beseech you Brethren that ye acknowledge them that labour among you and are ouer you in the Lord and admonish you that ye haue them in singular loue for their workes sake The fift Commaundement calleth and comprehendeth all Pastours vnder the Name of Parents to teach vs to know those that haue begotten vs vnto the Lorde and to note the time the meanes and the person that hath brought that blessing vpon vs. It hath beene an old and ancient custome for men to celebrate their birth-day n Math. 14 6. as we see in Herod who vsually made a great Feast at it much more oughtest thou to make thy New-birth day wherein thou was borne againe and made the Childe of God a day of solemnity neuer to be forgotten and to reioyce therein aboue all thinges and times in the World This reprooueth those that regard not to heare them nor care to attend to their Doctrine For as God condemneth the absence of the Pastour from his owne people so he reprooueth the absence of the people from their owne Pastour Some hold of Paule some of Cephas some of Apollos and delight more in the guifts of a Straunger then in the Ministerie of him whom the Lord hath placed ouer them Obiection But may wee heare none but our owne Pastours What if they be vnapt to teach and vnable to instruct Answere I answere we may heare others and prooue many Spirits but we ought not willingly to bee absent from our owne assemblies where our presence and company is especially required I am no Patron of vnpreaching Prelats I wish them eyther reformed or remooued eyther amended or depriued If a man want foode at home he may lawfully aske Bread and take releefe abroad but when a man is plentifully stored or at least competently and conueniently prouided for at home it is a shame to take the Bread that is appointed for others Be it that other Pastours haue greater guiftes of learning of zeale of vtterance then our owne yet wee are bound to heare them to pray for them to attend vpon them as they attend vpon vs. He hath commanded euery o Prou. 5 15. Man to eate his owne Bread and to drinke the Water of his owne Cesterne contenting himselfe with his own estate not enuying the better estate of another Wee see how mercifully the Lord dealeth with those of the lower and poorer sort who haue little and the same homely prouision of fare in comparison of others that are full fed and fare deliciously euery day and are charged with many Children to bring vp yet p Deut. 8 2 Dan. 1 13 15. both they and their children are as healthfull in body and as strong in their Limbes as comely in countenance and as well graced in their outward persons as they that abound in Wealth and their Cuppes ouer-flow in all the dainties and delicacies of the World So we may be well assured that the Lord will much more prouide for our Soules and blesse that prouision that he hath appointed for vs albeit it be but meane and simple When a man is sicke in body he will preferre that Phisition which knoweth best the state of his body who is most likely to doe him most good although perhaps some other be better learned and deeper skilled Thus ought it to be with vs our owne Pastour which is the Physition of our Soules knoweth best our estate seeth whereof wee haue neede vnderstandeth the Nature of our disease and consequently is best able to restore vs to health againe He that hath more learning may profit by him that hath lesse may profit I say euen in knowledge For the Lord speaking by the mouth of his Minister whom hee hath in some measure furnished with guifts many times teacheth the wise by the simple and the great learned man by him that is inferiour to himselfe The Lord Iesus q Iohn 1 29. was oftentimes present at the Sermons of Iohn The Prophets that were extraordinarily called disdained not the Ministery of the Priestes r Hag. 2 11 12. but were content to learne the law of them This is the Lordes doing to aduance his owne glory and to humble the highest Teachers of the Church The Apostle hoped to profiâ— by the Romaines as Å¿ Rom. 1 12. they should by him Euery Congregation or Parish should consist of so many Christians as can meet at one assembly The Apostles directed by the Spirit of God were the Authours of this diuision and distinction who hauing conuerted many to the Gospell separated them and ordained them Elders not onely according to the number of their Citties t Reasons why the people should attend their owne Pastours but also according to their seuerall multitudes which are called Churches For euen as God hath distributed the Ciuill State of the World into Kingdomes Prouinces Shires Citties and other Dominions and hath ranged them into seuerall meetings so he hath diuided his Church into certaine and seuerall assemblies for the better ordering and edifying of them and therefore the distinction of particular Churches is not of humane inuention but of diuine institution Hence it may be concluded and inferred that one Pastour cannot be ouer all assemblies nor all assemblies vnder one Pastour Euery Shepheard must haue his owne Flocke and euery Flocke must know his owne Shepheard There is a neere band and mutuall coniunction betweene these two The Minister is charged with his owne people by the ordinance of God he must attend the Flock committed to his care and Cure ouer which the Lord hath made him Watch-man and Ouer-seer This is the knot that tyeth the people fast to their owne Pastour Euery one in the Ciuill State knoweth his owne Citty and to what company he and his whole house doth belong Euery Company in the Citty knoweth to what iurisdiction he belongeth So it ought to be in the Church of Christ euery particular Christian should be annexed vnto one certaine assembly and bee there enrolled as a member of that society to liue vnder the Ministery and gouernment thereof For where shall we rather hope to receiue good then vnder that Ministery which the Lord hath set ouer vs Or from whom rather shall we expect the blessing of God then from him whose labours he hath promised to blesse Hence it is that the Apostle saith u Heb. 13 17 Obey them that haue the ouer-sight of you and submit your selues for they watch for your Soules as they that must giue accounts that they may doe it with ioy and not with greefe for that is vnprofitable for you Heere he addeth many reasons as it were vpon an heape to vrge vs to this duty If they watch for our Soules we also ought to waite vpon them If that they must render an account for our Soules we must also render an account of their labours bestowed vpon vs. If they must doe it with ioy and not with greefe we are charged by our obedience
forgiuen and forgotten page 243 Doct. 4. Our loue to al the Saints especialy such as haue bin conuerted by vs ought to bee deare and feruent page 254 Doct. 5. The Gospell doeth not abolish or diminish ciuill ordinances distinct degrees among men pag 262 Verse 13. and 14. Doct 1. Euery Christian is bound to serue the common good of the church by what meanes soeuer GOD hath enabled him thereunto pag 272 Doct 2. All christian duties done to God or man must be done willingly and chearefully performed pa 282 Verse 15 and 16. Doct 1. All thinges euen sinne it selfe are ordred and turned by the prouidence of God to the good of the elect page 295 Doct 2. God oftentimes taketh from his seruants outward commodities to bestow vppon them greater page 305 Doct 3. The fals and sinnes of our brethren wherof they haue repented are not to be encreased and amplified with odious and extreame words but rather to be buried and forgotten page 311 Doct 4. The more grace apeareth in any the more should they be tendered and regarded of vs. page 322 Doct 5. Although christian religion do not take away the degrees of persons yet it maketh vs al equall and brethren in Christ page 330 Doct 6. The more bandes and reasons are giuen vs to care for any the more wee are bound to care for him page 337. Verse 17. Doct 1. The consideration of our communion one with another ought to moue vs to regard one another and to do all good one to another pa 348 Doct 2. Among Christian friends all things are common page 350 Verse 18 and 19. Doct. 1. The communion of Saints doth not take away any mans right interest in his priuate possessions and things of this life page 365 Doct. 2. It is lawfull for one man to become surety for another and to engage himselfe and his credit pa 373 Doct 3. Couenants in Writing for debts bargaines and sales are honest and lawfull page 385 Doct 4. Such as haue gayned vs vnto God ought aboue all others to be most deare vnto vs. page 394 Verse 20 and 21. Doct 1. No man ought to be eager and extreame in exacting and requiring their debts dues and demandes from the poore and needy page 407 Doct 2. Whatsoeuer wee desire prouoke and perswade others to doe must be in the Lord. page 415 Doct. 3 Men ought greatly to reioyce at the good and benefit of their brethren in temporall eternal blessings which they see to befall them page 421 Doct 4. Men ought alwayes to hope well and to thinke the best of their brethren not to suspect the worst of them page 426 Doct 5. The faithfull being moued to christian duties haue yeilded more then hath bin required at their hands page 431 Verse 22. Doct 1. Hospitality that is the ioyfull and courteous entertainment of distressed strangers for the truths sake is to be vsed and practised of al the seruants of God page 440 Doct 2. The prayers of the faithfull are auayleable for themselues and others both to obtaine blessinges to them and to remoue iudgments from them page 447 Doct 3. The guifts of God bestowed vpon his Seruants come from his free grace not from our free will or deserts page 457 Verse 23 24. Doct 1. Courteous speeches and louing Salutations are beseeming the Seruants of God page 471 Doct 2. We must not vtterly cast off the weake but shew our compassion toward them page 478 Doct 3. Many that seeme forward in the profession do afterwardes fall backe page 484 Verse 25. Doct 1. Spirituall thinges are to bee prayed for and preferred before earthly things page 500 An Exposition of the Epistle of the Apostle Paul to Philemon The time whē this Epistle was written THIS Epistle is short in Words low in Argument and priuate in regard of the Matter yet the manner of handling is high and heauenly and the Doctrine generall and common to the whole Church It was written as appeareth to Philemon at what time the Apostle was growne olde in yeares was drawing neere his end and was clapt vp and kept in Prison at Rome from whence also he directed sundry Epistles to diuers Churches and particular persons From thence he wrote to the Galathians to the Ephesians to the Philippians to the Colossians and the latter Epistle to Timothy a 2 Tim. 4. which was penned not long before his death and dissolution For albeit he were held in durance and restrained of his liberty that he could not visit the Churches where the Gospell was planted nor lay a new Foundation where as yet it had not beene preached yet he was not idle or vnfruitfull but laboured to do good to the Church by writing when he could not come to bestow some spirituall Graces among them by teaching We see heere that Paul writeth out of Prison and slacketh not to instruct both generall Churches and particular persons From hence we learne that b Doct. 1. The course of the Gospell cannot be stopped the course of the Gospell cannot be stopped but keepeth on his way and passage in the World The truth of the Gospell will haue his free libertie it can be hindred by no Chaines it can be restrained by no Bandes and Boults it can be shut vp by no barres of Iron and Gates of Brasse but breaketh forth as the light of the Sunne out of a darke Cloud We see this euidently in the example of Paul c Act 26 22 28. albeit he were in bondes and Chaines yet he pleadeth his cause with such grauitie of speech with such power of the Spirit with such piercing of the matter with such efficacy of words and with such respect of the persons before whom we spake that he had almost gained perswaded Agrippa to Christianitie The like we see in another place d Act. 28 30 31. when he was brought Prisoner to Hierusalem confined to an House and deliuered to a Souldier to be kept he receiued all that came vnto him Preaching the Kingdome of God and teaching those thinges which concerne the Lord Iesus Christ with all boldnesse of speech without let This appeareth more euidently in none then in Christ himselfe who as at all times he sought all occasions and opportunity to doe good to the soules and bodies of men e Luke 23 43. so when he was vpon the Crosse he conuerted the Theefe and was ready to seeke and to saue him that was lost These consents of Scripture come directly to the former point and serue to teach vs that whatsoeuer the purposes and pretences of men be yet they shall neuer bee able to stoppe the streame of the word of God which floweth plentifully to the comforting and refreshing of the dry and barren hearts of sinfull men Reason 1. Let vs breefely consider the Reasons First the doctrine deliuered is of God not of Men from Heauen not from the Earth If man were the Authour of it it might
because she is set before Archippus who was the Pastor and Minister of that Church as we shall see afterward He calleth her a beloued Sister most deare vnto him for the common faith mouing her also to plead this cause and to further this request with her husband whom he would not nor could not deny in so reasonable a suit Thirdly he nameth Archippus and calleth him a Fellow-Souldier because they of the Ministery if they be faithfull are in continuall warfare not onely against the continuall engines and assaults of Sathan who withstandeth their Ministery but against false teachers and against many vnreasonable men as also against the sinnes and corruptions that raigne or arise in their seuerall charges We see how men destitute of faith make continual warre against them one way or other This man thus described by his Office was Pastor and Preacher of the word in the Church of Colosse t Colos 4 17. as appeareth by the wordes of the Apostle writing to the Colossians Chap. 4. Say to Archippus take heed to the ministery that thou hast receiued in the Lord that thou fulfill it He nameth him with the rest because the Pastors and Ministers of the Church ought to preuaile much with all the professors and people that are vnder their charge beeing to them in place of Fathers that may or should commaund in the Lord. Lastly he remembreth the Family of Philemon which he doth entitle with an honorable Name calling it a Church which serueth to the singuler commendation of this Seruant of God as one that did so guide instruct and gouerne his priuate Houshhold as all faithfull Gouernours of Families ought to do as that it might truely be reputed a company and Congregation of Men Women and Children that are dedicated vnto God to his worship and obedience according to the saying of Christ u Math. 18. Where two or three be gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them Euery Christian Family is a particular and little Church where God is sincerely honoured and worshipped which is another speciall reason to win Philemon to his purpose thinking so reuerently and religiously of him and his priuate charge Obseruations out of these verses pointed out It remaineth after the order and interpretation of the wordes to see what Obseruations arise out of the same If wee should stand vppon euery particular point that might be raised out of the Text it would be both endlesse and fruitelesse Againe the Scripture is as a liuely Fountaine that can neuer be dryed vp it is as a rich Treasury that neuer can be emptyed VVherefore before that we come to handle the principall and especiall Doctrines it shall not bee amisse to point out diuers instructions that the Apostle intimateth And first marke that among all that are heere named none is mentioned without his Title of honour to teach that euery one ought to haue some-what to commend him and whosoeuer lead an vpright and holy life their name ought to be renowned and honoured in the Church of Christ which should also cause them to be well reported of vnto posterity Secondly obserue that Paule ioyneth with him Timothy he excelled him in the greatnesse of guifts and in the function of Apostle-ship yet hee calleth him his Brother thereby giuing vs an example of Christian modesty whereby it commeth to passe that the godly as they are placed in an higher degree do behaue themselues so much more lowly So the Apostle willeth vs x Rom. 12 16 Phil. 2 3. Not to be high minded but to make our selues equall to them of the lower sort and to thinke better of others then of our selues Thirdly albeit he were the principall that wrote and Philemon the chiefe to whom this Epistle is written yet to himselfe he ioyneth Timothy and to Philemon he annexeth as Helpers in his suit Apphia his Wife Archippus the Minister and the rest of the Church in his house all which he mustereth together as meane to make an attonement with his Maister which example teacheth all Christians especially the Ministers of the word to seeke peace and labour to make peace among Bretheren that one may be reconciled vnto another and al men liue in charity and vnity together Heereunto commeth the counsell and commaundement of Christ our Sauiour y Math. 5 9. Blessed are the Peace-makers for they shall be called the Children of God Hereby we shall giue comfort to mens consciences and remooue the stumbling blockes and offences that daily arise among Neighbours On the other side we may truly say Curssed are all debate makers for they shall be called the Children of the Deuill For such as make debate and raise contention and kindle strife between Brother and Brother is as it were casting Oyle into the fire are not of God who is the Authour of loue but are guided by the spirit of the Deuill whose workes they follow and practise Fourthly in ioyning all these as Mediators for Onesimus we see the singular wisedome of the Apostle he leaueth nothing vnattempted to effect his purpose He doth not deale slightly and rawly but vseth conuenient meanes and fit persons to worke this reconcilement For he employeth and ioyneth the helpe of Apphia and Archippus to appease the Maister and to draw him to receiue his Seruant into his former fauour This is the dealing that Christ prescribeth z Mat. 18 16. That we should take with vs two or three that by their authority reconciliation may be effected and euery word may be confirmed Lastly obserue that notwithstanding the difference in gifts and sex betweene the persons here named and expressed they haue all some marke of loue set vpon them they are Bretheren and Sisters they are frends and fellow-helpers and all deare one to another to teach vs that there ought to be a neere coniunction not to be dissolued and a fast not of loue not to be loosed betweene all those that are true members of the Church and professors of the faith Paule a Brother of Iesus Christ and Brother c. Here are many persons heaped together In all this we see the Apostle is exceeding earnest vsing all the reasons and most effectuall perswasions that he can to obtaine this his purpose whereunto he mooueth Philemon He marcheth together in battell array as it were an army of Arguments to constraine him to yeeld yea euery sentence or rather word of the sentence seemeth to bee as a Furnace to dissolue the heart and to melt the affections of Philemon into loue and compassion toward his Seruant that had so deceiued and abused him the Lord also heerein shewing what care he hath and what care all other Christians should haue for the comforting releeuing and curteously entertaining of the simplest and basest seruants of God Doct. 1. Good thinges must be earnestly followed after From this practise of the Apostle we learne that good things must be carefully and earnestly followed yea by all the
of the safety of the whole Family It is a great profite and aduantage to do a thing in season On the other side it is the note of vnwise and wicked Women to drawe their Husbands to all wickednesse and outragiousnesse to further them in impiety and vngodlinesse and consequently to hasten their owne and their Husbands ruine and destruction If there be any sparke of godlinesse they are as water to quench it in their Husbands An example hereof we haue in Iezabell when Ahab longed after the Vine-yard of Naboth and could not obtaine it so that he came to his house heauy and in displeasure did she perswade the Kinges heart to bee content Did she tell him he had enough or moue him to suffer Naboth to enioy his possession in peace No as if hee had not beene of himselfe mad enough she pricketh him forward shee saith vnto him h 1 Kin. 21 7. Dost thou manage the Kingdome of Israell Art thou fit to be a King I will giue thee the Vineyard vp eate Bread and be of good cheere The like we see in the Wiues of Salomon that were Heathen they turned away his heart from God and prouoked him to set vp Idolatry When Mordecai refused to bow downe to Haman and to giue him the honor that was due to God i Ester 3 5. 5 14. he was full of wrath so that the glory of his Riches the multitude of his children the fauour of the King the greatnesse of his honour the aduancement of his Name did nothing auaile him so long as hee saw Mordecai the Iew sitting at the Kinges Gate Did his Wife perswade him to be patient Did shee shew him that fauour is deceitfull that wealth is vncertaine and that honour is as a blast of winde yea lighter then vanity it selfe No shee moueth him to set vp a tree of fifty cubits high and to speake to the King that Mordecai might be hanged thereon It is great meanes to goodnesse to delight in good company It is a great allurement to wickednesse to follow euill company A day-companion is strong to draw men to all impiety but the Night-companion is stronger and preuaileth farther and oftentimes bringeth to the hight of all iniquity Vse 3. Lastly as the consideration of the Name beeing made to bee Helpers putteth Wiues in minde of theyr dutie so it teacheth all men two thinges First they must remember that it standeth euery one vpon to haue a care in his choice and match to get such as may brooke their Names and be indeed Helpers and not hinderers vnto them It is the greatest calling that wee can enter into and a band neuer to be broken Therein standeth the comfort or discomfort of our whole life It is is our duty to be carefull to marry in the Lord that Christ may bee bidden as one of our Gueste and not shut out of our meetings It is a prophane marriage where he is not entertained and wee can looke for no blessing to come vpon such assemblies The Apostle teaching That the Wife is k 1 Cor. 7 39. bound by the Law as long as her Husband liueth and that her Husband being dead she is at libertie to marry with whom shee will he addeth onely in the Lord. The same Apostle chargeth vs Not to be vnequally yoaked with the vnbeleeuers l 2 Cor. 6 14 15. because there can be no fellowship betweene righteousnesse and vnrighteousnesse no communion betweene light and darkenesse no concord betweene Christ and Belial Such vnequall marriages between the Sons of God and the Daughters of men m Gen. 6 1 2. brought an vniuersall floud vppon the Earth How greatly God detesteth this the Prophet Malachi declareth Cha. 2. 11. Iudah hath transgressed and an abhomination is committed in Israell and in Ierusalem for Iudah hath defiled the holinesse of the Lord which hee loued and hath marryed the Daughter of a strange God This condemneth such matches as are sought out for beauty for riches for honours but no mention made of godlinesse or of Religion The chiefest things to be respected are not wealth and such outward things of the world for a man may be aduanced in his estate this way and yet in the end be cast downe to hell Secondly such as haue receiued by the blessing of God such helpers and comforts of their life must learn to loue and delight in such wiues as in those companions that God hath sent them This dooth Salomon n Prou. 5 19 20 21. teach Reioyce with the Wife of thy youth let her be as the louing Hind and the pleasant Roe let her breasts satisfie thee at all times for why shouldest thou delight my Son in a strange Woman or embrace the bosome of a Stranger For the waies of man are before the eyes of the Lord and he pondreth all his paths Where he teacheth that the delight that the married folke ought to take one in another is a notable preseruatiue to keepe them from vncleannesse They must confesse that it is God that hath knit them together in such wise that the one should not desire to be separated from the other The Apostle writing to the Ephesians o Eph. 5 25 28 29. willeth Husbands to loue their Wiues as Christ loued the Church and gaue himselfe for it and sheweth that men ought so to loue their Wiues as their owne bodyes So that hee which loueth his Wife loueth himselfe for no Man euer yet hated his owne Flesh but nourisheth and cherisheth it euen as the Lorde dooth the Church And to Archippus our Fellow-Souldier c. Hitherto of the two first persons to whom the Epistle is sent to wit Philemon and Apphia the Husband and the Wife Now followeth the third person who was the Pastour of the Church described by his propper Name Archippus and by his Office a Fellow-Souldier True it is all Christians in this life are Warriours and fight the battels of God against sinne the world and the Deuill and so may bee called Fellow-Souldiers in as much as they are members of the Militant Church yet the Ministers of God are in a peculiar and speciall manner so called because they are as it were the Captains Standart-bearers to go before others and to order the battell This Title to be called a Souldier is a borrowed speech for their Weapons are not carnall and importeth great labour and much trouble it signifieth the necessity of the calling and pointeth out the danger and opposition that is made against it Doct. 7. The calling of a Minister is a painfull needfull and troublesome calling The Doctrine from hence is this that the calling of a Minister is paineful most needefull and a troublesome calling resisted and opposed against by Sathan and wicked men When Christ saw the people scattered abroad and dispersed as Sheepe without a Shepheard he had compassion vppon them and saide to his Disciples p Math. 9 37. The Haruest indeede is great
Catechizing of our youth teaching of the ignorant reading of the Scriptures singing of Psalmes conferring one with another examining of our people a Math. 13 51 taking an account how they profite comforting them that are weak encouraging them that are willing discountenancing them that are froward and vntoward shewing gentlenesse vnto all suffering the euill and instructing them with meekenesse that are contrary minded Thus doing we shall beginne a Church in our houses we shall erect a temple and Tabernacle vnto God and giue to those that liue with vs and depend vppon vs an entrance into the Kingdome of Heauen But alasse May wee speake and write to many Maisters in our times as Paule doth in this place to Philemon May we truly call their priuate houses little Churches by reason of the exercises of Religion vsed in them Nay I would to God there were not great multitudes swarming among vs which haue such dissolute and disordered houses so farre from being Images and likenesses of a Church that they are liuely pictures of the prophane World and very representations of the Kingdome of darknesse and of the bottomlesse pit of Hell These men howsoeuer they shroude themselues vnder the names of Christians and would bee accounted faithfull men yet it is manifest that they are farre from true Christianitie and from a godly and religious minde For shall they bee esteemed sound and sincere b What the houses of the vngodly are Christians that suffer their Families to bee full of swearing lying railing roysting quarrelling contention and all other wickednesse and neuer goe about to examine them or exhort them to any goodnesse So that it is a very hell to dwell in them a very death to liue in thē a loathsome and stinking person to remaine in them yea a foule and filthy lakes to abide in them wherein all vnsauoury and vnseasoned practises are contained and continued I dare boldly auouch and constantly defend that a man were farre better to thrust his Sonne into a Pest-house or place of infection then to commit him to such Maisters of misrule and teachers of all abhominations most noysome and dangerous to Soule and Bodie where those corruptions are quickly learned which are afterward hardly forgotten and bred in the bone which are not easily remooued out of the flesh We vsually and commonly say of him that liueth in a contagious place Lorde haue mercy vpon him but much rather and farre better may wee say and pray for such as are in leud and vngodly houses Lord be mercifull vnto them and deliuer them from euill For if the plague and pestilence walke among vs and we among them they can but kill the body and make an end of this Mortall life but the contagion of sinne will bring fearefull destruction both vppon Soule and Body and will root out whole Houses and Families wast Townes and Citties and consume vtterly Countries and Kingdomes We see how by the instinct of Nature Parents haue a care to place their Children where they may be well vsed and where they may bee well prouided for that they want nothing but what folly is this to looke to the body and to haue no respect to the Soule To be curious in the least and carelesse in the principall thing To see that the backe bee cloathed and the belly filled and neuer require or inquire how the soule which is the chiefest part bee prouided for and sustained To be angry if they want food for this life and yet to seeme pleased and contented though they neuer tast of that bread and of that meat which indureth to euerlasting life It hath alwaies beene otherwise with faithfull Gouernours and Christian Parents they haue made conscience of their duties to God and their Families It is noted touching Iacob when hee was to goe to Bethell the house of God c Gen. 35 2. he sanctified and prepared his people he reformed and redressed the abuses that were crept in among them before they came to the worship of God Abraham had in his house three hundred and eighteene persons which hee had well instructed d Gen. 14 14. who were ready to aduenture their liues with him in the battell The Apostle giueth this commendation to Timothy That he had knowne the Scriptures of a Childe who are able to make him wise vnto saluation e 2 Tim. 3 15 through the faith which is in Christ Iesus His first yeares as it were the first fruits of his age were seasoned with the doctrine of Christ which was doone by a familiar and easie order of instructing him Our gouernment therefore ouer others must not be a meete ciuill gouernment as the gouernment of most men is but a religious gouernment to feede the soule as well as the bodie to prouide for the life to come as well as for this present life Vse 4. Fourthly it is required of vs to bring our seuerall Families to the publique exercises of Religion of the word and prayers that we may know how to vse and practise these aright within the Walles of our priuate houses It is not enough for vs to serue God alone by our selues and to plant true Religion in our owne hearts but wee must endeuour to bring others to God especially those that are neerest vnto vs. It is not enough for vs nor a sufficient discharge of our duties to goe to the Church our selues and to frequent the places of Gods publike worship f Math. 21 13 to come to the house of Prayer and to attend to the preaching of the word on the Lords day but wee must looke to our Children and Seruants we must haue an eye ouer them we must see that they be not absent but present and when they are present that they attend and hearken to the Ministery of the word and when as they are departed we must know what they haue profited When we send our Seruants to the Market we will see what they bring home and how they haue prouided for our bodies much more when we send them to the Market of their Soules should we require an accounts of them where they haue beene and what they haue done and how they haue heard How many are there among vs that haue a care to come to this place themselues that haue no conscience to looke to their Children whose saluation should bee as deare and as much desired as their owne Yea euen among you that are at this present in this place if diuers were asked Indeed heere you are here you sit but where are your Sons where your Daughters Where are your Man-Seruants where your Maides for whose Soules ye must giue an account what reasonable aunswere could ye make Nay how many are there to be found who if they haue their worke well done on the weeke-daies care not what they do how they behaue themselues or where they become vppon the Sabbaoth day And so they make themselues guilty and partakers of their sinnes through
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
light of his countenance from vs yet he will restore vs to the ioy of his saluation as we see in the example of the Prophet he could not in his trouble receiue any true comfort m Psa 77 5 11 for howsoeuer hee did thinke vppon the Lord he was still troubled and though he prayed vnto him yet his spirit was full of anguish the helpe then which hee found in his present distresse was this Then I considered the dayes of old and the yeares of ancient time I called to remembrance my song in the night I remembred the workes of the Lord certainly I remembred thy wonders of olde So when we feele not that comfort and delight in praying that wee felt we must not wax faint giue ouer we must continue in the Prayer of faith though not of feeling Making mention alwaies of thee in my Prayers This is the second circumstance whereby the Thankesgiuing of the Apostle is amplified wherein hee witnesseth that he vsually prayed for Philemon and others Doctrine 3. It is the dutie of the faithfull to pray one for another In this practise of the Apostle we learn that the faithful are to pray one for another It is a duty required for al of vs not only to pray for our selues but to pray for others especially for those whose piety is knowne vnto them This we see plentifully prooued and confirmed in the example of Abraham he prayed for the Sodomites that they might be spared he prayed for Abimilech that he might be healed When the people desired Samuell to pray for them he saide a 1 Sam. 12 23 God forbid that I should sinne against the Lord and cease praying for you This Paule performed for the Romaines b Ro. 1 9 10. God is my witnesse whom I serue in my spirite in the Gospell of his Sonne that without ceasing I make mention of you alwaies in my Prayers beseeching that by some meanes one time or other I might haue a prosperous iourny by the will of God to come to you Heerunto we are directed by that forme of Prayer which Christ taught his Disciples and left vnto his Church directing vs to say Our Father giue vs forgiue vs lead vs not deliuer vs Not My Father giue me forgiue me lead me not deliuer mee So the Apostle shutting vp what Armour a Christian must vse against his spirituall enemies hee saith c Ephes 6 18. Pray alwaies with all manner Prayer and supplication in the Spirite and watch thereunto with all perseuerance and supplication for all Saints and for me that vtterance may be giuen vnto me that I may open my mouth boldly to publish the secret of the Gospell So hee d Colos 1 3. and 4. 3. prayed for the Colossians alwayes since hee heard of their faith in Christ and of their loue toward all Saints and hee required the Prayers of the Colossians againe for himselfe that God might open to him the doore of vtterance to speake the Mystery of Christ for which he was in bonds Thus the Apostle Iames doth teach vs to deale one toward another e Iames 5 14. Is any sicke among you Let him call for the Elders of the Church and let them pray for him and annoint him with Oile in the name of the Lord the Prayer of Faith shall saue the sicke and the Lord shall raise him vp All which examples and Commaundements serue to guide vs to the performaunce of this speciall dutie that we are charged and commaunded to pray one for another and to be mindfull one of another in our best thoughts and most serious Meditations Reason 1. The Reasons heereof being rightly waighed will easily gaine our affections to yeeld to this truth For first the Communion and fellowship that is among the Saints requireth our Prayers one for another We beleeue that there is one body one head one company one inheritaunce one Brotherhood f Ephes 4 3. as we see Ephes 4. Endeuour to keepe the vnity of the spirite in the bond of peace there is one bodie and one spirit euen as ye are called in one hope of your vocation there is one Lord one Faith one Baptisme one God and Father of all which is aboue all and through all and in you all Now what Communion were this among the members of Christ vnlesse we were straightly tyed to pray one for another and to performe this mutual dutie one for another So that the want of it is a plaine argument that we are not members of the same body seeing we desire not the good of them Reason 2. Secondly it is a most forcible weapon put into our hands whereby we are made able to helpe our selues and the rest of our Brethren which are fellow-souldiers with vs all of vs fighting vnder the same Captain Iesus Christ Their fighting is our fighting their retyring is our retyring their victory is our victory their loosing of the field is our loosing of the field For euerie one is not a Soldier by himselfe but wee are all ioynt-souldiers together wee ouercome together and we are put to the foyle together For euen as souldiers do not onely stand vpon their seuerall guards but vnite their forces togither whereby it commeth to passe that they who being seuered assunder and scattered abroad might easily be ouercome hauing ioyned their forces are vnconquerable and vnresistable so if we doo not onely looke to our selues and our owne footing but ioyne in Prayer with other they for vs and wee for them our spirituall enemies shall not be able to confront vs or confound vs but we shall make them turne their backes to vs and their faces from vs. The Apostle g Ephes 6 18. naming the Armour which we must all put on to defend our selues and our Brethren and to offend our enemy doth set down Prayer as a chiefe meanes to obtaine Gods assistance for our selues and others Reason 3. Thirdly Prayer is a Medicine to heale all maladies and a Plaister to cure all sores What Physition is it that hath such a receite What Chirurgion that hath such a salue The Maisters of that Art haue seuerall remedies for sicknesses and diseases that come of contrary causes but this Medicine will take away all our spirituall greefes and infirmities yea albeit they proceede of contrary causes So then it must needs be a soueraigne Salue that serueth to such seuerall purposes This is it which the Apostle Iames pointeth out vnto vs h Iames 5 16. Acknowledge your faults one to another and pray one for another that yee may be healed for the Prayer of a righteous man auayleth much if it bee feruent Seeing therefore wee are as a body standing of many members and seeing prayer is a weapon to defend vs and a medicine to heale vs it followeth that we must vse it one to helpe and succour another Vse 1. Now let vs see what are the Vses First we learne that the vse
in the house in the field in the City in body in soule in temporall things in spiritual thinges Now when God is obeyed men should reioyce and be glad and when his Lawes are broken they should be much greeued and troubled The Apostle Iohn writing to an elect Lady k 2 Iohn 4. reioyced greatly that hee found of her children walking in truth as they had receiued a cōmandement of the lord On the other side wee see Dauids l Psal 119 136 eyes did gush out with Riuers of teares because Wicked men kept not his Lawes These Reasons beeing duely waighed and rightly considered do teach vs that Gods blessings bestowed vppon our Bretheren must minister matter of ioy and great comfort vnto vs. Vse 1. Let vs now proceede to the handling of the Vses that wee may haue the benefit of this Doctrine and not suffer it to passe from vs without profit First of all seeing Gods graces vpon others must worke ioy in our selues we learn the truth of that article of our faith which al professe to beleeue but many do not vnderstand to wit the communion of Saints There is a double communion m What the munion of Saints is which we beleeue one which we haue with Christ the other which the church hath among themselues the former is the cause of the latter For Christ our head hath giuen himselfe vnto vs whereby we haue the right of adoption the imputation of his righteousnesse and a title to the kingdome of heauen From hence as from a fountaine issueth that communion which all the members both in heauen earth haue among themselues howsoeuer seuered in place one from another howsoeuer the one sort be dead the other liuing howsoeuer the one sort is triumphant the other Militant Our Brethren in heauen wish well to the Church pray for it generall desire the perfect consummation of it and craue the full and finall deliuerance of it from all troubles The Apostle bringeth them in speaking on this maner n Reuel 6 10. How long Lord holy true Doest not thou iudge and auenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth True it is they know not they see not they heare not what things are done vpon the face of the earth and therefore they cannot pray in particular for the particular conditions and persons of men On the other side we who liue vppon the earth o Phil. 3 20. haue our conuersation in heauen our minds our harts soules are there we do in our desires and affections conuerse with them we pray to be dissolued and to be with Christ Our Communion among our selues consisteth in three things first in the affection of the heart secondly in the gifts of the spirit thirdly in the vse of temporall riches The first in heart when we are so linked and coupled together that we are like affectioned one to another so that when one is greeued the rest are greeued and when one reioyceth the rest are refreshed The Euangelist describing the estate of Christes Church saith p Acts 4 32. The multitude of them that beleeued were of one heart and of one soule The Heathen wish well to their owne blood and kindred but wee must wish well to all Christians as to our selues we must not onely know heare of but feele their miseries and mourne with them that mourne we must not tell them as newes but lay them to our hearts The second branch is in the blessings of God bestowed vpon vs we must impart to our Brethren our spirituall gifts we must teach them by our example we must aduise them by our Counsell we must guide them by our admonition we must stirre them vp by our exhortation we must raise them vp by our comforts we must helpe them by our Prayers The third part of our communion q Galat. 6. 10. standeth in temporal thinges when wee are content not onely to leaue our superfluities but euen to spend our selues for the good of our fellow-members wee must be readie to feede the hungry to cloath the naked to harbour the harbourlesse which are not onely of our owne flesh but of our owne faith not onely cloathed with the same Nature but adorned with the same Name This is the communion which wee professe and beleeue and is confirmed and concluded in this place Vse 2. Secondly we learn to desire the best guifts that we may reioyce and comfort the godly For when we profit in good things we chear the harts and minds of al the faithful Euery liuing thing hath his prospering proceeding and is known to haue life in it by encreasing from one degree of perfection to another The grasse springeth the plant shouteth the corn florisheth the tree groweth If we haue any life in vs of Gods Spirit be not as grasse that is withered as plants that are dead as Corne that is blasted and as trees that are plucked vp by the roots we must go forward from one measure of grace to another from a lesser to a greater This serueth to reprooue sundry abuses and to meet with many corruptions that abide and abound among vs. First it condemneth such as delight to offend to grieue and vexe the Saints of God For if we should seeke to reioyce and comfort them and to Minister all occasion of ioy vnto them then we are not to discomfort and trouble them wee are not to worke sorrow and anguish in them The estate of these offensiue liuers is fearefull as Christ our r Math. 18 7. Sauiour declareth Woe vnto the world because of offences for it must needs be that offences shall come but woe be to that man by whom the offence commeth whosoeuer shall offend one of these little ones which beleeue in me it were better for him that a Milstone were hanged about his neck and that he were drowned in the depth of the Sea Wee ought to giue no offence eyther to Iew or Gentile or to the Church of God for woe shall bee to them that offend their Brethren that greeue the Spirit of God and cause the enemies of our Faith to blaspheme Secondly it reprooueth such as conuerse onely with the vngodly and can be merry onely in their company The Children of God haue alwayes accounted it a great crosse and vexation to dwell with such as are leud in their course of life and are bare and barren in good things The Prophet saith ſ Psal 120 5. Woe is me that I remaine in Meshech and dwell in the Tents of Kedar It is an heape of miseries and a verie representation of Hell to be continually vexed and exceedingly greeued with their wicked conuersation Iust Lot was vexed with the t 2 Pet. 2 7 8. vncleane conuersation of the wicked for hee being righteous and dwelling among them in hearing and seeing vexed his righteous soule from day to day with their vnlawfull deedes And in what place almost now
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
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
which he possessed was his owne but they had all thinges common But from hence wee may rightly gather that euerie man had speciall interest in his owne goods For if they had possessed nothing as their owne and that the communitie among them had destroyed the property that rested and remained with theÌ„ what is this that he saith any thing of that which he possessed was his owne Whereby we see that as yet they continued owners and possessours of their goods as they did before but they so possessed them that they were content to imploy them no lesse to the vse of others then to the benefit of themselues according to the precept of the Apostle o 1 Cor. 7 30 31. That they which buy be as though they possessed not and they that vse this World be as though they vsed it not because the fashion of this world goeth away Obiection 3. But be it that the Apostles had instituted such a communion as these imagine in this Church at Ierusalem and let vs graunt that among them there was no distinction or propertie retained Answere yet it cannot be proued that the same was required of all Christians or that it was vnlawfull for them to keepe that portion of earthly blessing befallen vnto them We heard before what Peter said to Annanias p Actes 5 3 4. Why hath Sathan filled thy heart that thou shouldst lie vnto the Holy-Ghost and keepe away part of the price of the possession Whilst it remained appertained it not vnto thee And after it was solde was it not in thine owne power How is it that thou hast conceiued this thing in thine hart Thou hast not lied vnto men but vnto God How could Peter speake this or with what warrant could he deliuer it if all Christians had beene enioyned to sell their possessions and to renounce their Title and interest in them to liue in common one with another Doth he not say that the possession might haue beene kept and vnsold And when State was deliuered doth he not affirme that the Money that he had receiued was in his owne power Obiection If any aske wherefore then is he so sharpely reprooued and seuerely punished Answere I answere because he supposed he could deceiue the Holy Ghost and so kept backe a part of the price and yet pretended to bring the whole summe vnto the Apostles His sinne therefore was lying fraud and deceit So then the Anabaptists are plainely conuinced and a lawfull propriety of goods is established This we read farther in other places of this Booke that the Christians held the possession of their houses and goods as their owne There was a certaine Woman a Disciple q Actes 9 36. named Tabitha she was ful of good works and Almes which she did and made many Coates and Garments which she gaue to the poore In the next Chapter among many Christian vertues Cornelius the Captaine is commended to r Actes 10 2. Be a deuout man and one that feared God withall his Houshold which gaue much Almes to the people and praised God continually In the eleauenth Chapter we see that after Agabus had signified by the Spirit that there should be a great Famine throughout all the World Å¿ Acts 11 29. The Disciples euery Man according to his ability purposed to send succour vnto the Brethren which dwelt in Iudea Marke heere that he saith Euery man according to his ability for what ability could any haue if no man did hold any thing as his owne Or what difference could there be betweene one another In like manner we heard before t Acts 11 12. of the house of Mary the Mother of Iohn where many were assembled and we read of the house of u Actes 9 43. and 10 6. Simon the Tanner where Peter lodged and continued for the space of many daies he was a true Christian and yet he kept his house after his conuersion to the Faith of the Gospell In the 16. Chapter Lydia a seller of Purple hauing her heart opened and being baptized saide u Actes 16 15. If ye haue iudged me to be faithfull to the Lord come into mine House and abide there and she constrained them She doth not say Sell my House but enter into my House which she so possessed as that she communicated it also to the Apostles In the twentith Chapter the Apostle Paule doth glorie before the Elders of Ephesus saying x Actes 20 33 I haue coueted no Mans Siluer nor Gold nor Apparrell What reason can be rendred of this saying if no Christian might lawfully retaine the possession and proprietie of Gold or Siluer In the 21. Chapter it is said that y Actes 21 8. Paule and they that were with him entred into the House of Phillip the Euangelist whtch was one of the seauen Deacons and abode with him If nothing ought in priuate to be possessed why had he not sold his house How dareth he retaine and reserue any thing to himselfe Wherefore is he not reprooued of the Apostle and the rest of the Brethren for breaking the supposed ordinance that they had planted and appointed in all Churches But of this z Vpon Num. 21 21. I haue spoken else-where a Muscul vpon Math. Chap. 6. and others discusse and dispute this point at large shewing that God hath setled this order to be obserued in the Church that euery one gouerne aright his owne house and distribute to the necessities of the Saints The Apostle speaketh to this purpose b 1 Tim. 5 4. If any Widdow haue Children or Nephewes let them learne first to shew godlinesse toward their owne house and to recompense their Kindred for that is an honest thing and acceptable before GOD. And afterward c 1 Tim. 5 8. If there be any that prouideth not for his owne and namely for them of his Houshold he denyeth the Faith and is worse then an Infidell Likewise writing to the Thessalonians he saith in the first Epistle chapt 4. d 1 Thess 4 to 11. We beseech you brethren that ye enâ—rease more and more and that ye studie to be quiet and to meddle with your owne businesse and to worke with your owne handes as we commaunded you And in his second Epistle Chapter 3. e 2 Thess 3 10 11 12. When we were with you this we warned you off that if there were any which would not worke that he should not eate for we heard that there are some which walke among you inordinatelie and worke not at all but are Busie-bodies therefore them that are such we commaund and exhort by our Lord Iesus Christ that they worke with quietnesse and eate their owne Bread c. Thus then it euidently appeareth that the Annabaptists are deceiued which goe about to bring in such a communion or rather confusion among men as neither Christ hath commaunded nor the Apostles haue instituted nor experience hath approoued nor any Christians
and communication which we haue together among our selues will quicken our Faith and kindle our zeale that it will breake out into a great flame Hence it followeth that they are happy that delight to frequent the company of the godly and of such as may profit vs in the best things He that walketh with the wise shall be the wiser but he that is a companion of Fooles shall learne foolishnesse Wherefore they are hereby reprooued that neuer thinke themselues better at ease then when they are farthest from them that delight in the Lorde and take pleasure in lewd and ryotous company by whom they are misled and carryed out of the right way Lastly wee see that the Apostle alwaies ascribeth much to to the Prayers of the Saints We know that Paule was one of the cheefe of the Apostles whose guifts were great whose labours were painefull whose visions and reuelations were wonderfull yet he reiecteth not the praiers of the Church as appeareth in this place and l Phil. 1 19. Phil. 1 19. I know that this shall turne to my saluation through your prayer and by the helpe of the spirit of Iesus Christ So then the excellency of any member and worthinesse of the cheefest in the Church doth not exempt him from standing in neede of the Prayers of the poorest Christian and lowest part of the Church Nay the greater and higher and more eminent any man is the more he hath need to be praied for and commended to the grace of God inasmuch as he is set in a more slipperie place he lyeth open to greater daunger and is exposed to stronger tentations and assaults of Sathan then those that are in a lower place and a meaner condition Such then as excell others in guifts or calling ought to desire the prayers of the faithfull which auaile much if they be feruent no lesse if not more then others Note also the great necessity and force of prayer that all persons as well high as low stand in neede of it Lastly let euery one labour to haue a feeling of his owne want of the supplication of others yea the higher we are set the greater will be our fal if we be not strongly assisted by all such meanes as God hath left to further our saluation and deliuerance out of troubles that hemme vs in on euery side Hitherto of the obseruations Now let vs come to particular doctrines Moreouer also prepare me lodging He requireth in these words of Philemon an entertaining of such as are destitute and driuen out of house and home for the Gospels sake as if he should say when any of the poore Saints are banished persecuted and put to great extreamities as the World doth alwaies carry an hard and vnmercifull hand toward them be carefull to receiue them cheerefully and to minister al comfort ye can vnto them willinglie The word therefore vsed in this place hath a generall signification and containeth all duties belonging to the entertainement of Strangers And by Strangers we meane not such as ordinarily come to visite vs nor such as trauaile about the businesse of this life and take vp their lodgings in Innes or Tauernes but such as fly from place to place and are compelled against their wils to leaue Countrey or Kindred or House for the Gospels sake The word vsed in this place is not to be restrained to giuing of them lodging as if they had discharged so much as could be required of them but vnder that all duties of the same kind and nature are comprehended as Meate Drink Apparrell and all other thinges necessary for them These the Apostle knew would be ioyfully yeelded by Philemon to him and all other the faithfull especially such as labour in the word and Doctrine Doctrine 1. Hospitality is diligently to be vsed practised of all the Children of God Hereby we learne for our instruction that Hospitality that is the curteous and ioyfull entertainment of distressed Strangers is to be vsed and practised diligently by all the Children of God The succouring of Straungers that are destitute especiallie the poore Ministers that are imployed or would be imployed in the affaires of the Church is required of vs. This we see in the examples of sundry of the faithfull one very famous among the rest is the Shunamites Wife m 2 Kin. 4 8 9 Who called the Prophet of God to her house to eate Bread and she said to her Husband Behold I know now that this is an holie Man of God that passeth by vs continually let vs make him a little Chamber with Walles and let vs set him there a Bed and a Table and a Stoole and a Candlesticke that he may turne in thither when he commeth to vs. This is it which the Prophet Esay commendeth Chapt. 58. 7. Is not this the fasting that I haue chosen n Esay 58 7. to deale thy bread to the hungry and that thou bring the poor that wander vnto thine house When thou seest the naked that thou couer him hide not thy selfe from thine owne Flesh This is noted as a part of the innocency and integrity of Iob Chapt. 31. o Iob 31 32. The stranger did not lodge in the street but I opened my doores vnto him that went by the way The like wee might say of of the Woman of p 1 King 17. Luke 10. Iohn 11. Luke 19. Actes 16. 2 Tim. 1. Sarepta that entertained Eliah in the time of famine of Lazarus and his Sisters that receiued Christ into their house of Zacheus who lodged him ioyfully of Lydia who intreated Paul and his Compaons to come into her house and to abide with her of Onesiphorus who sought out the Apostle diligently refreshed him oftentimes and was not ashamed of his Chaines All these examples Registred and recorded in the Olde and New Testament teach vs that God requireth it as a speciall dutie at our handes to entertaine lodge and refresh such poore Straungers as are constrained to wander vp and downe either for preaching or professing of the Gospell Reason 1. This dutie is vrged vpon vs by diuers reasons in the holy Scriptures First it is to be practised of vs because it is the commandement of God that wee should loue and lodge strangers and shew all pitty and compassion toward them to succour them in their necessity This is it which Moses saith Deut. 10. q Deut. 10 19 Loue ye the Stranger for ye were Strangers in the Land of Aegipt Herevnto commeth the rule of the Apostle Rom. 12. r Rom. 12 13. Distribute to the necessities of the Saintes giue your selues to Hospitality This is the precept of the Apostle Peter Chapt. 4. Å¿ 1 Pet. 4. Be ye harborous one to another without gruding Seeing therefore God commaundeth it is our part to obey and submit our selues to his will and pleasure Reason 2 Secondly as God requireth this duty of vs so wee haue his owne example to teach it vnto vs.
great cheere and bidding the Rich to their Tables whereas the Scripture vnderstandeth by it a courteous entertainement of such poore Christians as are bannished out of their Countries They therefore are much deceiued that commend those to be the onely House-keepers that feede men of all sorts without difference and discretion and releeue idle persons that flocke vnto their Gates and gather together such as are sturdy and vagrant to receiue their Almes contrary to the rules of the word and the Statutes of well-gouerned Common-Wealths These may be said rather to keepe great houses then good houses and to be great House-keepers rather then good House-keepers It were more charity to punish then to releeue such vnruly persons as wil submit themselues to no Lawes nor liue in any Family or society to the ende there may be sufficient for them that are Strangers indeede And such as wander vp and downe and are inccorrigible are no better then Theeues in as much as they liue by the sweate of other mens labours e 2 Thes 3 8 10. and as idle Drones sucke away the Hony from the Bees and deuour that which should maintain the faithfull of the Land and such as labour the thing that is good Let such therefore as haue their affections ready to receiue others into their houses and to make them partakers of the blessings that God hath bestowed vpon them vse it most commonly toward the poore Saints and destitute members of Christ according to the precept of our Sauiour Luke 14. f Luke 14 12 13 14 When thou makest a Dinner call not thy Friendes nor thy Bretheren nor thy Kinsmen nor thy rich neighbours least they also bid thee againe and recompence be made thee But when thou makest a Feast call the poore the maimed the lame and the Blinde and thou shalt bee blessed because they cannot recompence thee for thou shalt be recompenced at the resurrection of the iust True it is our Kinsmen our Friends and rich Neighbours may be inuited and bidden but not they onely as the custome is of our daies we entertaine such as may entertaine vs againe Secondly this meeteth with the corruption of our times we cannot abide those that are Strangers but are enemies to the very name when we heare it But all neglect of them and iniurious dealing toward them is a great sinne and such as are haters of Strangers are grieuous Sinners Such g Gene. 19. Iudg. 19. were the Sodomites such were the men of Gibeah that offered all violence they could to the Strangers that came to lodge among them it was an euident signe of horrible impiety and iniquity that raigned among them They that cry out so much against Strangers and vse it as a word of reproach do shew plainelie that they doe not deserue to be numbred among the Children of God nor to be accounted as members of Christ any more then Dogs and Swine inasmuch as out of their owne mouths they shall be iudged It is a shamefull barbarousnesse for men to haue pitty and compassion on them that are helplesse Among the Heathen and Infidels they were euill thought of that had not this reason and vnderstanding to receiue them gently and peaceably that were cast out of their houses and dwellings how much more is it requisite for vs when we see the Church of GOD tossed and tumbled and tormented by Tyrants and enemies of the truth to giue courteous entertainement to the poore Christians which are banished out of their Countries bereaued of their friends and separated from their Kinsfolkes of whom they might be succoured If we do not these thinges it is an euident token that we renounce God and haue no sparke of true piety in vs. For the Lord doth more rigorously condemne the outrages and wrongs that are done to strangers then those that are done to a mans owne Neighbours The Heathen shame vs nay shall rise vp in iudgement to condemne vs in this behalfe for when they intended to shew that some man was of a wicked and slauish Nature they were wont to say Get thee hence thou art an Enemy toward Strangers and this checke and taunt was more with them then if they had branded a man with the Name of an Whore-maister a Drunkard a periured person a Murtherer or if they had saide Thou art worse then a brute Beast They h Homer Odyss lib. 22. accounted the poore man and the stranger to be both sent vnto vs of God and therefore ought not to be despised They called them to lodge and soiourne i Virgil. Aeneid lib. 1. 8. with them and acknowledge that there ought to be a compassion of the miseries one of another They shewed not a niggardly mind k Ouid. Metamorph lib. 8. but a cheerefull looke and a friendly countenance toward such as they had receiued to their house The Painims haue spoken and practised after this manner what shal then become of vs that professe our selues to be Gods Children when we fight so directly against the order of nature For God hath set one common and generall band among al mankind and it is required of vs to extend our charitie toward all such as resemble vs and carry the Image of God vpon them but especially it behooueth vs to respect such as are more neerly knit vnto vs by the band of Faith and therefore ought to be more deare vnto vs then all others True it is all Strangers are to be warned and admonished for their part that they abuse not that name and priuiledge If a man haue a priuiledge and protection from a Prince and then abuse both himselfe and it so that vnder the colour of that benefit and honor done vnto him he commit some outrage and wicked Act shall he not be worthy of double punnishment It falleth out sometimes that a great number will say they are driuen out of their Countrey for their conscience yet they shew a corrupt conscience defile the Church with their dissolute life giue occasion to vnbeleeuers to blaspheme the purity of doctrine and to haue their mouthes wide open against the professors of it Notwithstanding we must take heed that for the offence of some we do not reiect those that are Gods strangers that we do not leaue them helplesse but succour them as God hath inabled vs. They are among vs to try our beneuolence and charity If we shew mercy to them though they be not able to requite it yet God is both able and willing to recompence our workes of mercy Vse 3. Thirdly it is our duty to take the opportunity offered vnto vs of God nay it is required of vs to seeke the opportunity to expresse our obedience to God and our loue to his people in doing all good to such as stand in neede The practise hereof we see in Abraham l Gene. 18 1. who sate at his Tent doore to inuite such as he saw passing by and had neede of the fruites
the holy Scriptures that Peter was euer at Rome Whereby we learne that the Popish Religion is a doubtfull and vncertaine religion their Faith is vncertaine their Hope is vncertaine their Heauen is vncertaine For the supremacie of the Pope and subiection to him is made a fundamentall point of Religion and the beleeuing of it necessary to saluation Bellarmine a Cardinall of Rome q De Ecclesia militante lib. 3. cap. 2. defining the Church maketh it to be a Company of men professing the faith and partaking of the Sacraments vnder the iurisdiction of the Byshop of Rome so that such as hold no Pope are iudged and censured to build vpon a false foundation and therefore to be no true Churches no sound Catholickes no right Christians The cheefe Controuersie betweene vs and the Papists is for the Popes Monarchy and Authoritie ouer the Vniuersal Church which is maintained by many of them as a materiall point and necessarie for euery one to holde that looketh to be saued Which is an Opinion both absurd and ridiculous and vnreasonable The Church Triumphant in Heauen is not subiect to the Pope of Rome The Church of the Old-Testament was neuer subiect to the Pope of Rome The Church of the New-Testament which was when Christ liued vpon the earth was not subiect to the Pope of Rome The Primitiue Church that was in the dayes of the Apostles was not subiect to the Pope of Rome For during all this time there was no Pope of Rome at all and yet there was during al this time a Church or else they must say that the Triumphant Church the Iewish Church and the Christian Church are no Churches at all Moreouer the necessity of subiecting euery soule to this supposed supremacy and pretended primacy doeth blot out of the number of Churches the East-Churches and the South-Churches and leaueth onely the Roman Church to whom the Title least of all belongeth or at least as little as to any of the rest Besides at the death of euerie Pope and in euery vacancie of that Sea which sometimes hath beene no small time the Church should faile and fall for how should the faithfull then bee subiect to the Byshop of Rome when there is no Byshoppe of Rome at all in the World Furthermore when there falleth out a Schisme so that there are two or three Popes that are together by the eares for the Popedome and Prelacie the people are vncertaine to which of them to cleaue and whether of them to obey Lastly it is false that the members of the Church must be subiect to the Pope seeing he is no better nor no other then that Antichrist which the Scripture hath fore-shewed time hath discouered and the faithfull haue felt and suffered Thus then we haue seene that howsoeuer the Romanists make it a principall matter of faith to put our heades vnder the Popes Girdle to bowe our knees to kisse his holye feete and to feare the Thunderbolts of his wrath yet all his iurisdiction is besides the Scriptures nay contrary to the Scriptures seeing Peters Byshopprick and being at Rome is verie vncertaine To say no more If then it be vncertain whether Peter were euer at Rome then it must also be vncertaine whether hee were Byshop of Rome and if it be vncertaine whether he were euer Byshop of Rome then it must also be vncertaine whether the Pope bee Byshop of Rome and his successor in that Sea and if the Popes succession and Dominion ouer the Church be vncertaine his Triple Crowne shaketh and beginneth to totter all which waighty burthens do hang by a twines-thred of Peters beeing at Rome which hath no foot-step or foundation in the Scriptures True it is we dare not directly and peremptorily say that he was neuer at Rome wee know how hard a thing it is to prooue a negatiue yet it is more likely and probable that he was neuer there then that he was euer there the Scriptures being Iudges Who would willingly trauaile in a blinde and vncertaine way where he cannot be assured whether he goe right or wrong But such is the iourney that the popish passengers enter into they walke in vnknown pathes and tread the Mazes of many doubtfull steps The Popish Writers cannot agree r Bellar. lib. 2. cap. 6. de pont Roma in what yeare Peter came to Rome One hath assigned one time Another pointeth vnto another time They agree Å¿ Onuph in Annot post petr not how many yeares he stayed there when he departed from thence how long he sate t Bellar. de pontif Rom. lib. 2. cap. 5. Byshop there who succeeded in his place immediatly after him whether Clement or Linus or Cletus or Anacletus It is made of absolute necessitie by them to receiue the Saeraments yet by their Doctrine no man can certainly know whether he be partakers of them or not inasmuch as they teach that all standeth vpon the Priests intention which can be knowne to none but to God and himselfe Thus we see how weak and wofull a Religion the Romish Religion is and vpon what silly and sandie foundations it resteth Let vs leaue these vncertaine by pathes and tread in the beaten way of the Scripture which cannot deceiue let vs build our faith vpon the rocke which cannot be shaken and forsake that Church that goeth a way she knoweth not and leadeth her Children shee knoweth not whether and teacheth them to receiue she knoweth not what and beleeueth those things which she cannot proue Thus much for the generall Obseruations There salute thee Epaphras my Fellow-prisoner c. These Verses doe containe mutuall salutations with kinde and Christian wishes one toward another This is the winding vp of the whole matter wherein hee reporteth the friendly greetings of the faithfull which they sent to Philemon This we see to be verie common in the beginning of euerie Epistle Doctrine 1. Courteous speeches louing salutations are beseeming the seruants of God From hence we learne that courteous speeches and friendly salutations are to bee vsed of one Christian toward another whether present or absent All kinde and courteous dealing ought to be shewed mutually toward each other When Melchizedek met Abraham hee blessed him Gen. 14. When the Angell came vnto Gideon he saluted him thus t Iudg. 6 12. The Lord be with thee thou valiaunt Man When Boaz in haruest time came among his Reapers u Ruth 2 4. he said vnto them The Lord be with you and they answered him The Lord blesse thee that is so soone as he saw the Labourers that reaped his fields hee beganne kindly to salute them and to wish them well they likewise returned the like answere backe againe as an Eccho vnto him The Angell Gabriell being sent of God vnto the Virgin Marie he saide vnto her Luke 1 28. Hayle thou that art freely beloued the Lorde is vvith thee blessed art thou amongst Weomen When Christ sent out his Apostles and gaue them Commission
to preach to the lost Sheepe of the house of Israell and afterwarde appointed seauentie Disciples to second their Labors he willed them to salute the places whether they came x Math. 10. 11 12. with Luke 10 5. Into whatsoeuer Citty or Towne ye shall come enquire who is worthy in it and there abide till ye go thence and when ye come into an house salute the same and first say Peace be to this house That which Christ commandeth his Disciples himself practiseth toward his Disciples for when he appeared to his Disciples after his resurrection y Iohn 20 21. he saide Peace be vnto you The Apostle writing to the Romaines spendeth the greatest part of the sixteenth Chapter in Salutations Commendations sent too and fro among the Saints Thus hee concludeth another of his Epistles z 2 Cor. 13 11 12. Finally Brethren fare ye well be perfect bee of good comfort be of one minde liue in peace and the God of Loue and Peace shall bee with you greet one another with an holy kisse all the Saints salute you All these examples teach vs this as an vndoubted truth that the vse of kinde and curteous speeches are beseeming the seruants of God and becommeth their profession Reason 1. We shall not neede to seeke farre to finde out the true causes and reasons of this Doctrine First our well wishing one to another is a fruit of our loue and a meanes to maintaine and continue loue among vs. To this purpose the Apostle Peter doth command not onely that they should salute one another but such as they loued and such as loued them Chap. 5. a 1 Pet 5 14. Greet ye one another with the kisse of loue If we would maintaine loue we must wisely and carefully entertaine such helpes as may further vs in the perfourmance of that duty whereof this that now we speake off is one so that we are to expresse our inward loue by outward tokens to the end it may bee seene and appeare vnto others Reason 2 Secondly our salutations are remembrances of our care and good affections toward these whom we greet well It is a signe that wee are not forgetfull of them but doe greatly regard and respect them This doth the Apostle Paule signifie Colos 4 12. Epaphras the seruant of Christ which is one of you b Col. 4 12. saluteth you and alwaies striueth for you in praiers that ye may stand perfect and full in all the will of God Where we see he ioyneth these two thinges together as depending one vpon the other his saluting of them and his praying for them Reason 3. Lastly to desire the good of others from the heart is both a fruit of the spirit and a good signe and testimony to our owne selues that we are chosen of God to eternall life To this purpose the Apostle numbring vp many notable fruits of the spirit maketh mention c Gal 5 22. of Loue Peace Gentlenesse Goodnesse meeknesse Long Suffering And in another place he exhorteth them d Col. 3 12. as the elect of God holy and beloued to put on the bowels of mercies Kindnesse Humblenesse of minde Meeknesse Long-Suffering Forbearing one another and forgiuing one another So then if we shall consider that courteous speeches are tokens of loue remembrances of our affection fruits of the spirit and testimonies of our election we may conclude that it is the duty of one Church to wish well to another and of one Christian to speake kindly to another We haue heard the Doctrine confirmed but before we come to the vses that arise from hence it shall not be amisse briefly to answeare an Obiection or two that may stand in our way which may seeme to restraine and forbid that which heere is commanded and allowed Obiection 1. We read in the booke of the Kings that when Ellisha sent his seruant Gehazi to the Shunamites house e 2. King 4 29. Luke 10 4. he bad him if he met any not to salute him and if any man saluted him he should answere him nothing And when Christ sent out his disciples to preach he gaue them the same charge and willed them to Salute no man by the way Where the duty which is heere approued may seeme there to be reprooued Answere I answeare the drift and scope of those places is to be considered and not the bare wordes to be vrged The intent of the Prophet speaking to his seruant and of Christ to his Disciples is to enioyne those persons to omit for that time the practise of duties of common curtesie and ciuility so farre forth as they might stay or any way delay the perfourmance of waightier affaires enioyned vnto them We must therefore vnderstand the meaning of them comparatiuely as if it had beene said Rather then you should any way hinder the quicke dispatch and speedy practise of that businesse which is laid vpon you speake to no man in the way So then the meaning of the places is not simply and absolutely to forbid men to salute others but so farre to require the omitting of it as it should be a let and an impediment vnto them in doing their duties Obiection 2. Secondly we read in the Apostle Iohn in his second Epistle f 2 Iohn 10. If there come any and bring not this Doctrine receiue him not to house neither bid him God speed for he that biddeth him God speede is partaker of his euill Heere againe seemeth to be another prohibition contrary to the precept and Iniunction in this place Answere I answere this place doth not forbid salutations courtesie of man to man but familiarity and acquaintance with Hereticks euen such ioyning and closing with them as may seeme to giue the least applause and approbation to their bad proceedings and wicked opinions Thus much of the loosing of these knottes and aunswering the Obiections that seeme to contradict the Doctrine taught out of this place Now let vs handle the Vses Vse 1 First we learne that courtesie with ciuill gentle friendly soft speeches are to be entertained of the seruants of God This is it which Salomon teacheth in sundry places of the Prouerbes g Prou. 15 1. 25 15. A soft answer putteth away wrath but grieuous words stirre vp anger And Cha. 25. A Prince is pacified by staying of anger and a soft tongue breaketh the bones This is the commaundement that the Apostle giueth h Ephes 4 32 Bee ye courteous one to another and tender-hearted This is the commendation of Gideon against the rage of the Ephraemites that were greeuously incensed and sharpely set against him hee answered them mildly and gently i Iudges 8 3. and thereby their spirits abated towardes him The like we see in Abigail when Dauids wrath was kindled against her husband and houshold she pacified him by her louing and lowly aunswere k 1 Sam. 25 32 so that he blessed
The vse of it 496 Christians who they be 496. The true Christian hath faith and loue 100. He must haue more then Faith 103. He is onely a free man 114. Wherein it standeth 115. bound to serue the Church 272 Christians are not enemies to States and Common-wealthes 263. They are the onely friends of Princes 269 A good Christian a good Subiect 267 Chistian pollicy 265 Cherish good things 481 Cheerefulnesse See Willingnesse Children should not hear an euil word 45 Children of God neuer voide of the fruits of faith 122 Children deformed destroyed by the Heathen 157 Children must obey parents 343 Church meetings to be frequented 30 Church and Commonwealth compared to man 36 Church of Rome teacheth that faith may be without charity 104. It is a Tyrant 177 Our Church hath many Saints 120 Church is Christs schoole 128. it shal neuer perish 487 Church accused of sedition 264 Church of Rome no true Church 322 Ciuill honest men 97 503 Circumcision 392 Comparison betweene Idolatry olde and new 63 64 Compassion 114. it is to bee shewed to the ignorant 177 Company of euill persons 94. 123 150. of the godly to be delighted in 439 Communion ought to be among al saints 113. It standeth in two things 114. We must delight in it 123. it takes not away priuate possessions 365 A Communion among the vngodly 124 Communion is with Christ and among our selues 149 Communion one with another what it teacheth 348 357 Communion with Christ wherein it consisteth 349 All things Common among friends See friends Comfort to all that employ their guifts 140 141. Comfort to the Ministers 167 278. and to the people 279 Comfort in losses 307. not to be vexed through impaciency 310 The Colliers Faith 77 78 Confession of faith necessary 86. it hath promise of reward 87. It is a fruite of faith ibid. it is required of all 89 Confession is as our faith 91 Confession of penitents not to be reueiled See Penitents confession CoÌ„firmation in the truth necessary 131 Coniunction among the faithfull in 3. things 123 Contemners of Gods ordinances 130. and of the weake Brother 479 Conscience of our companie 350 Contentation 370. Rules seruing to worke it ibid. Conuerted must seek to conuert others 69 Course of the Gospell cannot bee stopped 1 Conuersion of a man alters him quite 227 Contempt of prayer 454 Couetousnesse 354 372 409 504. the sorts of it ibid. it is the root of all euil ibid. Couenants in writing See Obligations Cruelty toward Transgressors 174 Cursed speaking 475 Creditors not to be rigorous 383 410 Curteous speeches become the Saints 471. against them that pinch curtesie who shall beginne them 474. against such as perform them only outwardly ibid. D Daungerous to contemne preaching of the word 214. Day-laborer 410 Despise not any how vile soeuer 5 Deuils faith what it is 78 107. many com behind them 79 108. they haue no hope of mercy ibid. they knowe they are reserued to wrath ibid. they teach the reprobate a lesson which theÌ„selus could neuer learne 80. they do Gods will by constraint 288. what are their baits 489. they corrupt Gods worship 499 Deuil signifieth a false accuser 144 Degrees of faith 81 Defence of the godly wee must vndertake 94 Desire the best gifts 149 464 Description of the iniquitie of our times 150 151 178 Deputies cannot discharge vs. 200 Departers out of the Church 220 Delight must be in Gods seruice 287 Death of the godly sudden ofttimes 308 Dead faith 258 259 Deare they must be to vs that haue gained vs to the faith 394 Deformed haue comfort 311 Delight not in the vngodly 318 Debts to be paid 389. such as do not are theeues ibid. they are not to be eagerly exacted from the poore 407. they are of two sorts 246 Degrees in submitting our selues to the word 401 Despaire not of any mans saluation 430 three Meditations about it 431 Deserts See Merits Demas 484 Disgrace it is not to be cast in prison for the Gospels sake 12 Difference betweene the godly and vngodly 24. between Pastors and hyrelings 72. between Gods loue of the elect and of the reprobat 86. between beleeuing God and in God 107. between Heathnish and christian religion 156. between that which penitent persons haue bin and are 318. between sinner sinner 480 between the godly and hipocrites 486 Dislike of our selues is the first steppe to grace 52 Discretion required in the minister 175 Diuision of parishes hath footing in the word 198 Diligent teaching required 200 No Disgrace to do seruice to the Saints 276 Disorder in the world ouerturns not gods prouidence 298. God ordereth it 299 Doubts must bee remoued by the minister 362 Doubtfull things must bee taken in the best part 429 Duties are better done by help of others then alone 21 Duties to be performed willingly 285 Duties of godlines chiefly to bee regarded 503. E Earthly things must be set after heauenly 500 Education of children in godlines 43 Elect shal in Gods good time be called 7 Elect called Saints and why 86 Enuy not the proceeding of others 75. 153. who are most giuen to it Ib. reason why we should not enuie others 76 Enuie what it is 133. most hurtful to him that hath it ibid. Enemies to a good name 98. Enimies of the Church prosper not 278 280 Enimies to the Ministers are enimies to God 398 Encrease in good things is required 226 324 483. seeing we are in the way to the kingdome 127 Entising to euill 152 153 Enquire out such as want 161 Enquire which way to do good 281 423 Entrance of sin into the world 302 Epistle to Philemon when written 466 Epicures 299 Equality in christ among beleeuers 331 Esteem of penitent persons as they are 314. Euil cannot bee defended by Gods prouidence 300 Execution for treason not religioÌ„ 19 20 Exhorting one another required 39 152 260. Examine our selues whether sanctified 122 Examples corrupt not to be folowd 189 Exacting our own not alwaies warrantable 412. F Faith is the hand of the soul 53. it stands in particular application 66 76 80. no comfort without this 77. particular faith required of euerie one 77 Faith of the Church of Rome what it is 77. it is grounded vpon ignorance 78 No faith where no knowledge 78 Faith hath sundry degrees 8â— 110. it must not be kept to our selues 92 Faith and Loue commend a man to god 95. they perfect a Christian ibid. they are marks of election ibid. they go together 99. they are as the tree and fruit ibid being seuerd they lose their names natures 100. he is no true Christian that separates them 100 Faith is prooued and tryed by our loue and loue by our Faith 101. How it dooth iustifie 103. It is not built on men 487 What true faith is 106 Faith in the Saints Popish Doctrin 208 Faith is wrought by the preaching of the word â—09 It is ioyned with repentance Ibid. It teacheth to depend vpon God
Ibid. Faith is mingled with doubting 110. Many thinke they haue it who want it 108 259. Being weake it is auaileable 285. Not to be had in respect of persons 188 Faithfull are peaceable 110. They are Saints 117. They yeeld more then is requested of them 431. Therein they follow Gods example 432 Faithfull accused of sedition 26â— Whether they can fall away 491 Families of Christians a particular Church 8. being reformed they haue in them persons vnreformed 237. How made obedient 234 Fathers must make their Children religious 43. They are many times murderers of them 44 Famine of the word 214 Famine some are glad of 409 Familiarity with the Saints who regard not 355 Fauour of God cause of all blessings 56. Seeke it aboue all thinges 57 465. Wretched to be without it â—9 Fearefull persons 92 Feeling of Churches troubles 275 Flattring men in sinne 321 Forgiuenesse of offences required 6 245 249. How man forgiueth 247 Fortune 299. Forefathers 42 Forward sometimes fall back 484 Forwardnesse in good thinges 433 Friends are as our owne Soule 26. they will admonish 27 Friendship counterfeit 28 Friends to Princes who are 269. of what sort we must chuse them 326. They haue all things common 350. They must require no more then God alloweth 415 416 Friendship among the Heathen what 352. How it differs from loue Ibid Freedome properly belongs to the godly 115 Fruits of loue to bee shewed cheefely to the Saints 67. And not to the vngodly 325 Fruitfulnesse in good workes 101 Freedome in a Christian wherein 115 G Gaine of soules 482 Gentiles Idolatry and Papists like 63 Gifts to be communicated to the Saints 114. they are of 2 sorts Ibid. the faithfull are Gods Stewards to despense his guifts 114 Giftes receiued must be imployed to the good of others 1 134. Not to their hinderance 138. They must not lye still Ibid. Gifts of God must be stirred vp 133 483 Guifts are bestowed to profit withal 273 Gladnesse See Ioy. Glory of God to be sought in all things 64 147 God loueth a cheerefull giuer 282 God is not the Author of sinne 300 He worketh in sin three waies Ibid. Hee moueth none to sinne 301. He disposeth euer to good the sinnes of Men. 303. He punisheth sin with sinne 486 God heares our prayers two waies 453 God recompenseth outward wants 310 He accepteth no mans person 531. he forgiues the penitent 414 Gods loue reconciles all his Creatures 5â— He loueth all his Creatures and how 86 323. He is not benefited by our well-doing 112 Godly charged wich rebellion 26â— they are friends to the Prince and the reasons 269 Godly must abound in graces 10â— They are most to be beloued 112. they are neuer barren 123. They often dye quickly the reasons of it 303 Godlinesse sweetens the bitternesse of the Crosse 116 Goers backeward 130 Good name hath many enemies 417 Good things must be carefully and earnestly followed 9. Reasons and vses 10 The goodnes of God to vs must be made knowne 142. The benefits thereof 142 143 Gospell cannot be bound 2. It is stronger then the Deuill 2 3. It abolisheth not ciuill ordinances 202. Obedience to them adornes the Gospell 263 Gospell brings peace 264 Gouernment of the tongue 476. Rules to obserue to attaine to it 477 Grace of two sortes 492 It signifieth sometimes the free fauour of God and sometimes his guifts in vs. 48. It is chiefly to be desired Ibid. It sanctifieth all other good things 51 The want of it is a cursse Ibid. It is the foundation of all our happinesse 52 53. Three steps leading vs to finde grace 52. It giueth contentment to the soule 54. Why called the grace of Christ â—92 the more it appears in any the more to be loued 322. 323. It is giuen freely 457 Graces of God are fruites of election 70. Bestowed vpon other they must reioyce vs See Spirituall graces We must grow in them 482. The seate of them is the Soule 498 Griefe to behold the vnregenerate 187 Grief to see any decay in grace 435 436 Grudge not at others good 153 H Hatred betweene Minister and people hinders profiting 193 Helpe of others to be sought 22 Heathen and Christian Religion howe they differ 156 Hearers must performe three duties 219. They must heare the word willingly 287 Difference of hearers 338. It is no common Grace 3â—0 Against hearing false tales 428 Where the Hart is there is our delight 288 Heart and word must goe together 457 Historicall Faith 78 Hindrances of Prayer 460 And of hearing 484 An honour to suffer for Christ 18 Honoring of Saints 145 Honour the Minister 296 Houses of the godly what 38 45. And of the vngodly 46 Housholders must teach their housholds 38. They must first reform themselues 4â— They must bring thir Families to the Church 47 All their houses the Christians sold not 367 368 Hope the best of others 426. It is a property of loue Ibid. Hospitality 440. It consisteth not in feasting 4. 2. It is cheefely required of Ministers 444 Hospitals none among the Heathen 157 Husband and Wife Yoke-fellowes 30 Husbands 328 Hunger after grace one step to it 53 Who are said to hunger 483 Hypocrites 486 I Idol-Shepheards 35 Idle persons haue their gifts diminished 13â— Idolatry of Gentiles and Papist alike 64. Iesting at sin 72 Iesuits enemies to Princes 266. They are Cormorants 340 Iesus what to be learned by it 495 Ignorance 78 90 Ignorant people ready to receiue any Religion â—… Ignorant Ministers 201 Imprisonment for the Gospell 12 13 Implicit Faith 77. Imprecations 175 Imputation of Christs righteousnes 363 364 Instruction profitable 40 Inuocation of Saints 66 Indulgence 1â—6 See Lenity Inferiors owe honor 179. 34 they must be content with their places 335 Iniuries See Reuenge Infirmities obiect not 315 Inferiors not bound to obey in euil 420 Beeing vnbeleeuers they yeelde but halfe obedience 344 Ioy to see the faithfall grow in grace 68 Israell oppressed 330 Interest in his owne good euery man hath 365 Iudge not before the time 430 Iudgement of the wicked touching the Crosse 14 Iustification by Faith condemned by the Papists 102. How Faith iustifieth 103. Paule and Iames reconciled 104 105. It is no doctrine of Liberty 105 K Keyes of the kingdome of heauen 166. How committed to the Minister Ibid. Kindred must be respected 338 340 Kings Nurses to the Church 273 Knowledge necessary 90. where it is not there is no faith 78. Being abused it bringeth iudgement 129 Knowledge of propriety in goods increseth the care of them 367 L Lame persons comforted 311 Law 246 Lawyers 389. Rules belonging vnto them 360 Least measure of grace 482 A Lesson for persecutors 17 Libertines 106 â—99 Lenity in winking at offenders 176 Liberality 160. How bestowed amisse 116 Liberall maintenance to be allowed the Minister 287 Life of the godly often short 308. How the promise is kept to them 109 Loue to be shewed specially to the saints 67. Generally to
be extended to all 86 A fruit of loue to admonish 27 We must loue most where God loueth most 112. Not the vngodly most 115 Loue betweene Pastour and people 192 193 Loue those that haue conuerted vs 261 Loue one another 332 355. It is a Christians badge 356 355 Loue God aboue all 340 Loue to the Saints must be feruent 254 257. What it is 256. The manner how we must loue 257 258 Long life a punishment to the vngodlie 308 Losses See comfort in losses Lowest member in the Church must bee respected 184 329 The low estate comforted 1â—0 Luke-warme 433 M A Magistrate sustaines two persons 247 Man by Nature sociable 22 A Martyr who is 19 20 Markes of Christ what 18 Marriage must be in the Lord. 32 English Martirs canonized by the Pope were deuillish Traytors 121 Mankind stand in neede one of another 83 Masse 93 Maintenance of the Minister 400 Maner of doing God accepts more then the deede 284 Maisters must pray for their Families 241. They haue comfort in teaching them 242. they are Ministers in their owne houses 45 Meditations to mooue vs to Prayer 462 Necessary after hearing 220. For Patrons 222 A meane to be kept 76 Meanes must be vsed to bring vs to faith 108 109. To further his guifts in vs 129 Members we are one of another 173 Mercilesse men 276 Mercifull men 280 Meritorious workes 458 Merits taught in the Church of Rome 463 Ministers calling painfull 33. they must not entangle themselues in worldlie things 37. They must seeke cheefely the profit of their people 70. It is a greefe to see them go backward 71 Ministers must preach willingly 286. They are Gods Instruments to conuert Soules 165. They must be maintained 287. Giuen to Hospitality 444. Being idle their guiftes are diminished 136 they haue no right to be maintained 137 Ministers must loue the people as Children 194 They must be faithful 216 They shall giue an account for soules 216. They haue comfort in labouring 242 Ministry a worthy calling 165 Ministers are Gods Ambassadours 171 How to be esteemed 171. They must vse mildenesse and gentlenesse 172 173 Mitigation of offences required 363 Three rules belonging thereto Ibid. Mishapen Children See Children deformed Monkish life See Solitary Mocking the Ministers 204 Multitude no rule to try truth 90 N Name that is good onely the godly haue 96 It hath many enemies 427. Euill men haue an euill Name 96. Against such as take away the good Name of the godly 96 Vngodlinesse brings a blot to mens names 97. ciuil men are ignorant of a good Name Ibid Seeke aster a good name 97. how many waies men are deceiued in it Ibid Wherein a good name consisteth 98 The enemies to it Ibid Naturall condition what 299 Negligence in Religion 11 Neglect of Prayer 456 Neighbour who is 256 Nicodemus 481 Niggardlinesse See Couetousnesse Non proficients 128 324 Non residency what it is 194 Notes to proue men voide of Faith 108 Nouatians 317 O Obiections answered pretending that ministers liue idely 35. that they need not heare that haue faith already 130 Obiections against instructing families 40. of them that say they spend nothing but their owne 115. Of miserable men against liberality 158 190. of Non residents 197 Obiections brought to prooue preaching not the ordinary meanes of regeneration 207 Obiections of Anabaptists 265. 367 Obiections made against forgiuing offenders 246. against vsing salutations 247 Obligations lawfull 385 Occasions of doing good must be sought 31. of contention must be cut off 251 Odious tearmes not to be vsed against the penitent 311 Offences of penitents not to be aggrauated 293. they are to be forgiuen 243 Offences forgiuen two wayes 247. they will arise many wayes 487 Old age honourable 178 Old men instead of Fathers 18. their Duties and sins 181 491. their long life is a testimony of Gods mercy 182 Oppression 393 Opportunity 444 Order in praying for blessings 505 Ouer-seers of the Church 221 Outward blessings recompenced with inward 305 P Painims religion what 156. they regard not the poore Ibid Papists no friends to Princes 266. falsely called Catholicks 322. they seuer faith and loue 102 104. they slander vs about Good-workes 105 Parents of deformed children comforted 311 316. they must not reproue their children for good thinges 328. they must pray for their families 241 Pardon open for penitents 217 Pastors ioy 69 Pastors and people are as Father and son 189. they are tied to a particular charge 199. not to discourage people that are forward 329 Pastors of meane guifts must bee heard 203 Patrons admonished 221. whence they had their names Peace giuen to the faithfull 55 58 The three Persons in Trinity worke our saluation 61. the distinction betweene them must be knowne 62 Peace is brought by the Gospel 264 Penitent persons not to be reproached 317. their confession not to be reueiled 321. abuse of the church of Rom therein Ibid. â—alse perswasion of Faith set downe by certaine notes 108. Peters being at Rome vncertaine 46â— disagreement of Popish writers about it 471 Persecutions of Christians are the persecutions of Christ 15 Popish Idolatry like the Gentiles 63 Popishe assertions touching the Scriptures 78 Pope held to bee the Saint-maker 121. he is enemy to Princes 266 Popish deuotion 288. Martyrs 10. Religion which giues liberty to sin 105 Church what it is 470. The Popes Supremacy 470. his Saints 120 Poore Saints to be relieued 154. What those poore are 161. Poorest beleeuer is rich 189. the godly are specially to be respected 1â—1 Pray for the free passage of the gosp 3â—… Praier necessary 63. 437. it must bee made to God for others 82. it is a part of spirituall armour 83. the vse of it ibid. other mens to be intreated 84. We must pray for spirituall strength 91. and for spirituall things 505 Praier what it is 447. it is a medicine against all diseases 83. how made vnprofitable 461. what is required in it 449. why God defers to heare 453. Popish prayers Idolatrous 452 Prayer heard two waies 453 Prayer contemned 454 Prayer to Saints 454. It robbeth God of his honor 155. It cannot merit People must maintaine their Ministers 38. They must delight the heartes of their Teachers 73. They must not thinke it enough not to hurt them 74. They come to entrap them Ibid Howe many waies they grieue their Pastors 75 People must employ their guifts 139. They must not despise the Ministry of the word 170. They must honor their Pastors 202. They must attend theyr owne Pastors 203. they are in the ministers debt 402 Poore vnthankfull 412 Precisenesse not to bee obiected against Professors 93 Presence of the Pastour necessary 190 191. Preaching of the word the meanes of regeneration 205. A token of Gods loue 215 Preachers preach to themselues as well as to others 210 Preaching Ministery necessary to saluation 213 Preparation before hearing 219 Priuiledges of the godly 58 Profession of Faith See Confession
meanes we can bee pursued after It is not enough to doe good thinges but we must doe them in a right manner we must bee forward and feruent in the doing of them So dooth Paul in this place set vpon Philemon and omitteth nothing that may serue his present purpose Great was the a Exod. 32 19 20 22. zeale of Moses for Gods glory against the Idolatry of the people and afterward for their pardon and forgiuenesse The first Table requireth our loue to God b Math. 22. Withall our heart with all our soule with al our strength and the second Table requireth vs To loue our Neighbour as our selfe so that whether wye performe the duties of the first or of the second Table we must performe them heartily sincerely and earnestly The Prophet Dauid had a zeale as hot as fire c Psal 96 10. So that the zeale of Gods house did eate him vp When we call vpon the Name of God d Rom. 12. Wee are commaunded to be feruent in Prayer In the high work of the Ministery e 2 Tim. 4 2. we are charged to Preach the word in season and out of season to improue rebuke and exhort with all long suffering and doctrine In hearing the word wee are willed to be swift to heare In all the workes of Sanctification we are f Gal. 6 10. warned while we haue time to doe good to all men and to redeeme the time because the daies are euill The Apostle noteth of himselfe touching his owne practise g 1 Cor. 9 19. That to the Iewe he became as a Iew that he might winne the Iewes To the Gentiles he became as a Gentile that he might win the Gentiles to the weake he became as weake that hee might win the weake and he became all thinges to all men that by all meanes he might saue some All which testimonies and consents prooue directly that we must follow after good things diligently Reason 1. The Reasone remaine to be considered First God is delighted with diligence and earnestnesse in our callings and is wont to yeelde a blessing vnto it He promiseth that such h Pro. 2 3 4. As cry after knowledge and search for wisedome as for Siluer and desire it as a Treasure shall vnderstand the feare of the Lord and finde the knowledge of God Earnest Prayer alwaies preuaileth and auaileth much with God Luke 18 2. Iam. 5 16. Feruent zeale addeth wings and maketh it mount vp on high and pierce the Heauens where Lip-labour is lost labour and bringeth nothing but returneth empty to him that made it like the Dew that being raised vp in the day by the beames of the Sunne falleth downe againe in the euening Reason 2. Secondly earnestnesse and zeale are of great waight and force to prouoke others to imitation We must bee examples to them and seeke to draw them to follow vs. This should comfort and encourage vs vnto well doing insomuch as we shall stirre vp other to be like vs and to walke in our steppes This is the reason which the Apostle teacheth writing to the Corinthians i 2 Cor. 9 2. I know your readinesse of minde whereof I boast my selfe of you vnto them of Macedonia and say that Achaia was prepared a yeare agoe and your zeale hath prouoked many Reason 3. Thirdly mens hearts are hardned and their affections frozen they shut their eyes they stop their eares and they turne away their hearts from the truth and therefore in regard of this Iron or Brazen age into which wee are fallen all meanes that can be taken and all occasions that can be vsed are too little though most earnest to worke vpon such tough and rough Mettall This doth the Apostle prophesie of long age when perswading Timothy to wait with all diligence vpon his office hee addeth this as a reason k 2 Tim. 3 4. For the time will come when they will not suffer wholesome Doctrine but hauing their eares itching shall after their owne lusts get them an heape of Teachers and shall turne their eares from the truth and shall be giuen vnto fables Seeing therefore the earnest doing of good thinges bringeth downe a blessing from God prouoketh men to an imitation and seeing many are hard-hearted that they will not easily bend and yeeld it followeth that we are bound to do all good duties that belong vnto vs diligently not carelesly forwardly not faintly feruently not coldly Vse 1. Let vs now see what good Vses may necessarily be concluded from hence First we learne that zeale and forwardnesse is a grace and guift of the Spirit to be commended honoured and magnified in the Seruants of God The Lord himselfe commended and blessed the zeale of Phinehas The Apostle l Gal. 4 18. saith It is a good thing to loue earnestly alwaies in a good thing This reproueth those that reproach it and cannot abide it in others They scorne and scoffe at the Seruants of God for doing their duty and so make themselues culpable of an horrible sinne But let not vs be ashamed of the taunts and reproches of them that hate vs and deride vs because we desire to serue the Lord in the vprightnes of our hearts The time will come when we shall receiue the ioy and they the shame We haue a notable example hereof in Michall Sauls Daughter and Dauids Wife When she not able to comprehend the inward motions of Dauids ioyfull heart leaping and dancing before the Lord bringing home the Arke with shouting of voyce with sound of Trumpet and with gladnesse of heart despised him in her heart and came out to meete him and said m 2 Sam. 6 20 O how glorious was the King of Israell this day c. Then Dauid said vnto Michall It was before the Lord which chose me rather then thy Father and all his House and I will be yet more vile then thus and will be low in mine owne sight Where we see it is and euer hath been the lot of Gods Seruants to be branded and vpbraided for their zeale it was neuer liked of cold and carelesse men that are neuer earnest in any thing but in wickednesse nor forward but in following the prophanenesse of their owne hearts While they delight themselues in the pleasures of sinne and walke in their owne corrupt desires they are earnest enough but when they should practise the duties of godlinesse and shew by their godly conuersation whose Seruants they are there appeareth no life of Gods spirit in them they remaine as dead and sencelesse men Vse 2. Secondly negligence and coldnesse in Religion and in performing the duties of Christianity are great sinnes which wound the Soule and procure the wrath of God The Prophet pronounceth those accursed that doe the worke of the Lord negligently The Church of the Laodicea is seuerely threatned to be Spewed out n Reuel 3 16. of the mouth of Christ because it was neither hot
nor cold but luke warme The Idolaters both among counterfeit Christians and ignorant Gentiles exceede oftentimes the true professors in feruency and zeale they spare not their substance and possessions The Pharisies compasse o Math. 23 15 Sea and Land to win one Proselite It is a shame and reproch for vs to come behinde them that are so blindly led God will not be dallied withall in the matter of Religion either we must serue and acknowledge him as we should or not at all The Prophet cried out to the Israelites p 1 Kings 18. Why halt ye betweene two opinions If God be God follow him but if Baall be God follow him It is a vaine worship to serue the Lord with the Blinde Leane and Lame as it were with the offall of our affections or with the Dregs of our workes and to turne vnto him halfe our face and the other halfe to the Deuill or to our owne lusts Is not this an igdinity q Mal. 1 8 9. which a man of any place and reckoning will not take at our hands It were better for vs neuer to know or acknowledge true Religion then to know and acknowledge it negligentlie without profite without conscience without zeale without yeilding vnfained obedience vnto it hauing it onely swimming in our Braines and resting in our Lippes but neuer entring into our hearts Vse 3. Lastly seeing we must be feruent in good thinges it serueth to season our zeale and to temper it with knowledge that it be not blinde If our zeale bee blind and ignorant the more earnest and forward the worse it is the faster we runne the further we hasten out of the way True zeale is a feruency of the Spirit arising of a mixture of loue and anger compelling men earnestly to maintaine the glory of God and drawing from them sorrow and greefe of hart when he is any way dishonoured This is grounded vpon the word and is caused by beholding a breach of Gods Commaundements This appeared in Lot when he beheld the vncleane conuersation of the beastly Sodomites Blind zeale is when we are hot and hasty beside the warrant of the word of God The Apostle Paule witnesseth touching the Israelites r Rom. 10 2. That they had the zeale of God but not according to knowledge yea he testifieth of himselfe before his conuersion Å¿ Gal. 1 14. That he profited in the Iewish Religion aboue many of his Companions and was much more zealous of the Traditions of his Fathers So Christ foretelleth t Iohn 16 1. That the time should come that whosoeuer killed them should thinke that he did God seruice Let vs therefore take heede that we giue not liberty to our best affections to runne out but rule them as they ought and order them within the compasse of the word All thinges are not to be done of all men Euery Man must consider what belongeth vnto him in his place and calling Wee must weigh our guifts and how we are fitted to euery worke so shall we haue praise of God and comfort in our worke And thus much touching the generall Doctrine arising from the earnest manner of the Apostles writing vsing all meanes to perswade Philemon to receiue his Seruant Now let vs come to the wordes particularly and in order Paul a Prisoner c. In other Epistles he calleth himselfe an Apostle of Christ and a Seruant of God but heere hee calleth himselfe a Prisoner which is as glorious a Name and as honourable a Title as the other among all the faithfull and he doth more glory in this then in the other He was a chiefe Apostle piller of the Church of God the Teacher of the Gentiles yet we see he is imprisoned and is not ashamed to mention it but remembreth his imprisonment and suffering as an aduantage to gaine credit with Philemon in his suit Doct. 2. It is no disgrace to the Seruants of God to be cast in prison for the Gospels sake We learne from hence that it is no indignity or dishonour to the true Seruants of God to be clapt in the Stockes to be cast into Prison or to be put to death for the Gospels sake I say imprisonment afflictions and troubles fall vpon the best Seruants of God without any reproch or shame vnto them We see this in Ioseph who through the false suggestion of his Mistris and rash credulity of his Maister u Gen 39 20. was committed to prison When Michaiah had deliuered the truth of God and resisted the false Prophets that deceiued the King x 1 King 22 27. He commaunded him to be put in Prison and to be fed with Bread of Affliction and with Water of Affliction vntill he returned in peace Ieremy is put in prison because he prophesied y Ier. 32 2. That the Citty should be taken and the people deliuered into the hands of the King of Babylon Iohn by the commaundement of Christ writing to the Church of the Smyrnians telleth them z Reu. 2 10. That it shall come to passe that the Deuill shall cast some of them into Prison and bring them vnto tribulation but willeth them to feare none of those things which they should suffer So the Apostle Paul is not ashamed of his afflictions but reioyceth in them and after a sort boasteth of them a 2 Cor. 11 25 enduring the bitternesse of the Crosse the hardnes of imprisonment the danger of death the bearing with Roddes the perrill of Shipwracke the stoning with stones the buffeting of Sathan the blewnesse of the woundes that were giuen vnto him Paule and Silas were cast into prison b Acts 16 24. And had their Feete made fast in the Stockes but they prayed and sung Psalmes vnto God so that the Prisoners heard them All these consents of Scripture serue to teach vs that it is no disgrace or reproch vnto the Children of God to suffer in a good cause at the hands of euill men Reason 1. Let vs weigh the reasons which helpe to wipe away the shame of the Crosse First of all God in the sufferings of his Seruants aymeth at their good and benefit he would haue their Faith purified their patience tryed and their obedyence manifested The Gold is cast into the Furnace not to consume it but to refine it not to wast it but to purge it Thus doth Peter the Apostle teach in his first Epistle c 1 Pet. 1 7. That the tryall of your Faith being much more precious then Golde that perisheth though it be tryed with fire might be found vnto your praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Iesus Christ. So Iohn teacheth the Church that the Instruments of the Deuill which are the cruell persecuters should cast some of them into prison that they might be tryed He might haue said that they might be destroyed that they might murmur against God and despaire of his mercy for this was the purpose of the
therefore seeke to blaunch the foulenesse and filthinesse of it to which they are so continuallie accustomed But howsoeuer these men account of sinne and whatsoeuer they call it they shall find that the lessening of it is the way to encrease it and the diminishing of it is the meanes to make it greater If we would haue our sinnes and offences not to come into account we must forsake them and repent of them Thirdlie it reprooueth such as disclose and reueale a Penitents confession When our Brethren in the anguish of their Soules and in a feeling of the horror of sinne haue sought peace and comfort at our handes and haue discouered their offences that trouble them to vs as the sicke man doth his disease to the Physition that hee may bee healed it is our dutie to comfort them not to disgrace them to conceale them not to reueale them to hide them not to publish them and blaze them abroad to their disgrace and discredit True it is when euill is opened vnto vs e Alexand. Hal. part 4. Quest 28. membr 2. art 2. Siluest in Confess 3. nume 2. not past or present but to be done afterward as if a man confesse his determination and resolution to commit Murthers we are not tied to couer and conceale it but are bound to manifest and make it knowne This sheweth the wonderfull abuse of the Church of Rome committed in holie thinges and thinges supposed by them to be holie The Sacrament of the Lordes Supper is most horribly prophaned of them which being instituted in remembrance of the death of Christ to assure vs of our spirituall communion in him and of our spirituall nourishment from him is often receiued of them to combine them together in wickednesse and to take securitie thereby one of another not to reueale the Treasons and Conspiracies that are plotted among them Thus it is in the supposed Sacrament of Pennance when they would reueale the hidden mischeefe and poysons of their hearts to the Priestes and Iesuits their Confessors they will seeme to doe it by way of confession that so it might be as it were locked vp and sealed with this Seale as a secret neuer to bee disclosed and discouered Thus is confession become nothing else but a couer of Treason and Rebellion But when our Brethren being afflicted in Conscience and wounded with the Darts of Satan and the poyson of sinne shall accuse themselues and confesse some haynous sinne committed that lyeth heauy vpon them and can find no comfort in concealing of it but greater horror thereby are brought to the gates of Hell and like to be swallowed vp in despaire when they shall I say confesse to the glorie of God and the shaming of themselues the wickednesse of their hearts and handes we are not to vtter it to others to their disgrace but by all meanes we can to couer it in secret and silence For as we f Iam. 5 15. are to acknowledge our faults one to another and to pray one for another so we are in loue to conceale the falles one of another and not to open them in choller and mallice to their reproach Lastly this reproueth our remisnesse and wretchlesnesse in dealing with recusant Papists the members of the Pope and Popish Church who because we would not offend them we speake of them honourably and giue them the Name of Catholikes and honour them with the Title of the Church whereas wee should giue them their right and call them by their propper Names of Idolaters and enemies of the Grace of God and disturbers of the State We haue many among vs that are ready to ioyne with them and to giue them the right hand of fellowship who can bee content to mingle together God and Baall Christ and Beliall light and darkenesse the Temple of God and an Idoll But as we beleeue the High-priest of Rome to be the very Anti-christ described in the Scripture so we also hold that the Church of Rome is a false and Bastard-Church and no true Church of Christ Iesus who not onely haue shaken but razed downe the very foundations of Religion maintaining the worshipping of Images and the merrits of workes by making a mocke of Christes merits and satisfaction by deuising other Mediators and by presuming to offer him vp an vnbloody Sacrifice to God the Father Let vs not therefore halt betweene g 1 Kin. 18 21 two opinions nor go about to reconcile those thinges which can neuer hold or hang together The false Apostles would ioyne the Law and the Gospell together the workes of the Law and the grace of Faith in the matter of Iustification which can neuer be the one destroying and pulling down the other because h Rom. 11 6. if it be of grace it is no more of workes or else were grace no more grace but if it be of workes it is no more grace or else were worke no more worke So we haue those that dreame of an vnion between Christ and Antichrist but if the Lord be God follow him if Baall be he then goe after him No man can serue both these Maisters so contrary one from the other so that whosoeuer cleaueth to the one forsaketh the other Verse 16. Not now as a Seruant but aboue a Seruant euen as a Brother c. Heere is a singular commendation of Onesimus expressed by many steps and degrees the one ascending and climbing aboue the other He was not onely as a Seruant but aboue a Seruant not onely as a Brother but a beloued Brother not onely deare to Paule but much more to Philemon himselfe This is so much the more worthy praise and commendation nay of wonder and admiration as the disposition of Seruants in those times was lewd and licentious who albeit they had good and godly Maisters yet they were light-fingered and light-footed and vpon euery occasion they were apt to run away from them i Gen. 16 6. as appeareth in Hagar that liued in the house of Abraham when Sarah began to deale roughly with her immediatlie she fled from her Seeing therefore it was so rare a thing among those kinde of men to finde any well minded and disposed the Apostle maketh the more account of him and would haue his Maister to make account of him As if he should reason thus Him who in Christ Iesus is become thy Brother thou oughtest carefully to tender and dearely to loue But Onesimus is now by his vnfained conuersion become thy Brother Therefore receiue him Heere we see the Apostle reasoneth for Onesimus to haue him receiued and respected aboue an ordinary Seruant because hee was truely conuerted and had in him a good measure of Grace and was become a true and sound Christian Doctrine 4. The more grace appeareth in any the more should they be tendered and regarded of vs. We learne from hence that the more Grace appeareth in any the more should they be tendered and regarded of vs whether
they be Seruants Children Neighbours Pastors People Wife Kinsfolke or Acquaintance In whomsoeuer the greatest store of heauenly things is to be found such as most of all to be loued and regarded tendered and respected The Prophet Dauid teacheth when the Lord who had annointed him to bee King ouer his people should bring him vnto the Kingdome and make him Ruler and Gouernour ouer a great and mightie People what they were that he would most of all regard and vpon whom he would cast his eyes k Psa 101 6 7 Mine eyes shall be vpon the faithfull of the Land that they may dwell with me hee that walketh in a perfect way he shall serue me c. Salomon hath many heauenlie sentences and Diuine Prouerbs l Prou. 14 35. 17 2. 16 13. to this purpose as Chap. 14. 35. The pleasure of a King is in a wise seruant but his wrath shall be toward him that is lewd So in the 16. Chapt. The righteous lippes are the delight of Kings and the King loueth him that speaketh right thinges Likewise in the Chapter following A discreete Seruant shall haue rule ouer a lewd Sonne and he shall deuide the heritage among the Brethren The practise of this dutie we see in Abraham he had a faithfull Seruant whom he made the Steward and Gouernour of his house and made more reckoning of him then he did of Ismaell his Sonne or of the rest that did attend about him m Gen. 15 2. and 24 2. and therefore purposed to haue made him his heire When he purposed to prouide a Wife for his Son Isaac he called him and imployed him to goe to his Country and to his Kindred to bring a wife for him The like we see in Iacob n Gen. 37 2 4. Who loued Ioseph aboue al his Bretheren because he saw most grace in him This was in Elkanah toward his wife Hannah o 1 Sam. 1 8. he comforted her in her affliction and said Why weepest thou And why eatest thou not And why is thy heart troubled Am not I better to thee then ten Sonnes This appeareth in Ionathan toward Dauid p 1 Sam. 20 17 and 18 1 2. He loued him as his owne soule and made a couenant of peace and a league of friendshippe with him not in any worldly respect not for any earthly commodity not to enioy any temporall benefit for he seemed thereby to loose a Kingdome but because he saw the Lord to be with him So the Apostle writing to the elect Lady and her Children testifierh That he loued them in the truth and reioyced greatly that he found them walking in the truth Heereby we see laying all these testimonies together the truth of this doctrine that it is our duty to regard them most that haue greatest grace shining in them Reason 1. The reasons hereof are plaine to informe vs. For first where Grace is it bringeth blessednesse to that society kingdome congregation family and person as appeareth by the confession of Iosephs Maister Gen. 39. 2. 3. whom he serued Now who are more to be regarded or better to bee thought off then such as are blessed and cause blessednesse to others The wicked man is accurssed of God q Iosh 7 1 2. and draweth the cursse of God vpon the places where he dwelleth and vpon the persons with whom he dwelleth But such as haue found grace with God and haue grace laid vp as a precious Treasure in their hearts doe bring the blessings of God to others and serue to conuay them to them as we see by infinite examples in the Scripture Reason 2. Secondly we see that God is most gratious to such as haue most Grace in their harts he tendreth them as the apple of his eye and loueth them as own Sons Indeed he loueth all the works of his handes as they are his Creatures he maketh his Sunne to shine his raine to fall his fruitfull seasons to refresh them he hath not left himselfe without witnesse among the Infidels that he might make them without excuse Hee giueth to r Psal 144 13 and 147 19. 76 1. Beastes and to beastlie men their foode their Corners and Garners are full and abounding with diuers sortes and their Sheepe bring forth thousandes and ten thousands in their Streetes but GOD is speciallie knowne in Iudah his Name is great in Israell he sheweth his Word and his Statutes among them hee hath not dealt so with euerie Nation neyther haue they knowne his iudgements As this is the dealing of God toward those that are his whom he maketh partakers of the secrets of his Kingdome so it is our duty to follow his example and to shew our selues like vnto him in our brotherly kindnesse toward his chosen Children and our beloued Brethren Reason 3. Thirdly the more grace appeareth in any the neerer he doth resemble God the more euidently doth the Image of God shew it selfe in him The Image of God standeth and consisteth Å¿ Ephe. 4 24. especially in holinesse and true righteousnesse The vngodly are stamped and marked with prophanesse and wickednesse t Iohn 8 44. 1 Iohn 3 8. which is the Deuils badge and impression The more they grow in euill and bring forth the fruites of impietie and vnrighteousnesse the neerer they come to Satan and are like vnto him On the other side such as bear the Image of their heauenly father must be exceedingly respected and regarded as the Apostle teacheth u 1. Iohn 5 1. Euery one that loueth him which begate loueth him also which is begotten of him He that loueth the Father will for the Fathers sake loue the Child And he that loueth God will for his sake loue the Child of God Seeing therefore it is blessednesse to euery society and Congregation to haue men therein endued with grace seeing God delighteth to rest among them that seeke after grace and lastly the more grace is found in any the neerer he draweth to God in all these respects we conclude this as a certaine truth that it is our duty to respect them aboue all others that haue the greatest measure of grace abiding in them Vse 1 Let vs gather the vses that arise from this Doctrine First of all this ought to stirre vs all vp to labour to grow in grace and in the gifts of the Spirit that therby we may procure deserue the loue of men They that grow in grace are truly to be reputed and accounted gracious It is noted in Christ x Luke 2 52. That he encreased in wisedome and stature and in fauour with God and men When a man groweth in strength of body it is a signe his meate nourisheth him and doth him good So when we profit in knowledge and vnderstanding in holinesse and sanctification of life it sheweth that we are good hearers of the word Salomon saith in the Prouerbs y Prou. 1 5. A wise man shall heare and