may be hindred by it Those are to bee reproued which giue offence Vse 3 and put a stumbling blocke in their brothers way These are of 3. sorts 1 Contemners of their brethren See more hereof at the 20 21. verses which will not bate an ace of their liberty in their dyet apparell recreation for their weake brothers sake making a bad vse of their liberty which is giuen vs to doe good withall 2 Curious persons who broach new opinions and bring vp new orders in the publike Holy Seruice without authory canilling at rites ancient approued and commanded It is the cause of great stirs in the Church when priuate men especially vnlearned will censure their Ministers and Magistrates in matters of their office This is an occasion giuen of wrath and indignation and that many accuse our whole profession of Nouelty 3 Persons openly profane who licentiously rush into all lewdnesse of whom if a man should begin to speake hee should neuer make an end there are cartloads of offences giuen in this kinde O the abominable vncleannesse drunkennesse pride c. which fill all places Let vs vse all our iudgement herein that wee no way giue offence or put a stumbling blocke in our brothers way Thou shalt not put a stâ—mbling blocke before the blind but thou shalt feare thy God Leuit. 19.14 It were better that a mill-stone were hangd about a mans neeke and he so cast into the depth of the sea Mat. 18.6 then that hee should offend one of the little ones When at the day of Iudgement it shall bee laid to our charge that wee haue giuen scandall we will wish rather to haue bin drowned A greiuouser punishment remaines for them which cause others to offend then for them which doe such things themselues So the Serpent was punished more then Eue and Eue more then Adam So Iesabel had a more grieuous iudgement then Ahab Peccare non tantum in se perditionis habet Chrys Hom. 25. in Epl. ad Rom. in Morali ad locum quantum quod reliqui ad peccandum inducuntur To sinne hath not so much perdition in it as to induce others to sinne saith Saint Chrysostome Vse iudgement also that thou take not offence Vse 4 It is grieuous to giue so to take scandall if there be not iust cause Blessed is he that is not offended at me saith our Sauiour and againe These things haue I spoken vnto you that you should not be offended and in another place Woe vnto the world because of offences There is sinne on both sides but specially on the side of the party offended in indifferent things and therefore woe Tertullian saith Tertul. lib. de velan virgin Bonae res neminem scandalizant nisi malam mentem Good things and lawfull offend none but them which haue euill and corrupt mindes Where we are therefore so ready to take offence at the liberty of our brethren in things indifferent it is a signe of vnmortified reason and affections Mat. 18.8 9. If thine eye cause thee to offend plucke it out c. it is the counsell of our blessed Sauiour Let this be thy iudgement and wisedome in nothing to giue and in things indifferent not to take offence VERSE 14. I know and am perswaded by the Lord Iesus that there is nothing vncleane of it selfe but to him that esteemeth any thing to be vncleane to him it is vncleane 15. But if thy brother be grieued with thy meat now walkest not thou charitably IN these words is the first reason of the Dehortation Aretius though some make the 14. verse to containe a reason by it selfe and that he thereby perswadeth to peace thus All meats are cleane and therefore the weake haue no cause to be offended in as much as they defile not the strong and the strong haue no reason to stand so strictly vpon their liberty but that they might abstaine because they are not the purer for eating and therefore that they should not contend about meats But indeed the substance of the Reason lies in the 15. verse and is drawne from Charity and brought in by a Prolepsis and this and all the rest vrged vpon the strong Christian principally to this end that he should moderate his liberty for his weake brothers sake Now the instance in all the arguments is onely of meats but to be applyed vnto all indifferent things In the setting downe of this first argument are to be considered The obiection of the strong and the answer of Paul The obiection is gathered out of the 14. verse and was thus There is nothing said the strong vncleane of it selfe though it be vncleane to him that thinkes it so Therfore seeing I know and am perswaded of the cleannes of the creatures I may and will vse my liberty in eating of them Vnto this Paul answers of which are two parts the first is a concession verse 14. The second a correction where lies the argument verse 15. In the concession we may consider the thing granted and the amplification The thing is twofold First that there is nothing vncleane of it selfe Second that to him that thinketh a thing to bee vncleane it is so The amplification from Pauls assurance of these things He knowes and is perswaded set forth by the author the Lord Iesus I know and am perswaded these two are necessary to faith and it is as much as if he should haue said I stedfastly beleeue By the Lord Iesus this to bee referred not to that which followes but to Pauls knowledge and perswasion Iesus taught Paul these things though the sense were good if they should be read with that which followeth viz. that through Christ no indifferent thing is now vncleane of it selfe Vncleane The word properly signifieth common and onely by the language of the Scriptures taken for impure or vncleane so common hands that is vncleane Marke 7.2 So Peter saith that he neuer ate that which is common and vncleane Act. 10.14 That which was common to other people Leui. 11. Deut 14. and interdicted to the Iewes was called vncleane Diuers meats were forbidden the Iewes and before Christ were vncleane to them as appeares in the law which law had diuers reasons of it 1 It was for their health that they might auoid certaine diseases vnto the which the temperament of that people De his omnibus penè consul Th. Aqu. prim secund q. 102. Art c. ad primum by eating such things might encline and so be hindred from the contemplation of heauenly things and from the seruice of God and by distemper caused through ill iuice in the body be made sluggish vnto good workes all alike as if you put
is he which makes not a conscience to himselfe and bindes not himselfe when God bindes him not Others still applying it to the weak Corn. C. à lapide refert that he is happy which takes not vpon him to determine of things on his owne head that trusts not to his owne iudgement but aduiseth himselfe by them which haue more knowledge in the Scriptures Fathers and stories of the Church But with Mr. Caluin Aretius and other many I referre it to the strong not onely in the particular of meates but of all indifferent things lawfull in themselues but vnlawfull in the case of scandall In that which he alloweth The word signifieth allowance vpon due examination and tryall and so implyes allowance vpon sound iudgement and vnerring Hee that knoweth the lawfulnesse of things indifferent and doth not so vse them namely giuing offence to the weake that his conscience checke him for it is happy Happy Wee may take it largely for the aggregation of all profitable things for certainly he is in a most blessed estate which doth nothing contrary to his conscience well and rightly instructed by the word The predicate happy is by an inuersion of the tearmes put in the first place as is vsuall with Dauid in the Psalmes and with our Sauiour in the Gospell for the greater commendation of the thing being vttered with a kinde of acclamation or admiration so that here wee haue sententiam Apostoli affectum both the sentence and the affection of our Apostle declared A Conscience not condemning is a great blessing Pro. 15.15 2 Cor. 1.12 In things lawfull beware of a condemning conscience eate Vse 1 drinke apparell thy selfe c. but not against conscience Doe nothing against thy conscience the good testimony whereof is thy glory and happinesse Conscience is eyther thy best friend or thy worst enemy What if the Scribes and Pharisies with the Priests clap Iudas on the backe for betraying his Master yet his Conscience will neuer leaue condemning and tormenting him till he goe out and hang himselfe The times passe and wee know not how soone wee may be called to appeare before the great Iudge of all let vs so spend the remainder of our life that wee may haue the well-informed approbation of the little Iudge in our breasts and lye downe in peace Here they are pronounced happy which condemne not Vse 2 nor iudge themselues 1 Cor. 11.30 and in another place they are by Paul commended which doe iudge themselues They are both true and not meant of the same hee that doth not that for which his conscience may checke him that is Pauls meaning here He that hauing so done repenteth of it that is Pauls meaning to the Corinthians It is a happinesse not to sinne or to doe that whereof wee haue need to repent and it is a happinesse when we haue sinned if we can repent I write vnto you that you sinne not that you condemne not your selues in that which you allow but if any man finne happy is hee if he obtaine pardon and iudge himselfe repenting of the same In the Corinthians hee meanes iudging in the practice of repentance Hier. epist ad Demetr de virginitate seruanda Poenitentia quasi secunda post naufragium miseris tabula sit not so here The first care of the Pilot is to keepe the shippe from shipwracke but if shipwracke be suffered to swim out on some boards end He that condemneth not himselfe in his doings because of the errour of his conscience Vse 3 is not happy this not condemning must proceede from a sound and right iudgement Many approue better of drunkennesse whoredome c. then of sobriety and chastity and condemne not themselues though they daily walke in such beastlinesse but they are therefore the more miserable O that they did condemne themselues and that their conscience would awake and sting and checke them for their euill deeds for then there might be some hope that they might be saued Though thou condemnest not thy selfe in thy euill doings yet God will vnlesse thou repent First try Vse 4 and when vpon sound tryall thou allowest wisely proceed to action and not before Thou weighest thy gold before thou receiue it weigh thy opinions and thy actions before thou entertaine and execute them but weigh them not by the false skoales of thy conceit or by the iudgement of man but by the equall true and vnerring beame of the Sanctuary The heathen Orator could see that the first thing required to true vertue Ciccero Offic. 1. was that we should discerne the truth and not incognita pro cognitis habere hisque temerè assentiri to receiue things doubtfull for things certainly knowne and rashly to assent vnto them Which vice he that would auoid as all are so to will adhibebit ad res considerandas tempus diligentiam must saith he take time and vse diligence to consider of things if he had added the word of God he had spoken like a Christian Philosopher and Orator indeed In a matter of opinion be sure it be the truth when thou art sure of that sit downe and consider whether it be fit to broach it or no what profit what hurt may come by the same There is not the same end of counsell and a course or race 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The hastinesse of many to vent their raw and ill digested opinions hath beene a great trouble to the Church If wicked men would take time to consider of their doings they would not be so mad vpon drunkennesse theft murder vncleannesse c. Consider thou drunkard what thou doest thinke of the present turpitude and infamy and of the shame and torment to come He that is not finally hardned must needs be moued vpon such consideration VERSE 23. And hee that doubteth is damned if hee eate because he eateth not of faith For whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne IN this Verse is the other Aphorisme for the direction of the weake to take heed how they vse or refuse things indifferent to the hurt of their soules Here are to be considered the Aphorisme and the Confirmation of it The Aphorisme is this He that doubteth is damned if he eate The Confirmation is from the procreant cause of our actions which is faith because hee eateth not of faith And this further confirmed by a generall Rule Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne In the Aphorisme propounded are the Subiect and the Predicate to be noted The Subiect He that doubteth if he eate The Predicate is damned In the Subiect are the Action attributed to the weake and the Manner The Action eating the Manner with doubting Both which are to be ioyned together that the Predicate may follow affirmatiuely For of it selfe it is neyther damnable to eate nor to doubt but sometimes to make question or put a doubt deserues praise But he that eateth doubting and therefore doubting is here restrained with a condition if
be cate Is damned of his owne conscience which he violateth and of God also if he repent not The Reason from the procreant cause is faith For though all actions as they are actions proceed from the vnderstanding and the will yet as they are referred to God they must spring from faith which supposeth an vnderstanding well informed as a beginning imperant and a will pliant as a beginning obsequent and exequent The Reason may be thus formed He that eateth not of faith is damned But he that eates doubting eates not of faith Therefore c. The Minor is in the Text the reason whereof is because contraries expell one another for as it is betweene light and darknesse so it is betweene faith and doubting they mutually expell one another The Proposition Maior is proued from the cause of damnation which is sinne Thus Sinne is the cause of damnation or Whosoeuer sinneth is damned But he that eateth not of faith sinneth Therefore c. The Maior is manifest Rom. 6.23 The wages of sinne is death The Minor is in the Text. All the tearmes are easie are familiar sauing doubting and Faith Doubteth The word signifyeth to discerne sometime and to put a difference as a weake Christian holding this meate lawfull and that vnlawfull this is more then to doubt and so is à minore here included But here it is better rendred doubteth as also it is vsed Acts 10.20 Iames 1.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nothing doubting And it is expounded by a learned man alternantibus sententiis secum disceptare Budaeus Comm. ling. Graec. when a man is at no certainty with himselfe but at variance sometime being of one minde and sometime of another Mr. Caluin and Aretius with others render it dijudicat which is when the iudgement is carried into diuers parts So dubius signifies such doubting as when a man of two wayes knowes not which to take this is Iames his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 double minded man who is now of the mind that hee may kneele now that hee ought to sit Iames 1.8 halting betweene two opinions Faith this many take for a iustifying faith whereby our persons are accepted before God and surely what is not done out of this faith it shall bee accounted as a sinne to the doer But I refuse this because Paul speakes not of a prophane man but of such a one who hath confidence in Christ but erreth in some particular action Therefore it is to be taken for that knowledge and constant perswasion of which we haue spoken before whereby by the word of God or good reason from the same a man is perswaded of the lawfulnesse of indifferent things To doe any thing without this perswasion is a sinne In this perswasion we speake of that which faith vnderstandeth Conscience applieth to the worke If therefore when faith vnderstandeth a thing to be vnlawfull or doubteth of the lawfulnesse we doe the same we sin and are in danger of damnation because we doe that which we beleeue may be contrary to the word of God These two faiths therefore are to be distinguished neither doe they alwayes concurre in one person but the one may be without the other Iustifying faith is applied to the person the faith of indifferent things onely to the worke By the first we obtaine remission of sinnes and acceptation of our imperfect obedience By the second onely we vnderstand that this particular is not a sinne whether wee doe it or abstaine from doing thereof The faith and knowledge of Christian liberty in things indifferent is necessary to preserue vs from sinne and condemnation Doctr. proued before by vers 5.14.22 Weake Christians that are docible and not obstinate Vse 1 are not seuerely but gently to bee dealt withall because that which they are vrged to doe may be to their damnation if they repent not Labour for this Faith and perswasion Vse 2 of the which there is a continuall and necessary vse through our whole liues Without it not onely things middle but things commanded and good become euill to vs and damnable if we do them for it argues a contempt of God and a profane minde when we dare doe a thing whatsoeuer it be in it selfe which wee are perswaded tends to the contumely and dishonour of God That we may haue and keep this faith First 2 Pet. 1.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 study the Scriptures and search them for they beare true witnesse of all things the Word of God is a more sure word on which a man may safely rely When our Sauiour bade Peter and his fellowes to launch forth and let downe their nets for a draught after a whole nights labour lost Neuerthelesse saith Peter at thy word I will let downe the Net So if thou haue the word for thy warrant be confident thou mayest do it Yet it is not necessary that we should haue an expresse word it is enough if we haue it by Collection So baptizing of children is warranted not by an expresse word but by collection so the publike solemnization of matrimony by the Minister in the Church c. So Rahab receiued the spies by faith not of an expresse word but by collection as appeares Iosh 2.9 10.11.12 Correspondence to the generall rules of things is sufficient vnto faith in the particular actions of things of those kinds Yea in matters hidden and not expressed which are commanded to be done a probable certainty sufficeth if nothing of moment be brought to the contrary and that we neglect not to be informed and are ready to yeeld vpon better information Saint Augustines rule is Quod neque contra sidem nec contra boros mores iniungitur c Aug. Iaâ—uarto cp 118 c. 2. that whatsoeuer is not contrary to faith and good manners is indifferent and to be obserued for their society among whom we liue Secondly timely resist doubting and giue not place to the Diuell he will iniect and throw doubts apace into thy heart doe thou throw them out as fast Thirdly trust not too much to thine owne wit and knowledge neither be thou partiall Bring not affections without iudgement but let iudgement rule affections Fourthly be carefull not to trouble thy owne peace with euery doubt that may bee put in Many desire to bee resolued and yet neuer leaue seeking obiections and refuse all resolution till they vnderstand an answer to all arguments which is the way not to be setled in any article of the Faith against which obiections may be framed which especially vnlearned men cannot answer Fiftly pray to be illightned and so to be setled and of such stayed iudgement that thou mayst not bee carried about with euery winde of doctrine Here are diuers to be reproued Vse 3 1 Those who refuse to kneele at the Sacrament and will sit or else they will renounce the Sacrament this cannot be of faith for this is to resist authority and the word prescribes not any particular gesture
comming of Christ All this is amplified by Pauls asseueration Now I say Christ came in the flesh to make good the truth of God Doctr. and to confirme his promise to the Iewes for their saluation Luke 1.68 seq The first part of the Song of Zachary is to blesse God for visiting redeeming his people by the comming of Christ As he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets c. To performe the mercy promised to our Fathers c. Matth. 15.24 I am not sent but to the lost sheepe of the house of Israel Acts 13.46 The tenure whereby Abraham and the Iewes held eternall life was by the free promise of God Reade Deut. 7.7.8 Obser None are saued by merit Christ was a Minister not in name and title onely Vse 1 but most painfully hee discharged his calling by praying preaching watching fasting doing good and adorning his ministery with a most holy life Let no man therefore contemne the Calling of the Ministery though we be vnworthy yet it must be also acknowledged that there is no person on earth worthy enough to beare that office Colos 4.17 Let Archippus take heed to the Ministery that hee hath receiued in the Lord that he fulfill it For if our Lord Christ did all the daies after his inauguration most painfully labour and to much and often wearinesse in fulfilling his office let all Ministers be ashamed especially to take the honour and maintenance of their places and callings and to neglect the worke Let hearers see they profit by our labours If wee labour and they profit not the losse is theirs yea the more we labour the more and greater their losse Many account it a great blessing and so it is to haue a learned faithfull and painfull Teacher But they must know that if Christ himselfe were their Minister it would be no aduantage to them vnlesse they beleeue and obey his doctrine Christ was the Minister of the Iewes but he conuerted but few of them and yet neuer man spake as he did It may be some comfort to Ministers who by all their paynes cannot turne the hearts of drunkards and other wicked liuers but it shall be the greater condemnation to such hearers that haue receiued the word in vaine Euen Moses that famous Prophet of whom the Iewes boasted John 5.45 shall accuse them to God because they beleeued him not So shall thy famous Teacher accuse thee because thou amendest not by his teaching It is our happinesse to be receiued Vse 2 which we are not if the promises bee not confirmed vnto vs. Let vs then pretiously account of the Word and Sacraments which are the seales to assure vs of the loue of God What shall become of our consciences without these It will be hard to stand in the day of affliction attend vnto these that the promises may be confirmed vnto thee The truth of God is of great waight Vse 3 for that Christ was faine to come in the flesh If thou beest a drunkard a blasphemer c. thou knowest what the word of truth saith of thee John 10.35 and the Scripture cannot be broken Consider Gods truth is deare vnto him If God be true in what estate art thou He spared not his owne Sonne our Lord Iesus that the Scripture might be fulfilled and that his truth might appeare and shall he be vntrue and the Scripture vnfulfilled to spare thee The promise of life shall be made good to the comfort of his Children though it cost the abasing of the Sonne of God and so the sentence of damnation shall be executed vpon hypocrites and vnrepentant sinners cost what it shall Christ came in the flesh and suffered in the flesh for the truth of God and for the truth of God he shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead that God may be true in sauing the godly and in damning the vngodly which repent not VERSE 9. And that the Gentiles might glorifie God for his mercy as it is written For this cause I will confesse to thee among the Gentiles and sing vnto thy name 10. And againe he saith Reioyce ye Gentiles with his people 11. And againe Praise the Lord all yee Gentiles and laud him all yee people 12. And againe Esayas saith There shall be a root of Iesse and he that shall rise to raigne ouer the Gentiles in him shall the Gentiles trust IN these Verses he shewes that the Gentiles are receiued Here are two things a Proposition that the Gentiles are receiued and a Confirmation by diuers testimonies which was needfull because the Iewes would hardly be perswaded of the mercy of God vnto the Gentiles The Proposition is set downe by the effect The Gentiles glorifie God for his mercy for this is the effect of their receiuing they had had no cause to glorifie God for his mercy if they had not beene receiued to mercy The first testimony brought for proofe is Psal 18.44 Dauid or Christ will praise God among the Nations therefore they are receiued to mercy The second Deut. 32.43 Reioyce ye Gentiles with his people therefore the Gentiles are ingrafted into the people of God and the partition wall being taken away there is become one sheepfold vnder one Shepheard The third Psal 117.1 Praise the Lord all yee Gentiles and laud him all ye people But in vaine should they be exhorted to praise him with them if they had not obtained like mercy The fourth Esay 11.10 where there is a Description of our Sauiour Christ from his humane nature A root of Iesse and from his office which is To raigne ouer the Gentiles as their Emperour Captaine and King In the Hebrew it is that Christ shall stand as an Ensigne to the people that is he shall gather them together by the preaching of the Crosse as by an Ensigne This is amplified by the effect The Gentiles shall trust in him or seeke to him as in the Hebrew which is all one for they would not seeke if they did not trust to finde him and in him a glorious rest The Gentiles are receiued to the glory of God by his mercy in Christ Doctr. Esay 49.22.23 I will lift vp my hand to the Gentiles c. Iohn 10.16 Other sheepe I haue which are not of this fold them also I must bring and they shall heare my voyce and there shall be one fold Amb. lib. 7. com in Lucan c. 10. in ipso initio and one Shepheard This was figured by the going of the cleane and vncleane beasts into the Arke and shewed to Peter in a vision in the tenth of the Acts. The Iewes and Gentiles are become one people of the New Testament Vse 1 therefore they are not to separate one from another for such small matters as meates and dayes Let not the Gentile despise the Iew because Christ was the minister of the Circumcision to performe it c. Let not the Iew condemne the Gentile because they are receiued and doe glorifie God
to doe that which wee haue learned The sharpest knife growes blunt and euen the best are subiest to abatements and forgetfulnesse Hence wee may take knowledge of two things First of the necessity of often preaching if it were for no other thing then this to put vs in minde Philip the haughty King of Macedon commanded one to cry euery morning at his chamber doore Memento te esse mortalem Remember that thou art a mortall man which his Sonne Alexander the Great though he knew yet had almost quite forgot For our forgetfulnesse we haue need of often preaching The second thing wee may hereby take knowledge of is our corruption and reprobatenesse vnto that which is good that we may bee humbled for it which as it shewes it selfe in other things so especially in our forgetfulnesse of the best things We easily forget good things not so things vaine and worldly As if you put meale into a seiue the finest flower with the least motion falls through but the branne and course skufflings â—â—â—â—â—ine So if our memories lose any thing it is the best not the werst What is the reason hereof Surely because we loue not nor delight in good things as wee doe in vaine and transitory Did you euer know a couetous man forget where he had bestowed a bag of gold and Can a Maide forget her ornaments Ier. 2.32 or a Bride her attire Yet we forget good lessons without number Did we Loue these as our richest treasure and delight in them as the beauty and ornament of our soules we would also remember these Be carefull to remember good things and the rather because Satan is so busie to filch these things from vs. If thou hearest a Sermon twenty to one but the Diuell by inward suggestions or outward obiects will make thee forget it but if thou hearest vanity hee will neuer tempt thee to such obliuion As a theefe breaking into a house takes not away earthen vessels or vnprositable and cumbersome luggage but gold or siluer or plate or iewels or fine linnen so Satan empties not our heads of vanity and idle stuffe but if there be a lesson of price that he seekes for a prey For help of your memories heare often repeat often continually practise and alwaies pray that you may loue and delight in that which is good and that your minds and memories may be sanctified to retaine it which God grant The ministery of the word is a Grace It was to Paul Vse 3 of which see my exposition vpon Rom. 12.3 It is also to vs in respect of our selues and of our hearers 1 We are graced by it being hereby Christs embassadours 2 Cor. 5.20 1 Cor. 3.9 and labourers together with God in the saluation of men 2 And it is a great grace and fauour to you that wee are enabled with gifts to reueale vnto you the Gospell of Iesus Christ not for our owne sakes doth God thus gift vs but for yours See that you profit by vs. Among many Vse 4 there are two things required in a Minister in this place Diligence and boldnesse Hee of all other men must not be idle but either preaching or studying or praying c. alwayes in preparation or execution publike or priuate till he be translated As a shepheard or husbandman neuer wants worke as plowing and sowing and reaping and then plowing againe and so from yeere to yeere So yee are Christs flocke yee are Gods husbandry we must diligently teach you and rather then wee should haue nothing to do put you in minde of the things you haue learned But why doth God require so of vs that wee may not haue our liberty nor take our ease euen that you may thriue and grow fruitfull Be answerable therefore to our paines or you are nigh vnto cursing Heb. 6.8 He must haue also audacity When Iethro aduised Moses for the choise of Iudges and Iustices in Israel the first thing he required in such was that they should be men of courage this also is requisite in a Minister not to be afraid to tell an Ahab or a Herod if there were such and wee saw cause of their faults Paul also desires the Ephesians to pray for him that he may boldly vtter the Gospell Eph. 6.19 By vertue of our calling we dare tell blasphemers and drunkards c. of their sinnes If you dare offend God we dare reprehend you Ah my brethren these times require bold Preachers for sinne is growne impudent It is rare to make euill men afraid ashamed of their doings It is our part to instruct the ignorant to confirme the weak to comfort the troubled conscience to terrifie the rebellious to preach mercy to the penitent to thunder out iudgements against the impenitent to commend the good to reproue the bad to encourage the zealous to put in minde the negligent and forgetfull and it is your duty meekely to heare and readily to reforme that you may be blessed Amen VERSE 16. That I should be the Minister of Iesus Christ to the Gentiles ministring the Gospell of God that the offering vp of the Gentiles might be acceptable being sanctified by the holy Ghost SAint Paul doth in these words more particularly set downe his calling of which he made a generall mention in the latter end of the 15. verse His Apostleship is here described by the Genus and the Difference The Genus He is a Minister of Iesus Christ to the Gentiles where we haue first the office a Minister second the persons First whose Minister Iesus Christs second to whom to the Gentiles In the forme or difference wee haue the principall and essential function distinguishing it from all other ministeries Ministering the Gospell of God amplified by the end Act. 13.2 That the offering vp of the Gentiles might bee acceptable to God this acceptation set forth by a condition requisite thereunto sanctification illustrated by the Author thereof the Holy Ghost A minister the Greeke word signifies a publike officer which though here and elsewhere vsed of the Ministery of the Word yet it is giuen also to ciuill Magistrates to Angels Rom. 13.6 Heb. 1. vlt. Heb. 8.2 Luk. 1.23 to our Lord Christ to the Priests of the Law alwayes a title of great honour and publike performance Of Iesus Christ the King of his Church the owner of his house Heb. 3.6 To the Gentiles Paul preached vpon occasion to all but especially by his calling Act. 9. and by a constitution agreed vpon betweene him and Peter Iames and Iohn hee was a Minister of the vncircumcision as they were ouer the Circumcision Gal. 2.7 8 9. To minister the Gospell of God to santifie to consecrate to sacrifice The word is Leuiticall and in it an allusion to the sacrifices of the Law and by a Metaphor here vsed for preaching or ministring That the offering vp of the Gentiles might be acceptable either Actiuely that the Gentiles might offer themselues as Rom. 12.1 or rather Passiuely
resolution wee know not what hangs ouer our heads We haue cause to feare the worst for our barren and fruitlesse profession and Iam proxim us ardet Vcalegon our neighbours and brethren in Germany and France are vnder the fiery tryall Prepare thy selfe Happy are they which endure See that there remaine no sinne vnrepented of for if any thing this will make vs cowards and shame vs. The prayers of the Church are most excellent and necessary Obser 3 or else Paul would not in such termes haue begged them Thinke thou reuerently of them as of meanes which God hath appointed and blessed for the great good of such as are in distresse The Prayer of one righteous man auayleth much more of a whole Congregation Tertull. Apolog. City Kingdome If many quasi manu facta Deum ambiunt orantes as Tertullian speaketh Act. 12.5 et seq banding themselues together sue vnto God praying for things agreeable to his will they must needs obtaine When the Church prayes for Peter hee is miraculously deliuered When a legion of Christian souldiers vpon their bare knees make supplication to God when the Army of Aurelius the Emperour was ready to ioyne battell with the Germanes and Sarmatians Euseb Eccl. Hist lib. 5. ca. 5. These their enemies were discomfited by thundring and lightning and the whole army ready to perish for thirst is refreshed with water In the time of the Holy Emperour Theodosius the Younger Socra Scholast Eccl. hist l. 7. c. 22. at the prayers of the whole City being come together vpon another occasion a grieuous tempest was sodainly turned into calmnesse and the former dearth and scarsity into abundance and plenty of all things Absent not thy selfe from the Common prayers of the Church in the times appointed Beware thou disparage them not nor thinke basely of them in comparison of preaching or when they are alone wise and conscionable Christians and such as are truly religious will euen for prayer alone resort to the house of prayer and if all would so doe reuerently how might we preuaile with God Vse 1 By Pauls example beginne all thy lawfull affaires with prayer he that doth not begins without Gods good speed But striue in prayer for God delights to haue his blessings and the kingdome of heauen to be wrung out of his hands by the violence of our prayers Cold and drowsie praying getteth nothing at the hands of God thou must wrestle with the Lord as Iacob did Ignauis precibus fortuna repugnat when he obtained to be called Israel He will not let goe his hold till the Lord blesse him though hee receiue a blow which lameth him he will striue for a blessing Gen. 32.24 25 26. though it cost him a limbe Such an Orator was Moses in the behalfe of the Israelites when the Israelites had sinned in the golden Calfe God is ready to destroy them and Moses is ready to pray for them which when the Lord seeth he saith to Moses Let me alone Moses Exod. 32.10 as if Moses prayers so bound his hands that he could not strike O infinite goodnesse of the inuincible God to suffer himselfe to be as conquered by the feruent prayers of his seruants In this manner also prayed the Syrophenissian and obtained to her great commendation Marke 7.25 seq Three things amongst others should mooue vs thus to pray 1 The excellencie of blessings wee stand in need of as Remission of sinnes Faith Repentance c. in which is our happinesse 2 The strength of corrupt nature and of our lusts as Couetousnesse Pride c. which are to be subdued by prâ— 3 The subtiltie malice and vnwearied violence of the Diuell seeking to destroy vs who is not made to flye without faithfull and feruent prayer Paul not only dischargeth his conscience in gathering and bringing the Almes of the Greeke Church Vse 2 but desireth it may be accepted of the Saints So Ministers and others must endeuour so to performe their duties that their seruice may not onely bee done quali quali modo but acceptably to the Church To be popular may be a iust imputation neither may wee seeke to please and satisfie curious humours or wicked men and yet we must not be carelesse how our labours are accepted but account it a blessing if sober and wise Christians esteeme of our paines The God of peace be with you Vse 3 Paul requesteth the prayers of the Romanes for him and hee will not be in their debt but thus he prayeth for them It is a comely thing when Ministers and people mutually pray one for another Art thou a Minister Say with Samuel that it should be thy sinne 1. Sam. 12.23 to cease to pray for thy people Art thou a Hearer Leo Mag. ser 2. de Pass Dom. in initio pray for thy Teacher and great reason Ad commune lucrum pertinet saith one quia vestrae impenditur aedificationi quicquid nostrae tribuitur facultati It is the common gaine for if by thy prayers thy Teacher be the more endued with deuotion gifts of vtterance and holy life he is the better able to edifie thee thereby If thou wilt say Endue O Lord our Minister with righteousnesse Thy Minister will say And make my people ioyfull with thy saluation If thou wilt say Blessed be he that commeth and speaketh to vs in the name of the Lord Wee will say with Paul The God of peace be with you all Amen A PLAINE EXPOSITION VPON THE SIXTEENTH CHAPTER OF THE EPISTLE OF Saint PAVL to the Romanes VERSE 1. I commend vnto you Phoebe our sister which is a seruant of the Church which is at Cenchrea 2. That you receiue her in the Lord as becommeth Saints and that you assist her in whatsoeuer busines shee hath need of you for shee hath been a succourer of many and of my selfe also THe Conclusion of this Epistle began at the fourteenth verse of the fifteenth Chapter and is absolued in this The first part of the Conclusion was an Excuse the rest of the parts follow now to be considered which are in number fiue 1 A commendation of a certaine woman vnto the Romanes 2 Salutations 3 An Admonition interserted but handled after all the Salutations 4 A Comprecation or the Apostolicall Seale or Benediction 5 A Doxologie or acknowledgement of praise and glory to God The first of these parts which is the second of the Conclusion is in these two verses where are two parts 1 A description of the partie commended by three Arguments First By her name Phoebe Secondly by her profession a Christian in this Title Our Sister Thirdly The fruit of her Profession A seruant of the Church which is at Cenchrea 2 The end why she is commended set forth by a Reason The End is double 1. That they should receiue her amplified by the manner expressed in two phrases First In the Lord Secondly As becommeth Saints 2. That they should assist her
auoyd them IN this and the three verses next following is the third part of this Chapter and the fourth part of the Conclusion which is an Admonition In which are the manner of it and the matter considerable The manner in these words Now I beseech you Brethren It is tendered vnto them with exceeding loue such manner of speaking wee had before Chap. 12. vers 1. and Chap. 15. vers 30. In the Matter we haue the Admonition it selfe vers 17.18 and the Amplification of it vers 19.20 In the Admonition it selfe are the Dutie vers 17. and the Reason vers 18. The Dutie is to beware of false teachers and false brethren In this we may note a Declaration of the warinesse required and a Description of them of whom they are to beware Vnto this warinesse belong two things first to marke secondly to auoide The Description of the parties to be marked and auoyded is from the Effects which are two Diuisions and Offences They which make Diuisions and Offences are to be marked and auoyded These two are amplified by the Rule vnto which they are contrary which is the Doctrine which they haue learned Marke them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word signifieth such a marking as vseth a watch-man that standeth on a Tower to descry enemies he marketh diligently all commers and giueth notice accordingly for the sauing of the City Hence are the chiefe Pastors and Fathers in the Church called Episcopi Bishops One Copie Clarom codex as M. Beza noteth hath an aduerbe ioyned to the verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to marke so that we be in suretie and not deceiued And auoyd them Which Peter Martyr vnderstandeth of Excommunication Which cause diuisions and offences Pareus The first of these some thinke to be referred to Doctrine the other to Discipline the first of Heresie the other of Schisme and I thinke wee may vnderstand both of these in the first word and by the second the offence which commeth by such Diuision and also that which commeth by a wicked life for these also deserue to be marked and auoyded Contrary to the Doctrine of Saluation by Iesus Christ only which yee haue learned eyther by this Epistle or by your first Conuerters False teachers and brethren are carefully to be marked and auoyded Matth. 7.14.15 Beware of false prophets Doctr. which come to you in sheepes clothing but inwardly they are rauening Wolues yee shall know them by their fruits Which fruits are in this text Diuision and Offences Philip. 3.2 Beware of Dogges beware of euill workers beware of the Concision For here Saint Chrysostome would haue the Iewes to be vnderstood who vrged the Necessitie of the Obseruation of the Ceremoniall Law I thinke also such Gentiles who maintained Iewish opinions Here note Pauls wisdome and that in three things Obser 1 That he putteth this Admonition in the very end of his Epistle Musculus to note that amongst all other things formerly written of this in especiall not to be forgotten 2 That he interserteth it among the Salutations that so it might the more preuaile with them for as then the waxe easiliest receiueth the print of the seale when it is softned so hauing by his gentle salutations greetings by name and commendations prepared their affections then he putteth in for peace and vnity and that they should beware of such which cause diuisions 3 He nameth those which were worthy amongst them but not the factious and schismaticall that they might discerne this admonition not to proceed from any priuate spleene but meerely out of a true and vnfained desire of their good We ought to haue a watchfull eye vpon all such Vse 1 who either by their opinions or life contrary to the Doctrine of Saluation which we haue learned out of the Word and to censure them We may not keepe company with Papists Anabaptists Vse 2 Brownists profane persons or if there be any other which are enemies to the peace and holinesse of the Church lest we be corrupted and peruerted by them for our nature is prone to error and slow vnto the truth There are two things which strike at the very heart of the Church Diuision and Scandall or Offence Vse 3 If thou desirest that the Church should liue and flourish O pray for the peace of Ierusalem and beware of faction and schisme hate euill and leade a godly life VERSE 18. For they that are such serue not our Lord Iesus Christ but their owne belly and by good words and faire speeches deceiue the hearts of the simple HEre is a Reason of the Admonition which is twofold The first is taken from the End the second from the Effect of them which cause Diuisions and Offences Their End is set downe first Negatiuely They serue not Christ then Affirmatiuely but their owne belly To serue Christ Is to submit our selues to his will and to seeke to please him in all things and to set forth his glory but this the factious spirits intended not but to serue themselues and their owne turnes whatsoeuer became of the seruice of Christ Their owne belly That is profit maintenance ease For we are ten-fold more forward to bestow vpon such which shall broach a new opinion or be factious then vpon peaceable teachers Opposition to the present gouernment of the Church in England may easily bee discerned to bee a very mystery of gaine Also by Belly Faius by a Synechdoche vnderstand Vain-glory Ambition and all carnall affections and wrong ends The Effect They deceiue the hearts of the simple set forth by the Instrument Good words and faire speeches In the Effect are the Action they deceiue the parties deceiued the Simple The extent how farre they are deceiued euen in their hearts They deceiue The word signifieth such a deceit which a false theefe vseth to a trauailer offering himselfe a guide to direct him a better way to his iourneyes end and so leading him into some dismall place that hee may rob him and cut his throauand therefore the vulgar translation and M. Beza with the Syriack reade it they seduce The hearts To note that alienation of Affections followeth diuision in doctrine and opinion Diuision and faction is as a canker not only impairing the soundnesse of the Iudgement but diuerting the current of the Affections Of the simple 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is such a one who hauing a desire to doe well yet wanteth wisedome to discerne the subtiltie and ends of such who make diuisions in the Church Simple or Innocent as the vulgar being so called Lyra in loc non à puritate conscientiae sed à defectu industriae not from the purity of their conscience but from a defect of wisdome or care and industrie to obserue and find out the packing of such contentious and factious spirits saith Lyra. By good words and faire speeches 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is when a man maketh shew of much goodnesse in words