more aboundantly then they all yet not I but the grace of God which is with me So in the Parable of the talents they that vsed their talents well increased much by the vse of them do heare this to their great praise c Math. 25 21 It is well done good seruant faithfull thou hast bin faithfull in little I will make thee Ruler ouer much enter into thy Maisters ioy Moses is reported to be d Heb 3 5. 11 2. faithfull in all the house of God as a seruanr for a Witnesse of the things which shold be spoken after So the Holy Fathers are commended by the Apostle in the Epistle to the Hebrews who through their faith obtaind a good report 3. They are honored of vs by following of their liues and by an imitation of their vertues being as examples and patternes for vs to walke after For this is the glorie of the Saints if wee followe their Fayth Hope Charity Patience Doctrine and other like graces that haue appeared in them The Apostle willeth the Phillippians to be blamelesse and pure as the sonnes of God without rebuke in the midst of a naughty and crooked Nation shining among them as lights in the world and he addeth e Phil. 2 16. Holding fast the word of life that I may reioyce in the day of Christ that I haue not run in vain neither haue laboured in vaine And to this end dooth the Scripture make plentifull recorde of the graces of God giuen to the Saintes that our Faith might be strengthened and confirmed and wee encouraged in all wel-doing This is the right manner of honouring the Saintes and faithfull Seruaunts of God when God is honoured in them and for them when they are praysed and commended and when wee are stirred vp to good things by their example As for Religious Worship of adoration and inuocation of them it is not due vnto them it is proper to God f Reuel 22 9. and the Saints do not desire it or accept it Wherefore it is a notorious slaunder of the Church of Rome cast out against vs that wee contemne and despise the Saints that wee deface them and set them at naught whereas wee honour them as God hath commaunded them to bee honoured and giue them that reuerence that he hath appointed It were horrible impietie to speake reproachfully or to thinke vnreuerently of them whom GOD the Father honoureth whome the Sonne acknowledgeth for his Bretheren and Heyres with him whom the holy spirite calleth his Temple to dwell in The Righteous g Psal 112 6. Prou. 10 7. Luke 1 48. shall bee had in euerlasting remembrance The memoriall of the iust shall be blessed The Virgin Marie saith He hath looked vppon the poore degree of his seruant for beholde from henceforth shall all ages call me blessed On the other side The name of the wicked shall rot h Psal 109 13 and in the generation following it shall be put out But the Romain Church vnder a false Title of honouring the Saints doo hide and couer all their superstitions and bring in their merites and mediation vnder colour of doing reuerence vnto them Now the Scripture hath fore-warned vs that nothing falleth out more often or easily then to erre and offend in honouring of the Saints Christ reprooueth the Scribes and Pharisees i Math. 23 29 who builded the tombs of the Prophets and garnished the Sepulchres of the righteous yet they bare mortall hatred to the Gospel and to the professors of it And he reproueth the Iewes k Iohn 8 44. who magnified the memory of Abraham and boasted themselues to bee his Children yet they shewed themselues to be the children of the deuill and would not do the workes of Abraham But we giue them sufficient honor when we publish their praises and gifts and follow them in our liues as they followed Christ the author and finisher of our faith Vse 3 Thirdly we must beware that vaine-glory be not the end which wee seeke for We are to giue the glory to the Author not to the Instrument to God not to man to the Creator not â—o the Creature When Herod was magnified by the vaine applause of the people and honored for his great guifts as a God l Acts 12 23. Immediately the Angell of the Lord smote him because hee gaue not glory vnto God so that he was eaten of Wormes gaue vp the ghost This is it which Christ obiecteth to the Iewes m Iohn 5 44. How can ye beleeue which receiue honor one of another and seeke not the honour that commeth of God alone Yea this is it which he speaketh of himselfe n Ioh. 8 50 54 I seeke not mine owne praise but there is one that seeketh it iudgeth if I honor my selfe mine honour is nothing worth This vain-glory heere contemned and condemned is as ranke poison to infect as a bitter roote to corrupt and as filthy myre to defile our best workes bee they neuer so excellent What more heauenly worke or profitable dutie can wee performe then to pray vnto God and to call vppon his Name for the prayer of a faithfull man auayleth verie much if it bee feruent yet if it bee a Sacrifice offered with a vaine heart it becommeth vnfruitfull We aske and wee obtaine not because we aske amisse The like might be saide of almes fasting the one a fruite of Faith the other a furtherance of Faith for Charity testifyeth fasting helpeth our Faith if we performe them in hypocrisie hunting after the praise of men not desiring the honour of God wee may haue our reward from men but we cannot receiue any reward from God They shall haue the praise of men they shall not haue the praise of God For as the children of the Prophets among many hearbes gathered one that was bitter and dangerous and shred it into the pot of pottage amongst the rest who when they began to eate cried out and said f 2 King 4 40 O thou man of God death is in the pot So if among the duties we perform to God we mingle the vanity of our own hearts and sprinkle them with the darnell of our owne glory wee may truely say Death is in the worke In all things that we do we must seeke to set forth the glory of God If any man minister g 1 Pet. 4 11. saith Peter let him do it as of the abilitie which God ministreth that God in all things may be glorified through Iesus Christ Likewise the Apostle Paule giueth this precept h 1 Cor 10 31 Whether ye eate or drinke or whatsoeuer yee do doo all to the glorie of God If wee ayme at any other end we misse the marke and marre the worke how good and glorious soeuer it may seeme to bee in the eyes of men For as God seeth not as man seeeth so hee iudgeth not as man iudgeth man looketh vppon the outward appearance but
which requireth his ordinary presence Fourthly it is against the order of Nature the rule of reason and the law of Iustice to take wages for that worke which he doth not performe and to eate where he doth not labour It is a great wrong and iniury done to those that labour in feeding the Flocke to bee denyed to eate of the Milke of the Flocke to do the seruice and another to receiue the reward to take the Corne and to giue others the Straw to sow spirituall things and to be depriued of temporall thinges to beare the burden and to endure the heate of the day and other to come and take away the penny and price for which they couenanted It is a kind of theft to eate without labour and to feed themselues without taking paines Fiftly the danger is very great that groweth both to the Pastors and people by this sin of absence and want of attendance For if any of the Soules which belong vnto their charge doe perrish through their negligence and starue through want of foode they shall be arraigned as guilty of their death and destruction The Prophet Ezekell setteth downe the threatning of God z Ezek. 33 8. When I shall say vnto the wicked O wicked man thou shalt dye the death if thou dost not speake and admonish the wicked of his way that wicked man shall dye for his iniquity but his blood will I require at thine hand Heereunto accordeth the saying of Christ a Math. 15 14 If the Blind lead the Blind both shall fall into the Ditch The losse of the b Ierom. epist ad Furiam flocke is the reproach of the Shepheard and the peoples destruction shall be the Pastors confusion And when the Pastor is absent the people wil soone decline from zeale to coldnesse fall from vertue to vice turne from the worship of God to Idolatry reuolt from the workes of piety to damnable security Let a man with-hold his hand and cease from sowing good seede or vnder-sow his ground by sparing his Corne Thistles and Weedes will spring vp in stead thereof Let a man haue food withdrawne from him and abstaine from nourishment that feedeth the body he shall be filled with winde and fall into weaknesse When Moses was absent from the Children of Istaell but forty daies while he was talking with God in the Mountain c Exod. 32 1. they committed horrible Idolatry and turned the glory of God into the similitude of a Calfe that eateth hay Iehoash the King of Iudah d 2 King 12 2 3. 2 Chro. 24 17 did that which was good in the sight of the Lord all his time that Iehoiada the Priest was with him and taught him but after his death both King and Princes people left the house of the Lorde God of their Fathers and erected Groues and serued Idols so that wrath came vpon them because of this their trespasse This also experience taught the Apostle in the Church of the Galathians while he was present e Gal. 4 18 20. they kept the Faith they turned neither to the right hand nor to the left they did cleaue to the Doctrine of Christs Gospell but when he was gone the false Apostles entred and tooke occasion by his absence to sow Tares among the Wheat and to corrupt the truth with Leauen of false Doctrine When the Shepheard is gone the Wolues may safely enter into the Sheepefold not sparing the Flocke When the Watch-man is gone or fallen asleepe the Enemy may enter and sacke the Citty When the Husbandman that sowed good seede in his fielde is departed f Math. 13 25 the enuious man came and sowed Cockle and Darnell among the Corne. While the people haue the presence and residence of their faithfull Pastor to feede them and to goe in and out before them both in Doctrin and example yet such is the weaknesse of Flesh the corruption of Nature the strength of sin the subtilty of the Enemy the vanity of the world the vnconstancy of humane thinges that they are ready to fall and to giue ouer albeit I say that he be with thē and conuersant among them and remain in the midst of them If then much euill be done while the Ouer-seers are present much more will be committed while they are absent while there is none to stay them while the Bridle is cast in their owne neckes Thus Moses proueth that the people would corrupt themselues and turn from the right way after his death because they had beene rebellious and stiffe-necked he being aliue Deut. 31 27 29. I g Deut. 33. know thy rebellion and thy stiffe-necke behold I being yet aliue with you this day ye are rebellious against the Lord how much more then after my death Sixtly the necessity of hauing the presence of the Pastour continually to call vpon the people appeareth heerein because the danger of the Wolfe is continuall and therefore the vse of the Shepheard is continuall The Apostle telleth the Elders of Ephesus h Acts 20 29. That he knoweth this that aftcr his departing grieuous Wolues would enter in among them not sparing the Flocke Besides Sathan is busie in tempting subtile in vndermining crafty in deceiuing malicious in spoyling and cruell in destroying he compasseth the earth too and and fro and walketh vp and downe in it Now the more diligent the spirituall enemy is the more violent and watchfull ought the Pastour to be If the good man of the House knew at what houre the Theefe would come to rob and to steale doubtlesse he would watch and not suffer his house to bee broken downe Hence it is that Peter saith Be sober and watch i 1 Pet. 5 8 for your aduersary the Deuill as a roaring Lyon walketh about seeking whom he may deuour And surely this is the cause that in some places the people are defiled with all abhominations in other places they are peruerted and seduced by Iesuits and Seminary Priests and in all places grow cold and carelesse in Religion because they want meanes to guide them and stay them in the right way they haue not zealous Pastours to stirre them vp to godlinesse and to driue away the Wolfe farre from them Seuenthly it is of euill report a note of couetousnesse or euill suspicion of it and giueth great offence to the Church of God For where there is an vnnecessary absence of the Minister from his cure and charge hee giueth occasion to suspect that he rather desireth to feed vpon them then to feed them to seeke theirs then them to prey vppon them then to pray with them to possesse their goods then to win their Soules We are commanded to abstaine from all appearance of euill And the Apostle approoueth his Ministery to the consciences of the Corinthians by this k 2 Cor. 12 14 That hee sought not theirs but them Eightly the inconuenience is great that commeth by this absence it is the cause of a Vagrant
like to the Priestes c Num. 7 9. 2 Sam. 6 3. who beeing commaunded to beare the Arke vppon their owne Shoulders did set it vpon a Cart and draw it with Oxen. So ought the Ministers to feede their Flockes themselues and not put them to bee fed of others Some d Damasus epist 4. compare such foolish and idle Pastours that put ouer their charges to others vnto Harlots which so soone as they haue brought forth their Children by and by commit them to be kept and nourished of others that they may sooner giue themselues to their lusts againe Others resemble them to a e Espenc lib. 3. digress ad 1. Timoth. man that doth marry a Wife and being himselfe vnapt for generation or vnwilling to giue due beneuolence is content she become fruitfull and made the Mother of many Children by another Father so is he accounted and presumed to be as vaine a man who being espoused and married to a Church as a man to his Wife doth vse the help of others in getting spirituall Children vnto God Christ Iesus is the Shepheard f 1 Pet. 5 4. the cheefe and great Shepheard of the Sheepe all other Pastours are but his Seruants and Substitutes and therefore themselues being his Deputies they cannot make a Deputy no more then one Seruant discharge himselfe by another So then we must know that they can no more be saide to preach the Word that preach by others then to be resident that are resident by others or to bee godly that lead a godly life by others and thus they may be saued by others and themselues goe to Hell But as euery man is bound to liue godly himselfe so is euery Pastour bound to preach in his owne person This appeareth vnder the comparisons and similitudes of Builders Captaines Ambassadours Stewards and Shepheards which wee spake of before When a man hath made choyce of a skilfull and cunning Builder to build his house the Worke-man hath not done his duty if he put it out to bee finished by another When a Prince hath made choyce of a Generall to lead his Army against the Enemy he may not send another in his roome and himselfe sit idle at home but his alleageance bindeth him to goe in his owne person The like we might say of the rest Thus we haue seene at large that the loue betweene the Pastour and people ouerthroweth the ordinary absence without iust and conscionable causes the one from the other so that if the Minister would assure his owne heart that he loueth the sheepe which he hath taken vpon him to teach he must shew it by feeding them with the wholesome and heauenly pastures of the word of God Secondly it reprooueth such as outwardly are in sheepes cloathing but inwardly are rauening Wolues vnto the Flocke not carefull Pastours not louing Parents but such as haue no prouision no store no food no Bread of Life to breake vnto them but seeke to starue and famish them through want of Milke and meat to put in their mouthes If they be resident and remaine with them and yet doe not instruct them and preach vnto them it is all one as if they were absent from them If there be meat and drinke in the house and none set vpon the Table or giuen to the Children they may dye and perish for hunger These idle Drones are no better then Murtherers and Man-slayers nay Soule-slayers which is the greatest and most bloody Murther For as the Steward that should feede the bodies of such as are in the Family and pineth them to death is a Murtherer and the Nurse that vndertaketh the nourishing of the Childe and yet eyther through daintinesse or idlenesse or wilfulnesse will not draw out the breast but suffereth the Child to languish and perish is a Murtherer of the Childe so such as are Stewards of Gods house and Nurses of Gods people yet feede not their Soules but starue them to death are Bloud-suckers and Murtherers in the highest degree They are worse then the Canibals that liue vpon bloud for these liue vpon the soules of men and carry them head-long to Hell The Lord complaineth in the Prophet g Hos 4 6. That the people perish through want of knowledge Such as are blindely led doe fall into the Ditch with their blind Leaders The bloud of such as perish in their ignorance through want of teaching h Ezek. 3 18. shall be required at the Watch-mans hand The Prophet Dauid hauing the Water of the well of Bethlehem that he longed and lusted to tast brought vnto him i 2 Sam. 23 17 yet would not drinke thereof when he had it but poured it for an offering vnto the Lord because it was the bloud of the men that went in ieopardy of their liues O that these men would consider of their sinne and had a feeling of their iniquity that they eate and drinke the bloud of Men and maintaine themselues by the destruction of their soules Suppose he lead an vnblameable life giue good example to others keepe hospitality fill their bellies make peace among his Neighbours be able priuately to exhort and comfort them and to performe other common workes of Charity yet he hath not discharged the duty of a Minister vnlesse he preach vnto them diligently and faithfully and diuide the word of truth aright Vse 3. Lastly seeing the Minister and people ought to be as Father and Sonne this sheweth the duty of the people that are vnder their Ministery that they regard their Ministers as their Parents honouring them yeelding them due recompence esteeming them as Fellow-workers with God to beget them to Christ to turne them to Saluation to nourish them vp and continue them in the estate of Christ Nay we should account of them if it be possible more then of naturall Parents Of our Parents wee haue receiued onely to be Of our Ministers we haue receiued to be well Of our Parents we haue taken our first birth of our Ministers we haue obtained our second birth Of our Parents we haue beene brought into the World by Generation of our Ministers we haue bin brought into the Church by Regeneration Our first begetting was to death our second or new birth is to Life and Saluation By the first birth wee are Heires of Wrath by the second we are made the Sonnes of God So then if it be better for vs to be borne againe of Water and the Holy Ghost k Iohn 1 13. which cannot proceede from the will of the flesh nor from the will of Man but of God we ought to esteeme of those that are Instruments of our Regeneration as dearelie and tenderly as if they were our Parents and to say with the Apostle l Rom. 10 15 How beautifull are the Feete of them which bring glad tydings of pcace and bring glad tydings of good thinges Hence it is that he speaketh to the Thessalonians m 1 Thes 5 12 We
for vs euen when we ohld our peace Vse 2 Secondly we see that Christian poillicy is not against Common-wealth policy so that there is no State vnder heauen whether entertaining the regiment of one or of many but may giue entertainment to the Gospell For seeing it medleth not with matters of ciuill gouernement whether it bee a free state or depending of others it shall receiue no impeachment or detriment in temporall affayres Our Sauiour teacheth h Iohn 28 36 That his kingdome is not of this world but spirituall for the soule Conscience When one came vnto Christ and intreated him to bidde his Brother diuide the with him i Lu. 12 13 14 he saide vnto him Man who made me a Iudge or a diuider ouer you When tribute was required by the Officers and Receiuers he sent Peter k Math. 17. 25. to pay it declaring by his willing obedience that ciuill pollicy is not taken away by the preaching of the Gospell Against the Anabaptists This serueth to ouerthrow two sorts of Heretickes both of them enemies to the Crowne and Dignity of Princes the Anabaptists who take away Magistracy and despise gouernment and the Papistes who followe apace after them and if they make hast as they beginne they wil soone ouertake them The Anabaptists take away all dominion and power denie Magistracy to be lawfull take away the propriety of things and will haue all things common These are such as the Apostle Iude prophesied of in his Epistle l Iude 8. which despise gouernment and speake euill of them that are in authority Their error or rather heresie they ground vpon diuers places of Scripture which we will breefely answere Obiection 1. First they obiect that Christ saith m Math. 5 39. Resist not euill which is required of al Christians What vse then is there of the Magistrat who beareth the sword and resisteth euill Answere I answere Christ in these words exhorteth vs to christian patience and reproueth priuate reuenge he doth not abrogate the Office of the Magistrate as appeareth by the words of Christ if they be aright considered For he doth not say if any man shall strike thy neighbour on the right cheek command him to turn the left also neither doth he say if any wil sue his neighbor at the law take away his coat charge and require him to deliuer his cloak also but whosoeuer shal giue thee a blow on the right cheek turne thou to him the left also if a man shal take away thy coat let go thy cloke also Wherefore it appeareth that this concerneth priuat persons not publick Magistrates Againe To resist euil is not simply and in it selfe euill but to do euill is euil indeed For if it were simply euil in it selfe no housholder among Christians should withstand and resist the euils of his house but suffer them to do what they list and lay the bridle in their owne necke No Schoolemaister shall bridle the folly and licentiousnesse of youth which the rod of correction doth driue away no Father shall bee allowed to chastise and punnish his children but must let them alone to run into al euil If these things be absurd vnworthy the person and doctrine of Christ it followeth that it is not simply absolutely forbidden to resist euil For what is the Magistrat else in the commonwealth then as an housholder among his family as a schoolmaister among his schollers as a father among his children nay if there be neede any where of a Christian Magistrate it is among faithfull Christians that is amongest those that doe not reuenge themselues but are patient before their oppressors as the Sheepe that is dumbe before his shearers The Children of this world are like brute beastes who as they make no conscience of wrong so they make no conscience of reuenge Obiection 2. Secondly they obiect that we are charged to stand fast in the liberty which Christ hath purchased for vs and wherby he hath set vs free Gal. 5 Answere I answer this is to be vnderstood of spirituall liberty not ciuill the liberty of Conscience not of obedience of Christian liberty not Anabaptisticall For the liberty of Christ is a freedome from the power of Satan of sinne of death of hell and of condemnation it is not a freedome from the power of Princes and an exempting of men from ciuill subiection Obiection 3 The third obiection is that Kings sonnes are free from tribute and therefore from subiection Math. 17 26. Answere I answere though all Christians be made the sonnes of God yet Christ Iesus speaketh that of himselfe who according to his deity was the naturall sonne of God and according to his humanity byrth into the world was of the linage of Dauid and heire to the crown and kingdome and consequently was freed from payment of tribute But this serueth nothing to free men from Magistrates and the duties wee owe vnto them Obiection 4 Fourthly the Apostle saith Ye are bought with a price be ye not the Seruants of men 1 Cor. 7 23. But Magistracie maketh vs the seruants of men Answere I aunswere this toucheth nothing the calling of Magistrates but teacheth that in matters of Religion we should not depend vppon the aurhoritg of men or hang vpon their sleeue as the Corinthians did who are reproued for addicting themselues some to one teacher some to another This is to make men Lords of our faith To conclude wee must know that the Magistrate is the Minister of God and hath receiued from God not an absolute power to do what he list but a limited power n Rom 13 1 2 to take vengeance of the wicked to countenance the godly that so we may liue a peaceable and quier life in all godlinesse and honesty He is the keeper of both the Tables of the Law he executeth Iustice and iudgement without respect of persons hee abolisheth Idolatry and maintaineth publicke tranquility without whom one of vs coulde not liue by another but men would bee as Wolues and wilde beasts one to another so that the Anabaptists that would abolish this ordinance of God are enemies to religion to godlinesse to equity to honesty to peace and quietnesse Against the Popes and Iesuites Secondly the Popes Iesuites and Papists that hang vppon the Pope as vpon their God doth cut short the authority of Princes thar they may establish an absolute soueraignty and supremacy of Antichrist the man of sinne who tyrannizeth ouer mens Consciences and aduanceth himselfe aboue all Kings and Emperors and Magistrats of the earth Hence it is that the Priests and Iesuites bring in an immunity and exemption of the Cleargy from the authority of the ciuill Magistrate and secular powers which is a kinde of rebellion this is claimed as a priuiledge belonging vnto them by the whole Roman Cleargy Againe the Iesuites are medlers in State-matters in establishing and deposing
euident that some of them are false and manie of them verie vncertaine Of this sort is the former Epistle to the Corinthians which is sayde to bee written from Philippi and likewise to bee sent by Stephanas and Fortunatus c. where two thinges are auouched and both of them seeme to bee false For first it appeareth a 1 Cor. 16 5. that he was not then ar Phillippi a cheefe Citty in Macedonia that is in Europe b 1 Cor. 16. 8. 19. but at Ephesus which is in Asia Secondly it may be gathered that it was sent by the hands of Timotheus and Erastus c 1 Cor. 16. 10. partly out of that Epistle and partly out of the Actes of the d Acts 19. 21 22. Apostles The like we may say of the Post-script of the latter Epistle of both the Epistles to the Thessalonians of both the Epistles to Timothy of that to Titus and others And as we shew that these Post-scripts whether true or false were not written by the Apostles but by some other men after their dayes e Beza for the most part either vnlearned or not so well aduised so we might affirme and confirme the same touching the Inscriptions or titles prefixed and set before the Epistles of Paule Iames and the rest For first both the inscriptions and subscriptions are variably set downe in Coppies that there can no certainety be gathered out of them which of them should stand as Authenticall Secondly some of them haue both strange and vnfit Titles as when the seauen Epistles written by Iames Peter Iohn and Iude are called sometimes Canonicall and sometimes Catholique Epistles which are Names not found in the Scriptures and seeming derogatory to the rest of the Epistles as though none were Canonicall but they Thus much shall serue and suffice to giue warning both touching Inscriptions and Subscriptions both which are of one stampe and no part of the pure word of God whereof more might be spoken if it were eyther necessary or profitable or expedient Obseruations pointed out in this verse The next point according to the order obserued in the former wordes is to point out such obseruations as might be enlarged and amplified for our instruction First of all we see heere that as in the entrance of the Epistle and as it were at their first meeting he wished vnto him the Grace of Christ so he doth in the farewell and departing thereby teaching that nothing is better or more to be desired then his Grace that all our Salutations and Farewels should be grounded in his Grace this must be the beginning and the ending of all our talke and communication Secondly when the Sonne of God is called Iesus wee obserue againe that he is a perfect and absolute Sauiour the alone Sauiour inasmuch as the worke of our Saluation and Redemption is wholly and onely wrought out by him and no part left vnfinished and reserued for any Creature in heauen or in earth f Acts 4 12. For among Men there is no other Name giuen vnder Heauen whereby we may be saued but by the name of Iesus And the Apostle saith Heb. 7. g Heb. 7 25. He is able perfectly to saue them that come vnto God by him seeing he euer liueth to make intercession for them Let vs learne by this Name giuen to the Sonne by the Father and brought from Heauen by an Angell that in our selues we are as lost Sheepe and going astray We are wretched Sinners lying vnder the heauy wrath of God hee came to seeke and to saue that which is lost Wee are Prisoners he came to set vs at liberty we are wounded he came to cure vs we are dead hee came to restore and reuiue vs. No man can truely and with a feeling heart say Christ is my Sauiour vnlesse he finde that without him he is vtterly lost and cast away Againe this is a wonderfull comfort to our hearts that beeing shut vp vnder sinne and condemnation the Lord had mercy vpon vs and made an euerlasting Couenant of Grace with vs that his owne Sonne shall bee our Redeemer Hence it is that the Angels h 1 Pet. 1 12. Who desire to looke into the Mysteries of the Gospell so greatly reioyced when Christ was borne and themselues sent to publish the glad tydings thereof Luke 2. i Luk. 2 10 11 Behold I bring you tydings of great ioy that shall be to all the people that vnto you is borne in the Citty of Dauid a Sauiour which is Christ the Lord. If these blessed Spirits bee thus affected at the birth of Christ who came not to bee a Sauiour and Redeemer vnto them because they did want the benefit of Redemption how much more ought we to reioyce whom this glorious worke doth cheefely concerne yea so much that if we wanted this Sauiour it had beene better with the Beastes of the field and the creeping thinges of the Earth and the Fishes of the Sea and the Fowles of the Ayre then with vs with vs I say that were fallen from him For the end of the vnreasonable Creature is the ende of his woe but the death of man without a Mediator is the beginning of woe Thirdly the Sonne of God is called Christ which signifieth as much as annointed In the time of the Old Testament three sorts of men were annointed with Materiall Oyle Kings Prophets and Priests This Legall annointing was a Type and Figure of the annointing of Christ let is who k Iohn 6 17. was set apart from all Eternity to doe the Office of a Media our beetweene GOD and Man l Psal 45. 7. Esay 61 1. Iohn 3 34. and had the fulnesse of the Spirit powred into his Man-hoode and therefore hee is a King to gather and gouerne his Church a Prophet to reueale and teach the will of his Father a Priest to make satisfaction and intercession for the sinnes of his people From nence we learne that when we are baptized into Christ and are called to the profession of the Gospell we are after a sort consecrated and set apart to bee m Reuel 1 6. spirituall Kings spirituall Prophets and spirituall Priests we haue the same Oyle of gladnesse not indeed as he hath it which is without measure but a small pittance of it and a little measure whereby we are called Christians of Christ that is men annointed with the Oyle wherewith Christ himselfe was annointed albeit in a farre inferiour degree This the Apostle Iohn setteth downe n 1 Iohn 2 27. The annointing which ye receiued of him dwelleth in you c. and that same annointing teacheth you all thinges Euery one pleaseth himselfe in the title of a Christian all men chalenge the name of Christians as their proper right and would cry out of extreame wrong to be denied a portion in this honour but aske them what Christ signifieth and how themselues become Christians they are able to answeare nothing at all
we dare do not so much only as we ought to do not considering how lawfull it is but how powerfull we are how weake they are All the prophane Histories are full of worthy examples of many Seruants who are commended for their trust and faithfulnesse Wittinesse and Courage Might and Magnanimity to all posterity and haue not doubted to giue their liues to death in their Maisters quarrell It is not therefore much to bee maruelled at that the Apostle perceiuing how t Heb. 4 12. Mighty the word had bin in Operation vpon Philemons Seruant doth account him as his Sonne and seeketh to reconcile him to his Maister in which respect he was willing and desirous to haue u Phile. 13 14 kept him with him to Minister vnto him He claimeth some authoritie ouer him being his spirituall Father howbeit because he was not only his Sonne but also another mans Seruant he would not retaine him without his Maisters knowledge Let them not therefore for their low degree be contemned nor haue the meanes of instruction denied vnto them Thus I haue set downe to thy view Christian Reader the scope of this Epistle wherein the Apostle in a narrow compasse doth couch together many Mysteries of our Religion which I haue laboured to lay open in this Commentary And howsoeuer the worke is growne in bignesse extended in length vnder mine hands more then at the first I purposed and intended yet I hope the manner of handling heerein obserued shall easily recompence thy labour bestowed in reading I cannot in few words comprehend the matters that are heere and there dispersed throughout the Booke Among many other these points are principally handled Touching affliction for the truth and persecution for righteousnesse sake Touching Christian Equity and Moderation Touching Gods free grace forgiuing offences Touching houshold Gouernment and Priuate possessions Touching the conuersion of Sinners and the Communion of Saintes Touching Faith and Good Workes Touching Friendship and Surety-ship Touching Prayer and Hospitality Touching the Gospell and Almes-deeds Touching Gods prouidence and of the force fruite of the Ministry as is more at large to be seen in the Table of the doctrines Accept I pray thee the paines I haue taken in the discussing of these points pardon the escapes if any be into which I haue fallen as in trauelling so long a iourney it is easie to fall into a slumber and wheresoeuer thou vnderstandest the hand of God to haue beene with me in publishing the truth giue him the glory ascribe the praise vnto his great name to whose grace goodnesse I commend thee Thine in our common Sauiour William Attersoll A BRIEFE RECAPITVLATION OF ALL THE DOCTRINES HANDLED AT LARGE IN THIS EPISTLE Out of the Praeface THe course of the Gospell cannot bee stopped but will haue his passage in the world page 1. The Argument and occasion of the Epistle together with the vses thereof page 7. Verse 1 and 2. Doct. 1. Good things must be followed and sought after earnestly and feruently not coldly and carelesly pag. 9 Doct. 2. It is no disgrace or reproch to the Seruants of God to bee cast into prison for the Gospels sake pag 12. Doct. 3. The persecutions of all true Christians are the persecutions of Christ Iesus when they are imprisoned for Christs sake page 15. Doct. 4. All good duties to God or man are better doone by the helpe of others then alone by our selues pa 21 Doct. 5. A christian friend wil performe any christian duty to his friend page 25. Doct. 6. Christian women should be helpers vnto their husbandes as heires together of the grace of life page 29 Doct. 7. The calling of a Minister is a painfull and laborious a needefull and troublesome calling page 33. Doct. 8. It is the duty of all house-holders to teach and instruct their families that belong vnto them page 38 Verse 3. Doct. 1. The free fauour and mercy of God in Christ Iesus is first and aboue all other things to be desired and prayed for page 48 Doct. 2. Such as are in Gods fauor haue his blessings flowing vnto them and following them page 55 Doct. 3. All blessings temporall and eternall are to be craued from God alone in Christ Iesus page 61 Verse 4 and 5. Doct 1. Men ought to take cause of great ioy to see others growe and proceed in good things page 68 Doct. 2. It is the nature of faith to apply the mercies and promises of God to our owne selues page 76 Doct. 3. It is the duty of the faithfull to pray not onely for themselues but also for others page 82 Doct. 4. True Religion must not onely bee inwardly beleeued but also outwardly confessed and openly professed page 86 Doct. 5. Faith and Loue are the cheefest thinges that commend a man to God and his Church page 95 Doct. 6. Faith in Christ and Loue to the Saints do alwaies go together in all the seruants of God pag. 99. Doct. 7. Christ must be the Obiect of our faith we must looke vnto him and depend vpon him page 106 Doct. 8. The workes of mercy are especially and aboue before others to be shewed to the poore Saints that are godly 111 Doct. 9. Such as truely beleeue in Christ and belong to him are Saints page 117 Verse 6 and 7. Doct. 1. It is our duty to stir vp our selues and others to encrease in good things page 126 Doct. 2. The guifts which we haue receiued must not lye hid in vs but be employed to the good of others 140 Doct. 3. The goodnesse of God bestowed vpon our selus or others must be published abroad and made known to others page 142 Doct. 4. The spiritual graces of God bestowed vpon others doe giue occasion of ioy to the Saints pa. 147 Doct. 5. The workes of mercie are to bee shewed to the poore distressed Saints page 154 Verse 8 and 9. Doct. 1. The Office of the Pastour and Minister of God is an Office of power and authority vnder christ 163 Doct. 2. Gentle meanes are to bee vsed rather then seuere to perswade men to holy duties page 172 Doct. 3. Superiors in guifts or age or both are to bee reuerenced and regarded aboue others pa. 177. Verse 10. Doct. 1. The least and lowest member conuerted to Christ must not bee contemned or condemned page 184 Doct. 2. The same affection that is betweene the Father and the Sonne ought to be betweene the Minister the people committed vnto him 189 Doct. 3. The preaching of the word is the ordinary meanes and instrument of our conuersion and regeneration page 205 Verse 11. and 12. Doct. 1. Christian religion maketh a man profitable and helpfull vnto others that before hath been iniurious and hurtfull page 227. Doct. 2. In godly religious and reformed families are many times vngodly obstinate and vnreformed persons both Children and Seruaunts page 237 Doct. 3. Former Offences albeit great and heynous vppon true repentance are to bee
easily bee resisted by the power of man nay it would in time fall downe of it selfe But seeing the whose Scripture is inspired of God and the doctrine thereof hath him for the Authour the light of it cannot be quenched Thus doth Gamaliell reason in the Councell f Acts 5 39. If this be of God ye cannot destroy it least ye be found euen fighters against God Who can prosper that prouoketh God Or who can look for good successe that fighteth against God and against his ordinances Reason 2. Againe God will bring their deuises to naught and confound all their endeuours that goe about to hinder the course of his word Although they band themselues together and assemble against the Lord and against his annointed yet he that dwelleth in the Heauens shall laugh and haue them in derision hee will breake their bandes and crush them in peeces like a Potters Vessell This the Prophet teacheth Psal 33. g Psal 33 10 11. The Lord breaketh the Counsell of the Heathen and bringeth to naught the deuises of the people The Counsell of the Lord shall stand for euer and the thoughts of his heart throughout all Ages Seeing therefore that the Doctrine of the Gospell is of God and that hee will dash them in peeces with a Scepter of Iron that stop the course of it we may truly conclude that the course thereof cannot be hindered Vse 1. The Vses of this point are many which I purpose breefely to point out that we may proceede First waigh with mee from hence the excellency of the word of God Who is ignorant what opposition hath been and is made against it What resisting and contradiction Yet it keepes on his course and hath his passage in the world and runneth through the whole Earth The Apostle declareth That the thinges which came vnto him turned rather to the furthering then to the hindring of the Gospell h Phil. 1 13. so that his bands in Christ were famous throughout all the Iudgement Hall and in all other places So he saith afterward in this Epistle which we haue in hand I beseech thee for my Sonne Onesimus whom I haue begotten in my bondes Was it not enough for the Apostle to labour when he was free and his Feete at liberty but hee must also spread the Net to catch men in Prison The light of Gods truth can neuer be put out the heat of it cannot bee smothered the power of it cannot bee broken Though the Teachers and Preachers of the word may bee stocked and stoned hewen asunder burned with the Fire slaine with the Sword clapt vp in Prison and fettered in chaines yet the word it selfe i Heb. 4 12. is liuelie and mighty in operation it entreth deepely it discerneth sharpely the thoughts and intentes of the heart True it is therefore the Ministers of the Gospell may be bound but the Gospell it selfe cannot be bound Their hands are bound and their feete are chained when the tongue is at liberty to vtter the gracious and glorious promises of the Gospell Nothing can binde the tongue but feare and infidelity If a man binde an Husbandman he hinders his sowing for he soweth with his handes but the teachers being bound the word is not bound for they sow with the tongue Let vt therefore acknowledge that the preaching of the Gospell hath in it a Diuine power nothing can be matched with it nothing can be compared vnto it The Deuill is called in the Scriptures by sundry Names to declare his power the God of the World the Prince of the Ayre the strong man that ruleth the House and he cannot be displaced and dispossessed but by a stronger But the Gospell is stronger then all the power of Sathan and is able to throw him out for it gathereth a Church where he hath his Throne and ruleth in the hearts of the Children of disobedience it deliuereth men from the power of the Deuill and bringeth them into the glorious liberty of the Sonnes of God If a man were in the shaddow of death and had one foote in Hell the word of God is able to bring him backe againe This is it which our Sauiour said to the seauentie Disciples when they returned from preaching the Gospell and confirming it by Miracles that followed it i Luke 10 18. I saw Sathan like Lightning fall downe from Heauen Where he teacheth that albeit Sathan be strong yet the Gospell is stronger so that he cannot stand before it He hath his ouerthrow by it and falleth downe before it as Dagon did before the Arke So the Apostle sheweth k Act. 26 18. that he was called and sent to Open the eyes of the blind that they might be turned from darknesse to light and from the power of Sathan vnto God We see it also in the example of Christ himselfe vpon the Crosse who conuerted the Theefe gaue him faith and repentance and assured him of eternall blessednesse in the heauens The Apostles were forbidden to preach the Gospell through the mallice and madnesse of the High-priestes they were apprehended and imprisoned they were scourged and euilly intreated yet they regarded not the wordes they despised the threatnings of all their enemies and continued to sound out the Gospell in all places Paul and Silas praied and sung Psalmes vnto God in prison and I gained the Iayler to the Faith l Acts 16 30. verifying that which the Apostle speaks in another place m 2 Tim. 2 9. I suffer trouble as an euill doer euen vnto bondes but the word of God is not bound Indeede sometimes it falleth out that the holy Seruants of God haue their hands tyed their feet fettered their bodies imprisoned their tongues cut out that they cannot speake to the people but euen then the word is not bound for then their constant suffering and patient bearing of the crosse doth as by a liuely voyce publish and proclaime the truth of the Gospell for which they suffer and serueth to win many to the Faith of Christ So then the patient suffering of the faithfull though they speake not with their tongues is as a solemne preaching and hath the nature of an effectuall Sermon to gaine many to the Faith Vse 2. Secondly wee see it is in vaine to set our selues against the Gospell of Christ and the Ministers of God that bring it vnto vs. True it is the World endeuoreth nothing more then to hinder the truth and to drowne all memory of the glad tidings of saluation but all their labour is lost and all their purposes shal be frustrate The Tyrants of the Earth may bind the professors of the Gospell but the Gospell it selfe they cannot binde and the course of it they cannot withstand Paul was cast into prison yet he freely preached the Gospell of the Kingdome to all that came vnto him Let all those that say it is in vaine to serue God and to pray vnto him know for a surety that it
Catechizing of our youth teaching of the ignorant reading of the Scriptures singing of Psalmes conferring one with another examining of our people a Math. 13 51 taking an account how they profite comforting them that are weak encouraging them that are willing discountenancing them that are froward and vntoward shewing gentlenesse vnto all suffering the euill and instructing them with meekenesse that are contrary minded Thus doing we shall beginne a Church in our houses we shall erect a temple and Tabernacle vnto God and giue to those that liue with vs and depend vppon vs an entrance into the Kingdome of Heauen But alasse May wee speake and write to many Maisters in our times as Paule doth in this place to Philemon May we truly call their priuate houses little Churches by reason of the exercises of Religion vsed in them Nay I would to God there were not great multitudes swarming among vs which haue such dissolute and disordered houses so farre from being Images and likenesses of a Church that they are liuely pictures of the prophane World and very representations of the Kingdome of darknesse and of the bottomlesse pit of Hell These men howsoeuer they shroude themselues vnder the names of Christians and would bee accounted faithfull men yet it is manifest that they are farre from true Christianitie and from a godly and religious minde For shall they bee esteemed sound and sincere b What the houses of the vngodly are Christians that suffer their Families to bee full of swearing lying railing roysting quarrelling contention and all other wickednesse and neuer goe about to examine them or exhort them to any goodnesse So that it is a very hell to dwell in them a very death to liue in thē a loathsome and stinking person to remaine in them yea a foule and filthy lakes to abide in them wherein all vnsauoury and vnseasoned practises are contained and continued I dare boldly auouch and constantly defend that a man were farre better to thrust his Sonne into a Pest-house or place of infection then to commit him to such Maisters of misrule and teachers of all abhominations most noysome and dangerous to Soule and Bodie where those corruptions are quickly learned which are afterward hardly forgotten and bred in the bone which are not easily remooued out of the flesh We vsually and commonly say of him that liueth in a contagious place Lorde haue mercy vpon him but much rather and farre better may wee say and pray for such as are in leud and vngodly houses Lord be mercifull vnto them and deliuer them from euill For if the plague and pestilence walke among vs and we among them they can but kill the body and make an end of this Mortall life but the contagion of sinne will bring fearefull destruction both vppon Soule and Body and will root out whole Houses and Families wast Townes and Citties and consume vtterly Countries and Kingdomes We see how by the instinct of Nature Parents haue a care to place their Children where they may be well vsed and where they may bee well prouided for that they want nothing but what folly is this to looke to the body and to haue no respect to the Soule To be curious in the least and carelesse in the principall thing To see that the backe bee cloathed and the belly filled and neuer require or inquire how the soule which is the chiefest part bee prouided for and sustained To be angry if they want food for this life and yet to seeme pleased and contented though they neuer tast of that bread and of that meat which indureth to euerlasting life It hath alwaies beene otherwise with faithfull Gouernours and Christian Parents they haue made conscience of their duties to God and their Families It is noted touching Iacob when hee was to goe to Bethell the house of God c Gen. 35 2. he sanctified and prepared his people he reformed and redressed the abuses that were crept in among them before they came to the worship of God Abraham had in his house three hundred and eighteene persons which hee had well instructed d Gen. 14 14. who were ready to aduenture their liues with him in the battell The Apostle giueth this commendation to Timothy That he had knowne the Scriptures of a Childe who are able to make him wise vnto saluation e 2 Tim. 3 15 through the faith which is in Christ Iesus His first yeares as it were the first fruits of his age were seasoned with the doctrine of Christ which was doone by a familiar and easie order of instructing him Our gouernment therefore ouer others must not be a meete ciuill gouernment as the gouernment of most men is but a religious gouernment to feede the soule as well as the bodie to prouide for the life to come as well as for this present life Vse 4. Fourthly it is required of vs to bring our seuerall Families to the publique exercises of Religion of the word and prayers that we may know how to vse and practise these aright within the Walles of our priuate houses It is not enough for vs to serue God alone by our selues and to plant true Religion in our owne hearts but wee must endeuour to bring others to God especially those that are neerest vnto vs. It is not enough for vs nor a sufficient discharge of our duties to goe to the Church our selues and to frequent the places of Gods publike worship f Math. 21 13 to come to the house of Prayer and to attend to the preaching of the word on the Lords day but wee must looke to our Children and Seruants we must haue an eye ouer them we must see that they be not absent but present and when they are present that they attend and hearken to the Ministery of the word and when as they are departed we must know what they haue profited When we send our Seruants to the Market we will see what they bring home and how they haue prouided for our bodies much more when we send them to the Market of their Soules should we require an accounts of them where they haue beene and what they haue done and how they haue heard How many are there among vs that haue a care to come to this place themselues that haue no conscience to looke to their Children whose saluation should bee as deare and as much desired as their owne Yea euen among you that are at this present in this place if diuers were asked Indeed heere you are here you sit but where are your Sons where your Daughters Where are your Man-Seruants where your Maides for whose Soules ye must giue an account what reasonable aunswere could ye make Nay how many are there to be found who if they haue their worke well done on the weeke-daies care not what they do how they behaue themselues or where they become vppon the Sabbaoth day And so they make themselues guilty and partakers of their sinnes through
Answer I answer It is a generall rule in all Arts and true in Diuinity That which is vnderstood is not wanting So then the holy Ghost the third person in Trinity is not omitted though not expressed for he must of necessity be vnderstood who proceedeth from them both namely from the Father and the Sonne Christ saith in his m Iohn 17. Prayer This is eternall life to know thee to be the onely true God and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ yet the holy Ghost in this place is not excluded from both the persons but included and comprehended together with them for these three are one n Iohn 5. as the Apostle teacheth Thus much touching the order and meaning of the words Now let vs proceede to the obseruations out of the same and then come to the Doctrines Obseruations out of this ver The obseruations out of this verse containing the salutation are not many which we will point out First of all we see the matter of his Prayer what it is he asketh not the fauour of Men but of God he craueth not earthly and worldly peace but spirituall and heauenly True it is the fauour and good will of Men the outward peace and tranquilitie one with another are worthy and excellent guiftes but the free and fatherly fauour of God together with peace with GOD the Father beeing reconciled vnto vs in his deare Sonne are much to be preferred in our desires Heereby wee haue that peace o Phil. 4 7. of conscience which passeth all vnderstanding which teacheth vs to rest in God as in a most louing Father with all confidence and assurance Secondly as wee learne cheefelie to aske spirituall blessings so wee see what blessings among such as are spirituall are the principall and predominant to wit the fauour of God and peace of conscience He that is possessed of these two hath an hid Mine of Treasures with which all the Wealth and Riches of the World are not to bee compared vnto For these blessings are heauenly are spirituall are eternall whereas the substance of this World is Temporall is Transitorie is corruptible The Worlde it selfe must passe and vanish away and all these earthly things must decay and perish with it Thirdly the Apostle in some of his Epistles vseth three wordes p 1 Tim. 1 2. and 2 Tim 1 2. 2 Iohn 3. Grace Mercy and Peace heere hee contenteth himselfe with naming two Grace and Peace omitting and leauing out Mercy wherein there is no contrariety or diuersity for as much as Mercy is included vnder Peace For by Mercy is vnderstood our Iustification which consisteth partly in the forgiuenesse of our sinnes and partly in the imputation of Christs righteousnesse which do bring true peace with them Fourthly we see from whom hee asketh all these to wit first from God the Father to teach that he is the Authour of euery good giuing and perfect guift If then we stand in neede of them we must goe to him we must aske them of him we can receiue them of none but of him q Iam. 1 5 17 as the Apostle Iames teacheth Fiftly we see that to God the Father he ioyneth Iesus Christ for all blessings are bestowed vpon vs through Christ the Mediator of the New Testament God the Father is the Fountaine Christ is the Pipe or Cunduit by whom they are conueied vnto vs. He that hath not him hath not the Father Hee that is not in him remaineth in death Hence it is that the Euangelist saith r Iohn 3 36. He that beleeueth in the Sonne hath euerlasting life and hee that obeyeth not the Sonne shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him Sixtly obserue the Title giuen vnto him he is called the Lord of his Church it is a Kingdome whereof he is the Prince it is a Citty whereof he is the Gouernor it is an house whereof he is the Maister it is a body whereof he is the head So then all obedience is due to him and all men how great soeuer must acknowledge his Lordship ouer them Lastly in that he craueth grace and peace from Christ our Lord as well as from God the Father it confirmeth our Faith in a Fundamentall point of Christian Religion touching the Deity of Christ n Phil. 2 6. Who is GOD equall with the Father against the Arrians and other Heretiques that deny his Eternity For seeing hee giueth grace and peace as well as the Father we conclude him to be true God Co-eternall and Co-equall with the Father Grace c. This word in the Scripture hath two significations the ignorance whereof hath bred great errour and be one the occasion of stumbling in the Church of Rome First it signifieth Gods good will and fauour Secondlie some guift of God freely bestowed which is grace of his grace and so the o Rom. 5 15. Apostle doth distinguish the grace of God from the gift that is by grace In this place we must vnderstand not any particular gift of God infused into vs as faith hope loue and such like but the free fauour and loue of God whereby he accepteth of some in Christ for his owne Children for wee see heere it is discerned and distinguished from peace which is a guift of Grace and therefore cannot signifie the same thing This grace and good will of God is the Fountaine of all Gods blessings and the foundation of all mans happinesse All that we haue is of Grace it is the beginning of all good thinges in vs. Our p Rom. 11 5. 2 Tim. 1 9. Rom 3 24. Ezek. 36 27. Ephe. 2 10. Rom. 6 23. Election Redemption Vocation Iustification Sanctification Glorification is of grace onely we can ascribe nothing to our selues Now in this Diuine Salutation and Apostolicall Benediction mark that the Apostle beginneth with this grace Doct. 1. The free fauor of God is of vs chiefely to be desired From hence we learne that the fauour of God is to be sought for aboue all other thinges The free grace and vndeserued loue of God is the first and highest and onely cause of all blessings is aboue al things to be desired and intreated at the hands of God Consider the example of Dauid Psal 4. Many say q Psal 4 6. who will shew vs any good But Lord lift thou vp the light of thy countenance vpon me As if he should say let worldly men seek what they will and let them place their happinesse in riches pleasures and vanities but my desire is after thy loue and fauour aboue all Hence it is that he calleth and accounteth God his portion r Psal 16 5. 18 2. his lot his inheritance his rocke his refuge his shield and Castle of defence to shew that all his ioy was in Gods fauour all his comfort in Gods loue and that he preferred his grace before all thinges in the world besides This affection is also expressed in the
chalenge the name of Saints Reason 2. Secondly the seruants of God must be Saintes to the end there may be a conformity and likenesse vnto him that hath had mercy vpon vs. It is requisite that there should be a resemblance betweene God and his people God is holy it is one of his names he is called the holy one Christ is holy and he is called the holy one of God Seeing therefore God is holy that hath called vs it followeth that holinesse belongeth vnto vs. The sonne beareth the Image of his father and thereby is easily knowne whose sonne he is If we be the sonnes of God we must expresse his Image in holines and true righteousnes This is it which Moses declareth and repeateth Leuit. 11. i Leuit 11. 44. I am the Lord your God be sanctified therefore and be holy for I am holy and defile not your selues with any creeping thing that creepeth vpon the earth Heereunto accordeth the saying of the Apostle Peter k 1 Pet 1. 14. 15. As obedient Children fashion not your selues vnto the former lustes of your ignorance but as he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conuersation because it is written be ye holy for I am holy If then he that is the God of all the Saintes be holy if it be one of his essentiall attributes so that he can no more cease to be holy then he can cease to be God the Saintes themselues must be Saintes not onely in name but in deed they must be transformd into a likenes of him they must shew the fruites of holines and be partakers of the diuine nature in that they flee the corruption which is in the world through lust Reason 3. Thirdly the faithfull are called by the name of Saintes that there might be a difference betweene that which we haue of our selues and that which wee receiue from God betweene the old man and the new man betweene our first birth and our second birth betweene nature and grace No man is a Saint by nature we haue not holines from our selues but we are strangers to it and that is a stranger to vs nay we are enemies to holines who loue nothing else but prophanenesse and desire to be any thing else then to be Saintes and holy The Apostle putting vs in mind of our first birth that we might so much the more magnify the grace of God which is marueilous and glorious in his Saintes saith l Ephe 2. 12. 13. Remember that ye being in times past Gentiles in the flesh and called vncircumcision of them which were called Circumcision in the flesh made with handes that ye were at that time without Christ and were Alians from the common wealth of Israell and were strangers from the Couenants of peomise and had no hope and were without God in the world but now in Christ Iesus ye which once were farre off are made neere by the bloud of Christ And to the same purpose he speaketh in the Epistle to the Colossians m Col 1. 21. 22. You which were in times past strangers and enemies hath he now reconciled in that body of his flesh through death to make you holy and vnblameable and without fault in his sight Seeing then that we are called to holines seeing we must as Children resemble our father and seeing God will haue a difference betweene our naturall condition and the estate wherein we stand by grace we may conclude that all such as are in the number of true beleeuers are also Registred in the number of true Saintes sanctified inwardly by the spirit of God Vse 1. Let vs now make vse and application of this Doctrine vnto our selues First wee see plainely heereby that there are Saintes vpon the earth that is men and woemen regenerate and sanctified The prophet Dauid saith n Psal 16. 3. All my delight is in the Saintes that are vpon the earth whereby it appeareth that there are two sorts of Saintes one in heauen the other on the earth one sort is the spirits of iust and perfect men the other such as are clothed with flesh who haue a righteousnes begun in them but are yet farre from perfection some that haue already receiued their Crownes that are already glorified not hauing spot or wrinkle or any such thing others that are yet in warfare against sinne the world and the deuill and carry about with them the remnants of naturall corruption Therefore we professe to beleeue in the Articles of our Faith the Cōmunion of Saints So the Apostle saith o 1 Cor. 6 1 2 11. Dare any of you hauing businesse against another be iudged vnder the vniust and not vnder the Saints Do ye not know that the Saints shall iudge the world And afterward 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 This serueth to reprooue all those which in scorne and derision mock the seruants of God and vpbraide them with their profession saying O you are a Saint you are of the little flocke you are an holy man A yong Saint an old deuil Thus is Religion made a Prouerbe and common by-word and thus are men come to sit downe in the seate of Scorners but heare this O ye contemners of God! and know that whosoeuer is not holye is prophane he that is not pure is impure he that is not a Saint of God is a bond-slaue of the Deuill there is no meane betweene the one and the other He that is not of the little flocke of Sheepe is of the great Heard of Goats and of the multitude of vnbeleeuers that shall be condemned He that entreth not in at the straite gate that leadeth to life walketh in the broad way and entereth at the wide gate that leadeth to destruction He that is not a Saint before hee dieth is a Deuill incarnate before his death This is that which our Sauiour speaketh concerning Iudas p Iohn 6 70. Haue I not chosen twelue and one of you is a Deuill Now he spake of Iudas Iscariot the sonne of Simon for he it was that should betray him This Iudas was not a Saint and he is pronounced to be a Deuill Now choose whether thou wilt be a Saint or be accounted a Iudas a Deuill a member of the deuill For he that is not in some sort changed renewed regenerated and sanctified in the inner man shall neuer see life If we begin not the way to saluation in this world we shall neuer be receiued into glory in the world to come This is the Doctrine which Christ preacheth to Nichodemus q Iohn 3 5. Verily verily I say vnto thee except that a man be borne of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdome of God So the Apostle saith r Ro. 8 13 14 If ye liue after the flesh ye shall
danger of thy life it may be taken from thee and thou from it which maketh it to bee but a shadow of true gaine But the profit of godlinesse is of a contrary Nature if once we haue gotten this Pearle the Theefe cannot steale it the moth cannot corrupt it the Sea cannot drown it the rust cannot fret it the Land cannot loose it the length of time cannot consume it the greatnesse of danger cannot take it from vs the vnfaithfulnesse of seruaunts the subtlety of enemies the fraud of false Brethren the force of the mighty the violence of the Oppressor the partiality of the Iudge the wresting of the Lawe can neuer depriue vs or debarre vs of this benefite yea b Cicer. pro Archia poeta that which an Heathen man saide once of humaine learning may more truly and iustly be spoken of godlinesse which indeed is true learning the which whosoeuer wanteth what Ornaments of Nature and Art soeuer otherwise he hath is vtterly vnlearned nay a starke foole It will follow vs as a sweete guide abroad to solace vs it will stay with vs a pleasant companion to delight vs at home it will lye with vs as a bed-fellow in the night to teach vs whereon to meditate it will sit downe with vs as a guest at the Table to direct vs it wil bee with vs as a skilfull Physitian in sicknesse to comfort vs it will sticke and stand to vs in prosperity to humble vs it will cleaue fast to vs in aduersity and in the euil day to refresh vs it will waite vppon vs in death it will descend with vs into the graue it will ascend with vs into heauen and alwayes follow vs from place to place as the shadow doth the body This made the Apostle Iohn say Blessed are they that die in the Lord for they rest from their labours and their workes follow them Reuel 14 13. To conclude therefore so often as wee thinke of true Religion or remember the day of our conuersion we must think with our selues that we made the most blessed change that euer was made and hold this for a firme and sure principle that no gaine is like to this gaine no profit like to this profit Vse 2 Secondly seeing Christian Religion planted in the heart of a man maketh him good and helpfull to others who before was vniust and vnprofitable let euery one proue his effectuall calling and true conuersion by earnest seeking after the good of others and by a carefull abstaining from hurting troubling and wronging of others It is to be chosen as a better thing to suffer then to offer wrong to receiue then to requite to take then to giue Obadiah liuing in Ahabs Court is commended for the manifestation of his Faith by his Workes as the Tree that sheweth what it is by the fruites hee hid c 1 Kin. 18 13 the Prophets of God from the sword of the persecutor and fed them in the Caue in the time of famine The Prophet affirmeth and assureth that such shall dwell in the Tabernacle of the Lord and rest in his holy mountain as make much d Psal 15 4. of those that feare the Lord and honour them whome God hath honoured To this purpose the Apostle setteth this downe as a certain signe of our adoption that God accepteth vs as his sonnes and daughters to wit our loue to the Saints e 1 Ioh. 3 14 We know that we are translated from death to life because we loue the Brethren Euery one must be able to shew the soundnesse of his faith and the truth of his conuersion by the fruits of his calling f Math. 3 8. and by the workes of regeneration and amendment of life An iniurious man that loueth himselfe but not another that hath no care to doe good to his Brother but to himselfe onely is not yet truely conuerted to God nor deliuered from the bondage of sinne nor made a member of Christ nor engrafted into the true Church nor endued with the grace of sanctification he is yet in the flesh and not in the spirit he is yet in death not restored to life he is the bondslaue of Sathan not brought into the liberty of the sonnes of God For where there is no change in conuersation there can bee no assurance of true conuersion The meditation of this point must enter deeply into our harts teach vs to try our selus whether as yet we born again by water and the spirit or not Whosoeuer can say thus I haue beene in bondage to sin now I am set free I haue beene the prisoner of Satan now I am at liberty I haue liued vnprofitably to God vnprofitably to my selfe vnprofitably to others now I haue learned to lead my life to the honour of God to the benefite of my brethren and to the comfort of mine owne soule whosoeuer I say can say thus may be assured of his conuersion and turning vnto God and that God hath begun his good worke in him which hee will finish at the appearance of Iesus Christ Let vs all therefore know and consider that it is required of vs to repent of sinnes to turne to God to chaunge our hearts and to amend our liues that so we may bring forth the fruits of righteousnesse and expresse our obedience to the Gospell To be without the fruits of the Gospel is to denie the Gospell and to be without godlinesse of conuersation is to be without Christ and to bee without an heart inwardly sanctifyed and without a life outwardly regenerated is to be without faith It had beene better for vs that we had neuer had the Gospell offered vnto vs then to haue it to contemne it It had beene better we had alwayes remained in darknesse then to haue light come among vs and not to walke in the light It is a worthy exhortation that the Apostle maketh to the Thessalonians g 1 Thess 5 5 6 7 8. Yee are all the Children of light and the children of the day we are not of the night neither of darkenesse Therefore let vs not sleepe as others do but let vs watch and be sober for they that sleepe sleepe in the night and they that bee drunken are drunken in the night but let vs which are of the day be sober putting on the Brest-plate of faith and loue and of the hope of saluation for an Helmet It is not euery h Math. 7 21. one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdom of heauen but he that hath an earnest and carefull endeuour to do his will It is not enough for vs to bee called a Christian to beare the name of a Protestant to renounce the name of a Papist to make shew of the true Religion and to be an hearer of the word we haue learned better things and must giue an account of a farther dutie Obiection We will say peraduenture we hate and detest all the blinde and erroneous
confesse it they haue great names and high Titles of honour giuen vnto them Å¿ Psal 82 6. I haue said ye are Gods and ye are all Children of the most high But ye shall die as a man and yee Princes shall fall like others If then there be so little difference in the life and lesse difference of the death of rich and poor of Maister and Seruant of Magistrate Subiect we shal find a greater equality and parity betweene them in holy and heauenly things We allow them to be as the elder brethren but they must know and consider that other are as the yonger bretheren of the house and haue the same priuiledges giuen vnto them For if the Lord Iesus be not ashamed to call vs all brethren shal they be ashamed to confesse one another to be equall in the matters of our redemption and saluation Shall the rich man disdaine the poore or the Prince his people or the Maister the seruant or the Free-man him that is bond seeing the Lord of life that is equall with his Father in might and Maiesty vouchsafeth to repute vs al in the place of Brethren Hence it is that he saith in the Gospell speaking of lodging the stranger in our houses of cloathing the naked with our Garments of feeding the hungry with our meats of visiting the prisoners with reliefe of refreshing the sicke with our comfort t Math. 25 40. Verily I say vnto you inasmuch as ye haue done it vnto one of the least of these my Brethren yee haue done it vnto mee Who are more disgraced and contemned in the worlde then such as are Strangers or Prisoners or naked in necessity Yet these poore contemptible ones are deare in his sight tender as the Apple of his eye and acknowledged of him to be his Bretheren Wee are not worthy therefore to bee esteemed of Christ if we regard not such as are in greatest price and cheefest account with him So then we must take heede that wee neuer despise and deride and disdain those that are called the Brethren of Christ nor refuse to imbrace them as our owne Brethren This is that vse which the Apostle vrgeth in setting downe the duties of Maisters u Ephes 6 9. Ye Maisters do the same thinges vnto them putting away threatning and know that euen your Maister also is in heauen neither is there respest of persons with him Where we see how hee moueth all Maisters to cast off all pride and high conceite of themselues and to Loue their faithfull seruants as their faithfull Bretheren It is not farre from this purpose which Iob speaketh touching his practise and behauiour toward his Seruants x Iob. 31 13 14 15. If I did contemne the iudgement of my seruant and of my Mayde when they did contend with me What then shall I do when God standeth vp And when he shall visit me What shall I answere He that hath made me in the womb hath he not made him Hath not he alone fashioned vs in the womb Where the holy man commendeth mildnesse in all Gouernors and reprooueth the exercise of cruelty toward their seruants Hee gaue them free libertie to declare and debate the matter with him to alledge what reasonable excuse soeuer they had considering with himselfe that we haue one common Creator and maker and are partakers of the same Nature and concluding thereuppon that albeit such as are bound to serue vs bee of low degree and despised in the world yet they neuerthelesse are our brethren So then such as are aduanced vnto high places and set in authority ouer others are not to trample them vnder their feete to despise and set them at naught to account them as vile persons in their eies but to vse them with mildnesse and to behaue themselues in al lowlines to rule their houses with al gentlenesse We must remember that wee haue a Maister in heauen so that albeit he hath exalted vs on high yet God standeth aboue all and is the Maister both of the Maister of the seruant O that this were well waighed and wisely considered and thoroughly learned of all Superiors that sit at the sterne and guide the ship The higher and greater our places are the lower and lesser ought our hearts to be If we be made Magistrates and Maisters and Rulers to gouern others let vs confesse they be Brethren with vs. This yeeldeth a profitable meditation to all Christian Gouernors when we behold any of our Inferiors thogh they were our bondmen in any trouble or distresse to thinke earnestly vpon these things If God haue made mee neuer so high when I see the people pinched with dearth and famine that they are ready to perish and famish in the streats for want of Bread I must knowe they are not Dogges though many make no better nor farther reckoning of them alas alas they are my Brethren When the Pestilence walketh in the darkenesse and the plague destroyeth at noone day that God striketh downe with his fearfull hand that thousands fall at our side and ten thousands at our right hand for he oftentimes maketh hauocke and bringeth desolation into many houses and families I must thinke it is no Murraine of Cattle they are my bretheren When I behold the oppression of the poore and the grinding of the faces of the needy that they are eaten vp as bread and sold as old shooes for nothing I must haue this feeling of their affliction they are not as Horsses or Asses ouer-laden with their burthen whom yet if it were so y Exo. 23 4 5. we were bound to pity raise vp though belonging to our enemy they are my poore and dear brethren whom God hath created whom Christ hath redeemed whom the holy spirit hath sanctified whom the word hath regenerated whom the church hath nourished whom the Angelles haue guarded and who together with me in the last day shall be glorified At that day shal God be all in al when Christ Iesus shall abolish all power and authority among men when Princes must resigne their kingdomes and cast downe their crownes at his feete then there shall be no more Prince and Subiects Pastor and people Mayster and Seruant Father and Sonne Husband and Wife These degrees indure but for a season which must haue end when Christ shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead If God haue made me a Maister and committed Seruants to my charge they must not be respected as my Swine or Oxen they are my Brethren and therefore I must looke vnto them in time of their sickenesse vse all good meanes for their deliuerance The Centurion in the gospell is commended that when his seruant fell sick was in danger of death he came to Christ z Math. 8 6. for help and succour If a man haue a Bullocke and beast that is diseased he will aske counsel seeke remedy much more ought we to deale mercifully with our seruants which God
that he doth not indeede name and expresse any robbing or rifling of his Maisters House yet we must consider how he maketh the least of euery thing in regard of his repentance which had wiped away the staine thereof For whereas he had beene hurtfull to his Maister Paul calleth it Vnprofitable whereas hee had played the Runna-gate Paule calleth it a departing away so in this place whereas he had pilferred and purloyned his Maisters goods Paul calleth it an hurting which is a lesse fault or a debt which is no fault Seeing then throughout this Epistle the Apostles drift is by expressing a little to vnderstand more and by naming a small offence to vnderstand a greater wee are not to doubt but his meaning in these wordes is to taxe him of that theft which he had committed Neither is it any thing to the present purpose that it is obiected that the Apostle doth not plainely and directlie auouch that he had any way hurt his Maister because he vttereth nothing simply but by way of supposition If he haue hurt thee as if hee spake by heare-say and knew not the certainetie of that which he had heard For no doubt he knew the whole truth of the matter by Onesimus who hauing truely repented had particularly acknowledged and confessed the wickednesse of his heart and the vnrighteousnesse of his handes in defrauding of his Maister He Å¿ Prou. 28 13. that hideth his sinnes cannot prosper but he that confesseth and forsaketh them shall finde mercy Whosoeuer will obtaine pardon must make confession So long as sinne is vnacknowledged so long it is vnpardoned Seeing therefore he had receiued remission we cannot immagine but that before there went confession and an vnfolding of the whole matter from the beginning to the ending so that the Apostle would not nor could not speak waueringly and doubtfully of that whereof he was fully instructed and perfectly informed from point to point Besides the coniunction If is not condicionall in this place but Illatiue and is not spoken by supposition but rather by way of confession or concession True it is sometimes it is condicionallie directlie affirming and plainely denying nothing As Iob 31. t Iob 31 9 13 19. Gene. 18 24 26 28 30 31 32. If my heart hath beene deceiued by a Woman or if I haue laid waite at the doore of my Neighbour if I did contemne the iudgement of my Seruant if I haue seene any perrish for want of cloathing Thus it is taken Gen. 18. 24. If there be fifty righteous within the Cittie I will spare all the place for their sakes And thus it is taken most commonlie throughout the Scriptures in more then an hundred places which are all to be vnderstood condicionallie not affirmatiuely Againe sometimes the word is to be taken as a particle not onely conuecting and concluding but affirming and knitting together that which is affirmed as in many places of the 8. chapt to the Romans u Rom. 8 17 31. If we be Children then are we also heires if God be on our side who can be against vs as if he shold say seeing we are Children seeing God is on our side So the Apostle exhorteth the Colossians x Col. 3 1. If ye then be risen with Christ seeke those thinges that are aboue Where he doth not speake vncertainely but conclude peremptorilie that they ought seriously to enter into the Meditation of the heauenly life considering they had beene instructed in the resurrection of Christ Thus Peter speaketh in his second Epistle y 2 Pet. 2 4 1 Pet. 4 17 18 If God spared not the Angels that had sinned that is seeing he spared them not And thus is the word taken to go no farther in the words immediatly going before in this Epistle to Philemon If thou account our things common receiue him as my selfe Where the meaning is seeing all things betweene vs are common as among friends do not thou stand or sticke at the entertaining of him So likewise when he saith If hee hath hurt thee it is a granting of the crime and as it were a confessing of the action whereof he might be charged as if he had said seeing the case is so indeed discharge him and account me as thy debter Thus much for the cleering of the Interpretation of the first words and the answering of the obiections against it It followeth That impute to me where he taketh the debt or wrong offered by Onesimus vpon himselfe and offereth himselfe to bee bound in a band for him and to become his pledge or surety When he saith I haue written it with mine owne hand it is the confirmation of his promise by a ciuill Instrument and by subscribing his name vnto it Lastly when he addeth Albeit I do not say to thee that thou owest to me euen thine owne selfe we must vnderstand that the debt which the apostle vrgeth as due vnto him from Philemon is in respect of his conuersion and winning vnto Christ Wherein he alludeth to such as being conquered in battell are reserued aliue to them that haue ouercome them made them their Seruants in sauing them from death in keeping them from the sword and in preseruing them from destruction Thus then the Apostle argueth I being a Captaine vnder Iesus Christ to win him a people from the bondage of sinne and Satan haue among many other won thee and thine whole Family and haue taken you away as it were Captiue deliuering you in Christ Iesus from eternall misery and therefore thou owest me much more then thy Seruant can owe thee euen thine owne selfe and whatsoeuer is dearest vnto thee for thou hast beene by my meanes rescued and recouered from the bondage of Satan the dominion of death and hast been brought to the freedome and liberty of the Sons of God Thus we see how the Spirit leaueth no starting hole for Philemon to shake shift off this duty to the end it might be a perpetuall rule to the Church in the like case without all exception As if the Apostle should haue said z The sum and substance of the words in this diuision If thou obiect that thy losse and detriment receiued by Onesimus is more then thou maist beare and canst forgiue I answere thee that thou shalt not thereby be hindered for I thy friend Paule will answere thee whatsoeuer he is indebted and indangered vnto thee euen to the vttermost mite thou cast demand And that thou shouldst not doubt of mine offer beholde this my hand-writing shall be thy warrant and assurance which I haue subscribed with mine owne hand albeit I may by my right that I haue in thee pulling thee and thy Family out of the Captiuity of Satan the slauery of sin and the bondage of hel claime from thee more then thou canst from Onesimus for thou owest to me indeede and in truth not a part of thy goods and possessions but thine owne selfe euen thy Soule and Body
to others but are incident to the Nature of Man and may come vpon our owne heads it would be an effectuall meanes to hold vs backe from iesting and scorning at others in as much as it bringeth the wrath of God vpon vs and our posterity Vse 2. Secondly seeing it is our duty to be glad thereat when any good things befall our Brethren it standeth vs vppon to search and enquire in loue after the condition of the Saintes in particular and of the Church in generall For how shall we reioyce and be glad at their good if we be not carefull to know in what state they are and how they fare This dutie wee may see practised in the holie Scriptures by Abraham Lot Nehemiah Dauid and diuers others who were both carefull to succour and releeue such as were in distresse and watchfull to informe themselues of the wantes and necessities of their Bretheren And thus wee may see how one Church prouideth for another as the Church of Antioch of Macedonia and of Corinth q 2 Cor. 8 9. for the poore afflicted Members of Christ that were at Ierusalem This reproueth such as albeit they see the troubles of the Church with their eies and heare the complaint of the poore with their eares yet shut their eyes and stop their eares and passe by them as the Priest and Leuite did when they saw him that fell vpon Theeues lie wounded and halfe dead These shal finde as little mercy at the hands of God as they shew to their afflicted and distressed brethren If then we would find mercie in time of need let vs shew mercy and comfort in the time of calamity when our Friends our Neighbors our Kindred are in trouble And albeit we neuer see our Bretheren lie in their affliction nor ouer-whelmed with sorrow that we should succor them yet are we not thereby iustified and discharged vnlesse wee also haue bin carefull to enquire of others how they do what they want and wherein they stand in neede of our helpe It is recorded of Abraham and Lot that while they offered their seruice to entertaine strangers r Ge. 18 19 Heb. 13 2 3. Nehemiah â— they receiued Angels into their houses at vnawares When Nehemiah met with some of his Brethren that came from Ierusalem he tarried not vntill they made relation of the estate of the Church to testifie his zeale to Gods worshippe his loue to the poore Saints his desire of the prosperity of the faithfull but hee preuented them and asked earnestly of their welfare Thus did Dauid remember the kindnesse betweene him and Ionathan and forgat not to shewe it to his posterity and to the house of Saule and albeit hee had dealt graciously and mercifully with many yet he called for more and left none of them vnregarded Let this affection rule in vs and draw out of vs this testimony of a louing heart Many there are that will seeme to bee friends of the Church and to regard the good thereof and when helpe is craued of them will not bee behind hand to deale liberally toward the releeuing therof This is a good beginning and a commendable vertue which is to be cherrished in them for there are hundreds and thousands that neuer come so farre nor proceede to this steppe but declare themselues either open enemies or sencelesse Newters that looke onely to them-selues but haue no feeling of the estate of others Neuerthelesse if God haue giuen vnto vs a bountifull hand wee must not rest there and stand at a stay wee must learne a farther lesson and ascend vp higher and shew more loue to the Church then to giue to them that aske and to succour such as we see in necessity for we must giue an account of a farther duty euen vse our tongues that God hath giuen vs to enforme our selues in the knowledge of their condition that we see not that are absent from vs that are vnknowne vnto vs. We see how desirous and greedy men are of newes and to enquire of Trauellers the estate of places and persons that they may seeme to bee ignoraunt of nothing and in this they are very Athenians Å¿ Acts 17 21. who gaue themselues to nothing else but eyther to tell or to heare some newes But this desire of nouelty argueth the vanitie of our minds or serueth to the delight of the outwarde man or at the farthest bringeth with it onely a momentary pleasure and slender profite If we would know such newes as may delight our selues and others and bring great pleasure and greater profit both to our selues and others let vs inquire how the poore people of God do let vs aske of their welfare let vs vse all meanes to know their estate this shall be well pleasing to God comfortable to our selues profitable to the Church and auayleable to stir vp others to follow our example Vse 3 Thirdly if it be required of vs to bee touched with a feeling of the good things that come to our Brethren then it followeth that wee ought much more to be moued to reioyce at our owne good He will neuer bee glad at the benefit that befalleth another that is no way affected at the good that befalleth him-selfe When wee haue the meanes of instruction offered vnto vs and wee beginne to bee conuerted vnto the faith there is matter of exceeding great ioy and gladnesse set before vs. It hath beene an old Å¿ Herod in Clio. custome for men to celebtate and solemnize their birth day the day wherein they were borne and brought forth into the world and we haue one example of it in the Gospell of Herod t Math. 14 6. Marke 6 21 who when his birth day was kept made a Banquet to his Princes and Captaines and chiefe estates of Galile If this were vsed among the Heathen to retaine in memory the rememberance of that time wherein it was saide A Man-child is borne into the world how much more ought we that are Christians to make the day of our new byrth a day of ioy and gladnesse a day of mirth and delight a day of feasting and reioysing in the Lord wherein we haue beene borne againe and made the Children of God For the first birth is vnto death the second is vnto life The first birth giueth vs a being the second giueth vs a good being in God the first birth is to condemnation the second birth is to saluation By the first birth we are made the vessels of wrath by the second wee are made the heyres of the heauenly kingdome The first birth u Ezek. 16. 1 2 is in vncleannesse the second birth is in righteousnesse and in true holinesse By the first birth we beare the Image of the first Adam by the second wee beare the Image of Christ the second Adam By the first birth we can do nothing but euill x Gen. 6 5. inasmuch as the immaginations of the thoughts of our heartes are onely