Churches for the most part on the Lords day assemble at one houre wee come together at one time a blessed houre a blessed time the best houre the best time in the whole Weeke O how should wee loue it how should we desire it how should wee delight in it Then do wee pray for the Church then the Church prayeth for vs then are wee mindfull of our Brethren then are our Bretheren likewise mindfull of vs then is God mindfull of vs all Then we call vpon God for his Saints then doo the Saintes vpon the earth call vppon God for vs then dooth GOD heare vs all both them and vs them for vs and vs for them This is a sweete Harmony and pleasant agreement when wee do thus with one minde and with one mouth glorifie God and with a feeling of Gods mercie can cry out Å¿ Psal 84 1 2 O Lord of Hoasts how amiable are thy Tabernacles My soule longeth yea fainteth for the Courts of the Lorde for mine heart and my flesh reioyce in the liuing God On the other side great is their wickednesse and prophanesse that do not affect such times of publicke Prayers they shewe themselues to bee beastly minded and ledâ—… with the wicked Spirit of the Deuill into all abhominations neyther may such looke to finde any benefite or feele any comfort by the Prayers and supplications in those places and at such holie times powred out It is a great priuiledge belonging onely to the faithfull to haue right and interrest in the Churches Prayers It is not so with the wicked so long as they abhorre such meetings which are the most fruitful seasons when God with a gracious dew doth raine vpon his inheritaunce they are as barren trees and as withered branches that are reserued for the fire of Gods vengeance and heauy indignation This is it which the Prophet sayeth t Psal 129 8. They which go by shall not say the blessing of the Lord be vpon you or We blesse you in the name of the Lord. So long therefore as they remaine in this contempt of God and of his Religion the prayers of the Church shall not auayle them 3. Lastly it reproueth such as neglect this duty and whereas they should pray for others do curse and ban them and wish all euil to come vpon them The Prophet Ieremy complaineth that hee had neyther bought nor solde among that contentious people u Ier. 15 10. and yet euery one did curse him These men loue cursing and therfore it shall come vpon themselues and enter into their soules and as they loue not blessing so it shall bee farre from them We are commaunded x Math. 5 44 to loue in stead of hating to do good instead of hurting to pray instead of persecuting and to blesse insteade of Curssing But of this Doctrine wee haue spoken more at large y Vpon the exposition of Numb 21. else-where and therefore will I heere passe it ouer and proceede vnto that which followeth Verse 5. When I heare of thy loue and Faith which thou hast towardes the Lord Iesus and toward all Saints In these words the former Thankes-giuing is amplified by another circumstaunce containing the cause wherefore the Apostle gaue thankes to his God for him and did make mention of him in his Prayers because he had heard by the report of the Brethren howe great Faith and Loue were in him Heerein we haue these particulars to be considered First hee reduceth the principall pointes of saluation to two heads Faith and Loue. In these standeth the happinesse of the godly by these a Christian man is perfected for they are the chiefe graces of the Holy-ghost Secondly he beginneth with Loue and placeth it before Faith Faith indeed is more precious but it is inward and hidden in the heart and in Nature and order goeth before Loue but hee first nameth Loue because it is better knowne to vs better seene of vs and is as the Touch-stone to try our Faith For though the cause be more worthy then the effect yet the effect is more perspicuous and manifest so Faith being the cause of works is more excellent but Loue as an effect is more euident Thirdly wee see that albeit Faith be set in the last place for the reason rendered before yet Fayth is first defined and so the order somewhat inuerted Now it is described and declared by his Obiect that it respecteth Christ Iesus Last of all hee defineth loue which he aplieth to the Saints albeit it extend to Infidels to reprobrates to prophane enemies whom also we are to loue yet a speciall maner of loue is due to the Saints which are members of the same body with vs. For euen as God loueth all mankind and all the workes of his hand who as hee created them so he preserueth them feedeth them giueth them fruitfull seasons filleth their hearts with ioy and gladnesse and maketh his Sun to shine vpon them and the raine to fall vppon them to make them without excuse but he loueth his Church with a speciall loue not onely giuing them temporall blessings but such as do accompany saluation the one hee loueth as his creatures the other both as his creatures and his Children so are wee to loue all mankind as our owne flesh but not in an equal degree with the faithfull who are tied together in a straighter band because there is not mutuall loue betweene the godly and vngodly neither do they grow vppe into one body But the godly are charged to loue one anothâ—… and they are made the members of Christ and heyres with vs of eternall life and therefore loue is especially and principally to be shewed to the Saints that is vnto the Elect which ought to be aboue all the creatures in the world deere vnto vs z Why the elect are called Saints who are called Saints for two causes First because they are purged clensed from their sinnes by the blood of Christ Secondly because they are framed and fashioned by the spirit of God to an holy life and godly profession and conuersation Thus much touching the order interpretation of the words Now let vs see what doctrines arise from hence for our instruction and edification When I heard of thy Loue and Faith The Apostle doth not say heere that he saw and beheld or was an eye-witnesse of the Faith and fruits of the faith of Philemon but that he heard of them by the report of the Brethren Paule at this time as we haue shewed liued at Rome and Philemon dwelled at Colosse many Miles distant the one from the other yet his faith was published and his loue manifested throughout the whole worlde which necessarily inferreth that he openly professed them and made it knowne what religion he was of For if Philemon had not shewed boldly his faith and witnessed a good confession before many witnesses it had beene vnpossible that Paule being so farre from him should haue heard of it
trauailing to the place of Gods worship n Psal 84 6 10 passed throgh many dangers endured much heat and suffered many wants in the wildernes for the pleasure that they took in his seruice The profit they reaped did swallow vp the tediousnes of the paines the loue to his court◠did mittigate the greatnes of the labor This made thē say A day in thy Courts is better then a thousand other where I had rather be a door-keeper in the house of my God then to dwel in the tabernacles of wickednes Where is this zeale to be found among vs Who sheweth this forwardnesse to Gods seruice Or whom can a man single out to say of him that no want or weather doeth hinder him from the exercises of godlinesse Wee are growne vnto that loathing of the heauenly Manna that albeit it fall in the middest of our Campe and round about our habitations yet wee will not steppe out of the doores to see it nor open our mouthes to taste it nor stretch out our handes to gather it either the blasts of winde do trouble vs or the feare of raine doth hinder vs or the heate of Summer doth burne vs or the colde of Winter doth pinch vs or a Lyon in the way doth stay vs and euery trifle stoppeth our iourney If our heart were in the house of God it would quickly moue our feet to carry vs thither But where the heart is not euery member is heauy and hardlie drawne to do their dutie The Deuils do the will of God by constraint and against their wils it must be otherwise with vs. Where the heart is there is our delight The Prophet describing the flourishing estate of the Church sayth o Psal 10 2 3 The Lord shall send the rod of thy power out of Sion bee thou Ruler in the middest of thine enemies thy people shall come willingly at the time of assembling thine Armie in holy beauty the youth of thy wombe shall bee as the Morning Dew Where he sheweth that the people of God were wont to come to the hearing of the word to the partaking of the Sacrifices to the receiuing of the Sacraments and to the exercises of Religion they assembled and gathered themselues together freely and of their owne accord to present themselues before the Lord. This duty is required of vs we must come willingly to Christ to heare him speake vnto vs. It is one vertue to come into the house of God but to come chearfully and comfortably as to a feast is a double vertue and that which giueth life vnto her comming If we come vnwillingly and be drawn to our duty on the Lords day either by shame of the world or by fear of law we come as dead men that are without working of the spirit or desire of profit or feeling of comfort or encrease of Faith or bettering of obedience If the danger of law did not more compel thē then the conscience of their duty or the loue of religion allure them many among vs would sildome or neuer keep the Lords Saboths nor attend vpon his ordinances they com to them as willingly as the Beare goeth to the stake as chearfully as the malefactor passeth to the place of execution Hence it is that some come to this place once a month others once a quarter others only vpon high daies solemne feasts more I think to shew themselus then to labor to saue their souls Such was the zeale of our brethren to the gospell in the daies of persecution that they went more willingly to the fire flame then these men in the dayes of peace com to the hearing of the word and to the house of prayer They were more chearful in suffring of death then these are in seeking the means of life Hence it is that some linger so long before they come are afraid they shall be there too soon Others when they are present giue litle attention not at al regard to profit themselues Others are ready to depart and be gone before the assembly is dismissed and think they haue learned enough These are they that think they are at liberty to do what they list to go and com when they list They make no conscience to begin end the exercises of religion together and so profit accordingly hauing litle more knoledge then brute beasts Vse 3 Thirdly this confuteth the common aduersary which ascribe al to the work done regard nothing at al either the mind of the doer or the maner of doing as their blind distinction de congruo condigno teacheth They hold that the bare presence at the sacrifice of the Masse without any good intention of the mind is meritorious in the sight of God This is their opus operatum the which is indeed the cutthroat of al true religion For admit once into the worship of God an outward resting in the worke done who wil regard the reformation of the hart But this fitteth wel enough the new Roman religion which consisteth wholy in externall obseruations in delighting the eye in pleasing the eare the other senses but requireth nothing aright which may not be performed of a Reprobat God is a spirit p Iohn 4 24. they that worship him must worship him in spirit truth so that whatsoeuer religion resteth teacheth men to rest in ceremonial and carnal obseruations is a false religion inuented by the deuil This also is the error of the ignorant people that wil not be accounted Papists yet are as ignoraunt as they in their practise and as superstitious in their deuotions and as corrupt in their opinions They neuer looke to their harts to purge them nor to their affections to order them aright when they come to the seruice of God If they can say oh we haue heard the worde we haue bin at the church we haue prayed to God they think al is well and that God can require no more at their hands They dreame the whole seruice of God to stand in outward things only as though they were the things wherein the Lord delighteth and not rather the truth and vprightnesse of the hart This is it for which the Prophet Esay reprooueth the people in his time and compareth them to the Princes of Sodom and to the people of Gomorra notwithstanding a zealous obseruation of the outwarde ordinances that they practised God commanded q Esay 1 11 12 13. What haue I to doe with the multitude of your Sacrifices I am full of your burnt offerings and the fat of Rams I desire not the blood of Bullockes Goats and Lambes when you come to appeare before mee who required this at your hands Bring no oblations in vain Incense is an abhomination vnto me I cannot suffer your New-Moones nor Saboths nor solemne assemblies I am weary to beare them because your works are euill But wash you make you clean take away the euill of your works from
please the tast of a well-affected stomacke I confesse the fault is in the Cooke that hath prepared and dressed it I would therefore entreat thee to accept of these three Dishes and to consider the person that was the writer the person to whom he writeth and the person for whom he writeth The person that penned it was Paule the Apostle the person to whom it was written was Philemon the Maister the person for whom hee wrote was Onesimus the Seruant Vpon these three as on certaine pillers stand the maine drift and purpose of this whole Epistle heere expounded Touching the first o The person of the Writer of the Epistle which is Paul the Writer he doth not stile himself in this place as commonly he vseth An Apostle of Iesus Christ but The Prisoner of Christ and declareth that he begat Onesimus to the Faith in Prison It is honourable to the Saintes to suffer for the truthes sake The Apostles reioyced that they were p Actes 5 41. Iames 1 2. Counted worthy to endure afflictions and troubles in a good cause They endured imprisonment as Martyrs not as Malefactors as Preachers of the Gospell r 1 Pet. 1 15 not As Busie-bodies in other mens matters as doers of good not as euill doers neuer ceasing to further the saluation of others euen when their bodies were restrained of libertie and yet in this want of enlargement they were mighty in deede and word to worke the conuersion of such as resorted vnto them verifying the saying of the Apostle 2. Tim. 2. 9. ſ 2 Tim. 2 9. I suffer trouble vnto bondes but the word of God is not bound Whiles he pleaded his cause in Chaines t Actes 16 28 hee had Almost caught Agrippa in the Chaine of the Gospell and wonne him to the Faith When he was come to Rome he would not be idle u Act. 28 17 23. but called the chiefe of the Iewes together and then expounded vnto them the way of Saluation testifying the Kingdome of God and perswading them those thinges that concerne Iesus both out of the Law of Moses and out of the Prophets from morning to night Thus doth one say most truely of him When he was bound he was stronger then they that bound him when he was a Captiue he was freer then they that kept him and when his Iudges examined him he examined them and set them at libertie that were vnder the thraldome of sinne and Sathan It is truely said of the Wise-man x Prou. 11 30 Dan. 12 3. He that winneth Soules is wise and shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament and such as turne many to righteousnes shall shine as the Starres for euer and euer This wisedome is no where to be found no where to be sought no where to be learned but in the Word of GOD which is the wisedome of God and the power of God So then we see it is not the punishment that maketh a Martyr but the cause Some are punished as Malefactors some dye as Martyrs Ioseph was cast into the same y Gene. 39 20 and 40 3. Prison with the Butler and Baker of King Pharaoh They suffered imprisonment in the same place but the cause was not one for which they suffered Iosephs Maister tooke him and put him in Prison in the place where the kings Prisoners lay bound and there he was in Prison but because it was in a good cause and for a good conscience the Lord was with him and shewed him mercy and got him fauour in the sight of the Maister of the Prison The like we might say of Paule and Sylas who were not onely beaten with Rods but clapped vppe in close Prison with Malefactors but they were not without comfort in their sufferings z Actes 16 25 For At midnight they prayed and sung Psalmes vnto God so that the rest of the Prisoners heard them They suffered a 2 Tim. 2 9. As euill doers but not for euill doing And albeit they were Prisoners yet they were Christian Prisoners and when the body was ready to be offered and the time of their departure drew neere forgat b August ser de Sanct. Cypr. not their Apostolicall care of the Churches and watchfulnesse ouer the Lordes Flocke yea we see Paule in this place forgetteth not a base Seruant as shall bee shewed afterward Touching the second point c The person to whom Paul writeth we are to consider the person to whom Paule writeth which is to Philemon crauing at his hands the fruit of Christian Equitie and Moderation to forgiue him that had offended him according to the doctrine of the common Maister of them both Iesus Christ Luke 17. d Luk. 17. 3 4 Take heede to your selues if thy Brother trespasse against thee rebuke him and if hee repent forgiue him and though hee sinne against thee seauen times in a day and seauen times in a day turne againe to thee saying It repenteth mee Thou shalt forgiue him It is a great vertue in thee if thou e Isidor lib. 2. soliloqu wrong not him of whom thou art wronged It is great Fortitude if when thou art wronged thou remit it It is great Glory if thou be willing to spare him whom thou hadst power and ability to hurt As Christ taught forgiuenesse to others so he practised his owne Doctrine and f Luke 23 34. prayed for those that were his persecuters Philemon had bin greatly wronged by his false and theeuish seruant yet Paul craueth pardon for him vpon his repentance toward God and his submission toward his Maister It is the Doctrine of the g The doctrine of the Nouatiā Heretickes Nouatian Heretickes to deny hope of fauour and forgiuenesse to such as are fallen against whom Cyprian hath written a learned Epistle h Cypri ad Nouatian haeretic whereby they go about to kill whereas they should cure them that are wounded and to swallow vp them in despaire whom they ought to raise vp with comfort For they alledge that Christ threatneth k Math. 10 33 Whosoeuer shall deny him before men them will he deny before his Father which is in heauen But he vnderstandeth such as perseuer in it without repentance denying him vnto the end and forsaking him vnto the death such indeede he will disclaime and deny in the kingdome of his Father which plainely appeareth by the contrary in the opposite Member going before l Math. 10 32. where he promiseth that Whosoeuer shall confesse him before men them will hee also confesse before his Father which is in Heauen whereby hee meaneth such as continue in that confession and are faithfull without starting backward Peter being in the High-priests house did deny his Maister that chose him not only to bee an Apostle but to bee an elect vessell to preach the Gospell both to Iewes and Gentiles he denied him that bought him and redeemed him in word with an Oath with Cursing and Execration
yet hee returned and repented hee went out from that wicked Company and wept for his greeuous fall most bitterly Many good Souldiers are sometimes daunted at the sight of their Enemies and runne out of the Field like Cowards not without some reproch and impeachment of their Man-hoode who afterward gather strength and are ashamed of their owne folly both resisting those that fight against them most couragiously and pleasing the Captaine that hath made choise of them Hence it is that the Lord proclaimeth Mercy and reneweth his Couenant of forgiuenesse to such as turne vnto him The Prophet Ioel saith Chapter 2. m Ioel 2. 12 13. Turne you vnto mee with all your heart with fasting weeping and mourning Rent your hearts and not your Garments and turne vnto the Lorde your God for he is gracious and mercifull slow to anger of great kindnesse and repenteth him of the euill Heere is mercie offered and a generall pardon published which God will performe to all penitent persons Likewise the Lord for better assurance if we doubt of his word once vttered saith by his Prophet Ezekiell Chap. 33. n Ezek. 33 10 11. O thou sonne of man speake vnto the house of Israel Thus ye speake and say If our transgressions and our sinnes be vppon vs and wee are consumed because of them How should we then liue Thus do wicked persons when they heare of Gods Iudgements câ—st off all confidence in his mercies and murmure at his threatninges But what followeth Say vnto them as I liue saith the Lord I desire not the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his way and liue Turn you turn you from your euil waies for why will ye die O ye house of Israell When the sinful woman came to Christ in the house of Simon the Pharisee humbly confessing her sins shedding abundance of teares for them and by them both testifying her loue to Christ he turned vnto her and said o Luke 7 48. Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee On her part we see repentance weeping and Prayer On Christs part we see Forgiuenesse offred and pardon bestowed It is well saide of Cyprian p Cypr. epist ad Nouat haeret Legimus adoramus nec praetermittimus coelestem domini sententiam qua ait negaturum se negantem nunquid poenitentem that is we read and reuerence and do not go about to reuerse the heauenly sentence of the Lord when he saith I will denie him that denieth me But doth he any where or at any time say he wil deny him that repenteth of his sinnes from the bottome of his heart Or doth he allow any to q Rom. 14 4. iudge another mans seruaunt which standeth or falleth to his owne Maister This is it which maketh the Church Triumph in the experience and feeling of Gods Fauour and Mercie Micah 7 8 9. Reioyce not against mee O mine enemy though I fall I shall arise When I shall sit in darkenesse the Lorde will be a light vnto me For as the righteousnes of the righteous r Ezek. 18 21 24. man shal not deliuer him in the day of his transgression so the wickednes of the wicked man shal not hurt him whensoeuer he turneth froÌ„ his iniquity Such is the care of God ouer the sheep of his pasture his loue toward theÌ„ that he denounceth a fearful wâ— against the shepherds of Israel that feed Å¿ Ezek. 34. 4. themselus not the flock he chargeth them that they did eate the fat and clothed themselues with the wooll but the weak they haue not strengthned the sicke they haue not healed neither haue they bound vp the broken nor brought againe that which was driuen away neither haue they sought that which was lost but with rigour and cruelty haue they ruled them Ezek 34. To conclude this point our Sauiour sheweth that when a man hauing an hundred Sheepe hath lost one of them he leaueth ninety and nine in the Wildernesse and goeth after that which is gone astray vntill he finde it u Luke 15 4 7 10. and then Hee layeth it on his shoulders with ioy and carrieth it home to the sheepefold I say vnto you that ioy shall be in heauen euen in the presence of the Angelles of God for one sinner that conuerteth Seeing then the Lord Iesus who is the LORD of life teacheth in the Gospell that there is so great ioy in Heauen for a penitent sinner x Cypri lib. 2. epist 12. how great ioy ought there to be on earth when wee see the kingdome of God enlarged and a fellow member pulled out of the iawes of Satan whom he had holden captiue and taken as a prey to deuoure and destroy for euer It is the end of Christs comming y Luke 19 10. To seeke and to saue that which was lost Luke 19 10. And seeing our gracious God is so ready to remit offences done against him who are we and of what matter or mettall are we made that are so hard-hearted and stif-necked and implacable against our Bretheren Wee are taught to aske forgiuenesse z Math. 6 11 and 18 35. as we Forgiue and in the Parable of the miserable and mercilesse seruant propounded Math. 18. Who being forgiuen ten thousand Talents refused to forgiue his fellow an hundred pence was deliuered to the Tormentors till he should pay all that was due to his Lord We are taught that in like manner shall our heauenly Father do vnto vs except we forgiue from our hearts each one to his Brother their Trespasses This Doctrine doth the Apostle publish at large in this Epistle crauing pardon at the hands of Philemon for his penitent and prostrate seruant not doubting but as God had forgiuen him and giuen him repentance so hee also for his part would remit the trespasse and iniury done vnto himselfe Thus wee see what to iudge of these Nouatians a Aug. de haeres cap. 38. who are indeede the true Puritans and contrary to the whole course of the Scriptures deny repentance and reconciliation to such men as after baptisme through infirmity and force of persecution and feare of daunger doe yeeld so farre as to deny the faith We haue a noble example of Gods notable compassion toward such as offend of frailty and weaknesse in Peter who was receiued to mercy and Christ would neuer haue saide b Math. 18 18 Whatsoeuer ye loose on earth shall be loosed in heauen if such persons as repent were altogether to bee barred out of the bosom of the Church Can these proud spirites then be the Disciples of Christ c Danae de haeres page 97. that are harder and straiter laced then their maister Thus they frustrate true repentance take away all admonitions both publick priuat which are of great force to reclaime and recouer a sinner The third and last point remaineth For as we haue considered the person that writeth this Epistle and the person
to whom it is written so we are d The person for whom this Epistle is written to marke the person for whom it is written to wit for Onesimus a seruant a fugitiue seruant a false seruant a fraudulent seruant A base and meane subiect for the Apostle to handle howbeit penned in so high and heauenly a manner and contriued with such exquisit Art and excellent Iudgement that it ouer-reacheth the meannesse of the matter and leaueth no excuse that Philemon could alledge to wind himself from him and manifesteth the speciall care that Paul had of this poore penitent person It is recorded of e In the works of Maister Greenham M. Fox of blessed Memory when one told him that a certain man of none of the greatest or highest callings who had receiued much comfort from him in the dayes of his trouble was desirous to acknowledge his thankefulnesse toward him and asked him whether he remembred such a one He answered I remember him well I tell you I forget Lords and Ladies to remember such Many there are that are ashamed of such as are of low degree whom notwithstanding God loueth for whom the Sauior of the world died and to whom the word of saluation is preached When the Church was in Abrahams house it consisted not onely of such e Gen. 17 12. as were borne in his house but of such also as were bought with his money of any stranger that was not of his seed and when the Lord gaue vnto him the seale of his Couenant he commanded him to circumcise not only himselfe and his sonne his Steward and the cheefest partes of his family but euery male euen the least and lowest that lodged vnder his roofe As then the Wise-man saith in the Prouerbes f Prou. 17. 5. Hee that mocketh the poore reproacheth him that made him so he that despiseth a seruant because he is a seruant dishonoreth God that made him a seruant Hence it is that the g Titus 3 9 10 Apostle chargeth such to be subiect to their Maisters and please them in all things not answering againe neither pickers but that they shew al faithfulnesse that they may adorne the Doctrine of God our Sauiour in al things They are therefore through pride and disdaine not a little deceiued but wander wide out of the way that thinke religion commeth not downe so low as vnto seruants that Gods prouidence vouchsafeth not to respect them that it booteth not to giue them any instruction True it is God hath established by his owne ordinance a difference betweene the Mayster and the Seruant as our Sauiour sheweth Luke 17. h Luke 17 7 8 Who is it also of you that hauing a seruant ploughing or feeding Cattle woulde say vnto him by and by when he were come from the field Go and sit downe at table And would not rather say vnto him Dresse wherewith I may sup and gird thy self and serue me til I haue eaten and drunken and afterward eat thou drink thou c. The Gospell doth not abolish the distinction betweene man and man betweene high and low betweene Maister and Seruant yea when they are al beleeuers as is plentifully handled in this Commentary howbeit the writ of partition is not so great nor the wall of separation so farre distant betweene them wee should thinke the Lorde careth for the one and contemneth the other who made them both preserueth them both redeemed them both sanctifieth them both and will glorifie them both This did Iob wisely i Iob 31 13. consider Chap. 31. If I did contemn the iudgement of my seruant of my Maid when he did contend with me what then shal I do when God standeth vp And when he shal visit me what shal I answere He that hath made me in the womb hath he not made him Hath not he alone fashioned vs in the womb The Heathen that saw nothing but by looking through the windowes of nature themselues being meerely naturall men tooke vppon them their iust and lawfull defence and pleaded for them at the bar of reason when they were vsed oftentimes no otherwise then the Beasts and Cattle that Master and seruant had k Macrob. lib. 1 Saturn cap. 11. one the same beginning were norished with the same Elements did draw in the same aire did tread vpon the same ground and returned in the end into the same earth Yea their plea for them went a great deale farther Though they are bondmen yet they are men albeit they are seruants yet they are our fellow-seruants He is indeed become a seruant but it is through necessity A Seruant in bodie but a Free-man in minde And peraduentuee the Maister himselfe that ruleth ouer him may be more slauish then he He that is a Drudge or seruant to his owne lusts to Wrath to Enuy to Couetousnesse to Ambition l Cicer parad 5. is a right seruant obeying most foule and filthy Masters and none a baser Bondman then such a one He is a true Maister and a right Free-man that hath learned m Plut. desuperstitione to rule ouer his owne affections such a man is stronger then he that ruleth a Citty The other are seruants against their willes but these serue and obey as most vile vassals willingly neither do they desire freedome We are not to esteeme of men by their estate or as we say commonly by their fortunes but by their manners We may alter our maners n Sene. Trag. in Traad our condition we cannot alwayes He is no great wise man that purposing to buy an horse looketh not vpon him but contenteth himselfe to view onely the Bridle and Saddle so is he as simple and shallow which iudgeth of a man by putting on a gay coat or by the wearing of a precious garment or by the condition of his outwarde person and not by the inward Guiftes and Ornaments of the minde Abigaile is renowned for a Woman q 1 Sam. 25 3. of singular wisedome and that worthily yet she disdained not the counsel of her seruants Naaman was Captaine of the King of Aram yet he refused not the aduise of his attendants that waited vpon him These persons iudged it to be no disgrace or disparagement to their high calling nor any sawcinesse in their seruants to presume to teach them and tell them their duty nay without guiding themselues by them and following their direction the one had beene exposed to miserable slaughter the other had returned in the vncleannesse of his leprosie whereas by this meanes the one was preserued the other was cleansed It is therefore an vntrue and vnsauourie Prouerbe that r A wicked and witlesse Prouerbe A man keepeth in his house so manie enemies as seruants for we haue them not enemies but we make them so when we behaue our selues toward them tyrannously cruelly contumeliously spightfully outragiously Å¿ Macr. Satur. lib. 1. cap. 11. doing against them so much as
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 Iesus Christ The persecutions of all true Christians which are imprisoned for Christs sake are the persecutions and must bee esteemed as the persecutions of Christ himselfe This Apostle writing to the Philippians and mentioning his Chaines p Phil. 1 13. calleth them his Bands in Christ. And in the Epistle to the Colossians he saith q Col. 1 24. Now reioyce I in my sufferings for you and fulfill the rest of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his bodies sake which is the Church Heere hee calleth the afflictions which he in his body suffered the afflictions of Christ So he exhorteth Timothy not to be ashamed r 2 Tim. 1 8. of the testimony of our Lord nor of him being his Prisoner but to bee partaker of the afflictions of the Gospell according to the power of God All these testimonies doe teach vs that all such afflictions as are occasioned through the Gospell and brought vpon the godly for righteousnesse sake are not onely to bee called their afflictions but the afflictions of Christ Iesus for whose cause they come vpon them Reason 1. The reasons hereof are plaine and euident For first they are sustained for his names sake and therefore may fitly be called his If then we endure them for his cause and for the witnesse of the Gospell whereof hee is the matter and Author he is the occasion of their trouble and therefore they are to bee accounted his He must needes be a party with vs for whose cause and occasion we are troubled A man of any humanity and naturall affection will make himselfe a Companion in tribulation with him who is punished or troubled for his debt and offence When Abiathar came to Dauid and told him how that his Father and his Fathers house were slaine for succouring of Dauid ſ 1 Sam. 22 12 he presently tooke to himselfe saying I am the cause of the death of all the persons of thy Fathers House abide thou with me and feare not for he that seeketh my life shall seeke thy life also for with me thou shalt be in safegard The truth of this reason is set downe by the Prophet when he saith t Psal 44 22. Surely for thy sake are we slaine continually and are counted as Sheepe for the slaughter Hereunto the Apostle alludeth u Rom. 8 36. and concludeth the reason in the Epistle to the Romans Cha. 8. Who shall separate vs from the loue of Christ Shall tribulation or anguish or persecution or famine or nakednesse or perrill or sword As it it written For thy sake are we killed and are counted as Sheepe for the slaughter Seeing then afflictions are sustained for Christs cause whose shall they bee better accounted then his Reason 2. Secondly there is a neerer coniunction betweene Christ and his members so that we are made flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones If then we bee made one with Christ x Ephe. 5 30. euen members Of his body of his flesh and of his bones the afflictions that are ours must needes be made his the persecutions that are ours must needes be made his the persecutions that are ours are his persecutions our imprisonment is his imprisonment For they that are faithfull are the body of Christ and hee their head so that they with him make but one Christ Hence it is that the Church which is the company of true beleeuers y 1 Cor. 12 12 is called by the name of Christ If any member suffer the head suffereth with it as wel as the members there is such a sympathy feeling between thē so is it betweene Christ and his Church their greefe is his greefe their sorrow is his sorrow their trouble is his trouble This reason is included in the words of the Apostle writing to the Colossians when he saith I fulfill the rest of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body sake which is his Church Vse 1. Let vs come to consider the vses First see heere what Christ accounteth of the sufferings of his Seruants Hee accounteth whatsoeuer is doone to them that are faithfull a◅ done vnto himselfe whether it bee good or euill whether it be comfort and consolation or trouble and persecution True it is Christ Iesus is ascended into the heauens and sitteth at the right hand of his Father so that he can suffer no more he can dye no more yet now hee suffereth in his members that confesse his name and reioyceth in his members that praise his name when they are troubled hee is troubled and when they are comforted he is comforted And first touching afflictions all such as offer wrong and iniury to the Saintes doe offer wrong and iniury to Christ himselfe This appeareth in the words of Christ to Saul who had obtained letters from the High-Priests to put in prison those that called on his name saying to him z Acts 9 4. Saul Saul why persecutest thou me He might haue said why persecutest thou my Saints Why bringest thou them bound to Ierusalem But to enforce his reproofe he telleth him with whom he hath to deale and to whom the iniury and indignity is offered to wit to Christ A notable lesson for all persecuters to ponder vpon and carefully to remember Whensoeuer they take crafty and wicked counsell against the Children of God and they are plotting and contriuing any mischiefe against them when they whet their tongues or draw their Swordes or busie their heads or set a worke their hearts to ouerthrow and destroy them let them by and by consider that Christ calleth vnto them from Heauen with a reuenging voyce Why persecutest thou me If this voyce of Christ were alwaies sounding in their eares and entring into theyr hearts and piercing their consciences it would represse their rage and asswage their mallice intended against the people of God If any man among vs that liueth in the Church were asked the question whether he would persecute Christ in his person imprison him reuile him wrong him afflict him and put him to death if he liued vpon the face of the earth he would bee ready to aunswere God forbid and to defie him that should offer to charge him with it he would aunswere hee looketh for saluation from him and meaneth not to contriue the destruction of him yea he would be ready to say with Hazaell what Is thy Seruant a Dogge that I should doe this great thing 2. Kinges 8. 13. But let vs not deceiue in our selues in vaine wordes that cannot profite whatsoeuer is wrought against the Seruant redowneth to the reproach and contempt of the Maister and Christ will be reuenged of the afflictions layde vpon the least and poorest member that belongeth to his body as if they were infflicted vpon his owne person Hence it is that the Euangelist describing the forme and manner of his last iudgement when Christ shall breake the heauens and come to iudge the quicke and the dead
He sent them out two and two before him into euery Citty and place whither he himselfe should come So then there is more profit in a life that hath a fellow then when all thinges are done alone in the earnestnesse of the labour the works shall haue more force their strength is encreased their courage is kindled by mutuall exhorting and cheering vp one of another and by the mutuall example that one giueth to another Reason 2. Secondly in perill and danger if one fall or be ouercome hee hath by his fellow a fitter remedy against al the changes and aduentures of this life When a man doth take a iourney into a farre place it falleth out oftentimes that hee commeth into some great danger out of which he is neuer able to ridde himselfe and therefore wo to him that is alone This is more dangerous in the matters of the soule if a man fall into sinne and haue no man to pull him out of the pit into which he is fallen In bodily falles it is accounted childish and sottish to fall and not to rise againe to stumble and to lie still in the myre and therefore hee hasteth to rise before any man know of his fall But in spirituall falles which are more common and more dangerous the case is far otherwise For he that falleth into sinne is scarce euer lifted vp and set on his feete vnlesse by the exhortations admonitions and reproofes of others he be restored and recouered This we see in the examples of Dauid Hezekiah and sundry others who continued in their sinnes vntill the Prophets of God came and spake vnto them in the name of the Lord. This is the reason that Salomon vseth to commend the sociable life aboue the solitary d Eccle. 4 10 12. For if they fall the one will lift vp his fellow and if one ouercome him two shall stand against him and a three-fold cord is not easily broken Seeing therefore the recompence of labour is better of two then of one and the daunger of falling is lesser in one that hath his fellow with him in both respectes wee see that the helpe of others especially of the faithfull is very necessary and profitable to all things belonging vnto vs. Vse 1. The Vses are now in the next place to be obserued and marked First this teacheth vs that in all occasions and aduentures of our life both in prosperity and aduersity we should vse and seeke the helpe one of another We say commonly that two eyes see more then one and three more then two Two hands are better to worke withall then one Two heads are better then one and three better then two to contriue any thing Man is by Nature sociable and loueth the company and fellowship of others e Arist. polit lib. 1. cap. 2. Cicer. de finib lib. 2. more then other Creatures that fly together and flocke together The Philosophers could say that such as leaue the society of men and betake themselues to a solitary life are eyther a God or a Beast Experience doth teach vs that all of vs doe stand in need of the help of another the high of such as are low the rich of such as are poore so as we are bound together by common fellowship as by a strong band and one of vs cannot be without another Let no man therefore despise his Brother neyther let the head say to the foote I haue no need of thee The Lyon which is accounted as the King of all the Beasts of the Forrest may want the helpe of the seely Mouse Let vs set no man at naught be he neuer so seely and simple All humaine things are vncertaine and vnstable and are turned as with a swift wheele Let vs therefore maintaine peace and concord one with another that when we want the comfort and counsel the aide and assistance one of another we may not be to seeke of them but haue them at hand Smal things are increased by concord great reuennues are diminished and large possessions decayed by discord A bundle of stickes taken together are not easily broken but being seuered one from the other they are quickly pulled in pieces without any great pains or pollicy An army of men so long as they incamp together and march together e 2 Sam. 10 9 10 11. are not easily subdued but one serueth to strengthen another but if they goe stragling and forraging out of order if they fall to the prey and pillage euery one prouiding for himselfe it falleth out oftentimes that the Conquerors haue beene conquered and ouercome And as there is great vse and benefit in the company and society one of another in regard of earthly and temporall things so is there greater profit of it in regard of spirituall things We haue need to be instructed and comforted to be admonished and aduised one of another We want daily the daily praiers one of another to commend our selues and our Brethren to God The Apostle Iames saith f Iam. 5 13 14 Is any among you afflicted let him pray Is any merry let him sing Is any sicke among you let him call for the Elders of the Church and let them pray for him and the prayer of faith shall saue the sicke and the Lord shall raise him vp So the Apostle Heb. 13. stirreth vp the Hebrewes to this duty g Hebr. 13 19 Pray for vs for we are assured that we haue a good conscience in all things desiring to liue honestly and I desire you somewhat the more earnestly that ye so doe that I may be restored to you more quickly We want oftentimes nay at all times the prayers one of another and we must continually be ready to help one another and mindfull of the welfare of the whole Church This condemneth and reprooueth the solitary and Monkish life of those that abhorre and abiure the fellowship and familiarity of men and like the wilde Asse delight in no place but in the Wildernesse as if it were a worke of merit to liue alone out of the company of others These men glory that they are the light and salt of the world yet they hate the light and hide themselues in their dens as it were in darkenesse vnder a colour forsooth least they gather contagion and corruption from the base vulgar But as the Gentiles teach by the light of nature h Cicer. de offic lib. 1. that we are not born for our selues alone so is it their duty rather to come abroad to enlighten others with the light which they make boast of and to season the vnsauory and vnseasoned and vnsanctified manners of the people which they complaine of Doth any man light a Candle i Mat. 5 14 15 Marke 4 21. Luke 8 16 11 33. to couer it vnder a Bushel to hide it vnder a Bed or to put it in a priuy place But he setteth it in a Candlesticke placeth it on a table that it may
giue light to al that are in the house And what vse is there of the Salt vnlesse application bee made of it to the meate that it may be kept from putrifaction Away therefore with this Monkish life out of the Church which standeth neither with the ordinance of God nor the society of man and let vs maintain concord and company one with another not forsaking the fellowship as the maner of some is but remembring that God hath said It is not good for man to be alone and that two are better then one Vse 2. Secondly this teacheth vs to maintaine the publike meetinges and assemblies of the Saints and to magnifie the Lords Sabbaoths when all the Church ioyne in prayers prayses and other exercises of our Christian Religion making euen k 1 Kin. 1 40. Heauen and Earth to ring with the sound of their thanksgiuings and consents in the Doctrines of Faith and fruits of their obedience For seeing the doctrine we haue in hand teacheth that the company of others chiefly of the faithfull is very auaileable to helpe vs forward and to further vs in all good duties wee learne the excellent vse of all Church-meetings where with one mind and with one mouth we glorifie God the father in Iesus Christ Surely l Bab. on Exo. Chap. 25. as many stickes make a greater fire and many strings a fuller Musick so is the meeting of many in the Church to pray to God together to heare the word together to receiue the Sacraments together to sing the prayses of God together it is a fire that casteth abroad a great heat and an harmony passing pleasing in the eares of the Lord. Now the more gracious these meetings are the greater is their sinne that breake off this fellowship of the Saints and dissolue the people of God which came m Psal 110 3 willingly together at the time of mustring together his Army in perfect beauty Now the Standard seemeth pulled downe and the Campe to be broken vp and the people disperced and scattered as Sheepe without their Shepheards wandring heere and there as it were vpon the Mountaines to seeke pasture to saue their liues It is noted in the holy History that a great Famine was sent vpon Samaria when the Prophets were destroyed n 1 King 18 5 So that they sought for the Fountaines of Waters and the streames of the Riuers if so bee they might finde to saue the Horses and the Mules aliue least the Land were vtterly depriued of them The word of God groweth precious in our daies and the people that hunger after the Bread of life are constrained to goe from place to place to sustaine themselues This made the Prophet to cry out o Psa 84 1 2. O Lord of Hoasts how amiable are thy Tabernacles my soule longeth yea fainteth for the Courts of the Lord for my heart and my flesh reioyce in the liuing God This serueth to reprooue those that shew no loue or liking to Church-meetings that despise the grace of God offered vnto them and preferre any assemblies in the World and of worldly and wicked men before the assemblies of the Church These men if they be asked say they hope to be saued but they will not vse the meanes of their saluation they looke to come into the Kingdome of Heauen but they regard not the way and path that leadeth vnto it they will needs be of God but they will not heare the word of God p Iohn 8 47. and therefore we may truely conclude that because they heare it not they cannot be of God Vse 3. Lastly we must not content our selues or thinke it sufficient to pray vnto God or to praise him alone in the Closset of our house or of our heart or in the company of our Family when we should doe our duties to God publikely and ioyne with the rest of the Congregation Christ Iesus himselfe repaired to the Temple q Luke 2 42. at the set times of Gods worship so did the faithfull in all ages of the Church they were terrified neyther by the coldnesse of the weather r Psal 84 6 7. nor by the greatnesse of the heat nor by the length of the iourney nor by the costlinesse of the worship but had the greatest solace and chiefest delight in those holy meetings Å¿ Mat. 18 20. Gen. 28 17. where is the presence of God the ioy of the godly the gate of heauen Hence it is that the Prophet saith Blessed are they that dwell in thine house they will euer praise thee a day in thy Courts is better then a thousand other where I had rather be a doore-keeper in the house of my God then to dwell in the Tabernacles of wickednesse Psal 84 5 10. True it is we are commaunded to make priuate prayers and to poure out the secret Meditations of our hearts before the Lord but when wee ought to assemble with our Bretheren in one place and frequent the meetings of the Church God will not heare vs nor accept vs if we refuse such solemne meetings although wee priuately call vpon him in our houses They that come sildome to publique Prayers doe also most sildome vse priuate prayers And such as enter into their Chamber when they haue shut the doore do pray vnto their Father which is in secret will make conscience to enter into the Lords Courts and to pray vnto him with the rest of the faithfull For if God promise his presence where two or three are gathered together in the Name of God much more will his eares be ready to heare vs and his mouth open to answere vs and his hands stretched out to help vs when we shall ioyne together with the rest of our Brethren as one man to call vpon him See then the difference between the godly and vngodly The Children of God haue desired nothing more then to abide and continue in the house the Lord all the daies of their life as the Prophet maketh known his t Psal 27 4. 42 1 2. 137 1. request Psa 27. One thing haue I desired of the Lord that I will require euen that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the daies of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to visite his Temple And nothing hath more troubled and disquieted them then when they haue been constrained to goe from the house of God and beene banished from the exercises of their Religion This wee see in the example of the Iewes carried into captiuity By the Waters of Babell we sate and there we wept when wee remembred Sion But the vngodly are neuer more merry nor better contented then when they are out of the Church nor neuer more heauy and discontented then when they are in the house of God They thinke euery houre seauen They count euery Sabbaoth the losse of a day and no time worse spent then that which is spent in the seruice of
themselues toward them with meeknesse of Spirit and by patient waiting for a blessing from God The Water by often dropping pierceth the hard Stone the earth by continuall touching weareth the Tough Iron and what is it that length of time doth not alter The Apostle Peter z 1 Pet. 3 1 2. exhorteth Wiues to be subiect to their husbands that euen they which obey not the word may without the word be woon by the conuersation of their Wiues while they beholde their pure conuersation which is with feare Likewise Paule perswading the beleeuing Wife to dwell with the vnbeleeuing Husband and not to depart from him giueth this reason a 1 Cor. 7 16. What knowest thou ô Wife whether thou shalt saue thine Husband Seeing therefore they may bee effectuall meanes to saue the Soules of their Husbands and to winne them without the word and so gaine them a good report and a sweete Name in the Church they must consider that it belongeth vnto them to be helpers vnto their Husbands Reason 2. Secondly she is his yoake-fellow and ought to draw with him in an eeuen and equall course to make her obedience to him easie and cheerefull in the Lord. The Oxen that draw in a yoake together are an ease of the worke and burthen one to another Such a paire of yoake-fellowes were Abraham and Sara Isaac and Rebecca b Luke 1 6. Zachary and Elizabeth and sundry others The man and Wife are as the two eyes in the head or as the two feete in the Body The two eyes if they goe together and looke both one way bee it vpward or downeward bee it to the right hand or to the left hand all is well and comly in the face but if they be seuered and the one look one away the other another way what a blot and blemish is it to the face The two feete if they walke together and one step doe follow another they become the body well and one furthereth another but if one step one way and another step another way there is no agreement in the body So the man and the woman being made to draw in one yoke being as the two eies the two handes the two feete in the body working together and helping one another should neuer be seuered and diuided to crosse one another to reproach one another to shame or depart one from another This piety and honesty God and Nature doth teach vs to practise Vse 1. Let vs see what are the vses of this doctrine First seeing the Woman is made by the Law of her Creation to be an helper we learne that a good and Christian Wife that is wise and godly encouraging her Husband and stirring him vp to godlinesse is a great blessing of God If shee finde her Husband backward and vntoward cold and carelesse in good thinges shee will labour wisely to bring him on and to conceiue a liking of them that before distasted with him If shee perceiue him forward shee will endeuour to make him yet more forward If she finde a sparke she will striue to kindle the Coales and make it flame out to the comfort of many other If she see him wauer and waxe faint she will neuer cease vntill she haue strengthned and sustained him If she find a good beginning she will further it by a timely proceeding and a conscionable perseuering vnto the end It is a worthy saying set downe by Salomon c Pro. 18 22. and 19. He that findeth a Wife findeth a good thing and receiueth fauour of the Lord. And in another place House and Riches are the inheritance of the Fathers but a prudent Wife commeth of the Lord. He is blessed of God that hath such a portion She bringeth a blessing to his person to his Children to his Family to the meanes of his maintenance and to his whole estate She will seeke to better his estate howsoeuer she find it both with God and the world in heauenly thinges and in earthly This reproueth such as destroy or hinder his estate impouerish him decay him or vndoe him whether by dainty and delicate fare or by gay and gorgeous apparrell by costly and sumptuous furniture by feasting or idlenesse by carelesnesse and negligence or by any vanity whatsoeuer A wise Woman saith the d Prou. 14 1. Wise man buildeth vp her house but the foolish destroyeth it with her owne hand Secondly it reprooueth such Wiues as are vncomfortable and vncheerefull much more such as are bitter and reprochfull to their Husbands such as Micholl was to Dauid Of such Salomon saith e Prou. 19 13. A foolish Sonne is the calamity of his Father and the contentions of a Wife are like a continuall dropping Where he compareth the braulings and chidings of a Woman to the couer of an house which is so broken that when it raineth the Water droppeth in vpon the Planckes and Wals and rotteth the Timber of the house so that in short time it is very ruinous and ready to fall So when Women are giuen to contention and brauling they are the cause of great mischiefe and destruction to the whole family Ciuill wars were alwaies held among the Heathen most dangerous but the iars that are at home and made within the Walles of the house are as noysome and grieuous and doe threaten the ruine thereof Euery bitter word is as a shower of raine that falleth into the House This maketh many Husbands ill husbands and causeth them to delight any where rather then where they should delight to be and to desire any company rather then to be with the Companion of his life which he ought to desire An house thus diuided cannot stand long albeit for a time it may continue Vse 2. Secondly it serueth as a notable direction for godly Women in regard of the honourable Name and Title of an helper giuen vnto them to teach them to watch all occasions and waite all opportunities offered them to doe good and not to slacke them It is a great point of wisedome to take the occasion and there is a fit time for euery purpose vnder the Heauens Hence it is that the Apostle chargeth f 1 Cor. 7 20. euery one to abide in his calling when he speaketh of the Womans winning of her Husband And we haue a notable example hereof in the behauiour of Abigail toward Naball a wise woman toward a churlish and drunken Husband g 1 Sam. 25 36 when she saw euill ready to come vpon her and her Husband and the whole Family yet shee told him nothing neyther more nor lesse vntill the morning arose because he was drunken and so had no reason to consider or to conceiue what she had done for their deliuerance but in the morning when he had slept out his drunkennesse and the wine was gone out of Naball then she told him and set before him the wickednesse of his heart the purpose of Dauid the danger of death and the working
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
to the Hebrews exhorteth theÌ„ e Heb. 13 17. To obey them that haue the ouer-sight of them and to submit themselues because they watch for their soules as they that must giue accounts that they may doe it with ioy and not with griefe for that is vnprofitable for them Secondly it teacheth them to account them worthy of their hire and wages to esteeme them worthy of double honor It is a grieuous and a f Iam 5 4. crying sin to keep back the labourers wages to diminish it to grudge at it and to take it to theÌ„selues and it calleth for vengeance entreth into the eares of the Lord of hosts The Ministers are the Lords labourers and workmen hired to labour in this Vineyard to sow to plant to water to prune to dig he hath appointed to them their portion for their maintenance if this therefore be detained from them by In-iustice it cryeth vnto God and bringeth oftentimes his curse vpon vs both in spirituall and temporall thinges In spirituall thinges because he dealeth with vs in heauenly thinges as wee deale with his Ministers in earthly thinges If we detaine from them their maintenance hee will detaine from vs his blessing If we be sparing in giuing them their hire he also will be sparing in bestowing vpon them his graces As we sow so we shall reape In temporall things because God promiseth a blessing to such as pay the Lord his due and threatneth to cursse them that spoile him in his Tithes and offerings This we see in the Prophet Malachi c Mal. 3 8 9 10. where God complaineth of their spoiling and defrauding of him he saith Yee are curssed with a cursse for ye haue spoiled me euen this whole Nation bring ye all the tithes into the Store-house that there may be meate in mine House and prooue mee now heere with saith the Lord of Hoastes if I will not open the Windowes of Heauen vnto you and poure you out a blessing without measure If then wee desire the blessings of God to come vppon vs in spirituall graces or in earthly thinges wee ought not to with-hold the Labourers wages that plough vp our fallow groundes and Till our barren hearts It is a worthy exhortation which the Apostle giueth to the Church of the Thessalonians touching their Ministers d 1 Thes 5 12 We beseech you Brethren that ye acknowledge them which labour among you and are ouer you in the Lord and admonish you that yee haue them in singular loue for their workes sake For seeing the true Pastours of Christ bestowe their labour among vs and consume themselues as the Candle to giue light to others wee ought to shew the bowels of loue and compassion toward them wee ought not to bee wanting vnto them in the fruites of our loue And to the Church that is in thine House c. Hitherto wee haue handled the third person written to namely Archippus together with the description of him to be a Souldier of Christ and a Fellowe-Souldier with the Apostle Now wee are to proceede to the fourth and last which yet remaineth which is a ioyning of many persons together for hee addeth to the former The Church which is in thine House He adorneth the Household and Family of Philemon with the Honourable and renowned Title of a Church This serueth to commend as well Philemon the Maister who had instructed his Family in the Doctrine of godlinesse as also the Houshold it selfe which had beene taught and trained vp by him We see heere a priuate House is called a Church For seeing where two or three are gathered together in the name of Christ e Math. 18 20 he is there in the midst of them euery assembly or meeting of the Saints is called not vnfitly by that Name Philemon to his perpetuall commendation had by his care and industry made of his house a little Church instructing guiding gouerning framing and ordering them in the knowledge and feare of God Doct. 8. It is the duty of all householders to teach their Families We learne from hence that all Housholders ought to prepare instruct and order their Families in the knowledge of God and obedience of godlinesse that the house of the Maister may be the Church of God And that it is the duty of all such as haue the gouernment and ouersight of others to see theÌ„ taught and instructed in the waies of God it appeareth by many precepts and examples set forth vnto vs in the Scriptures This is it which Moses gaue in charge to the Israelites f Deut. 6 8 11 19. and 4 10 11. Ye shall lay vp these my words in your harts and in your soule and binde them for a signe vpon your hand that they may be as a frontlet betweene your eies And ye shall teach them your Children speaking of them when thou fittest in thine house and when thou walkest by the way and when thou lyest downe and when thou risest vp So the Prophet speaking of the great workes of God wrought for the safety of his people the ouerthrow of their enemies declareth g Psal 78 4 5 6. How he establed a testimony in Iacob and ordained a Law in Israell which he commaunded our Fathers that they should teach their Children that the posterity might know it and the Children which should be borne should stand vp and declare it to their Children that they might set their hope on God and not forget the workes of God but keepe his Commaundements This it is which Salomon speaketh Prouer. 22. 6. d Pro. 22 6. Teach a child in the Trade of his way and when he is old he shall not depart from it Heereunto also agreeth the saying of the Apostle e Ephe. 6 4. Ye Fathers prouoke not your Children to wrath but bring them vp in instruction and information of the Lorde Now as we haue seene sundry precepts pressing vs to the performance of this dutie so wee haue many examples of the godly that haue put it in practise and gone before vs in their obedience Abraham the Father of the faithfull is commended of God for his care and conscience this way Gene. 18. 19. where he saith f Gen. 18 19. I know him that he will commaund his Sonnes and his houshold after him that they keepe the way of the Lorde to doe righteousnesse and iudgement Iob is reported to haue sanctified his Children when the daies of their banqueting were gone about g Iob 1. 5. Hee rose vp early in the Morning and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all Cornelius a Captaine of the Italian band feared h Act. 10 2. â—od with all his Houshold The Parents of Timothy his Grand-mother and Mother brought him vp in the knowledge of the Scriptures of a Child i 2 Tim. 1 5. and 3 15. Which are able to make vs wife vnto saluation through the Faith which is in Christ
Let them know therefore that they must render a greater account then of teaching them to vtter and pronounce the wordes they must cause them to vnderstand them they must sow the Seedes of Christian Religion in their hearts they must instruct them with all diligence they must exhort them with all earnestnesse they must charge them to feare God and to walk in his waies that so their children may be made Gods Children and so giue them to him againe of whom and by whose blessing at the first they receiued them Vse 2. Secondly seeing all Housholders must teach their families it is their duty first of all to reforme themselues that so their people may be reformed They that are the chiefe in the Family must looke vnto themselues and goe in and out before them by good example that so they may the better looke vnto those that are vnder them It is a Testimony of our great loue toward them and an earnest desire to win them to the truth and to embrace true godlinesse when we seek to saue their soules He that loueth the soule t Plutar. in Alcibia loueth truely for the foule is the principall part of man They therefore that are carelesse in training vp their children in religion cannot assure themselues that they bear any true loue vnto them Let them shew neuer so much comfort compassion to their bodies yet all their mercies are cruell so long as they neglect the chiefest care that ought to be in them toward their soules We may iudge thē to be more inhumaine and vnnaturall euen more then sauage beasts who not onely by neglect of teaching their Children the feare of the Lord but by corrupt example of liuing do lead them into euill and so murther their soules For how many children in stead of good education and godly instruction do heare their Fathers delight in swearing doe see them deale deceitfully and vniustly and walke in euerie euill way If wee should beholde a man killing his owne children and laying violent hands vpon his owne flesh if wee should see him destroy his posterity and shed the innocent blood of those that came out of his owne loines who would not accuse and condemne him of vnnatural murther and barbarous cruelty But there are many many thousand Fathers in the world that are the Murtherers and Butchers yea the death and destruction of their owne Issue They gaue them life but they are the causes of their death They gaue them a temporall being but they bring them to eternall condemnation They should direct them in the right way to Heauen but they leade them into the pathes of sinne and so thrust them downe to Hell with their owne handes For so long as we teach them not to honour God but to dishonour him and regard not whether they know Christ Iesus or not but are patternes and presidents vnto them of all prophanenesse wee are guilty of their blood and are worse then those that take away their naturall life and shall one day holde vp our hand at the barre of Gods Iudgement to bee arraigned for it For they onelie kill the bodie and when they haue done can do no more but we cast away and spill the Soules of our Children which is the greatest rigour the vilest murther and the extreamest crueltie in the world If therefore we would be cleere and pure from the bloud of our children let vs traine them vp in godlinesse and take heed to our selues reforming our owne waies and endeuouring to bee examples vnto them in all holinesse and true righteousnesse This is it which Ioshua u Iosh 24 15. professeth in his exhortation that he maketh to the people that they would with full purpose of heart cleaue vnto the Lord. Ioshua 24. 15. If it seeme euill vnto you to serue the Lorde chuse you this day whom you will serue whether the Gods which your Fathers serued beyond the floud or the Gods of the Amorites in whose Land ye dwell but I and my house will serue the Lord. The like we see in the aunswere of Queene Ester to Mordecai when shee had exhorted to gather the Church together to Fasting and Prayer that God might be intreated to open a way for their deliuerance x Ester 4 16. she addeth I and my Maids will doe likewise A like practise we find in Dauid Psal 101. as he declareth that his eyes should bee vpon the faithfull of the Land that they may dwell with him and that such as are vpright should serue him so he professeth y Psa 101 2 3 He would walke in the vprightnesse of his heart in the middest of his house hee would set no wicked thing before his eies but hate the workes of them that fall away For well did Dauid know that if the Maister of the house were euill the Family ordinarily could not bee good and that the example of the highest it alleadged as a warrant to the lowest to follow It is great pitty that a Child should heare an euill word or see an euill deed they are so ready to imitate that which they heare and see Let vs therefore looke diligently to our selues what examples we lay before them Vse 3. Thirdly this doctrine directeth vs to haue in our priuate Familes the priuate exercises of Religion It is no small praise of the house of Philemon that he had so taught and instructed his Family that hee had the liuely Image and true representation of a Church in it discharging after a sort the duty of a Pastor within his owne walles So the Apostle Paule saluteth Aquila and Priscilla z Rom. 16 3 5 and 1 Cor. 16 19. and the Church that is in their house Euery Gouernour of an house and Maister of a Family must endeuour that his house-hold may deserue the Name of a Church He should be the speaker they the hearers he the Pastour they the flocke he the Minister they the people hee ready to instruct they ready to be instructed A priuate Family should be as a priuate schoole the Gouernour is the Maister of the Schoole euery one within his gouernment is a Scholler to learne of him This shall bee a singuler commendation vnto vs if we so order our seuerall charges and places of gouernment as that they may bee called rather Churches then priuate Families rather Schooles then Houses rather Temples of GOD then dwellings of men rather Tabernacles set vp to serue the Lord then buildings erected to serue our selues Now wee shall attaine to this praise and estimation among the faithfull if our houses doe resemble Churches by the practise of such exercises as are performed in it For the Maister is both a King and a Pastor within his owne house a King to rule and correct a Pastor to instruct and reprooue yea to remooue such as are obstinate and obdurate Let vs therefore all of vs set vp little Churches in our houses let vs vse in them prayer to God
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
their negligence as Eli did of the offences of his Children Hence it is that in the fourth Commaundement prescribing the time of Gods publike worship g Exod. 20 10 the Housholder is charged to haue care of his Son of his Daughter of his Seruant of his Stranger Iacob called for his people and assembled them together h Gene. 35 2. when he went to Bethell Dauid went with a great traine and company into the house as those that goe to a Feast when he saith i Psal 42 4. When I remembred these thinges I powred out my very heart because I had gone with the multitude and led them into the house of God with the voice of singing and praise as a multitude that keepeth a Feast Behold heere the godly deuotion of a religious heart as the Hart brayeth for the Riuers of Waters so his soule panted after God and his publike worship neither could he content himselfe to goe alone but it was his comfort and delight to leade others as it were by the hand with him that they might finde that sweetenesse in the word that hee found and be partakers of the benefit that hee reaped thereby Vse 5. Lastly seeing it is so necessary a duty to teach our Housholds we must acknowledge that it is as necessary for Children and Seruants to bee taught and instructed It should be therefore our care and desire to dwell and inhabite in such places and houses as that we may be trained vp in godlinesse and learn our duties to God and man It should bee our care and desire to place and bestow our Children with such persons as that they may be brought vp in the feare of God There is not one of those in our Families euen the lowest and meanest but of meate drinke cloathing or wages bee at any times denyed or detained from them they will thinke themselues wronged and misused and are ready to complaine of the iniury How much more if there were in them any care of their Soules or loue of the life to come would they mourn and lament when they are debarred and defrauded of this most necessary portion the knowledge of true Religion appointed by the Lord to be bestowed vpon them If a man be to take any Farme he will not doe it hand ouer head but he will know what Acres hee shall haue what arable ground what Meddow and what meanes of his maintenance but how many are there that seek to others for their seruice who neuer consider what instruction they shal haue or whether they be likely euer to hear of the Name of God There is no Man so simple in wit but if he put his Sonne to bee an Apprentize and his Maister within his yeares doe not teach him his occupation hee will and may iustlie thinke his Childe much misvsed what a wonderfull blindnesse and blockishnesse then doth it argue in them that care not where they put and with whom they place their Children so they learne their occupation they regard not whether they learne any Religion and neuer enquire whether their Maisters take any pains or not to teach them the precepts and instructions that belong to a Christian which of all callings vnder heauens is both the most honourable and in the end shall be acknowledged to bee most profitable Let vs therefore put out our Children to bee the Seruants of those that may learne them to be the Seruants of God Let vs so binde them to their Trade that we may be sure they may learne the Trade of Trades the Art of Arts the Mysterie of Mysteries that is Religion and Godlinesse If wee haue little to leaue our Children and small wealth to bequeath vnto them yet if we bring them vp to this Trade and binde them fast vnto it we shall leaue them a worthy and wealthy portion for all men must bee of this Trade We see how costly other Trades are and what a round summe must be giuen with our children to serue for them but we may k Esay 55 1 2. without cost and without Mony make our Children of this Trade which is the best and most gainefull of all others l 1 Tim. 6 6. For godlinesse saith the Apostle is not onely gaine but great gaine if a man bee contented with that he hath If thou haue not learned this gainefull and profitable Trade thou wilt be neuer but a Begger and a Bankerout for being destitute of this thou art without Grace without God without Heauen Thus much of this doctrine 3 Grace be with you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Iesus Christ The order of the words and the interpretation of the same Hitherto wee haue spoken of the first part of the Praeface of this Epistle touching the persons writing and written vnto Now we come to the second part to wit the prayers which he maketh which are of two sortes a salutation and a thanksgiuing the salutation is a greeting which the Apostle wisheth to all the persons before named wherein we are to consider two pointes first what blessings the Apostle desireth to be giuen vnto them Secondlie from whom he craueth them The blessings which he prayeth for are two namely Grace and Peace By Grace we must vnderstand the free fauour meer mercy and good will of God towards vs whereby he hath eternally vndeseruedly loued vs in Christ who are a people by nature not beloued but deseruing to be disgraced by him and hated of him The second blessing that he beggeth for them is peace whereby is meant all kind of benefits spirituall and temporall which flow vnto vs from this Fountaine and grow out of the root of grace and therefore ordinarily in other Epistles it is annexed vnto it Grace heere mnntioned is not any gift in vs but it is Gods and in God it is his gratious fauour free loue and good will whereby he is well pleased with his elect in and for Christ Peace is not any guift in God but in vs and is that holy vnity and blessed concord which is in the Kingdome of God among Gods Children this concord and agreement of Gods Children is a fruit and effect of grace Paraphr So then the meaning of the words is this We wish vnto you all the fauour of God in Christ and that concord which is propper to Gods Church and Children hauing peace with God with his holy Angels with his Church with your owne hearts with your enemies and with al his Creatures Secondly in this verse is set downe the cause the worker and author from whom these blessings come to wit the Father and Iesus Christ God the Father the Fountaine of them and Christ our Lord as the Cunduit pipe by whom they are carried and conueied vnto vs. Obiect But it may be obiected why is the holy Ghost left out why is not he named do not these guifts come from him as well as from the Father and the Son
couch together and practised by the Church and beleeuers u Actes 4 32. who are saide to be of one Soule and of one heart Fiftly we haue peace with our enemies who are charged not to touch the Lords annointed and to doe his Prophets no harme This is so farre verified as is expedient to set forth the glory of God to procure the safety of the godly and to represse the rage of the Reprobate Thus Ioseph was at peace with Pharaoh Obadiah with Ahab and Daniell with Nabucadnezzer Mordecai and the Iewes with Ahashuerosh and thus is the saying of the Wise-man verified x Pro. 16 7. When the waies of a Man please the Lord he will make also his enemies at peace with him Lastly we haue peace with the Beasts of the fielde the Foules of the Heauen and all the Creatures of God so that we shall find help and comfort from them y Hos 2 18. as we see in the Prophet God maketh a Couenant with them for his people Hos 2. In that day I will make a Couenant for them with the wilde Beasts and with the Foules of the Heauen and with that which creepeth vpon the earth I will breake the Bow and the Sword and the battell out of the Earth and will make them to sleepe safely Loe heere how large and ample is this peace and how many and woorthy preheminences there are thereof This peace followeth grace as a fruit of it and therefore we see it is ioyned vnto it both in this place and in sundry other Epistles Doct. 2. Such as are in Gods fauour haue all his blessings following them We learne hereby that such as are vnder the grace and couenant of God liuing vnder his protection and obedience haue assurance of all Gods mercies spirituall and temporall of this life and of the life to come all which doe belong vnto them and shall follow them and ouertake them I say such as are vnder the grace and fauour of God haue all his blessings following them so farre as they may further their eternall happinesse Moses sheweth z Deu. 28 3 4 Deut. 28. that when once they belong to God and are vnder his grace as vnder the shaddowe of his Wings all his blessings should follow them and come vpon them from Heauen and Earth from house and fielde from soule and body that they should be blessed in the fruit of their body in the increase of their Cattle and in the aboundance of all things Aaron and his Sonnes did thus blesse the people Num. 6. 6. The Lord lift vp his countenance vpon thee and giue thee peace Where we see he setteth peace after the shining of Gods gratious countenance vpon them This the Apostle teacheth in the Epistle to the Romanes hauing proued at large that we are iustified without the workes of the Law hee addeth a Rom. 5 1. Being then iustified by Faith we haue peace toward God through our Lord Iesus Christ The Prophet Dauid expressing that God is his Shepheard to refresh him with his grace to feede him with his word to rule him by his staffe and to deliuer him from danger b Psal 23 1 6 and 84 11. concluded hereupon I shall want nothing doubtlesse kindnesse and mercy shall follow me all the daies of my life and I shall remaine a long season in the house of the Lord. The like we see in another place The Lord God is the Sunne and Shield vnto vs the Lord will giue grace and glorie and no good thing will he with-hold from them that walke vprightly The Apostle Paul setteth downe at large the blessings flowing from this loue of God c Ephe. 1 5 6. Who hath predestinated vs to be adopted through Iesus Christ in himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will to the praise of the glory of his grace where-with hee hath made vs freely accepted in his beloued by whom we haue Redemption through his blood euen the forgiuenesse of sinnes according to his rich grace whereby hee hath beene aboundant toward vs in all wisedome and vnderstanding Where he teacheth that the free grace of God whereby wee are accepted in his beloued in whom hee is well pleased and exceedingly contented is the cause of all other mercies and therefore such as are in his fauour shall finde the fruites thereof to their comfort and haue all his blessings to ouertake them Reason 1. If any doubt yet remaine in vs to trouble vs and hinder our faith from receiuing and beleeuing this Doctrine as a pregnant and certaine truth consider with me a little farther the reasons to ground and establish vs herein For first when the wrath of God is once appeased and the loue of God opened vnto vs we haue free and bold accesse vnto him and to the Throne of grace as to a most mercifull Father The Apostle hauing declared that we are at peace with God through Christ he addeth immediatly d Rom. 5 2. By whom also thorough Faith we haue this accesse into this grace wherein we stand and reioyce vnder the hope of the glory of God We may freely come into the presence of God we haue boldnesse to aske any thing that we want we haue assurance to be heard when we call vpon him Reason 2. Secondly it is the free loue and fauour of God that spared not his owne Sonne but bestowed him vpon vs who is our life our peace our attonement Now seeing it is his grace onely that hath giuen vs the blessing of all blessings we shall with him and by him haue all other guiftes to compasse vs about and to come vpon vs according as the Apostle teacheth Rom. 8. If God be on our side who shall be against vs Who spared not his owne Sonne but gaue him for vs all to death e Rom. 8 32. how shall he not with him giue vs all things also Reason 3. Thirdly his loue reconcileth all his Creatures and openeth the way to his mercies toward them whom hee loueth This is it which Moses speaketh to the Israelites f Deut. 7 8. Because the Lord loued you and because he would keepe the oath which he had sworne vnto our Fathers the Lord hath brought you out by a mighty hand and deliuered you out of the house of bondage And afterward he putteth them in minde g Deut. 23 5. That the Lord would not hearken vnto Balaam but the Lorde their God turned his cursse to a blessing vnto them because he loued them Thus doth the Prophet tell the people of God h Psal 44 3. That they inherited not the Land by their owne Sword neyther did their owne Arme saue them but his right hand and his Arme and the light of his countenance because he did fauour them Reason 4. Lastly they loue God againe whom he loueth His loue worketh loue and constraineth them to expresse back againe that which they haue receiued They that loue him
Children of God c Psal 123 3. Haue mercy vpon vs ô Lord haue mercy vpon vs for we haue suffered to much contempt This is the direction that the Apostle Iames giueth d Iames 5 5. If any of you want wisedome let him aske of God which giueth to all men liberally and reprocheth no man and it shall be giuen him This is that which the Apostle both teacheth and craueth The Grace of our Lord Iesus Christ the loue of God and the Communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all The like we see vsed by the Apostle Iohn Reuel 1. 4. All which testimonies serue directly to teach vs that what blessings soeuer we want we must beg them of God and of him onely Reason 1. Let vs see the Reasons to confirme vs in this truth First God is the fountaine of all good thinges and the Well-spring of all graces whatsoeuer Hee is a most bountifull and liberall Giuer none can helpe vs but he alone If hee shut his handes who can open them If hee stoppe his eares who can heare If hee turne awaie his eye from vs who can see our wantes If hee close vp his heart who can shew mercie Hence it is that the Apostle saith e Rom 11 36. For of him and through him and for him are all thinges to him bee glory for euer Amen And Iames in the first Chapter of his Epistle Iam. 1. 17. f Iames 1 17. Euery good giuing and euery perfect guift is from aboue and commeth downe from the Father of lights with whom is no variablenesse neither shaddow of turning Reason 2. Secondly the three persons in Trinity doe worke ioyntly together euen from the first beginning of our creation to the last finishing of our saluation It is said all things were made by the Sonne g Iohn 1 3. and that without him nothing was made that was made the Spirit also did sustaine and vphold that confused Lumpe which was the matter of the vniuersall so that they are said and set downe to be Creators as well as the Father In the worke of our saluation the Father willeth it and electeth vs the Sonne meriteth and deserueth it the Holy Ghost applyeth and appropriateth it This is it which Christ himselfe h Iohn 5 17. 16 13. saith Ioh. 5. My Father worketh hitherto and I worke And Chap. 16. When he commeth which is the Spirit of truth he will lead you into all truth So we might say the like touching the guifts of Sanctification and Iustification the Father forgiueth and washeth away sinne by the blood of Christ through the sprinkling of the Spirit he mortifieth sinne by the power of the death of Christ through the working of the Holy Ghost he raiseth vnto newnesse of life by the power of Christes Resurrection applyed by the Spirit hee iustifieth vs by the righteousnesse of Christ imputed and appropriated vnto vs by the Spirit Seeing therefore that God is a most munificent and liberall giuer rich vnto all and niggardly to none and seeing these three persons beeing one God doe worke ioyntly together in all things touching the creation of the World and the saluation of man and the redemption of our Soules it followeth whensoeuer we want any guifts needefull for Soule or body for this life or the life to come we must aske the supply of them at the handes of God onely the Father the Sonne and holy Ghost Vse 1. Now let vs handle the Vses breefely that arise from hence First we see that it is necessary for all that would pray aright and would obtaine that which they desire to be well instructed in the Vnity of the Godhead and the Trinity of the persons and to know the distinct properties of the persons without the vnderstanding whereof wee worship not the true God but an Idoll Our Sauiour in his conference with the Woman of Samaria chargeth the i Iohn 4 12. Samaritans to worship they know not what so doe many in our dayes both Heretiques and ignorant persons they call vppon God confusedlie but they haue no particular knowledge of God at all We must conceiue no otherwise of God in our minde then he hath expressed in his word The scripture teacheth to knowledge to beleeue to worship one God and him onely If we conceiue or imagine or receiue a multiplicity of Gods wee turne the truth of God into a lie and we erect vnto our selues so many Idols Againe the same Scripture setteth before vs three persons in that Godhead the Father which is the first person in the Trinity of himselfe the Son which is the second person begotten of the Father the holy Ghost which is the third person proceeding from the Father and the Sonne The Father is God the Sonne is God the holy Ghost is God and yet these three persons are not three Gods but one onely God And heere we haue in this place a notable Testimony of the God-head of the Sonne where the Apostle desireth and prayeth for grace and peace to be giuen to Philemon and his Wife to Archippus and the Church not onely from God the Father but from the Lord Iesus Christ This had bin monstrous horrible Idolatry and blasphemy Lastly if Christ had not bin in Nature Maiesty and glory equal with the Father hee of whom and from whom we craue spirituall and eternall gifts k Iohn 1 16. And of whose fulnesse we receiue and grace for grace must be confessed and beleeued to be God but such is Christ Iesus and therefore let this be an article of our Faith written in our hearts acknowledged with our mouth and confessed in the Church for euer that Christ is true God Vse 2. Secondly all good things are to be craued of God whether it be the supplying of his graces or the remoouing of our troubles we are taught to goe immediatly to God by Christ whensoeuer he blesseth vs and to returne vnto himselfe the praise of his owne worke This duty being required it serueth to meete with many corruptions that are too common in the world It conuinceth such Heathnish minded men as are of dead harts and haue no spark of the life of Gods Spirite in them that receiue and swallow vp daily diuers blessinges yet neuer looke to GOD that blesseth them but wee are like vnto the Swine that goe groueling to the ground like the Horse and Mule that haue no vnderstanding at all and so vse all the profites and pleasures of this life without any acknowledgement and consideration from whence they come and of whom they haue receiued them l Ezek. 32 6. or like vnto the Israelites when they had forsaken God They sate downe to eate and drinke and rose vp to play or as c Gen. 25 34. Esau He did eate and drinke he rose vp and went his way he filled his paunch and such was his prophanenesse that hee was touched with nothing These men doe daily deuour infinite
vse them all to his glorie of whom we haue receiued them If GOD haue giuen vs wit wisedome knowledge authority credit riches strength honour and such like wee must remember wherefore they haue beene bestowed vpon vs and must be referred to their right end not thereby to magnifie our selues and to set vppe our owne Names but to glorifie the Giuer of them and to praise his great Name If this bee not the marke we ayme at and if euery blessing doe not make vs gaine some glory to God who hath thus magnified vs and lifted vp our heads aboue our Bretheren it had beene better for vs we had neuer receiued these blessinges but had beene as wandering Cloudes without Raine as corrupt Trees without Fruite and as emptie Vessels without Water Hence it is that the Apostle remembring that through Gods blessing we are made partakers of food i 1 Cor. 10 31 he addeth Whether therefore yee eate or drinke or whatsoeuer ye doe doe all to the glorie of GOD. It is a notable comfort vnto vs to vse his blessinges aright that they that vsed their Talents well were honoured of the Maister and had more giuen vnto them It is a fearefull sinne to abuse them and to turne them to the dishonour of God to the hurt of his Church and to his owne destruction This is a common sore and sicknesse in our daies Whatsoeuer we haue receiued we haue receiued in not for our selues alone but for the good of others and the glory of God so that weare not to bee lifted vp in the pride of our owne hearts nor disdaine or contemne our Bretheren but consider that there is nothing which we haue not receiued and therefore we must not boast as if we had not receiued it 4 I giue thankes to my God making mention alwaies of thee in my Prayers 5 When I heare of thy Loue and Faith which thou hast in the Lord Iesus Christ and toward all Saints The order of the words and the interpretation of the same We shewed before that the Prayers vsed by the Apostle are partly a salutation and partly a thanksgiuing Of the salutation we haue spoken hitherto Now followeth the Thanks-giuing wherein hee giueth thankes to God for such good thinges as were found in him and thereby conceiueth hope to obtaine of him that which hee requested The Thankesgiuing is set forth First by the subiect or person to whom thankes are rendred to God Secondly by the time when he prayseth God for him not sparingly or sildome but oftentimes and continually when hee prayed vnto God and poured out his supplications vnto him Thirdly by the efficient cause the hearing of his vertues and graces that abounded in him to wit his Faith in Christ and his loue to the Saints the poore afflicted members of Christ So then we see to whom he gaue thankes to God when hee gaue thankes for him alwaies when he prayed and wherefore he gaue thankes because he heard of his faith and loue As if he should haue said As I wish vnto you all the full fauour of God and all prosperitie both of Soule and body so I cease not to reioyce in thee and to offer praise and thankes for thee to God whom onely I serue and hang vpon euen so often as I pray vnto him I remember thee and that vpon good ground and triall for I doe daily heare from the Churches of the worthy fruites of the Spirit of God that dwell in thee namely of thine vnfained Faith which thou hast toward the Lord Iesus Christ and of thy feruent loue which thou shewest to all the Saints that stand in neede of thy releefe comfort Thus much touching the order and meaning of the words The questions propounded But before wee proceede to handle the seuerall Doctrines offered to our considerations in this diuision it shall not be amisse for vs to answere three doubts that may arise out of these wordes First the question may be asked why the Apostle calleth God his God as if he were no mans GOD but his Secondly the Rhemists x Rhe. test vpon Phil. ver 5. in this place gather two notable errors Iustification by works and Prayer to the Saints and make Faith to be no lesse in the Saints then in Christ The like collection is made by Bellarmine y Bellar. de sanct beatit lib. 1. cap. 20. that wee must beleeue in them and hope in them as in our Patrones because the Apostle maketh mention of Philemons Loue and Faith toward Christ and toward the Saints so that they gather that there is Faith toward the Saints as well as toward Christ Thirdly it may be demaunded why Philemons loue is limited to the Saints and to no other Touching the first doubt arising out of the fourth verse z The first question answered it may seeme strange vnto some that the Apostle should say I thanke my God Is he not the God of the rest of the Apostles and of all beleeuers as well as his God Is hee the God of the Mountaines and not of the Vallies Is he the God of the Iewes onely and not of the Gentiles Yes euen the Gentiles also Paule therefore may be thought of many to inclose a Commons and to incroach vpon the right of others he may seeme very curteous and to claime and challenge as proper to himselfe that which belongeth generally to all the faithfull But the Apostle setting downe his right and interest in God doth not deny or debarre others of their priuiledge Hee dooth herein expresse the nature of a true Faith which is to beleeue not onely that hee is the God of other Men but that he is his God and that he was to beleeue in him to rest in him to depend vpon him to looke for all good things from him Hence it is that the Prophet Daniell praying vnto God saith sometimes h Dan. 9 17 18 19. O our God and sometimes againe O my God To say our God is a word of Charitie to say my God is a word of Faith the one respecteth others the other reflecteth vpon our selues When we pray Our Father we shew our loue to the Brethren when we say My Father we shew our Faith that we haue our part and portion in God as well as others and are to apply the promises of Grace made to all beleeuers particularly to our selues otherwise they cannot helpe vs and auaile vs. But of this we shall speake more afterward when we come to the Doctrines The second question answered The second question ariseth from hence that Paule seemeth to make Faith respect the Saints so to teach vs to beleeue in them and to pray vnto them For in the fift verse he saith he heard of Philemons loue and Faith which hee had toward the Lord Iesus Christ and toward the Saints But if the Apostle had meant to teach Faith to men and to direct vs to beleeue in Saints hee should be
blasphemed by carelesse and wicked professors the Apostle q Rom. 2 24. charging the Iewes that through their euill life the Doctrine of God was slandered so on the other side God is greatly honoured when our deedes accompany our wordes and a godly life adorneth and garnisheth a good profession according to ihe commandement of Christ r Math. 5 16. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your goodworkes and glory your Father which is in heauen Reason 2. Secondlie the forwardnesse of one is a notable meanes to draw forward another For as one wicked man maketh another and he that is seduced is an Instrument to seduce another so hee that is truely conuerted will not rest in the quiet fruit and inward comfort of his owne conuersion but labour to conuert others and so make them partakers of that comfort which they haue found The Apostle writing to the Thessalonians saith of them Å¿ 1 Thes 1 6 7 Ye became followers of vs and of the Lord and receiued the word in much affliction with ioy of the holy Ghost so that ye were as ensamples to all that beleeue in Macedonia and in Achaia They that are gained to the faith will be meanes to gaine others so that the winning of one is the gaining of another This we see in the conuersion of the Apostles When Andrew was brought to Christ t Iohn 1 41 43 45. He found his Brother Simon first and said vnto him We haue found that Messias which is by interpretation that Christ So when Christ called Phillip and said vnto him Follow me Phillip found Nathaniell and saide vnto him We haue found him of whom Moses did write in the Law and the Prophets Iesus that Sonne of Ioseph that was of Nazareth The like wee see in the Woman of Samaria when Christ had preached saluation vnto her and offered vnto her the Water of life that she should thirst no more u Iohn 4 28. shee left her Water-pot and went into the Citty and said to the men Come see a man which hath told me all thinges that euer I did is not he that Christ Being moued her selfe she moued others beeing drawne she drew others to Christ Reason 3. Thirdly it is a great comfort to the Pastors and Teachers of the Church when such as are taught do grow in grace and prosper by those meanes that are brought and offered vnto them The Apostle calleth the Phillippians his Bretheren beloued and longed for his ioy and his Crowne wherein hee accounteth their growth his honor their encreasing his reioycing their faith his hope their flourishing his felicity so when hee had praised God for the zeale of the Thessalonians in receiuing the word in following other Churches and in suffering affliction for the Gospels sake hee addeth this reason x 1 Thes 2 19 20. For what is our hope or ioy or Crowne of reioycing Are not euen you it in the presence of our Lord Iesus Christ at his comming Yes ye are our glory and ioy He doth not make the matter of his glorying and the occasion of his reioysing to bee his calling so much as the fruit of his calling hee doth not comfort himselfe so much in his Apostleship as in the effect of his Apostleship that is the conuersion and saluation of the Thessalonians If a man haue neuer so high and eminent a calling in the Church or Common-wealth he cannot comfort himselfe so much therein as when he seeth the blessing of God vpon his labours when he remembreth he hath kept a good conscience therein y 2 Cor. 1 15. and considereth he is to God the sweete sauour of Christ in them that are saued and in them that perish It is a great comfort to the Husbandman after his toiling and tilling after his planting and ploughing to see the fruits of his labours and to behold the encrease of the earth that yeeldeth vsury aduantage and encrease when it is sowed So it fareth with the spirituall Husbandman whose labour is greater oftner enduring al the yeare long whose patience is greater in waiting for the early and latter raine whose gaine and profit is lesse in tilling a dry and barren soile that yeeldeth little or no increase but a crop of cares a bundle of Briars and Bushes and an Haruest of Thornes and Thistles that are reserued for the fire Reason 4. Lastly the graces of God and the growing in these graces are fruites of their election and seales of their saluation so that the Angels in Heauen reioyce at the conuersion of a Sinner Euery grace of GOD addeth assurance the greater graces the greater assurance the more graces the more assurance the growth of graces is the growing of our assuraunce For if these thinges be found and abound in vs z 2 Pet. 1 8 10. they will make vs neither to bee idle nor vnfruitfull in the acknowledging of our LORD IESVS CHRIST but giue vs a comfortable assuraunce of our eternall election and effectuall calling So the Apostle giueth thankes for all the Thessalonians making mention of them in his prayers and remembring the efficacy of their Faith the diligence of their loue and the patience of their hope a 1 Thes 1 3 4. by all which hee gathereth assuredly as building vpon certaine knowledge that they are elect of God Now then to lay these reasons together and to gather them as vpon an heape seeing nothing bringeth greater glory to God among men nothing serueth better to draw on others nothing ministreth greater ioy to the Teachers nothing sealeth vp more surely their saluation then the increase of his Kingdome the growth of the Saints and the enlarging of the bounds of the Church it followeth that all Gods Children must shew their ioy and gladnesse when they see any to encrease in the obedience of the Gospell to grow in grace and to proceede constantly in the truth of God Vse 1. The Vses remaine to be considered and learned of vs. First we see that the principall and cheefest thing which the Minister should seeke and search after is the profiting of his people and the building vp of the Kingdome of God among them For his ioy in their growth and his comfort in their conuersion will cause him aboue all things to labour after it There is no comfort in the Minister like to this comfort when he seeth the fruits of godlines as it were the markes of Gods Spirit to shine forth brightly in his people What comfort hath the Husbandman more in his husbandry then to see the fruits of the earth not to be blasted but to be blessed not to wither but to grow what ioy hath the Shepheard like to this when he seeth the flocke not to be infected but to flourish not to be rotten and scabbed but to be sound and whole not to decrease and decay but to encrease and to bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our streetes What greater
the Minister if they do him no harme if they offer him no wrong if they abstaine from iniurie toward him It was farre otherwise with the Galathians who loued Paule so dearly and entirely that they accounted nothing to bee too precious for him q Gal. 4 14 15 The triall of me which was in my flesh ye despised not neither abhorred but ye receiued me as an Angell of God yea as Christ Iesus what was then your felicity For I beare you record that if it had beene possible ye would haue plucked out your owne eyes and haue giuen them vnto me But in these daies wherein we liue it were well or not much amisse for the faithfull Ministers of the Gospell if such as should support them would not subuert them if such as should help them would not hinder them if such as should raise them vp were not ready to cast them downe and if such as should refresh them were not rather giuen to reuile them and disgrace them Heere then is condemned all hard and bitter dealing toward them whereby their calling which is an honourable office is made an irksome burthen vnto them to bear against such as taunt and scorne them that iest and mocke at the worke of their ministry which is the wisedome of God and the power of God against those that delight to vex the seruants of God to mingle their bread with grauell their drinke with gall and their life with reproach This made the Prophets and Apostles cry out continually to see themselues abused their Ministery contemned the word of God himselfe refused all Religion prophaned When Eliah saw that the children of Israell had forsaken the Couenant of God cast downe his Altars and slaine his Prophets he desired God to kill him r 1 King 19 4 It is now enough O Lord take my soule for I am no better then my fathers The prophet Å¿ Esay 65 2. 53 1. 49 4. Esay saith I haue spred out my hands all the day to a rebellious people which walked in away that was not good euen after their owne imaginations Lord who hath beleeued our report and to whom is the arme of the Lord reuealed I haue laboured in vaine I haue spent my strength in vaine and for nothing but my iudgement is with the Lord and my worke with my God The Lord sayth to Ezekiell t Ezek. 33 31 32. The Children of thy people talke of thee by the walles and in the doores of houses they sit before thee and heare thy words but they will not doo them for vvith their mouths they make iests and thou art vnto them as a iesting song of one that hath a pleasant voice and can sing well for they heare thy words but they do them not and when this commeth to passe for loe it will come then shall they know that a prophet hath beene among them So when Paule came to Athens u Acts 17 18. and saw the City full of Idols he preached vnto them the knowledge of God and the resurrection of the dead but they said What will this babler say And others worse then those that scorne and scoffe at the word of life which they should heare with feare and reuerence are falne into this horrible depth of sinne that thorough malice to the word it selfe do come vnto them to heare them not to learne but to trap and intangle them not to edifie themselues but to misreport and accuse them not to receiue profit but to finde occasion to persecute them as the Iewes did with Christ and his Apostles who came not to heare them but to tempt them not to beleeue them but to belye them Many such Iewes and Iudasses wee meete withall in our dayes who are so farre from reioycing the hearts of their Ministers that they may doo the worke of their calling wil ingly not grudgingly cheerefully not heauily u Heb. 13 17. with ioy not with greefel that they thinke it a great duty done vnto them if they doo not disgrace them or molest them It is a great sinne not to helpe them not to countenance them not to stand with them in good causes but to suffer euery base companion and beastly liuer to insult vpon them as their footstool but it is more greeuous to scorne them and deride them to make them their Table-talke and their Tauern-talke to declaime against them from the Tribunall of their Ale-bench but it is most fearefull of all to come to them to catch them and intrap them to hunt after words and Syllables and to wrest them against the minde and meaning of the speaker Let vs beware of these sinnes let vs not be in the number of such as are set downe in the seat of scorners and false accusers If they shall not escape that do no good if they shall not be excused that do not reioyce them surely they shall bee guilty of a sorer and seuerer punnishment that malice them that mocke them that misinforme others of them and euery way misvse them and contemne them Vse 4. Lastly seeing we are all bound to reioyce in the proceeding of the faithfull it followeth from hence necessarily that wee are not to enuie and repine at the growth of the Church or of any member of the Church This is a great fault and folly in many when they see any parts of the Church flourish and behold greater encrease in others then in themselues by and by they grudge and repine at it and haue their owne eye euil because the Lords eie is good These are like to those Labourers that were hyred into the Vine-yard who when they saw such as were hyred about the eleauenth houre to receiue their penny and to be made equall with them who had borne the brunt and burthen of the day x 1 Mat. 28 20 11. and had endured the heat and sweate of the worke they enuied at the Seruants and murmured against the Mayster of the house We must enuy no mans good wee must repine at no mans Saluation The calling and conuersion of the Gentiles y Acts 11 3. 15 1. was such a stumbling-blocke in the way and n Mote nay a Beame in the eyes of the Iewes that they had rather renounce the Gospell and depart from Christ then to receyue them into a fellowshippe of the same Faith and make them partakers of the Kingdome of Heauen So did the Scribes and Pharisees z Math. 9 11. Luke 7 39. take it greeuously that the grace of God and Remission of sinnes and the Mysteries of Saluation should be preached and published to Publicans and Sinners There is no guift or benefit bestowed vpon any but it is giuen for the good and comfort of the whole Church so that wee should reioyce therein not repine thereat forasmuch as we haue our portion and profite in it Neuerthelesse what is more common and vsuall then to make the blessinges of God vppon others a great
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
of prayer both publicke and priuate for our selues and others is most necessary It is a speciall gift of the spirit which is common to all for all haue not the grace of Prayer The Apostle saith i 1 Tim 2 1. I exhort that first of all supplications prayers intercessions and giuing of thankes be made for all men The neglect of this is a note of a ranke Atheist k Psalme 53 4. who is described not to call vpon God Christ Iesus did oftentimes pray he was feruent and continuall in it hee spent whole nights in Prayer When he was in his Agony he prayed once and againe and the third time This condemneth those that are carelesse and negligent in the practise of this dutie that are so couetous for themselues that they can craue nothing for their Brethren If one member of the body should scrape all to it selfe what would become of the rest Such are vnnaturall members as take care onely for themselues These can say the Lords Prayer and rehearse the wordes but their hearts are farre from the meaning and right vnderstanding They say Lord giue vs our daily Bread that is to me and to my brethren not to me alone nor to them alone but to me and to them to these my Brethren as well as to my selfe These men are liberall in words bur couetous in mind their mouths are opened and enlarged but their harts are restrained and instraightned they thinke they neuer haue enough and that their Brethren haue too much They are farre from giuing thankes vnto God for them who repine at euerie morsell that they eate and at euery blessing that they enioy Vse 2. Secondly we learne that the weakest and meanest in the Church are not to be despised and contemned inasmuch as they may by their prayers and other meanes helpe the strongest and the greatest The Apostle teacheth that God hath so framed the members of the body l 1 Cor. 12 21 22. That the eye cannot say vnto the hand I haue no need of thee nor the head againe to the feete I haue no neede of you yea much rather those members of the body which seeme to be feeble are necessarie The strongest stand in need of the helpe of the weakest the greatest of the meanest the highest of the lowest the richest of the poorest the Prince of the people All mankind are so created as that they are not perfect of themselues but euery one wanteth the ayde of another One Nation standeth in need of another no Countrey yeeldeth all commodities No man hath all the gifts of Nature but some one some haue others We see it euen among the brute beasts such as are excellent in craft and mighty in strength yet haue their wants together with their wiles and their maimes ioyned with their great might The Fox is subtle to keepe himselfe from snares yet hee is weake to guard himselfe from Wolues on the other side the Lion is strong enough to guard himselfe from Wolues but he is not subtle enough to keepe himselfe from nets We haue not all thinges requisite and necessary for vs we haue not all properties to be commended wee runne into many dangers from whence the meanest may helpe to deliuer the mightiest So then seeing we are enioyned to pray one for another and thereby may helpe one another let vs know that we must despise no man reproch no man hate no man but consider that at one time or other we may want the help hand of him This doth the Wise-man point vnto m Eccl. 9 14 15. when he mentioneth a little City and few men in it and a great King came against it compassed it about and builded forts against it and there was found therein a poore and Wise-man and he deliuered the Citty by his wisedome And wee haue a notable example heereof in the siedge of Abell by Ioab a wise woman cried out of the Cittie and mooued him to returne from the assault We see how forcible the praiers of Abraham were to mooue the Lord to spare the n Gen. 18. Sodomites if tenne righteous persons had beene found in the Citty Thus God testifyeth that he was restrained by the Prayers of Moses and as it were o Exod. 32 10 tied with bands that hee was not able to destroy the people Let vs therefore make much one of another and let no man hate his Brother in his heart but know that his prayers auaile with God for him Wee see the Prayers of the Church profited Peter much though he were an Apostle p Acts 12. for thereby he was deliuered out of prison and from the daunger of death by the Ministry of an Angel So they profit vs if they be faithfull and seruent Vse 3. Lastly it is our duty to entreat the mutuall Prayers one of another We heard before how all the people prayed Samuell to pray for them So did the people come to Moses and entreat this duty of him q Num. 21 7. that they might be deliuered from the fiery Serpents The Apostle is oftentimes earnest in requiring this at the Churches handes r Rom. 15 30 Brethren I beseech you for our Lorde Iesus Christs sake and for the loue of the spirit that ye would striue with me by prayers to God for me When we are poore and can doe our Brethren no other good yet may we benefit them by our Prayers When we see our Brethren in necessity in danger in affliction in persecution in sicknesse and in great misery when we haue no hand to help them no power to deliuer them no means to succour them no fauour to speake for them yet wee haue hearts to lifte vp for them to God the Father of all mercies and the God of all consolation and by praying vnto him for them we shall do them much good giue them much comfort minister vnto them much helpe and procure vnto them speedy deliuerance This shall bee more auaileable and profitable vnto them then all other meanes of helpe and succour vsed for their safety without this Let such as are of the greatest giftes earnestly craue and call for the prayers of those that haue lesser and smaller gifts This reproueth such as neuer regard them nor require them that thinke they haue no neede of them nor know the necessity of them It is all one to these men whether they bee prayed for or not whom God no doubt doth oftentimes crosse in the works of their hands that they do not prosper because they make no account of the Churches Prayers It reprooueth such also as regard not the publick assemblies of the faithfull and the meeting of the Congregation of Christ in one place where Prayers are made for the Church where praises are sung and thankes are rendred for the blessings of God yea heauen and earth are made to ring and rebound with sounding out his glorie as it were with the voice of one man All our
and extreame necessity accompanied with extreame iniquity and impiety is a double misery a double wretchednesse a double vnhappines Let this therefore comfort vs and temper the greatnes of our affliction seeing God doth care for vs aboue all his Creatures yea before the rest of mankind charging those that are rich in this world to make a difference betweene man and man betweene person and person betweene poore and poore euen such a difference as he himselfe hath made who preferreth the sheepe of his owne Pasture before Goates the Sonnes and Daughters of his owne familie before bastards the heires of his Kingdome before Aliens and strangers the vessels of honour before the vessels of dishonour As for the poore that are wicked vngodly leud and prophane so long as they liue in their wickednesse vngodlines leudnesse and prophanenesse they are no parts of Gods family they are bastards not sonnes they are members of the Deuill not members of Christ they are cages of vncleane Birdes not Temples of the holy Ghost they are as dung and drosse of the earth not siluer and Gold for the Lords house Seeing therefore God doth cast them downe into the second ranke let not vs aduance them aboue their place God is the God of order not of confusion and if we be of God let vs establish among vs the order that he hath planted Let vs iudge with righteous iudgment and lay all partiality aside Let vs not respect the poore because they are our friends but because they are the freinds of God Let vs not see to those that are neerely alied to vs but to those that are of the kindred of Christ which heare o Mat. 12 50. Luke 11 28. his word and keepe it who are his Mother Sister and brother Heereby they shall be encouraged in well doing and we shall by our godly care of them prouoke them to greater zeale and to a constant continuance in their profession Wherefore let this be the rule to guide and gouerne vs Such are to be vsed best which are indeed best let them haue most releefe of the body that haue most grace and godlines in the heart Godlines giueth the preheminence and vngodlines bringeth reproach and setteth a note of infamy vpon his face that is defiled with it True it is others must haue their portion and proportion but it must be so rated that they be in the first place prouided for that are most religious in heart and painefull in their callings and thankfull to their weldoers For where true Religion hath taken place it will make them diligent in their busines and seruiceable to those of whom they haue receiued good thinges As for those that are idle and vnthankefull they neuer tasted of sound Religion and do nothing else but abuse their profession Thus much of the persons to whom we must do good that is especially to the faithfull Toward the Saintes The faithful are heere called by the name and title of Saints By this word are all such called as are the true members of Christ-Iesus whether they be liuing or dead in this life or out of this life But in this place onely such are meant as liue vnder the couenant of grace and fight the Lords battels against Sinne the World and the Deuill Now they p Why the Godly are called Saintes are called Saintes or holy for these causes First because they are separated by the mercies of God from the filthinesse and damnable condition of this world they are gathered into a Church and set apart for the pure seruice of God Secondly because they are purged and cleansed from their sinnes by the precious bloud of Christ Thirdly because they expresse the fruite heereof in holines and righteousnesse they are altered and changed from that which they were by nature they are regenerate and created anew they are renewed in their willes affections purposes and practises This is contray to prophanenesse Doctrine 9. Such as truely belong to Christ are Saintes We learne from this title giuen to the faithfull that they which truely belong to Christ are Saintes that is are sanctified cleansed and purged from their sinnes and iniquities by the bloud of Christ are deliuered from the slauery and bondage of sinne and are enabled by the grace of God in some measure to serue him in holines and righteousnesse all the daies of their life In this respect the Isralites when God had chosen them out of the world to be his people and seruants a Exod 19. 6. 1 Pet 2 9. are called a royall Priesthood and an holy Nation This name of Saints is vsuall and common with the Apostle Paule in all his Epistles In the Epistle to the Romanes he writeth to all Rome beloued of God b Rom 1 7. Acts 9 41. called to be Saints So he writeth to the Church of God which is at Corinth to them that are c 1. Cor 1 2. and 14 33. sanctified in Christ Iesus Saintes by calling with all that call on the name of our Lord Iesus Christ in euery place and afterward he saith God is not the author of confusion but of peace as we see in all the Churches of the Saintes So he sheweth in the Epistle to the Ephesians d Ephe 3 8. and 5 3. that to him the least of all Saintes this grace was giuen that he should preach among the Gentiles the vnsearchable riches of Christ The Prophet Dauid also saith e Psal 85 8. I will hearken what the Lord God will say he will speake peace vnto his people and to his Saintes that they turne not againe to folly All these places do plainely proue that they which beleeue in Christ and belong to him truely may be called Saintes and holy men Reason 1. The reasons are these First because they are there-vnto called and chosen in Christ they are thereunto iustified and redeemed by Christ For we are chosen before the foundations of the world to be holy f Ephe 1 4. He hath chosen vs in him that we should be holy and without blame before him in loue It is the end of our calling as the Apostle teaeheth 1. Thes 4. This is the will of God euen your sanctification and that ye should abstaine from fornication c. for g 1. Thes 4 3 7. God hath not called vs vnto vncleannesse but vnto holines It is the end of our redemption as Zachary sheweth that the Lord God of Israell hath visietd and redeemed his people h Luke 1 68 74 75. that we being deliuered out of the hands of our enemies should serue him without feare al the daies of our life in holines righteousnes befo rt him Seeing therefore God hath called vs with an holy calling and appointed vs to be Saintes by his decree of our election by the efficacy of our calling by the vertue of our Iustification and by the power of our redemptiō it followeth that all the faithfull may worthily
of them when a Caiet tract de concept de indulgent many among themselues doo seeme not much to respect them and affirme that the Saints canonized may be no Saints and the myracles whereupon it is grounded no myracles And because the Church of Rome speaking of Saints doo alwayes meane such as are in the Popes Kalender and of his canonization who is now helde to be the onely Saint-maker vpon the earth and propound such to the people to the honoured and worshipped let vs consider a little what those Saints are whom they adore and call vpon Our Sauiour Christ accuseth and reproueth be Samaritans b Iohn 4. Because they worshipped the thing which they knew not a worship they performed but they knew not what But this falleth flatly and fully vpon the papists heads for they worship many fictions for Saints shadows for men whereas there were neuer any such that liued vpon the earth It were easie to alledge sundry of this stampe but a fewe shall serue and suffice insted of many Saint George is worshipped among the Papists as a renowned Saint but such a Saint as they report and receiue this George to be was neuer extant in the world who is saide to haue killed a Dragon that was so big that foure yoake of Oxen could hardly draw him out of the City which c Baron notat in Martyr Roman Aprilis 23 sundry of their owne writers esteeme little better then a fable Secondly S. Christopher is solemnly adored by the Church of Rome who is reported of some to be a man of twelue foot long and of other to be twelue cubits high this is he that went vp and downe to seeke the Deuill to serue him for he said I go to seek my Lord the Deuill to serue him If this were a Saint hee was one of the Deuilles Saints whom he serued and called him Lord and not one of Gods Saints The like we might say of S. Catherine and infinit other whome falshood hath forged and deuised and superstition norished and retained Moreouer their Legends of Saints are so full of fables and fooleries that they doe not onely set them downe for Martyrs which neuer had being in the worlde but they adore deuoutly for Saints and Martirs those which by the confession of their wisest writers were pagans Iewes traitors hereticks men of a wicked life of a doubtful faith what was the soldier I pray you that pierced the side of christ but an Infidel for otherwise he would neuer haue thrust his speare so spightfully and offred that villany and violence to the body of our blessed sauiour yea it may probably appeare be gathered out of the scripture d Reuel 1 7. that hee was not only a cursed vnbeleeuer but a damned wretch reprobate and no approued history maketh mention of his calling and conuersion yet the blinde ignorant papists do worship this souldier as a Saint vnder the name of Longinus what is this but to make Pagans and Infidels Saints yea when so manie dead mens bones and blood their reliques and ashes are worshipped in euery coast and corner where popery raigneth what assurance can any man haue that he doth not worship the bones bodies of pagans heathens Gamaliell mentioned in the Acts was an incredulous Iew a right Pharisee e Acts 5 39. as apeareth by the counsel which he gaue to the Iewes in the Counsel fit for a Politician vnfit for a Christian shewing rather a wily witty head then a religious hart if he had beleeued in Christ he wold not haue feared to confesse his name yet hath he a place among the Romish Saints and reuerently are his relicks esteemed of them How many of their f Anselme Becket More Fisher Campian Sherwin c. English Martirs were diuellish traitors odious perfidious disloyall seditious rebellious vnfaithful to their Prince enimies to their country Some endeuoured to stir vp forrain Princes against their Soueraigne Lord which no man can deny to bee an act of treason Some went about to stirre vp the Kinges Subiects to rebellion and stood at open defiance and at the swords point with the Prince Others haue bin slaine in the field in the midst of the rebellion which themselues raised among the rebels which themselues armed Others were executed as notorious Traitors for maintaining the Popes Buls of deposing princes and would by no meanes condemn them none of them would promise to ioyn with the Princesse side and take her part if the Pope should send an army against hir to depose her person to spoile her subiects to inuade hir country Of this sort heere set downe thus qualified and sanctified are Becket More Fisher Forest Sanders Campian Sherwin Parry Ballard Babington Someruil and such like who are canonized by the Pope and agnized for Saints by the Papistes they pray vnto them and keep their bones and rags for holy reliques and worship them whereby it apeareth that they put those in the Popes kalender as rubricated Martirs and imagine them to be Saints in heauen who by al likelyhood are tormented damned with the deuils in hel The time will not suffer vs to make a Catalogue of these their Saints but this may suffice to shewe that the Papists honour diuers Saints which neuer liued in the world but are meerely fansied and fondly imagined others that are doubtful not certainly known to be such as they are reported others likewise that were pagans in superstition Iewes in religion Hereticks in profession traiotrs in practise and wicked men in their conuersation of whose damnation in hel there is more certainty then either of their faith in earth or saluation in heauen And thus wee will leaue them their Saints and their Saint-maker Vse 3. Thirdly seeing all they that belong to Christ are Saints it belongeth to euery man to try the assurance of his saluation by the fruits of his sanctification For heerby we may assure our selus that we are in the communion of saints if we lead a sanctified life If we haue our conuersation in holinesse wee shall haue in the end euerlasting life The Apostle teaching that the foundation of God abideth sure so that the Lord knoweth who are his sheweth how wee shal know that we are the Lords euen euery one for his owne assurance g 2 Tim. 2 19. must depart from iniquity Heereunto commeth the saying of Iohn in his first Epistle h 1 Ioh. 1 6 7. If we say we haue fellowship with him and walke in darknesse we lie do not truely but if we walke in the light as he is in the light wee haue fellowship one with another and the blood of Iesus Christ his sonne clenseth vs from all sinne And Paul writing to the Romaines saith i Rom. 8 10. If Christ bee in you the body is dead because of sin but the spirit is life for righteousnesse sake We
perfect and endeuour to drawe on others to perfection Reason 1. Let vs see the Reasons First Christian profession is a way in which men must not stand still but must walke and go forward in the way they must not stay in one estate but be alwayes stirring forward So when the Apostle had exhorted the Thessalonians to encrease more and more hee addeth f 1 Thess 4 1. As yee haue receiued of vs how ye ought to walke and to please God We are now in this life in our iourney we must not thinke that we are come to our iournies end which cannot be before our liues end As then they that haue a great iourney to go do not rest till they come to their iourneyes end so must it be with vs we must make hast on our way and be swift in our race The way which we are to go is our profession the Traueller that entreth into the way is euery true Christian the end of our iourney is the entrance into life the iudge of our going and giuer of the victory is God He that standeth stil can neuer come at his iournyes end it is he that goeth in his way runneth in his race that shall receiue the crowne of euerlasting happinesse Reason 2. Secondly Christians are compared to Children Children are alwayes growing in age encreasing in stature going forwarde in knowledge and in Wisedome if they do not prosper and proceede we commonly call them and account them Vrchins and Changelings So must wee grow in grace vntill we come to a perfect aged man in Christ The Prophet speaking of the faithfull that were zealous in the worship of God saith g Psal 84 7. They goe from strength to strength So the Apostle exhorteth that we h 1 Cor. 14 20. should not be Children in vnderstanding but as concerning maliciousnesse we should be Children but in vnderstanding we should be of ripe age He would haue vs as Children and he would not haue vs as Children he would haue vs Children in malice but he would not haue vs Children in knowledge Wee see they fall out i Terent. in Hecyr pueri inter sese quà m pro leuibus noxis iras gerunt for light offences because the minde is weake that ruleth and guideth them one word will raise anger and another word will make them friends and therefore though they fall out quickly yet their falling out is farre from malice and they are easily reconciled Thus hee would haue vs to bee children but in wisedome in knowledge and in vnderstanding he would haue vs to be of ripe age proceede in these gifts as we do in our yeares No mans life standeth at a stay let vs encrease in the other as we doo in this that so the graces of God may bee perfected in vs. Reason 3. Thirdly we must so walke in our way and hasten to our iournies end that we may obtaine the prize Hee that k 1 Cor. 9 25. Math 24 13. Reuel 2 26 27. 3 5 12. ouer-commerh and holdeth out to the latter end onely shall bee saued Hee that giueth ouer is a faint souldier a weake Worke-man a slow runner a feeble wrastler We must so fight that we may ouercome we must so worke that we may rest we must so runne that we may obtaine we must so wrastle that we may receiue the Crown we must so proue Maisteries that wee may win the victory Staying in one state is a token of reprobation and reiection from God they are cast into a spirite of slumber and drowsinesse they sleep in security and cannot see their way This did the Prophet prophesie and this doth the Apostle testifie to be true concerning Israell l Rom 11 8. God hath giuen them the spirit of slumber eyes that they should not see and eares that they should not heare vnto this day Seeing then that our profession is the way wherein we are to walke toward the heauenly Ierusalem seeing we must be like Children that grow in age and yeares and lastly seeing we must labour to obtaine the Crowne to winne the victory to receiue the price and to get the wages it followeth that we all must endeuour to go forward and to bring others forward toward the Kingdome of Heauen Vse 1. The vses remaine to be handled that we may haue the profit of this Doctrine First we learne that God hath a iust action and suit to commence against all idle bellies and vnprofitable Drones that be Truants and no proficients in the Schoole of Christ The church of God is the Schoole of Chrst he is the Maister all of vs are or should be his Schollers We are brought forth into the world that when we come to yeares of vnderstanding we may be Schollers in his Schoole If any of vs put our Children to a free Schoole to be taught if they should still stay and stand in the lowest forme and neuer a whit proceede in learning we would iudge them either void of ordinary diligence or destitute of ordinary capacity We looke when we set them to Schoole that they should encrease in learning We haue a common prouerbe that Schollers of all other haue the best conscience that whereas others neuer thinke they haue enough they thinke they haue to much for their mony But let vs see how it fareth with vs who are likewise Schollers in the best Schoole that euer was the Church of God and haue the best Master that euer was to wit Christ himselfe God hath put vs to Schoole to learne at the mouth of Christ who hath committed vs to Pastors and teachers as to his Deputies to be instructed It is required of vs that we grow in knowledge in faith in zeale in obedience and in all the workes of sanctification If we be good Schollers we must grow forward and ascend higher we must proceed from grace to grace and from one step to another But alasse how many are there in our congregations who hauing liued vnder the Gospell that offereth saluation to men all the daies of their life and continued ten twenty thirty forty yeares hearing the word of God sounding in their eares m Ephe 4 14. yet are no wiser in Religion then a young Child and are no forwarder then when they first stepped and entred into the Schoole-house of God I doubt not but they are wise in matters of the world but in the booke of God and in matters of their saluation they haue no knowledge They receiue the grace of God in vaine and are Dunses and Dwarfes in this Schoole of Christ without growing and encreasing in Godlinesse They are not in truth able to say vnto their owne Soules I haue receiued some greater measure of knowledge I haue attained better strength of Faith I haue found some increase in Godlinesse I haue felt some care and conscience to please God Nay we may truely say that many are more ignorant in knowledge more lewd
in life more backward in good thinges more prophane in heart more contemning the word of God and loathing the meanes of saluation then they were in the beginning of their dayes This is our estate and condition most lamentable and fearefull and yet wee can complaine of Idle boyes and sluggish Schollers that thinke they take to much learning for their money and neuer consider that we are the men and that the prouerbe concerneth our selues God will enter into iudgement with vs and if we be not learners in his Schoole he will remoue vs and discharge vs out of his Schoole It had beene better for vs that we had neuer knowne God that we had neuer receiued his truth nay it had beene better for vs that we had neuer beene borne or beene borne Turkes and Canibals Pagans and Infidels then to haue the Gospell among vs and not to heare it or to heare it and not to learne by it or to learne by it and not to obey it and grow daily in the practise of it This appeareth by the greeuous threatnings denounced by Christ our Sauiour against those Citties where his word had beene preached and professed and his great miracles had beene wrought and shewed n Mat. 11. 21. 22. 23. 24. Woe be to thee Corazin woe be to thee Bethsaida for if the great workes which were done in you had beene done in Tyrus and Sidon they had repented long agone in sackecloth and ashes but I say vnto you it shall be easier for them at the day of iudgement then for you And thou Capernaum which art lifted vp vnto Heauen shalt be brought downe to Hell for if the great workes which haue beene done in thee had beene done among them of Sodome they had remained to this day But I say vnto you that it shall be easier for them of the Land of Sodome in the day of iudgement then for thee He compareth heere Corazin and Bethsaida with Tyre and Sydon likewise Capernaum with Sodom that is the places where Christ had dwelled where the Gospell had beene offered where many of his miracles had beene manifested with such Citties as neuer had the Law neuer heard the Gospell neuer saw the Prophets neuer knew the Doctrine of saluation but liued in ignorance and in idolatry And in this comparison he teacheth that such Townes and Villages as haue had the preaching of the word and the ministry of the Gospell among them shall receiue greater punishment in the day of iudgement then other poore blind wretches that neuer had these meanes offered vnto them We would all of vs thinke it a very harsh and homely comparison and farre from all likely-hood of truth if I should compare vs euen vs of Isfield with Sodome and Gomorrah wee know o Ezek. 16. 49. how foule and filthy these places were we confesse they are loathsome in our eyes and odious in our eares we know that for their wickednesse they p Gen. 19 â—4 were destroyed with fire and brimstone from heauen and yet I say vnto you in the name of God from the warrant of his sacred word by which we shall all be iudged that if we liue in this contempt of the truth that is preached vnto vs and do not bring forth the fruits of the Gospell it had been better we had beene borne Sodomites and Gomorrheans for our iudgement shall be greater and our punishment heauier because our sinne is heinouser No sinne greater then the contempt of the Gospel as no mercy is greater then the peaceable enioying of the liberty of the Gospell and therefore no reward of sinne shall be more horrible So that we may truely say from the mouth of Christ it shall be easier for Sodome in the day of iudgement then for our Village Let vs apply this to our selues and lay it to our heartes to worke in vs true repentance Corazin Bethsaida and Capernaum had many priuiledges and might glory as much as we in the fauours vouchsafed vnto them and yet they are vpbraided by Christ with their vnthanke-fulnesse toward the Gospell so that the case of Sodome is made better Take heed therefore least we contemne the Gospell and so committing one of the greatest sinnes wee make our selues guilty of the greatest iudgementes that can fal vpon mankind The contempt of the Gospell hath brought the heauy hand of God vpon the Iewes that were Gods owne people Let vs not be high minded we are no whit better but rather feare least God spare not vs and tremble vnder his grieuous but yet righteous iudgements who spareth not those that are deere vnto him when they sinne against him Vse 2. Secondly we are bound to vse the meanes that may further these guiftes in vs that is the ministry of the word which being reuerently vsed hath a promise of blessing It is a light vnto our feet and a lanthorne vnto our paths it setteth vs in our way and directeth vs vnto our iourneies end The Apostle teacheth q 1 Cor 3. 6. that Paule planteth Apollos watereth but it is God that giueth the encrease to wit by the planting and watering of the Ministers The Husbandman tilleth and toyleth about his ground he soweth his Corne but he cannot make it spring vp nor send the earely and latter raine So is it with the Ministers of the Gospell the Lordes Husbandmen they must labour in his field which is the Church that the people may grow in faith and grace This reproueth those that attend not to the ordinance of God with care and diligence but neglect the worke of the Lord in them They will not suffer themselues to be ploughed and tilled that grace may grow in their hearts as Corne doth in the Fieldes They say they increase and proceed in the waies of Godlinesse but they will not vse the meanes which God hath ordained and therefore they do deceiue themselues He that heareth not at all doth not grow at all he that heareth negligently groweth slowly in any good thing For as we sow so we shall reape Againe this checketh the dulnesse and drowsinesse of such as when they haue begun in the spirit would end in the flesh which say the word is profitable and necessary to gather a Church but not to continue it to begin faith but when it is begun and begotten in vs we need not heare still we haue faith already by the preaching of the word we shall not therefore need to frequent the preaching of it still we haue that wrought in vs which the word is appointed to worke These men vnder a colour of hauing faith do scorne and deride the preaching of faith But the word is not onely the immortall seed to beget vs but wholesome food to sustaine vs it is milke for such as are weake and strong meate for such as are of riper yeares He neuer had faith by the word that seeketh not the strengthning of it by the word It is not enough to haue saith but we must
seeke the encrease and continuance of it which is continued preserued by the same meanes that it is bred and ingenderd This it it which the Apostle Peter teacheth in his first Epistle r 1 Pet 1 23. with Chap 2 2 that being borne anew not of mortall seed but of immortall by the word of God which liueth and endureth for euer we should as new borne babes desire that sincere milke that we may grow thereby Whereby we see that he calleth the word immortall seed to regenerate vs and sincere milke to nourish vs so that we haue as well our growing vp as our first birth by it and there is a continuall vse of the preaching of the word as well to men that are called aready as to them that are to be called heereafter For the end of preaching is not onely to conuert vs but to continue vs not onely to raise vs vp but to vphold vs not onely to beget vs to the faith but to strengthen vs in the faith not onely to giue the first life to vs but to renew vs after our manifold slippes and often infirmities We are euen in the state of our regeneration as a shippe which if it lye still without vse will rot in the Hauen and if it be kept neuer so carefully it will want rigging and repayring So is it with euery one of vs in this life Å¿ Phil 3 12. we haue not attained to perfection we alwayes lacke somewhat we stand in need of renewing and repairing we must be mending that which is impayred encreasing that which is lessened restoring that which is decayed and keeping in his course that which is rightly ordered So then we must acknowledge a perpetuall necessity of the word to encrease in vs the graces of Faith and Sanctification which without vse of the meanes are subiect if not to dying yet to decreasing if not to perishing yet to diminishing if not to withering away yet to a languishing and loosing of those degrees that haue beene begun in vs. Hence it is that the Lord saith t Esay 27 3. I the Lord doe keepe it that is the Church which is the Vineyard of the Lord I will water it euery moment least any assayle it I will keepe it night and day It is not with the Ministers of the word as it is with men of other Trades who when they haue begun a worke and are departed from it though they returne not to it in a long time yet they find it in the same case u Chrisost homit 13. ad popu Antioch as they left it The Gold-smith that hath melted his siluer in the fire and cast a vessell in the mould begun to hammer it with his Tooles if he lay it aside at night the next day when he commeth to his worke he findeth it as he left it The Carpenter that hath hewed his Timber or the Mason that hath squared his stones in what sort soeuer they left their worke when they departed from it in the same they are sure to see it it is not better it is not worse but as it lay so it continueth And thus it is in all other Sciences It is not so in the Art of hearing and teaching we do not alwaies find the people as we left them we labour to haue them reformed and made zealous yet they are no sooner departed but the multitude of businesse the strength of tentations the corruptions of their nature do so beset them and besiege them round about whereby they are beguiled and ensnared that they make the worke of reformation more hard and difficult then it was before This made the Apostle Paule say of the Galathians that he trauailed in birth againe with them vntill Christ were formed in them and was affraid least he had laboured among them in vaine Gal. 4. 11. 19. This also made the Apostles consent and agree together to visit the Churches where they had preached the Gospell x Acts 14. 22. to confirme them in the truth which they had receiued For as we eate often for the restoring of the force of nature and repairing of the decaies of the body so it is our duty to heare often for the making vp of the breaches and ruines that Sinne and Sathan haue made in our soules We see by daily experience that after our repentance the renewing of our mindes we are subiect to stumble and fal into sinne and ready to lye long in it as men cast into a deep and dead sleepe if we be not awaked with the Trumpet of the Lord in our eares Dauid was by the subtilty of the enemy surprized y 2 Sam 12 7. 13. and drawne to commit two horrible sinnes Adultery and murther he lay a long space securely in them vntill he was by the Prophet Nathan roused vp and recouered Wherefore as there is a continuall vse and exercise of repentance so is there a continuall vse of the preaching of the word that we should not stand at a stay but encrease more and more vntill we come to the fulnesse of the perfect age of Christ Iesus our Lord. Vse 3. Thirdly seeing we should desire our owne profit and others it condemneth three sortes of men first such as stand at a stay secondly such as goe backward thirdly such as enuy the good and growth of others in the best thinges The first reprofe Touching the first we haue many that stand still and moue not they are cast as it were into a dead sleepe call and cry vnto them lift vp thy voice as a Trumpet they haue no eares to heare If one come to a sicke man and feele his pulses yet cannot perceiue them to beate or stirre we will say he is neere vnto death or in some extasie so is it with such as haue the word of God preached vnto them if they be not moued by it to go forward but we find them at the yeares end where they were at the beginning it is an euident signe of a spirituall lethargy and slumber and that they are in danger of death He is accounted an euill scholler that learneth not somewhat euery day but many thousands remaine in the schoole-house of Christ that are so farre from profiting euery day that they suffer whole weekes and moneths and yeares to passe ouer their heads without calling themselues to an account what they haue learned that they knew not before and wherein they yeeld obedience which they practised not before If a man should aske them whether they haue bettered their knowledge encreased their faith furthered their sanctification more this yeare then before they cannot yeeld a reckoning of any accesse is come to any of their guifts In this number are the greatest sort that liue among vs they are standers and not walkers they are sitters and not mouers where you left them this yeare you shall be sure to find them the next yeare and many yeares after They see the time of their
GOD pondereth the hearts This is it which Christ spake to the Pharisees i Luke 16 15. Ye are they which iustifye your selues before Men but GOD knoweth your hearts for that which is highly esteemed among men is abhominable in the sight of God Let vs therefore publish the guiftes of God vppon our selues and our Bretheren not to the magnifying of our owne persons but to the extolling of his praises and let vs so spread abroad our graces as that wee remember his glorie that wrought them in vs by his Spirite Verse 7. For we haue great ioy and consolation in thy Loue. Hitherto wee haue spoken of the matter of his Prayer now let vs see the reason why hee made this the matter thereof For the Apostle might haue craued and asked of God many other things for him of God yet he desired that his faith might be communicated to many and so bee manifested to bee effectuall working by loue The reason heere rendered is from the effect or fruite of his prayers they were not vttered in the ayre they fell not without profit good successe to the ground but he felt great comfort and consolation wrought in him by the workes of Philemon performed to the glorie of God to the praise of his Faith and with the approbation of the church Heere then he sheweth that he had occasion offred him of great ioy and gladnesse in regard of the graces of God effects of faith fruits of true piety which he heard and knew to bee in Philemon Doctrine 4. The spirituall graces of God bestowed vpon others giue occasiō of ioy to the Saints From hence we learne that spirituall blessings and graces of God bestowed vpon others do giue iust occasion to the Saints of God of great gladnesse and comfort It is our dutie greatly to reioyce when we see spirituall blessings in heauenly thinges giuen to the Children of God This trueth our Sauiour Christ teacheth in the Parables of the stray Sheep of the lost Groat and of the prodigall Sonne The Shepheard a Luke 15 5 and 10 31. hauing found his sheep layeth it on his shoulder with ioy he commeth home he calleth his friendes saying Reioyce with me for I haue found my Sheep which was lost I say vnto you that likewise ioy shall be in heauen for one sinner that conuerteth more then for ninety and nine iust men which need none amendment of life The poore woman hauing lost a Groat lighteth a Candle sweepeth the house searcheth euery corner and when she hath found it she gathereth together her neighbors saying Reioyce with me for I haue found the Groat which I had lost wherevppon hee addeth Likewise I say vnto you there is ioy in the presence of the Angelles of God for one sinner that conuerteth The Father of that riotous sonne which wasted his goods hath compassion vpon him runneth to meete him fell on his necke and kissed him put apparrell on his back a ring on his finger and shooes on his feete reproued his sonne that enuied and repined at it saying let vs eate and reioyce it is meet we should make merry and bee glad for this thy Brother was dead and is aliue againe he was lost but hee is found Heereunto commeth the Thankesgiuing of Christ to his Father when he saw the encrease of his Church and the ouerthrowe of Satans kingdome c Luke 10 21 That same houre reioyced Iesus in the Spirite and saide I confesse vnto thee Father Lord of Heauen and earth that thou hast hid these thinges from the wise and vnderstanding and hast reuealed them to Babes euen so Father because it so pleased thee The Prophet Dauid reioyced with great ioy when hee sawe that the people d 1 Chron. 29 9 10. offred willingly vnto the Lord with a perfect hart he blessed the Lord God of Israel When the Iewes heard of the conuersion of the Gentiles that the Holy ghost fell vpon them as vpon themselues at the beginning e Acts 11 18. They held their peace and glorified God saying Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance vnto life When the apostle perceiued the notable zeal of the Thessalonians in receiuing entertaining the gospel not as the word of man but as it is indeed the word of God f 1 Thes 2 19 20. he witnesseth that they wer his hope his ioy his crown his glory in the presence of our Lord Iesus Christ at his comming Likewise the Apostle Iohn g 3 Iohn 4. reioyced greatly when the Brethren testified of the truth that was in Gaius how he walked therein Hee had no greater ioy then this to heare that his sons walked in the verity Whereby we see there ought to be great ioy amongst the faithfull when they see the Church prosper and flourish and the graces of God to encrease among them Reason 1. The Reasons are many that confirme this vnto vs. First the glory praise of God is much increased which shold comfort the harts reioice the spirits of the Saints The more wee abound with spiritual blessings in heauenly things the more God is honored and his name glorified This the Apostle teacheth speaking of the releeuing of the Church at Ierusalem h 2 Cor. 9 12. The ministration of this seruice not only supplieth the necessities of the Saintes but also abundantly causeth manie to giue thankes to God Where hee sheweth his ioy that he receiued and conceiued for their voluntary submission to the Gospell and compassion to the brethren this was a speciall cause that God was praised this ministered greater gladnesse to him then that the Saints were comforted and releeued Reason 2. Secondly the general good of the church must lead vs to this duty cause vs to reioyce which next vnto God shold be dearest to vs. For whē we see the Church encrease and many soules of many men women saued when we see their hearts conuerted regeneration wrought in them so that they begin to liue to God who before in the time of their ignorance liued to themselus to sin to condemnation who can haue such hearts of Flint or of Iron as not to be moued with ioy euen tickled with a sweet meditation of Gods mercy beholding the enlarging of the kingdom of Christ The prophet reioysed to see the people willingly affected religiously minded i Psal 122 1 2 to go to the house of the Lord Because Ierusalem did thereby prosper peace was within her wals and prosperitie within her pallaces Where he sheweth that his reioysing was for the wealth and welfare of the house of God Reason 3. Thirdly the Ordinances and Lawes of God are walked in and obserued so his blessings procured and obtained For if we hearken obey his voice we haue a promise to be respected and rewarded Such as walke in the Statutes commandements of the Lord to do them shal be blessed
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
giue charge and send out commandements in his owne name but the Minister must command in his Masters name in asmuch as Christ hath not imparted the power nor communicated the right which he hath ouer mens consciences vnto any mortall man no not to the Angels in Heauen Wherefore whatsoeuer we speake or do we must do all in his name that hath sent vs. Thirdly marke how farre his authority stretcheth and extendeth he can require and exact no more then that which is right and equall and their duty to doe It is no absolute or immoderate power but limitted within these boundes that he goe not beyond them This is required of all the Ministers of the word they are to teach that which is right and he people are bound no farther to heare them Fourthly he declareth why he yeelded vp a part of his right and did not prosecute it to the full for loue sake it was for Charity sake that he turned his power into prayer All indifferent thinges must be measured by this rule Charity will cause a man willingly to giue place where it is in the heart but where it is not he will not regard to vse his liberty with offence nay to the destruction of his brother 5 Lastly Paule to moue Philemon propoundeth his bandes and afflictions to teach that no man ought to greeue at the afflictions of the Church We ought to be so farre from being ashamed m 2 Tim. 1 8. Ephes 3 13. of the Crosse in our selues and from being offended at the Crosse in others that rather we are to know it commendeth the Ministry and serueth greatly to edification For by this title he commendeth himselfe and purchaseth authority vnto his Ministry whereby he signifieth not onely that he is an Apostle but somewhat more an Apostle a prisoner that is adorned with the markes and tokens of Apostolicall honour seeing the badges of the Apostleship are such bandes as he suffered for Christs sake So then a Minister afflicted is more then a Minister a Christian persecuted is more then a Christian and euery faithfull man and woman the more they are tried by suffering for the Gospell the more they are to be honoured and the better to be esteemed in the Church I haue great liberty in Christ to command thee The Apostle hauing to deale with Philemon whom he had wonne by his Ministry to the Gospell and whom he had authority to command in the Lord saith that he might be bould to vrge and presse him to this duty in regard of the Office of Apostleship of the greatnesse of his age and of the sufferings of bonds and imprisonment Doctrine 1. The Office of the Pastor is an Office of power and authority Heereby we learne that the Pastor by his Office hath power and authority to require and to command men as the Minister of Christ to do their duties The Teachers of the Church haue power by their calling and place that they are employed in to be bold with their people they haue an interest in them to vrge them to good things We see then that the Ministry is an office of power and the Ministers must haue boldnesse in the discharge of their duty and in the execution of their calling This we see in the practise of the Prophets of God and of the Apostles of Iesus Christ When Eliah was charged by Ahab to be a troubler of Israel he answered with freedome of speech and boldnesse of spirit and vehemency of zeale n 1 Kin. 18 18 I haue not troubled Israell but thou and thy Fathers house in that yee haue forsaken the commaundements of the Lord and thou hast followed Baalim The like we see in Ionah he was not affraid when he came to Niniuie to cry out against the Citty and the Inhabitants thereof o Ionas 3 4. That except they repented within forty dayes they should bee destroyed This Doctrine among other places hath most plentifull confirmation out of the prophesie of Ieremy whether we consider the commandement of God or the practise of the Prophet Heerunto commeth that which the lord speaketh to him p Ier. 10 1. Behold this day I set thee ouer the Nations and ouer the kingdoms to plucke vp and to roote out to destroy and throw downe to build and to plant When Pashur had smitten him and put him in the stockes q Ier. 20 4. the Prophet sayde vnto him Thus saith the Lord behold I will make thee to be a terror to thy selfe and to all thy friends and they shall fall by the sworde of their enemies and thine eyes shall behold it c. This authority the Apostle Paule doth often claime challenge vnto himselfe ouer the people and he sheweth what power he had by reason of his Ministry When hee giueth sundry instructions to diuers degrees among the Corinthians he saith r 1 Cor. 7 10. Vnto the vnmarried I command not I but the Lord. And in another place Å¿ 2 Cor. 3 12. Seeing then that we haue such trust wee vse great boldnesse of speech It is noted by the Euangelist t Math. 7 29. that Christ taught as one hauing authority and not as the Scribes that is boldly not fearefully zealously not coldly with great power not as one that telleth a dreame The Apostle writing to Timothy doth not onely gently intreat him but straightly charge him u 1 Tim. 5 21. and 6 13. before God and the Lord Iesus Christ and the elect Angelles that he obserue those things without preferring one to another and do nothing partially And in the Chapter following I charge thee in the sight of God who quickneth all things and before Iesus Christ which vnder Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession that thou keepe this commandement without spotte and vnrebukeable vntill the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ Likewise in x 2 Tim. 4 1 2 the latter Epistle I charge thee before God and before the Lord Iesus Christ which shall iudge the quicke and dead at his appearing and in his kingdome preach the worde be instant in season and out of season improue rebuke exhort with all long suffering and Doctrine All these places of Scripture laide together comparing the Commaundements together with the examples of the Prophets of Christ and of the Apostles doo teach vs by the Ordinance of God power and Authoritie are alwayes ioyned to the Pastors Office and neuer to be seuered and deuided from it Reason 1. Let vs see what are the Reasons First if wee consider the names that are giuen vnto them and the honourable Titles whereby they are called we shall be moued to confesse their calling to be accompanied with power vnder Christ They are y 1 Cor. 4 15. Fathers in Christ but Parents may be bolde with their children They are Pastors z Ephe. 4 11. and Shepheards but the Shepheard is to direct order the Sheep of his pasture They a 2 Cor. 5
of God wee send our selues we are not sent of him We are our owne Messengers to doe our owne Message not the Embassadours of the eternall God But when hee hath put his worde in our mouths wee must goe to those that he hath sent vs d Ier. 1 7 8. and whatsoeuer hee commaundeth vs that wee must speake So when God had stretched out his hand and touched the mouth of the Prophet Ieremy hee sayde Bee not affraide of their faces for I am with thee to deliuer thee sayth the Lord. Thus hee speaketh to Ezekiell e Exek 3 8 9. I haue made thy Face strong against their Faces and thy Fore-head harde against their Fore-heades I haue made thy Fore-head as the Adamant and harder then the Flint Feare them not therefore neither bee affrayde at their lookes for they are a Rebellious house Secondly it teacheth them not to loose their Authoritie and so to shame their Calling and their Mayster that hath put them in that Calling bringing them-selues and their Ministry vnder the subiection and slauerie of others The Apostle by all meanes seeketh to magnifye his Ministery and to beautifie his Calling Hence he saith f 1 Cor. 9 1. Am not I an Apostle am not I free This reprooueth those that serue the lustes and pleasure of others and dare doe nothing to displease such as are in high place Thus Aaron in the absence of Moses offended who was at the commaundement of the people g Exo. 32 1 4. when they saide vnto him Make vs Gods to go before vs he receiued their golden earings and fashioned it with the grauing toole and made of it a Molten Calfe The like we see in Vriah the Priest h 2 Kings 16 2 10. when Ahaz who did not vprightly in the sight of the Lorde but walked in the way of the Kings of Israell saw the Altar that was at Damascus he sent vnto him the paterne of the Altar and the fashion of it and all the Workemanship thereof and hee made an Altar in all points like to that which the King had sent from Damascus This departing from the Commaundement of God to please the humour or honour of mightie men must be farre from vs. We haue a plaine way set before vs wee ought to walke in it wee must not decline eyther to the right hand or to the left hand We must not make marchandise of the word of God but deale faithfully with God and his people The Prophet Micah complaineth of such Prophets in his time as flattered the people in their sinnes i Mich. 2 11. And Prophesied vnto them of Wine and of strong drink and in such Prophets the people delighted The Lord chargeth Ieremy k Ier. 1 17. to trusse vp his loynes to arise and to speake to the Children of Israell all that he commaunded him not to bee affraide of their faces least he destroy him before them Let vs beware of such smooth tongues that flatter with their lippes and bring vs in danger of destruction Salomon teacheth vs l Prou. 29 5. That a man which flattereth his Neighhour spreadeth a Net for his steppes declaring thereby that as a Birde which is taken in the Net is in daunger of death so they which beleeue flatterers fall into great perilles of Soule of Bodie of Goods of good name of life Thirdly it teacheth the Ministers to take heede they abuse not their Authority and turne it into tiranny but employ it vnto edification not to the destruction of the Church or any member thereof This the Apostle plainly teacheth concerning himselfe m 2 Cor. 10 8 Though I should boast somwhat more of our authority which the Lord hath giuen vs for edification and not for your destruction I should haue no shame And in another place n 2 Cor. 1 24 Wee haue not Dominion ouer your faith but we are helpers of your ioy for by Faith ye stand We must remember and consider that we are vnder Christ we are his Substitutes and Lieutenants He is the cheefe Shepheard of the Sheepe We must not beare our selues o 1 Pet. 5 3. as Lords ouer his heritage but as ensamples to the flocke Christ himselfe testifieth that he was among them as one that p Luke 22 27 Math. 20 28. serued For the sonne of man came not to bee serued but to serue and to giue his life for the ransome of many Let vs haue the same mind in vs that was in christ Iesus let vs behaue our selues as Stewards not as Lords as Officers not as Princes as Ministers not as Vsurpers as Stewards not as Maisters of the house Vse 3. Lastly it serueth for instruction of the people that they despise not the Ministry of the word but alway readie to heare it with reuerence For wheresoeuer there is authority in the speaker there should bee feare and reuerence in the hearer They are Embassadors sent not from Man but from God they speake not in their owne names but in the name of God they publish not their owne Dreames or deuises but the Doctrine of God and therefore ought reuerently and obediently to be regarded Thus the Prophet teacheth vs to reason q Mal. 2 7. The people must heare the Lawe at his Mouth for hee is the Messenger of the Lerd of Hoastes True it is they are men that bring it but they are Messengers sent of GOD they are subiect to the same passions that wee are but God hath put his word in their hearts and in their mouthes and therefore both they and it must bee receyued with all reuerence and entertayned with the inwarde obedience of the soule Hence it is that our Sauiour Christ sayth r Luke 10 16 Hee that heareth you heareth me and he that heareth you heareth him that sent mee The Prophet teacheth that their feete are beautifull that bring gladde tydings of peace and bring glad tydinges of good things They are saide to be worthy of double honor and to teach the way of saluation If a man had lost a precious Iewell and Rich Pearle which was all the riches and substance of his house and beeing in this case should meete with a man that can tell him who robbed him of it where it is and how hee may come to haue it againe how would hee respect him and reward him A godly Minister is such a one vnto thee Å¿ Perk. of the Ministr who when Adam had lost himselfe and all his posteritie and that peerlesse Iewell of righteousnesse the whole wealth of our soules can truely tell vs who did steale it away from vs and how it is to bee recouered againe The Deuill is the Theefe Christ doth restore it Faith applyeth Christ the Word of God worketh Faith the Minister preacheth the word whereby we beleeue How well doost thou account of that Physitian and how highly doest thou esteeme of him who when thy health is lost and sicknesse falne vpon thee
among you am base but am bolde toward you being absent Thus the Apostle Peter speaketh e 1 Pet. 2 11. Dearly beloued I beseech you as Pilgrims and Straungers abstaine from fleshly lusts which fight against the soule and haue your conuersation honest among the Gentiles Likewise the Apostle Iohn writing to a Noble woman by byrth but more noble by Faith and Religion saieth f 2 Iohn 5. I now beseech thee Ladie not as writing a newe Commaundement vnto thee but the same that wee had from the beginning that wee loue one another Whereby we see that it is a dutie required of vs that in deliuering the word of God in declaring his will we should vse mildenesse rather then sharpenesse gentlenesse rather then roughnesse beseeching rather then commanding and meekenesse of spirit rather then threatning of iudgement Reason 1. Now to confirme this doctrine sundry reasons may be rendred and produced First we are bound to vse those meanes and to take that course which is most forcible effectual But to deale with loue and lenity and to handle our brethren kindly and meekly is most likely to preuaile with most men Therefore the Apostle requireth g 2 Tim. 2 25. that the seruant of God must not striue but must be gentle toward al men apt to teach suffering the euil instructing them with meeknesse that are contrary minded prouing if God at any time wil giue thē repentance that they may acknowledge the truth and come to amendment out of the snare of the deuil c. There is no way so auaileable to bring euill men out of the dangers wherin they stand who are as it were taken prisoners and made bondslaues to do the Deuils wil then to allure them by gentlenesse to draw them by long suffering and to ouercome them by patience Reason 2. Secondly this course well and duely obserued serueth to perswade them with whome wee deale of our loue and tender affection towardes them For louing and friendly dealing argueth louing and affectionate mindes and with whomsoeuer we haue to doo it is a great meanes of preuailing and the readie way to bend and encline him vnto that which is good and to turne him from that which is euill when his perswasions are perceyued to tend to the profite and benefite of him whome wee would perswade Wee shall neuer doo any good or preuayle with our Brother to bring him into the right way vnlesse hee can assure his owne heart that wee loue him and seeke his good and desire his Saluation It is Loue in the Speaker that mooueth the Hearer to embrace that which hee speaketh to like that which hee teacheth to hate that which hee reprooueth to auoyde that which hee condemneth and to practise that which hee commendeth Wee must worke this Opinion and ground this perswasion in their hearts that wee loue them and that all our Doctrines Instructions and Reproofes proceede onely from this Fountaine before wee can mooue them to Attention Reuerence and Obedience vnto that which they heare deliuered Hence it is that the Apostle in sundrie places writing to diuers Churches and moouing them to followe the examples and exhortations giuen vnto them laboureth to perswade them of his vnfaigned Loue towardes them as it appeareth Phillippians 4 1. Therefore my Bretheren beloued and longed for my ioy and my Crowne so continue in the Lorde yee beloued Reason 3. Thirdly we are to imitate our Head and Maister Christ Iesus he vsed not his Authoritie and Power that was in him he dealt not roughly and seuerely with his enemies but meekely and mercifully and most compassionately he was meeke and as a Lambe before his shearer When he might according to his mightie power in Iustice haue destroyed his Persecuters and enemies h Luke 23 34 he prayed for them he intreated pardon for them that their sinne might bee forgiuen Therefore the Apostle Peter teacheth vs that we are prouoked to a patient bearing of wrongs and suffering of trobles by the example of Christ saying i 1 Pet. 2 21. For heerunto ye are called for Christ also suffered for you leauing you an ensample that ye should follow his steps who did no sin neither was there guile found in his mouth Seeing then that milde and mercifull dealing pulleth out of the snare of the deuill openeth the loue of the speaker and lastly maketh vs like to Christ whose example is a perfect patterne of all meeknesse and moderation it followeth that it is carefully to be vsed of vs when we speak to the people of God in the name of God Vse 1. Let vs see what Vses may bee raysed and remembered vnto vs out of this Doctrine First we learne that mercie and compassion yea all tokens and testimonies of loue are to be shewed toward Malefactors euen when Iustice is to be executed and punishment inflicted and the course of Law is to proceede against them that they may know it is not malice but Iustice hath brought this fall vpon thē it is not their blood but their good that is sought and the good of others The truth heereof we see practised in Ioshua when Achan was apprehended and his sinne discouered whereby hee had offended God sinned against his expresse commandement and troubled Israell he said vnto him l Iosh 7 19. My sonne I beseech thee giue glory to the Lord God of Israel make confession vnto him and shew me now what thou hast done hide it not from me Cruelty in deed or bitternesse in word euen toward euill doers that are alreadie adiudged or stand at the barre to be iudged is barbarous and inhumain To insult ouer a poore prisoner or a condemned man that is guilty of death and carried to the place of execution standeth neither with an humaine disposition nor with a Christian affection nor with Brotherly compassion Beholde the proud and insolent behauiour of the sauage and beastly minded Pharisees and Priests against our Sauiour Christ mocking spitting buffeting rayling reuiling whipping and crucifieng him betweene two theeues They were not content to seeke his life and to shed his blood but laded him with contempt and all shamefull calumniations This also is the practise of their successors the Romish Cleargy who are the followers of them in malice and cruelty when the faithfull haue beene not only conuented before them but condemned of them they haue embrued their hands and defiled their garments with their blood which cryeth to the God of Heauen for iudgement neither were they contented to feede their eyes with their torments and to satisfie their lusts with their sufferings but proceeded to all extreamities of rage and madnesse rayling at them and speaking all manner of euil against them This abuse is somtimes too vsual and common in the places of Iustice iudgment from whence all gall and bitternesse should be banished wee may heare vnseemly iests bitter taunts vncharitable reproches cast out of their mouths as a
Thou shalt rise vp before the hore head and honour the person of the old man and dread thy God I am the Lord. Where we see the Lord prescribeth that duty to be performed to olde age which Paule chalengeth to himselfe being aged in this place An example heereof we haue recorded in the booke of Iob in Elihu when Iobs three friendes ceased to answeare him he began saying d Iob 32 6. I am young in yeares and yee are auncient therefore I doubted and was afraid to shew you mine opinion for I said the daies shall speake and the multitude of yeares shall teach wisedome Likewise touching the teachers and Ministers of the Gospell the Apostle saith e 1 Tim 5 17. The Elders that rule well let them be had in double honour specially they which labour in the word and Doctrine And in another place f Heb 13 17. 1 Thes 5 12 13. Obey them that haue the ouersight of you and submit your selues for they watch for your soules as they that must giue accounts 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 Lastly to endure aduersity to suffer imprisonment and to be put in fetters for Christs sake is so farre from putting them to shame that are in Chaines and ought to be so farre from offending any that rather it commendeth their person beutifieth their Ministry adorneth their guiftes magnifieth their calling and maketh their Office more effectuall and much more to be respected and more auailable to edification It is an honour to be set as an ouerseer in the Church but it is a greater honour to suffer in Christs cause Hence it is that the Apostle saith g 2 Tim 1 8. Ephe 3 13. Be not ashamed of the Testimony of our Lord neither of me his prisoner but be partaker of the afflictions of the Gospell according to the power of God And Ephe 3. 13. I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for your sakes which is your glory All these Testimonies serue to confirme this truth sufficiently and abundantly that such as God hath made any way superiours vnto vs and preferred before vs in calling in age in guiftes in sufferings or any other prerogatiues are much to be accounted off and greatly to be respected of vs. Reason 1. This truth will better appeare vnto vs and be more deeply grounded in vs if we marke and obserue the reasons whereon it standeth as vpon a firme foundation that cannot be shaken For first it standeth with the Ordinance and commandement of God as we see in the xx Chapter of the booke of Exodus h Exod 20 12 Deut 5 16. Ephe 5 2 3. where the law is established and a promise of blessing annexed Thus the Apostle expresseth the one and the other Ephe 6. Honour thy Father and Mother which is the first commandement with promise that it may be well with thee and that thou maist liue long on earth If this be a precept of God that we ought to honour those whom God hath any way honoured and if the obedience vnto it be ioyned with our good and that good which all men so much desire to wit length of daies and continuance of long life vpon the earth if we respect either his precept or regard our owne profit we are bound to acknowledge those priuiledges of age or guiftes which he hath giuen them and to honour them for them Reason 2. Secondly all superiors in what respect soeuer they be placed aboue vs and set before vs do beare the Image of God He hath sealed them in the forehead with his owne stampe and marked them out with the print of his owne finger that they should resemble him He hath aduanced them to be instead of fathers and honoured them to beare a simillitude of his person In the Magistrate is the Image of the i Dan 2 37. Psal 82. power and glory of God Dan. 2 37. In the father k Mat 23 9. of his prouidence and authority in the Elder of his continuance and eternity in the learned man of his knowledge and wisedome Now wheresoeuer the least and lowest title of the image of God appeareth albeit it be blemished with many infirmities it is to be confessed and acknowledged yea to be honoured and reuerenced Reason 3. Thirdly God will be seuerely reuenged on all such as breake his order and seeke to confound those thinges which he hath distinguished The light of nature hath imprinted this Ordinance of God in all men and the Heathen liuing in darknesse and destitute of the light of the word of God and of the knoledge of true Godlinesse haue established wholesome lawes and sharpe statutes to that purpose to auoid confusion and to maintaine a peaceable communion one with another Old age was honourable l Ouid. Fastor lib. 5. Cicero lib. de Senect among the Gentiles so that the moe white haires they had on their heads the moe wrinckles they had in their faces and the lesse strength in their bodies the more were they esteemed of their equals feared of young men and honoured of all men As euery yeare did add to the time of their age so it added reuerence to their persons When the keepers m Eccle 2 3. 4 5. of the house trembled the strong men bowed the grinders ceased the dores were shut vp the lights were darkned the Almond Tree flourished and the Daughters of singing were abased all which are euident signes not onely of old age comming toward vs and approaching neere vnto vs but present with vs and attending vpon vs then were they most regarded n Plutar. in vita Licurg all other arose from their seates to honour them no man durst vtter an vnseemly word shew an vnreuerent gesture or commit an vngodly action before them If then we go about to quench the light of nature and refuse to reuerence those that God hath exalted it is no maruaile if he draw them out to shame and bring them to misery which rise vp against lawfull authority or despise such as he hath honoured ouertaking them in their deuises turning their wisedome into foolishnesse and bringing vpon them finall confusion We see this in the fearefull examples of Absolon Ahitophell Shemei Ioab and such like Childen of rebellion The sonne of Noah that mocked his father o Gen 9. is cursed with an heauy and horrible curse The Children of p 2 King 2 24 Ierico that derided and reproached the Prophet were torne in pieces with two Beares that came out of the Wildernesse Seeing therefore that all superiors haue the Image of God shining vpon them and seeing God on the one side commandeth them to be honoured and on the other side threatneth to punish such as despise them it followeth that such as God preferreth we must highly regard and yeeld them much honour Vse 1
Sonne What coulde bee more reproachfull then to robbe his Maister and then to play the runnagate that so he might runne on in his euill course and deliuer himselfe from punnishment Yet wee see the Apostle is not ashamed of him is not ashamed to cal him his Sonne that Philemon might not be ashamed to receiue and to accept him as his Seruant For if he be the sonne of Paule he may bee esteemed the seruant of Philemon Fourthly wee see how effectuall the sounde conuersion of a sinner to God ought to bee and how forcible it should bee to preuayle with vs to winne our Loue towardes him and cause vs to performe all the duties belonging vnto him For wee may not bee ashamed to account him eyther as a Sonne or as a Brother whome GOD accounteth for his owne sonne and seruant We are most vnworthy to be called the sonnes of God if we refuse his children to be our brethren But if we marke this aright we shal find the number of those to be few which regard the Faith conuersion saluation other spiritual blessings bestowed vpon their brethren as they ought and therefore testify no loue shew no ioy performe no duties when they behold sinners conuerted vnto God Fiftly we see that the name and praise of a spirituall Father which is proper to God alone is communicated to the Apostles and Ministers of God whereas God onely doth renew and regenerate vs by the power of his spirit the Ministry onely is mans whether hee be Pastor or Apostle Our Sauior teacheth vs l Math. 23 9. to cal no man Father vpon earth It is no worke of man be hee neuer so excellent to frame and reforme the soule into the Image of God But because we are borne anew by Faith and Faith commeth by hearing the Minister as the disposer of the Mysteries of God doth vnder God perfourme the dutie of a Father So then seeing the word of God preached by the mouth and Ministery of man is the immortall seede of eternall life it is no maruell if he bee called by the Title of a Father from whose lippes we conceiue that seede and receiue that worde Thus much is to be obserued of vs in general out of this verse Now let vs come to the particular Doctrines I beseech thee for my sonne Onesimus c. Wee are heere to marke the scope and purpose of the Apostle in these words We see he vseth exceeding earnestnesse and importunity to haue him receiued to his Maisters fauor The condition of Onesimus was this he was a seruant of the basest calling For men Seruants and Maid-seruants in those dayes were not as they be nowe Men had them not for Wages and hire as they that wer bound to do no more then Couenant but they were Bondslaues to bee bought and sold in the Market and their Maisters possessed them as Oxen and Cattle and hadde power ouer them of life and death Now albeit he were a seruant of this kind and condition and had beene besides a runnagate and a Theefe deseruing greeuous punishment euen death yet he pleadeth his cause being conuerted with as great force and feruency as can be expressed Doctrine 1. The least and lowest member conuerted to Christ must not bee contemned We learne from this loue appearing in the Apostle that the basest person in the Church truly conuerted brought vnto Christ should not be contemned but most louingly tenderly and Brotherly regarded The least lowest member that belongeth to God ought not to be reiected and debased but highly for Christs sake to be honored and respected We see how Christ calleth vnto him all that are weary and heauy laden m Mat. 11 28. promising to ease and refresh them Likewise he embraceth the poore and simple as louingly and cheerefully as the rich and wise of the world The Publicans and sinners are accepted of him that were hated of the Iewes The Woman taken in adultry accused by the Pharises is exhorted by him to repentance The Blinde man restored to his sight n Iohn 9 35. and 8 11. and cast out of the Synagogue is sought out by Christ and taught to beleeue and broght to be a true member of the Church The penitent Theefe hanging o Luke 23 43 vppon the Crosse and hearing Christ preach is conuerted to the Faith and receiued into paradise It is not the will of p Mat. 18 14. our heauenly Father that one of these little ones should perish When the prodigall sonne had wasted his wealth and his strength in riotous liuing q Lu. 15 20 24 so that necessity fell vppon him and Famine constrained him to eate of the huskes wherewith he fed his Swine his Father receiued him into his fauour and had compassion vpon him hee willed him not to returne backe to his Harlots and to betake himself to his former companions but while he was yet a farre off he reioyced to see him and embraced him when he saw him saying This my sonne was dead but is aliue againe he was lost but he is found and they began to be merry The incestuous Corinthian swept out of the Church by the censures thereof r 1 Cor. 5 4. 2 Cor. 2 6 7 and deliuered vp to Satan for the destruction of the flesh that the Spirit may be saued in the day of the Lord Iesus and wandering as a stray Sheepe from the sheepe-fold is brought againe into the house of God and into the assembly of the faithfull The Apostle hearing of his sorrow for his sinne and of his vnfaigned repentaunce saith It is sufficient vnto the same man that he was rebuked of many so that nowe contrary wise yee ought rather to forgiue him and comfort him least the same should be swallowed vp with ouermuch heauinesse The like we see might say of Mary Magdalen who was infamous in life out of whome Christ cast seauen diuels Of the Cananitish woman whom he heard and helped of the Cripple that lay at the Poole whom when Iesus founde in the Temple Å¿ 1 Iohn 5 14 hee exhorted to sinne no more being now made whole least a worse thing come vnto him Likewise the Euangelists declare that by the power and loue of Christ t Math 11 5. the blind had their sight restored the Leapers were clensed the dead were raised the halt walked the sicke were healed and the poore receiued the Gospell So the Apostle willeth u 1 Tim. 6 1. seruants that are vnder the yoke to account their Maisters worthy of all honour that the name of God his Doctrine be not euil spoken of All these places of Scripture serue to teach vs that such as are of meanest account and least estimation beeing conuerted to the Faith and belonging to Christ are greatly to bee regarded and entirely to be beloued Reason 1. This shall not seeme any thing strange vnto vs if we marke the Reasons whereupon it is grounded For first
For if they ought to be vnto euery one of vs as the Mother brethren yea as the flesh members of Christ they ought not to be neglected or contemned but to be cherished Heereby g 1 Iohn 3 14. we shall know that we are translated from death to life if we loue the bretheren On the other side we ought to mourne and lament for such as remaine in ignorance of God lie vnder the dominion of sinne and continue in the prophanenesse and abominations of their youth It is noted by the Prophet h Psal 1â—9 136 Luk â—9 41. Phil 3 18. that his eyes gushed out with riuers of waters because they kept not the law of God Christ Iesus mourned for the hardnesse of heart that appeared in his hearnrs he wept for Ierusalem when he came neere vnto it Righteous Lot was vexed day by day when he beheld the vncleane conuersation of the sinfull Sodomites The Apostle told the Phillippians of vaine walkers and that with teares that they are the enemies of the Crosse of Christ We see by common and daily experience when any of our friendes and familiars are dead or lye at the point of death a naturall affection toward them causeth vs to weepe and lament for them and draweth oftentimes from vs abundance of teares how much more ought it to go neere vs and make vs sob and sigh from the very depth and bottom of our hearts to see our bretheren lie dead in sinne and as it were rotting in the Graue of their corruptions or else to walke in the paths of death that bring with it certaine destruction and eternall damnation If a man should come into a field where he should behold thousands slaine with the sword wallowing in their bloud and others hauing receiued their deaths wound to languish in paine and to striue and struggle for life who would not account it a lamentable shew and most pitifull sight But thus is it with vs and this is the condition of many thousands that glory that they abide in health and yet are most dangerously sicke and diseased that thinke they are aliue and yet behold they are a company of dead carcasses that boast they are farre from the Gates of death and yet alasse they lie gaping and gasping for breath which is ready to be gone If there be in vs any life of Gods spirit or any loue of Godlinesse it cannot but greeue our soules to behold the desolations that are in the earth i Reuel 3 2. 1 Tim 5 6. Mat 8 22. and the languishing of many ready to die nay which are already dead in sinne and stinke in the nostrils of God and man For as a man hauing escaped shipwracke and gotten into an Hauen and Harbour reioyseth in his owne safety and comforteth himselfe in his deliuerance but when he behouldeth the misery of his brother suffering shipwracke and cast away by the violence of the stormes and Tempestes that beat vpon his barke which drowne both it and him in the Seas he cannot but greatly be greeued and exceedingly perplexed So ought it to be with vs howsoeuer the escaping from the filthinesse of the world and the vniting of vs with Christ our head doth breed in vs matter of great ioy and may worthily cause vs to reioyce yet when we see the bondage of our bretheren vnder k 1 Pet 2 19. sinne and the ruines into which they are come it cannot but worke in vs great anguish of spirit If we perceiue them to wander out of the way and to go astray from the simplicity of the Gospell and from the fold of Christ and fellowship of the faithfull it is our part to turne them backe and to gather them home For how l Math 18 12. thinke yee If a man haue an hundred sheepe and one of them be gone astray doth he not leaue ninety and nine and goe into the Mountains and seeke that which is gone astray and if so be that he finde it verily I say vnto you he reioyseth more of that sheep then of the ninety and nine which went not astray so is it not the will of your father which is in Heauen that one of these little ones should perish This loue toward the lowest that are conuerted to the faith and coupled to Christ reproueth two sorts of men First such as are ashamed of the poore Saintes who being without the comfort of friendes but not without contempt of the world are not regarded or esteemed He that despiseth his poore brother redeemed with the bloud of Christ would also despise and despight Christ himselfe if he walked vpon the earth He that honoureth not a faithfull man of low degree doth dishonour the faith it selfe and reprocheth the Gospell that he professeth yea he despiseth the Church and shameth such as are members of it This the Apostle Iames teacheth m Iam 2 2. If there come into your company a man with a Gold Ring and in goodly apparell and there come in also apoore man in vile raiment and ye haue a respect to him that weareth the gay clothing and say vnto him Sit thou heere in a goodly place and say vnto the poore Stand thou there or sit heere vnder my Footstoole Are ye not partiall in your selues and become Iudges of euill thoughts The needy seruants of God and poore afflicted Saintes are ashamed and blamed of the world they are scorned and scoffed at by the vngodly shall we then that are of the same Religion profession and communion ioyne hand in hand with them and contemne the faithfull that deserue to be honoured thereby adding more sorrow to their affliction and doubling the misery that is vpon them For it must needes lie heauy vpon them and euen oppresse them with anguish to finde this measure at our handes of whom they looked for comfort and counsell This appeareth in the saying of the Prophet n Psal 55 12. Surely mine enemy did not defame me for I could haue borne it neither did mine aduersary exalt himselfe against me for I would haue hid me from him but it was thou O man euen my companion my guide and my familiar It is made a note and marke whereby we may try our selues whether we belong to the Church of God and shall be receiued into the Kingdome of glory o Psal 15 4. that a vile person is contemned in their eyes but they honour them that feare the Lord. But the practise of many men is directly contrary who as they are of this world they magnifie and make much of the vngodly but tread and trample vnder their feet the Children of God as if they were a thing of no value The Apostle blameth the Corinthians and noteth it as a blot and blemish in them p 1 Cor 11 22 that they put the poore to shame separating themselues from them and refusing to partake the supper of the Lord with them Secondly it reproueth such as contemne those
He had compassion vpon them and shewed great loue toward them We see how Christ applyeth this to the Conscience of Peter e Iohn 21 15 16. willeth him to try his loue toward him by feeding his Sheepe and Lambes thereby assuring him that if he perswaded himselfe to loue Christ Iesus and yet was not carefull to teach his people he deceiued himselfe and lyed to the Holy-Ghost who would finde him out in his sinne This serueth to reproue sundry corruptions and to meete with many abuses in the Ministers that make them vnworthy of the name of Fathers and testifie that their hearts are empty of this vnfaigned loue that ought to bee in them towards Gods people whom they should affect as deare Children First f What Non-residency is it condemneth the wilfull and ordinary absence of the Pastor from his flocke that is committed to his care and charge whereby the duties of teaching and example of life in his owne person are neglected True it is there may iust and lawfull causes of the Pastors absence sometimes fall out so that the Church be not endamaged but as farre as is possible be sufficiently prouided for as sickenesse g Concil Mogunt Can. 25. August epist 138. Tripart hist lib 6. cap. 22. of body whereby he is restrained Church affayres whereby hee is hindered Persecution whereby he is enforced to flye Priuate affaires whereby he is necessarily constrained for a time to be absent but a wilfull long and continued Non-residency from that particular Congregation enioyned him to feed is euidently conuinced by many Reasons grounded vpon the word of God and the practise of the Church of Christ The Scriptures of the olde and new Testament do directly forbid it The Lord saith by his Prophet Esay h Esay 61 6. Ezek. 44 8. Zac. 11 16 17 I haue set Watchmen vpon the walles O Ierusalem which all the day and all the night continually shall not cease ye that are mindfull of the Lord keepe not silence and giue him no rest till he repaire and till he set vp Ierusalem the praise of the world The Prophet Ezekiell is plentifull in this argument who speaking of vnfaithfull Leuites saith Ye haue not kept the ordinances of mine holy things but you your selues haue set others to take the charge of my Sanctuary So the Prophet Zachary setteth downe this as a great iudgement of the Lord I will raise vp a Shepheard in the Land which shall not looke for the thnig that is lost nor seeke the tender Lambes nor heale that which is hurt nor feede that which standeth vppe but hee shall eate the flesh of the fat and teare their Clawes in peeces It is noted of Salomon i 1 Kings 6 10 1 Chro. 28 11 12 13 19. when hee builded the Temple to bee the place of preaching and Prayer which he did according to the word of God he also builded Houses and Chambers round about the Temple ioyned vnto it to teach the Priestes and Leuites that they should bee neere vnto their charges For this cause also it is expressed k 1 Sa. 1 9 12 That Eli the Priest of God sate at the doore of the Tabernacle to espy the manners and to aunswere the doubts of those that came and resorted vnto him And the Apostle Paul expressing the Priests function saith l 1 Cor. 9 13. They did minister about the holy things and did wait at the altar He m Prosedreuontes vseth a word of great force and strength that bindeth them to a continuall residency and sitting at their charge If wee come to the New Testament we shall see sundry directions importing and implying the Pastours presence with his people The Apostle speaking to the Elders of Ephesus n Act. 20. 28 29. saith Take heed vnto your selues and to all the Flocke whereof the holy Ghost hath made you Ouer-seers to feede the Church of God which he hath purchased with his owne bloud for I know this that after my departing shall grieuous Wolues enter in among you not sparing the Flocke The Apostle Peter likewise exhorteth the Elders o 1 Pet 5 2 3 Feede the Flocke of God which dependeth vpon you caring for it not by constraint but willingly not for filthy lucre but of a ready mind The Apostle to the Hebrewes warneth the Church p Heb. 1 3 17. To obey them that haue the ouer-sight of them and submit themselues for they watch for their Soules as they that must giue accounts It is a great wonder that negligent Pastors reading these places and considering these charges laid vpon their shoulders can so easily shake them off or so slightly passe them ouer or so soone forget them They may seeme more then sufficient to conuince them of want of loue of abundance of couetousnesse of excesse of idlenesse of hardnesse of heart of contempt of the word which they should teach to others A great and heauy iudgement of God is vpon them that can passe ouer this duty without feare and trembling that can see neyther the daunger of their owne soules nor the danger of the peoples Soules through want of instruction Againe the Titles giuen to the Ministers vnder the Gospell as also to the Prophets and Priestes vnder the Law doe vrge diligence faithfulnesse and carefull attendance and consequently the personall presence of the Pastor They are called q Ephe. 4 11. Shepheards r Ezek. 33. Watch-men Å¿ Luke 12 42. Stewards t Heb. 13 17. Captains u 1 Cor. 3 9. Builders x 2 Cor. 5 12. Embassadours and such like so that though they teach oftentimes by themselues and continually and constantly by others they are not excused The office of the Minister is set forth in the Picture of a Shepheard who by reason of the multitude of rauenous Wolus other hurtfull Beasts keepeth watch day and night ouer his flocke He is a Watch-man set in his Watch-Tower to discry the enemy and to giue warning of the danger He is a Steward to prouide for the Family and to giue them their portion of meat in due season He is a Captaine of the Lords Hoast to lead them into the obedience of godlinesse and to goe before them in example of life He is a Builder to frame them and fit them to be stones in the Lordes building He is an Ambassadour to deliuer the will of him that sent him and to speak being called as the words of God These comparisons as they serue to teach diligence and continuance in preaching so they are forcible to presse him to attend vpon his charge that attendeth vpon him Thirdly the Apostle speaking of the office of the Minister saith y 2 Cor. 2 16. Who is sufficient for these thinges When he hath done all he can and imployed himselfe to the vtmost of his power yet he shall come farre short of his duty how much more when hee is ordinarily absent from his charge
in-sufficient idle and reproachfull Ministery and an euident occasion of keeping out of sufficient men and able Work-men both able and apt to teach and of impouerishing such as are already entred This is the cause of many wandring Leuites and of sundry that sit idle for want of imployment Lastly this ordinary absence is against the Statutes of Princes and the decrees of Counsels holden not onely in the most pure times but in the most palpable times euen as it were at midnight when the whole earth was ouer-shaddowed with darknesse These appointed l Conci Antioch can 17. Conc. Sardi c. 14. Can si quis vult dist 39. Conc. Calsid can 10. Conc. Trid. sess 7. ca. 8. many Cannons and Constitutions charging the Minister to bee resident in Gods Tabernacle not to be absent from his Parish least hee loose that excellent Talent which God hath bestowed vpon him appointing that no man should be ordained Minister of two Churches but limiting him to remaine in that vnto which hee was first called If any be called to another charge let him simply giue ouer the former and claime no interest in it If any be otherwise he shall be prohibited from the Lords Table and be excommunicated Hitherto we haue shewed the necessity of the Pastours presence and opened the reasons whereby it is confirmed and strengthned Now it remaineth to answere such obiections m Obiections brought to iustifie the Pastors absence as are brought to iustifie the ordinary absence from the charge which hee hath taken vpon him There are many thinges brought and alleadged to warrant this absence Salomon teacheth that the Sluggard is wiser in his owne conceit then seauen men that can render a reason The causes that are pretended to excuse and defend the Pastours absence are taken partly from the holy Scripture and partly from naturall reason Obiection 1. First they say it was lawfull and lawfully practised in Epaphras who was the Minister of the Colossians yea a faithfull Minister yet absent from that Church Col. 1 7. and 4 12. The like might be said of Epaphroditus absent from the Phillippians Answere I answere first it doth not appeare plainely and directly that they were the Pastors of those Churches rather it seemeth they were Euangelists that went from place to place and alwaies seconded the labours of the Apostles For it is to be thought that Archippus n Col. 4. was the Pastour of the Colossians who is charged to looke to his Ministery that he had receiued in the Lord that he fulfill it Secondly their absence was not wilfull and ordinary but they were imploied by the necessary occasions of the Church chosen and enioyned to dispatch the businesse thereof Obiection 2. Againe they obiect that hee which preacheth the Gospell must liue of the Gospell 1 Cor. 9. but without ioyning Liuing to Liuing as it were house to house all cannot liue by reason of the smalnesse and slendernesse of the liuing therefore it is tollerable in some Answere I aunswere the want of sufficient prouision cannot bring with it a sufficient tolleration It dooth no more warrant the Act then to do euil that o Rom. 3 8. good may come therof whose damnation is iust If there be a rouing Ministery among vs and a wandring vp and downe of such as offer their seruice for ten shekles of Siluer and a sute of apparrell and an ordinary allowance of meate and drinke it belongeth to the Magistrate to reforme this disorder and to redresse this mischeefe Thus it was among the Iewes in the Old Testament but this misery and calamity fell vpon them p Iudg. 19 1. when there was no King in Israell Secondly it is better to take some other lawfull meanes in such pouerty of the Church as to labour with the hands as q Act. 20 1. Thess 3 8. Paul did or to practise some other laudable science which will be without offence to God or Man Obiection 3 It is in his power to roote vp that did plant it belongeth to him to pull downe that did build he can destroy that doth preserue But the positiue Law of man appointed them their circuit and boundes and consequently may order them as it thinketh and may giue leaue of absence Answere I aunswere that Magistrates may not abrogate and abolish Lawes constituted and conformed according to Gods Lawes Againe the diuision of Parishes is not from men but of God For when the Scripture r Act. 24 23 Tit. 1 5. and 1 Cor. 12 40. willeth Elders to bee chosen for euery Church and that these assemblies should bee with the greatest conuenience of order and comelinesse it is plaine that thereby is prescribed a diuision of nationall Churches into particular Congregations For this cause Paule left Titus in Creta that he should continue to redresse the thinges that remaine and should ordaine Elders in euery Citty So the Apostles ordained Elders by election in euery Church Obiection 4. Againe it may be said a man may haue two Liuings being by Law vnited Therefore before they be vnited Answere I answer if the vnion bee such that there may bee but one body and one competent and commodious resort thereof together in one place so as one Pastour may fitly instruct them and lead them out and in in the duties of Religion in the sanctification of the Sabbaoth in the practise of holinesse and in example of life then it followeth that albeit it be lawfull to make this coniunction yet it is not proued lawfull before the vnion It is lawfull being made one Congregation one assembly one Church which is vnlawfull so long as it remaineth diuided maketh two Congregations two assemblies two Churches For the Minister may conueniently teach them together whom he cannot possibly teach asunder as the Schoole-maister may teach the Schollers that belong to one Schoole but not those that belong to diuers Obiection 5. Moreouer if it bee vnlawfull then especially in this point and for this cause because he receiueth maintenance where he doth not labour But it is lawfull to take wages where there is no worke doone as appeareth 2. Cor. 11 8. Where Paule saith I robbed other Churches and tooke Wages of you to doe you seruice Answere I answer the place is to be vnderstood of extraordinary Ministers and of extraordinary occasions when and where no setled and sufficient maintenance is established and therefore doth not prooue the matter in question And where as according to our diuision of Parishes lands are occupyed by Forrainers and Strangers and consequently Tithes and duties taken of them without any feeding of them it was ordained to establish a certaine knowne and definite maintenance and besides the Minister not failing in his calling they may be partakers of his labour Obiection 6. Furthermore it is obiected that Pastors are not tied to particular places but are discharged by a generall teaching It skilleth not where
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
not wtiting and reading and therefore as the Apostle when hee wrote did not preach so the people when they read did not heare Moreouer if we should reason a little farther with such as preferre simple reading before sound preaching how do they know that the worde which they heare read is the word of God For the Scipture inspired of God is the Originals the Hebrew of the olde Testament the Greeke of the newe Testament in other tongues it speaketh not but by an interpreter for from these two tongues and languages the Scriptures were turned and translated by men into the French by Frenchmen into the Dutch by Dutchmen into the English by Englishmen and so of all other Nations So that when we read or heare read the Scriptures in our owne tongues wee read and heare read the translations of men as when this word is preached we hear the expositions and interpretations of men And hence it is that the translations euen the best translations which are among vs may be amended and corrected according as it pleaseth God to giue greater sight and better insight into those learned Languages and as time discouereth the wantes and imperfections of them But the Scriptures themselues are free from all errour no weaknesse can be discouered in them they cannot bee made better by the iudgement of men or by length of time For al Gods workes are pure and perfect and no man can controule any thing in them If this be true may some say that the translations of the Scriptures are in some sort the worke of man how shall the people know when they haue and heare the worde of God and when they haue and heare the word of man This may seeme to leaue them in a maze and mammering and to hang their Faith vpon the will of men that they shall not knowe what to beleeue I aunswere they must haue in all doubts that arise and in all Controuersies that do trouble them they must haue I say recourse to their faithfull and learned Pastors whose care ouer them and loue vnto them may giue them hope that their senses are exercised in the wise discerning betweene good and euill Whereby by the way we may see the necessitie of hauing Pastours and Teachers able to teach to conuince to correct to instruct to comfort to resolue such doubts and demaunds as are mooued vnto them Besides the people of God haue for their direction both the helpe of comparing one place of Scripture with another and the assistance of the spirit to lead them vnto all truth that shall be necessary for them to saluation Moreouer if we should demaund of these men that are wise in their own eyes how they know the word read to be the holy Scripture what will they answere Will they say by the authoritie of the Church or by the testimony of the spirit But whatsoeuer they speake they must speak against themselues If they say by the Church the Church also setteth foorth the preaching of the Gospell and chargeth vs to heare the same at the mouth of the Minister Will they say by the Spirit the same Spirit will lead them into all truth and open their hearts to attend the preaching Ministry if they be led by the spirit of God Wherefore to conclude and to returne to the former obiection such as hold reading to be preaching or better then preaching are either such as are Idoll-Shepheardes that cannot preach or idle Shepheards that will not preach or ignorant people that cannot iudge or carnall Gospellers that regard not to heare or such conceited sluggards as liue vnder a reading Ministry These are they that condemne the Priests and Prophets nay Christ and his Apostles of want of wisedome and discretion to choose the best meanes or of ignorance to knowe and vnderstand what is most profitable or of malice and enuy to hide from them that which is most profitable or of malice and enuy to hide from them that which is most auaileable for their soules health For if reading be better they are to bee blamed that vse the worse and refuse the better Surely they would neuer haue preached at all if the naked reading had beene as effectuall Moreouer the reading Minister by this reason should be the best Minister reading a better guift then preaching yea euery childe might be a better Minister then he that preacheth the word And then what should we do with Vniuersities and Schooles of Learning which are the Nurses and Seminaries of the Church to traine vp able men and to furnish them with giftes of knowledge But the guiftes which Christ bestowed for the edification of his Church when hee ascended on high and ledde Captiuitie Captiue c Ephes 4 11 12 13. are all preaching guifts The want of guifts which the Prophets complaine to haue beene in the guides of the people d Esay 56 10. was not of reading and reciting the words out of the booke but the guifts of preaching and expounding the Scriptures Hence it is that God reiecteth those that be ignorant as vnfit and vnable Instruments of saluation e Hosea 4 6. My people are destroyed for lacke of knowledge because thou hast refused knowledge I will also refuse thee that thou shalt be no Priest to me And in another place f Mal. 2 7. The Priests lips should preserue knowledge and they shall seeke the Lawe at his Mouth for hee is the Messenger of the Lord of hoasts Lastly the preaching of the word is acknowledged confessed to be the onely g Esay 49 22. 2 Chron. 15 3. essential mark of the Church so that it alone is of force to worke faith and saluation Obiection 3 Thirdly if reading of the Scriptures be not an ordinary meanes to worke Faith in Christ and Repentance from dead works as well as the liuely preaching of them it will follow that the Ministers themselues want the ordinary meanes because they by reading doe furnish themselues to preach to others but seldome do heare others preach Answere I answere they want not the ordinarie meanes from their owne preaching though they haue no other though they heare no other They haue faith before they enter into that calling but it is confirmed by their owne Ministry Hence it is that the Apostle mouing Timothy to giue himselfe to reading to be diligent in exhortation to plant sound Doctrine and to encrease in such guiftes as were bestowed vpon him addeth h 1 Tim 4 16 Take heede to thy selfe and vnto learning continue therein for in doing thus thou shalt saue both thy selfe and them that hear thee Where we see he sheweth that his Ministry should be a meanes not only to saue others but to saue himselfe And there is no faithfull Minister but in reprouing he reproueth himselfe in teaching he teacheth himself in threatning he threatneth himselfe in comforting hee comforteth himselfe in strengthning others he strengthneth himselfe yea hee findeth and feeleth his owne
case of those that are without the preaching of the word they liue in blindnesse darknesse they walke in places of continuall danger and yet cannot see their way they liue without the ordinarie meanes of life and saluation and so without hope to come to repentance without which there can be no saluation This is the estate of Iewes of Turkes and Infidels that are depriued of the comfortable vse of the word and they that liue in corners where the sound thereof is not heard These want the bread of life and therfore must needs starue perish They haue not the words c Iohn 6 68. Rom. 1 16. of eternal life which are the power of God to saluation therfore are neer to destruction For it is the maner of gods dealing d August de bono perseuer to deny vnto men the meanes whereby they should beleeue when hee hath no purpose that they should beleeue he withdrawes from them the instrument whereby they should be conuerted when he doth not purpose and intend their conuersion It was a fearfull cursse when God said to his Apostles e Math. 10 5. Acts 16 6 7. Go not into the way of the Gentiles and into the Citty of the Samaritans enter ye not Likewise when they had gone through Phrygia and the Region of Galatia they were forbidden by the Holy-Ghost to preach the worde in Asia then came they to Mysia and sought to go into Bithynia but the spirit suffered them not So when God vouchsafeth not this mercie vnto vs to wit the Ministry of his word it is a fearefull signe of his heauy indignation and as much in effect as if the Lord should say I will not haue them conuerted I haue no purpose to bring them to saluation This is it which is spoken concerning Israell by the Prophet f 2 Chr. 15 3. Now for a long season Israell hath beene without the true God and without a Priest to teach and without Law And to the same purpose Amos speaketh g Amos 8 11 12 13. Behold the daies come saith the Lord God that I will send a famine in the Land not a famine for Bread nor a thirst for water but of hearing the word of the Lorde and they shall wander from Sea to Sea and from the North euen vnto the East shall they runue too and fro to seeke the word of the Lord and shall not finde it in that day shall the young Virgins and the young men perrish for thirst O that we could consider of these things and lay before our eyes what daunger it is to want the preaching of the word that thereby we might be moued to pitty the desolations of so many of our poore Brethren and to feare the taking of it away for our vnthankfulnesse from our selues and to magnifie the vnspeakeable mercy of God toward vs while we do enioy it Great are the plagues and horrible are the ruines of the Church in many places Oh that we had harts to mourn for it and to pray to the Lord of the haruest to thrust forth Labourers into his haruest Secondly it teacheth the fearfull condition of such as contemne this ordinance of God and thinke it too base for them to seeke saluation by it It is very strange that so plaine a point as this should be so proudly gainsayed and resisted These carnall men will not giue the Lord of heauen leaue to apoint how and by what meanes he will saue vs. Shall flesh and blood presume thus farre and aduance it selfe against his Creator If we will be saued wee must seeke saluation as it is left vs to seeke and not after our owne fansie When God hath saide Giue attendance to my word wilt thou answere I will not attend and yet haue saluation as well as if thou diddest attend Take heede thou do not deceiue thy selfe and thine owne soule and in the end finde thy selfe frustrate of thy saluation How men will shift off these duties I knowe not because I know not their hearts but this I know and this I would haue them know and vnderstand that as there is a God that will bee worshipped after his owne will and not according to our naturall wit so this must bee our wisedome to submit our conceites and immaginations to his heauenlie pleasure It is the first point in Christian Religion to be learned to account thy selfe a Foole that thou mayest bee wise in Christ and to throwe downe all thy Naturall parts at his feete that thou mayest seeke true and Heauenlie Wisedome of him Thou must account thy selfe starke blinde and able to perceiue nothing aright in the matters of God and in the meanes of thy saluation to the end thou mayest recouer sight and see thy way wherein in thou oughtest to walke Hence it is that the Prophet sayth h Psal 119 18 27 34. Open mine eyes that I may see the wonders of thy Lawe Make mee to vnderstand the way of thy Precepts and I will meditate in thy wonderous workes Giue mee vnderstanding and I will keepe thy Law yea I will keepe it with my whole hart Where hee acknowledgeth his eyes to be closed his eares to be stopped his minde to be darkened his heart to be hardned by nature before Grace and Mercie come and make the way plaine before him wherby our eyes shall be opened out eares boared our mindes enlightned our hearts softened and our selues prepared to hearken to the voyce of God speaking vnto vs. Obiection But is not God able to saue vs without the Ministers preaching and the peoples hearing Are not all thinges possible to him Is hee bound and tyed to his owne meanes Is not he free to worke as it pleaseth him Answere I answer he is not tyed he is free hee is able to saue without preaching yea without reading without the Sacraments without Prayer Wilt thou from hence conclude against reading of the Scriptures against receiuing of the Sacraments against ioyning in Prayer The question is not of the power of God but of his will not what he is able to do but what he hath promised vs to do not what he is tyed to but what he hath bound vs to seek He is able to preserue our life without Bread without foode but he that presumeth vpon this power and abuseth his prouidence and neglecteth to seek his nourishment at his hands must look to perish So we deny not but God is able to saue vs without preaching but he hath not made vs any promise to obtain life any otherwise then as we seeke the Law at the mouths of his Ministers that bring glad tydings of good things He was able to preserue his three seruants in the hot fierie furnace and did preserue them yet hee that will voluntarily and violently cast himselfe into the fire shall feele the smart of his own folly and the danger of tempting God Let vs not therfore thinke our selues wiser then God least our
the sinne nor consider the iniury offered to others but suffer themselues to be drawn and ouercome by affection or kindred or other mens suites to bestow sufficient places vpon vn-sufficient persons By couetousnesse when they reserue a portion or pension to themselues and when they so pare it and share it from the incumbent that they sequester the greatest benefite of the Benefice for themselues b Iudg 17. and bestow ten Shekles and a sute of apparrell by the yeare to another to beare the name and to serue the Cure These bestow as much vpon their Horse-keeper to keepe their Horses as vpon the Minister that hath the charge of Soules If ignorance be the cause I would in the Name of God and in reuerence to their high places and callings craue liberty to vse a word of Exhortation vnto them to beseech them to giue me leaue to put them in mind and to be content to learne how they came by this right and authority to be put into their hands After that the bounds and limits were assigned to euery Parish and seuerall Churches were appointed for seueral Ministers and Lands and liuings bestowed for their maintenance to the end that euery one should keepe his owne and no man to intrude vpon the right of another nor rob the Church of that which was giuen there were certaine temporall men chosen c Marcil patau desens pac part 2. cap. 14. either by godly Kinges or by such as had endowed those Churches and giuen them Lands to be Patrones of those Churches who might be able and ready to defend the Church rightes and priuiledges to the end the Pastours themselues should with more conuenience and lesse incumbrance apply their vocations It was thought vnfit for them to follow suites of Law whereby their studies might be distracted and so the people should not be instructed and besides those holy men resembling Christ and imployed in the seruice of the Church would not be contentious in the law to striue with any whereby wee see they are called Patrones because they were appointed by the first Doners to defend the right of the Donation against all Intruders and Incroachers vpon their guifts and to protect the Church-liuings from the iniuries and insolencies of couetous and contentious men They were not appointed by the first institution to bestow Church-liuings as now they doe but to patronize the right of the Lands consecrated to the Church Afterward they were allowed to nominate the Minister that the burthen that lay vpon them might be the better borne and that the trouble might be eased with some honour Seeing therefore they haue as men of trust the right of Patronage and presentation put into their hands and may not onely defend the place but name the person let them be carefull to discharge the trust that is reposed in them and shew themselues worthy of that power and priuiledge committed vnto them Againe let them consider that it is a great calling of great importance and therefore great guifts are required for the execution of it It hath annexed vnto it the charge of Soules and therefore is not slightly to be passed ouer Ignorance shall excuse no man d Luke 12 48 Hee that knoweth not his Maisters will shall be beaten with fewer stripes but wilfull ignorance of such as do not know nor will not know is a double sinne This is not spoken with any mallice or hatred to their persons but in a desire of their good and a loue to the people so that we say no otherwise of such Patrones then Christ did of his persecutours e Luke 23 34 Father forgiue them for they know not what they doe If negligence and carelesnesse be the cause of this offering of vnworthy persons to be the Ouer-seers of the Church then f Babbin Preface before Com. I craue humbly and heartily the wise consideration of these profitable Meditations The Lord threatneth to the Watchman death that warneth not his hearers g Eze. 3 17 18 and saith he will require their blood at his hand If then God haue made me or the people hath chosen me or the Church hath suffered me to be a Patrone I ought thus to reason If I negligently place such a one as for want of ability cannot or for want of conscience wil not giue warning and admonish the wicked of their sinnes can I want my portion in the wrath of the Lord that is threatned against all such defaults Christ Iesus teacheth that it is a signe of loue h Iohn 21 15 to him in the Minister to feede his Sheepe to feede his Lambes if then I bee a Patrone of any place I must thinke that it is a token and witnesse of my loue to Christ if I cause his Sheepe and Lambes to be fed And if it be want of loue in the Minister when he doth not feede but fleese the Sheepe when he doth not teach but starue them is it not so in me if through my sluggishnes and sin it so come to passe It is a great sin to lay handes rashly to admit any into the ministery and thereby to giue that worthy calling to an vnworthy man and is it no offence in me being Patrone to bestow the Liuing vppon such a one If he be to be blamed that giueth institution and induction hee cannot be excused that giueth the presentation It is noted by the Euangelist i Math. 9 36. that when Christ saw a great multitude of people gathered together from all quarters he had compassion vpon them because they were as Sheep without a Shepheard The word vsed in that place is of great force deriued of a word that sigfieth the Entrals the Bowels and inward parts expressing thereby as it were an aking of his head or a yerning of his Bowels to see so pittifull a sight so dolefull a spectacle If then there belong vnto me the right of a Patronage and presentation to any Liuing I must thus consider if I be led by the Spirit of Christ or haue any zeale of his glory or care of the saluation of his people in me I must shew mercy and compassion to those Soules that are so dearely bought and purchased euen by the precious blood of Christ If we haue an house to build we will not admit of euery Work-man that offereth his help or is commended to vs by others or will labour best cheap but we wil make choyce of the most expert and sufficient And shall we then chuse or commend to the building of the Spirituall house of God euery Cobler and Bungler vnsufficient persons k 1 Kin. 12 31 eyther Ieroboams Priestes that were of the lowest of the people l 1 Sam. 2 17. or such as Elies Sonnes who were the leudest of all the people When the Tabernacle of God was to be builded they tooke not tag and rag from among the refuse of the Congregation m Exod. 31 3. but such as
were filled with the Spirit of God in wisedom in vnderstanding in knowledge and in al workmanship If couetousnes be the cause of placing such blind guids which is as great an ouer-sight as to set a blind man to be a Watch-man or a dumb man to be a Messenger or a Lame man to be a Post or a deafe man to bee a Iudge we must obserue that the Lord compiaineth in the Prophet n Mal. 3 8. that he was spoyled and robbed when the Tithes and offerings were taken away from the true vse and from the right Owners and therefore would visit it with a greeuous plague and heauy iudgement The Iewes in the Gospell alledge it vnto Christ as an Argument of loue to them and their Nation that the Centurian whose Seruant was sicke o Luke 7 5. had built them a Synagogue so that on the otherside they would haue branded him with the note of hating them and their Nation if he had spoiled the Synagogue or taken away the priuiledges belonging vnto it The Prophet Dauid as we heard before would not drinke p 1 Chron. 11 16. of the Water of Bethleem because it was gotten with the danger of some few mens Temporall liues Ought not this to teach a great conscience to euery one to take heede that he doe not eate and drinke that which hazzardeth the Soules and bodies of many of their Brethren and to make them afraid to cloath themselues and their families by leauing the people naked to their enemies to be a pray vnto them and to be destroyed by them It is noted as a thing worthy of note and memory q Possid in vita August 10. 24. in the life of S. Austine that he sharpely rebuked and reproued a Gentleman in his time for re-calling and taking away his owne guift which before he had giuen to the maintenance of his Church how much more would he haue beene offended if he had liued in our daies wherein many are as friendlie and fauourable to the Ministery as the East wind is to the fruits of the earth how much more seuerely would hee haue censured those Caterpillers and Cormorants that take away by iniurious customes and corruptions the maintenance of the Church which neither they nor their Fathers haue giuen The ancient Romaines by the light of Nature as Liuy r Decad. 5. lib. 2 testifieth disliked and checked Qu. Fuluius Flaccus because he had vncouered a part of Iunoes Temple to couer another Temple of Fortune with the same Tiles they tolde him that Pirrhus or Hanniball would not haue done the like and that it had bin too much for him to haue done it to a priuate Cittizens house being a place farre inferior to a Temple and in conclusion forced compelled him to send home those Tiles againe by a publike decree of the Senate Let those things be duely waied and make these men ashamed to come behinde the Heathen who did more to their Idols then they will doe for the honour of the true God If they be not hewen out of Oakes and haue hearts of Flint let them open their eyes and behold the oppressions of the Church and the pulling away in whole or in part the prouision appointed for the Pastor whereby it commeth to passe that many places want the preaching of the Word and many Soules perrish for the want thereof When the Å¿ 1 Sam. 6 3. Philistims sent home Gods Arke from them they sent it not backe empty they returned it not without a guift When Zaccheus repented of his iniurious dealing t Luke 19 8. hee offered to restore foure-folde If these Church-pollers who haue robbed the Church and enriched themselues with the spoiles thereof will not restore that which they haue wrongfully taken and make vp the breaches which they haue wastfully made beeing without the feare of God and any fruit of true Religion they shall in the end receiue iudgement according to their workes and in the meane season their owne consciences shall sting and torment them It goeth indeede hard with the poore Church that is oppressed and it groneth and sigheth vnder the burden of her oppression yet in the end when the Lord cheefe-Iustice of Heauen and Earth shall pronounce sentence against them it shall bee knowne that they who oppresse others do u August epist 211. more hurt themselues then those whom they oppresse in as much as the sorrow and smart of the oppressed haue an ende but the woe and torment of the oppressour shall be euerlasting because he heapeth vnto himselfe wrath against the day of wrath and of the declaration of the iust iudgement of God 11 Which in times past was to thee vnprofitable but now very profitable both to thee and to me 12 Whom I haue sent againe thou therefore receiue him that is mine owne Bowels The order of the Words HItherto we haue heard the cheefe matter of this Epistle propounded and amplified Now let vs see how it is proued and confirmed The matter handled is that Onesimus should be receiued and entertained againe by his Maister This is first strengthned and then concluded To effect his purpose Paule draweth diuers reasons some taken from Onesimus others from the Apostle himselfe From Onesimus in the eleauenth verse because he should find him very profitable and seruiceable which is amplified by the contrary albeit he haue beene vnprofitable and vnthrifty vnto thee The reason may be thus framed If he will proue profitable vnto thee then thou oughtest to receiue him least thou be found an enemy to thine owne profit But he will proue profitable vnto thee Receiue him therefore This hath included in it the force of a close and secret Obiection Obiection For Philemon might obiect I haue found him hurtfull why then should I receiue into my House as a member of my Family that Seruant which will cause more harme then bring profit I haue had experience of the damage that he hath done me what homage he will doe me I know not Answere To this the Apostle maketh a double answer first by graunting then by correcting that which he had graunted and both waies by comparing the time past with the time present the time before he embraced Religion with the time of his conuersion as if he should say true it is and I grant he was once vnprofible to thee for while he was vnfaithfull to God he could do no faithfull seruice vnto thee but why dost thou vrge the time of his ignorance And why dost thou consider so much what he hath beene For now hee is become a new man he hath tasted of the true Religion he hath learned to know God to know himselfe to know thee and to know me To know God his mercifull Creatour to know himselfe a wretched Sinner to know thee his louing Maister to know me his spirituall Father whereas in former times he was ignorant of all these As he regarded not to know
multitude of his compassions Doth he see vs any better by Nature then others whome hee hath reiected and refused No in no wise We are of the same moulde with them and by nature no better then they Let vs not stand vpon the righteousnesse of our owne nature or the deserts of our own works or the goodnesse of our Ancestors but seeke to haue grace in our hearts x Ouid. Metamorph lib. 13. Quae non fecimus ipsi vix ea nostra voco and not to call that our owne which we our selues haue not done The Father shall not be saued by the Childe nor the Childe by the Father y Ezek. 18 25 26 27. but euery man shall confesse the wayes of God to bee equall and giue an account for himselfe Manie godly and faithfull parents haue had children appointed to wrath and reserued to destruction and therefore whether our fore-fathers were beleeuers or vnbeleeuers let not vs looke so much vpon them to glory in them or to rest vpon them or think to be saued by them as enter into our selues and labor to approue our obedience in the sight of God Vse 3. Thirdly seeing that in good houses are found euill persons it putteth all Parents and Maisters in minde of a necessary duty and offereth them comfort in the discharge of their duty Their duty is not to forget or neglect to pray vnto God earnestly constantly and continually for Gods blessing vpon his labours in their family For when wee haue doone our best endeuours and vsed the greatest diligence there remaineth somwhat behinde to be performed for our Children and people euen to wait for the encrease of our labors and the worke of Gods Spirit to season and sanctifie their hearts that belong vnto vs. It is not the outward worke of teaching that can conuert the soule and reforme the life We can but speake vnto the eare it is God that speaketh vnto the heart Hence it is that some beleeue and others blaspheme some are bettered by the word others are made worse by instruction and become desperate and extreamly wicked as the Sun that softneth the wax and hardneth the Clay The Iewes that were fedde by the word z Acts 13 45. and 19 9. were filled with enuie and contemned the ordinance of God offered vnto them and spake euill of the way of God and the meanes of saluation So it was with Pharaoh the more Moses and Aaron spake vnto him so much the more his heart was hardened For the word thorough the corruption of our nature is as an Hammer that hardeneth the Anuile as a fire that consumeth the Stubble and as a Raine that bringeth vppe briars and bushes that are reserued to be burned There is no godly Housholder but if he be diligent to marke the manners and to know the behauiour of the people about him he shall espy not onely many vnreformed in themselues but secret enemies to reformation in others So that it is their parts to entreat God both before and after the meanes vsed to make them effectuall and profitable and to desire him to encline their hearts to practise and obedience We must follow the example of the Husbandman who after the sowing of his seede and Tilling of his ground a Iames 5 7. looketh for the early and the latter raine to come from heauen so must we call vpon God our Heauenly Father to send a gracious raine to moysten their hard hearts and so to soften them as that they may bee fit to receyue instruction This the Prophet Ieremy teacheth b Ier. 31 18. I haue heard Ephraim lamenting thus Thou hast corrected me and I was chastised as an vntamed Calfe conuert thou me and I shall be conuerted for thou art the Lord my God And in another place the Church saith c Lamen 5 21 Turne thou vnto vs O Lord and we shall be turned renew our dayes as of old Whereby we see that we must depend vppon God to poure out his grace vpon them and to beginne in them the work of regeneration Moreouer this serueth to comfort all faithfull Parents and godly Maysters who haue with a good conscience beene carefull to discharge their duties and to reforme their families albeit many remaine obstinate and continue setled in the Dregges of their sinnes It is vnpossible for the d Ier. 13 23. blacke Moore to change his skin and the Leopard his spots it is hard for them to do good that are accustomed to do euill Our labour shall not bee in vaine to our selues albeit it be in vaine to others our worke shall return into our owne bosome albeit it will not enter into the bosome and breast of others This is it which Christ our Sauiour saide to his Disciples whom he sent vnto the lost Sheepe of the house of Israell When e Math. 10 12 13. ye come into an house salute the same and if the house be worthy let your peace come vpon it but if it be not worthy let your peace returne to you Our carefull endeuours shall be rewarded of God albeit they be smally regarded of men they are approued in Heauen albeit reproued reiected in earth When the Prophet Esay bringeth in the Lord Iesus complaining that his preaching tooke none effect among the vnthankfull people of his owne hard-hearted Nation hee comforteth himselfe in this assurance that he knew his labors should not be in vain in the Lord f Esay 49 4. I said I haue laboured in vaine I haue spent my strength in vaine and for nothing but my iudgement is with the Lord and my work with my God So shal it be with euery one of vs that are deuout and diligent in doing our duties and in instructing our families God will not measure our paines by their profit nor reward our diligence according to their negligence g 1 Cor. 3 8. For euery man shall receiue his wages according to his labour This ought to be an encoragement to al men to take pains with their people and to comfort them against al discomforts that arise in their way to slake their diligence to cool their zeal to hinder their paines and to stop the course that happily they haue begun to win their families to a loue of the truth Vse 4. Lastly seeing euill persons are found where good meanes are vsed it teacheth all those that are vnder the gouernment of godly Masters not to blesse themselues as though they were happy because they dwell not in prophane places because they serue not prophane Maisters because they are partakers of instruction which many thousandes want but it belongeth vnto them to labor by all meanes to make the vse of the meanes offered vnto them to bee fruitfull and effectual for their saluation For as when we come into the congregation of the faithfull we ought to bee prepared and fitted to receiue the spirituall food of our soules so in comming to the priuate exercises of
from whence he came Doctrine 5. The Gospel doth not abolish or diminish ciuil ordinances and distinct degrees among men Heereby we learne that the Gospell of Christ doth not dissolue or abolish but confirme establish ciuill ordinances distinct degrees and politick constitutions among men as between Princes and Subiects Parents and Children Husband and Wife Maister and Seruants Superiors and Inferiors This appeareth in many places of the worde where the seuerall and distinct duties of n Rom. 13 1. seuerall and distinct callings are mentioned and required by the Apostle Heereunto commeth that which he setteth downe Rom. 13. Let euery soule be subiect to the higher powers for there is no power but of God and the powers that be are ordained of God Likewise o Ephes 5 22 25. 6 1 2 5 9. Col. 3 18 19 20 21 22. writing to the Ephesians he chargeth Wiues to submit themselues vnto their husbands as vnto the Lorde he willeth Husbands to loue their wiues euen as Christ loued the Church and gaue himselfe for it he requireth of Children to obey their Parents in the Lorde for this is right he commaundeth Fathers not to prouoke their Children to vvrath least they be discouraged but to bring them vppe in instruction and information of the Lord he prescribeth vnto Seruants to be obedient vnto them that are their Maisters according to the flesh with feare and trembling in singlenesse of their hearts as vnto Christ and he setteth downe the duties of Maisters that they should deale iustly with their seruants putting away threatning knowing that euen their Maister also is in Heauen with whom there is no respect of persons In like manner when he writeth to Timothy he saith p 1 Tim. 6 1. Titus 2 9 10 and 3 1. Let as many Seruantes as are vnder the yoake count their Maisters worthy of all honour that the name of God and his Doctrine be not euill spoken of And Titus 2. Let Seruants bee subiest to their Maisters and please them in all things not answearing againe neither pickers but that they shew all good faithfulnesse that they may adorne the Doctrine of God our Sauiour in all things for that grace of God that bringeth saluation vnto all men hath appeared The like exhortations and establishing of ciuill ordinances we see in Peter q 1 Pet 2 13 14 and 3 1 2 7 Submit your selues vnto all manner ordinance of man for the Lordes sake whether it bee vnto the King as vnto the Superiour or vnto Gouernours as vnto them that are sent of him for the punishment of euill dooers and for the praise of them that do well So likewise hee chargeth the Wiues to bee Subiect to their Husbands that euen they which obey not the word may without the word hee won by the conuersation of the wiues while they beholde their pure conuersation which is with feare And the Husbands he teacheth That they should dwell with them as men of knowledge giuing honour vnto the woman as vnto the weaker vessell euen as they which are heyres together of the grace of life that their prayers be not interrupted Christ our Sauiour willeth vs to r Math. 22 21. Giue vnto Caesar the things that are Caesars and vnto God the thinges that are Gods The Apostle hath heaped together manie such precepts vnto the same Å¿ 1 Cor. 7 3 5 10 11 12 13 20 21 22. purpose 1 Cor. 7. Let the Husband giue vnto the wife due beneuolence and likewise the wife vnto the Husband defraude not one another except it bee with consent for a time vnto the married I commaund not I but the Lorde let not the wife depart from her Husband and let not the Husbande put away his wife If any Brother haue a wife that beleeueth not if shee bee content to dwell with him let him not forsake her and the woman that hath an Husbande which beleeueth not if hee bee content to dwell with her let her not forsake him Let euerie man abide in the same Vocation vvherein hee was called Bretheren let euerie man wherein hee was called therein abide with GOD. All these rules and commaundements serue to teach vs this truth that howsoeuer the gospel doth make vs al as brethren and ioyne vs together in one body yet it doth not abrogat and abolish the difference betweene man and man and bring in an Anarchy and confusion but setleth a distinction betweene Prince and subiect betweene Maister and seruant betweene high and low Reason 1. This Doctrine of the gospel will better appeare if we marke the reasons For first God is not the author of confusion and disorder but of peace and order Look vpon al the creatures of God in heauen earth on high and beneath and we shal be constrained to cry out with the prophet t Psal 104 24 O Lord how manifold are thy works In wisedom hast thou made them al the earth is full of thy riches Al tumult and sedition al disorder and insurrection commeth from the deuill he is the author thereof For he first brought in sin and sin brought in disorder Hence it is that the apostle saith u 1 Cor. 14 33 40. Colos 2 5 God is not the author of confusion but of peace as we see in al the churches of the Saints He commandeth that al things be done honestly and in order he commendeth the goodly order that is obserued among the faithfull and therefore he teacheth not any disorders nor alloweth them where they are Reason 2. Secondly Christ came not into the world to abolish the Lawe but to establish it x Mat. 5 17 18 as he testifieth Mat. 5. Thinke not that I am come to destroy the Law or the Prophets I am not come to destroy them but to fulfill them for truely I say vnto you till heauen and earth perish one iot or one title of the Law shal not escape till all things be fulfilled Now we know that the moral Law commandeth the honor of Father and Mother that is of all superiors who beare a part of his image If then the end of his comming were to ratifie the Law then it followeth that the Law making a difference betweene superiors and inferiors remaineth and shall remaine in his full strength power and vertue Reason 3. Thirdly the Gospell commaundeth hearty obedience as vnto God and therefore doth not dissolue or disanull true obedience nay it is a praise and ornament to the Gospel when all sortes walke in the duties of their seuerall Callings and specially such as are the obedience of others Seruants are the lowest condition in the Church and yet the Apostle teacheth that by vprighnesse of their life and obedience to their Maister for Conscience sake y Titus 3 10. 1 Tim. 6 1. they may adorne the Doctrine of God our Sauiour in all things and on the other side by the euil life stubbornesse and disobedience of seruants that professe
helpfull and seruiceable to Gods people shall finde them as their remembrancers to God who will not forget the labour of their loue and the duty of their seruice This ought to bee a notable encouragement vnto vs not to deale niggardly toward the Saints nor to withhold from them the fruits of our loue seeing nothing shall be lost that is bestowed vpon them but we shall receiue an hundred folde into our bosome grace for grace loue for loue blessing for blessing mercy for mercie For this comfort and consolation will arise to them that doe good to Gods people they shall haue fauour with God they shall gaine a good report with the world and they shall purchase the sweet sauour of a good name as of a precious oyntment among the Saints and shall stirre them vp to intreate Gods manifold mercies for them Iehoiada that good High-Priest was so honoured of the people for suppressing the tyranny of Athalia for setting vp the kingdome of Ioash and for restoring the true religion of God that he was accounted a common Father of the Countrey and they gaue him the burial of a King r 2 Chron. 24 15 16. for they buried him in the Citty of Dauid with the Kings because he had done good in Israell and toward God and his house So the apostle Paul declaring that Onesiphorus had done him great seruice prayeth vnto God for him ſ 2 Tim. 1 16 17 18. The Lord giue mercie vnto the house of Onesiphorus for he oft refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chaine but when he was at Rome he sought me out diligently and found me The Lord grant vnto him that he may finde mercy with the Lord at that day Whereby we may gather that the benefites bestowed vpon the Saints shall not perish although they themselues cannot requite thē for though they want ability to pay them yet they want not harts to pray for them yea the Lorde will not onely haue pitty of them that take pitty of his people but he will shew mercy to their housholds because when Paule praiseth the bountifulnesse and zeale of Onesiphorus he wisheth well for his sake to his whole family The blessing of God shall not rest onely vpon the head of the iust but it shall descend into his whole house such is the loue of God toward those that be his If the consideration of this great promise and rich recompence of reward doe not pricke vs forward to exercise the workes of loue and fruits of compassion we are more then blockish and brutish On the other side such as haue beene not helpfull but hurtful not industrious but iniurious not seruiceable but vnprofitable to Gods people when God shall visit them either with publicke calamities or priuate iudgements their owne Consciences shall gall them and gnaw vpon them when they remember their owne works which shall prouoke men to speak euill of them cause them to pray against them and constraine them to call vppon God to worke their confusion This we see in Paul the Apostle in the latter end of the same Epistle t 2 Tim. 4 14 Alexander the Copper-smith hath done me much euill the Lord reward him according to his workes Thus doeth the Prophet Dauid deale oftentimes in the Psalmes u Psal 74 2 3. Thinke vpon thy congregation which thou hast possessed of old on the rod of thine inheritance which thou hast redeemed and on this mount Syon wherein thou hast dwelt lift vp thy stroakes that thou mayst for euer destroy euerie enemy that doth euil to the Sanctuary Thus wee see the people of God haue from time to time prayed against the malicious enemies of the Church that sought the ruine and destruction thereof Their prayers are of great force enter into the eares of the Lord of hostes whether it bee to obtaine mercies vpon the friends of the Church or to draw downe vengeance vppon the aduersaries thereof that oppresse it with cruelty and blaspheme the name of God which is holy throughout all ages and generations There is no greater honour that we should desire or delight in then to be called the friends of God and the seruants of the Church If we be the seruants of God wee must also account our selues the seruants of the Church The Prophet Dauid did esteeme the faithfull that were in Ierusalem as his Brethren So on the contrary side there cannot a greater dishonor and reproach befall vs then to be reputed the enemies of God and his people For if wee set our selues against his people that are his portion and inheritance hee will no otherwise deale with vs then with his enemies If God come against vs as his enemy we shall not be able to preuaile we cannot stand before him but shall be as stubble in the fire and as chaffe before the winde Vse 4. Lastly seeing God requireth seruice to his Church at our hands to do all good to them by all good meanes it is our dutie to enquire and learne the estate of the distressed Church that we may knowe and bee informed where and when and how it is afflicted How many are there that neuer thinke vpon the people of God to do them good but forget their affliction and oppression The Butler of Pharaoh did not remember Ioseph but forgate him and the kindnesse he shewed toward him when they were prisoners togither who had said vnto him x Gen. 40 14 23. Haue me in remembrance with thee when thou art in good case and shew mercy I pray thee vnto me and make mention of me to Pharaoh that thou mayst bring me out of this house So when Zachariah the sonne of Iehoiada whom we mentioned before was for preaching the truth and denouncing the iudgements of God from his mouth oppressed with enuie and ouerborne by the might of the Rulers the King woulde not deliuer him out of their hands y 2 Chron. 24 21 22. but commanded him to bee stoned with stones and remembred not the kindnesse that his father had done to him but slew his son This is the common course and current of the world wee will not see the afflictions of the poore Saints but turne away our eyes from them or if wee cannot choose but see them we quickly forget them as if wee had neuer eyther beheld them or knowne of them This is one misery of the faithful that men do not regard them when they are in misery The Lord hath determined that there shall be alwayes some obiects offered vnto vs and set before vs to exercise the fruits of our Faith and Loue. He hath saide that the poore wee shall alwayes haue with vs and such as stand in need of our helpe and comfort It is in easie thing to boast of Faith and Loue but if we will be assured that we haue true Faith indeed we must shew it by our workes which are the fruites whereby it is knowne We must not turne away our
faces from the faithfull as the Priest and Leuite did in the Gospell but be ready to helpe as God giueth ability and offereth opportunity Nay it is not enough for vs to succor such religious Saints as we see want succour but we must learne and labour to know the state of the Church and aske of others howe it fareth with the godly poore among vs. The children of God haue gone before vs in the doing of this dutie It is noted of Abraham the Father of the faithfull that he waited not till the strangers craued entertainment at his hands but he ran to meete them from the Tent doore and prayed them to take some refreshing at his hands z Ge. 18 19 Heb. 13 2. whereby he receiued Angels into his house at vnawares If we beleeue him to be the Father of the faithfull as the Scripture calleth him that we would be accounted as his children wee must be carefull to doo the workes of Abraham They are not children that tread not in his steps and follow not his example The like we might say of Lot who sat at the gate of Sodom and rose vp to meete the men and prayed them to turne into their seruants house and to lodge with him all night The holy man Iob iustifieth his innocency cleareth himselfe from Hypocrisie a Iob. 31 32 That he suffered not the stranger to lodge in the street but opened his doores vnto him that went by the way Nehemiah was carefull to know the state of the Church b Nehem. 1 2. and asked his brethren that came from Ierusalem concerning the Iewes that were deliuered which were of the residue of the captiuity by whom he heard that they liued in great affliction in reproach that the Citty was broken downe and the gates thereof burnt with fire So the Shunamite hauing prepared a Chamber for Elisha to lodge him and set therein a bed and a Table a Stoole and a Candlesticke constrained him to come into her house to eate bread We see how Lazarus and his two Sisters Martha and Mary receiued the Lord Iesus to house c Luke 10 38. Iohn 11 3. ministred vnto him They fed him and hee fed them they gaue him the meate that perisheth but he gaue them the bread of life and the meate that endureth for euer Likewise the Euangelist Luke noteth in the Acts of the Apostles that when the heart of Lydia was opened to attend to the thinges that Paule deliuered she besought them saying d Acts 16 15. If ye iudged me to be faithfull to the Lord come into my house and abide there and she constrained them These are worthy examples of faithfull men and women that teach vs by their owne practise what maner of seruice is due to the Saints not onely to helpe those whose miserie we know but to enquire of them whose state we do not know This indeed is pure and perfect loue when we do to our brethren as we desire they shold deale toward vs. The Wise-man would haue euery one e Prou. 27 23 to bee diligent to know the state of his flocke much more it is required of vs to enquire the state of Gods flocke which is his Church that hee hath redeemed with his precious blood It is not therefore enough for vs to say wee knew not their wants seeing all those are wilfully ignoraunt that haue the meanes to come knowledge and yet will not vse the meanes We may oftentimes know the necessities of the Saints but we will not enquire of them because we wil not know them This shal not excuse vs in the sight of God but accuse the more because our ignorance is affected ignorance inasmuch as we might knowe and yet we do not desire to know Verse 14. But without thy minde would I do nothing that thy benefit should not be as it were of necessitie but willingly We haue seene already the reason why Paul was desirous to haue retained Onesimus with him to wit that hee might haue ministred vnto him and serued him in his afflictions that did befall him for the Gospels sake Now he declareth the reason why without the knowledge and consent of Philemon he would not detaine him to the end that the dutie or good turne which he might that way receiue at his handes might be done freely willingly and chearefully not by constraint and compulsion Doctrine 2. All Christian duties done to God or man must be done willingly and cheerefully Heereby we learne that all Christian duties doone to God or man must be done with a free willing chearefull and hearty affection This is it which the Lord requireth Deut. 6. Heare ô Israell the Lord our God is Lorde onely And thou shalt loue the Lord thy God f Deut. 6 5. Math. 22 37. with all thine hart and with all thy soule and with all thy might So the Prophet Dauid g Psa 119 108 prayeth O Lord I beseech thee accept the free offerings of my mouth and teach me thy iudgments No other Sacrifices please God but such as are free and voluntary all things must bee done in loue with a ready minde The Apostle teacheth that h Rom. 12 8. Hee that distributeth must do it with simplicity he that ruleth with diligence he that sheweth mercie with chearefulnesse This also was figured out vnto vs in the shadowes and Ceremonies of the Law when the people were commaunded to offer a male without blemish presenting him i Leuitic 1 3. of his owne voluntarily vvill at the doore of the Tabernacle of the congregation before the Lorde declaring thereby that our seruing of him must not be grudgingly but wee must performe it frankly and freely and with a willing minde The Apostle moouing the Corinthians to bountifulnesse toward the poor Saints at Ierusalem teacheth them that they must offer a free will offring k 2 Cor 8 19 I sent the brother whose praise is in the Gospell which seemeth to bee l Acts 13 2. Barnabas who is also chosen of the Churches to be a fellow in our iourney concerning this grace which is ministred by vs vnto the glory of the same Lord and declaration of your prompt minde All these vvords of Scripture are vvitnesses of this trueth beyond all exception that God neuer liketh of constrained seruice but will haue men to doo their duties to him voluntarily as is fit to be performed of the creature toward his Creator and of the Childe tovvard his Father Reason 1. Let vs see hovv the reasons vvil make this better to appeare vnto vs that vve may haue strong proofe to put the matter out of all doubt First God loueth a cheerefull giuer a cheerefull seruant a cheerfull seruice It is the hart and the invvard affections that he accepteth regardeth vvhich is the principall part of a man and the fountaine from whence al outward actions proceed He will haue the heart or else he will
serueth greatly to comfort vs both in prosperity and aduersitie and that for the time to come wee should repose our whole hope in God For seeing all thinges come to passe by the prouidence of God so that not so much as sinne it selfe is committed without his will it is a great comfort many waies to Gods Church and chosen Children Wee know that hee can moderate and will moderate the rage of the Deuill and the mallice of wicked men that they shall not hurt or hinder their Saluation For the Deuill is the Lordes Seruant or slaue to worke his will albeit he do it vnwillingly and by compulsion The Prophet Dauid saith c Psal 16 8. The Lorde is at my right hand therefore I shall not slide And when his Souldiers were purposed to stone him to death he was in great sorrow and heauinesse d 1 Sam. 30 6 But he comforted himselfe in the Lord his GOD. If then we cast vp our eyes and behold the prouidence of God euermore watching ouer vs wee shall not doubt of the loue and goodnesse of God nor of deliuerance to come from his hand albeit we see no ordinary meanes but all thinges goe a contrarie way This made the holie Man Iob say e Iob 13 15. Though the Lorde would kill mee yet will I trust in him And the Prophet f Psal 23. Though thou cast me into the place of Dragons and into the shaddow of death yet will I feare none euill The church being in great perplexity and danger in the daies of Mordecay he was not without comfort he liued not without hope hee ceased not to vse lawfull meanes for the deliuerie of it he was not at his wits end nor dispaired of an happy issue because his heart was grounded and established in the Doctrine of Gods prouidence as appeareth by his wordes to Ester g Est 4 13 14 Thinke not with thy selfe that thou shalt escape in the Kinges House more then all the Iewes for if thou holdst thy peace at this time comfort and deliuerance shall appeare to the Iewes out of another place but thou and thy Fathers House shall perrish and who knoweth whether thou art come to the Kingdome for such a time Againe this prouidence of God in euery thing teacheth contentation of minde in euery estate yea in aduersity when we lie vnder the Crosse so that all thinges goe against vs forasmuch as Gods prouidence hath appointed vs our lot and portion When we liue in peace and haue abundance of outward meanes to maintaine vs as plenty riches health pleasure friends libertie and such like we must remember from whom they come and so be put in mind to be thankfull for them because they come not to vs by chance but by Gods prouidence so that we must not barely looke vpon them nor wholely rest vpon them but behold his goodnesse and blessing in them For if wee consider that all prosperitie commeth from him as Meate Drinke ease peace and all plenty who is not pricked forward and stirred vp vnto Thankesgiuing towards so louing and bountifull a Father Hence it is that the Apostle saith h 1 Thes 5 18 In all thinges giue thankes for this is the will of God in Christ Iesus The Prophet Esay complayneth of the vnthankefulnesse of the Iewes towards GOD i Esa 1 4 5 6 7 I haue nourished and brought vp Children but they haue rebelled against mee the Oxe knoweth his Owner and the Asse his Maisters Cribbe but Israell hath not knowne mee my people hath not obeyed mee The Prophet Dauid dealt otherwise and behaued himselfe with greater dutie teaching vs all what to doe when hee saith k Psal 116 12 What shall I render vnto the Lord for all his benefits toward me I will take vp the cup of saluation and prayse the name of the Lord. But when these outward things whereby life is maintained do faile vs we must not faile to remember whence famine warre pestilence sicknesse trouble and affliction come that there is no euill in the City which the Lord hath not done Moreouer let vs depend vpon him for the time to come assuring our selues that he will not leaue vs nor forsake vs. He giueth vs euery day experience of his mercies so that by remembrance of benefits receiued from him wee cannot doubt of his fauour toward vs. Lastly this should bee a very strong reason vnto vs not to be vnmeasurably dismayed nor excessiuely offended when offences and great euils breake out among vs as oftentimes it falleth out whereby many are ready to shrinke backe and others are much disquieted to see the Church of God so troubled We are not to thinke it strange or to forsake the faith through these scandals for God would not suffer any euill to come to passe vnlesse out of that euill hee were able to bring good and out of that sinne to bring forth righteousnesse to the glory of his great name and for the saluation of his deere Church Hee would neuer haue left Adam vnto himselfe if he had not determined out of his fal to gaine praise to himselfe and to prouide better for his people It is necessary that offences come but woe to that man by whome they come Let vs not therefore fret our selues because of the wicked men neyther be enuious for the euill doers for they shall soone be cut downe like grasse and shall wither as the greene hearbe And we must rest and be resolued assuredly that God dooth not allow or fauour their sinne nor purposeth to free them from the guilt and punnishment of sin howsoeuer he turneth their wicked purpose to a good end For sinne l 1 Iohn 3 4 Iohn 8 44. is the transgression of his Law But God neuer swarueth nor stayeth from the strait rule of his owne will neither putteth wickednes into man but as the earth affoording sap and moysture as well to the euill trees as the good cannot be reproued because the cause why the euill trees bring forth euil fruit is of themselues and their owne nature or as the Sunne that rayseth euill smels and noysome fauors from vnsauoury puddles cannot iustly bee found fault withall because the reason thereof is not in the Sun beames but in those corrupt places euen so when God disposeth to good endes the sins of men that proceed from the instigation of the Deuill and abide in the vngodly themselues he cannot be called the cause or author of sinne although by his prouidence he moueth all thinges yea euen the vngodly that are not able to moue or remoue themselues Vse 3 Lastly seeing Gods prouidence extendeth to euery thing that is and disposeth it according to his owne pleasure it directeth vs in our obedience putteth vs in mind of a Christian duty namely to be patient in al aduersity If we consider that nothing can befal vs but that which is sent by the fatherly wil and counsell of God who hath alwaies iust
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
due debt vnto him whatsoeuer Philemon had Doctrine 5. Althogh christian religion do not take away the degrees of persons yet it maketh vs all equall in Christ From hence wee learne that wee are all of vs equall before God and our Brethren in Christ Iesus our Lord. Although Christian Religion doeth not take away the difference of persons and conditions before men but aloweth some to be high and some low some aboue and others beneath some to be Maisters and others to be Seruants yet it maketh vs alike and equal before God inasmuch as it causeth vs to be brethren in Christ This truth hath plentifull confirmation out of the books of Moses where al the Iewes of what quality and condition soeuer they were are oftentimes called brethren The poore are named the y Deut. 15 7 2 11 12. 17 20. Brethren of the rich the Debter is called the Brother of his Creditor the Seruant is Brother to the Maister the King set ouer them must not lift vp his heart aboue his Brethren This is it which Dauid confesseth in many places of the Psalmes z Psal 22. 22. and 22 8 9. I wil declare thy Name vnto my Brethren in the middest of the Congregation I will praise thee And in the 122. Psalme hee wished prosperity and would procure the good of Gods house for his Brethrens and Companions sake Where wee see that albeit he were the King of Israell and sate in the throne of glory and seat of dignity aboue them yet he refuseth not to cast himselfe into a common condition with others and to giue them the honour of his brethren This is it which the Prophets teach euery where a Ier. 31 34. They shal teach no more euery man his neighbor and euery man his Brother saying Know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least of them vnto the greatest of them saith the Lord. This is it which Christ speaketh to his Disciples b Math. 23 8. Be not ye called Rabbi for one is your Doctor euen Christ and all ye are Brethren The like precept the Apostle enioineth and the same rule he deliuereth to the Romans chap. 12 16. Be of like affection one toward another be not high-minded but make your selues equall to them of the lower sort be not wise in your selues And to the Phillippians Chap. 2 3. Let nothing be done through contention or vaine-glory but that in meekenesse of mind euerie man esteeme other better then himselfe Againe to this purpose hee writeth to the Galathians c Gal. 3 27 28 All yee that are baptized into Christ haue put on Christ there is neither Iew nor Grecian there is neither bond nor free there is neither male nor female for ye are all one in Christ Iesus All these Testimonies of the Old and New Testament do fully and euidently teach vs that howsoeuer the Gospell permitteth and prescribeth the differences and degrees of persons that some be Lords and others beare themselues as seruants yet it alloweth and maketh them to be equal in Christ to be brethren and Sisters in the common faith all members of Christ all pertakers of the same hope al heires of the same kingdome Reason 1. And what can be more plaine then this principle First it is the nature property of God to accept no mans person An high place a noble byrth a comely personage are much respected amongst men and such persons are highly aduanced and preferred But it is not so with God for in his election of vs to life in his calling of vs in his iustifying of vs in his sanctifyeng and sauing of vs he respecteth not whether we be high or low rich or poor learned or vnlearned he chooseth he calleth he iustifieth he sanctifieth he glorifieth the bond as well as the free the low as well as the high the Seruant as well as the Maister This is it which the holy man Iob setteth down d Iob 34 18 19. Wilt thou say vnto a King thou art wicked Or to Prince ye are vngodly How much lesse to him that accepteth not the rich more then the poore for they bee all the workes of his hands To this purpose the Apostle Paule speaketh e Rom. 2 9 10 11. Gal. 2 6. Act 10 34 35 Deut. 10 17. 2 Chro. 19 7. Prou. 24 13. To euery man that doth good shall be glory honour and peace to the Iew first and also to the Grecian for there is no respect of persons with God Likewise the Apostle Peter teacheth this in the Sermon that hee preached vnto the Gentiles Of a truth I perceiue that God is no accepter of persons but in euerie Nation hee that feareth him worketh righteousnesse is accepted with him Seeing then this is the Nature of God that he regardeth not the outward apearance and countenance of men we must know that he respecteth all as equall and alike Reason 2. Secondly Christ Iesus accepteth all that beleeue in him as his Bretheren and members of his body euen flesh of his flesh bone of his bones This is it which he speaketh to Mary Magdalen after his resurrection when he had appeared vnto her and manifested himself vnto her f Iohn 20 17. Go to my brethren and say vnto them I ascend vnto my Father and to your Father and to my God and to your God Where he sheweth that God is a common Father that all the godly are as brethren one to another Likewise the Apostle writeth to the Hebrewes g Heb. 2 11 12 He that sanctifieth and they that are sanstified are al of one wherefore he is not ashamed to call them Brethren saying I will declare thy name vnto my Brethren in the midst of the Church I will sing praises to thee The Lord Iesus is infinitely aboue vs h Phil. 2 6. who being in the forme of God thought it no robbery to be equall with God and we are poore wretched and miserable men yet he is ashamed of no man except we first bee ashamed of him He will deny no man he will reiect no man except wee first do deny and reiect him If then Christ do vouchsafe to account and accept vs as his bretheren we must needs acknowledge an equality and brotherly fellowshippe among all the faithfull that are in Christ Reason 3. Thirdly all the godly that are truly regenerate are adopted to the hope of the kingdome of glory and are redeemed by the blood of Christ It is not Gold or Siluer or Pearles i Psal 49 7. 1 Pet. 1 18. or the treasures that are in the world could pay a price sufficient to redeeme and ransome our soules it is the precious blood of Christ alone that must purchase our peace as of a Lambe vndefiled and without spot Now he came into the world to seeke and to saue that which was lost he came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance How meane
contemneth the Preacher of the word who is a spirituall Father of the soule and giueth vs not this life but a new life not the first birth but the second birth not the sight of the body but the light of the mind which thinges are farre more excellent and precious then the other There can be therefore no greater vnthankfulnesse then to contemne the Ministers of Christ The second reproofe Secondly it meeteth with the starting holes and silly defences that many make for themselues who to excuse their contempt of the Gospell and treading vnder foote the word of God doe lay all the blame and fault vpon the Ministers Aske the question of the most proud Spirits and prophane persons whether they be enemies to the preaching of the Gospell and open contemners of the Gospell or not they will deny it and shew themselues ready to abiure it and yet none do more euidently contradict the truth then they These are sly and secret enemies who lightly esteeme Gods sacred and eternall word vnder pretence of mens persons They professe in word to magnifie the word but they regard not the Ministers that bring it They know well enough that if they should openly oppose themselues against the Scriptures and bid battell to God all men would cry out against them all men would hisse at them all men would point them out with the finger and nod their heads at them as they go in the streets But they goe more subtilly and circumspectly to worke they pretend the greatest loue to the truth that can be all their quarrell is to the Ministers that deliuer it And thus they thinke to slide away in the darke that they may not be espied whereas their owne consciences within them doe accuse them and their owne hearts euery way and euery day condemne them to be deepe dissemblers hollow hearted Hypocrites and the most daungerous enemies that the Church of God hath The same Apostle that writing to the Thessalonians chargeth them q 1 Thes 5 20 12 13. Not to despise prophsying exhorteth them also and beseecheth them in the same Chapter That they acknowledge them which labour among them and are ouer them in the Lord and admonish them that they haue them in singular loue for their workes sake The same Apostle that honoureth the Scripture with the greatest Titles of Dignity r 2 Tim. 3 16 17. and 4 2 5. and maketh it sufficient to make The man of God absolute being made perfect to euery good worke writing vnto Timothy dooth also commaund him to Preach in season and out of season to doe the worke of an Euangelist and to cause his Ministery to bee throughly liked off It is a vaine excuse and worse then the Figge-leaues that Adam sewed together to hide his shame to seem to approue and allow of the word and yet to reiect such as are appointed to speake in the Church and are set ouer vs in the Lord. He would be accounted a starke foole that being hungry would dislike and distast his meat and so starue his body through a wilfull famine because he cannot abide the Cooke that dressed it or that would refuse his drinke to quench his thirst because he neither loueth nor liketh him that drawed it for him and brought it vnto him Would not hee be condemned of extreame foolishnesse and simplicity that would not vouchsafe to receiue or looke vpon or heare to be read a Letter sent vnto him from his Prince and that for his good because hee careth not for the Messenger that offereth it vnto his handes Or would not all men account him worthy to dye an hundred times who hauing a pardon sealed and sent him from the King for his offences whereby he iustly deserued to haue the sentence of death pronounced against him to be immediatly executed vpon him should scorne the pardon and the Princes mercy because hee fauoureth not the man that is imployed to bring it Or would not all men say he were worthy to be drowned who beeing fallen into a swift streame ready to beare him away with the violence of the waues would not lay hand and hold on that which is preferred vnto him because he accounteth him his Enemy that desireth to saue him The like folly and madnesse is in those that refuse the word because they hate the person of the Minister that breaketh the bread of eternall Life that doth the message that God hath put in his mouth that publisheth in Christs Name a pardon of sinne to all people that will repent and beleeue the Gospell that would bring them to saluation of their Soules that they might not perish but haue euerlasting life The Prophet commendeth good King Hezekiah who albeit hee were sharpely reprooued and threatned with a greeuous iudgement hee did not breake out into raging speeches nor cast into prison nor put to death the Prophet that denounced a great plague against him but submitted himselfe to God and reuerenced the word of the Prophet saying Å¿ Esay 39 8. The word of the Lord is good which thou hast spoken All men will be readie to confesse in generall that the word of God is good euen as God is good but they cannot be brought to acknowledge the word in the mouth of the Minister to be good This is the shift of those that are wise to deceiue themselues If they bring vnto vs the Doctrine of saluation reuealed in the Scriptures it is that word whereby we shall be iudged in the last day and bee found guilty of horrible Treason against God Hence it is that the Apostle saith t Ro. 2 12 16. As many as haue sinned in the Law shal be iudged by the Law at the day when God shall iudge the secrets of men by Iesus Christ according to my Gospell The Iewes and Gentiles oftentimes cried out against him and accounted him vnworthy to liue yet he sheweth that at the last day they should be iudged not onely according to the word but according to his word not onely according to the Gospell but according to his Gospell When the Lord was determined to giue his owne people into the hand of their enemies and to roote them out of that good Land which hee had giuen vnto their Fathers hee hydeth not from them the cause of his iudgements but setteth their sinnes in order before them that u 2 Chr. 36 16 they mocked the Messengers of God and despised his words and misused his Prophets vntill the wrath of the Lord arose against his people and till there was no remedy Where we see he ioyneth together the mocking of his Messengers and the despising of his words These two do necessarily follow one another where the one goeth before and leadeth the way the other will not come farre behinde If this were well and thoroughly waighed of vs it would auaile vs to great good and further vs in the worde of saluation and rid vs from manie stumbling blockes that lye
euill continually by the second birth we are enabled and strengthened by the spirit to do good and to walke in the wayes of God that are well pleasing in his sight so that this ought to bee much more esteemed of vs then the former and to comfort vs aboue all thinges and times in the world We see this in the example of Zaccheus y Luke 19 6. who at his newe birth was comforted exceedingly he receiued Christ Iesus ioyfully he acknowledged him as the Father that begat him willingly hee made a great feast for gladnesse and gaue great guifts to the poore with al alacrity The like appeareth in the Iaylor recorded in the Acts of the Apostles z Acts. 16 32 33. Who being conuerted at the same time he tooke his two Fathers Paule Silas and washed their wounds he set meat before them reioysed greatly with all his houshold We ought therefore to know them that haue begotten vs in the Lord and haue bin Instruments of our conuersion These examples serue as a reproofe against those that neuer had knowledge either of the time when or of the place where or of the maner how or of the person by whom they were conuerted and begotten againe as new borne babes in Christ that neuer had the feeling of this grace of regeneration This is a wretched condition and a fearfull signe that they sauour stil of the flesh and lie in the corruptions of the old Adam and knowe not what a second birth meaneth Thus it was with Nicodemus a Iohn 3 1 3 4 a man of the Pharisies a Ruler of the Iewes and a Teacher of Israel when Christ had taught him That except a Man be borne againe he cannot see the Kingdome of God hee answered How can a man be borne which is olde Can hee enter into his Mothers wombe againe and be borne We see in al Churches there is an order appointed and to good purpose that a note should bee taken and a Register kept of our birth and the birth of our Children If there bee a good vse of this much more benefit and comfort shal we find by the recording of our second birth of our life in God and our dying to sinne by remembering the time the place the party other such like circumstances to the euerlasting peace of our owne Consciences by whom we haue beene brought to this life And indeede it is vnpossible that euer we should reioyce at the conuersion of a sinner except wee haue learned to conceiue great ioy and gladnesse when our hearts are opened and softned to receiue the Graces of God into them Vse 4. Lastly seeing we are to reioyce at the good of our brethren wee must from hence be drawn to an higher and farther duty Namely to giue thanks to God for them as for the blessings bestowed vpon our selues It is our duty to craue of God such thinges as they want and to giue him the praise for such things as he hath bestowed vpon them Our ioy must not be carnal but our reioysing must be in the Lord. If then we order our ioy and gladnesse aright it will lift vs vp to behold and consider from whence al good things proceed We oftentimes receiue at the hands of God many good guifts but neuer remember to returne vnto him the praise So it falleth out that diuers will seeme ioyful and glad at the prosperity and happinesse of their brethren who neuerthelesse are tongue-tied neuer open their mouths to giue glorie to the giuer and granter of them We must therefore know that it is our duty to render thankes to God for his benefits vouchsafed to his people And this is a notable signe and token whereby we may try and examine what our mirth and gladnesse is and whether it bee rightly ordered and disposed or not If it be Spirituall and not Carnall Holy and not Prophane Heauenly and not Worldly it will stirre vs vp to cast vp our eyes and hearts to the Father of Lights acknowledging al to come from the seat of his holinesse The Apostle directing the Church what their ioy ought to be saith Phillip 4 4. Reioyce in the Lord alwaies againe I say reioyce This vse which now wee vrge of this Doctrine is expressely confirmed and concluded in the practise of Iethro as we see Exod. 18 10 11. before remembred vnto vs so soone as he had testified his reioysing at all the goodnesse which the Lorde had shewed to Israell immediately he saide Blessed be the Lord who hath deliuered you out of the hand of the Egiptians and out of the hand of Pharaoh who hath also deliuered the people from vnder the hand of the Egyptians now I knowe that the Lord is greater then all the Gods for as they haue dealt proudly with them so are they recompensed Thus Moses declareth that the great workes and wonders that God had shewed to Israell wrought great ioy of heart in Iethro his Father in Lawe but he rested not there nor stayed in an outward reioysing his ioy did end in thankesgiuing which sanctifieth all our mirth and gladnesse For if our mouths be filled with laughter and our tongue with ioy and yet God bee shut out of our minds there is nothing in vs but pride and prophannesse of hart Then is our mirth true mirth and our ioyfulnesse true gladnesse when God is al in all when we acknowledge him to bee the author of it This appeareth in the people b Ps 126 1 2 3 when God brought againe the captiuity of Syon They were like them that dreame and became very ioyfull Then said they among the Heathen The Lord hath done great things for them the Lord hath done great things for vs whereof we reioyce Where we see that their ioy of heart was accompanied with giuing of thankes The like wee might say of Melchizedek King of Shalem and Priest of the most high God who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the Kinges and blessed him saying c Gen. 14 19. Blessed art thou Abram of God most high possessor of Heauen and Earth and blessed be the most high God which hath deliuered thine enemies into thine hand This reproueth those that know no ioy but that which is fleshly like vnto themselues who as they are carnall so they reioyce in nothing but that which is carnall The end of this ioy is heauinesse It is the faithful onely that are of God in Christ Iesus that can truly reioyce and be merrie from the heart as for the ioy of others it is but from the teeth and tongue outwardly it commeth not from the inward parts This the Prophet teacheth Psal 32 21. and 33 1. Be glad ye righteous and reioyce in the Lord and be ioyfull al ye that are vpright in heart Thereby declaring that the vngodly and prophane men of the Worlde haue nothing to doe with this gladnesse whereof wee speake their ioy is not in the Lorde but in the
when he saith I hope through your Prayers c. it argueth that the Churches of the Gentiles did pray vncessantly vnto God for the deliuerance of Paul out of Prison as we see in the Actes of the Apostles when Herod had killed Iames and put Peter in Prison d Actes 12 5. earnest Prayer was made of the Church to God for him So that we see he had the Prayers of the faithfull and that he did acknowledge the benefit necessity of them that they should preuaile with God Lastly when he addeth I shall be giuen vnto you We must vnderstand that the word which the Holie Ghost vseth in this place signifieth to bee freely and frankly giuen noting thereby that when he should be deliuered and finde the effect of their Prayers it should be through the free grace and mercy of God and not merited by the Saints So then according to this order of the words and interpretation of the Text the reading of this Verse is to this effect Hauing now ended my suit mooued vnto thee touching Onesimus I am in the next place to sollicite thee for my selfe namely that as thou art inclined in loue to all the Saints of God so that thou prepare thy selfe to entertaine me at thy house with all the fruits of hospitality For although I be in bonds and kept fast in hold yet my hope is that by reason of the continuall and effectuall Prayers of the Saints I shall ere long through the free mercies of God be giuen vnto you and to the other Churches for their further edification in Christ Iesus our Lord. General obseruations pointed out in this verse Thus much touching the meaning Now follow certaine generall obseruations which I will onely point out and not stand vpon at large First of all obserue the different manner of the Apostles dealing heere and in the former words When he entreateth for another he is large and earnest but when he commendeth to him his owne cause and priuate businesse he dealeth in a word he dispatcheth it breefely he toucheth it by the way as if it were a thing impertinent or from the matter This sheweth that he had more respect and a greater regard to obtaine his suit for Onesimus and to further his saluation then to speed in his owne suit which pertained to the supporting and supplying the necessities of this present life This teacheth vs to be more earnest in another mans cause then in our owne but especiallie all Pastours that haue the charge of Soules committed vnto them to bee more earnest for the sauing of Soules then to procure their owne ease and that they seeke the benefit of others rather then the profit of themselues according to the rule of the Apostle 1. Pet. 2. e 1 Pet. 5 2. Feede the Flocke of God that dependeth vpon you caring for it not by constraint but willingly not for filthy lucre but of a ready mind This affection if it be found in vs shall minister exceeding comfort to our hearts when we remember that we haue imployed our guifts and labours to gaine a people to God and haue not sought theirs but them On the other side woe vnto idle Shepheards that feede not the Flocke but feede themselues Such as are to worke in the Lords Vineyard must be Labourers not Loyterers they must be able to feed not to fleese they must blow the Trumpet and not hold their peace Secondly the Apostle doth not assure himselfe or the Churches of God that he shall be deliuered but he hopeth to be set free as if he should say I haue conceiued an hope not vaine and foolish without ground of reason but I trust in Gods mercy to be set in safety that I may serue the Church and profit you in the Gospell a long time Now whether the Apostle being deliuered out of Prison euer came among the Colossians and tooke vp his lodging in the House of Philemon it is vncertaine and not to be found in the holy Scriptures The like hope he conceiueth in other places of his Epistles as when he writeth to the Phillippians Chapt. 1. f Phil. 1 24 25 To abide in the flesh is more needefull for you and this am I sure off that I shall abide and with you all continue for your furtherance and ioy of your Faith And in the Chapter following g Phil. 2 23 24 I hope to send Timothy as soone as I know how it will goe with me and I trust in the Lord that I also my selfe shall come shortly The like wee see in the Epistle to the Hebrewes if that were Paules Chapt. 13. h Hebr. 13 23. Know that our Brother Timotheus is deliuered with whom if he come shortly I will see you Obserue in this place that his hope is not absolute but condicionall not simply purposed but limited I hope in the Lorde This is expressed by him in the first Chapter of the Epistle to the Romaines i Rom. 1 10. I make mention of you alwaies in my Prayers beseeching that by some meanes one time or other I might haue a prosperous iourney by the will of God to come vnto you Wee must therefore know that all our steppes are directed of God they are not in our owne power to be ordered at our owne pleasure We must also beware of all vaine confidence and presumption in our selues and in vnder-taking our businesse and affaires of this life seeing the successe is vnknowne and our life is vncertain Whatsoeuer we take in hand we must depend vpon the prouidence of God and rely vpon his will Hence it is that the Apostle Iames reprooueth them that say k Iames. 4 13 14 15. Goe to now ye that say to day or to morrow we will goe into such a Cittie and continue there a yeare and buy and sell and get gaine and yet ye cannot tell what shall be to morrow For what is your life It is euen a vapour that appeareth but a little time and afterward vanisheth away For that ye ought to say If the Lord will both we shall liue and we shall doe this and that God is the cheefe Ruler and Moderatour of all persons and actions nothing is guided and gouerned by Fortune nor falleth out by Chance he sitteth as it were at the Sterne and ordereth al things to his owne glory and the good of his Church Thirdly he putteth them in hope and comfort that he should be deliuered and come vnto them as a matter that would be welcome and profitable vnto them Which teacheth that the company fellowship and presence of the faithfull Seruants of God is much to bee desired and looked after and much to be reioyced in Thereby they receiue mutuall comfort one in another and bestow mutuall graces one vpon another and likewise by hauing the fellowship one of another they whet and sharpen one another We are ready to grow dull as an edge-toole that is quickly blunted and turned Now the communion
18. 13. who beeing in distresse and feare of his life said to Eliah Was it not told my Lord what I did when Iezabell slew the Prophets of the Lord how I hid an hundred men of the Lords Prophets by fifties in a Caue and fed them with Bread and Water These men we see found great comfort to their owne Soules in the practise of this duty If the same fruit of Faith and testimony of loue be found in vs we shall not be left comfortlesse when we desire comfort of God Nay if this entertainement of the Saints whom the profession of the faith in time of trouble hath made Strangers be among vs and doe abound it will make vs that we shall be neyther idle nor vnfruitfull in the acknowledging of our Lord Iesus Christ And that we may yet haue farther comfort and encouragement heerein we must vnderstand that whatsoeuer comfort and compassion we shew to the Seruants of God that are harbourlesse and succourlesse the Lord Iesus doth account it as done vnto himselfe For Christ is oftentimes left without help and harbour in his poore members and in them he wandreth vp and downe from place to place to seeke releefe Thus he shall say in the end of the World ſ Mat. 25 35 40. I was a Stranger and ye tooke me in vnto you I was naked and ye cloathed me I was in Prison and ye came vnto mee for verily I say vnto you inasmuch as yee haue done it vnto one of the least of these my Brethren ye haue done it to me Let this comfort and refresh vs let this encourage vs to loue Strangers and to performe all duties of loue toward them considering that Christ Iesus will aboundantly reward our well-doing and accept it farre aboue the worthinesse of the work albeit it be shewed to the poorest and simplest soul that belongs to his Body On the other side this serueth as a great terrour to those that are without naturall affection and spirituall compassion to consider wisely of the poore Strangers to whom Christ shall say I was a Stranger and ye tooke mee not in vnto you sicke and in Prison and ye visited me not for verily I say vnto you in asmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these ye did it not to me This serueth to encrease their sinne and to make the iudgements of God to enter into their bones considering that they haue not to doe onely with men but with Christ and the contempt is offered not onely to a base stranger but to our blessed Sauiour He that striketh and woundeth the hand or the foote maketh paine and greefe to arise in the head inasmuch as one part is touched with a sympathy of the others misery The faithfull are all the members of Christes body whereof he is the head if then any of them be afflicted hee suffereth with them he is greeued for them he is hurt through them Let all the enemies of the godly therefore take heede vnto themselues least they kicke against the truth of God and hurt the least of the professors thereof considering that he that toucheth them toucheth the apple of his eye yea toucheth and pierceth Christ himselfe of whom wee may truely say x Math. 21 44 Whosoeuer shall fall on this stone he shall be broken but on whomsoeuer it shall fall it will crush him in peeces Who is it that dareth breake out into this blasphemy to professe that he wisheth to wound Christ to reproach him to defie him to turne him out of doores to suffer him to perrish and to shut vp their compassion frō him But whiles we are ashamed of our poore Brethren we are ashamed of Christ whiles we deny to stretch forth our handes to help them we passe by Christ and looke awry or a squint vpon him Would we haue the Lord of life and glory deale with vs as we deale with them and behaue our selues toward them We liue if not in the persecution yet in the necessity of the Church and Children of God we cannot but see many want If the enemies of the Gospell hate them for the truths sake shall not we loue them for the truths sake If we desire to finde comfort in the great day of the Lorde let vs now shew comfort as God hath blessed and inabled vs according to our abilitie Hee will neuer bee wanting to them that consider wiselie of the wants of them that feare him If wee doe not deny our comfort to them he will neuer deny to minister comfort to vs in time of neede But if our harts be hardned and our hands full of crueltie we deceiue our selues if we looke for any comfort at the handes of God The Rich man and Miser that had Lazarus at his Gates y Luke 16 19 21 24. Clad himselfe in Purple and fared deliciously euery day yet shutting his eyes from beholding the misery and stopping his eares from hearing the cry of the poore himselfe was cast into torments and cryed with a great cry and a bitter and was not heard nor regarded Then his sumptuous fare could not refresh him then his gorgeous apparrall could not comfort him then his resort and retinue could not reuiue him but he continued in endlesse and remidelesse tortures and tormentes If wee follow his example let vs feare his ende and if wee practise his sinne we must looke to feele his punishment If we behold the troubles of the Ministers and Professours of the Gospell driuen out of house and home and cast out of Land and Liuing and we cannot affoord them a good word nor giue them any thing to supply their wants when God hath giuen vnto vs this worldes good wee our selues shall cry and not be heard We shall all stand in need of the mercie of God If we were rich noble if were Kings and Princes if we haue had thousandes that haue required and receiued mercy from vs yet a time shall come when we shall stande at the Iudgement seate of the Almighty and call for mercy at his hands The Lord in that day shall recompence vs according to our workes Haue we delighted in the deeds of mercy and shewed pitty to the poore wandering Saints Let vs be of good comfort wee shall not finde God a seuere Iudge but a mercifull Father and Sauiour vnto vs we shall receiue the fruite of our Labours in due time gather as we haue scattered and reape as we haue sowed On the other side haue we seene the Saintes of God sicke and not visited them Strangers and not harboured them Hungry and not fed them We shall hang downe our heads in that day when we would giue all the world for one drop or dram of mercy to come neere vs z Iames 2 13. For there shall be condemnation mercilesse to him that sheweth not Mercie and Mercie reioyseth against Iudgement Let vs consider these things whiles we haue time It was too late for the Rich man
Wee cannot aske in our owne name u Ferus in Ioh. 16. that is for our owne merits any thing we ask and obtaine in the name of Christ By his name we must vnderstand his incarnation his passion his death his deserts his intercession For as he that hath Christ hath eternall life because Christ is the way the trueth and the life so he that hath Christ obtaineth all things because he it is alone in whom the Father is well pleased It is therefore a lawfull and laudable custom of the true Church to conclude and shut vp their prayers in the name of Christ declaring thereby that their trust and confidence to be heard standeth not in themselues nor in any other then the Mediatour betweene God and them True it is the Church of Rome vseth this form and endeth in his name but this is no better then a meere mocking of Christ For albeit they adde in the closing vp of their prayers Through our Lord Iesus Christ yet the substance of them is full of Idolatry and the Saints are made Idols and Christ a Mediator to bring vs to them which is as foule a dishonour as if the eldest sonne who is heire of al should be vsed and employed to bring vs into the fauour of the seruant of the house So then we must holde it as a principle of our Faith to direct vs in our prayers that they be not made in the name of any creature but in the name and mediation of Christ alone And heereby is discouered a manifest fault and palpable error of ignorant people They powre out many Prayers and cry out oftentimes Lord helpe me Lorde haue mercie vpon me Thus doe these poore and simple blind soules rush vppon the Lord as it were into the Chamber of presence without a guide they know not the nature of God that he is as well a most fearefull iudge as a most mercifull father and they are ignoraunt of the Office of the Mediator in whose name they should present their prayers to him Hee that commeth in his owne name commeth in a wrong name and he that commeth without Christ departeth without fruite Hee sprinkleth our prayers with the sweete Odours of his merits and mediation without which our prayers and our persons are abhominable The fift thing required in Prayer The fift and last thing required in Prayer is that it must be made with assurance to be heard Prayer is to be made in faith whereby a man must haue confidence that he shall obtaine that which he hath asked This affiance being wanting maketh Prayer to bee no prayer Whosoeuer doubteth whether God will graunt his requests or not can neuer pray for any thing earnestly and effectually This our Sauiour teacheth Marke 11 24. Whatsoeuer ye desire when ye pray beleeue that ye shall haue it and it shall bee done vnto you None can haue this perswasion to be heard none can haue this affiance that God is both willing and able to helpe them but the faithfull who haue assurance that their sinnes are pardoned and their personnes reconciled vnto God in Christ Such as stand in doubt of this can neuer beleeue anie other promises reuealed in the word nor be sure that any of his prayers shall bee heard If any come and make any suite or supplication vnto vs whom wee know to doubt of our good will and meaning toward vs can wee regarde them or accept of them So they can by no meanes please God that while they are praying doubt of his good meaning or Almighty power and know not how he is affected and disposed toward them For this cause the Apostle Iames directing vs in the right course of prayer commandeth rhat it be made in faith without doubting Iames 1 6 7. Let him aske in Faith and wauer not for he that wauereth is like a waue of the Sea tossed of the wind and carried away neither let that man thinke that he shall receiue any thing of the Lord. It is a great corruption of the flesh and such as springeth from the bitter root of Infidelity to imagine that God doeth not or will not regarde our prayers according to that saying of the Prophet Psal 10 13. Wherefore doth the wicked contemne God He saith in his heart Thou wilt not regard Obiection But heere some may Obiect say How can we haue this assurance seeing many pray and yet receiue not they aske and obtaine not The Prophet Dauid complaineth y Psal 22 2. O my God I cry by day but thou hearest not and by night but haue no audience And in another place z 2 Sam. 12 14 He prayed for the life of his child with great earnestnesse of spirit with great humblenesse of mind with great anguish of hart and yet he obtained not the life of his sonne that he desired for the Child died Answere I answere to this many waies First God doth sometimes deferre to answere his seruants to make them cry more earnestly We are made of a dull Mettall we quickly wax weary in prayer we must haue some means to kindle our zeale Now it is a great error in the faithfull to thinke that GOD deceyueth vs because hee delayeth vs it is the purpose of God to try vs for the exercise of our faith and the encrease of our zeale Secondly men doe sometimes pray that are prophane and lye in some greeuous sinne that is vnrepented of which is as a thicke cloude standing betweene the Lord and vs and as it were stopping his eares that he cannot heare vs or as a barre that lyeth in our way that we cannot possibly come into the presence of God True Repentance wil scatter the Cloud and remoue the barre that is before vs but till sinne bee forsaken a Iohn 9 31. our Prayers cannot bee graunted Many complaine that they are not heard and murmure that they spend their wordes as in the Winde but they neuer consider what the cause is and where the fault lyeth and how it is to bee reformed Thirdly they pray to satisfie their lusts and do not aske such thinges as they ought to desire according as the Apostle Iames vpbraydeth the Iewes to whom he wrote b Iames 4 3. Ye aske and receiue not because ye ask amisse that ye might lay the same out on your pleasures It is not enough to craue good thinges but we must aske them to a good end If our purpose be euill our Prayers cannot be good our requests cannot be granted Fourthly we must pray for earthly things with condition so farre as they may serue to the glory of God and our owne good and therefore we must refer our selues wholy to his will and pleasure as we are taught in the Lords Prayer to say Thy will be done Spirituall Graces we may aske without exception but earthly benefits with limitation Lastly God heareth our prayers two wayes First when he granteth that thing which we aske Thus he heard
not wish to liue without it What is more desired then life Yet he preferreth the louing kindnesse of God before it So in another place l Psa 130 3 4. If thou ô Lord straitly markest iniquities ô Lord who shall stand But mercy is with thee that thou maist be feared Likewise the Church in the Lamentations of Ieremy confesseth as much chapt 3. It is the m Lam. 3 22. Lordes mercies that we are not consumed because his compassions faile not In all which places we see that the godly sue for pardon and cry out for mercy If they desire any blessing they aske it of fauour If they craue to haue any iudgement remooued they craue it of mercy and they esteeme his grace aboue their owne liues or any earthly thing that they can desire Wee must acknowledge that it is of his meere mercy that we liue and mooue and haue our beeing It is our duty to praise his name daily for his great mercies toward vs which are infinite for measure and continuance If hee accept vs it skilleth not greatly though men reiect vs and condemne vs. If his wrath be kindled against vs and his louing countenance be turned from vs what is it that can delight vs who is it that can comfort vs We see by many sundry examples in our Brethren that haue beene cast downe through the multitude and greeuousnesse of their sinnes and an apprehension of the heauie wrath of God and a with-drawing of his fauour for a season from them albeit they haue had Riches Friends Lands Prosperity and outward peace yet none of these could Minister comfort vnto them so long as Gods countenance was hidden from them as the Sunne couered in a Cloud But when once he appeared in mercy and goodnesse to them againe their bones and bowels haue bin refreshed according to the wordes of the Prophet in the Psalme n Psal 4 6 7. If thou Lord lift vp thy countenance vpon mee thou shalt giue mee more ioy of hart then they haue had when their Wheate thier Wine did abound Labour therefore by all meanes to feele his fauour vse all meanes to obtaine it employ thy selfe diligently to keepe it and to continue it towarde thee that in thy life it may be with thee and in death it may not depart from thee 23 There salute thee Epaphras my fellow-prisoner in Christ Iesus 24 Marchus Aristarchus Demas and Luke my fellow-helpers The order of the words Hitherto we haue handled the cheefe matter touching this Epistle containing his sute for Onesimus and his commandement to prepare him lodging Now followeth the Conclusion and shutting vp of the Epistle consisting in certaine salutations which are of two sorts either from others or from himselfe The salutation from others is in these two Verses the salutation from himselfe is in the Verse following In these Verses he saluteth Philemon in the name of fiue persons which were famous and well known in the Church and of great authority and credit aboue many others This salutation as it was very honourable vnto him so also it carried with it great waight and moment to effect his principall purpose with more easinesse For seeing hee ioyneth with him His Fellow-prisoner and Fellow-helpers in this sute that he might the better obtaine his request so that they all put vp as it were with one voice and consent the same petition Philemon could not but consider that it was a verie vnseemely and vnworthy thing to reiect so many suppliants in so reasonable a cause So then the sum of these wordes is this Epaphras Marcus Aristarchus Demas and Luke do salute thee The first man is described by an adioyned propertie my Fellow-Prisoner which is declared by the cause For Iesus Christ. The rest that are heere named haue one common adioynt as a title of honor ascribed vnto them when he calleth them his Fellow-helpers The meaning of the words Thus much touching the Order and Method Now let vs see the meaning and Interpretation of the wordes By Saluting in this place we are to vnderstand to vse all kinde and courteous speaking and to wish all peace and prosperity of soule and bodie which are fruits of that Brotherly Loue that ought to bee among all the Saints Thus did the faithfull pray one for another In this salutation he nameth fiue persons In the first place he rangeth Epaphras a Cittizen of the same Citty with Philemon and his Countreyman as appeareth in the Epistle to the Colossians chap. 4. Epaphras o Col. 4 12. the Seruant of Christ which is one of you Saluteth you and alwayes striueth for you in prayers that yee may stand perfect and full in all she will of God This man had beene the Teacher of the Church at Colosse and had conuerted them to the faith of Christ as we read in the same Epistle Cha. 1. p Colos 1 7. As ye also learned of Epaphras our deere fellow seruant which is for you a faithfull Minister of Christ. It seemeth he was an Euangelist who succeeded in the labours of the Apostles but now being at Rome hee was put in prison and heere saluteth Philemon as a Fellow-prisoner of Paule not for anie wickednesse and crime that he had committed but for the Testimonie of Christ and for preaching the Gospell and therefore is called not Caesars prisoner but Christs Prisoner Whereby it appeareth that this Epaphras was falsely accused by the enemies of the Gospell and therefore brought vnto Rome and put in hold Secondly he nameth Marcus who is mentioned also in other places of the Scripture who was Cozen to Barnabas and the sonne of that Marie who was wont to giue entertainement to the Disciples at Ierusalem yea such was her godlinesse that shee made her house as an Inne to lodge the poore Saints and as a publicke Temple for the people of God to meet together to pray vnto him and to praise his name This appeareth Col. 4 10. Marcus saluteth thee Barnabas Cousin touching whom ye receiued Commandements if hee come vnto you receiue him So when Peter was deliuered out of prison it is saide q Acts. 12 12. Hee came to the house of Marie the Mother of Iohn whose sur-name was Marke where manie vvere gathered together in Prayer Thirdly he saluteth Philemon in the name of Aristarchus of whome also mention is made in the Epistle to the Colossians and there likewise he is called Paules prisoner r Colos 4 10. Aristarchus my Prison-fellow saluteth you As they embraced one Faith and beleeued in one Christ so they suffered for one cause and were Companions in affliction Fourthly he nameth Demas who at this time was a constant Confesser of the truth and a zealous follower of the Gospell but afterward hee started backe from the Doctrine of Christ forsooke the fellowship of Paul embraced this present world as the Apostle complaineth of him afterward as we see 2 Tim. 4 10. Demas hath forsaken
iudgement of God punishing sinne with sinne and recompencing great vengeance vpon their heads that start from the Faith as a deceitfull Bow and renounce that truth which they haue solemnly professed Let these punnishments be alwaies before our eyes so often as we begin to slake our course and to grow negligent and secure that so we may begin to renew our couenant with God and to recouer our selues from the pit of Apostacy into which we were falling Vse 2. Secondly this Doctrine teacheth the difference betweene those that are truely godly and religious and such as are Hypocrites Such as professe well for a time and afterward slide backe are like the Grasse or Corne that groweth vpon the house top which flourisheth and waxeth greene for a season but it decayeth incontinently and commeth not to any seasonable ripenesse Howsoeuer therefore there be a great likenesse and a neere resemblance betweene the faithfull and the Hypocrite yet God will haue the one discerned from the other and Hypocrisie to be laide open and seene in his colours as it is This is that vse which the Apostle Iohn maketh of this doctrine Chapt. 2. where comforting the Church against the offences and stumbling blocks that were rise and common in those daies and perswading them not to be terrified with the falling backe of certaine he maketh it plain that albeit they had place in the Church as corrupt humours haue in the body yet they were neuer of the Church Whreeupon hee concludeth ſ 1 Iohn 2 19. This commeth to passe that it might appeare that they are not all of vs. Would wee therefore know who are Hypocrites And would we haue eyes to see them and iudgement to discerne them Behold heere a plaine marke and euident token to bring vs to a perfect vnderstanding of them they shall not alwaies deceiue the Church they shall not alwaies couer their faces with the Vizard of holinesse they shall in the end be made euident to all men that euery one may point at them with the finger and say This is an Hypocrite this is a Dissembler this is he that went about to deceiue both God and Man but now he is reueiled that al men may looke vpon him and hisse at him On the other side it is a notable priuiledge of a man truely sanctified to bee constant and continually set vpon good thinges to perseuer in good things and neuer to repent of the doing of them he buildeth his house vpon the rock and therefore no blasts or tempests of temptation can ouerthrow it He receiueth the seede into good ground and therefore it taketh roote downeward and beareth fruit vpward with patience he is carefull to please God in the duties of both Tables both of holinesse and true righteousnesse and therefore he shall neuer be remoued Vse 3. Thirdly seeing many begin well that are as a morning Cloude which is quickly scattered and therefore do not continue we learn not to be offended when we see any or many faint or fall away nor to bee discomforted whē we haue examples before our eies of those that haue professed the saith and beene thought zealous aboue many others who nowe are falne into a deepe or rather a dead sleepe that no life of Gods spirit appeareth to be in them Thus it hath alwayes beene in the Church thus it is at this present thus it will be heereafter When Samaria had receiued the Gospell t Acts 8 13. Simon Magus himselfe beleeued also and was baptized and continued with Phillip wondered when he saw the signes and great Myracles which were done yet notwithstanding this embracing of the faith was but as the flash of Lightning which suddainly appeareth and presently vanisheth as appeareth by his offering of money to buy the Graces of the Spirit u Verse 20 23. and by the answer of Peter denouncing an horrible curse against him renouncing him for hauing any part or fellowship in that businesse discouering the hypocrisie of his hart and manifesting to all men that he was in the gall of bitternesse and in the bond of iniquity The like we might say of Hymenens Phyletus and Alexander x 1 Tim. 1 20. and 2 Tim. 2 17. and 4 14. mentioned by Paule in his Epistles to Timothy they were counted famous and esteemed as Pillers of the Church yet they fell to renounce euerlasting saluation which was purchased for vs by our Lord Iesus Christ Let vs all heerby be wise and warned and take heed that we build not vpon men least the foundation sinking and shrinking downe we fall and perish with it True it is they shall greatly be punished that lay a stumbling-blocke before others giue occasion vnto them to fall to depart from the faith yea it were better that a Mill-stone were hanged about their necke and they drowned in the sea then one of the members of Christ be offended Woe therefore shall be to those that giue a scandall to the Church yet such as follow them and forsake the fellowship of the Saints through their euill example cannot be excused Wilt thou refuse thy Corne because thou seest much Chaffe and Trash mingled with it No man must forsake the Church because hee seeth offences to arise in it euery man must labour with himselfe to be good Corn and then the Chaffe shall hurt vs nothing at all And albeit we see some fall away and make a separation euery day the Church looseth nothing but is made more pure and perfect euen as it hindreth not nor hurteth the Wheat that the Tares wither away When we behold those that were chiefe men reputed as Angels in comparison of others to fall as Lightning from Heauen let vs not be dismayed or discomforted thereby though men turne as the winde and the Weather-cocke let vs stand fast and build vpon the rock that can neuer be shaken Albeit wee may point out thousandes on the one side and ten thousand on the other side let vs not feare the falling of the Church which standeth vpon a sure and certain foundation Thus doth the Apostle comfort Gods people when sundry made Shipwracke of their faith and fell into Apostacy x 2 Tim. 2 19. The foundation of God remaineth sure and hath this seale The Lord knoweth who are his If men shew their frailty and be as a Reede shaken with the winde it is no maruell nor new thing we rest not vpon them we builde not our Faith vpon our Teachers that haue beene the meanes of our conuersion so that if they should reuolt and renounce the doctrine that they haue preached we must not go with them nor follow after them Indeede we should be greeued to see those that seemed forward to turne cleane backward and as we ought to reioyce to see the Church of God encreased so it cannot but trouble vs to haue it diminished notwithstanding this must bee our comfort that God will maintaine his Church and keepe al
in this manner passe them ouer Now let vs handle the perticular Doctrine that ariseth from this Salutation The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with your Spirit Amen This is the last clause of the Epistle wherein he wisheth the same that he did in the beginning to wit the grace of Christ If there had beene any more notable or excellent blessing to craue and desire for him then this grace of Christ no doubt he would haue asked it and should haue obtained it for him Hee would haue made some mention of it either in the beginning or at the latter ending or in some other place of this Epistle But seeing we finde no other blessing rehearsed or required beside this grace of Christ it is most certain the Apostle knew no greater or better guift then this grace of christ And indeed he which nameth and commendeth the grace of Christ doth except or exclude nothing which is good for vs or profitable vnto vs either in this life or in the life to come For the grace of Christ whereby we vnderstand the free fauour of God which we by no duties or workes haue deserued or can any way deserue comprehendeth vnder it as it were within the compasse of it euery good thing and euery perfect guift For the spirituall blessings of God as Remission of sinnes Iustification Sanctification and eternall Life doe all flow from this grace as from a Fountaine Now it is called the grace of Christ and that fitly and worthily because he hath obtained it for vs by the price of his owne precious bloud he hath deserued to haue the same bestowed vpon vs. For the grace of God the Father properly belongeth vnto him and Christ Iesus his naturall sonne in whom alone he is well pleased is the Treasure Store-house of his Father by whose hand is bestowed whatsoeuer is bestowed vpon vs. Doctrine 1. Spirituall thinges are to be prayed for and preferred before earthly thinges Seeing therefore the Apostle maketh so great reckoning of this grace that he speaketh of it first and last and remembreth it in the beginning and in the ending and sendeth this Salutation vnto him wee learne from hence that Spirituall thinges are to be prayed for and preferred before earthly thinges they must haue the first place and earthly thinges be set in the last place This appeareth in that forme of blessing which God prescribeth vnto Aaron and to his Sonnes d Num. 4 6 23 24. Thus ye shall blesse the Children of Israell and say vnto them The Lord blesse thee and keepe thee the Lord make his face shine vpon thee and be mercifull vnto thee The Lord lift vp his countenance vpon thee and giue thee peace Heere we see what the Priests and Leuites were especially to craue to wit the fauour of God and his free grace This is plentifully prooued in the Psalmes of Dauid as Psal 4. e Psal 4 6. Many aske who will shew vs any good but Lord lift thou vp the light of thy countenance vpon vs where he sheweth that the multitude call for Riches and Honour and Pleasure and account them the onely good thinges but the godly preferre the fauour of God before all and make it their chiefe felicity And in another place f Psal 80 3. Turne vs againe ô God and cause thy face to shine that we may be saued The Church was now in affliction they wanted temporall blessings yet their chiefe desire was to feele the louing countenance of God to shine vpon them This appeareth farther vnto vs in the Lordes prayer left vnto vs by Christ our Sauiour to direct vs to pray he teacheth and prescribeth this order vnto vs that g Mat. 6 9. we first of all aske such thinges as concerne God and his glory and then those thinges that belong to our selues Thus are the prayers directed that the Apostle Paule maketh and offereth vp for the Churches to which he writeth he craueth aboue all thinges grace and peace he desireth that they might haue h Ephe. 1 7 3 16. Collos 1 9. the Spirit of wisedome and of reuelation that the eyes of their minde may be lightned that they may be strengthened in the inner man Yea this is so plaine and pregnant a truth that the very Heathen in their best meditations haue confessed i Virgil. eclog. 3. A loue principium this that God must haue our first thoughts and the beginning of all our workes who blesseth those that are so begun and giueth vnto them good successe If all these Testimonies produced out of the Old Testament alleaged out of the New and confirmed by the vniforme consent of the Gentiles be laide together wee may gather from thence that in our praiers and iudgements we are to preferre and desire especially and principally spirituall things Reason 1. If any doubt remaine in vs let vs consider the reasons that so it may bee remooued First Spirituall and Heauenly blessings are beyond all comparison more excellent and bring more sound ioy of heart then earthly blessings can doe The Prophet testifieth this by his owne experence k Psal 4 7. Thou hast giuen me more ioy of heart then they haue had when their Wheate and their Wine did abound The thinges of this life are corruptible the thinges of the life to come are incorruptible The Apostle Peter speaking of the inheritance of eternall life calleth it l 1 Pet 1 4. immortall and vndefiled and that withereth not reserued in heauen for vs. But among the earthly Treasures what more excellent then Gold Yet he calleth it m 1 Pet. 1 7 18. the Gold that perisheth and afterward Ye are not redeemed with corruptible thinges as Siluer and Gold from your vaine conuersation but with the precious bloud of Christ as of a Lambe vndefiled and without spot If then all worldly thinges euen those that be most pure and precious be transitory and corruptible they are not chiefly to be esteemed Reason 2 Secondly howsoeuer the wedge of Gold preuaileth much with men and can in a manner doe all thinges yet it is of no force with God it cannot remoue his iudgements or turne away his wrath from vs it cannot redeeme or pay the ransome of one Soule we were boght with a greater price Hence it is that the Prophet saith n Psal 49 6 7. They trust in their goodes and boast themselues in the multitude of their Riches yet a man can by no meanes redeeme his Brother he cannot pay his ransome to God If riches that can doe much could doe this then the richest should be the happiest and the poorest men should be the most miserable But this standeth not with the will and wisedome of God To this purpose the Prophet Ezekiell saith o Ezek 7 19. Zeph 1 18. They shall cast their Siluer in the streetes and their Gold shal be cast farre off their Siluer and their Gold cannot deliuer them in tht
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
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