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
These men through their benumming and back-sliding cause the name of God to be euill spoken of raise a scandall vpon their profession bring an euil name vpon the word and open the mouths of wretched men to speak against true Religion and all those that do embrace it True Religion is a woorthy worke and a great building it requireth harde labour great patience much striuing and long continuance whereof our Sauiour Christ putteth vs in mind when he saith b Luke 14 28. 29. Which of you minding to builde a Tower sitteth not down before and counteth the cost whether he haue sufficient to performe it least that after he hath laide the foundation and is not able to performe it all that behold it begin to mocke nim saying This man began to build was not able to make an end Wherefore it standeth all Pastors people vpon to remember from whence they are falne and to do their first workes lest God come against them in his anger and vex them in his fore displeasure The calling of the Ministery is an high calling it is one of the highest callings but if wee make it a calling of ease and ydlenesse feeding our selues and not teaching the people we disgrace our office and make it most vile with God and men This is it which our Sauiour expresseth vnder the comparison of Salt when hee saith c Luke 14 35. Salt is good but if Salt haue lost his sauour wherwith shall it be salted It is neither meet for the Land not yet for the Dunghill but men cast it out All other things though corrupted and spoyled yet retaine some other vse as we see in Wine when it is sower in a Tree when it is dead and withered and in straw when it is rotten they are turned into other vses but if d Berent in Luke 14. the Salt be vnsauoury it is good for nothing it is hurtfull for the Land it is vnprofitable for the Dunghil no reckoning or account is to be made of it e Socrat. lib. 3. cap. 13. but to be troden vnder foot as vnsauoury So then such as are made Ouer-seers of others to teach the Church and watch ouer the people of God are reproued being idle slothfull and such as will take no paines in instructing those that are committed vnto them Let Ministets be diligent and watchfull to doe the duties of their calling let them preach the worde in season and out of season let them beware of sluggishnesse and slothfulnesse Al such as are idle and negligent are not worthy to be maintained they vsurpe that hire which they receiue they haue no right or interrest to liue of the Gospell that doe not preach the Gospell they haue no iust title to eate the milke of the flocke that do not feede the Sheepe albeit they may claim their wages by the Lawes of men yet they are no better in the account of the high God then Theeues and robbers that liue by ruine and spoyle of the people f Gal. 6. 6. who are partakers of all their goods and yet like wrongfull vsurpers they wil not teach them in the word yea the good ordinances of men require that such as receiue wages should doo the worke and such as take the hire should take the paines If any man haue an house to build if he see the Carpenter and Mason idle and do nothing so that the frame to bee set vp is in no greater forwardnesse in the end of the yeare then it was in the beginning will hee pay them their wages Or if we haue any businesse to do will we pay the workemen before the worke be finished or if they let it alone and leaue it vndone And shall it go worse with the people of God then all other that hire labourers to labor for them Or shall they alone be constrained to maintaine and sustaine ydle Lubbers and loyterers that can do nothing or will do nothing more then a Child of seauen yeares old may do as well as themselues We are the Lordes Builders and spirituall Masons to build his Church we are his husbandmen to Till his ground we are Shepheards to feede his flocke It is out dutie to frame his building and euery day to adde somewhat to the building It is our duty to Plough vp the fallow ground and sow the precious seed of the word among them that they may grow thereby It is our dutie to feed his Sheepe with wholesome food and to lead them into greene pastures If we bee not carefull to do our worke there is no reason we should receiue his wages and if we care not to discharge the duty we cannot with a good Conscience take a penny if we will be at no paines what warrant haue we to make any gaines by our ydlenesse God hath prouided for vs a liberall allowance hee requireth of the people a cheereful performance thereof and he chargeth the ministers to haue a carefull remembrance to labour in the Lordes haruest that so they may eate their owne bread and not liue by the sweate of other mens browes It is a generall rule deliuered by the Apostle binding all persons and degrees of men g 2 Thes 3 10 11. Euen when we were with you this we warned you of that if there were any which would not worke that he should not eate for wee heare that there are some which walke among you inordinately and worke not at all c. Let all such therefore as are negligent in the work of the Lord and stand ydle without employment consider that as God hath giuen no guifts to be ydle but to be vsed so he would haue no ydle persons to bee maintained he doth grudge them their meate he dooth not allow them a Morsell of bread he regardeth not though they starue that will not set their handes to labour For he inhibiteth and forbiddeth his Church and people to bestowe any thing vppon sluggards or to giue them any succour to the end that the forcible weapon of necessity may constraine them to set their hand to worke and also to busie themselues in the Calling which they professe And this standeth with exceeding great equitie and good reason For what is meate but the rewarde of Labour And what is the Wages which they haue but the recompence of the Worke Or what is hyre but onely the reward of paines-taking Now he that doth no good but is vnprofitable to mankind and is not dilligent in his businesse what right or reason is it that he should be rewarded as a Labourer The second reproofe Moreouer they are heere reprooued that vse their guiftes â—o the hurt and hinderance of others For if such be iustly blamed and condemned as hide their guifts to their hinderance and vse them not to the benefit of others they are much worse that abuse them vnto euill that vse their wit to vndermine the ignorant their wisedom to beguile the simple their learning to
they teach so they be not idle They are Ministers of the Church of England and therefore may preach in any part of the Land and are blamelesse Therefore there is no vnlawfull non-residency For God hath ordained saith the Å¿ 1 Cor. 9 14 Apostle That they which Preach the Gospell may liue of the Gospell Answere I answer they are not onely Ministers of England but of such a particular Congregation and haue their maintenance of such a particular Church and therefore are bound to imploy their labour in that particular place He that hath not a particular charge and Church to care for will care indeede for no Church as he ought to care For if that which is t Arist polit lib. 2. cared for of all is cared for of none then he that hath but a generall care of one place no more then of another commonly neglecteth all When God sent Ionah the Prophet to Niniue u Ion. 1 2 3. he sinned in going to Tarshish If he had preached neuer so duely and diligently in that Citty when God called him to another he had not discharged the duty of a good Prophet Besides whereas they say they are Ministers of England therefore sufficeth to preach in any corner or quarter of the Land they may as well say they are Ministers of Europe and consequently may preach in any part of Europe and be discharged in conscience of any farther duty to be required of them Nay some are so shamelesse as they dare openly auouch that they are as much bound to the Church of Ierusalem if they might haue accesse thereunto as to that people that called them and doe maintaine them Verily this argueth little learning and lesse conscience For this were to change a Pastor into an Apostle a limited office into an vnlimited and as great a wonder as to bring all the world into the circuit and compasse of a little Towne And we see it is directlie against the order of the Scripture which calleth them Ministers of such and such a particular Church x Acts 20 17. Phil. 1 1. Reue. 2 3. as of Ephesus of Pergamus of Sardi and the rest So when generall teaching y Math. 28 20 is Apostolicall particular is z 1 Pet. 5. 2. Heb. 13 17. Pastorall which is limited to a certaine place Againe it is a thing in it selfe vnreasonable and to the people iniurious that they shoulde receiue their Wages in one place and performe their seruice in another place that one should giue them their hire and another haue the profit of their paines Would not a man thinke he had wrong done him if he hyring a seruant another shoulde take the labour of his hands Or should that seruant be excused who hauing wages paid him by his Maister should apply himselfe in another mans work Or when a man hireth a shepheard to looke to his sheepe will hee not complaine if they be neglected and another mans sheepe fed and attended Or can such a shepheard thinke his duty discharged albeit he be neuer so diligent and watching in looking to the sheepe of another A Shepheard hath a particular Flocke to attend which hee must watch a Seruant must dispatch his worke that hath hired him Thus it ought to be with euery faithfull Minister he hath his speciall ground to Till his proper house to build his Flocke to feede his Citty to watch his Army to lead and may not wander out of the boundes and borders limited vnto him Obiection 7 Others alledge in excuse of this absence that many of them giue necessary attendance vpon their Lords and their Families and being their Houshold Chaplaines and so doing seruice to great persons are forced to bee absent from their Cures Answere I answere this sauoureth of couetousnesse or of ambition or rather of both They haue couetous hearts and aspiring mindes If they haue peculiar charges of their owne Who compelled them to be other mens Chaplaines Or if they be to attend vpon their Lords who compelled them to take the charge of Soules It was an vsuall thing among the godlie Kinges of Iudah to haue their Prophets at their elbowes to teach them to stirre them vp to good thinges and to keepe them from falling into sinne The Prophet Dauid had Gad the Seer belonging vnto him a 1 Sam. 22 5 2 Sam. 24 11 who was with him in his banishment and was as his Counsellour he was retained both in prosperity and aduersity with him And it is a commendable thing not only in Princes but in men of State and high place when they entertaine such for a loue of the truth to instruct them and their families in the knowledge of godlinesse when they esteeme them as the Ministers of God and giue them not single but that double honour which Gods word alloweth them and when they can be content to heare the Law at their mouthes and submit themselues to the obedience of that which is spoken vnto them in the Name of the Lord. Yea such as are so entertained may highly aduance Gods glory and doe great good with such great men and in such great Families if they regard to doe good seruice to God rather then to themselues if they doe not flatter to please men but deale carefully and conscionably in their places But such as are of high calling may haue attendance and sufficient seruice done vnto them by others that are without Cures and haue no charge of soules committed vnto them and as they are willing to entertaine them so they are able to maintaine them that they shall not liue of the Churches which they doe not instruct Obiection 8. Lastly they pretend that they teach commonly by themselues but continually by their substitutes They come often among their people and teach them by Curates which they haue set in their places and therefore they sinne not by Non-residency Answere I aunswer this often teaching is not sufficient where continuall watchfulnesse is required The Lord neuer said vnto him Teach often but preach the word in season and out of season He is accursed that doth the worke of the Lord negligently Iere. 48 10. Diligence is required where danger is feared The flockes that are in danger of the Wolfe b Gen. 31 40 Luke 2 8. Esay 62. 6. are watched day and night The Enemy is alwayes at hand and watcheth his aduantage by the absence of the Pastour If they could couenant and agree with the aduersary neuer to assault their charges but at cettaine times and seasons of the yeare and bargaine with him not to meddle in their absence they had some good pretence for their negligence and might bee ready to meete him when he commeth to tempt and seduce their people Againe they cannot bee discharged by a Deputy where they are to performe personall duty neyther are they freed from blame by other mens guifts where they are to practise their owne guifts These are
were added to the Church they continued in the Doctrine of the Apostles in the fellowship of the faithfull in the singlenesse of heart in the breaking of Bread in the communication of goods in the praising of God in the selling of their possessions and in the distribution of them to all men as euery one had neede The like we see in Zaccheus he was at the first a Publican a cheefe receiuer of the tribute and a cheefe deceiuer of the people he had robbed many by false accusations h Luke 19 2 7 8. so that he was growne rich and by his Riches into reproach and hatred but when Christ had reueiled himselfe vnto him he stood forth and saide vnto the Lord Behold Lord halfe my goods I giue vnto the poore and if I haue taken from any man by forged cauillation I restore him fourefold This is a great worke of God that he worketh at our conuersion which the i 1 Cor. 6 10 11. Apostle speaketh off 1. Corin. 6 10 11. Be not deceiued neither Fornicatours nor Idolatours nor Adulterers nor Wantons nor Buggerers nor Theeues nor Couetous nor Drunkards shall inherit the Kingdome of GOD and such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are iustified in the Name of the Lord Iesus and by the Spirit of our GOD. All these Testimonies and examples teach vs that where is a right conuersion of the heart there is also a true alteration of the life and where there is an embracing of the true Christian Religion there is a change of our conuersation Reason 1. The Reasons of this Doctrine are euident and shine as cleerely as the Sunne at Noone-day For first if we consider our naturall estate and condition what we are before our conuersion wee shall easily be brought to acknowledge both where and what and whence the change is For naturallie we hate the truth and the professours of the truth k Ro. 1 29 10 2 Tim. 3 2 3 4 Beeing full of all vnrighteousnesse Fornication wickednesse couetousnesse maliciousnesse full of Enuy of Murther of Debate of deceit taking all thinges in the euill part Whisperers Backe-biters Haters of GOD Doers of wrong proud Boasters Inuenters of euill thinges disobedient to Parents without vnderstanding Couenant-breakers without naturall affection such as can neuer be appeased mercilesse Louers of themselues curssed speakers vnthankefull vnholy false accusers intemperate fierce no louers at all of them which are good Traytors heady high-minded louers of pleasures more then louers of God hauing a shew of godlinesse but haue denyed the power thereof Behold heere a Glasse to behold our selues in a perfect Glasse to looke vpon that we may see our selues and know our selues what we are And albeit all these sinnes doe not actually breake out of vs yet they are all originallie bred in vs and albeit the fruit of them doe not appeare outwardly yet the very Spawne and Seede of them remaineth inwardly and albeit we doe not feele the Branches yet we haue cause to feare the bitter Rootes and Remnants and Reliques of them that are deepely setled in the Garden and Ground of our hearts Seeing therefore our Nature is thus corrupt and we so farre alienated and estranged one from another we cannot be healthfull or profitable to any of Gods people and Children Our Sauiour teacheth l Iohn 15 19. and 10 2. That the Men of this World should alwaies hate his Seruants and be vnto to them as Wolues to the Lambs yea that the time should come that they which kill them should thinke they did God good seruice This is it which the Apostle speaketh and confesseth as well of himselfe as of others m Tit. 3 3 4. We our selues also were in times past vnwise disobedient deceiued seruing the lustes and diuerse pleasures liuing in maliciousnesse and enuy hatefull and hating one another vntill the bountifulnesse and loue of GOD our Sauiour appeared who according to his mercy saued vs by the washing of the Newe-birth and renewing of the Holie-Ghost This is our naturall condition before wee haue freedome from this thraldome and deliuerance out of this misery which we bring with vs and vpon vs. Reason 2. Secondly when men are truely conuerted they will make conscience of hurting they will abstaine from wronges and iniuries they will be ready to doe good to others to profit others to walke in all the duties of their callinges and to keepe a good conscience toware God and man This appeareth in the Prophet Esay Chapter 65. where this Doctrine hath his confirmation when he hath saide n Esay 65 25. Actes 24 16. That the Wolfe and the Lambe shall feede together and the Lyon shall eate Straw like the Bullocke and to the Serpent Dust shall be his Meate Hee addeth They shall no more hurt nor destroy in all mine holy Mountaine saith the Lord. The Apostle saith Actes 24 16. I endeuour my selfe to haue alwayes a cleere conscience toward God and toward men Christ Iesus himselfe saith o Iohn 4 34. My meate is that I may doe the will of him that sent me and finish his worke So it is and will be meate and drinke to euery one of vs if we belong vnto him to doe good vnto all Men yea euen our Enemies and Persecutours as appeareth in the example of Stephen who prayed for his vtter Enemies that hated him with deadly hatred and stoned him to death and in the example of Ioseph when his Brethren feared reuenge and to be rewarded euill for euill according to their deserts he said Feare not for am not I vnder God Thus hee comforted them and spake kindelie vnto them Reason 3. Thirdly true conuersion worketh in vs the loue of God and men and so maketh vs fruitfull in all good workes it suffereth vs not to bee barren and vnfruitfull and it subdueth the rage and corruption of our sinfull Nature For such as performe not their duties to God in the seuerall partes of his worshippe nor abstaine from violence toward men whom they ought to loue as their Bretheren doe make it plaine and manifest that they were neuer rightly conuerted Such as are rightly conuerted are truely sanctified and therefore that is a false conuersion where there is want of sanctification When the Prophet hath sore-shewed the wonderfull change and alteration that the Gospell of Christ should make he maketh this the cause p Esay 11 9. For the Earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the Waters that couer the Sea We saw and shewed this before in the example of Paule we cannot doubt but he was before his conuersion as a roaring Lyon and as a raging Wolfe against the poore Lambes of Christ but being made a Christian and called to the knowledge of the truth from Heauen he couched down quietly with them so that we may truely say with the Prophet That the wolfe did dwell the Lambe the Leopard did lie
both what may bee learned by it and how it may bee applyed vnto vs. First of all it teatheth that though education bee a notable meanes of reformation and working good in the hearts of those that heare instruction and albeit Parents and Maysters bee thereby discharged as they that haue done their dutie yet bare teaching is not sufficient to conuert the soule and to settle the Conscience in good thinges Noah was as carefull for the instruction of Cham and Canaan as of the rest that were of his house belonged to his charge yet they followed not his Doctrine but scoffed at him that was both Pastor and Parent Dauid a man after Gods owne heart walked in the middest of his house in the vprightnesse of his Conscience yet he had an incestuous Ammon a Rebellious Absolom a licentious Adoniah all of them vngodly and vngracious Children So then although education be a good meanes yet it is not a sufficient meanes to worke reformation He that laboureth in planting and watering is nothing except God giue the blessing of encrease We see this euidently in the publicke assembly as well as in the priuate family in the house of God as well as in the house of man There is a difference of hearers according to their diuers dispositions f Math. 13 13 14. some are deafe hearers that haue not their eares boared through to the heart they haue onely outward eares and regarde no more but outward hearing and are no way mooued with that which is spoken dead-hearted dull-eared dim-sighted heauy-headed Others beside their bodily eares haue the eares of their hearts opened by the word and worke of the Spirit made plyable and tractable to receiue imbrace and beleeue that which they heare So is it in the priuate instruction vsed in priuate Families all that heare with the outwarde eare are not reformed all that are instructed are not conuerted Obiection What then Shall not Fathers teach their Children and Maisters their Seruants and Householders their Families because some haue not beleeued and many remaine as blinde and blockish as they were at the first Answere Yes it is their dutie to bee dilligent in teaching them and in laying the foundation of Christian Religion among them howsoeuer it bee receyued or reiected of such as bee in their houses and belong vnto them Were not he a simple Husbandman that would neglect to sowe his Ground because hee knoweth that some of the Corne will neuer grow vppe to bring foorth fruite but dye in the earth Or were not hee an vnwise Law-giuer that will not haue wholesome Lawes enacted and established because some transgresse them and disobey them and make no account of them Or were not hee a very foolish Father who because hee hath one rude and riotous Sonne that will not reuerence his person nor fulfill his Commaundements nor regarde his Authoritie nor feare his threatninges woulde therefore holde his peace and refraine himselfe from instructing and informing his other Children in the wayes of Godlinesse Or were hee not a badde Gardiner who because some of his Ground bringeth forth Weeds and Nettles would therefore refuse to water the Hearbes that are meete for the vse of man When the Lorde sent his holy Prophets to reprooue the stubborne and stiffe-necked Iewes hee knewe what entertainement them-selues shoulde finde and what effect their Doctrine woulde haue taken yet to make them without excuse they were commanded to go that they might be conuinced of sinne seeing there had beene a Prophet among them The Prophet Ieremy being called of God to preach the word is told afore-hand that they shoulde not obey his word g Ier. 1 19. Ezek. 2 5 7. and 3 7. but fight against him Likewise Ezekiell being sent to the children of Israel is shewed that they would not heare him nor cease from their waies Whereby we see that howsoeuer the people were stiffe-necked and stif-harted howsoeuer their faces were stronger then the Flint and their fore-heads were harder then the Adamant yet God would haue his worde offered vnto them and laid before them He hath mo endes then one of the preaching of his word sometimes he vseth it to soften and sometimes to harden sometimes to saue and sometimes to condemne somtimes to be h 2 Cor. 2 16 the sauor of life vnto life and sometimes to be the sauor of death vnto death So should it be with all godly housholders howsoeuer they haue many that harbour in their houses are entertained within their wals that regard not the fear of God but pull away their shoulders from the sweet yoak of God yet they are not to surcease or wax faint and weary but to continue the instruction of them the powring of water vpon the hard stone proouing if God at anytime will soften their harts and giue them repentance that they may come out of the snares of the Deuil of whom they are holdē captiues We know not at what time God may work in them and call them to a sight of their sinnes and to a turning from their sins They may heare that in the time of their ignorance which they may practise in the time of their knowledge They may hear that Doctrine which though it lye hid and couered as Corn in the earth or as fire in the ashes a long time and seeme buried in perpetuall forgetfulnesse yet it may afterwardes break forth as the light and kindle in their harts as a mightie flame Thus peraduenture it might be with this Onesimus when he was conuerted by the Ministry of the Apostle to the Faith of Christ he might cal to his remembrance many good thinges that hee had heard before but neuer a whit regarded nor respected and now profit by that Doctrine that before he had despised and derided The Disciples of Christ did not by and by receiue nor conceiue of his preaching but when i Iohn 2 22. hee was risen againe they remembered what hee had deliuered vnto them So ought wee to deale toward such as are committed vnto vs let vs plant and water committing and commending the successe and encrease of all our labours vnto God Vse 2 Secondly seeing where there are good meanes are many times godlesse and gracelesse men we learne that to heare to saluation and to receiue willingly instruction is no generall or common grace no man can beleeue sauing hee to whom it is giuen It is the guift of God that must open the vnderstanding and boare through the eare and sanctify the heart before any can heare with a desire to vnderstand or lay it vppe with a purpose to practise and obey Hence it is that the Prophet saith k Esay 50 5. The Lord GOD hath opened mine eare and I was not rebellious neyther turned I backe The Euangelist Luke teacheth that when the Apostles preached the Gospell so many as were appointed to saluation beleeued which was a fruite of their election others mocked which was a
of Princes in troubling of Common-wealths in plotting and practising of Treasons in murthering of Princes and in setting all things in an vprore Thirdly the Bope vsurpeth a power to free subiects from their allegeance and their oath of obedience as appeareth by the Popes two Breeues that hee sent ouer forbidding his popish Catholickes to sweare homage and fidelitie to the King Fourthly their teachers of popish Diuinity publish and maintaine manie Treasonable positions tending to the dishonour of Princes and to the ouerthrow of Kingdomes It is well knowne to all the World what Bellarmine hath deliuered in the Controuersies of Religion that he hath published to be read and viewed of all men how basely he hath spoken of Princes and how boldly he hath diminished their authority that he might establish the Popes Temporall Soueraignety He teacheth out of his Doctours Chaire or rather from his Orators Deske o Bellar. de laic lib. 7. cap. De pontif lib. 1. c. 7. et lib. 5. cap. 8. 7. that Princes are rather Seruants then Lords subiect not onely to Popes and Cardinals but to Byshoppes and Priests that Princes haue their authority not immediatly from God nor from the Law of God but by the Law of Nations that Princes may be deposed and dethroned by their Subiects and other placed in their stead that the Pope hath Temporall power indirectly that obedience is due to the Pope for conscience sake but to Princes for pollicy sake That the cause why Christians in former time deposed not Nero the Tyrant and Iulian the Apostata and Valens the Arrian and such like was because they wanted Temporall power and if they had not wanted strength they would not haue wanted will to do it that if Princes go about to turne away the people from their base Roman and Bastard-Catholike Faith they may and ought to be depriued of their dominions Heereunto we might adde many like principles of their deuilish Diuinitie taught in their Schooles and brought into the State and practised by their Disciples out of Sanders p Sand. devisib Monarch lib. 2. cap. 4. who was himselfe an Arch-rebell and perrished in his rebellion that he had raised being not onely a beholder of it but an Actor in it Whereby we see if he had no other matter what we are to esteeme of the Roman Religion namely that it is a counterfeit Religion to be abhorred of all true Christians being the Nursery of Treasons and the Mother of all abhominations which setteth vp the Pope as the great Idoll and Arch-rebell of the World so that he vsurpeth a Supremacy ouer all Ciuill Gouernments in the Earth whereas the true Christian Religion is as contrary to this as light to darkenesse which teacheth to bee subiect to the higher powers for Conscience sake which teacheth to feare God and to honour the King which teacheth all degrees as well q Chrys hom 23. in Rom. 13. Ecclesiasticall as Ciuill to stoop downe to this ordinance of God Our Weapons are Prayers and teares our means that we vse are supplications to God and to Man But these Seducers put downe the honour of Kings and Princes and teach them that depend vpon them to take vp Fire and Sword and all other seditious practises which the God of this World teacheth the Children of rebellion so often as occasion of aduantage and hope to preuaile serueth them Vse 3. Lastly seeing the Gospell doth establish not abolish strengthen not weaken confirme not disanull the ordinances that God hath setled among Men we learne that whosoeuer is a good Christian and hath rightly embraced the Gospell is also a good obseruer of Household Gouernment and of Common-wealth Gouernment which stand with the word of God and the maintenance of peace and humaine society I say then that a faithfull and sound Christian is a good Subiect a good Father a good Maister a good Wife a good Childe a good Seruant a good Common-wealths-man The Church and Common-wealth are as louing Sisters liuing dwelling growing flourishing prospering decaying and falling together We must all consider our common and speciall calling and know that Christian duties and Personall duties must not be deuided the one from the other but bee coupled and ioyned in one man It is not sufficient for a man in common conuersation to be a Christian but he must shew himselfe to be so in his speciall calling A Magistrate must not onely be a Christian but he must bee a Christian Magistrate A Father and Maister must not onely be Christians but they must be Christian Fathers and Christian Maisters It is not enough for vs to be Christians abroad we must not content our selues to be Christians in the sight of others but we must manifest our selues to be so in the administration and gouernment of our particular Families and in the discharge of our seuerall duties toward Wife Children and Seruants This reproueth many that liue among vs who beare themselues abroad as men forward in Religion eatnest in their profession and such as would be accounted to goe before many others yet take a view of them what they are priuately in their owne houses and what duties they performe toward their Families they haue lost the reputation at home that they had abroad and shew themselues to be more carefull to seeme religious and to bee thought great Christians then to be good Christians indeede The like we may say of all Inferiours It is not enough for the Wife the Childe the Seruant the Subiect to shew themselues faithfull and religious openly in the Congregation and other places of resort but they must shew themselues right Christians in their reuerence subiection and obedience toward those Superiours that are set ouer them Euery one hath two callings generall and personall Thus we see that as euery one hath two callings one generall which is the calling of Christianity common to euery member of the the Church the other personall or particular which is the discharge of speciall duties in regard of that distinction made betweene man and man so both these callings must be ioyned together in our life as the body and soule are in one man If one of them be wanting the other is missing If they doe not meete together in one person there is onely a shew of true Christianity but the substance is absent A good Christian therefore cannot be an euill Subiect an euill Seruant If they haue Christ Iesus formed in them it will make them obey for Conscience sake Nay heereby wee see that onely such as feare God are good Subiects others cannot be For the wicked and vngodly doe prouoke God to anger against the King against the Kingdome and to procure the destruction of them both by their sinnes This is it which Salomon teacheth in the Prouerbes r Prou. 28 2. For the transgression of the Land there are many Princes thereof but by a man of vnderstanding and knowledge a Realme likewise endureth long Thus
we haue much infidelitie in vs and are cumbred with doubting in the promises of God it pleased him in great mercy to prouide a remedy for our infirmity so that we may truely say where Sin abounded Grace hath abounded much more Thus we see the Lord Iesus dealt with Thomas one of the twelue when he beleeued not the Resurrection nor those that were chosen Witnesses thereof but said h Iohn 20 25 27. Except I see in his handes the print of the Nailes and put my Finger into the print of the Nailes and put mine hand into his side I will not beleeue it Heere we may behold as in a Glasse the example of exceeding great infidelity and vnbeleefe hee neither beleeueth nor will beleeue he will liue by sight and not by Faith This was no small obstinacy and incredulity in one of the Apostles who deserued to perrish in his sinne But Christ Iesus raiseth him out of this sleepe and offereth mercy with much compassion as it were pulling him out of this danger Put thy Finger heere and see mine handes and put forth thine hand and put it into my side and be not faithlesse but faithfull This is it which the Euangelist Mathew setteth downe Chapt. 12. i Math. 12. 20. A bruised Reed shall he not breake and smoaking Flaxe shall he not quench till he bring forth iudgement vnto victory Now such as Thomas was such we are all by Nature we cannot be perswaded to beleeue except wee see and feele We will not beleeue the bare word of God but are alwaies ready to wauer through vnbeleefe Hence it is that God in great mercy did from the beginning of the world adde to his word his Sacraments to assure his people that as he is the GOD of truth so he meaneth truely and performeth effectually whatsoeuer hee hath promised The Sacraments therefore are as signes and seales of his promises and dependances vppon the word that is gone out of his owne mouth The Apostle speaking of circumcision giuen to Abraham saith k Rom. 4 11. He receiued the signe of Circumcision as the Seale of the righteousnesse of the Faith which he had when he was vncircumcised that he should be the Father of al them that beleeue not being circumcised that righteousnesse might be imputed vnto them also Whereby we may see what the Nature of the Sacraments is to wit l what a Sacrament is and to what end it was instituted that they are visible signes instituted of God to seale vp his promises in the hearts of the faithfull The Author or efficient cause is God who onely hath power and authority to appoint and ordaine them because he it is that can giue force and efficacy vnto them The matter is the visible signe the forme is the maner of institution according to the Rites taught and prescribed in the word The end is that the faithfull may bee confirmed and strengthned in the truth of GOD. The word was giuen to instruct the Church by hearing the Sacraments were giuen to instruct the Church both by it and by the rest of the senses Indeede if wee were Angels and not men and were Spirits without bodies and heauenly Creatures not earthly we should not stand in neede of visible and bodily Sacraments but because our faith is feeble and wrastleth with Sathan the World the Flesh and such Enemies it wanteth proppes and pillers to vphold it that it doe not fall For albeit our Faith be mingled with doubting assaulted strongly with the waues of infidelity yet it ceaseth not to bee a true Faith An vnperfect Faith is a sound Faith though it be weake so that it standeth vs vpon with the Apostles m Luke 17 5. To pray for the encrease thereof Faith goeth before the Sacraments the which without Faith are idle and empty signes without profit without comfort without vse True it is the Infidels as the Aegiptians Aethiopians and other prophane people who neither worshipped the true God nor embraced the true Religion had the outward vse of circumcision as n Herod in Euterpe Histories testifie as also the Turkes and Iewes haue at this day but their cutting off the flesh is not the Sacrament of God but a meere ciuill thing yea an euill thing Thus then we see that the Sacraments were ordained of God to help our infirmity The promise of God is certaine and his Couenant doth not wauer neither can these outward Seales make it stronger But it is we that stumble and stagger and haue neede to be supported And woe vnto vs if we vse not this help and remedy left vnto vs nor profit thereby in confidence and assurance of our saluation For God hath after a sort bound himselfe vnto vs as by an Obligation Indeede man notwithstanding his wordes his oaths his promises his bands his seales and his assurances is oftentimes changeable and vnconstant but it is not so with God whose word is yea and Amen Were it not that we are weake of Faith and slow to beleeue he needed not to sweare by himselfe and by his holinesse hee needed not to haue set Authenticke Seales to his Word sauing that he minded to leaue no place for doubting in vs. Hence it is that the Apostle writing to the Hebrewes Chapt. 6. saith o He. 6 17 18. God willing more aboundantly to shew vnto the heires of promise the stablenesse of his counsell bound himselfe by an Oath that by two immutable thinges wherein it was vnpossible that God should lie we might haue strong consolation which haue our refuge to lay hold vpon that hope that is set before vs c. The greater meanes God hath left vnto vs the greater faith he requireth of vs and the more conscionable vse of those meanes that we may not alwaies bee Children Woe then vnto vs if in the store of so great mercies and variety of so many meanes we remaine distrustfull and doe not labour to gather strength of faith and assuraunce of comfort Let vs therefore grow from Faith to Faith as it were from strength to strength and not stand at one stay let vs proceede from one degree and measure to another vntill Christ Iesus bee throughly formed in vs. Vse 4 Lastly seeing Couenants in writing be requisite by the Lawes of God and Man wee must know that it is our dutie to deale iustly and vprightly one with another and in our bargainings to keepe a good conscience toward God and Man For this is the end wherefore Instruments in writing were brought in that all cozenage might be cut off all occasion of strife might be preuented Whereby we may gather that in all ages of men and times of the World there haue beene many deceits and much vnrighteous dealing to the disturbance of publique peace and the dissoluing of concord among men otherwise it had beene in vaine to require or to receiue such security in our buying and selling in our borrowing and lending one with
of mercy to bee shewed vnto them So Lot his Nephew who had beene brought vp in his house and had learned of him to expresse the duties of Charity m Gene 19 1. sate at the Gate of Sodome into the which strangers did enter to call them to his House to refresh them with meate and to defend them from iniuries to which otherwise they lay open aboue all other This reprooueth those that grudge and are greeued when any occasion falleth out that they are tryed what affection and compassion they beare vnto them We see this euidentlie in Naball toward n 1 Sam. 25 14 Dauid and his men for when hee was intreated by the Messengers that were sent vnto him to giue whatsoeuer came to his hand he railed at them and sent them away empty he was lauish of his tongue but sparing of his pursse they had words but they had nothing but wordes It was otherwise with Abraham when he saw men come toward him hee ranne to meete them he bowed himselfe vnto them he intreated them to receiue the meanes of refreshing themselues at his handes he pressed vppon them very earnestly that they should not deny him To this purpose we heard out of the Apostle Peter That we should be harborous without grudging We must therefore not onely doe good to Strangers but doe good cheerefullie and with a ready minde without murmuring and repining at the occasion offered vnto vs. We now dwell in our owne Countrey and among our Kindred we rest quietly in our Houses and in our Beddes wee liue in peace and quietnesse but we know not what daies may shine vppon vs and what times may come ouer our heads We that now hate and abhorre strangers in our owne Land it may happen that our selues may be Strangers in a Land that is not our owne Moses exhorting the people of Israell to be mercifull toward such as aboue all others stand in neede of mercy to wit Strangers Widdowes and fatherlosse Children maketh this as a reason vnto them Loue the Stranger for ye were Strangers in the Land of Aegipt And albeit this reason doe not hold in many of vs neyther can be perswaded to deale kindly with Strangers because we haue beene already Strangers yet this Argument may be alleadged vnto vs to be carefull to loue Straungers because we our selues may be strangers in another Land For we know not where we shall end our daies or in what manner any more then when wee shall dye which all of vs know to be vncertaine If then we be hard-harted vnto others we must not looke to finde others pittifull to our selues It is Gods will that we should be Strangers in this World as appeareth by the example and confession of the faithfull Heb. 11. 9. 10 13. By Faith Abraham abode in the Land of Promise as in a strange Countrey as one that dwelt in Tents with Isaac and Iacob Heires with him of the same Promise for he looked for a Cittie hauing a Foundation whose bulder and maker is GOD. Thus did all the godly cast vp their accounts and confessed that they were Strangers and Pilgrims on the Earth yea we are his Children vpon other condition The Lord is in Heauen and we liue vpon the earth yet he commeth downe vnto vs and gouerneth vs he sheweth that he hath not forgotten vs but giueth vs an example what pitty we ought to haue of them that fly vnto vs as poore sheepe that are scattered by rauenous Wolues we should deale with them as we would haue the Lord deale with vs and shew that mercy that we expect of him True it is the Apostle noteth it among the properties required of the Pastour and Minister o 1 Tim. 3 2. Tit. 1 8. That hee should be giuen to Hospitality but he meant it also in generall to all the faithfull howbeit the Ministers must shewe them the way and hold out the Candle to giue them light For his purpose is not to binde the Ministers onely to beware of intemperancy to fly Couetousnesse to auoyde Pride and on the other side to moue them onely to be iust sober curteous chast and harborous in the meane season leauing all others to doe what they would and liue as they lift p Reasons why generall duties are appropriated to the Minister But the Apostle singleth them out by themselues and chargeth these duties vpon them first because the word of God should not be euill spoken off by the enemies beholding such scandals and faults to be in them Secondly to the end they should approoue their Doctrine by their good life and ratifie it to the consciences of all that heare it and so make it better welcome to them and them more willing to embrace it Thirdly that the people should follow them and frame their liues according to those vertues and graces which they see in their Shepheards And by the way let vs note that if chiefely among others the Minister must be harborous and it be a vertue that commendeth him to the Church to be giuen to Hospitality then the meanes should bee cheerefully and plentifully affoorded vnto him that he may be fitted and inabled to performe it This duty indeed is looked for from him and he lyeth open to obloquy and reproach when he doth not discharge it and yet in the meane season his present abilitie or rather disabilitie and insufficiency is not considered yea the means eyther are denied vnto him or with great grudging much lessening yeelded vnto him contrarie to the precept of the Apostle q Gal. 6 6. Let him that is taught in the word make him that hath taught him partaker of all his goods To conclude this point let vs learne to reioyce when we can do good to the distressed Saints that offer themselues as obiects of our compassion and bee glad that God hath inabled vs to helpe them Remembring that it is r Acts 20 35. a more blessed thing to giue then to receiue We saw before how God plagued the Sodomites and the men of Gibeah for their sauagenesse and cruelty toward the strangers that came to lodge among them God oftentimes blesseth those places and persons where and by whom they are entertained as on the other side many iudgements and punnishments fall from Heauen vpon their heads that are currish and vnkind vnto them Vse 4. Lastly it is a great comfort and peace to a mans conscience that God will in his Son Christ regard him when with a single heart he hath beene carefull to testifie his loue toward distressed Strangers for the truths sake Let vs reioyce in this consolation that we shall be assured that God wil pitty vs when we haue thus pittied others This perswasion we see in Nehemiah who resteth himselfe vpon it and raiseth comfort of obtaining from it Nehe. 5. 19. Remember me ô Lord in goodnesse according to all that I haue done for this people The like appeareth in Obadiah 1. King
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
Doctrine 4. True religion must be openly confessed professed Heereby wee learne that faith and the fruits thereof must be openly professed True Religion must not onely bee inwardly beleeued and in the heart acknowledged but must outwardly be confessed and professed in the world before men We see this in Daniell and the three Children hee was cast into the Lyons den they into the hot fiery furnace because they thought it not sufficient to worship God closely and secretly in their hearts but publickly declared what God they serued and what religion they embraced The Apostle writing to the Hebrewes calleth Christ Iesus a Heb. 3 1. 10 23. 13 15. the High-Priest of our profession that is of the trueth which we professe and beleeue And afterward he saith Let vs keep the profession of our faith without wuuering And againe Let vs by him offer the sacrifice of praise alwaies to God that is the fruite of the lippes which confesse his name This duty of acknowledging and confessing the truth haue all the seruants of God practised made conscience of from the beginning giuing witnesse to God his truth When the Apostles were conuented before the counsel they did not hide their faith but said b Acts 4 8. 19 20. 5 30. Ye Rulers of the people and elders of Israell forasmuch as we this day are examined of the good deede done to the impotent man to wit by what meanes he is made whole be it known vnto you all and to al the people of Israell that by the Name of Iesus Christ of Nazareth whome yee haue crucified whom God raysed againe from the dead euen by him dooth this man stand heere before you whole And when they were charged to ho de their peace and to speake or teach no more in the Name of Iesus they aunsweared Whether it bee right in the sight of GOD to obey you rather then GOD iudge ye for wee cannot but speake the thinges which wee haue seene and heard The Apostle Paule vseth this boldnesse of speech before Felix c Acts 24 14 15. I confesse vnto thee that after the way which they call Heresie so worship I the God of my Fathers beleeuing all thinges which are written in the Law and in the Prophets c. And as the Apostle himselfe practised this dutie so Timothy is commended and praised by him for the same d 1 Tim. 6 12 13. Fight the good fight of Faith lay holde of eternall life whereunto thou art also called and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses wherein also hee followed the steppes and example of Iesus Christ which vnder Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession All these as a clowd of witnesses serue to confirme vs in the assured truth of this doctrine that God requireth this duty of vs to confesse his word boldly to manifest our faith openly to shew our Religion publickely that so wee may confesse before the Lord his louing kindnesse and his wonderfull works before the sons of men Reason 1. And howsoeuer these Testimonies may serue and suffice for the strengthning thereof yet it shall appeare more plain and euident vnto vs if we waigh the Reasons First the profession of our faith hath a great promise of a rich reward ioyned with it and added vnto it and the starting backe from it as a deceitful bow hath a sore threatning of a grieuous curse following after it It is that which our Sauiour teacheth his Disciples whom he sent out as Sheepe among Wolues and foretelleth them of afflictions and persecutions that should be raised against them e Math. 10 32 23. Marke 8 38. Luke 9 26. 12 8. Whosoeuer shall confesse me before men him will I confesse also before my Father which is in Heauen and whosoeuer shall denie me before men him will I also denie before my Father which is in Heauen It is an hard matter to stand when the storme falleth and to confesse Christ in time of daunger when persecuters arise and enemies shewe themselues but the earnest consideration of this that Christ will confesse vs in the glorie of his Father and before the Angels of God will be a forcible meanes and motiue to put life and courage into vs to enable vs and perswade vs to this practise For what can be more right and reasonable and stand better with the Lawe of equity then that the seruant should not feare to professe what Maister hee serueth who will know him and confesse him when he is entred into his glory If a Prince should come to a man among a great company and single him out by name if he should acknowledge him among a thousand others and speake kindly vnto him it woulde encourage him to liue and die in his quarrell euen so seeing Christ Iesus the sonne of God and the heire of alâ— things will at the last day do vs this honour to confesse vs to be his owne children and giue vnto vs the Crowne of glory how should we bee stirred vp in loue to him againe and strengthned in the inward man to waxe bold in the faith and feruent in spirite to giue out a cleare Testimonie before all the worlde whose Seruants wee are and in all troubles to cleaue vnto him with full purpose of heart On the other side wee must bee terrifyed from denying him least hee bee ashamed of vs and denie vs before his Father which is in Heauen Reason 2. Secondly confession is a necessary fruit and consequent of faith where true Faith is in the hart there wil follow confession with the mouth This is it which the Prophet speaketh in his owne experience f Psal 116 10. I beleeued therefore did I speake for I was sore troubled This is made a note of Faith what it beleeueth it speaketh albeit the confession of the truth be accompanied with daunger And least any should imagine this to be peculiar to the Prophet not common to others the Apostle draweth it likewise vnto himselfe g 2 Cor. 4 13. Because wee haue the same spirit of faith according as it is written I beleeued and therefore haue I spoken We also beleeue and therefore speake He that is afraid to confesse Christ hath no true faith but he that beleeueth in him will not be ashamed of him and his Gospell Reason 3. Thirdly the Faith of Christes true Religion is a most glorious thing containing in it the great praise and glory of Gods wisedome power mercie and righteousnesse and it deliuereth the matter of mans saluation and eternall happinesse This was it that mooued the Apostle to preach the Gospell freely and boldly h Rom. 1 16. I am not ashamed of the Gospell of Christ for it is the power of God vnto saluation to euery one that beleeueth to the Iew first and also to the Grecian Seeing therefore Christ hath promised to confesse vs before his Father seeing faith is manifested and shewed by
Pharisies they did not confesse him least they should be cast out of the Sinagogue for they loued the praise of men more then the praise of God He speaketh in this place of such as were true beleeuers as appeareth both by the phrase of speaking and the opposition made betweene these and those that beleeued not z Verse 37. mentioned before Verse 37. where it is said That though he did many miracles before them yet they beleeued not on him The Euangelist noteth two lets and impediments that hindred them from the open manifestation of their Faith to wit the shame of the Crosse and the glory of the world Thus we see that sometimes the deere Seruants of God are for a time afraid to confesse him and to bewray themselues what they holde and how they beleeue When Peter was come into the High-Priests Hall and saw himselfe in danger of death he was so farre from confessing that hee fell to open denying of his Mayster he beleeued in him no doubt in his hart but he gaue not glory vnto him as he ought with his mouth This wee haue heard to be in some of the blessed Martyrs who gaue their liues to the death they haue sometimes staggered and felt the weaknesse of the flesh before they haue beene throughly strengthned in the Inner man Nicodemus a Ruler of the Iewes and a Maister in Israell bearing a loue vnto Christ a Iohn 3 2. 7 50. 19 38 came vnto him by night and closely as it were by stealth So Ioseph of Aramathia was first a Disciple of Christ secretly for feare of the Iewes yet afterward being stirred vp with those things that they saw at the death and passion of Christ both of them shewed themselues more boldly confidently in his cause and in the end forsooke all to follow him and resolued to cleaue vnto him with the losse of all thinges that might be precious and deere vnto them Such then as our Faith is such is our confession A weake Faith a weake confession a strong Faith a strong confession no Faith no confession a staggering Faith a wauering confession Wherefore it belongeth vnto vs to call vpon God to giue vs his Spirit which is called b Esay 11 2. The spirit of strength whereby we shall bee inabled to beare the Crosse patiently and to confesse the Faith constantly For when once wee are sustained and supported by the Spirit of Christ no Crosse shall daunt vs no tentation shall ouerwhelme vs but we shall endure all thinges with a contented mind and perseuer vnto the end Vse 4. Lastly we must shew our selues ready and resolute to giue a reckoning of our faith and hope of our profession and Religion when we shall be required This is greatly to the honour of God when his Seruants prepare themselues to set forth his truth and are not afraide of the threatnings of their enimies This is it which the Apostle Peter teacheth vs c 1 Pet. 3 15. Sanctifie the Lord in your hearts and be readie alwayes to giue an answere to euerie man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekenesse and reuerence This constant and Christian resolution was in Paule when he was brought before rulers for Christs sake though when he came to his answere no man assisted him but some fled from him and others were ashamed of him yet he quit himselfe like a man and shewed himselfe a faithfull witnesse of that truth which hee beleeued This vse meeteth with many corruptions and reprooueth sundry practises that raigne among vs. The first reproofe First it conuinceth such as think they are not to be blamed but excused not to be controlled but defended albeit they deny the truth of God for feare of men in time of persecution so that they cleaue to it in heart and embrace it in their soules so that they inwardly beleeue it like of it and hold it to themselues Yet we heard before that it is not enough for vs not to deny the faith but it is required of vs to confesse it It is not enough for vs to abstaine from that which is euill vnlesse we be carefull to do that which is good The Apostle Iohn teacheth d Reuel 21 8 That all the fearefull and vnbeleeuing the abhominable and murtherers the Whore-mongers and Sorcerers the Idolaters and lyars shall haue their part in the Lake which burneth with fire and Brimstone which is the second death Heere we see that among these wicked persons which hee nameth hee nameth in the first place fearefull persons which feare men more then God these are ouercom by Satan and led to hell and destruction Hence it is that the Apostle chargeth vs as we heard before not onely to keepe our faith e Heb. 10 23. but to keepe the profession of our faith And Paule when he came to his first answearing dooth not reprooue the Brethren because they openly denied the Faith but because they secretly forsooke him f 2 Tim. 4 16 and did not assist him and he prayeth God that this sin may not be laide to their charge So the Angell of the Church of Pergamus is commended who dwelt where Satans throne was set vp g Reuel 2 13. because hee kept the name of Christ and denied not his Faith euen in those dayes when Antipas his faithfull Martyr was slaine among them where Satan dwelleth It is not enough therefore not to deny the faith or not to abiure the Doctrine of Christ we must giue an account of a farther duty and know that God requireth of vs the confession of his truth if we wold haue him confesse vs in the resurrection of the iust The second reproofe Secondly it reprooueth such as keep their Faith and Conscience to themselues and will not bewray it to others A man shall liue many years among them and yet not know what Religion they are of These are they that hide their Religion and bury their Talent in the earth and thereby make themselues ready for euery change and alteration like the Weather-cocke which turneth with euery blast of winde These are they that thinke themselues wise and wary men by keeping them-selues close and priuate to themselues and yet euery simple man nay euery childe may plainly perceiue that they are indeede of no Religion For that faith which alwayes is kept secret is no faith at all It is required not onely that euery knee should bowe but that euery tongue should confesse that Iesus Christ is the Lord vnto the glory of God the Father Phil. 2 10 11. Such as neuer professe any thing do plainly make it manifest and as it were light a Candle to others to discouer the secrets of their hearts Sometimes they will bee Gospellers sometimes they will be Papists sometimes they will be Newters such it is to bee feared at all times are Atheists or at least in the right way and broad path that leadeth vnto
of those thinges they enioy no more then of those things which they haue not obtained This made the Apostle say f Heb. 6 11 12 We desire that euerie one of you shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope vnto the end that ye be not sloathfull but followers of them which through Faith and Patience inherit the promises God is constrained oftentimes to take away the means that he sendeth for our good whē we make no good vse of them he taketh away good Pastors he sendeth setteth vp euill Pastors in their roomes when we do not profit nor are careful to make others profit by vs. This the Prophet Zacharie denounceth from the mouth of the Lord g Zach. 17 16 I will raise vp a Shepheard in the Land which shall not looke for the thing that is lost nor seeke the tender Lambes nor healt that that is hurt nor feede that which standeth vp but he shall eate the flesh of the fat and teare the clawes in peeces This also Christ our Sauiour teacheth in the Gospell h Math. 13 12 Whosoeuer hath to him shall be giuen and he shall haue abundance but whosoeuer hath not from him shall be taken away euen that he hath Furthermore in the parable of the man that going into a farre Countrey called vnto him his seruants and deliuered vnto them his goods we see that the euil seruant that hauing receiued a Talent hid it in the ground brought onely a Talent to his Maister againe hath i Math 25 28. that taken from him and it is giuen to him that had gotten and gained fiue Talents It is accounted an euill Tree not that onely which bringeth forth euill fruit but that also which bringeth forth no fruit It is accounted euill ground not onely that which beareth Thornes and Briars but that also which bringeth forth no Corne for the vse of man He is accounted an vniust steward not onely that wasteth his Maisters goods conuerteth thē to his own vse but he that keepeth them safe and sound without imployment which he had receiued to lay out to dispense and to distribute He is accounted an euill seruant not onely that selleth to others or reserueth to himselfe his Maisters Corne which he should haue sowed in the earth that it might haue brought forth great increase and a plentifull Haruest but he that keepeth it by him and in the end deliuereth it backe in the same manner and measure that he tooke it So are we vnfaithfull seruants vniust Stewards and euill bestowers of our Maisters mony if we let it lye by vs and do not imploy it to some gaine If then they be blamed and vnrewarded that gaine nothing what shall they be esteemed that loose the Stocke and dash away the principall Againe if God haue giuen vnto vs this worldes good he requireth of vs to do good with it to helpe those that are in want and to distribute to the necessities of the Saintes Hath God beene liberall to vs that we should be hand-bound and heart-bound vnto others He hath left the poore with vs that we should be in stead of God to them k Exod 4 16. as Moses is said to be giuen to Aaron in Gods stead as a wise Councellor so we are appointed to be vnto them as a wise distributer supplying that which is wanting vnto them How should God giue much vnto vs when for his sake we will not giue a little If we were in their case and condition and had experience how great the misery of want is and how heauy the burden of pouerty is we would be willing to be refreshed comforted and eased l Mat 7 12. Therefore whatsoeuer ye would that men should do to you euen so do ye to them for this is the Law and the Prophets Whatsoeuer we do vnto them shall not be vnregarded or vnrewarded we sow it in a fruitfull ground and we shall reape it againe with great encrease Vse 3. Lastly seeing we must imploy that which we haue receiued to the benefite of others it serueth greatly to comfort such as haue beene careful to communicate to others rhose thinges that they haue receiued and to make them partakers of the same comfort that they haue reaped by them It is a blessed thing when men haue endeuoured to their power to benefit others to exhort them to admonish them to comfort them to refresh them and haue vsed our guiftes to the profit of our bretheren O what a wonderfull comfort and consolation shall it be vnto vs when we must leaue this world and go the way of all flesh to remember that we haue not spared to do good to others wee haue not failed to benifit others we haue not ceased to scatter abroad a part of that which we haue gathered Let vs lay this to our heartes and apply it to our consciences both we that are the Ministers and you that are the people If we that are made watchmen ouer the Citty of God and ouerseers of the Church shall to the vtmost of our power imploy our guifts and spend our selues to giue light to others God will not forget the labour of our hands but great shall be our reward in heauen according to the promise mentioned in Daniell the Prophet m Dan 12 3. They that be wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the Firmament and they that turne many to righteousnesse shall shine as the Starres for euer and euer Heereunto accordeth the answere of Christ to the question of Peter n Luk 12 42 43. Who is a faithfull Steward and wise whom the Maister shall make Ruler ouer his houshold to giue them their portion of meat in season Blessed is that seruant whom his Maister when he commeth shall find so doing We shall find more comfort of conscience and ioy of heart and gladnesse of spirit when we depart this life that we haue beene faithfull in that little committed to our trust and made others partakers of it as well as our selues then if wee had great abundance of earthly blessings and were owners of the whole world The like comfort shall all faithfull people of God find that haue distributed their Maisters goodes they shall receiue their reward according vnto their worke We see the haruest is answereable to the seed time and they shal reap as they haue sowed Then they shall tast the sweetnesse and reap the comfort of their labor bestowed in applying themselues to the profit of others Their last day shall be a blessed day vnto them when they shall finde God as readie to communicate vnto them his glory as they haue bin to do to others their duty and to bestow vpon them the fruits of mercy and the works of charity The greatest good is to seeke to gaine their soules the next is to giue to their bodies On the other side howe vncomfortable shall that day of our leparture be how wofull and full of trouble bringing
horror of conscience vexation of spirit and confusion of face Woe then woe I say to all idle Ministers and sluggish people that when they are to bee gathered vnto their Fathers and ly vpon their death beds cannot remember what good they haue done but shall bee troubled and tormented with the consideration of this what good they might haue done that they might haue beene fruitfull trees but haue beene barren Good ground but haue beene euill These men haue nothing else to muse and meditate vpon but how they haue spent whol dayes and nights whole moneths and yeares in eating and drinking in feasting and company in pleasures and pastimes in surfetting and drunkennes and what comfort shall their poore distressed soule and languishing bodye feele in that day but crie out with a lamentable cry and a pittifull howling able to mooue the stones and to pierce the rockes that all is vanity and then condemne their folly that haue placed their happinesse in this vnhappinesse and the ioy of their spirit in this sorrow of their heart For if that be true which the Prophet saith o Psal 128 1 2 Prou. 10 4. Blessed is euerie one that feareth the Lord and walketh in his wayes when thou eatest the labours of thine hands thou shalt be blessed and it shall be well with thee It is no doubt as true that such as eate not the fruit of their labors but eate the fruite of their lazinesse and loytering are accurssed This is it which our Sauiour addeth p Luke 12 45 46. If that seruant say in his heart My Maister doth deferre his comming and shall begin to smite the Seruants and Maidens and to eate and drinke and to be drunken The Maister of that seruant will come on a day when he thinketh not and at an houre when he is not ware of and will cut him off and giue him his portion with the vnbeleeuers that Seruant that knew his Maisters will and prepared not himselfe neither did according to his will shall be beaten with many stripes Where he teacheth that as eternall life is the reward of diligence and discharge of our duty so is eternal destruction the wages of all idle bellies Such as do no good to others shall know at the last that they haue indeed done no good vnto themselues The more seruiceable wee haue beene to others the more profitable shall we be in the end to our selues and the comfort of all shall be felt in our hearts when wee shall say with the Apostle q 2 Tim. 4 7 8 I haue fought a good fight I haue finished my course I haue kept the Faith henceforth is laid vp for me the Crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous iudge shall giue me at that day and not to mee onely but vnto all them also that loue his appearing A notable example heereof wee haue in Obadiah who was Gouernor of Ahabs house when he saw himselfe in distresse of famine in fear least Eliah should depart he called to remembrance the fruits of his Faith the worship of God and the fauour shewed to his children and heerein hee was comforted When Iezebel r 1 Kin. 18 13 slew the Prophets of the Lord he hid an hundred men of the Lords Prophets by fifties in a Caue and fed them with bread and water Let vs therefore neuer bee without such arguments to comfort vs wee shall finde the benefit of them when we are in trouble and especially when we are going out of the world And that whatsoeuer good thing is in you through Christ Iesus may be knowne The Apostle in these wordes mentioneth this to be the cause why he would haue the guifts of God bestowed vpon Philemon to be communicated to others because by that meanes they might be made knowne to others and acknowledged by others and so spread abroad farre and neere Doctrine 3. The goodnesse of God toward our selues or other must be made knowne Wee learne from hence that it is the duty of euery one to manifest and shew forth yea to spread abroad and to speake of the guifts of God bestowed vpon themselues and others When God is good toward vs and distributeth his graces among vs we must be ready to confesse and acknowledge them when we feele them in our selues or see them in others This our Sauiour a Mat 5 16. teacheth Math. 5. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in Heauen Thus the spirit of God in the Scriptures remembreth the righteousnesse of Noah the faith and obedience of Abraham the patience of Iob the chastity of Ioseph the meeknesse of Moses the single heart of Dauid the sincerity of Nathaniell the labours of Paule the repentance of Peter the restitution of Zacheus Christ Iesus publisheth the graces of God that shined in Iohn Baptist b Iohn 5 35. he saith he was a burning and shining Candle and that they would for a season haue reioyced in his light The Apostle declareth c 1 Tim 4 14. that the faith of the Romanes is published throughout the whole world The praise of Timothy was noysed and notifyed in the Church wherof Paule putteth him in mind to make his proceedings answearable to his beginnings and to the hope that was conceiued of him c 1 Tim 4 14. Despise not the guift that is in thee which was giuen thee by prohecie with the laying on of the handes of the company of the Eldership So likewise the fact of Mary annointing the body of Christ and working a good worke vpon him to bury him is commanded to be made knowne and not kept secret d Mat 26 13. Verily I say vnto you wheresoeuer this Gospell shall be preached throughout all the world there shall also this that she hath done be spoken off for a memoriall of her Thus the Apostle remembreth the e 1 Thes 1 3. effectuall faith and diligent loue and the patience of that hope in our Lord Iesus Christ which was in the Thessalonians So he recordeth and commendeth the liberallity that was in them of Macedonia toward the poore Saintes at Ierusalem that were in distresse All which Testimonies serue to teach vs that it is our duty to publish the guifes of God vpon vs or our bretheren not to hide them to spread them abroad not to smother them to make them knowne not to couer and conceale them to our selues Reason 1. And albeit these examples may be sufficient to moue vs to embrace this as a certain truth yet we haue sundry reasons yeelded in the Scriputre farther to confirme it vnto vs. First to the end that Gods graces being seene knowne he may be glorified and blessed for them who is the author and giuer of them It ought to be our chiefest desire and study that God may haue his praise and glory among vs. This is that reason which Christ our Sauiour
can tell thy disease open the cause of it shew thee the cure and remedy of it and restore thee to thy former state and strength so when thy soul is sick vnto the death and euen to damnation the man of God can heale the deadly wound that Satan hath giuen and apply a soueraigne plaister for thee made of the precious blood of Christ From hence all men may learne how to esteeme Gods Ministers and with what affection we are to heare them The Sheepe of Christ t Ioh. 10 27. will heare his voice and follow him This is a notable token to know the children of God by to disobey the Ministers of God is to disobey God himselfe to despise their word is to despise the word of God himselfe Is not the Embassador of an earthly Prince receiued with great honor reuerence Is not his message receiued as vndoubtedly as if the Prince himselfe were present Are not they which despise his authority as heinously punished and as vilely accounted of as if they resisted and rebelled against the Kings owne person Shall then the Messengers of the liuing God the King of Kings and Lord of Lords bee receiued lesse worthily then the other whose authority is greater who message is waightier whose place is higher It is requisite therefore that the people feare and reuerence their Minister or else they wil in no case honor and obey him For where feare is not present all honour is absent whosoeuer scorneth to performe this dutie of feare let him be well assured hee contemneth not him but the Lord that sent him This feare is to be yeelded not to his person but to his Office For as the Apostle exhorteth the Thessalonians to u 1 Thes 5 12 13. acknowledge them that laboured among them and haue them in singular loue for their workes sake so wee ought to feare those that are set ouer vs in the Lord for their worker sake So he witnesseth that the Galathians x Gal. 4 14. receyued him as an Angel of God yea more then so they receiued him as Iesus Christ himselfe This was not as he was a man but as the Minister of God this was not for the excellency of his person which hee acknowledgeth to be simple and testifieth to be contemptible but hee was receiued for that excellent message which he brought among them Therefore Paule writing to the Phillippians sayth y Phil. 2 12. As yee haue alwayes obeyed mee not as in my presence onely but now much more in my absence so make an end of your saluation with feare and trembling This reprooueth all those that are stubborne and disobedient and wil not obey the word of exhortation deliuered vnto them such also as heare not often and constantly but seldome and carelessely as if they were perswaded that they had nothing to do with God or God with his word such as when they heare are not stricken with any feare of the presence of God or of the power of the word or of the truth that is deliuered so that they neuer can heare aright seeing GOD accounteth those only the right Hearers z Esa 66 2 5. that tremble at his Worde and are of humble and contrite hearts Lastly such as are content to heare and listen with their outward eares but it is no longer then they list and no farther then their owne fantasies are fed and their desires followed and their humors pleased They are willing to heare vntill their speciall sinnes be reprooued but when they finde themselues touched or their iniquities which they dwell in discouered they grow out of patience and begin to reuile and raile at the Ministers that seeke with a good Conscience to discharge their duties This is an euident note of a corrupt hearer and a plaine testimony of an euill heart We must be ready to heare the curses of the Law as well as the promises of the Gospel we must account it a benefit to be reproued our selues as well as to heare others reproued A sicke man would not content himselfe to haue the Physitian shew vnto others their diseases but would haue his owne disease discouered vnto him so is it profitable vnto vs to see our owne sinnes and to heare our owne corruptions reuealed and manifested vnto vs. If we once desire to come out of our sinnes and iniquities wherein wee haue liued if once they become bitter and vnpleasant vnto vs it will bee no griefe or burthen to see our selues stripped and layde open to the view and sight of the worlde Let vs therefore with meekenesse of spirit submit our selues to the stroke of Gods word and not rage when wee are reprooued as the manner of those is that purpose to perseuer and to continue in their sinnes vnto the end Verse 9. Yet for your loues sake I rather beseech thee Heere we haue the second part of the diuers reason before remembred The former Verse was a preparation or entraunce into the prayer or petition of Paule and containeth the authoritie that he had if hee would vse it to command Philemon that which was conuenient for him to do These words are a mild mittigation of the former namely that albeit he might commaund him by his office yet he would rather entreat and beseech him thorough loue The Apostle hauing to do in this place with a matter of Christian moderation and equitie wherein hee might from the Lord command with authoritie doth notwithstanding pray and beseech and when hee might lawfully vrge and require the practise thereof hee rather resolueth to vse gentle humble and louing meanes Doctrine 2. Gentle means are to bee vsed rather then seuere to perswade men to the truth The Doctrine arising from hence is this That the Seruants of God ought to vse mildnesse and meekenesse in deliuering the will and message of God to his people rather intreating them with lenitie then commanding them with authoritie albeit they haue libertie so to do Courteous and gentle meanes are first to be vsed if they may preuaile rather then checking and chiding sharpely and rigorously with Offenders We see this in Christ Iesus himselfe who did not breake the bruised reede nor quench the smoaking Flaxe hee sayth c Mat. 11 28. Come vnto mee all yee that are weary and heauie laden and I will ease you for my yoake is easie and my burden is light This appeareth in sundry places of Paules Epistles Rom. 12 1. I beseech you Brethren by the mercies of Christ that ye giue vp your bodies a liuing Sacrifice holy and acceptable vnto God which is your reasonable seruing of God So 2 Cor. 5 20. Now then are we Ambassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you through vs we pray you in Christs stead that ye bee reconciled to God And in the tenth Chapter of the same Epistle d 2 Cor. 10 1. I Paule my selfe beseech you by the meeknesse and gentlenesse of Christ which when I am present
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
so little Charitie in my selfe and so small respect to you and so hard an hart toward him that no perswasion can mollify me no reason ouercome me no friends turne me The answere to this followeth I haue written vnto thee not because I doubt of thy fauour but because I trust in thy obedience not because I feare thou wilt deny mee but because I know thou wilt pleasure me This perswasion he amplifieth by a comparison drawn from the greater to the lesse as if he should say Nay I am well assured that for my sake thou wilt graunt a greater matter then I craue at thy hands The Reason may be thus contriued If thou be readie to yeelde more then this then I know assuredly thou wilt do this But thou art ready to yeeld more then this Therefore I know assuredly thou wilt do this The meaning of the words Thus much is to be marked of vs touching the method wherein we haue the conclusion of the chiefe matter howbeit adorned with much efficacy of words and strengthned with great force of reasons Now let vs consider the meaning of such thinges as require interptetation Yea Brother This first word is a note of exclamation or an Aduerbe of asking or wishing or beseeching or hoping well as if hee should say Oh my Brother I hope that this my intercession for him shall not be in vaine but carry sufficient waight and authority to worke in thee moderation in relenting and compassion in pardoning of him This word of affirmation is put to garnish the sentence to make the exhortation more powerfull and patheticall When hee saith Let me obtaine this fauour or fruite benefit or pleasure he vseth the Optatiue mood alludeth to the name of Onesimus in the word Onaimen which fitly serueth his purpose Touching these wordes Comfort my Bowels The meaning is receiue him and remit his offences and in so doing thou shalt cheere and reuiue my hart for the receiuing of him is the releeuing and refreshing of my outward parts and of my inward affections so that nothing shall be more pleasing vnto me He addeth in the Lord thereby signifying that the duty required of him is such that it pleaseth God and setteth forth his glorie and may Religiously be performed nay such as coulde not with a safe Conscience be omitted or denied So then hee vnderstandeth heereby that hee should doe him a great pleasure and withall please God and obey him That then which he doth request is commended by two fruites it shall benefite man and it shall be acceptable to God In the 21. Verse he saith Trusting in thine Obedience which is word for word in thy hearkning vnto me expressing wherein Obedience consisteth Namely in hearkning to that which is commanded euen to hearken with a purpose to doe it To this purpose Samuell ioyneth Harkning Obeying together a 1 Sam. 15 22 Hath the Lord as great pleasure in Burnt-offerings and Sacrifices as when the voyce of the Lord is obeyed Behold to Obey is better then Sacrifice and to Harken is better then the fat of Rammes So then the vse of this worde of Obedience is not without great force for thereby he insinuateth that Philemon coulde neuer escape the note of disobedience if he did not yeild to the Apostle of Christ making so honest so equall so iust a request Lastly when he saith Thou wilt do no more then I say the wordes are in the Originall Aboue that I speake that is thou wilt grant more then I aske or demaund at thy hands testifying heereby the free hearts of true Christians that being prouoked to necessarie holy duties they will oftentimes exceed that whereunto they are desired This being the right order and true interpretation of these wordes in these two verses they are thus much in effect Oh my Brother if thou regardest any good to mee or desirest to pleasure me in that which I desire or delight in let me obtain this benefit good turn at thy hands which wil also be accepted of God being a work of mercy allowed commended in his word refresh I beseech thee my bowels and comfort me in my son Onesimus for what thou dost to him heerin shal be as done to me If thou ask me why I vse so many words and whither I do distrust of thy dealing I answeare that I write nothing at all doubting but altogether trusting thou wilt graunt my request yea assuring my selfe thou wilt shew thy selfe willing to grant more then I haue requested euen to set him free if I should require it Generall Obseruations out of these two Verses These wordes are short but the Obseruations that arise from hence might bee many some I will onely point out and afterward handle others perticularly First of all marke the forcible farewell that the Apostle taketh The Conclusions and Perorations that Orators vse are woont to haue the sharpest edge but they are woont for the most part to bee long and tedious and full of wordes but the Apostle in this place vseth the greatest breuitie with the greatest vehemency Wherein hee repeateth againe the same manner of speech Of refreshing his bowels which we had before in the twelfe Verse Thou therefore receiue him that is mine owne Bowelles Likewise as hee saith Let mee obtaine this pleasure in the Lorde so hee doubleth it Comfort my bowelles in the Lorde This teacheth that repetitions of the same Doctrine are good and profitable to the Church according to the practise of Paul b Phil. 3 1. It greeueth me not to write the same things to you and for you it is a sure thing Let it not therefore greeue vs or offend vs to heare the same Exhortations Reprehensions and Threatnings but rather learne to lay better hold of them at the last then we haue done at the first Secondly by these phrases of obtaining a pleasure and refreshing his bowels we may learne what ioy and comfort the godly do feele receiue in themselues by the raising and restoring of a sinner It is as if wee wanted an hand an eye a foote or an arme and had it giuen vnto vs woulde not this reioyce vs and reuiue vs greatly So is it with the faithfull when they beholde a fellow member with them in Christs bodie restored and coupled with the head from whence it receiueth a gracious influence of all spirituall blessings it ministreth occasion of the greatest ioy that can be vnto thē Thus it ought to be with vs when we see any conuerted to the faith we ought to haue a fellow-feeling of the goodnesse of God bestowed vpon them c Luke 15 10. inasmuch as the Angels themselues reioyce when one sinner is conuerted Thirdly marke what words of beseeching entreating he vseth of praying and desiring him to grant his request albeit by his Apostolicall authority he might command him Whereby we learn that the godly and faithfull are more moued with mildnesse gentlenesse and with