power and the Christian Magistrate to constitute them as things seruing to the promoting of the worship of God as that there might be assembling together for the reading of holy Scripture for prayer and preaching of the word No man will deny but that it is conuenient to celebrate the memoriall of the Passion and Resurrection of our Sauiour on some particular day But if euery man should choose his owne time there would be confusion Therefore for order in the Church Consule Zanch. tom 4. in 4. praeceptum pag. 668. seq and for diuers benefits accrewing thereby it is very fit that there should be some Holy dayes appointed to be obserued besides the Sabbath 1 Hereby our selues our seruants our cattell haue rest which is one of the ends of the Sabbath The Iewes had need of such addition of dayes of rest and therefore God instituted diuers holy dayes and so haue we need also 2 Faith and good manners are furthered hereby Aug. Ianuario Epist 118.119 whatsoeuer is not contrary to Faith and good manners may be done saith S. Augustine but hereby they are builded vp by publique prayers reading and preaching of the Word 3 Hereby the loue and ioy of Christians is increased Hieron com in Epist ad Gal. c. 4 through their mutuall beholding one another as Hierome affirmeth 4 The poore haue the more time to bee instructed in Religion 5 Hereby the principall patefactions of God and benefits which he hath bestowed vpon vs also the holy vertues of the Saints are being vpon such dayes inculcated made the better knowne vnto vs. 6 Hereby wee keepe conformitie with the Primitiue Church and with the Fathers from whom to dissent in things indifferent which may be vsefull vnto good life were arrogancy and indiscretion But some Holy dayes are called by the names of Saints Obiect They are dedicated not to them but to God Answ they are called after their names because their story is then commended to the Church and on those dayes wee make no supplication to the Saints but onely praise God for them and pray for grace to imitate their vertuous and holy liues as did the Antients But here the errour of the Papists and Anabaptists and Familists is to bee taken heede of These will haue no holy and festiuall dayes They will haue too many troubling the Church with their single and double feasts c. putting Religion in the day and dedicating it not to God but to the Saint yea sometime to such a Saint which neuer was vpon earth or neuer shall bee in heauen also they preferre the reuerence of many of their holy dayes before the Sabbath Neglect not thou the holy daies appointed in our Church but yet make a difference betweene the Lords day and them For that is called the Queene of dayes Ignatius And therefore as is the Virgin Mary blessed amongst women so is the Lords day amongst other holy dayes for the dignitie whereof the whole weeke among the Iewes was called Sabbatum the Sabbath as some Learned haue obserued Tremel in annot ad suam Syram trans Noui Test Mat. 28.1 the dayes of the weeke being thus distinguished prima Sabbati secunda Sabbati c. It is requisite there should be some holy dayes for order sake and gouernment 1. But not ouer many that the Church be not burdened 2. Holden indifferent in their owne nature that Christian libertie be not indangered Diuersitie of opinion for obseruation of daies and such like indifferent things Vse 1 ought not to breake charity and vnity among the Brethren when that we doe is of conscience Hereof we haue a notable example of Polycarpus and Anicetus Bishop of Rome who differing in opinion and obseruation of dayes and fasting yet continued in loue and maintained vnitie as witnesseth Irenaeus in a Letter written to Victor Bishop of Rome yea and Irenaeus giueth this testimonie to the Church then and before his time that all such which held contrary obseruations Luseb hist eccl l. 5. c. 23. Socat schol hist Eccl. l. 5. c. 21. did notwithstanding hold fast the bond of loue and vnity Holy dayes are religiously to be obserued to the Lord according the end of their institution Vse 2 But many make them daies of vanity and carnal delight least of all thinking of glorifying God so that God is more prouoked in one of them nay on the Lords day it selfe by some wicked wretches then all the weeke after When a man walks according to the warning of his conscience Vse 3 although he erre in doing yet his religious and well nurtured conscience pleaseth God In things wee discerne not nor conceiue it is good for a man to walke according to his conscience so that he neglect not to be rightly enformed and bee ready to obey when it shall be otherwise reuealed The Iew may not vse Christian liberty till he may enioy it with a good conscience For it is better to follow an erring conscience when it cannot be informed and corrected then to doe against conscience In all things giue thankes Vse 4 without which all things are impure both our meat and our abstinence also and with it euery creature of God is good vnto vs 1. Tim. 4.4 as the Apostle witnesseth Many little better then Atheists and like vnto Swine sit downe to their meat without any acknowledgement of the giuer of it Doe thou giue thankes For 1 Thus they did in old time 1 Sam 9.13 Mat. 14.19 Luk. 24.30 Act. 27.35 Plutar. in Symp. Samuel must blesse the sacrifice before the people will eate Our blessed Sauiour alwayes gaue thankes before meat The blessed Apostle Saint Paul vsed so to doe as we reade of him in the Acts. Yea the very Gentiles vsed not to eate till they had offered a part as first fruits vnto their gods And I haue read that the Turkes vse thanksgiuing or some forme of benediction before they eate 2 Thereby thou acknowledgest that God by his prouidence maintaineth and preserueth thee Cornel. Cor. a lap com in 1. Tim. c. 4. 3 By this thy meat becomes wholesome and nourishing to thee which otherwise would be as a stone For man liueth more by Gods blessing then by bread Mat. 4.4 4 Hereby thou hast alwaies a table prepared Chry. hom 79. ad pop Ant. For as Chrysostome saith Mensa ab oratione sumens initium et in orationem desinens nunquam deficit c. Where men begin and end their refections with prayer there shall be no want 5 By this our mindes are furthered to some holy meditation while we are eating drinking as of labouring for the meat which perisheth not of our mortality Aug in Regula Monacharum Ep. 109. of eating bread in the Kingdome of Heauen For which purpose the Antients vsed to haue a Chapter read out of the Bible in the time of their meales as
other things Ecclesiasticall and ciuill of this kinde the ignorance whereof hath much troubled the minds of many people Know also that the scope of the word isnot to set downe all particulars in things Ciuill or Ecclesiasticall but onely the generall rules of such things The principall office of the Gospell being to declare the way of iustification in the sight of God by Iesus Christ It is most sound which Tertullian affirmes about things of this nature Tertull. de Corona militis Consuetudo in ciuilibus rebus pro lege suscipitur cum desicit lex◠nec differt Scripturâ an ratione consistat quando et legem ratio commendet Porrò si lex ratione constat lex erit emne iam quod ratione constiterit That is Custome in ciuill things is taken for law where law failes neither skils it whether a thing of such nature viz. indifferent for he speaks of such things consist by Scripture or by reason in as much as the Law is grounded vpon reason If the law consist of reason then whatsoeuer so doth is Law He that denies these things can neuer haue a quiet conscience in that which he doth because the Scripture mentioneth not infinite particulars of our life and many profitable things haue beene since inuented and therefore could not be mentioned in the Bible See that thou be able to iustifie thy actions thy opinions Vse 3 It shewes but small reuerence to the word when wee are so ready to holde euery thing that comes into our head and to striue with others and presently to condemne them What warrant hath the vncleane person for his vncleannesse the drunkard for his drunkennesse No warrant to doe them but proofe enough that they which doe such things shall be damned if they repent not Let euery man be fully perswaded in his owne minde Vse 4 Be carefull for thy selfe looke to thine owne conscience let other men alone Let it not trouble thee that another man doth thus or thus but looke thou that thy conscience bee well grounded vpon the Word Other mens opinions or doings are not to be the rule of thy walking Be certaine if thou desirest a quiet conscience to doubt of a thing and yet to doe it is a great sinne against the first commandement for it takes away Feare and Faith Feare for if thou thinkest it may bee to doe this will please God it may bee it will displease him doe it not If thou doest thou art an open contemner of God whom if thou hadst feared thou wouldest haue abstained Faith He that doubteth whether hee please God beleeueth not that God heares him therfore he hateth God and by little and little falles into despaire Who shall excuse them whom their owne consciences doe accuse Saue thy conscience To die in the peace of a good conscience an vnspeakable happinesse VERSE 6. Hee that regardeth a day regardeth it vnto the Lord and hee that regardeth not the day to the Lord he doth not regard it He that eateth eateth to the Lord for he giueth God thanks and he that eateth not to the Lord hee eateth not and giueth God thanks IN these words beginnes the Direction how they should carry themselues each to other To omit many coacted expositions M. Caluin takes these words as a precept or exhortation rather then an affirmation and to this Pareus seemes also to encline but the reason alledged of Thanks noteth a thing done not a precept of a thing to be done Here therefore I take it the direction verse 3. and repeated verse 30. is to be vnderstood and here a reason thereof brought from the end which both the strong and weake propound to themselues in their different courses which is the glory of God and the pleasing of him which reason both the instances being here brought may be thus formed Hee that doth that which he doth to the Lord is not of his brother to be despised or iudged But he that eateth or eateth not obserueth a day or obserueth not doth it to the Lord Therefore c. To doe a thing or not to doe a thing to the Lord is so to doe or not to the honour of God or because you are perswaded that such doing or not doing pleaseth God or at least displeaseth him not The strong put no difference in meats or dayes because hee knew that God would no longer be worshipped by such ordinances and that his Christian liberty was not displeasing to God The weake made difference because he thought his conscience was still bound by the Law and that such obseruations pleased God The weake erred not of malice but of ignorance and infirmity his obseruation of such things was lawfull at that time but not his opinion His opinion was superstitious condemned vnder the name of weaknes Now that he which is holden in such superstition dare not violate the solemnity of the day this pleaseth God because hee dares not doe against his conscience That both parties respect the glory of God in those things is prooued by the signe which is Thankesgiuing The summe is that the Apostle would haue them cease from despising and iudging one another for meats or daies seeing neither part doth any thing out of any contempt of God but to please him they should therefore friendly take and construe one anothers doings In things indifferent in all things we are to propound to our selues to glorifie God 1 Cor. 10.31 Whether ye eate or drinke Doctr. or whatsoeuer you doe doe all things to the glory of God Col. 3.17 Whatsoeuer ye do in word or deed doe all in the name of the Lord Iesus giuing thanks to God and the Father by him Cautions for the meaning of this verse 1 It fauours not Academicks that we should question euery thing for in the verse before he required full perswasion 2 Nor will-worship for he speaketh not of our inuentions but of things commanded of old 3 Neither doth hee commend the opinion of the weake but would not haue him despised for his fact His opinion was intolerable because he put religion in such things his fact or practice tolerable because he obeyed conscience 4 Neither is euery thing that is pretended to bee done to the Lord a good worke nor doth giuing of thanks prooue a thing to be done to the glory of God For the Iewes when they set vp the golden Calfe proclaimed a feast to the Lord Exod. 32.5 and if a theefe should giue God thankes that hee met with a rich booty he should do no other but blaspheme Therefore it is to bee remembred that Saint Paul here speakeh of a right intention and onely of things indifferent not in their nature only but also so left to vs in regard of their vse Out of this verse and the former Quest it is lawfull for Christians in the time of the New Testament to obserue holy dayes beside the Sabbath day It is lawfull Answ such indeed are neither commanded nor forbidden therefore their appointment and obseruation is indifferent and so the Church hath
The grace of God hath appeared teaching vs to deny vngodlinesse c. 1. Ioh. 2.8 Euery man ought to manifest his regeneration Vse 1 by the light of his life nay it will be so if once enlightned there will be as much difference from our former estate as between light and darknesse if once grafted into Christ our fruit will bee so changed that there will be as much difference from that which was as betweene the faire and sweet fruit of Paradise and the most bitter Coloquintida Euery thing doth agree performam worke according to and by the forme fire will heate if it bee fire and light will dispell darknesse if we haue receiued grace our conuersation and whole behauiour will be gracefull If we say that wee haue fellowship with him who is the light and walke in darkenesse we lye and doe not the truth If thou beest ordâ—narily drunke if thou delightest in vanitie art a common blasphemer c. there is no light no grace Esay 8.20 To the law and to the testimony if they speake and do not according to this word it is because there is no light in them We must cast off euill with hatred to it Vse 2 and put on goodnesse with delight in it Many will spet at the naming of the Diuell and say they defie him but hast thou cast him out of thy heart Many will say they cannot abide hypocrisie dissembling malice slandering pride c. which yet continually practise such things when thou hearest or seest euill as swearing drunkennesse c. doth thy heart rise against such euils for the true hatred thou bearest to them and in this hatred dost thou abandon the workes and workers of such darknesse If so this is a good signe Many will commend the Word but if the Preacher come home to their conscience and tell them of their beloued sinne they will storme and rage many will commend sobrietie chastitie humilitie patience but put thou them on and weare them Put on the Armour of light Where there is vse of armour Vse 3 there is some feare of danger yet if there come danger blessed be God that we haue Armour A godly man is armed from top to toe Satan may buffet him but destroy him he cannot for he is armed in proofe Miserable is the vnregenerate man for hee is both blinde and naked how easily are such assaulted wounded and in body and soule destroyed by Satan Let vs put on the armour of light and for as much as Christ hath suffered for vs in the flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 arme your selues with the same minde namely to cease from sin 1. Pet. 4.1.2.3 and to liue the rest of our time not to the lusts of men in lasciuiousnesse excesse of wine c. but to the will of God VERSE 13. Let vs walke honestly as in the day not in rioting and drunkennesse not in chambering and wantonnesse nor in strife and enuying LEt vs walke honestly as in the day Concerning the coherence of these words with them before there is some difference without any damage of the sense Some make it a new argument ab honesto Pet. Mart. Gryneus which certainly is of great force with them which haue not put off humane sense Some from the end of casting off and putting on of which in the twelfth verse Sarcerius translating 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by two words sic vt in English so that thus the vulgar and our other translations not well The truest reading is as it is here from his Maiesties translation and so the first part of the verse yeeldeth vs an exhortation which is another from that in the twelfth verse in words but not in sense The duty required in this repeated exhortation is Honest walking where is the action walking the manner honestly and this amplified from the consideration of the time as in the day Let vs walke to walke with the Apostle is to liue the effect or signe of life put for life it selfe and so the Commandements are called a way and our obedience a walking therein there are diuers Analogies here of the which I haue written somewhat vpon the eight Chapter of this Epistle vers 1. All our thoughts words deeds whole behauiour must be honest and so to bee must bee our delight and wee must daily goe forward therein Honestly honesty is taken sometimes in our ordinary speech for chastity and so here but this is but a part of the sense Sometimes for faithfulnesse so we say an honest man that is a faithfull and iust dealing so here also but this but in part the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is in a good fashion implying all comely and commendable carriage The Adiectiue is somewhere translated Act. 13.50 Honorable The Iewes stirred vp many deuout women 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and honorable and this excellently fits here and the Ciuill Lawyers oppose honest to vile and base let vs walke honestly honorably according to the credit of our place and calling The Syrian Translation reades modestly Beza compositè orderly fitly as you would say in print The Vulgar and Master Caluin Tit. de Zelo â—â—ore post medium decently and so Saint Cyprian read this place Pareus expoundeth it by Pauls three aduerbs Tit. 2.12 soberly righteously and godly As in the day for our night apparell any thing though patcht and homely will serue the turne but in the day comelinesse requireth that wee should bee more handsomely attired When a man is to goe abroad among his betters especially he brusheth and trimmeth vp himselfe The Husbandman whilest he goeth to plough and cart is clad it may be in lether but at another time his garments are very neate and trimme hee hath his worke-day and his holy-day apparell So because it is now day with vs and that we walke before men and Angels we are sutably to be fashioned and arrayed and in as much as very day is holy-day with a true Christian and euery place as the Church to him therefore he is to walke thereafter Euery Christian must haue a speciall care ouer all his behauiour that it be honest and such as becommeth the Gospell Prou. 4.25 Doctr. Let thine eyes look right on and let thine eye-lids look streight before thee 26. Ponder the path of thy feet and let all thy wayes be stablished or ordered aright 27. Turne not to the right hand nor to the left remoue thy foote from euill Ephes See that yee walke circumspectly accurately 1. Thess 4.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That yee malke honestly according to the Word in this place A Christian must be walking Vse 1 to stand still and idle is reproued Matth. 20.3.6 An idle man falls into pouertie and a man that giueth himselfe to ease into diuers diseases Bee walking that thou mayest expell noxious humours When Dauid began to take his ease hee began to bee ouer-growne with lustfull affections If the husbandman be not
saw it tend to Gods glory and the good of the Church otherwise Paul would haue written in another manner of straine And this is profitable to know for the vnderstanding of the History of the Acts where we shall finde Paul vsing Circumcision making vowes and purifying himselfe and yet writeth against such things in his Epistles Before the death of Christ the vse of such Ceremonies was not indifferent but necessary as being commanded of God After the death of Christ their vse was indifferent for a time Aug. Hieronimo Epist 19. I say for a time which S. Austen elegantly expresseth by a similitude A mans friend dyes hee doth not so soone as the breath is out of his body take him by the heeles and drag him out of the dores and cast him vpon the dunghill but he keepes him a certaine time wraps him in faire cloaths and so with honour accompanies him to the graue So these ceremonies were aliue till Christ when hee dyed they also gaue vp the ghost and the vaile of the Temple rent in twaine and because they had beene euen by diuine ordinance of great vse in Gods worship they remained for a time indifferent that so they might be laid downe in an honourable manner This time was till the doctrine of Christian liberty might be fully made knowne to the world which could not be done on a sudden euen as Acts of Parliament haue a day set downe when they shall be in force that so all the subiects of the Land may haue time conuenient to take knowledge of them But now they are not necessary nor indifferent to Iew or Gentile but absolutely forbidden After the passion of Christ the Iewish Ceremonies were mortuae saith a learned man that is Aquinas in loc dead but after the diuulgation of the Gospell they became mortiferae that is deadly Paul found fault with Peter and with the Galathians for the vse of legall Ceremonies not simply because they vsed them but because they taught and conceiued a necessity of vsing them for iustification and saluation From small beginnings great schismes and mischiefes haue growne For a little meate and for dayes Vse 1 the Church of Rome was grieuously distracted Great contentions haue beene formerly betweene the East and West Churches for trifles so in Germany so in England So of a little sparke many times ariseth a great fire and of the pricke of a thorne a deadly sore O how it grieues my soule to reade our diuisions about black and white sitting and kneeling and such like to be cast in our teeth by the Papists as an argument that wee haue not the truth on our side and also that among Protestant writers when occasion is giuen them to speak of schismes and dissension for discipline and order then that the Church of England should be brought vpon the stage for an example If there be any loue in vs to the Church wherein wee haue beene brought forth vnto Christ and nourished vp in the faith let vs agree imbracing vnity let vs all be of one opinion but howsoeuer our opinions differ yet let not our affections Hierome and Augustine differed in opinion in some things but neither did they trouble Church nor breake charity betweene themselues but thought reuerently one of another Here is our fault wee hate despise and condemne them who will not condescend to vs in our singular opinions But Paul commands the strong not to despise the weake This is indeed the fault of the strong but they ought to instruct them rather He commands the weake also not to censure the strong this is the proper fault of the weake to be forward in censuring is not strength but weakenesse not a gratious and wise but an intemperate zeale which censuring and ouer forward zeale if it bee taken from many who glory to be accounted Professours there would nothing remaine to shew them religious It is a disgrace to our Church that the plough and rockstaffe dare and that without punishment censure Magistrates Ministers this thing as superfluous that as Antichristian c. profaning religion by their ignorant and sottish discourses Thus was it in Greece Lips refert lib. aduers Dialogistam ex Niceph. hist lib. 6. 11. but when euen a little before it came to ruine If we wish the Churches safety let vs amend this if we haue beene faulty and also let vs be carefull so to doe as wee loue our owne safety for many times God suffers such rash censurers of orders established to runne into diuers pernicious errours as a punishment of their rash iudgement as wee haue experience in our Brownists who first censured and then separated wilfully cutting themselues from the Church of God who if they had obeyed Pauls precept forbidding to iudge any for things indifferent they had neuer separated We must not iudge or censure our brethren Vse 2 but for what for things indifferent for these things as for meate for daies for apparell in regard of the colour or fashion if modest the conscience of thy brother is to be left free and not to be troubled But for drunkennesse blasphemy whoredome c. we haue warrant to censure men and women and to trouble their consciences Ioh. 16.8 for the Spirit reprooues the world of sinne A conscience snorting in sinne is to be rowsed and troubled that it may come to repentance for so long as it sleeps in sinne it lies in death For peaceable liuing in a Church Vse 3 the doctrine of Christian liberty is to be made knowne of the which afterwards verses 20.21 VERSE 3. For God hath receiued him IN these words and in the next verse are two reasons to perswade to the direction There is some question to which part this reason should serue and who should be meant by him Him that is the weake one say some others by him vnderstand the strong Christian Some make this argument to bee on the behalfe of the weake and the other of the strong some affirme contrarily and some that both the reasons belong to both Doubtlesse both the reasons are brought to the same thing Chrys Theod. Mart. alij and rather in the behalfe of the strong Christian who is the Gentile against the Iew then otherwise 1 For first it is most naturall and orderly that him should be preferred to the next before spoken of Let not him which eateth not iudge him which eates for God hath receiued him 2 The word receiued properly belongs to the Gentiles as it is an attribute to God for the Iewes were receiued before and thought more contemptuously of the Gentiles and highly of themselues 3 In the next verse Who art thou that iudgest to iudge was the fault of the weake Christian Doth Paul then let the strong alone No but first he dealeth against the weake because he is most guilty They both sinned in practice but the weake in opinion also mantaining an intolerable error and they tooke offence at
receiued the beginnings of grace Pareus or not of finall perseuerance but of standing in some particular thing The censure and iudgement of mens deeds and behauiour pertaineth to God Doctr. This is proued by the two parables Matth. 18.23 and Matth. 25.14.19 where the King or Lord is brought in taking account of his seruants for as it appeareth in that of the Talents the diligence or negligence of the seruants is to the Masters either benefit or losse This Doctrine taketh not away charitable reproofe of my brother if he offend doing that which is euidently contrary to Gods word but it taketh away rash iudgement concerning things indifferent which are not commanded or forbidden in Gods word Condemne no man for the lawfull vse of things indifferent Vse 1 for such shall be stablished but rather iudge charitably If thou seest thy brother standing wish his establishing if falling pray for him and despaire not of his rising againe considering not his Humane condition but the Diuine vertue It was an excellent speech of M. Caluin in locum Caluin Semper benè speremus de eo in quo cernimus aliquid Dei Let vs alwayes hope well of him in whom we see any grace of God though the least tokens of adoption It is our fault to require that euery man by and by should be as Paul or Abraham but God accepteth of the least grace if it be in truth Let vs therefore be charitable Our deeds belong to God Vse 2 not that hee receiueth either profit or damage by them but our selues Not as we are benefited or hindered by our seruants Plato in Euthyphrone 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aug. de Gen. ad lit lib. 8. cap 11. Jrenaeus aduers Haereses l. 4. c. 31. so is God by vs godlinesse is gratefull to him but not profitable as on the contrary sinne is hatefull but not hurtfull to him Ille seruitute nostra non indiget nos vero dominatione illius indigemus saith Saint Augustine wee need such a Master he needeth not such seruants To this purpose also Irenaeus in a certaine chapter shewing that God commandeth that wee should loue him not that he wanteth our loue sed homini deest gloria Dei c. but wee want his glory which wee by no meanes can be partakers of but by louing and obeying him Ibid. ap 32. and a little after that God commanded sacrifices not for his gaine but to honour vs and to haue occasion to bestow his benefits vpon vs. So Eliphaz to Iob Can a man be profitable to God Iob 22.2 3. as he that is wise may be profitable to himselfe Is it any pleasure to the Almightie that thou art righteous or gaine to him that thou makest thy wayes perfect And thus Elihu also to him If thou sinnest Iob 35 6 7 8. what doest thou against him c. If thou be righteous what giuest thou him c. Thy wickednesse may hurt a man as thou art c. but not God If thou doest well God will blesse thee if ill he will slay thee not as a King doth a traytor because he feareth him but to manifest his iustice Doe well because God acknowledgeth it Doe not ill because thou fallest to God Remember thou wretch when thou art drunke blasphemest c. to whom thou fallest euen to thine owne Master to whom thou art bound a thousand wayes to such a Master as is able to kill bodie and soule and throw them into hell to such an one as hath and is readie to offer grace if thou repentest seeking thy good thereby not his owne O how this wounded Dauids heart when he fell hee fell to God Against thee thee onely haue I sinned c. Psal 51.4 So this broke the Prodigals heart it was his Father whom hee had offended We haue a Lord who standeth not for a Cyphar but who will call vs to account Let vs so liue as remembring wee must giue vp an account and that to God Here is comfort he that standeth shall be stablished Vse 3 To him that hath shall be giuen We haue a louing and bountifull Master who is able and willing to promote vs in the grace he hath bestowed Hee is not so able but wee stand in as much need wee are weake wee cannot beare a crosse word euerie little temptation foyleth vs pray to him who is able and hath promised 2. Tim. 1.12 Hee is able to keepe that which thou hast committed vnto him vnto that day God is only able to make vs stand Vse 4 without whom we haue no more power then an infant of a day old Man falleth by his owne will and weaknesse but hee standeth by the will and power of God If God forsake they which stand must fall and they which fall must perish for euer If Christ had not held Peter hee had sunke to the bottome and if God had not raised Dauid he had layne in his sinne to this day Let him that thinketh he standeth 1 Cor. 10.12 take heed lest he fall It is fearefull to be without grace but to fall from grace much more What is then to be done Pray heare the Word come to the Lords Table and receiue his holy Supper for this especially was instituted for our establishing and confirmation If thou commest to the holy Communion with faith and repentance This was preached a few daies before a Communion thou shalt receiue strength against Satan against sinne against thy corruptions Feelest thou thy selfe weake come that thou mayest bee strengthened Cypr. l. 4. Epist epist 6. Art thou afraid of persecution consider Te calicem sanguinis Christi bibere vt possis et ipse propter Christum sanguinem fundere That thou drinkest of the Chalice of Christs blood that thou thy selfe mightest bee able to shed thy blood for Christ saith Cyprian Wouldest thou that the Diuell should be more afraid of thee then thou of him Come to that holy Sacrament in faith and repentance and it shall so come to passe For Quasi leones ignem spirantes ab illa mensa recedimus Daemonibus terribiles Chrysost hom 61 ad pop Antioch As lyons breathing fire we goe from that Table terrible euen to the Diuels themselues saith Chrysostome If the woman which touched the Hemme of Christs garment Matth. 9.21 was made whole of her infirmitie much more they which touch and eate the very body of Christ by faith shall be confirmed in spirituall health VERSE 5. One man esteemeth one day aboue another another esteemeth euery day alike Let euery man be fully perswaded in his owne minde HEre is the second instance of Dayes where we haue the Case and the Remedy or Direction In the case wee haue two things First what daies are meant Second what was the opinion of each part concerning such dayes Concerning the first neither is here meant an obseruation of fasting dayes appoynted by the Church Nor the Ciuill difference of daies
affaires but not in the holy Seruice I would aske whether when any man hath made him an ordinary garment of some vestment vsed and dedicated to Idolatry it bee not lawfull for him to goe to the Church in such garment and to heare diuine Seruice and if lawfull for him to heare why not for the Minister to say Seruice in such garment Also we finde that Groues were planted and dedicated to Idols and yet Gideon commanded by the Lord to offer sacrifice Iudges 6.26 with the wood of such a Groue The second Rule is Rule 2 that a beleeuer must not alwayes vse and practise his Christian libertie but that he ought sometimes to refraine from it and to moderate it which is the scope and drift of a great part of this Chap. and of the eight chap. and part of the tenth of the first to the Corinthians There are two Moderators of this libertie The one Generall the other Speciall 1 The Generall is charity which directeth when and where it is to be vsed 2 The Speciall is lawfull Authoritie by Sanctions Ciuill or Ecclesiasticall For the Ciuill Magistrate for the common good may abridge our libertie in things indifferent as for instance It is lawfull for a man to vse any trade but for the common good it may bee enacted that no man may vse or set vp a Trade for the which hee hath not serued certaine yeares and also that no man though so seruing shall set vp such Trade in certaine places without a speciall Freedome Also it is lawfull for the Magistrate to forbid the Exportation of Corne Leather c. though it bee as lawfull for Merchants to vse trafficke in those things in regard of the things themselues as in other commodities So to restraine the eating of flesh on certaine dayes both to giue an occasion to the subiects of fasting and prayer and also for the preseruation of the breed of cattell and for the maintaining of Nauigation Also the Church hath power to determine the vse of indifferent rites and ceremonies in Gods publike worship for the maintaining of good Order and Vniformitie as for instance It is in it selfe indifferent to pray standing or kneeling to receiue the Lords Supper sitting or kneeling Now the Church hath authoritie here to determine of that gesture which is most orderly and decent from that of Paul 1. Cor. 14.40 Rom. 13.5 Let all things be done decently and in order and this determination is of conscience to be obeyed Neyther by this doe I giue any power to the Ciuill or Ecclesiasticall Magistrate ouer the consciences of men For by their lawes the inward libertie of the conscience is not taken away but the outward vse onely restrained for good order sake Hence may bee deduced two Conclusions concerning the abstaining and the vsing of our libertie 1 When the Magistrate hath determined then wee must abstaine from the vse of our libertie and hold to the Determination whosoeuer be offended because not to obey the Magistrate is a sinne vnto which no man vpon any respect is bound Also wee must abstaine when such abstinence may bee to the glory of God and the edifying of our brother and when the vse of our libertie vnderstand in such things which are left in our power may endanger our weake brother Now he is to be accounted the weake one who is yet ignorant of Christian libertie and yet willing to learne as the Iewes of whom Paul entreateth in this Chapter But how long must I abstaine for the weakes sake Quest till he be perswaded No Answ but till he may conueniently bee taught and then if after such time and paines bestowed for his information hee will not bee satisfied hee is to bee taken for one that is obstinate this is confirmed by the practice of the Apostles who for a time bore with Circumcision Purification Vowes c. namely till the Gospell and the Doctrine of Christian libertie was sufficiently and fully published by them And yet there ought to be a great difference put betweene the weake Iewes and such among vs who will sometime pretend weaknesse because the Iewes had direct command from God for that which they did but ours haue nothing to ground vpon but their owne conceits so that it may be questioned whether among vs after so much teaching any are to be accounted weake To make this plaine by an instance Some man is offended at the fashion or colour of my garments what shall I doe I must discreetly and gently informe him of my libertie rendring him a reason grounded vpon the Word If he will still be offended then it is not weaknesse but peruersenesse and peeuishnesse Such is not a little one Matth. 18.6 which must be regarded for little ones will easily be perswaded If a plaine country-man comming to the Court and seeing the rich apparell of Nobles and their fashions should bee offended should the Princes and Nobles abstaine from such apparell for his offence No but he is rather to bee corrected and taught to keepe himselfe within his bounds An inferiour is no meet censurer or Iudge of the colours fashions cost of the garments of their superiours A husbandman may bee a competent Iudge of that which is fit for a husbandman to weare but not of that which is fit for Nobles The second conclusion Wee may vse our Christian liberty before them which know it before them which know it not our knowledge is sufficient our vse is forbidden And We ought and must vse our liberty before the obstinate as Paul circumcised Timothy because of the Iewes Act. 16.3 becomming a Iew to them that hee might winne them 1 Cor. 9.20 But hee would not be compelled to circumcise Titus Gal. 2.3 Yea he rebukes Peter to his face for yeelding to the Iewes and inueighes in his Epistle to the Galathians against those which vrged Cireumcision For weak ones are not to be nourished in their weaknesse and the wilfull both by words and practice are to be opposed Non minus interest proximorum libertatem in eorum bonum et aedificationem interdum vsurpare quam pro ipsorum commodo eam loco moderari It is as much to our neighbours good sometimes to vse our liberty as to abstaine from the vse of it Calu. inst l. 3. ca. 19. sect 12. saith M. Caluine soundly Hence are diuers vses Pray for wisedome and discretion Vse 1 when and where to vse thy liberty Virtus cum indiscrete tenetur amittitur cum discretè intermittitur plus tenetur Vertue vndiscreetly practised is lost and sometime discreetly intermitted Greg. Mag. moral 28. is the more possessed said Gregory excellently So all the beauty of our liberty is in the discreet vse or not vse of it At the doing of some indifferent thing one will be offended at the not doing of it many rather offend one then many In the like case some priuate men and the Magistrates and Ministers will be offended
the principal city do in such cases goes abroad vnto all men He saith not Vse 2 your knowledge but your obedience is come abroad vnto all men A great commendation for the praise of godlinesse is in obedience vnto this Cities townes families priuate persons should aspire so to liue that their obedience may come abroad among all if it be rather iustly said that their disorder drunkennesse riotousnesse prophanenesse is come abroad it is a fearefull hearing Paul is glad of the good report of the Church of Rome for their readinesse to obey Vse 3 so are we to reioyce with the Angels at the conuersion and proceeding in grace of others We must be wise to that which is good Vse 4 as simple to that which is euill for as it is a sinne vnder a shew of zeale to deceiue so is it to be deceiued and mislead The Merchant buyes not all wares but those which are for his turne and commodity The Husbandman buyes not all or any corne to seed his land but that which is cleane and sound so are we to be much carefull and choise what opinions we drinke in with what faire words and vnder what faire shewes souer they be by what persons soeuer tendered vnto vs. Obserue here a direction from Paul Note this Direction In a Church where the Doctrine of Saluation by Christ onely is soundly and truly taught and receiued if any the most sanctified man in shew shall teach any thing which may tend to make a diuision or faction and to disturbe the peace of the Church suspect and be sealous thereof for it is either false or if true yet better to bee buried as low as the Center of the earth then to bee broached to breake the peace and vnity of the Church Here it is that Paul would haue them wise that if any opinion smell neuer so little of Schisme and diuision to damne and renounce it There are two things which are to bee most pretious to vs The truth of Doctrine the Peace of the Church they are as two sisters either of which without the other is vnprofitable and dyes Be wise therefore vnto that which is good as serpents Mat. 10.16 be simple vnto that which is euill as Doues As the Serpent stoppeth her eare and will not hearken to the voice of the charmer charme he neuer so wisely so stop thine eares and refuse to heare the hissing such serpents which shall goe about with their faire tongues and shewes to cause thee to eate of the forbidden fruit to oppose the state and constitutions of a true and famous Church and to disturbe the peace thereof The Lord by his Prophet complaines of the Iewes because they were wise to doe euill but to doe good they had no knowledge Ier. 4.22 1 Cor. 14.20 be thou wise to doe well and simple to doe euill in malice a child in vnderstanding a man VERSE 20. And the God of peace shall bruise Satan vnder your feet shortly The Grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with you Amen IN this verse are the two other parts of the Amplification The first is a consolation The God of peace shall bruise Satan vnder your feet shortly The second which is a prayer to be referred to the 24. verse The consolation is a promise that howsoeuer God permit Satan to trouble the Church of Rome then by the Authors of diuisions and offences yet shortly he will bruise him vnder their feet They must fight it out but the victory is certaine of which their are foure things here considerable 1 The author of this victory The God of peace so called also in the last verse of the former Chapter because he loues peace and giues peace and surely so he loues it that the peace makers are pronounced blessed by our Sauiour and to bee marked thereby for the children of God Mat. 5.9 The god of the world which is Satan sowes dissension but the God of heauen and earth the God of his Church hee makes peace 2 The party conquered Mat. 13.39 1 Pet. 5.8 Satan that is an enemy our aduersary who stands against vs euen at the barre before God accusing and pleading against vs laying our sins to our charge that we might be damned Euen this Satan the Diuell shall by the power of God be bruised vnder our feet himselfe and his instruments tyrants hereticks schismaticks hypocrites and those things whereby his kingdome is vpholden out of the church idolatry and infidelity in the church dissension and profanenesse 3 The manner of the conquest Shall bruise vnder your feet we shall gloriously conquer and Satan shall be abased vnto the lowest degree of Deiection As Ioshuah caused the princes of Israel to set their feet on the very necks of the fiue kings so will God throwe Satan downe and make vs trample him vnder our feet 4 The Time Shortly though he now rage yet ere long he shall be throwne downe that is at the day of Iudgement Ambrosius say some Which we may expound the day of euery mans particular iudgement which is death or of the Generall Iudgement at the last day Or shortly that is prophecying of the conuersion of the Romane Empire to the faith Toletus which was in the daies of Constantine or of the Iudgements of God vpon the persecuting Emperours or rather comforting them Gualterus that shortly the dissensions caused among them by the subtilty and malice of the Diuell should be quenched and the Authors silenced which I verely thinke came to passe by this letter and by Pauls labours 〈…〉 among them God will make 〈◊〉 Church and children to conquer Satan Gen. Doctr. 3.15 It that 〈…〉 â—eeâ— of the woman shall bruise thy head that is of Saâ—aâ— This is meant of Christ and in as much as that which heâ—â—â— he did for vs who are his members we in him shall doe the same that is conquer him 1 Cor. 15.57 Thanks be to God which giueth vs victory through our Lord Iesus Satan is the author of all dissension and mischiefe wrought in the Church whosoeuer be the instruments of it Vse 1 Reuel 2.10 So the diuel is said to cast some of the Smyrnians into prison meaning the enemies of the Church by the Diuels instigation The Diuel is our deadly enemy of whom Vse 2 in regard of our sinfulnesse wee haue great cause to be afraid for his power is great and his malice not to be expressed and he hath infinite slights and policies do deceiue vs and bring vs to confusion neuer ceasing going about and seeking to deuour vs. He knowes how to fit euery mans humour and to apply a temptation according to his inclination He knowes when open force and when secret fraud will most hurt the Churche of God In Queene Maries daies when the gouernours and rulers were enemies to religion then he set vpon the Church with imprisonments banishments fire and sword Leo Mag. serm 6. de Epi. domini
The first is vsed as an Introduction to vsher in the second And it hath two parts First The Prohibition not to iudge one another By Iudging he meaneth censuring condemning not all Iudging forbidden not publike by the Magistrate but priuate and rash such principally which hath with a diuersitie of opinion an alienation of affections as hath beene shewed before There are foure things we may not iudge 1 Secret things Deut. 29.29 of God so saith Moses The secret things belong to the Lord our God but things reuealed to vs c. If thou seest a wicked man say not a reprobate for the decree of God is secret and he which hath shewed mercy to thee may shew mercy to thy neighbour also Of Man as the heart for no man knoweth his neighbours heart 1. Cor. 2.11 When thou seest a man in prayer lift vp his eyes take heed of rash iudgement to say an Hypocrite for thou knowest not his heart Duo sunt in quibus temerarium iudicium cauere debemus Aug. ser 202. de Tempore cum incertum est quo animo quicquam factum fit vel cum incertum est qualis futurus sit qui nunc vel bonus vel malus apparet There are two things saith Anselme here out of Saint Augustine in which we must beware of rash iudgement when it is vncertaine with what minde a thing is done and when it is vncertaine what he may be who now appeareth to bee good or bad 2 Things doubtfull when things may haue a double interpretation take the fairest this is charitie 3 Things to come Prou. 27.1 Thou knowest not what a day may bring forth 4 Things indifferent of the which Saint Paul intreateth in this Chapter Things openly and certainly euill we may and must iudge and it were to bee wished that Drunkards vncleane persons c. were more censured Aug. loco supra citato but yet with Saint Augustines prouiso that we hate and detest non hominem sed peccatum non vitiosum sed vitium morbum potius quam aegrotum not the man but his fault the disease rather then the patient The Amplification is three-fold 1 From the Illation Therefore In as much as our brother standeth or falleth to his owne Master and whether he liue or die is the Lords and that wee must all stand before the Iudgement-seat of Christ to giue an account for himselfe let vs chamber our tongues and not iudge and censure one another 2 From the persons who may not iudge implied in the verbe and expressed in the English Vs Let vs not hee annumbreth himselfe eyther because hee is a fellow-member with them of the same body and so in some sort it pertaineth to him as one who is sensible of his brothers failings Musculus or vt hoc tolerabilior sit admonitio quo minus habet pudoris that the Admonition might bee the more tolerable the lesse it shameth them or from the remembrance of his owne pronenesse and forwardnesse to rash censuring in former times for he was a Pharisie whose sect was intemperately censorious In many things we sinne all James 3.1 Optimus ille est qui minimis vrgetur Happie is he that hath least and fewest faults 3 From the consideration of something spoken or done before in this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 any more wherein there is a secret accusation of some thing past and a warning of something to come as if hee should say Indeed it hath beene your fault heretofore to be too busy and forward in censuring your brethren but now being admonished and taught the contrary you ought to leaue such rash iudging From this part of the Amplification wee haue this Doctrine After admonition and instruction Doctr. wee must bee carefull to amend our wayes Matth. 3.10 Now is the â—xe layd to the roote of the trees c. Now though heretofore you haue beene fruitlesse yet now seeing I haue admonished you and God hath sent his owne Sonne to teach you see you bring forth good fruit and repent So Iohn 5.14 Act. 17.30.31 1. Pet. 4 1 2 3. When a Minister hath instructed and admonished his people Vse 1 hee may looke that they should leaue their sinnes and be conformable to good orders The Husbandman reioyceth in his good croppe and the Physitian in the health of his patient to whom hee hath administred So wee reioyce if our admonitions preuaile and haue good successe to your amendment if otherwise it is a great griefe to vs and not profitable to you Admonition is necessary Vse 2 as may appeare by this Admonition repeated This necessitie appeareth 1 Because wee are hardly drawne from our errours conceited opinions and sinnes therefore our Sauiour requireth three Admonitions Matth. 18. and an Hereticke to be twice admonished before auoided 2 Because when we are recouered by Admonition into the right way we easily steppe aside as waxe melteth with the heate and loseth the former impression He is miserable which wanteth a faithfull Admonitour but he is more who hauing one will not heare him and bee reformed The Vse of all Admonition is that we should cease to doe euill Vse 3 and beginne to doe well that we may be perfect in the way of righteousnesse 2. Tim. 3.16.17 Here are to bee reproued such who will not obey Admonition but notwithstanding still continue the same which is to make voyd the end why God hath commanded Admonition and to wrappe our selues in grieuous guiltinesse for an euill man not admonished shall bee damned much more admonished if hee amend not Iohn 15.22 Not to be bettered by Admonitions Deut. 21.20 is a signe of a very wretch as in the vncorrigible sonne and in the sonnes of Ely may appeare 1. Sam. 2.25 Ecclesiastas 4.13 and Salomon saith Better is a poore and wise childe then an old and a foolish King that will no more be admonished It is the way by the iust iudgement of God to runne into farther and more dangerous errours and sinnes It is a rule Minus peccatum cum arguitur Remigius citatus à Chemnitio Har. c. 31. non corrigitur causa fit maioris peccati A lesse sinne reprooued and not amended is made the cause of a greater sinne as Herod not reforming his incest vpon admonition fell into the sinne of murder cutting off the head of Iohn Baptist. So the Brownists wee see by experience haue by the iudgement of God runne farther and farther into absurd errours as many also among vs finding fault with the gouernment of the Church and not being reclaymed by admonition haue turned Brownists Let euery man therefore looke to it how he behaue himselfe after admonition This shall one day torment thee thou drunkard because thou hast beene often admonished and repentest not To bee bettered by admonition is the token of a wise man but to harden the necke Pro. 9.9 and 17.10 Pro. 29.1 is the fore-runner of destruction I am blacke but
comely saith the Church Canticles 1.5 Blacke saith one for her defects Comely Origen for amending vpon admonition Hee that continueth in sinne is doubly blacke for his sinne and for perseuering in sinne being admonished Peter and Paul c. had neuer beene so famous and beautifull in the Church if they had not yeelded to admonitions Cain was admonished if he had obeyed it he had beene happy for whosoeuer being reproued repenteth and amendeth his life shall haue mercy and be pardoned VERSE 13. But iudge this rather that no man put a stumbling blocke or an occasion to fall in his brothers way IN this part of the Verse is a Dehortation to the strong vnto which the former part of the Verse was an Introduction shewing thereby that as this is to be performed so the other is not to be forgotten The summe of all to the end of the Chapter is that as the weake may not iudge the strong for the vse of Christian liberty so the strong must not in such vse contemne the weak but moderate his liberty for their good The method is this Chrysost Gryneus First hee setteth downe a generall Precept which is in these words I say generall because it belongs to both parts not to giue offence all are bound to this There are diuers reasons brought all which principally are applyed to the strong as in the other part they were to the weake In these words are two parts First the summe of the Precept We may not giue offence An offence is non bonae sed malae rei exemplum aedificansâ—ad delictum Tertul. de velandis virginibus an example of a thing not good but euill edifying or emboldning vnto sinne 1 Cor. 8.10 as speaketh Tertullian vsing Pauls phrase Or rather an offence is dictum aut factum minus rectum occasionem praebens ruinae Aquin. 2.2 q. 43. in loc a word or deed not well performed yeelding occasion of falling as saith Aquinas and the Schoolemen generally from S. Hieron in ca. 15. Matth. Ierome A word or deed for thoughts though they offend God yet not men vnlesse they be manifested in word or deed Not so well performed not onely implying things vnlawfull in themselues but things lawfull to be done as things indifferent but done indiscreetly Yeelding occasion of falling For though by that which a man doth no man falleth yet it is a scandall if it be apt to giue occasion thereof As when Peter gaue counsell to our Sauiour Christ proceeding from great affection but from as great indiscretion our Sauiour told him that hee was an offence to him Mat. 16.23 though it was impossible that hee should fall thereby The second part is the Amplification or setting forth of this summe which is threefold 1 From the care euery one should vse not to giue scandall in these words But iudge this rather Where there is an elegant Antanaclasis or reuerberation of the same word in a diuerse sense In the first part of the Verse to iudge signified to condemne or censure here accurately to examine and singularly to aduise and consider Before it was vsed of persons here of workes as if hee should haue said Caiet in locum Non exerceamus iudicia personarum sed transite ad iudicium operis Let vs not iudge the persons of others but vse iudgement in your owne workes 2 From two Metaphors in the words rendred A stumbling blocke or an occasion to fall The first signifies a stone or impediment in the way 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against which a man dasheth or may dash his foot especially the heedlesse the blinde the aged or the weake and then the meaning is that we should haue a care of the weaknesse of our brethren that they may not be hurt or hindered in the way of godlinesse for Eccles. 12.5 as the old man is afraid of that which is high so they easily stumble in regard of their weaknesse The second word signifies to halt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and this seemes to follow vpon the former for when a man dasheth his foot against a thing he halteth or falleth The word is almost proper to the New Testament and to the Church vsed for an occasion of spirituall falling whereby a man is any manner of way made worse and backewarder in goodnesse Grammarians say that Scandalum is the bridge in a trappe which when the mouse puts downe she is taken as if to giue scandall were as the laying a trap in our brothers way to destroy him Some make the first to be the lesser and the second the greater but so in things denyed it followeth not so well rather in apt speaking the first should be the greatest though for my part I thinke with them who take them both to bee of equall latitude expressing the same thing one word expounding another Offence or scandall is eyther actiue and giuen or passiue and taken That which is giuen is that which hath actiuity in it selfe to scandalize as things meerely euill and vnlawfull or that which being good and lawfull in it selfe as a thing indifferent yet hath such actiuity by accident namely by the vnseasonable doing thereof That which is taken is either of the little ones so called from Mat. 18.6 or of the Pharisies from Mat. 15.14 That wherein the little ones suffer is either iustly giuen so taken as when things are meerely euill or not iustly giuen nor iustly taken as when things indifferent are lawfully vsed That wherein the Pharisies suffer is when by the malice of their owne mindes they are offended at things lawfull and good Here the Apostle forbids giuing scandall to the little and weake ones by an vndiscreet and vnseasonable vse of things indifferent whose vse is so when God hath no glory nor our brother edification but hurt by it 3 From the Person who is not to be offended A brother whether strong or weake Sometimes the strong to the weake and sometimes the weake to the strong in a selfe perswasion of strength giueth offence His brother not determinately but rather comparatiuely not in any mans way much lesse in our brothers We must not giue offence one to another Doctr. 1. Cor. 8.9 Take heed lest by any meanes this liberty of yours become a stumbling to them which are weake and verse 13. If meat make my brother offend I will eate no flesh while the world standeth lest I make my brother to offend 1 Cor. 10.32 Giue none offence neither to the Iewes nor to the Gentiles nor to the Church of God Of this Paul had a care that his Ministery might not be blamed 2 Cor. 6.3 M. Vse 1 Caluin here obserueth that Paul taxeth malignos istos censores these hard censurers of others who spend all their Acumen in prying into other mens doings neglecting their owne Busie thy selfe at home in thine owne bosome Iudgement is necessary to a Christian in his walking Vse 2 hee must
comming of Christ All this is amplified by Pauls asseueration Now I say Christ came in the flesh to make good the truth of God Doctr. and to confirme his promise to the Iewes for their saluation Luke 1.68 seq The first part of the Song of Zachary is to blesse God for visiting redeeming his people by the comming of Christ As he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets c. To performe the mercy promised to our Fathers c. Matth. 15.24 I am not sent but to the lost sheepe of the house of Israel Acts 13.46 The tenure whereby Abraham and the Iewes held eternall life was by the free promise of God Reade Deut. 7.7.8 Obser None are saued by merit Christ was a Minister not in name and title onely Vse 1 but most painfully hee discharged his calling by praying preaching watching fasting doing good and adorning his ministery with a most holy life Let no man therefore contemne the Calling of the Ministery though we be vnworthy yet it must be also acknowledged that there is no person on earth worthy enough to beare that office Colos 4.17 Let Archippus take heed to the Ministery that hee hath receiued in the Lord that he fulfill it For if our Lord Christ did all the daies after his inauguration most painfully labour and to much and often wearinesse in fulfilling his office let all Ministers be ashamed especially to take the honour and maintenance of their places and callings and to neglect the worke Let hearers see they profit by our labours If wee labour and they profit not the losse is theirs yea the more we labour the more and greater their losse Many account it a great blessing and so it is to haue a learned faithfull and painfull Teacher But they must know that if Christ himselfe were their Minister it would be no aduantage to them vnlesse they beleeue and obey his doctrine Christ was the Minister of the Iewes but he conuerted but few of them and yet neuer man spake as he did It may be some comfort to Ministers who by all their paynes cannot turne the hearts of drunkards and other wicked liuers but it shall be the greater condemnation to such hearers that haue receiued the word in vaine Euen Moses that famous Prophet of whom the Iewes boasted John 5.45 shall accuse them to God because they beleeued him not So shall thy famous Teacher accuse thee because thou amendest not by his teaching It is our happinesse to be receiued Vse 2 which we are not if the promises bee not confirmed vnto vs. Let vs then pretiously account of the Word and Sacraments which are the seales to assure vs of the loue of God What shall become of our consciences without these It will be hard to stand in the day of affliction attend vnto these that the promises may be confirmed vnto thee The truth of God is of great waight Vse 3 for that Christ was faine to come in the flesh If thou beest a drunkard a blasphemer c. thou knowest what the word of truth saith of thee John 10.35 and the Scripture cannot be broken Consider Gods truth is deare vnto him If God be true in what estate art thou He spared not his owne Sonne our Lord Iesus that the Scripture might be fulfilled and that his truth might appeare and shall he be vntrue and the Scripture vnfulfilled to spare thee The promise of life shall be made good to the comfort of his Children though it cost the abasing of the Sonne of God and so the sentence of damnation shall be executed vpon hypocrites and vnrepentant sinners cost what it shall Christ came in the flesh and suffered in the flesh for the truth of God and for the truth of God he shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead that God may be true in sauing the godly and in damning the vngodly which repent not VERSE 9. And that the Gentiles might glorifie God for his mercy as it is written For this cause I will confesse to thee among the Gentiles and sing vnto thy name 10. And againe he saith Reioyce ye Gentiles with his people 11. And againe Praise the Lord all yee Gentiles and laud him all yee people 12. And againe Esayas saith There shall be a root of Iesse and he that shall rise to raigne ouer the Gentiles in him shall the Gentiles trust IN these Verses he shewes that the Gentiles are receiued Here are two things a Proposition that the Gentiles are receiued and a Confirmation by diuers testimonies which was needfull because the Iewes would hardly be perswaded of the mercy of God vnto the Gentiles The Proposition is set downe by the effect The Gentiles glorifie God for his mercy for this is the effect of their receiuing they had had no cause to glorifie God for his mercy if they had not beene receiued to mercy The first testimony brought for proofe is Psal 18.44 Dauid or Christ will praise God among the Nations therefore they are receiued to mercy The second Deut. 32.43 Reioyce ye Gentiles with his people therefore the Gentiles are ingrafted into the people of God and the partition wall being taken away there is become one sheepfold vnder one Shepheard The third Psal 117.1 Praise the Lord all yee Gentiles and laud him all ye people But in vaine should they be exhorted to praise him with them if they had not obtained like mercy The fourth Esay 11.10 where there is a Description of our Sauiour Christ from his humane nature A root of Iesse and from his office which is To raigne ouer the Gentiles as their Emperour Captaine and King In the Hebrew it is that Christ shall stand as an Ensigne to the people that is he shall gather them together by the preaching of the Crosse as by an Ensigne This is amplified by the effect The Gentiles shall trust in him or seeke to him as in the Hebrew which is all one for they would not seeke if they did not trust to finde him and in him a glorious rest The Gentiles are receiued to the glory of God by his mercy in Christ Doctr. Esay 49.22.23 I will lift vp my hand to the Gentiles c. Iohn 10.16 Other sheepe I haue which are not of this fold them also I must bring and they shall heare my voyce and there shall be one fold Amb. lib. 7. com in Lucan c. 10. in ipso initio and one Shepheard This was figured by the going of the cleane and vncleane beasts into the Arke and shewed to Peter in a vision in the tenth of the Acts. The Iewes and Gentiles are become one people of the New Testament Vse 1 therefore they are not to separate one from another for such small matters as meates and dayes Let not the Gentile despise the Iew because Christ was the minister of the Circumcision to performe it c. Let not the Iew condemne the Gentile because they are receiued and doe glorifie God
for his mercy So we are one people of one Church small matters should not disunite our mindes and affections The Iewes were receiued for the truth of God Vse 2 the Gentiles for his mercy Christ was promised to them there was no promise made to vs. There were Oracles and Prophecies of the Grace which should be shewed vs but no Promise and yet wee are not saued without truth for the Oracles are fulfilled nor the Iewes without mercy for the promise was of mercy It is mercy that the Iew is saued by Christ but greater that thou art which art a Gentile The Iew might expect saluation because of the promise but he is found of vs which sought him not Esay 65.1 nor called vpon his name The Gentiles praise God for his mercy and reioyce Vse 3 True ioy is because of our Calling and receiuing to grace This allayeth the force of the fiery trials making vs not onely to reioyce in hope of glory but euen in afflictions and tribulations Rom. 5.2 3. Doest thou laugh and reioyce Thou hast more cause to weepe if Christ haue not receiued thee Christ is our Emperour and Generall Vse hee hath set vp his Standard among vs which is the Word and Sacraments The Diuell the world and the flesh are our enemies Let vs fight manfully vnder Christs Banner let vs neither play the Cowards nor the Traytors for hauing such a Captaine if we follow him and obey him wee cannot but conquer and be saued VERSE 13. Now the God of Hope fill you with all ioy and peace in beleeuing that yee may abound in hope through the power of the holy Ghost THis verse containeth a Prayer with which Paul sweetly concludeth whatsoeuer hath been before written of faith and obedience but especially the last Discourse of Things indifferent about which they were exceedingly troubled and distracted to the diminution of their Hope Now he prayeth that being vnited in charity they may feele abundantly the ioy and peace of Faith and Hope Herein are two things The thing prayed for which is double Ioy and Peace and the Amplification Ioy and Peace two most excellent things of which chap. 14 vers 17. Peace that is of Conscience within vs of Charity with our Neighbours Ioy that which issueth from this double peace For the want of either Peace breedeth griefe and sadnesse and without doubt for the distractions of the Christians at Rome there were great thoughts of heart These are amplified diuersly 1 From the Author of them which is God who is here described to be the God of Hope so called either because hee giueth Hope as well as Ioy and Peace or because he is the Obiect of our hope in whom wee trust as in the latter end of the verse last before And this is a most magnificent title for He who is the God of hope must be a Sauiour Good Faithfull and Omnipotent for which cause we cannot say Angels of Hope nor Kings of Hope For Angels are not omnipotent nor Princes and besides men are not faithfull and therefore it were in vaine to trust in them 2 From the measure Fill you with ioy and peace He wisheth these things vnto them not in a sparing manner but that they may be filled and well filled for we are emptie by nature and worldly ioy filleth not but with winde but this is a full ioy and it is the will of Christ Iohn 10.10 that wee should haue life more abundantly so also ioy 3 From the kind of Ioy and Peace All ioy not filthy ioy nor wicked peace but perfect by all noting not an vniuersall comprehension of the species of Ioy but the perfection of that one species which is spirituall ioy and holy peace so all faith 1. Cor. 13.2 for a perfect faith of 〈◊〉 Allioy then is true perfect and constant which passeth not but remarneth Iohn 16.22 Philip. 4.4 and shall not be taken away and by which we reioyce and againe I say reioyce 4 From the root of these sweet fruits which is Faith for from the sense of our Reconciliation these things proceed 5 From the End that they may abound in hope amplified from the Worker of such hope the Holy Ghost to whom is attributed Power in the working of these which worketh them not as an outward instrument but as the third Person in the Trinity from whence may be obserued a distinction of the Persons Wee must wish vnto our brethren ioy and peace in beleeuing Doctr. Paul in the beginning of his Epistles wisheth peace to the Churches and Saint Iohn Ioy 1. Ioh. 1.4 These things write we vnto you that your ioy may be full Pauls often praying Vse 1 and concluding his matters with prayer teacheth vs to be frequent in this duty and that prayer is as sweet a close to a businesse as marmalade is for the stomacke to a plentifull dinner Prayer sanctifieth all things and maketh them profitable therefore doe Preachers begin and end their Sermons with Prayer from hence is it that in the holy Seruice Pet. Martyr in loc prayers are so often mingled with reading of the Scriptures which Peter Martyr calleth an Healthfull custome and hence Augustine oftentimes confuted the Pelagians who attributed a power to our selues to performe holy duties by our free will And of this I willingly write the rather to admonish all good Christians that they should not so lightly esteeme of the Publike prayers in the Church as many doe who will come to the Church if there be a Sermon only but so they will not doe if there be prayers only whereby it commeth to passe that there is some knowledge in diuers in whom there is not a â—ot of true piety and godlinesse Ioy and Peace are more to be desired then gold Vse 2 miserable is the conscience which is without them and so is the Church which wanteth them they come from Faith Rom. 5.1 1. Pet. 1.8 and the want of them either in the conscience or in the Church is a signe of the want of faith Fill you with all ioy and peace Labour to be rich in these Vse 3 as thou desirest not a little corne but so much as may serue for thy expence all the yeare so labour to haue so much of these that thou mayest abound in hope which is a sure Anchor of the soule and Seale of saluation The sick mans heart is euen as dead who is without hope of recouery and if the Husbandman sow his corne without hope he is full of heauinesse Sinne taketh away ioy and peace and destroyeth hope Alas what peace ioy or hope can a wicked man haue But they which abound in the fruits of righteousnesse abound also in the sure hope of eternall life The whole strength of men and Angels Vse 4 cannot make the conscience of a sinner to reioyce and to be in peace nor to haue hope in the houre of death It requireth the very Almightie power of the Holy Ghost So