he read ouer his owne Title and cast backe his eyes to consider what he began to write who if hee dwell vpon the matter is not to be accounted long but if he wander and straggle from it euery sentence is too too long and tedious The Epistle with which I deale I confesse is short the Commentary which I haue written vpon it long howbeit I haue bin carefull to remember the former rule and to keep me close to the present subiect and therefore hope to obtain pardon with patience One of the Ancients said of Carthage that contended so much and so long with Rome in emulation for greatnesse and Empire It is better to say nothing then to speake a little Much more may this be said of this Noble and Diuine Epistle wherein the Apostle doth so discouer his affections and stirre vp the affections of others that too much cannot be spoken of it Touching the Epistles of Paule some were written vnto whole Churches as that to the Romanes Corinthians Galathians c. Other were written to particular persons as two vnto Timothy one to Titus and this to Philemon Notwithstanding we must vnderstand that howsoeuer they were priuately directed to certaine men yet they were inspired of God and penned by the Apostle for the benefit of the whole Church For if respect had onely beene had to those vnto whom they were purposely and principally intended many thinges b Caluin comment in 1. Timoth might haue bin spared which are euery where dispersed and handled in them This appeareth expresly in the Epistle to Titus the which albeit it carry his Name alone whom Paule left in Candy c Titus 1 5. To redresse the thinges that remaine yet the scope of Paul was to profit the whole Church as we see in the finishing of the matter when he shutteth vp the whole in this manner d Titus 3 15. Grace be with you all The Inscription is to one but the conclusion is made to many euen all the elect So ought wee to apply vnto our selues such heauenly instructions as are handled in this Epistle no lesse then if it were particularly sent vnto euery one of vs from God The Bookes of the New-Testament may be ranged and ordered into three sorts whereof part are Historicall part Doctrinall and part Propheticall to omit the e Athanas in Synopsi distributions of others The Hystoricall are so called because they describe the History of Christ our Sauiour as the foure Euangelists or of the Apostles and the Church gathered by them as the Actes of the Apostles The Dogmaticall are such as are called the Epistles of the Apostles not that such f Paraeus comment vpon the Epistle to the Rom. as comprehend the History of Christ doe not also containe the Doctrine of Christ and of saluation by Christ but because these doe most especially handle the same True it is the Apostles laboured in preaching the Gospell and publishing it by liuely voyce in what places and to what persons and at what times soeuer they could but because they could not alwaies dwell among the Churches and guide them with their presence which once they had planted neither yet were able to see them all in the face and to speake vnto them mouth to mouth it pleased God to moue them and direct them to set downe in writing compiled in forme of Epistles the sum of Christian Doctrine touching piety toward God Faith in Christ and loue toward men but most especially concerning the miserable estate of man through his fall and of the remedies of this misery concerning the Person and Offices of Christ the mediator concerning the benefit of free Iustification by Christ and of the liuely fruits thereof which ought to shine forth in all them that are Iustified The Propheticall Booke is onely the Reuelation of Iohn which vnder certaine Types foretelleth the state of the Church to come both the combats which it shall endure and the victory which it shall receiue The Heretickes that liued in former times raised vp from the pit of hell by Satan himselfe to disturbe and destroy the faith of many haue called sundry of these Cannonicall Bookes of Holy Scripture into Question and reiected them altogether as Bastards or counterfeits Faustus the Maniche as S. Augustine witnesseth was not ashamed to open his blasphemous g Aug. cont Faust lib. 33. cap. 3. mouth and affirme that many things in the New Testament were false The Ebionites would receiue onely the Gospell according to Mathew the other three h Iren. lib. 1. ca. 26. they despised and refused The Marcionites another detestable and damned sect vsed onely Lukes Gospell and that also they miserably i Epiph. haeres 42. mangled according to their owne diuellish fancie The Acts of the Apostles and Paules Epistles were set at naught and flatly refused by the k Euseb hyst lib. 4. cap. 29. Tatians and other Heretickes called Seueriani as Eusebius maketh mention in his History Both the Epistles written vnto Timothy that to Titus l Hierom. praef in Tit. and the Hebrewes were cast away by Marcian and Basilides for whatsoeuer they saw to crosse m Tertul. lib. 5. aduersus Marcian and contradict their Heresies they rased out of the Canon and would not receiue it as authenticall Among all which this is to be obserued that such as did admit as Diuine any of the Epistles did neuer deny the authoritie of this Epistle to Philemon Some indeed haue renounced the Epistle to the Hebrues some the latter Epistle of Peter some the Epistle of Iames some the Epistles to Timothy and Titus and other the two latter familiar Epistles of Iohn but no Hereticke was so forsaken of God or euer grew to be so desperate to contemne and set light by this Epistle if euer he admitted and accepted the credit of any Which plainly declareth the Maiesty that shineth in this little and short Letter wherein Paule by his Diuine eloquence and pithinesse of argument doeth euen rauish and astonish all the Readers thereof To the end this may the better appeare let vs as in a Table set before our eyes n The contents and cheefe heads of this Epistle the chiefe heads and contents of this Epistle and view with how cunning a penne or Pensill the principall parts thereof are drawne together with the profite arising from thence following the example of them which when they bidde any guesse to Dinner or Supper are wont first to declare what shall be their cheare how many Dishes they shall haue praying them to take it in good worth and to looke for neither better nor worse then hath beene mentioned In like manner beeing determined to make a feast and hauing prouided a Banquet which I haue set forth and inuited the courteous Christian Reader that will come and tast of it I dare be bold to promise that the Meate is good and wholesome What foode soeuer is found that cannot
meanes we can bee pursued after It is not enough to doe good thinges but we must doe them in a right manner we must bee forward and feruent in the doing of them So dooth Paul in this place set vpon Philemon and omitteth nothing that may serue his present purpose Great was the a Exod. 32 19 20 22. zeale of Moses for Gods glory against the Idolatry of the people and afterward for their pardon and forgiuenesse The first Table requireth our loue to God b Math. 22. Withall our heart with all our soule with al our strength and the second Table requireth vs To loue our Neighbour as our selfe so that whether wye performe the duties of the first or of the second Table we must performe them heartily sincerely and earnestly The Prophet Dauid had a zeale as hot as fire c Psal 96 10. So that the zeale of Gods house did eate him vp When we call vpon the Name of God d Rom. 12. Wee are commaunded to be feruent in Prayer In the high work of the Ministery e 2 Tim. 4 2. we are charged to Preach the word in season and out of season to improue rebuke and exhort with all long suffering and doctrine In hearing the word wee are willed to be swift to heare In all the workes of Sanctification we are f Gal. 6 10. warned while we haue time to doe good to all men and to redeeme the time because the daies are euill The Apostle noteth of himselfe touching his owne practise g 1 Cor. 9 19. That to the Iewe he became as a Iew that he might winne the Iewes To the Gentiles he became as a Gentile that he might win the Gentiles to the weake he became as weake that hee might win the weake and he became all thinges to all men that by all meanes he might saue some All which testimonies and consents prooue directly that we must follow after good things diligently Reason 1. The Reasone remaine to be considered First God is delighted with diligence and earnestnesse in our callings and is wont to yeelde a blessing vnto it He promiseth that such h Pro. 2 3 4. As cry after knowledge and search for wisedome as for Siluer and desire it as a Treasure shall vnderstand the feare of the Lord and finde the knowledge of God Earnest Prayer alwaies preuaileth and auaileth much with God Luke 18 2. Iam. 5 16. Feruent zeale addeth wings and maketh it mount vp on high and pierce the Heauens where Lip-labour is lost labour and bringeth nothing but returneth empty to him that made it like the Dew that being raised vp in the day by the beames of the Sunne falleth downe againe in the euening Reason 2. Secondly earnestnesse and zeale are of great waight and force to prouoke others to imitation We must bee examples to them and seeke to draw them to follow vs. This should comfort and encourage vs vnto well doing insomuch as we shall stirre vp other to be like vs and to walke in our steppes This is the reason which the Apostle teacheth writing to the Corinthians i 2 Cor. 9 2. I know your readinesse of minde whereof I boast my selfe of you vnto them of Macedonia and say that Achaia was prepared a yeare agoe and your zeale hath prouoked many Reason 3. Thirdly mens hearts are hardned and their affections frozen they shut their eyes they stop their eares and they turne away their hearts from the truth and therefore in regard of this Iron or Brazen age into which wee are fallen all meanes that can be taken and all occasions that can be vsed are too little though most earnest to worke vpon such tough and rough Mettall This doth the Apostle prophesie of long age when perswading Timothy to wait with all diligence vpon his office hee addeth this as a reason k 2 Tim. 3 4. For the time will come when they will not suffer wholesome Doctrine but hauing their eares itching shall after their owne lusts get them an heape of Teachers and shall turne their eares from the truth and shall be giuen vnto fables Seeing therefore the earnest doing of good thinges bringeth downe a blessing from God prouoketh men to an imitation and seeing many are hard-hearted that they will not easily bend and yeeld it followeth that we are bound to do all good duties that belong vnto vs diligently not carelesly forwardly not faintly feruently not coldly Vse 1. Let vs now see what good Vses may necessarily be concluded from hence First we learne that zeale and forwardnesse is a grace and guift of the Spirit to be commended honoured and magnified in the Seruants of God The Lord himselfe commended and blessed the zeale of Phinehas The Apostle l Gal. 4 18. saith It is a good thing to loue earnestly alwaies in a good thing This reproueth those that reproach it and cannot abide it in others They scorne and scoffe at the Seruants of God for doing their duty and so make themselues culpable of an horrible sinne But let not vs be ashamed of the taunts and reproches of them that hate vs and deride vs because we desire to serue the Lord in the vprightnes of our hearts The time will come when we shall receiue the ioy and they the shame We haue a notable example hereof in Michall Sauls Daughter and Dauids Wife When she not able to comprehend the inward motions of Dauids ioyfull heart leaping and dancing before the Lord bringing home the Arke with shouting of voyce with sound of Trumpet and with gladnesse of heart despised him in her heart and came out to meete him and said m 2 Sam. 6 20 O how glorious was the King of Israell this day c. Then Dauid said vnto Michall It was before the Lord which chose me rather then thy Father and all his House and I will be yet more vile then thus and will be low in mine owne sight Where we see it is and euer hath been the lot of Gods Seruants to be branded and vpbraided for their zeale it was neuer liked of cold and carelesse men that are neuer earnest in any thing but in wickednesse nor forward but in following the prophanenesse of their owne hearts While they delight themselues in the pleasures of sinne and walke in their owne corrupt desires they are earnest enough but when they should practise the duties of godlinesse and shew by their godly conuersation whose Seruants they are there appeareth no life of Gods spirit in them they remaine as dead and sencelesse men Vse 2. Secondly negligence and coldnesse in Religion and in performing the duties of Christianity are great sinnes which wound the Soule and procure the wrath of God The Prophet pronounceth those accursed that doe the worke of the Lord negligently The Church of the Laodicea is seuerely threatned to be Spewed out n Reuel 3 16. of the mouth of Christ because it was neither hot
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
who come farre behind the blinde Infidels who are open ieasters at euill and deriders of good This laughing is the beginning of euill when ieastes turne to good earnest and wordes into deeds These men are farre from the practise of those whom we heard before commended out of the word of God and from the Godly affection of Dauid and Ieremy of Paule and Christ himselfe who mourned in soule to behold the sinnes that raigned and were commonly practised in their daies This is a notable signe and assurance to our owne hearts that we hate them indeede when they do draw out of vs buckets of water and riuers of teares This griefe of heart was in the Apostle writing to the Phillippians when he saw the loose behauiour of of many that professed Christ in word but denied him in deed of whom he saith l Phil. 3. 18. Many walke of whom I haue told you often and now tell you weeping that they are the enemies of the Crosse of Christ whose end is damnation whose God is their belly whose glory is to their shame which mind earthly thinges Now it cannot be but the hearts of the faithfull Ministers and godly bretheren will be greatly grieued and vexed when they see God dishonoured by our carelesse walking and standing still idle all the day long withou a labouring in his Vineyard We must daily increase and grow strong in faith or else we decrease and grow weake in saith If we wax not euery day better we fall to be worse and worse We neuer stand at one stay If we walke not forward we runne backeward like the water of the Sea that if it do not flow it ebbeth or like vnto the life of man if strength encreaseth not it decayeth So then if any would come to mans full and perfect stature he must grow vp by little and little from one measure to another So if any would m Ephe. 4. 15. 16. become a perfect man in Christ he must follow the truth in Loue and in all thinges grow vp into him which is the head that is Christ by whom all the body being coupled and knit together by euery ioynt receiueth encrease of the body vnto the edifying of it selfe in loue Let vs therefore take heede to our selues that we greeue not the hearts of the faithfull and by our sinnes quench their affections toward vs as it were by pouring Water vpon them Let vs seeke to grow vp in knowledge and in obedience that we be not as Dwarfes or Vrchins neuer comming to any growth nor profiting any whit in the Schoole of Christ nor be as idle Drones that neuer labour but liue vnprofitably to themselues and others Vse 3. Thirdly it is the dutie of all Gods people by striuing to goe forward in good thinges to delight the heartes of their Teachers and the rest of the Brethren So long as we encrease and proceede vnto a perfect man and vnto the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ that we bee hence-forth no more Children wauering and carried about with euery winde of Doctrine by the deceit of men and with craftinesse whereby they lay in waite to deceiue we make Christ glad we reioyce the Spirit of God wee make glad the Angels we comfort and cheere vp the hearts of the godly and we bring that peace to our owne hearts which passeth all vnderstanding On the other side if we grow backward and decline by little and little from the holy profession of the truth which we haue receiued we crucifie Christ wee quench the Spirit we greeue the Angels wee offend the faithfull and wee wound our owne Soules This dutie vrged from this Doctrine reprooueth sundry sorts of people that doe not desire to delight the hearts of those that haue instructed them and to comfort them that haue laboured in the word and Doctrine among them First such as haue continued long in the Church and grow in yeares but not in knowledge What comfort can these men bring to their Teachers and Instructers when no increase is seene or can be marked in them It is a common but a most fearefull sinne not to profit and proceede in the waies of godlinesse and yet it is to bee feared that not one of an hundred commeth with any desire of instruction with any care of sanctification with any purpose of reformation with any hunger after saluation If men goe to the the Market to buy their prouision and to supply the necessities of the body we see what they bring home we see they returne not empty we see they come backe laden But when they goe to the House of God and frequent the exercises of his word how often doe they returne with empty handes nay with empty hearts nay with hard hearts and so worse then they came vnto them This is it which the Apostle n Heb. 6 7 8. teacheth Hebr. 6. The earth which drinketh in the Raine that commeth oft vpon it and bringeth forth Hearbs meete for them by whom it is dressed receiueth blessing of God but that which beareth Thornes and Bryars is reprooued and is neere vnto curssing whose ende is to bee burned Secondly heereby is condemned the want of the fruits of kindnesse toward the Pastors whereby they may bee encouraged and made cheerefull and comfortable in their calling Some there are whom we may well account of the better or at least none of the worser sort who abstaine from hurting wronging and molesting their Ministers but they withall abstaine from shewing succour helpe or countenance toward them they will indeed doe them no euill but likewise they will doe them no good contemning them in their heart they will not be open enemies professing hatred toward them but withall they are not their friendes to giue them any comfort they vse them strangely and vnciuilly as base abiects in their sight when as their calling is as much honored and magnified in the word by the mouth of God as any calling vnder Heauen This was the sin of the Corinthians for a time who wanted loue kindnesse in supporting the Apostle vnder the waight of his calling so that he was constrained to stand vpon the commending of himselfe and the extolling of his Ministry o 2 Cor. 12 11 I was a foole to boast my selfe yee haue compelled mee for I ought to haue beene commended of you for in nothing was I inferiour vnto the very chiefe Apostles though I be nothing This also the same Apostle complaineth of in another place p 2 Tim. 4 16 At my first answearing no man assisted me but all forsooke mee I pray God that it may not be layde vnto their charge These men did not dispraise him but they would not commend him They would not renounce him yet they would not defend him as they wold not disclaime him so likewise they would not assist him Of this sort are manie that liue among vs who thinke they haue discharged a worthy duty toward
giue charge and send out commandements in his owne name but the Minister must command in his Masters name in asmuch as Christ hath not imparted the power nor communicated the right which he hath ouer mens consciences vnto any mortall man no not to the Angels in Heauen Wherefore whatsoeuer we speake or do we must do all in his name that hath sent vs. Thirdly marke how farre his authority stretcheth and extendeth he can require and exact no more then that which is right and equall and their duty to doe It is no absolute or immoderate power but limitted within these boundes that he goe not beyond them This is required of all the Ministers of the word they are to teach that which is right and he people are bound no farther to heare them Fourthly he declareth why he yeelded vp a part of his right and did not prosecute it to the full for loue sake it was for Charity sake that he turned his power into prayer All indifferent thinges must be measured by this rule Charity will cause a man willingly to giue place where it is in the heart but where it is not he will not regard to vse his liberty with offence nay to the destruction of his brother 5 Lastly Paule to moue Philemon propoundeth his bandes and afflictions to teach that no man ought to greeue at the afflictions of the Church We ought to be so farre from being ashamed m 2 Tim. 1 8. Ephes 3 13. of the Crosse in our selues and from being offended at the Crosse in others that rather we are to know it commendeth the Ministry and serueth greatly to edification For by this title he commendeth himselfe and purchaseth authority vnto his Ministry whereby he signifieth not onely that he is an Apostle but somewhat more an Apostle a prisoner that is adorned with the markes and tokens of Apostolicall honour seeing the badges of the Apostleship are such bandes as he suffered for Christs sake So then a Minister afflicted is more then a Minister a Christian persecuted is more then a Christian and euery faithfull man and woman the more they are tried by suffering for the Gospell the more they are to be honoured and the better to be esteemed in the Church I haue great liberty in Christ to command thee The Apostle hauing to deale with Philemon whom he had wonne by his Ministry to the Gospell and whom he had authority to command in the Lord saith that he might be bould to vrge and presse him to this duty in regard of the Office of Apostleship of the greatnesse of his age and of the sufferings of bonds and imprisonment Doctrine 1. The Office of the Pastor is an Office of power and authority Heereby we learne that the Pastor by his Office hath power and authority to require and to command men as the Minister of Christ to do their duties The Teachers of the Church haue power by their calling and place that they are employed in to be bold with their people they haue an interest in them to vrge them to good things We see then that the Ministry is an office of power and the Ministers must haue boldnesse in the discharge of their duty and in the execution of their calling This we see in the practise of the Prophets of God and of the Apostles of Iesus Christ When Eliah was charged by Ahab to be a troubler of Israel he answered with freedome of speech and boldnesse of spirit and vehemency of zeale n 1 Kin. 18 18 I haue not troubled Israell but thou and thy Fathers house in that yee haue forsaken the commaundements of the Lord and thou hast followed Baalim The like we see in Ionah he was not affraid when he came to Niniuie to cry out against the Citty and the Inhabitants thereof o Ionas 3 4. That except they repented within forty dayes they should bee destroyed This Doctrine among other places hath most plentifull confirmation out of the prophesie of Ieremy whether we consider the commandement of God or the practise of the Prophet Heerunto commeth that which the lord speaketh to him p Ier. 10 1. Behold this day I set thee ouer the Nations and ouer the kingdoms to plucke vp and to roote out to destroy and throw downe to build and to plant When Pashur had smitten him and put him in the stockes q Ier. 20 4. the Prophet sayde vnto him Thus saith the Lord behold I will make thee to be a terror to thy selfe and to all thy friends and they shall fall by the sworde of their enemies and thine eyes shall behold it c. This authority the Apostle Paule doth often claime challenge vnto himselfe ouer the people and he sheweth what power he had by reason of his Ministry When hee giueth sundry instructions to diuers degrees among the Corinthians he saith r 1 Cor. 7 10. Vnto the vnmarried I command not I but the Lord. And in another place Å¿ 2 Cor. 3 12. Seeing then that we haue such trust wee vse great boldnesse of speech It is noted by the Euangelist t Math. 7 29. that Christ taught as one hauing authority and not as the Scribes that is boldly not fearefully zealously not coldly with great power not as one that telleth a dreame The Apostle writing to Timothy doth not onely gently intreat him but straightly charge him u 1 Tim. 5 21. and 6 13. before God and the Lord Iesus Christ and the elect Angelles that he obserue those things without preferring one to another and do nothing partially And in the Chapter following I charge thee in the sight of God who quickneth all things and before Iesus Christ which vnder Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession that thou keepe this commandement without spotte and vnrebukeable vntill the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ Likewise in x 2 Tim. 4 1 2 the latter Epistle I charge thee before God and before the Lord Iesus Christ which shall iudge the quicke and dead at his appearing and in his kingdome preach the worde be instant in season and out of season improue rebuke exhort with all long suffering and Doctrine All these places of Scripture laide together comparing the Commaundements together with the examples of the Prophets of Christ and of the Apostles doo teach vs by the Ordinance of God power and Authoritie are alwayes ioyned to the Pastors Office and neuer to be seuered and deuided from it Reason 1. Let vs see what are the Reasons First if wee consider the names that are giuen vnto them and the honourable Titles whereby they are called we shall be moued to confesse their calling to be accompanied with power vnder Christ They are y 1 Cor. 4 15. Fathers in Christ but Parents may be bolde with their children They are Pastors z Ephe. 4 11. and Shepheards but the Shepheard is to direct order the Sheep of his pasture They a 2 Cor. 5
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
conuerted by vs ought to be deare and feruent We learne from hence that the loue which Christians ought to beare to all the Saints especially to those whom they haue beene meanes to conuert ought to be entire deare hearty earnest most faithfull and most feruent It is our duty to loue all men more especiallie the Saints but most especially such as haue beene gained to the Faith by vs. The Lord himselfe testifieth his tender compassion toward his Children to prouoke them to follow his example The Prophets declare l Deut. 32 10. Zach. 2 8. That he which toucheth them toucheth the apple of his eye So Zachariah blessed the God of Israell m Luke 1 78. Who through his tender mercy gaue life to them that sate in darkenesse and in the shaddow of death and guided their feete into the way of peace This appeareth notably in Christ Iesus n Heb. 2 17. Who was made like vnto his Brethren that he might be mercifull he will not breake the bruised Reede nor quench the smoaking Flaxe o Iohn 15 12 13. and 13 34. These thinges saith he haue I spoken vnto you that my ioy might remaine in you this is my Commaundement that ye loue one another as I haue loued you greater loue then this hath no man when any man bestoweth his life for his friends This affection we finde in many places in the Apostle p Phil. 1 8 9. 1 Thess 3 7 8 God is my record how I long after you all from the very heart-roote in Iesus Christ we had consolation in you in al our affliction necessity through your Faith for now are we aliue if ye stand fast in the Lord. The Euangelist Luke describing the Church of God gathered together after the ascention of Christ saith q Act. 2 44 45 All that beleeued were in one place and had all thinges common and they sold their possessions and goods and parted them to all men as euery one had neede This is a precept giuen in the Law and no duty more often vrged and touched in the Gospell Moses saith r Leuit. 19 18 Math. 5 43. Rom. 13 9. Gal. 5 14. Thou shalt not auenge nor bee mindfull of wrong against the Children of thy people but shall loue thy Neighbour as thy selfe I am the Lord. The Apostle Paule among many precepts that he giueth this is one of the chiefe and principall Å¿ Rom. 12 9 10. and 13 8. Let loue bee without dissimulation abhorre that which is euill and cleane vnto that which is good be affectioned to loue one another with brotherlie loue All these testimonies of God the Father of Christ Iesus our Lord of the Apostle of other Christians and of the whole Church doe sufficiently teach vs that howsoeuer all the Saints of God are to be loued yet those especially that haue beene conuerted to vs. Reason 1. The reasons that may be rendred to vphold as firme pillers to strengthen this Doctrine are many and infallible For first there is great labour imployed long time spent many meanes vsed and continuall care bestowed to conuert a Soule to God It is no idle worke it is not brought to passe without much adoe A Woman hauing had an hard labour with her child doth loue it the more and will vse speech accordinglie saying This was a very deere Childe vnto me I must needes loue it yea her loue t Iohn 16 21. is so heartie and entire that shee forgetteth the paines and sorrow that shee hath sustained Beniamin among all the Sonnes of Iacob was most tenderly beloued in whose byrth the Mother dyed the fruite was saued but the Tree withered and fell downe he cost Iacob therefore dear euen his best beloued wife and indeed his onely lawfull wife whom Laban promised for whom he serued u Gen. 35 18. so that he called him Beniamin the sonne of his right hand If then that which is dearly bought be deepely beloued it is no maruell if it worke effectually in spirituall things where the greatest paines and labor is shewed We see this in the Galathians who had put the Apostle to much trouble and exceeding torment in their recouery to Christ x Gal. 4 11 19 are by him called his Little Children of whom he trauailed in birth againe vntill Christ were formed in them and he was in much feare and perplexity least hee had bestowed on them labour in vaine This appeareth in his behauiour toward the Israelites to whom pertaineth the adoption the glory and the Couenants y Ro. 9 1 2 3. I say the truth in Christ I lye not my Conscience bearing me witnesse in the Holyghost that I haue great heauinesse and continuall sorrow in mine heart for I would wish my selfe to bee separated from Christ for my Brethren that are my Kinsmen according to the flesh The like affection is bewrayed in Moses toward Gods people who had carried them in his bosome as a Nursse doth the sucking Childe when God was offended with them and threatned to consume them he cried vnto the Lord z Ex. 32 31 32 Oh this people haue sinned a great sinne and haue made them Gods of Golde therefore now if thou pardon their sinne thy mercy shall appeare but if thou wilte not I pray thee rase me out of thy Booke which thou hast written Thus he shewed the bowels of his loue toward that people with whom hee had taken so great paines for whom he had so often prayed and by whom he had been so oftentimes prouoked Reason 2. Secondly by testifying of our loue and shewing forth the fruites thereof we gather great assurance that we are of the company of the faithfull of the Communion of Saints and of the society of them that belong to the trueth when we loue vnfaignedly those that are of the truth The Apostle Iohn teacheth that our loue to the brethren is a fruite of true faith a 1 Iohn 3 14 19. Heereby we know that we are of the truth and shall before him assure our hearts And againe hee saith We know we are translated from death vnto life because wee loue the Brethren he that loueth not his Brother abideth in death Whereby hee sheweth that we are assured that we belong to God are his children by the fruites of loue which are certaine tokens of our election to eternall life Reason 3. Thirdly loue is the liuery of Christ and as it were the badge and cognizance whereby we are knowne to be his Disciples and to be taught and directed by his spirit This agreeth with the Doctrine of Christ b Ioh. 13 34 35. A newe Commandement giue I vnto you that yee loue one another as I haue loued you that ye also loue another by this shall all men knowe that ye are my Disciples if yee haue loue one to another Christ Iesus did instruct his Disciples especially in loue and did as it were graft it and engraue
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
euill continually by the second birth we are enabled and strengthened by the spirit to do good and to walke in the wayes of God that are well pleasing in his sight so that this ought to bee much more esteemed of vs then the former and to comfort vs aboue all thinges and times in the world We see this in the example of Zaccheus y Luke 19 6. who at his newe birth was comforted exceedingly he receiued Christ Iesus ioyfully he acknowledged him as the Father that begat him willingly hee made a great feast for gladnesse and gaue great guifts to the poore with al alacrity The like appeareth in the Iaylor recorded in the Acts of the Apostles z Acts. 16 32 33. Who being conuerted at the same time he tooke his two Fathers Paule Silas and washed their wounds he set meat before them reioysed greatly with all his houshold We ought therefore to know them that haue begotten vs in the Lord and haue bin Instruments of our conuersion These examples serue as a reproofe against those that neuer had knowledge either of the time when or of the place where or of the maner how or of the person by whom they were conuerted and begotten againe as new borne babes in Christ that neuer had the feeling of this grace of regeneration This is a wretched condition and a fearfull signe that they sauour stil of the flesh and lie in the corruptions of the old Adam and knowe not what a second birth meaneth Thus it was with Nicodemus a Iohn 3 1 3 4 a man of the Pharisies a Ruler of the Iewes and a Teacher of Israel when Christ had taught him That except a Man be borne againe he cannot see the Kingdome of God hee answered How can a man be borne which is olde Can hee enter into his Mothers wombe againe and be borne We see in al Churches there is an order appointed and to good purpose that a note should bee taken and a Register kept of our birth and the birth of our Children If there bee a good vse of this much more benefit and comfort shal we find by the recording of our second birth of our life in God and our dying to sinne by remembering the time the place the party other such like circumstances to the euerlasting peace of our owne Consciences by whom we haue beene brought to this life And indeede it is vnpossible that euer we should reioyce at the conuersion of a sinner except wee haue learned to conceiue great ioy and gladnesse when our hearts are opened and softned to receiue the Graces of God into them Vse 4. Lastly seeing we are to reioyce at the good of our brethren wee must from hence be drawn to an higher and farther duty Namely to giue thanks to God for them as for the blessings bestowed vpon our selues It is our duty to craue of God such thinges as they want and to giue him the praise for such things as he hath bestowed vpon them Our ioy must not be carnal but our reioysing must be in the Lord. If then we order our ioy and gladnesse aright it will lift vs vp to behold and consider from whence al good things proceed We oftentimes receiue at the hands of God many good guifts but neuer remember to returne vnto him the praise So it falleth out that diuers will seeme ioyful and glad at the prosperity and happinesse of their brethren who neuerthelesse are tongue-tied neuer open their mouths to giue glorie to the giuer and granter of them We must therefore know that it is our duty to render thankes to God for his benefits vouchsafed to his people And this is a notable signe and token whereby we may try and examine what our mirth and gladnesse is and whether it bee rightly ordered and disposed or not If it be Spirituall and not Carnall Holy and not Prophane Heauenly and not Worldly it will stirre vs vp to cast vp our eyes and hearts to the Father of Lights acknowledging al to come from the seat of his holinesse The Apostle directing the Church what their ioy ought to be saith Phillip 4 4. Reioyce in the Lord alwaies againe I say reioyce This vse which now wee vrge of this Doctrine is expressely confirmed and concluded in the practise of Iethro as we see Exod. 18 10 11. before remembred vnto vs so soone as he had testified his reioysing at all the goodnesse which the Lorde had shewed to Israell immediately he saide Blessed be the Lord who hath deliuered you out of the hand of the Egiptians and out of the hand of Pharaoh who hath also deliuered the people from vnder the hand of the Egyptians now I knowe that the Lord is greater then all the Gods for as they haue dealt proudly with them so are they recompensed Thus Moses declareth that the great workes and wonders that God had shewed to Israell wrought great ioy of heart in Iethro his Father in Lawe but he rested not there nor stayed in an outward reioysing his ioy did end in thankesgiuing which sanctifieth all our mirth and gladnesse For if our mouths be filled with laughter and our tongue with ioy and yet God bee shut out of our minds there is nothing in vs but pride and prophannesse of hart Then is our mirth true mirth and our ioyfulnesse true gladnesse when God is al in all when we acknowledge him to bee the author of it This appeareth in the people b Ps 126 1 2 3 when God brought againe the captiuity of Syon They were like them that dreame and became very ioyfull Then said they among the Heathen The Lord hath done great things for them the Lord hath done great things for vs whereof we reioyce Where we see that their ioy of heart was accompanied with giuing of thankes The like wee might say of Melchizedek King of Shalem and Priest of the most high God who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the Kinges and blessed him saying c Gen. 14 19. Blessed art thou Abram of God most high possessor of Heauen and Earth and blessed be the most high God which hath deliuered thine enemies into thine hand This reproueth those that know no ioy but that which is fleshly like vnto themselues who as they are carnall so they reioyce in nothing but that which is carnall The end of this ioy is heauinesse It is the faithful onely that are of God in Christ Iesus that can truly reioyce and be merrie from the heart as for the ioy of others it is but from the teeth and tongue outwardly it commeth not from the inward parts This the Prophet teacheth Psal 32 21. and 33 1. Be glad ye righteous and reioyce in the Lord and be ioyfull al ye that are vpright in heart Thereby declaring that the vngodly and prophane men of the Worlde haue nothing to doe with this gladnesse whereof wee speake their ioy is not in the Lorde but in the
to whom it is written so we are d The person for whom this Epistle is written to marke the person for whom it is written to wit for Onesimus a seruant a fugitiue seruant a false seruant a fraudulent seruant A base and meane subiect for the Apostle to handle howbeit penned in so high and heauenly a manner and contriued with such exquisit Art and excellent Iudgement that it ouer-reacheth the meannesse of the matter and leaueth no excuse that Philemon could alledge to wind himself from him and manifesteth the speciall care that Paul had of this poore penitent person It is recorded of e In the works of Maister Greenham M. Fox of blessed Memory when one told him that a certain man of none of the greatest or highest callings who had receiued much comfort from him in the dayes of his trouble was desirous to acknowledge his thankefulnesse toward him and asked him whether he remembred such a one He answered I remember him well I tell you I forget Lords and Ladies to remember such Many there are that are ashamed of such as are of low degree whom notwithstanding God loueth for whom the Sauior of the world died and to whom the word of saluation is preached When the Church was in Abrahams house it consisted not onely of such e Gen. 17 12. as were borne in his house but of such also as were bought with his money of any stranger that was not of his seed and when the Lord gaue vnto him the seale of his Couenant he commanded him to circumcise not only himselfe and his sonne his Steward and the cheefest partes of his family but euery male euen the least and lowest that lodged vnder his roofe As then the Wise-man saith in the Prouerbes f Prou. 17. 5. Hee that mocketh the poore reproacheth him that made him so he that despiseth a seruant because he is a seruant dishonoreth God that made him a seruant Hence it is that the g Titus 3 9 10 Apostle chargeth such to be subiect to their Maisters and please them in all things not answering againe neither pickers but that they shew al faithfulnesse that they may adorne the Doctrine of God our Sauiour in al things They are therefore through pride and disdaine not a little deceiued but wander wide out of the way that thinke religion commeth not downe so low as vnto seruants that Gods prouidence vouchsafeth not to respect them that it booteth not to giue them any instruction True it is God hath established by his owne ordinance a difference betweene the Mayster and the Seruant as our Sauiour sheweth Luke 17. h Luke 17 7 8 Who is it also of you that hauing a seruant ploughing or feeding Cattle woulde say vnto him by and by when he were come from the field Go and sit downe at table And would not rather say vnto him Dresse wherewith I may sup and gird thy self and serue me til I haue eaten and drunken and afterward eat thou drink thou c. The Gospell doth not abolish the distinction betweene man and man betweene high and low betweene Maister and Seruant yea when they are al beleeuers as is plentifully handled in this Commentary howbeit the writ of partition is not so great nor the wall of separation so farre distant betweene them wee should thinke the Lorde careth for the one and contemneth the other who made them both preserueth them both redeemed them both sanctifieth them both and will glorifie them both This did Iob wisely i Iob 31 13. consider Chap. 31. If I did contemn the iudgement of my seruant of my Maid when he did contend with me what then shal I do when God standeth vp And when he shal visit me what shal I answere He that hath made me in the womb hath he not made him Hath not he alone fashioned vs in the womb The Heathen that saw nothing but by looking through the windowes of nature themselues being meerely naturall men tooke vppon them their iust and lawfull defence and pleaded for them at the bar of reason when they were vsed oftentimes no otherwise then the Beasts and Cattle that Master and seruant had k Macrob. lib. 1 Saturn cap. 11. one the same beginning were norished with the same Elements did draw in the same aire did tread vpon the same ground and returned in the end into the same earth Yea their plea for them went a great deale farther Though they are bondmen yet they are men albeit they are seruants yet they are our fellow-seruants He is indeed become a seruant but it is through necessity A Seruant in bodie but a Free-man in minde And peraduentuee the Maister himselfe that ruleth ouer him may be more slauish then he He that is a Drudge or seruant to his owne lusts to Wrath to Enuy to Couetousnesse to Ambition l Cicer parad 5. is a right seruant obeying most foule and filthy Masters and none a baser Bondman then such a one He is a true Maister and a right Free-man that hath learned m Plut. desuperstitione to rule ouer his owne affections such a man is stronger then he that ruleth a Citty The other are seruants against their willes but these serue and obey as most vile vassals willingly neither do they desire freedome We are not to esteeme of men by their estate or as we say commonly by their fortunes but by their manners We may alter our maners n Sene. Trag. in Traad our condition we cannot alwayes He is no great wise man that purposing to buy an horse looketh not vpon him but contenteth himselfe to view onely the Bridle and Saddle so is he as simple and shallow which iudgeth of a man by putting on a gay coat or by the wearing of a precious garment or by the condition of his outwarde person and not by the inward Guiftes and Ornaments of the minde Abigaile is renowned for a Woman q 1 Sam. 25 3. of singular wisedome and that worthily yet she disdained not the counsel of her seruants Naaman was Captaine of the King of Aram yet he refused not the aduise of his attendants that waited vpon him These persons iudged it to be no disgrace or disparagement to their high calling nor any sawcinesse in their seruants to presume to teach them and tell them their duty nay without guiding themselues by them and following their direction the one had beene exposed to miserable slaughter the other had returned in the vncleannesse of his leprosie whereas by this meanes the one was preserued the other was cleansed It is therefore an vntrue and vnsauourie Prouerbe that r A wicked and witlesse Prouerbe A man keepeth in his house so manie enemies as seruants for we haue them not enemies but we make them so when we behaue our selues toward them tyrannously cruelly contumeliously spightfully outragiously Å¿ Macr. Satur. lib. 1. cap. 11. doing against them so much as
forgiuen and forgotten page 243 Doct. 4. Our loue to al the Saints especialy such as haue bin conuerted by vs ought to bee deare and feruent page 254 Doct. 5. The Gospell doeth not abolish or diminish ciuill ordinances distinct degrees among men pag 262 Verse 13. and 14. Doct 1. Euery Christian is bound to serue the common good of the church by what meanes soeuer GOD hath enabled him thereunto pag 272 Doct 2. All christian duties done to God or man must be done willingly and chearefully performed pa 282 Verse 15 and 16. Doct 1. All thinges euen sinne it selfe are ordred and turned by the prouidence of God to the good of the elect page 295 Doct 2. God oftentimes taketh from his seruants outward commodities to bestow vppon them greater page 305 Doct 3. The fals and sinnes of our brethren wherof they haue repented are not to be encreased and amplified with odious and extreame words but rather to be buried and forgotten page 311 Doct 4. The more grace apeareth in any the more should they be tendered and regarded of vs. page 322 Doct 5. Although christian religion do not take away the degrees of persons yet it maketh vs al equall and brethren in Christ page 330 Doct 6. The more bandes and reasons are giuen vs to care for any the more wee are bound to care for him page 337. Verse 17. Doct 1. The consideration of our communion one with another ought to moue vs to regard one another and to do all good one to another pa 348 Doct 2. Among Christian friends all things are common page 350 Verse 18 and 19. Doct. 1. The communion of Saints doth not take away any mans right interest in his priuate possessions and things of this life page 365 Doct. 2. It is lawfull for one man to become surety for another and to engage himselfe and his credit pa 373 Doct 3. Couenants in Writing for debts bargaines and sales are honest and lawfull page 385 Doct 4. Such as haue gayned vs vnto God ought aboue all others to be most deare vnto vs. page 394 Verse 20 and 21. Doct 1. No man ought to be eager and extreame in exacting and requiring their debts dues and demandes from the poore and needy page 407 Doct 2. Whatsoeuer wee desire prouoke and perswade others to doe must be in the Lord. page 415 Doct. 3 Men ought greatly to reioyce at the good and benefit of their brethren in temporall eternal blessings which they see to befall them page 421 Doct 4. Men ought alwayes to hope well and to thinke the best of their brethren not to suspect the worst of them page 426 Doct 5. The faithfull being moued to christian duties haue yeilded more then hath bin required at their hands page 431 Verse 22. Doct 1. Hospitality that is the ioyfull and courteous entertainment of distressed strangers for the truths sake is to be vsed and practised of al the seruants of God page 440 Doct 2. The prayers of the faithfull are auayleable for themselues and others both to obtaine blessinges to them and to remoue iudgments from them page 447 Doct 3. The guifts of God bestowed vpon his Seruants come from his free grace not from our free will or deserts page 457 Verse 23 24. Doct 1. Courteous speeches and louing Salutations are beseeming the Seruants of God page 471 Doct 2. We must not vtterly cast off the weake but shew our compassion toward them page 478 Doct 3. Many that seeme forward in the profession do afterwardes fall backe page 484 Verse 25. Doct 1. Spirituall thinges are to bee prayed for and preferred before earthly things page 500 An Exposition of the Epistle of the Apostle Paul to Philemon The time whē this Epistle was written THIS Epistle is short in Words low in Argument and priuate in regard of the Matter yet the manner of handling is high and heauenly and the Doctrine generall and common to the whole Church It was written as appeareth to Philemon at what time the Apostle was growne olde in yeares was drawing neere his end and was clapt vp and kept in Prison at Rome from whence also he directed sundry Epistles to diuers Churches and particular persons From thence he wrote to the Galathians to the Ephesians to the Philippians to the Colossians and the latter Epistle to Timothy a 2 Tim. 4. which was penned not long before his death and dissolution For albeit he were held in durance and restrained of his liberty that he could not visit the Churches where the Gospell was planted nor lay a new Foundation where as yet it had not beene preached yet he was not idle or vnfruitfull but laboured to do good to the Church by writing when he could not come to bestow some spirituall Graces among them by teaching We see heere that Paul writeth out of Prison and slacketh not to instruct both generall Churches and particular persons From hence we learne that b Doct. 1. The course of the Gospell cannot be stopped the course of the Gospell cannot be stopped but keepeth on his way and passage in the World The truth of the Gospell will haue his free libertie it can be hindred by no Chaines it can be restrained by no Bandes and Boults it can be shut vp by no barres of Iron and Gates of Brasse but breaketh forth as the light of the Sunne out of a darke Cloud We see this euidently in the example of Paul c Act 26 22 28. albeit he were in bondes and Chaines yet he pleadeth his cause with such grauitie of speech with such power of the Spirit with such piercing of the matter with such efficacy of words and with such respect of the persons before whom we spake that he had almost gained perswaded Agrippa to Christianitie The like we see in another place d Act. 28 30 31. when he was brought Prisoner to Hierusalem confined to an House and deliuered to a Souldier to be kept he receiued all that came vnto him Preaching the Kingdome of God and teaching those thinges which concerne the Lord Iesus Christ with all boldnesse of speech without let This appeareth more euidently in none then in Christ himselfe who as at all times he sought all occasions and opportunity to doe good to the soules and bodies of men e Luke 23 43. so when he was vpon the Crosse he conuerted the Theefe and was ready to seeke and to saue him that was lost These consents of Scripture come directly to the former point and serue to teach vs that whatsoeuer the purposes and pretences of men be yet they shall neuer bee able to stoppe the streame of the word of God which floweth plentifully to the comforting and refreshing of the dry and barren hearts of sinfull men Reason 1. Let vs breefely consider the Reasons First the doctrine deliuered is of God not of Men from Heauen not from the Earth If man were the Authour of it it might
God All time is esteemed to little and to short that is spent in pleasures in Carding in Dyeing in Drunkennesse in vanitie and in all wickednesse neuer considering that we ought to number our dayes and redeeme the time because the daies are euill To Philemon our deare Friend and Fellow-labourer c. Hetherto we haue spoken of the persons writing Now wee are to proceede to the persons to whom this Epistle is written which are foure in number whereof one is chiefe and principall the other such as are ioyned to him as lesse principall The cheefe person heere named is Philemon Touching this Philemon who he was and of what calling and condition it is not agreed among all Some thinke he was in the Ministery and of some Ecclesiasticall function u Cal. in Epist. Phil. Piscat in hanc locum Rolloc annlis in Epistol Phil. because the Apostle calleth him a Fellow-labourer But the opinion and iudgement of these men is not certaine and the reason whereuppon it standeth is weake and wauering Rather he appeareth to be a Citizen of Colosse of good wealth and worship because both the Pastor of that Church was Archippus as appeareth Coloss 4 Say vnto Archippus looke to thy Ministry that thou fulfill it And many other are called by this honorable Title of Fellow-labourers who neuer had calling to preach the word as appeareth in diuers places where Paule saluteth not only priuate persons but Women who were not to teach publikely in the Church by this Name as Rom. 16. Phil. 4. 3. Iohn Now the Apostle vseth two reasons to perswade him to yeeld to his suit and earnest request the one of friendship and familiarity that was betweene them the other of his zeale and forwardnesse in furthering the Gospell as indeed it is the duty not onely of the Ministers but of all the godly to promote the doctrine of the gospell and to labour much in the Lord by their prayers workes counsels endeuours and imployments So then in regard of the neere coniunction of Christian loue and common labour in the truth and for the truth the Apostle hopeth to preuaile with him Doct. 5. A Christian friend wil performe any Christian duty to his friend From hence wee learne this Doctrine that where true Christian loue is there is a willing and ready performance of all Christian duties one to another Christian friendshippe and familiarity ought to preuaile much to intreat and obtaine duties of loue one from another and to stay vnchristian and vncharitable courses When a contention grew betweene Abraham and Lot and betweene the Heard-men of their Cattle Abraham said vnto him x Gen. 13 8. Let there be I pray thee no strife between thee and me neither between my Heard-men and thy Heard-men for we are Brethren Ionathan and Dauid a paire of sure and fast friendes entred into a couenant of peace and amity either with other y 1 Sa. 18 2 3. this loue would not suffer any euill to be pretended and plotted against each other which they did not willinglie disclose and discouer Dauid loued him as himselfe and Ionathan reuealed and bewrayed the counsell and conspiracy of his Father euen to the danger of his owne life and the losse of a kingdome He preferred the maintaining of frendship before the gaining of a kingdome The loue that was in Christ to his disciples caused him to reueale to them all things that he had from his Father z Iohn 15 15. Henceforth cal I you not seruants for the seruant knoweth not what his M. doth but I haue called you friends for all things that I haue heard of my Father haue I made known to you When Christ sitting at the table told the disciples that one of thē should betray him into the hands of Sinners Peter moued Iohn whom Iesus loued and who leaned on his breast to aske who it was of whō he spake being assured he would not deny to tell him because he loued him This the Apostle teacheth b Rom. 5 7. Doubtlesse one will scarce die for a righteous Man but for a good man it may be that one dare dye So in this Epistle that now we haue in hand verse 9. he saith For loues sake I beseech thee for my Sonne Onesimus All these seuerall places serue to point out and to proue this truth vnto vs that a friend a true Friend a true Christian friend will not deny but readily performe any Christian duty to his friend Reason 1. The Reasons are first because true Friendes are as one Soule in two Bodies They agree in one they consent in one they take such sweete counsell together and are partakers one with another in weale and woe The Heathen could say c Arist Eth. lib 8. c. 1. Cicer. lib de Amicit. that all things are common among friends and that a sure friend is as another the same It is said to this purpose that Dauid loued Ionathan as his owne Soule 1 Sam. 18. So Luke speaking of the faithfull members of the Church saith d Act. 4 32. The multitude of them that beleeued were of one heart and of one Soule neyther any of them saide that any thing of that which he possessed was his owne but they had all thinges common Seeing then that such as are ioyned in Christian friendship haue one Soule one heart one will one purpose how can they but performe all good thinges one to another Who can deny any thing to himselfe Who hateth his owne flesh or doth not nourish and cherish it by all the meanes he can How then shall not Friends that haue a Title and interest one of another demaund and obtaine any thing that is iust and equall Reason 2. Againe this is a note of true loue that it seeketh not his owne good but seeketh and desireth the good of his Brother The loue that aymeth and endeth at it selfe is nothing else but selfe-loue whereof there is great store in the World when Men respect nothing but their owne profite But true loue is so occupyed about the thing loued that in regard thereof it is oftentimes negligent about it selfe not enioying all the liberty or commodity that lawfully it may haue The Apostle e 1 Cor. 13 4 5 describing the properties of loue saith Loue suffereth long it is bountifull loue enuyeth not loue dooth not boast it it selfe it is not puffed vp it disdaineth not is seeketh not her owne thinges it not prouoked to anger it thinketh not euill Seeing then this is one of the fruites and properties of loue that it is ready to neglect it owne priuate profit and pleasure in regard of the thing loued wee cannot doubt of a carefull performance of all duties and demaundes that are required of it where it is Vse 1. Let vs see the Vses of this Doctrine First seeing Christian friendship will performe Christian duties wee learne that a Christian Friende is a sure Friend and Christian friendship
but the Labourers are few pray ye therefore the Lord of the Haruest to thrust forth Labourers into his Haruest Where we see he calleth the Ministers of the Gospell Labourers in the Haruest-fielde and gatherers of the Lords Corne. We see what great paines men take in Haruest and how necessary Labourers are when the Corne is ripe and ready to be reaped The Apostle Paule speaking of himselfe and the rest of the Apostles saith q 1 Cor. 3 9. We together are Gods Labourers And in another place r 1 Tim. 5 17 The Elders that rule well is worthy of double honour specially they which labour in the word and doctrine Heerevnto agreeth that which he writeth in another Epistle Å¿ 2 Tim. 2 15. Study to shewe thy selfe approued vnto God a worke-man that needeth not to be ashamed diuiding the word of truth aright All these testimonies teach vs this truth that the office of the Ministery is not so much a dignity as it implyeth a duty it is not onely an honour but a burthen it is not onely a Title of renowne but a work of labour Reason 1. This will better appeare if wee marke the Reasons following First the ordinance of God appointeth that euery calling should eate their Bread in t Gen. 3 19. the sweate of their browes that is should be industrious and painefull in their seuerall vocations whether it be in bodily or in spirituall labour The bodily calling requireth bodily labour the spirituall calling requireth spirituall labour Idlenesse and negligence in any u Ier. 48 10. worke of the Lord is accursed An idle hearer that ioyneth not practise is abhominable a loose and carelesse professor that addeth not obedience is a bad professor Reason 2. Secondly the Ministers of God fight the Lords spirituall battels for vs by their prayers care watchfulnesse faith and the whole Armour of God by opposing and setting themselues against Heritiques Atheists Worldlinges Schismatiques Wicked men and all thinges that exalr themselues against God Is not this a great worke of great labour to resist the budding and growing of so many sinnes as daily rise vp as men that striue with the whole Earth To labour in study in word in doctrine in zeale in watching According to that which the Apostle saith x 2 Cor. 11 27 28. I was often in wearinesse and painefulnesse in watching often besides the things which are outward I am combred daily and haue the care of all the Churches who is weake and I am not weake Who is offended and I burne not How did Moses fight in prayer y Exod. 32 31 and labour in zeale for the people of Israell when hee stood in the gap and stopped the wrath of God that was kindled against them If then we would reason from the generall to the speciall waying the purpose and appointment of God who hath annexed labour to euery calling or consider that the Ministers of the word are the Souldiers of God to fight his battels against sinne and sinfull men in both respects we may conclude that the calling of the ministery is an office of great necessity and of much labour Vse 1. This doctrine teacheth vs and offereth vnto vs diuers Vses First let vs learne to acknowledge the worke of the Ministry to bee a worke of great diligence painefulnesse and labour if it be performed as it ought to be We must keepe backe z Act. 20 27 28. nothing from the people but shew vnto them the whole counsell of God We must lay the Foundation of Religion among them and build constantly vpon it which cannot be done without faithfulnesse If wee take heede to our selues and to all the flocke whereof the holy Ghost hath made vs Ouer-seers to feede the Church of God which hee hath purchased with his owne bloud we shall find our function to be full of labour and sweating to receiue much euill intreating and hard entertainement heere in this World The Apostle teaching the duty of the hearers toward their Ministers saith a 1 Cor. 3 1 2. Let a man so thinke of vs as of the Ministers of Christ and disposers of the secrets of God and as for the the rest it is required of the Disposers that euery Man be found faithfull So he teacheth in another place b 1 Tim. 3 1. This is a true saying If any Man desire the office of a Bishop he desireth a worthy worke Where he sheweth indeede that the calling is a worthy calling but it requireth also worthy labouring This will farther appeare vnto vs if we consider the Titles that are giuen vnto them They are called Builders that are continually busie in building hewing tough Timber and squaring rough stones No Timber no Stones of themselues so vnfit for building as we are by Nature to be coupled together and to grow vnto an holy Temple in the Lord. They are called Souldiers they are alwaies fighting or looking for their enemies and drawing out the Sword of the Spirit c Ephe. 6 17. which is the word of God Is any calling vnder Heauen more necessary then the profession of a Souldier in time of danger And when an assault is made or the battels ioyne is any profession more painefull Sometimes they are called Husband-men Is not the life of the Husband-man a painefull life and is not the ending of one worke the beginning of another Doth not euery season of the yeare bring his seuerall trauell So that no calling is accompanied with more labour and lesse ease Sometimes they are called Watch-men who stand continually on their watch Tower to discry the comming and approaching of the Enemy Sometimes they are called Shepheards abiding in the fielde and keeping watch by night ouer their flocke they are in the day consumed with heate and with Frost in the night and their sleepe departeth from their eyes Seeing therefore the Ministers aie builders of the Lordes house Souldiers in the Lordes Campe Husbandmen in the Lords fielde Watch-men in the Lordes Citty and Shepheardes ouer the Lordes flocke which hee hath redeemed with his precious blood we must all confesse that the Ministry of the word is a worke of great labour if it be discharged aright For this if wee know not by practise wee may see by experience that to study with constantnesse to meditate with earnesse to instruct with diligence to exhort with carefulnesse to reproue with zeale to comfort with cheerefulnesse to conuince with boldnesse to watch ouer the people with a godly d Heb. 13 17. ouer-sight as they that must giue accountes for their Soules to conceiue godly anger and great sorrow for sinne to pray in publike and priuate to goe in and out before the people of God in the doctrine of Faith and in example of life to prepare themselues to handle the word and to deliuer it with power and euidence of the spirit with earnest affections being thus prepared I say to performe all these duties
Hatches he sitteth quiet and holdeth the Sterne he doth not indeede as they doe but he doth farre greater and better things The Church and Common-wealth are not vnfitly compared to a mans body which consist of many partes all needefull and necessary yet all haue not the same vses and functions If the members of a mans r Halicar Roman antiquit lib. 6. Plutar. in vita Coriolani Liui. decad 1. lib. 2. body should rise and rebell against the belly if the feet should plead that they onely beare vp the waight of the whole body if the handes should affirme that they labour painefully earne their liuing and bring many other commodities if the shoulders should say that they beare all burthens or the head that it seeth and heareth the mouth that it speaketh and then if all ioyntly should turne themselues to the belly and accuse it to be without profit to remaine in the midst of the body without doing anything and sustaine no labour to the maintenance of the rest of the partes were not this a foolish conceit of reasoning and would not this tend to the ruine of the whole body In the body politicke if the people that dig and delue should complaine and conspire against the Prince and Nobles who labour by care rule by authority foresee by wisedome and manage by gouernment because they worke not with their hands would not this draw with it the destruction of the Common-wealth So is it in the Church and in the offices of the Church As the people labour by working so doe the Ministers in studying and preaching All haue not one office all haue not one vse Therefore the Apostle saith Å¿ 1 Cor. 12 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21. The body is not one member but many if the foote should say Because I am not the hand I am not of the body is it therefore not of the body And if the eare should say because I am not the eye I am not of the body is it therefore not of the body If the whole body were an eye where were the hearing And if the whole were hearing where were the smelling But now hath God disposed the members euery one of them in the body at his owne pleasure for if they were all one member where were the body But now are there many members yet but one body and the eye cannot say vnto the hand I haue no need of thee nor the head againe to the feete I haue no neede of you Whereby we see that the body consisteth of many members all haue their necessary vse for the preseruation of the whole and yet all haue not one and the same function So then they despise the Ministers of the Gospell and so account the Ministery of the word needlesse and vnprofitable because they work not with their hands and not labour with bodily labour are as madde and monstrous as they that would haue all the body to be an hand no mouth no head no foot For albeit the Teachers of the Church be not the hands of the body to handle the Carpenters Axe or the Shepheards Crooke or the Husbandmans Plough or the saw of the Sawyer yet he is as the eye of the body to giue light to them that sit in darkenesse and in the shaddow of death as the mouth of the bodie to speake to God and to poure out supplications before him for the people yea he is also as the belly for as the belly which receiueth all meats that nourish mans body doth send them backe againe with aduantage to the nourishment of the whole body so the Minister receiuing maintenance from the Church doth feed them againe and nourisheth them with the bread of life to the saluation of their soules He receiueth temporall things but he soweth vnto them spirituall things The Apostle saith t 1 Cor. 9 7. Who goeth a warfare any time at his owne cost Who planteth a Vineyard and eateth not the fruite thereof Or who feedeth a Flocke and eateth not of the Milke of the flocke The Souldier liueth by the receiuing of his wages the Husbandman by the fruits of his labours the Shepheard by the encrease of his flock and therefore it must not seem strange vnto vs that the Lords Souldiers should enioy their pay and that his Workemen should haue their hire Vse 3. Lastly seeing the celling of the Pastour set ouer the people is painefull it offereth good considerations and profitable Meditations both to the Pastors and to the people Touching the Ministers it serueth as a good admonition to such as purpose and intend to enter into this great calling of the Ministerie that they doe it wisely and warily that they runne not before they bee sent that they enter at the Doore and climbe not in at the Windowe that they considet what prouision and store of new and old they haue to goe through the worke Such as meane to builde u Luk. 14 28 31. doe first make great prouision and preparation The Kings of the Nations and Princes of the Earth with great aduise and consultation doe proclaime warres The Ministery is a going to Warfare it is a building of Gods House and therefore it is to bee enterprized not rashly but aduisedly not meanely stored but plentifully furnished with all manner of prouision fit for the Lordes worke Againe beeing the Souldiers of Christ and the leaders of his people they must seeke to please a Gal. 1 10. not men but their Captaine that hath chosen and called them they must take heede they doe not intangle and snare themselues in worldly matters and so hinder their worke in hand whereby they are made vnfit to serue God and his Church The order and discipline of the Warres is such that so soone as the Souldier hath enrolled and giuen his name to his Captaine he leaueth his house and other affaires which might with-draw his minde and mindeth nothing but the battell So ought we to bee wholie loosed and throughlie freed from the impediments and incumbrances of this Worlde that Christ may haue our seruice in this warfare This is that vse which the Apostle maketh of this Doctrine 2. Tim. 2. Thou therefore suffer affliction as a good Souldier of Iesus Christ b 2 Tim. 2 3 4. No Man that warreth entangleth himselfe with the affaires of this life because he would please him that hath chosen him to be a Souldier Touching the people they must know that when God sendeth such Labourers among them they must bee esteemed and accounted as the greatest defence and preseruation of a Citty and Kingdome This is confessed by Ioash the King of Israell when Elisha fell sicke of his sicknesse whereof he died c 2 Kin. 13 14. O my Father my Father the Charet of Israell and the Horsemen of the same The prayer of Moses d Exod. 17. preuailed more then the Sword of Ioshua and all the furniture of war against the Amalekites The Apostle writing
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
blasphemed by carelesse and wicked professors the Apostle q Rom. 2 24. charging the Iewes that through their euill life the Doctrine of God was slandered so on the other side God is greatly honoured when our deedes accompany our wordes and a godly life adorneth and garnisheth a good profession according to ihe commandement of Christ r Math. 5 16. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your goodworkes and glory your Father which is in heauen Reason 2. Secondlie the forwardnesse of one is a notable meanes to draw forward another For as one wicked man maketh another and he that is seduced is an Instrument to seduce another so hee that is truely conuerted will not rest in the quiet fruit and inward comfort of his owne conuersion but labour to conuert others and so make them partakers of that comfort which they haue found The Apostle writing to the Thessalonians saith of them Å¿ 1 Thes 1 6 7 Ye became followers of vs and of the Lord and receiued the word in much affliction with ioy of the holy Ghost so that ye were as ensamples to all that beleeue in Macedonia and in Achaia They that are gained to the faith will be meanes to gaine others so that the winning of one is the gaining of another This we see in the conuersion of the Apostles When Andrew was brought to Christ t Iohn 1 41 43 45. He found his Brother Simon first and said vnto him We haue found that Messias which is by interpretation that Christ So when Christ called Phillip and said vnto him Follow me Phillip found Nathaniell and saide vnto him We haue found him of whom Moses did write in the Law and the Prophets Iesus that Sonne of Ioseph that was of Nazareth The like wee see in the Woman of Samaria when Christ had preached saluation vnto her and offered vnto her the Water of life that she should thirst no more u Iohn 4 28. shee left her Water-pot and went into the Citty and said to the men Come see a man which hath told me all thinges that euer I did is not he that Christ Being moued her selfe she moued others beeing drawne she drew others to Christ Reason 3. Thirdly it is a great comfort to the Pastors and Teachers of the Church when such as are taught do grow in grace and prosper by those meanes that are brought and offered vnto them The Apostle calleth the Phillippians his Bretheren beloued and longed for his ioy and his Crowne wherein hee accounteth their growth his honor their encreasing his reioycing their faith his hope their flourishing his felicity so when hee had praised God for the zeale of the Thessalonians in receiuing the word in following other Churches and in suffering affliction for the Gospels sake hee addeth this reason x 1 Thes 2 19 20. For what is our hope or ioy or Crowne of reioycing Are not euen you it in the presence of our Lord Iesus Christ at his comming Yes ye are our glory and ioy He doth not make the matter of his glorying and the occasion of his reioysing to bee his calling so much as the fruit of his calling hee doth not comfort himselfe so much in his Apostleship as in the effect of his Apostleship that is the conuersion and saluation of the Thessalonians If a man haue neuer so high and eminent a calling in the Church or Common-wealth he cannot comfort himselfe so much therein as when he seeth the blessing of God vpon his labours when he remembreth he hath kept a good conscience therein y 2 Cor. 1 15. and considereth he is to God the sweete sauour of Christ in them that are saued and in them that perish It is a great comfort to the Husbandman after his toiling and tilling after his planting and ploughing to see the fruits of his labours and to behold the encrease of the earth that yeeldeth vsury aduantage and encrease when it is sowed So it fareth with the spirituall Husbandman whose labour is greater oftner enduring al the yeare long whose patience is greater in waiting for the early and latter raine whose gaine and profit is lesse in tilling a dry and barren soile that yeeldeth little or no increase but a crop of cares a bundle of Briars and Bushes and an Haruest of Thornes and Thistles that are reserued for the fire Reason 4. Lastly the graces of God and the growing in these graces are fruites of their election and seales of their saluation so that the Angels in Heauen reioyce at the conuersion of a Sinner Euery grace of GOD addeth assurance the greater graces the greater assurance the more graces the more assurance the growth of graces is the growing of our assuraunce For if these thinges be found and abound in vs z 2 Pet. 1 8 10. they will make vs neither to bee idle nor vnfruitfull in the acknowledging of our LORD IESVS CHRIST but giue vs a comfortable assuraunce of our eternall election and effectuall calling So the Apostle giueth thankes for all the Thessalonians making mention of them in his prayers and remembring the efficacy of their Faith the diligence of their loue and the patience of their hope a 1 Thes 1 3 4. by all which hee gathereth assuredly as building vpon certaine knowledge that they are elect of God Now then to lay these reasons together and to gather them as vpon an heape seeing nothing bringeth greater glory to God among men nothing serueth better to draw on others nothing ministreth greater ioy to the Teachers nothing sealeth vp more surely their saluation then the increase of his Kingdome the growth of the Saints and the enlarging of the bounds of the Church it followeth that all Gods Children must shew their ioy and gladnesse when they see any to encrease in the obedience of the Gospell to grow in grace and to proceede constantly in the truth of God Vse 1. The Vses remaine to be considered and learned of vs. First we see that the principall and cheefest thing which the Minister should seeke and search after is the profiting of his people and the building vp of the Kingdome of God among them For his ioy in their growth and his comfort in their conuersion will cause him aboue all things to labour after it There is no comfort in the Minister like to this comfort when he seeth the fruits of godlines as it were the markes of Gods Spirit to shine forth brightly in his people What comfort hath the Husbandman more in his husbandry then to see the fruits of the earth not to be blasted but to be blessed not to wither but to grow what ioy hath the Shepheard like to this when he seeth the flocke not to be infected but to flourish not to be rotten and scabbed but to be sound and whole not to decrease and decay but to encrease and to bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our streetes What greater
eye-sore vnto our selues Such as are dull and backe-ward themselues cannot abide those that are forward They that are ignoraunt thinke all others to haue too much knowledge They that are cold and slothfull in the matters of God do carpe and cauill at the zeale which they see in others and thinke them to bee too hasty too earnest too praecise Hence it is that oftentimes the Husband checketh the Wife the Father controuleth the Sonne and one Friend tebuketh another as running too fast and shooting beyond the marke Howsoeuer this is not greatly to bee feared in our daies wherein few runne at all many stand still wherein fewe shoot at the marke yet if it were so it is better to be a little too forward then to bee too backward to haue a little too much zeale then to be stark cold as many or luke-warme as the most are We see this in the state of a mans bodie it is easier to worke an euacuation of that which is too much then to procure a restitution of that which is too little It is an easier cure to purge our grosse superfluous humours when they abound then to repayre and restore Nature when it is decaying and consuming It is much easier to take away the sharpnesse of an edge tool then to set a sharp edge on that which is blunt dulled It is easier to pull downe a part of the building which is ouer-much then to lay a new foundation If there be one among vs that seeketh to be too iust and aymeth at a righteousnes aboue the Law there are a thousand that come too short and fayle in that which is required of them It is a most blessed thing to keepe the Golden meane betweene too much and too little It is easier to bring him that is in the excesse to the meane then to reduce him to the meane that is in the defect When a man lyeth dead in sinnes and trespasses and hath no sparke of the life of God in him to bring such an one to true godlinesse is as it were to raise him from the dead When a man lieth languishing and consuming by little and little and all good things begin to decay in him so that he is growne starke cold nothing is harder then to restore such a one it is as much as to worke a wonder and miracle But when our zeale is growne to be a little too hot and our edge made somewhat too sharpe it requireth no great labour it asketh no great paines to reduce vs backe againe and to make vs returne home the way by which we went There is no cause therefore that wee should so rashly and out-ragiously beare our selues toward those that climbe vp a step too high and beare them-selues a little too forward let vs rather examine our selues and consider whether we do not our selues many wayes faile of our duties so that wee may say and say truely we are vnprofitable seruants Let vs neuer enuy or grudge at the good of others remembering alwayes that what grace soeuer is graunted to one member is giuen to the whole bodie and to euerie particular member of the body As he that doth good to the eye doth good to the whole body the benefite redowndeth to the hand and foot Thus it is in the mystical bodie of Christ a Rom. 12 5. Wee being many are one bodie in Christ and euerie one one anothers Members Wee see in the Actes of the Apostles b Acts 11 18. when the Disciples had heard that Peter was called and warned by an Heauenly Vision to preach to Cornelius and other Gentiles they helde their peace and glorifyed God saying Then hath God also to the Gentiles graunted Repentance vnto life Thus much of the Ioy and Thankes-giuing of the Apostle Now let vs see to whom hee gaue thankes set downe in the next wordes I giue thankes to my God Heere is the first illustration of the Apostles Thankesgiuing declaring to whome it is made to wit to God The Apostle giuing Thankes and praising God hee calleth him his God He saith not simply I giue thankes to God but particularly I giue thankes to my God He calleth him his God and applyeth the promises of the gospel made to all that beleeue peculiarly and especially to himselfe Doctrine 2. It is the nature of faith to apply the promises and mercies of God to our owne selues Whereby we see for our instruction that the nature and property of a true and liuely faith is to aprehend and apply God and his promises particularly to our selues It is a duty required of vs to labor for that faith which may be as an hand to lay holde on the mercies of God and to appropriate them vnto our selues This we see in the vow of Iacob a Gen. 28 21. If God wil be with me and wil keep me in this iourny which I go and wil giue me Bread to eate cloaths to put on so that I come againe vnto my Fathers house in safety then shal the Lord be my God This speciall application we see oftentimes in Dauid b Psal 22. 1. 104 1. My God my God why hast thou forsaken me And againe O Lord my God thou art exceeding great The same appeareth in Thomas one of the twelue when Christ who will not breake the bruised Reed nor quench the smoaking Flaxe had respect to the weakenesse of his Fayth and bad him see the print of the Nayles in his handes and put his Finger into his side hee cryed out c Iohn 20 28. Thou art my Lord and my God This Christ practiseth himselfe and teacheth others when he sayde to Mary d Iohn 20 17. Touch me not for I am not yet ascended to my Father but go to my Bretheren and say vnto them I ascend vnto my Father and to your Father and vnto my God and to your God The Apostle Paule speaking of Christ and the benefites which he reapeth by him saith e Gal. 2 20. I am crucified with Christ but I liue yet not I any more but Christ liueth in me and in that I now liue in the flesh I liue by the faith in the sonne of God who hath loued me and giuen himselfe for me And in another place f 1 Tim. 1 12. I thanke him which hath made mee strong that is Christ our Lord for he counted me faithfull and put me in his seruice All these consents of the holy Scriptures serueth to confirme vs in this truth that true Fayth standeth in a particular applying of the generall promises of the Gospell Reason 1. The Reasons will make this yet more manifest vnto vs. For first euerie one that shall bee saued must haue a particular Faith of his owne and not satisfie himselfe with the Faith of another No man can be saued by another mans beleeuing no more then be nourished by another mans feeding The Prophet Habbakuk teacheth this point euidently saying g
light of his countenance from vs yet he will restore vs to the ioy of his saluation as we see in the example of the Prophet he could not in his trouble receiue any true comfort m Psa 77 5 11 for howsoeuer hee did thinke vppon the Lord he was still troubled and though he prayed vnto him yet his spirit was full of anguish the helpe then which hee found in his present distresse was this Then I considered the dayes of old and the yeares of ancient time I called to remembrance my song in the night I remembred the workes of the Lord certainly I remembred thy wonders of olde So when we feele not that comfort and delight in praying that wee felt we must not wax faint giue ouer we must continue in the Prayer of faith though not of feeling Making mention alwaies of thee in my Prayers This is the second circumstance whereby the Thankesgiuing of the Apostle is amplified wherein hee witnesseth that he vsually prayed for Philemon and others Doctrine 3. It is the dutie of the faithfull to pray one for another In this practise of the Apostle we learn that the faithful are to pray one for another It is a duty required for al of vs not only to pray for our selues but to pray for others especially for those whose piety is knowne vnto them This we see plentifully prooued and confirmed in the example of Abraham he prayed for the Sodomites that they might be spared he prayed for Abimilech that he might be healed When the people desired Samuell to pray for them he saide a 1 Sam. 12 23 God forbid that I should sinne against the Lord and cease praying for you This Paule performed for the Romaines b Ro. 1 9 10. God is my witnesse whom I serue in my spirite in the Gospell of his Sonne that without ceasing I make mention of you alwaies in my Prayers beseeching that by some meanes one time or other I might haue a prosperous iourny by the will of God to come to you Heerunto we are directed by that forme of Prayer which Christ taught his Disciples and left vnto his Church directing vs to say Our Father giue vs forgiue vs lead vs not deliuer vs Not My Father giue me forgiue me lead me not deliuer mee So the Apostle shutting vp what Armour a Christian must vse against his spirituall enemies hee saith c Ephes 6 18. Pray alwaies with all manner Prayer and supplication in the Spirite and watch thereunto with all perseuerance and supplication for all Saints and for me that vtterance may be giuen vnto me that I may open my mouth boldly to publish the secret of the Gospell So hee d Colos 1 3. and 4. 3. prayed for the Colossians alwayes since hee heard of their faith in Christ and of their loue toward all Saints and hee required the Prayers of the Colossians againe for himselfe that God might open to him the doore of vtterance to speake the Mystery of Christ for which he was in bonds Thus the Apostle Iames doth teach vs to deale one toward another e Iames 5 14. Is any sicke among you Let him call for the Elders of the Church and let them pray for him and annoint him with Oile in the name of the Lord the Prayer of Faith shall saue the sicke and the Lord shall raise him vp All which examples and Commaundements serue to guide vs to the performaunce of this speciall dutie that we are charged and commaunded to pray one for another and to be mindfull one of another in our best thoughts and most serious Meditations Reason 1. The Reasons heereof being rightly waighed will easily gaine our affections to yeeld to this truth For first the Communion and fellowship that is among the Saints requireth our Prayers one for another We beleeue that there is one body one head one company one inheritaunce one Brotherhood f Ephes 4 3. as we see Ephes 4. Endeuour to keepe the vnity of the spirite in the bond of peace there is one bodie and one spirit euen as ye are called in one hope of your vocation there is one Lord one Faith one Baptisme one God and Father of all which is aboue all and through all and in you all Now what Communion were this among the members of Christ vnlesse we were straightly tyed to pray one for another and to performe this mutual dutie one for another So that the want of it is a plaine argument that we are not members of the same body seeing we desire not the good of them Reason 2. Secondly it is a most forcible weapon put into our hands whereby we are made able to helpe our selues and the rest of our Brethren which are fellow-souldiers with vs all of vs fighting vnder the same Captain Iesus Christ Their fighting is our fighting their retyring is our retyring their victory is our victory their loosing of the field is our loosing of the field For euerie one is not a Soldier by himselfe but wee are all ioynt-souldiers together wee ouercome together and we are put to the foyle together For euen as souldiers do not onely stand vpon their seuerall guards but vnite their forces togither whereby it commeth to passe that they who being seuered assunder and scattered abroad might easily be ouercome hauing ioyned their forces are vnconquerable and vnresistable so if we doo not onely looke to our selues and our owne footing but ioyne in Prayer with other they for vs and wee for them our spirituall enemies shall not be able to confront vs or confound vs but we shall make them turne their backes to vs and their faces from vs. The Apostle g Ephes 6 18. naming the Armour which we must all put on to defend our selues and our Brethren and to offend our enemy doth set down Prayer as a chiefe meanes to obtaine Gods assistance for our selues and others Reason 3. Thirdly Prayer is a Medicine to heale all maladies and a Plaister to cure all sores What Physition is it that hath such a receite What Chirurgion that hath such a salue The Maisters of that Art haue seuerall remedies for sicknesses and diseases that come of contrary causes but this Medicine will take away all our spirituall greefes and infirmities yea albeit they proceede of contrary causes So then it must needs be a soueraigne Salue that serueth to such seuerall purposes This is it which the Apostle Iames pointeth out vnto vs h Iames 5 16. Acknowledge your faults one to another and pray one for another that yee may be healed for the Prayer of a righteous man auayleth much if it bee feruent Seeing therefore wee are as a body standing of many members and seeing prayer is a weapon to defend vs and a medicine to heale vs it followeth that we must vse it one to helpe and succour another Vse 1. Now let vs see what are the Vses First we learne that the vse
the Apostle set forth the fruits of Philemons loue most effectualy This is to be obserued of vs concerning the method and meaning of these words which are thus much in effect If thou wouldest more fully know the cause of my giuing thanks and the remembrance of thee in my praiers surely it is this that as God in mercy hath bestowed vpon thee a true sauing faith so my earnest desire and humble request is vnto him that the offices fruits and duties of thy faith may bee more and more communicated and fitted to the benefit of the poore Saints that so whatsoeuer good thing is to be found in thee through the grace and working of Iesus Christ may bee acknowledged manifested and published abroade to the glory of God the comfort of the faithful and the prouocation of others For indeed thy loue giueth me great occasion of much ioy because thou my brother dost not only cheere the Saints and reioycest them but cause their very harts and bowels euen their secret and inward parts to be refreshed reioyced Diuers points to be obserued out of these Verses But before we handle the doctrines arising in this diuision it shal not be amisse a litle to examine the force of the words and the maner that Paule hath obserued in the penning of them First obserue that he saith not simply thy faith may bee made effectuall but The fellowship of thy Faith that the fruit thereof might redown and returne to many Secondly he saith not barely That his Faith might be knowne but Euery good thing that is euery grace that was in his heart because when Faith is made knowne to others and brought into sight open light many other guifts of the Holy-Ghost are made knowne as Loue Patience Liberality and such like For the grace of Faith is neuer alone in the heart but is garded with a troope and company of all other vertues and when it commeth as it were out of the doores it commeth abroad with a band and traine of all other graces Thirdly he declareth the author and cause of all these blessings from whence they proceed to wit from Christ that we shold learne not to thinke or speake of any benefite without making mention of Christ Fourthly he draweth an argument or reason why hee prayed for the efficacy of his Faith from the former experience of his Loue which was as effectuall as his Faith teaching that the experience of grace already giuen should mooue vs to begge and craue the encrease of that Grace and a perseuerance and continuance in that grace and therefore wee must not bee so simple or sencelesse to imagine when we see grace bestowed vpon any man that we haue no more neede to pray for the encreasing and growing of that grace For wee must know that there are degrees of grace there is a first Grace there is a second Grace Now that Grace may bee multiplyed and a continuall encrease and accesse to it may be added we must make daily praiers we must pray that we may haue Faith and when we haue it we must not be secure but pray that it may be effectuall and working by loue Last of al in the commending of Philemons liberality x Theophil in hunc locum he dooth not nakedly say that he gaue to the poore but To the poore Saints for all that are poore are not poore Saints many are poore that are wretched and vngodly and haue no part of sanctification neither doth he say onely that he gaue to the Saints but he refreshed them and not only that he refreshed the Saints but the very bowels of the Saints Now let vs come to the Doctrines That the fellowship of thy Faith may bee made effectuall Heere the Apostle remembreth the matter and substance of his prayer what it was that hee besought and requested of God where we see hee affirmeth that it consisted in this that the fruits of his Faith might be encreased continually augmented Doctrine 1. It is our dutie to stirre vp our selus others to increase in good things We learne from this place that it is the duty of all men earnestly to desire wish and procure the good of others and to stirre vp our selues others to encrease in the graces of Gods spirit The growing and proceeding of our brethren in the best things should be sought for of vs. When Moses had word brought vnto him that som in the host did prophesy that is had receiued notable gifts of the spirit for the guiding and directing of his people he saide a Num. 12 29 I would to God that not only these but that all the Lords people were Prophets and that he would poure out his spirit vpon them The Apostle writing to the Thessalonians saith b 1 Thess 4 1. Furthermore I beseech you Brethren and exhort you in the Lord Iesus that ye encrease more and more as ye haue receiued of vs how yee ought to walke and to please God They had encreased already exceedingly they had gained in the Faith and were growne to a perfect age they receiue this Testimony and commendation c 1 Thess 1 6 7 8. 2 13. 5 1 2. 4 9 10. 3 10 11 that they became followers of the Apostles of the Lord They receiued the word in much affliction with ioy of the Holy-Ghost They were as ensamples to all that beleeue in Macedonia from them sounded out the word into al quarters they receiued it not as the word of men but as it is indeede the word of God which worketh in them that beleeue Touching the times and seasons he had no neede to write vnto them because they knew perfectly that the day of the Lord should come as a theef in the night Touching brotherly loue they had no neede he should write vnto them for they were taught of God to loue one another yet he prayeth to God still to encrease them and make them abound in loue one towardes another and toward all men yea he desired exceedingly night and day that he might see their face and might accomplish that was lacking in their faith Heereunto tendeth the exhortation that Paule giueth to Timothy d 1 Tim. 4 14 15. Despise not the gift that is in thee which was giuen thee by prophesie with the laying on of the hands of the company of the Eldership these things exercise and giue thy selfe vnto them that it may be seene how thou profitest among all men When the writer to the Hebrewes had reprooued the sluggishnesse of that people hee addeth e Heb. 6 1. Therefore leauing the Doctrine of the beginning of Christ let vs be led forward vnto perfection not laying againe the foundation of repentance from dead-workes and of Faith toward God All these places of Scripture serue to teach vs the truth of this Doctrine that we must all labour to perfection that wee may be perfect as our heauenly Father is
possesseth it it tormenteth his minde it wasteth his bodie it fretteth his minde it shortneth his dayes and it destroyeth his soule It setteth him on worke to backbite and slaunder his Neighbour and to denie him all duties of humanity So then enuy hatred and back-byting alwayes go together as three Cankers and euill sores that consume the bodie hurt the good Name lessen the guifts and repine at the goods of our Brethren And if it be euill to enuy the guifts of God our eye should not bee euill because the Lords eye is good Much more euill is it to scorne mocke and disgrace the guifts of God in his Seruants as prophane Beasts and Heathnish Atheists doo in these dayes saying you are an holy Brother you are a Saint you are a man of God This sitting downe in the seate of Scorners is woorse then dwelling in the foule and irkesome Caue of enuie and therefore let vs beware thereof Let vs praise the guiftes of GOD in whomsoeuer wee finde them whether in Friend or enemy Vse 4. Lastly seeing we should all seeke to profite our selues and others in godlynesse we must know that it is our dutie to stirre vp the guifts of God in vs that we do not burie them as in a Graue we must exercise the guifts that we haue by continuall practise Vse maketh men prompt and readie want of vse maketh men vntoward Let vs take heed we do not quench the spirite and grieue him The spirit of God is in many respectes resembled to fire which purgeth some things consumeth other things and heateth other thinges So doth the Spirit of God purge consume and warme It refineth and purifieth vs as mettall is from drosse it wasteth and consumeth sinne in vs as straw and stubble it kindleth in vs the heate of zeale and warmeth vs when we are frozen in our sinnes Now as the Spitit is compared to fire so our sins are likened to Water Water wee know will quench the Fire Sinne will quench the Spirit Let vs therefore blowe this Fire let vs kindle the Coales of it let vs stirre vppe the Brandes and put more matter to it that it die not The Priestes in the time of the Law n Leuit. 6 5. 9 24. and 10 1 were appointed to maintaine the Fire vppon the Altar day and night that it should neuer goe out because it was from Heauen and they were forbidden to offer straunge Fire So the Apostle warneth Timothy and o 2 Tim. 1 6. putteth him in remembrance that hee stirre vp the guift of GOD which is in him by the putting on of his handes Obiection But heere some man may Obiect If the Spirit it selfe may be lost then much sooner and easier the lesser guifts Answere I answer the Spirit of Faith and regeneration can neuer be quite lost for the faithfull and regenerate are begotten not of mortal but of immortall seede their knowledge is like the light of the Sun the others are like the brightnesse of the lightning and flashing in the ayre which shineth for a season and by and by vanisheth and fadeth away True it is the best gifts may decay but not die they may be weakned but not quite wasted they may be lessened but not vtterly lost They may seem to perish and be wholy gone in time of tentation as we see in Dauid Peter and many others yet euen then they remaine in them though not felt as fire couered in the ashes or as the light ouer-shaddowed with a cloud This the Apostle Iohn testifieth saying p 1 Iohn 3 9. Whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not for his seede remayneth in him neyther can hee sinne because hee is borne of God Where hee teacheth that Faith and Loue of Holynesse are neuer lost which serueth to the comfort of the Godly not to nourish securitie of the Flesh in themselues The fellowship or communication of thy Faith Heere we see how the Apostle in the matter of his Prayer which hee vsed for Philemon intreated for the communicating and fellowship of his gifts that is that they should flow and yssue out to the good and benefit to the profit and bettering of others Doctrine 2. The guiftes which we haue receiued must tend to the good of others This teacheth vs that the guifts and blessings of God whether temporall or eternall bestowed vpon any must not lye hid or dead but be vsed and employed to the good of others and so yeelde a fellowship and communion to others Whatsoeuer good things we haue receyued we must haue them not for our selues alone but for the good of others This we are taught in the Parable of the Scribe taught of God vnto the Kingdome of Heauen q Math. 13 52 and 25 14. Luke 19 13. hee is likened to an House-holder which bringeth foorth out of his Treasure thinges both new and old His olde and new store must not be kept to himselfe but be brought forth and serue for his fellow Seruants So in the parable propounded Luke 19. this appeareth A certaine Noble-man went into a farre Countrey to receiue for himselfe a Kingdome and so to come againe and hee called his tenne Seruants and deliuered vnto them tenne peeces of Money and sayde vnto them Occupy till I come And afterwarde the first came saying Lorde thy peece hath encreased tenne peeces and the second sayde thy peece hath encreased fiue peeces The Apostle likewise sheweth that all the guifts of Wisedome Knowledge Faith Prophesying the guiftes of healing the operation of great works the discerning of spirits the diuersity of toongs the interpretation of tongues r 1 Cor. 12 7. are distributed to euery man seuerally to profit withall and for the good of the whole body And speaking of such as haue temporall thinges hee chargeth Timothy to charge them that are rich in this world that they be not high-minded nor trust in vncertaine riches but in the liuing God who giueth vs abundantly all things to enioy that they do good and be rich in Good-workes and bee ready to distribute and communicate All blessings therefore are to bee communicated and distributed to others they ought not to be laid vp in a Napkin or be buried in the earth or be couered vnder a bushell as the manner of many men is Reason 1. The Reasons of this truth are to be sought out and considered of vs. First we are seruants vnto all to do them good and to further their saluation True it is the faithfull are most free being set at liberty by Christ from the cursse of the Lawe and from the Dominion of sinne according vnto the saying of Christ Iohn 8. If the Sonne make Å¿ Iohn 8 36. you free you shall bee free indeede Notwithstanding this freedome it is a part of their dignity to be the seruants of God and a part of their duty to bee seruants to men to seeke their good to procure their benefite to further their edification
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
20. are Ambassadors but the Ambassador is not sent without authority from him that sendeth him They are b Hebr. 13 7. Captains of the Lords hoast but the Captaine hath rule and gouernement ouer those that are vnder his charge and regiment If then the true Ministers of Christ be Fathers Shepheards Ambassadors and Captains vnder Christ the great shepheard of the Sheepe their Office cannot be without iurisdiction and authority ouer the people of God committed to their charge Reason 2. Secondly if we consider the fruits and effects that are ascribed in the word to the Ministers of the word we shall see that their Ministry is ioyned with authority They are the meanes and instruments to bring vs to the knowledge of Christ to the bosome of the Church and to the Kingdome of Heauen Their Office is to conuert sinners and to saue soules When Christ ascended vp into Heauen he appointed Pastors and Teachers in his Church c Ephe 4 11 12. for the repairing of the Saintes for the worke of the Ministry and for the edification of the body of Christ till we all meet together in the vnity of faith and that acknowledging of the sonne of God vnto a perfect man and vnto the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ So the Apostle exhorteth Timothy to take heed to himselfe to exercise his guifts to giue attendance to Reading to be diligent in exhortation and to continue in deliuering sound Doctrine d 1 Tim 4 16. because in dooing these thinges he should saue both himselfe and them that heare him God hath put into them and their mouths the word of reconciliation so that faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the preaching of the word of God and therefore the Ministers are said to saue their owne soules and the soules of others Reason 3. Thirdly there is a coâ—peration of God and the Ministers Office together and an admirable simpathy betweene them If then God and the Minister do worke together he may lawfully inioyne men to do their duties This is it which the Apostle teacheth e 1 Cor 3 9. and 2 Cor 6 1 We are together Gods labourers and in another place We therefore as workers together beseech you that ye receiue not the grace of God in vaine where to comfort the Ministers against the contempt of the world he declareth that it pleaseth God to vse their Ministry to worke faith in whom he will True it is the Ministers are not able to giue or worke faith in the hearers either in whole or in part it is God onely that giueth encrease and a blessing vpon his owne meanes but they are the instruments which he imployeth He commandeth the Ministers to preach and he giueth a blessing to their preaching The Minister laboureth on the heart and conscience God reformeth it and giueth the grace of repentance The Minister deliuereth the Doctrine of faith God giueth the gift of faith The Minister teacheth righteousnesse and holinesse of life God saith be it so he shal be righteous and holy The Minister pronounceth mercy to the penitent God bestoweth mercy and forgiuenesse of sinnes vpon him Thus God ratifieth their word and after a sort tieth his blessing vnto it Seeing rherefore that the Ministers of the word haue many titles of power and iurisdiction giuen vnto them seeing they are the meanes and instruments appointed to bring vs to saluation and Lastly seeing they worke with God and as it were helpe him in bringing men to faith and eternall life we may conclude that their Office is ioyned with power and authority Vse 1. Let vs see what are the vses of this Doctrine First touching the Office it selfe we gather that it is a worthy calling an honourable Office an excellent Function how base and meane soeuer it be esteemed among men of this world This the Apostle setteth downe writing to Timothy f 1 Tim 3 1. If a man desire the Office of a Bishop that is a Minister of tâ—e Gospell he desireth a worthy worke not onely a worke but a worthy worke Therefore this Office is not onely a lawfull calling but a worthy calling It is hard to discharge it aright for who g 2 Cor 2 16. is sufficient for these thinges but those thinges that are hard are excellent The Minster beareth the person of Christ in preaching the word and administring the Sacraments We heard before that in furthering and finishing the saluation of men God worketh with them It is a great and glorious account which God maketh of his word in the mouth of his Ministers when it is truely preached and rightly applied he giueth grace by it and ordinarily worketh not saluation without it This is no small honour and estimation to the Ministers of God and to the Ministry of his word that he admitteth them as ioynt-workers and as it were fellow-labourers with him he worketh when they worke he exhorteth when they exhort he reproueth when they reproue he teacheth when they teach This the Prophet teacheth to be the Ministers commission giuen him of God when he hath preached righteousnesse to man h Iob 33 24. God will haue mercy on him and will say to the Minister Deliuer him that he go not downe into the pit for I haue receiued reconciliation This the Apostle saith i 2 Cor 5 20. Now then are wee Ambassadours for Christ as though God did beseech you through vs we pray you in Christs stead that ye be reconciled to God This our Sauiour Christ also himselfe speaketh and auoucheth in the person of Peter k Mat 16 19. I will giue vnto thee the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt binde vpon earth shal be bound in Heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt loose on earth shal be loosed in Heauen Whereby he teacheth that the Ministers are the Porters of Heauen they haue the Keyes committed vnto them they are appointed to bring the Children of God into the sheepefold of Christ They shut the Kingdome of Heauen against all vnbeleeuers by preaching that they shall not enter but be cast into vtter darknesse and be tormented in Hell They open the Kingdome of Heauen to all beleeuers and penitent persons by preaching that they shall enter into the kingdome of Heauen and enioy eternall life To this end and purpose Christ speaketh to his Apostles after his ascension l Iohn 20 23. Whose sinnes soeuer ye remit they are remitted and whose sinnes ye retaine they are retained True it is God onely forgiueth sinnes properly but he hath appointed his Ministers to preach publish and to witnesse to their consciences that repent and beleeue the Gospell that all their sinnes are forgiuen And on the other side to preach and declare that such as will not beleeue and repent shall neuer haue their sinnes forgiuen them For how the Ministers binde and loose shutte and open forgiue and retaine the Prophet Esay sheweth m Esay 44 25
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
whole world Hence it is that the Pope and his Bishops threaten Princes chalenge authority to excommunicate them to depose them and to discharge their subiects of subiection and alleageance This is cruelty ioyned with impiety this is seuerity accompanied with Hipocrisie this is cursing and banning contrary to the Christian faith and therefore being causelesse they cannot come Vse 3. Thirdly and last of all we learne for our obedience that whensoeuer entreating beseeching gentle or louing dealing is vsed to call men home to God and to themselues it is their duty to yeeld themselues and to embrace earnestly the mercies of God offered vnto them The sinne of contempt and contumacy is fearefull when the bountifulnesse of God is despised his mercies loathed his patience and long suffering abused If we will not heare when he crieth to vs k Prou 1 28. we shall cry also in the daies of our misery and he will not heare vs in our trouble but mocke at our affliction Our Sauiour remembreth the Iewes that he would often haue gathered them together as an Hen gathereth her Chickens vnder her winges but they would not and therefore their Habitation should be left vnto them desolate First he preached mercy then iudgement first he gathereth then he scattereth first he counselleth then he confoundeth This is the order which the Apostle teacheth to be obserued by the Lord himselfe in the first place by patience and long suffering he calleth men to repentance neuerthelesse if they will not turne vnto him but harden their hearts against the meanes and Ministry that he vseth to call them he hoardeth and heapeth vp wrath for them against the day of wrath This hath beene the dealing of God with vs in this Land more then fifty years he hath preached vnto vs by his mercies he hath intreated vs and prouoked vs by peace by plenty by patience by temporall blessings by spirituall blessings by prosperity which the glorious Gospell of Christ hath brought with it he hath planted his Vine among vs he hath looked for good fruit answearable to such great meanes and long mercies But what haue we perfourmed according to that which God hath expected and how haue we behaued our selues in respect of this bountifulnesse which we haue tasted and receiued Surely we become euery yeare worse then other l Esay 5 4. more barren and lesse fruitfull we are not onely void of good fruits but full of euill fruits bearing nothing but leaues of vanity and shewes of Hipocrisie We cannot deny but God as a carefull dresser of his Vineyard hath often times beene constrained to take his pruning knife into his handes he hath scourged vs by famine and chastened vs by plague and pestilence yea still doth visit vs in sundry places and yet though he haue put vs into the furnace and tried vs with the fire of his iudgements he cannot purge out our drosse or take away our tinne or cleanse away our corruptions from vs but still we swarue from him swarue with blasphemies with oathes with prophanenesse with drunkennesse with whoredome with contempt of the Gospell we abound with the fruits of the flesh and workes of darknesse which agree not with that light into which we are brought The word of God was more reuerently esteemed better regarded and more carefully practised thirty yea forty yeares agone then it is in these declining times in which we liue We haue a long time gone backward and not forward we grow downeward and not vpward wee are farther from the Kingdome of Heauen and not neerer What then remaineth for vs m Heb 10 27. but a fearefull looking for of iudgment and violent fire which shall destroy his aduersaries If he open the Treasures of his wrath and the store-houses of his iudgements if he bring forth the arrowes of his quiuer and draw his sword out of his sheath let vs prepare to meet our God by vnfained repentance let vs forsake our sinnes which bring all curses and callamities vpon vs. If his mercies will not moue vs his iudgements shall remoue vs out of our places The Figge-Tree is first n Luk 13 9. Husbanded and digged about if the digging and dunging of it will not make it bring forth fruite it is appointed to be cut downe The patience of the Lord goeth before denuntiation of iudgement or execution of punishment A Phisition neuer aduentureth vpon a desperate Phisicke but in a desperate disease A Surgeon applieth salues and all possible remedies before he proceed to the cutting off of Arme or Leg So hath the Lord dealt with vs so he doth deale with vs if his word could conuert vs his iudgements should not ouertake vs if his mercy could turne vs his iustice should not destroy vs if his loue could saue vs his wrath should not condemne vs. Being such a one euen Paule aged and now also a Prisoner of Iesus Christ We heard in the wordes before Paules beseeching of Philemon amplified by a diuerse reason of commanding Now we haue to consider the second part of the sentence which is a description of his person generally and particularly which hath great force to moue him and instruct him He mentioneth his age and the tearme of his life now almost ended together with his afflictions and bands for Christs sake and the Gospels thereby to teach him not to be ashamed of him or to be offended at him but to reuerence his person and to and to obey his word Heere then we see that the Apostle doth chalenge much to be due vnto him which he might iustly doe in regard of sundry priuiledges of his calling of his age of his sufferings and imprisonment that he sustained for the cause of Christ Doctrine 3. Superiors in guiftes age are to be reuerenced aboue others Heereby we learne that such as God hath marked out from others by age guiftes or other priuiledges are much to be regarded and reuerenced We must acknowledge it to be a duty belonging vnto vs to yeeld much to such as God hath distinguished and seperated from the common order of men by length of life by greatnesse of guiftes or other worthy respects which they haue receiued The Apostle teacheth that the King and Magistrate are to be honoured a Rom 13 1. 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 And 1 Pet. 2. 17. Honour b 1 Pet 17 2 13 14. all men loue brotherly fellowship feare God honour the King Thus also he speaketh a little before Submit your selues vnto all manner Ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether it be vnto the King as vnto the superior or vnto Gouernours as vnto them that are sent of him for the punnishment of euill doers and for the praise of them that do well Touching such as are superiors in age it is a precept giuen by Moses c Leuit 19 32
Thou shalt rise vp before the hore head and honour the person of the old man and dread thy God I am the Lord. Where we see the Lord prescribeth that duty to be performed to olde age which Paule chalengeth to himselfe being aged in this place An example heereof we haue recorded in the booke of Iob in Elihu when Iobs three friendes ceased to answeare him he began saying d Iob 32 6. I am young in yeares and yee are auncient therefore I doubted and was afraid to shew you mine opinion for I said the daies shall speake and the multitude of yeares shall teach wisedome Likewise touching the teachers and Ministers of the Gospell the Apostle saith e 1 Tim 5 17. The Elders that rule well let them be had in double honour specially they which labour in the word and Doctrine And in another place f Heb 13 17. 1 Thes 5 12 13. Obey them that haue the ouersight of you and submit your selues for they watch for your soules as they that must giue accounts acknowledge them that labour among you and are ouer you in the Lord and admonish you that ye haue them in singular loue for their workes sake Lastly to endure aduersity to suffer imprisonment and to be put in fetters for Christs sake is so farre from putting them to shame that are in Chaines and ought to be so farre from offending any that rather it commendeth their person beutifieth their Ministry adorneth their guiftes magnifieth their calling and maketh their Office more effectuall and much more to be respected and more auailable to edification It is an honour to be set as an ouerseer in the Church but it is a greater honour to suffer in Christs cause Hence it is that the Apostle saith g 2 Tim 1 8. Ephe 3 13. Be not ashamed of the Testimony of our Lord neither of me his prisoner but be partaker of the afflictions of the Gospell according to the power of God And Ephe 3. 13. I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for your sakes which is your glory All these Testimonies serue to confirme this truth sufficiently and abundantly that such as God hath made any way superiours vnto vs and preferred before vs in calling in age in guiftes in sufferings or any other prerogatiues are much to be accounted off and greatly to be respected of vs. Reason 1. This truth will better appeare vnto vs and be more deeply grounded in vs if we marke and obserue the reasons whereon it standeth as vpon a firme foundation that cannot be shaken For first it standeth with the Ordinance and commandement of God as we see in the xx Chapter of the booke of Exodus h Exod 20 12 Deut 5 16. Ephe 5 2 3. where the law is established and a promise of blessing annexed Thus the Apostle expresseth the one and the other Ephe 6. Honour thy Father and Mother which is the first commandement with promise that it may be well with thee and that thou maist liue long on earth If this be a precept of God that we ought to honour those whom God hath any way honoured and if the obedience vnto it be ioyned with our good and that good which all men so much desire to wit length of daies and continuance of long life vpon the earth if we respect either his precept or regard our owne profit we are bound to acknowledge those priuiledges of age or guiftes which he hath giuen them and to honour them for them Reason 2. Secondly all superiors in what respect soeuer they be placed aboue vs and set before vs do beare the Image of God He hath sealed them in the forehead with his owne stampe and marked them out with the print of his owne finger that they should resemble him He hath aduanced them to be instead of fathers and honoured them to beare a simillitude of his person In the Magistrate is the Image of the i Dan 2 37. Psal 82. power and glory of God Dan. 2 37. In the father k Mat 23 9. of his prouidence and authority in the Elder of his continuance and eternity in the learned man of his knowledge and wisedome Now wheresoeuer the least and lowest title of the image of God appeareth albeit it be blemished with many infirmities it is to be confessed and acknowledged yea to be honoured and reuerenced Reason 3. Thirdly God will be seuerely reuenged on all such as breake his order and seeke to confound those thinges which he hath distinguished The light of nature hath imprinted this Ordinance of God in all men and the Heathen liuing in darknesse and destitute of the light of the word of God and of the knoledge of true Godlinesse haue established wholesome lawes and sharpe statutes to that purpose to auoid confusion and to maintaine a peaceable communion one with another Old age was honourable l Ouid. Fastor lib. 5. Cicero lib. de Senect among the Gentiles so that the moe white haires they had on their heads the moe wrinckles they had in their faces and the lesse strength in their bodies the more were they esteemed of their equals feared of young men and honoured of all men As euery yeare did add to the time of their age so it added reuerence to their persons When the keepers m Eccle 2 3. 4 5. of the house trembled the strong men bowed the grinders ceased the dores were shut vp the lights were darkned the Almond Tree flourished and the Daughters of singing were abased all which are euident signes not onely of old age comming toward vs and approaching neere vnto vs but present with vs and attending vpon vs then were they most regarded n Plutar. in vita Licurg all other arose from their seates to honour them no man durst vtter an vnseemly word shew an vnreuerent gesture or commit an vngodly action before them If then we go about to quench the light of nature and refuse to reuerence those that God hath exalted it is no maruaile if he draw them out to shame and bring them to misery which rise vp against lawfull authority or despise such as he hath honoured ouertaking them in their deuises turning their wisedome into foolishnesse and bringing vpon them finall confusion We see this in the fearefull examples of Absolon Ahitophell Shemei Ioab and such like Childen of rebellion The sonne of Noah that mocked his father o Gen 9. is cursed with an heauy and horrible curse The Children of p 2 King 2 24 Ierico that derided and reproached the Prophet were torne in pieces with two Beares that came out of the Wildernesse Seeing therefore that all superiors haue the Image of God shining vpon them and seeing God on the one side commandeth them to be honoured and on the other side threatneth to punish such as despise them it followeth that such as God preferreth we must highly regard and yeeld them much honour Vse 1
reuerence to their persons there is the want of the feare of God for he ioyneth rising vp before the Elders and the reuerencing of God together Where the feare of God is not there can bee no duty performed to men This reprooueth the rudenesse the common and customable sausinesse that is in young persons that refuse to giue them liberty and freedome to speake before them In all Companies the younger is the readier to speake although he vtter nothing but words of folly and of vanity Likewise it reprooueth those that will not giue them roome and place when they come in presence It is vndecent and vncomely in the Church or else-where to see weake and feeble olde Men stand and young Boyes to sit downe on their seats without wagging stirring or giuing place vnto them This is directlie contrary to the Law of God Thou shalt rise vp before the hore-head and honor the person of the old man We may now renew the complaint of the Prophet in regard of this conclusion z Esay 3 5. The Children presume against the ancient and the vile against the honorable Vse 3. Lastly seeing we must haue a great respect to such as are in guifts aboue vs or in age before vs or goe beyond vs in both it teacheth vs so to liue and behaue our selues that we may be worthy of al honor reuerence Let such as haue good guifts imploy them to the greatest good of others He that hath receiued much must bring forth much fruit a Math. 25 20 as the Seruant that had fiue talents committed vnto him gained fiue other talents So old men must be graue and sober and carry a Maiesty in their countenance that they may after a sort resemble the Maiesty of God As grauity and sobriety agreeth to euery age so most especially to the elder age contrary to which is lightnesse lasciuiousnesse and waywardnesse which make them not honorable but odious not to be reuerenced but to be dispised in the eies of the younger sort Let them adorne their yeares with those vertues b Tit. 2 1 2. which the Apostle nameth Let the elder-men be watchfull graue temperate sound in the faith in loue and in patience If they be carefull to expresse these thinges which become wholesome doctrine they shall manifestly shew that their liuing so long in the World hath not beene in vaine The Wise man c Prou. 20 29. saith The beautie of the young men is their strength and the glory of the aged is the gray-headed that is Wisedom Counsell Experience whereby they are more adorned then the young man is beautified by his bodily strength For the Ornaments of the minde are to be preferred before the properties of the bodie Againe they must bee examples of a godly life and holye conuersation that youth may stand in feare to commit any vndecent and vnseemely thing in their presence Thus Iob saith of himselfe d Iob. 29 7. Chap. 29. When I went out of the gate the young Men saw me and hid themselues But when the Elder sort are Ring-leaders aad examples of an euill and corrupt life there is more grauity on their heads then piety in their hearts in their white haires then in their behauiour and so the Crowne of honour is taken from them and they are iustly contemned despised and reproached of those of whom they should be honoured For wee may see olde men so hardned in Wickednesse that if a man would find whole heapes of wickednesse he neede seeke no farther but to them Some by their age and long experience haue learned nothing but craft and spightfulnesse so as if a man should frame himselfe after their example he should haue neither faithfulnesse in him nor vpright dealing Others are loose and disordered in their whole life Some haue beene giuen to swearing and blaspheming in their youth and they are not reformed nay they are more deformed in their age Others are so drenched and sapped in Couetousnesse and Whoredome as that they infect all places and defile all persons where they come they delight in such rotten and filthy communication that euen yong men are ashamed to heare them spew out such vngodly and vnsauoury talke Such as lead their liues as Fathers in the Church and adorne their age with godlinesse shall not neede to be offended at these things nor to say with the Lawyers in the Gospell e Luke 11 45. In saying this thou puttest we to rebuke also We are all to honour the gray-head and to magnifie old age For as Salomon f Prou. 16 31. saith Age is a Crowne of Glorie when it is found in the way of Righteousnesse Whereby hee meaneth that olde age seasoned with a Godly life and vpright bringeth with it as great glorie as a Crowne on the heade and a Scepter in the hand dooth vnto a King and therefore such olde men are greatly to be reuerenced and highly to be esteemed But many except they should be honored for their Ignoraunce Superstition Frowardnesse Maliciousnesse Waywardnesse Couetousnesse Drunkennesse Licentiousnesse and Selfe-will there is nothing else to be found in them to be learned of them to be gathered from them By these foule enormities they bring themselues into contempt and bring shame and reproach vpon their owne heades so that no man defameth and dishonoureth them so much as themselues For doe they behaue themselues with such Stayednesse Wisedome and Grauity that yong men feare to behaue themselues lewdly and licentiously in their sight Or do they shew themselues examples of good thinges Nay they serue for nothing but to corrupt and infect youth they be patternes nay Patrons and Maintainers of all filthinesse and loose liuing Surely if young men mis-behaue and misgouerne themselues they are not to be excused but to be reprooued because they ought to order their liues aright g Eccles. 12 1. and Remember their Creator in the dayes of their youth and not deserue to bee euill spoken or reported of but Olde folke are double worthy of the shame that men doo them if they bee not honoured for their Vertues They should learne by their long life and olde age to growe in the knowledge of GOD and his Sonne Iesus Christ to hate sinne to delight in righteousnesse and daily to dye vnto the Worlde that as they beare about them a bodie declining and decaying in strength so they should bee renewed in the inner man long after eternall life and not nestle them-selues heere vppon the earth as if they shoulde continue for euer therein nor pursue so greedily after the Worlde when they can scarse go or creepe vp and downe in the world It is a testimonie of Gods great mercy toward vs when he lengthneth our life and prolongeth our dayes to the last period and power of Nature Oh how might wee haue profited in the knowledge of Religion in the feare of God in the wayes of godlinesse in the meanes of saluation and in good
Sonne What coulde bee more reproachfull then to robbe his Maister and then to play the runnagate that so he might runne on in his euill course and deliuer himselfe from punnishment Yet wee see the Apostle is not ashamed of him is not ashamed to cal him his Sonne that Philemon might not be ashamed to receiue and to accept him as his Seruant For if he be the sonne of Paule he may bee esteemed the seruant of Philemon Fourthly wee see how effectuall the sounde conuersion of a sinner to God ought to bee and how forcible it should bee to preuayle with vs to winne our Loue towardes him and cause vs to performe all the duties belonging vnto him For wee may not bee ashamed to account him eyther as a Sonne or as a Brother whome GOD accounteth for his owne sonne and seruant We are most vnworthy to be called the sonnes of God if we refuse his children to be our brethren But if we marke this aright we shal find the number of those to be few which regard the Faith conuersion saluation other spiritual blessings bestowed vpon their brethren as they ought and therefore testify no loue shew no ioy performe no duties when they behold sinners conuerted vnto God Fiftly we see that the name and praise of a spirituall Father which is proper to God alone is communicated to the Apostles and Ministers of God whereas God onely doth renew and regenerate vs by the power of his spirit the Ministry onely is mans whether hee be Pastor or Apostle Our Sauior teacheth vs l Math. 23 9. to cal no man Father vpon earth It is no worke of man be hee neuer so excellent to frame and reforme the soule into the Image of God But because we are borne anew by Faith and Faith commeth by hearing the Minister as the disposer of the Mysteries of God doth vnder God perfourme the dutie of a Father So then seeing the word of God preached by the mouth and Ministery of man is the immortall seede of eternall life it is no maruell if he bee called by the Title of a Father from whose lippes we conceiue that seede and receiue that worde Thus much is to be obserued of vs in general out of this verse Now let vs come to the particular Doctrines I beseech thee for my sonne Onesimus c. Wee are heere to marke the scope and purpose of the Apostle in these words We see he vseth exceeding earnestnesse and importunity to haue him receiued to his Maisters fauor The condition of Onesimus was this he was a seruant of the basest calling For men Seruants and Maid-seruants in those dayes were not as they be nowe Men had them not for Wages and hire as they that wer bound to do no more then Couenant but they were Bondslaues to bee bought and sold in the Market and their Maisters possessed them as Oxen and Cattle and hadde power ouer them of life and death Now albeit he were a seruant of this kind and condition and had beene besides a runnagate and a Theefe deseruing greeuous punishment euen death yet he pleadeth his cause being conuerted with as great force and feruency as can be expressed Doctrine 1. The least and lowest member conuerted to Christ must not bee contemned We learne from this loue appearing in the Apostle that the basest person in the Church truly conuerted brought vnto Christ should not be contemned but most louingly tenderly and Brotherly regarded The least lowest member that belongeth to God ought not to be reiected and debased but highly for Christs sake to be honored and respected We see how Christ calleth vnto him all that are weary and heauy laden m Mat. 11 28. promising to ease and refresh them Likewise he embraceth the poore and simple as louingly and cheerefully as the rich and wise of the world The Publicans and sinners are accepted of him that were hated of the Iewes The Woman taken in adultry accused by the Pharises is exhorted by him to repentance The Blinde man restored to his sight n Iohn 9 35. and 8 11. and cast out of the Synagogue is sought out by Christ and taught to beleeue and broght to be a true member of the Church The penitent Theefe hanging o Luke 23 43 vppon the Crosse and hearing Christ preach is conuerted to the Faith and receiued into paradise It is not the will of p Mat. 18 14. our heauenly Father that one of these little ones should perish When the prodigall sonne had wasted his wealth and his strength in riotous liuing q Lu. 15 20 24 so that necessity fell vppon him and Famine constrained him to eate of the huskes wherewith he fed his Swine his Father receiued him into his fauour and had compassion vpon him hee willed him not to returne backe to his Harlots and to betake himself to his former companions but while he was yet a farre off he reioyced to see him and embraced him when he saw him saying This my sonne was dead but is aliue againe he was lost but he is found and they began to be merry The incestuous Corinthian swept out of the Church by the censures thereof r 1 Cor. 5 4. 2 Cor. 2 6 7 and deliuered vp to Satan for the destruction of the flesh that the Spirit may be saued in the day of the Lord Iesus and wandering as a stray Sheepe from the sheepe-fold is brought againe into the house of God and into the assembly of the faithfull The Apostle hearing of his sorrow for his sinne and of his vnfaigned repentaunce saith It is sufficient vnto the same man that he was rebuked of many so that nowe contrary wise yee ought rather to forgiue him and comfort him least the same should be swallowed vp with ouermuch heauinesse The like we see might say of Mary Magdalen who was infamous in life out of whome Christ cast seauen diuels Of the Cananitish woman whom he heard and helped of the Cripple that lay at the Poole whom when Iesus founde in the Temple Å¿ 1 Iohn 5 14 hee exhorted to sinne no more being now made whole least a worse thing come vnto him Likewise the Euangelists declare that by the power and loue of Christ t Math 11 5. the blind had their sight restored the Leapers were clensed the dead were raised the halt walked the sicke were healed and the poore receiued the Gospell So the Apostle willeth u 1 Tim. 6 1. seruants that are vnder the yoke to account their Maisters worthy of all honour that the name of God his Doctrine be not euil spoken of All these places of Scripture serue to teach vs that such as are of meanest account and least estimation beeing conuerted to the Faith and belonging to Christ are greatly to bee regarded and entirely to be beloued Reason 1. This shall not seeme any thing strange vnto vs if we marke the Reasons whereupon it is grounded For first
and preferment vnto them then the want of outward benefites can bring abasement This is a most woorthy and excellent comfort whereof we shall be assured if wee walke in the steppes of faithfull Abraham if we repent and beleeue in Christ and walke woorthy of our calling I beseech thee for my Sonne Onesimus The party for whom the Apostle entreateth is in these words both named and described Hee is described first by relation when he calleth him His Sonne secondly by the meanes and manner how he is his sonne by a spirituall generation through the immortal seed of the Gospell and through the ministry of the worde in the time of his restraint and imprisonment at Rome Touching the former point which is the Title giuen vnto Onesimus hee esteemeth him as his Sonne and therefore accounteth himselfe as his Father If then Onesimus be his sonne the Apostle must needs be his Father and if Paul be his Father he must needs be his son For the Father the Son haue mutual reference one to another cannot consist one without the other Doctrine 2. The same affection that is betweene the Father and the Son ought to be betweene the Minister the people We learne from this name giuen vnto Onesimus conuerted to the Faith that there ought to be the same affection betweene the Pastour and the people which is betweene the Father and the Sonne The same loue that is betweene Parents and their Childeren ought to be betweene the Shepheard and his flocke betweene the Steward the houshold between the Master the Scholler between the Minister the people betweene him that winneth and them that are won to the Faith of the Gospell The Apostle Paule writing to Timothy and Titus calleth them his k 1 Tim. 1 2. 2 Tim. 1 2. Titus 1 4. naturall and beloued sonnes according to the common Faith because he had begotten them by the seede of the Gospell to bee the Children of God without which new byrth they could not belong to his kingdome So when the King of Israell came to the Prophet Elisha who lay sicke in his bed he wept vpon his face and said l 2 Kin. 13 14. O my Father my Father the Charriot of Israell and the Horsemen of the same Likewise Iohn writing vnto his beloued Gaius declareth that he reioyced greatly when the brethren came testified how he walked in the trueth and addeth m 3 Iohn 4. I haue no greater ioy then these to heare that my sonnes walke in verity And Paule writing to the Corinthians toucheth this at large n 1 Cor. 4 14 15. I write not these things to shame you but as my beloued children I admonish you for though ye haue tenne thousand instructers in Christ yet haue ye not many fathers for in Christ Iesus I haue begotten you through the Gospell To this purpose he also speaketh to the Thessalonians o 1 Thess 2 7 8 11 12. Wee vvere gentle among you euen as a Nurse cherisheth her children Thus beeing affectioned toward you our good will was to haue dealt vnto you not the Gospell of GOD onely but also our owne soules because ye were deere vnto vs. And afterwardes in the same Chapter Ye know how that we exhorted you and comforted besought euery one of you as a Father his children that ye would walke worthy of God who hath called you vnto his kingdom and glory These allegations are so many witnesses of this doctrine teaching that it is a most tender affection of Loue and compassion that ought to be between him that teacheth and them that are taught in the word Reason 1. This will farther appeare by the Reasons whereby it is confirmed vnto our Consciences First the Ministers of God giue as a beeing in Christ and consequently to bee the children of God which is the best being and byrth that can be bestowed vpon vs the word of God being the precious and immortal seed and they by teaching and applying it are the Instruments wherby through Gods blessing we are begotten to be new borne babes in Christ and of the children of men or rather the children of the Deuil are made the sons and daughters of almighty God Hence it is that the Apostle saith p 1 Cor. 4 15. In Christ Iesus I haue begotten you through the Gospell And Peter in his first Epistle sheweth q 1 Pet. 1 23. That we are borne againe not of mortal seed but of immortall by the word of God who liueth and endureth for euer So then by their Ministry we are made aliue that before were dead we are made sonnes that before were enemies we are made Cittizens that before were strangers wee are made heyres that before were Aliants Reason 2. Secondly the Ministers of the Gospell are as our Mothers and doe conceiue vs in their wombe trauell with vs in paine and bring vs forth as with labour of Childbed to fashion vs in grace and to perfect vs in Christ We know the Sorrowes the Paines the Passions and the perilles of a Womans trauaile to be exceeding great so the measure of the Ministeriall paines and labour is maruellous great r 2 Cor. 11 23 which the Apostle expresseth 2 Cor. 11 23. He endured labours abundantly stripes vnmeasurably imprisonment plenteously the danger of death continually Eliah being raised vp of God to restore Religion to pull downe Idolatry to destroy Baals Priests and to set himselfe against the enemies of God was at length so worne with care so wasted with sorrowes and so wearied in this busines Å¿ 1 King 19 4. that he desired the Lord to take him out of the world saying It is now enough O Lord take my soule for I am no better then my Fathers The paines and perplexity of the Prophet Esay made him cry out alowde with great anguish of spirite t Esay My leunnesse my leaunesse So Ieremy cryeth out u Ier. 4 19 My belly my bellie I am pained at the verie heart mine heart is troubled within me declaring thereby that his gripings and greefes in his Ministerie were so great that they were like the paines of a vehement Colicke Likewise the Apostle being carefull to bring backe the Galathians to the trueth of the Gospell which they had forsaken saith x Gal. 4 19 My little children of whom I trauell in birth againe till Christ be formed in you meaning that hee endured much trouble and sustained great paines to fit them frame them to Gods kingdome Seeing then the Ministers of Christ be as spirituall Fathers and Mothers Fathers to beget vs and Mothers to beare vs and bring vs forth we may conclvde that the Pastours and people haue as neere a coniunction betweene them as Parents and their children But because somewhat may be obiected against this truth we wil remoue those doubts and take away those Obiections before we proceed any further or handle the Vses that
suffered to continue consumeth al things that are neere vnto it We must shew our selues ready to bring water to quench this fire We must stop the Flood-gates that the streames of contention doo not ouer-flow and in the end drowne vs as in the deepe waters It is a deceitfull snare and wonderfull subtilty of Satan to cast matters of dissention betweene the Minister and people as it were a bone to gnaw vpon that so though the word bee among them yet that it may by that meanes be with lesse fruit and profit with them Well doth this enemy of mankind know that where there is hatred to the person there can be no loue to his preaching and where there is desire of contention there can be no hope of edification For whome the people hate they regard not to heare and where there is no liking to the man there will follow a loathing of his Ministry We see this in the example of Ahab toward Eliah and Micaiah e 1 Kin. 21 19 20. 22 7 8. whom he hated to the death and professeth his enmity toward them and therefore despised the word that came from their mouths When Eliah reproued him for killing of Naboth and taking possession of the Vineyard he saide Hast thou found me O mine enemy So when Iehoshaphat asked if there were not a Prophet of the Lord that they might enquire of him Ahab who had sold himselfe to worke wickednesse in the sight of the Lord aunswered There is yet one man Michaiah the Sonne of Imlah by whom we may aske counsell of the Lord but I hate him for hee dooth not prophesie good vnto me but euill Where we see he hated the Prophet and therfore abhorred his prophesie and regarded not to haue him in his presence We may behold this in the example of the Scribes and Pharisees toward Paule they could not abide him nor his doctrine so that he was employed principally among the Gentiles On the other side as the people loue the Ministers from the heart so for the most part they profit by them The Apostle giueth this Testimony of the Galathians that they loued him exceedingly and therefore regarded his Doctrine accordingly f Gal. 4 14 15 The triall of me which was in my flesh ye despised not neither abhorred but ye receiued me as an Angell of GOD yea as Christ Iesus what was then your felicity For I beare ye record that if it had bin possible ye would haue plucked out your owne eyes and haue giuen them vnto mee Hence it is that Christ and his Apostles labour to plant this truth and to settle this perswasion in the hearts of those whome they taught that they vvere dearely beloued to them When the Disciples were afraid at Christs words he answered again said vnto them g Mark 10 24 Children how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdome of God So the Prophet Esay speaketh h Esay 8 18. Behold I and the children whom the Lord hath giuen mee are as signes and as wonders in Israel Thus do the Apostles write in this manner to the Churches calling them beloued brethren and deare children As we haue louing words in our mouthes so we should haue louing affections in our hearts It is a pittiful sight lamentable condition when the Pastor in any place setteth himselfe against the people and the people against the Pastor when they that should loue together as Father and Son do wrangle together as Cats and Dogs and are euer snarling and byting one of another If a priuate house be diuided against it selfe it cannot stand so if a particular Church be in a bitter mutiny it runneth to ruine and is miserably torn in peeces It is a great praise of that congregation where they are at peace and vnity ioyne together in the word Sacraments and sing the Psalmes and songs of God to his endlesse praise It is a comfortable thing when the people reioyce in their Minister the Minister in his people when the people desire and delight in the companie of their Minister and the Minister in the company of his people and so take comfort in the sweet society one of another This reproueth those that vpon euery slight occasion for euery slender profit yea for euery toy trifle follow suits of Law and bring actions of trespasse one against another whereby they trouble not onely their neighbours at home but the Countrey abroad These haue forgotten the words of Abraham to Lot when a debate arose among their Heard-men i Gen. 13 8. Let there be no strife I pray thee betweene thee me neither betweene mine Heard-men and thine Heard-men for wee are Bretheren It is therefore a great shame and reproach to heare of such iarres and ciuill wars as are in many parishes It is a plaine argument that there is little loue betweene them and lesse good wrought among them The Minister accounteth them not as his Sonnes and Daughters he seeketh not to winne them to the faith he esteemeth them not as his Crown in the day of the Lord. On the other side the people do not reuerence their Minister as their father but hate him as their enemy God is not among such Ministers and people but is gon farre from them and they are departed farre from him God is k 1 Ioh. 4 16 12. loue they that dwell in loue dwell in God and God in them If we loue one another God dwelleth in vs and his loue is perfect in vs. The Deuill is the Father fountaine of all debate and hatred c Iames 4. 16. For where enuying and strife is there is sedition and all manner of euill workes How then can wee otherwise thinke but that Sathan beareth rule among them and possesseth the cheefe holde of their hearts seeing so small tokens of loue and so great fruits of the Old man nay of the old Serpent appeare among them Wherefore to return thither from whence we began we must remember the amiable names giuen to the Pastor and people they must consider they are as Father and Son neerely coupled and ioyned together and thereby stirre vppe themselues and admonish one another of their duties to open their hearts in loue and againe to shut them vp that hatred haue no entrance into them hnd that mallice do not abide in them Vse 2. Secondly these most louing Titles applied to the Minister and people shew the duties required of Pastors toward their charge and teach them to loue them as their children to tender their good to exhort them to lay vp for themselues spirituall riches Great is the loue of Parents towardes their Children If the Childe be sicke or wayward they doe not cast him out of doores or withdraw their affections from him Hence it is that Christ when he saw the people scattered abroad and dispersed heere and there as Sheepe without a Shepheard d Math. 9 36.
q 1 Cor 7 12 13 16. For what knowest thou O Wife whether thou shalt saue thy Husband Or what knowest thou O Man whether thou shalt saue thy Wife So the Apostle Peter setting downe the wiues duty toward her husband saith r 1 Pet. 3 1 Let their wiues be subiect to their Husbandes that euen they which obey not the word may without the word be wonne by the conuersation of their wiues Where we see that some are won to the Faith without the preaching of the worde Answere I answere it is true that God blesseth and sanctifieth many meanes beside the preaching of the word to the good of his Children as Meditation Conference priuate instruction Prayer feare of Hell and such like Notwithstanding many that are conuerted to God are deceiued in the meanes and instrument of their conuersion For albeit such as are afflicted are brought to know themselues and to acknowledge the damnable estate wherein they stood yet it is not the affliction it selfe that wrought their conuersion The trouble that they sustained and endured whether it were in body or in mind or in both was sent by the goodnesse of God vpon them to bring them to a loue of the word who before loathed it and made no account or reckning of it This is it which the Apostle teacheth Å¿ Rom. 3 20. That by the Lawe commeth the knowledge of sinne So affliction may lay before vs the knowledge of our sins but it cannot take them away it may shew vs our wound but it cannot help vs and heale vs it may cast vs downe but it cannot raise vs vp it may bee a Schoole-maister to bring vs to Christ but it cannot make vs partakers of Christ It is like a sharpe Needle which doth not nor cannot sow the cloth but it is necessarie to prepare the way for the thred or it is like an eating or a fretting corrasiue which cannot cure but yet it is profitable to make the way for the healing medicine So the afflictions that God layeth vpon vs may bring vs to the sight and knowledge of our sinnes and to the consideration of the miseries which we deserue and to the feeling of the flashes of hell fire but they cannot worke Faith in vs nor assure vs of pardon nor apply to vs the promise of God touching the remission of sinnes It maketh a good beginning but it cannot bring the worke to perfection The like may bee saide of priuate admonition and a godly conuersation which the Apostles teach may be meanes of saluation to others it is not spoken to lessen or weaken the authority or efficacy of publicke preaching as if it were not the ordinary meanes to conceiue nourish and encrease faith in vs neither is it simply to be vnderstood that they are able to conuert the soule but onely that they are good occasions fit inducements and profitable helpes to drawe vs and allure vs to a liking and louing and longing after faith For when a man that is not a Christian but an Infidell beholdeth the holy pure chast conuersation of his Wife after her calling to the knowledge of the truth and hir subiection and obedience toward himselfe he may be mooued to embrace the Christian Religion whereof he seeth such worthy fruites We haue a notable example heerof in u Ioh. 4 39. 42 the woman of Samaria who perswading the men of the Citty to go out and heare Christ they saide vnto her after they hadde heard his preaching Now we beleeue not because of thy saying for we haue herd him our selues and know that this is indeede that Christ the Sauior of the world The exhortation of this woman preuailed with them to heare Christ and by their hearing they were conuerted she was the cause of their hearing their hearing was the cause of their beleeuing shee was the Instrument that brought them to Christ and hee wrought Faith in them when they vvere brought vnto him Obiection 2. Secondly it is saide that reading is preaching and therefore it is a sufficient meanes of saluation To this purpose they quote Actes 21. Moses of olde time hath in euery City them that preach him seeing he is read in the Synagogue euery Saboth day Loe say they he is preached when he is read therfore the bare reading must needs be preaching yea some adde it is better then preaching because when they heare the Scriptures read they knowe it is the word of God but when they heare preaching it is mens exposition and interpretation and they know not whether it bee true or false sound or vnsound right or wrong Answere I answere this obiection falleth of it selfe and it is ouerthrowne by that whereby it is sought to be strengthned For if reading be preaching then reading cannot be better then preaching inasmuch as nothing can be better or worse then it selfe It is not denied but the word Preaching may in a general sence include not only the reading of the word x Marke 1 45. 5 20. 7. 36 but any other way of declaring and publishing the power truth glory and workes of God Rom. 2 20 21. Psal 19 1 2. but then it is not vsed as wee take the word in the state of the question For wee meane by preaching the expounding of the Scripture according to the proportion of faith applying thereof according to the capacity of the hearers And thus they are set downe in the place alledged before as two distinct things one accompanying and following the other according to the ordinance of God and practise of the seruants of God Hence it is that the Apostle giueth this as a duty and direction belonging to Timothy y 1 Tim. 4 13. Till I come giue attendance to reading to exhortation and to Doctrine So it is sayde in the booke of Nehemiah z Nehe. 8 7 8. The Leuites caused the people to vnderstand the Law and the people stood in their place and they read in the Booke of the Law of God distinctly and gaue the sence and caused them to vnderstand the reading Likewise when Christ came to Nazareth where he had beene brought vp and went into the Synagogue on the Saboth day he stood vp He opened the Booke a Luke 4 17. and read the Scripture then he closed the Booke he sate downe the eyes of all of them were fastned on him and he began to preach vnto them Thus also wee see that when the Apostle Paule wrote his Epistle to the Romaines hee excused himselfe that hee could not come to preach vnto them b Rom. 1 11 15 14. For he longed to see them that he might bestow some spirituall guift among them and acknowledged himselfe a debter to the Grecians and to the Barbarians to the Wisemen and vnto the vnwise so that as much as lay in him hee was ready to preach the Gospell to them also that were at Rome Whereby we see that preaching and hearing are
not wtiting and reading and therefore as the Apostle when hee wrote did not preach so the people when they read did not heare Moreouer if we should reason a little farther with such as preferre simple reading before sound preaching how do they know that the worde which they heare read is the word of God For the Scipture inspired of God is the Originals the Hebrew of the olde Testament the Greeke of the newe Testament in other tongues it speaketh not but by an interpreter for from these two tongues and languages the Scriptures were turned and translated by men into the French by Frenchmen into the Dutch by Dutchmen into the English by Englishmen and so of all other Nations So that when we read or heare read the Scriptures in our owne tongues wee read and heare read the translations of men as when this word is preached we hear the expositions and interpretations of men And hence it is that the translations euen the best translations which are among vs may be amended and corrected according as it pleaseth God to giue greater sight and better insight into those learned Languages and as time discouereth the wantes and imperfections of them But the Scriptures themselues are free from all errour no weaknesse can be discouered in them they cannot bee made better by the iudgement of men or by length of time For al Gods workes are pure and perfect and no man can controule any thing in them If this be true may some say that the translations of the Scriptures are in some sort the worke of man how shall the people know when they haue and heare the worde of God and when they haue and heare the word of man This may seeme to leaue them in a maze and mammering and to hang their Faith vpon the will of men that they shall not knowe what to beleeue I aunswere they must haue in all doubts that arise and in all Controuersies that do trouble them they must haue I say recourse to their faithfull and learned Pastors whose care ouer them and loue vnto them may giue them hope that their senses are exercised in the wise discerning betweene good and euill Whereby by the way we may see the necessitie of hauing Pastours and Teachers able to teach to conuince to correct to instruct to comfort to resolue such doubts and demaunds as are mooued vnto them Besides the people of God haue for their direction both the helpe of comparing one place of Scripture with another and the assistance of the spirit to lead them vnto all truth that shall be necessary for them to saluation Moreouer if we should demaund of these men that are wise in their own eyes how they know the word read to be the holy Scripture what will they answere Will they say by the authoritie of the Church or by the testimony of the spirit But whatsoeuer they speake they must speak against themselues If they say by the Church the Church also setteth foorth the preaching of the Gospell and chargeth vs to heare the same at the mouth of the Minister Will they say by the Spirit the same Spirit will lead them into all truth and open their hearts to attend the preaching Ministry if they be led by the spirit of God Wherefore to conclude and to returne to the former obiection such as hold reading to be preaching or better then preaching are either such as are Idoll-Shepheardes that cannot preach or idle Shepheards that will not preach or ignorant people that cannot iudge or carnall Gospellers that regard not to heare or such conceited sluggards as liue vnder a reading Ministry These are they that condemne the Priests and Prophets nay Christ and his Apostles of want of wisedome and discretion to choose the best meanes or of ignorance to knowe and vnderstand what is most profitable or of malice and enuy to hide from them that which is most profitable or of malice and enuy to hide from them that which is most auaileable for their soules health For if reading be better they are to bee blamed that vse the worse and refuse the better Surely they would neuer haue preached at all if the naked reading had beene as effectuall Moreouer the reading Minister by this reason should be the best Minister reading a better guift then preaching yea euery childe might be a better Minister then he that preacheth the word And then what should we do with Vniuersities and Schooles of Learning which are the Nurses and Seminaries of the Church to traine vp able men and to furnish them with giftes of knowledge But the guiftes which Christ bestowed for the edification of his Church when hee ascended on high and ledde Captiuitie Captiue c Ephes 4 11 12 13. are all preaching guifts The want of guifts which the Prophets complaine to haue beene in the guides of the people d Esay 56 10. was not of reading and reciting the words out of the booke but the guifts of preaching and expounding the Scriptures Hence it is that God reiecteth those that be ignorant as vnfit and vnable Instruments of saluation e Hosea 4 6. My people are destroyed for lacke of knowledge because thou hast refused knowledge I will also refuse thee that thou shalt be no Priest to me And in another place f Mal. 2 7. The Priests lips should preserue knowledge and they shall seeke the Lawe at his Mouth for hee is the Messenger of the Lord of hoasts Lastly the preaching of the word is acknowledged confessed to be the onely g Esay 49 22. 2 Chron. 15 3. essential mark of the Church so that it alone is of force to worke faith and saluation Obiection 3 Thirdly if reading of the Scriptures be not an ordinary meanes to worke Faith in Christ and Repentance from dead works as well as the liuely preaching of them it will follow that the Ministers themselues want the ordinary meanes because they by reading doe furnish themselues to preach to others but seldome do heare others preach Answere I answere they want not the ordinarie meanes from their owne preaching though they haue no other though they heare no other They haue faith before they enter into that calling but it is confirmed by their owne Ministry Hence it is that the Apostle mouing Timothy to giue himselfe to reading to be diligent in exhortation to plant sound Doctrine and to encrease in such guiftes as were bestowed vpon him addeth h 1 Tim 4 16 Take heede to thy selfe and vnto learning continue therein for in doing thus thou shalt saue both thy selfe and them that hear thee Where we see he sheweth that his Ministry should be a meanes not only to saue others but to saue himselfe And there is no faithfull Minister but in reprouing he reproueth himselfe in teaching he teacheth himself in threatning he threatneth himselfe in comforting hee comforteth himselfe in strengthning others he strengthneth himselfe yea hee findeth and feeleth his owne
Ministry as forcible and powerfull to his own soule as euer he perceiued the Ministry of another The threatninges of God denounced by his owne mouth in the name of GOD haue made him shake the consolations that he hath pronounced haue entred into his soule and refreshed his bowels And of this we haue from time to time to our owne comfort a blessed experience Besides if the Lord would blesse other wayes and means to the Minister who is necessarily restrained by the commandement of God the discharge of his calling from the hearing of others what is that to the people who are charged to heare the Law from their mouthes and no way hindred from the performance of this duty so that they must followe the way that God hath left vnto them that is to attend to the ordinance which hee hath chalked out vnto them Obiection 4. Fourthly it may be saide that Christ appointed reading to be an ordinary meanes to beget Faith when he sendeth out his Apostles into the world to i Math. 28 14 teach all Nations which includeth a commaundement to teach them by writing as well as by worde and consequently implyeth that the people should be taught as well by reading their writings as by hearing their preachings to come vnto faith Heereupon it is that Christ willeth the people to search k Iohn 5 39. and 20 31. Luke 16. the Scripture because in them they thought to haue eternall life they did testifie of him And the Apostle Iohn saith These things are written that yee might beleeue that Iesus is that Christ that sonne of God and that in beleeuing ye might haue life through his name So Abraham saide to the rich man They haue Moses and the Prophets let them heare them Answere I aunswere the commandement giuen to the Apostles concerneth principally the preaching of the Gospell by word of mouth and liuely voice vttered in the hearing of the nations and therefore some of them wrote more some of them lesse some of them nothing at all But if the commandement had beene as general for writing as for preaching none of the Apostles would haue omitted it nor could haue stayed their pennes without a manifest breach of their owne duty and Gods commandement Now so farre as their writing was one kind of teaching and included in that word the meaning is for confirmation preseruation of that truth which they deliuered preached among them Thus the Apostle speaketh to the Corinthians l 1 Cor. 15 1 2 I declare vnto you the Gospell which I preached vnto you which ye haue also receiued and wherein ye continue whereby ye are saued if ye keepe in memory after what manner I preached vnto you except ye haue beleeued in vaine Likewise writing to the Romaines m Rom. 15 14 15. I my selfe am perswaded of you my Brethren that ye also are full of goodnesse filled with all knowledge and are able to admonish one another neuerthelesse I haue somwhat boldly after a sort written vnto you as one that putteth you in remembrance thorough the grace that is giuen me of God So the Apostle Iohn saith n 1 Iohn 2 21 I haue not written vnto you because ye know not the truth but because ye know it that no lye is of the truth Whereby we see that they wrote to those to whome before they had preached to confirme them in the truth which they had imbraced and receiued They did not write to them that were wholly ignorant of the truth and had neuer heard the Gospell but to such as they hadde taught to the end that either standing in it they might be established or being falne from it they might be recouered and reclaimed Thus he commendeth o 1 Thes 3 12 the Thessalonians because they had kept all the ordinances and traditions receiued from him and thus he telleth the Galathians p Galath 1 6. That he maruailed much that they were so soon remoued away vnto another Gospell from him that had called them in the grace of Christ It remaineth therefore to answere such testimonies as are alledged to iustifie the sufficiency of reading and to make it an ordinary meanes of saluation Touching the place Iohn 5. commanding the searching of the scriptures Christ Iesus in the same referreth them to the Scriptures or worde written to correct their iudgements touching himselfe his person and offices For whereas they beleeued not the Sermons of Christ and the Lord Iesus could not safely referre them to the chaire of the Scribes and Pharisees who were grossely deceiued and maliciously blinded in that Mystery there remayned onely the reading and searching of the Scriptures that thereby they might learne the truth of his Sermons Againe where the Apostle saith These things were written that ye might beleeue Iohn 20. it is to be vnderstood of the Myracles of Christ wrought for confirmation of his Doctrine and for strengthning of faith as appeareth in the words immediately going before q Iohn 20 30. Many other signes also did Iesus in the presence of his Diseiples which are not written in this Booke And that this is the true and right end of Myracles apeareth by the Apostle to the Hebrews where he sheweth that the Gospell began first to be preached by the Lorde and afterward was confirmed vnto vs by them that heard him r Heb. 2 4. God bearing witnesse thereto both with signes and wonders and with diuers Myracles gifts of the Holy-ghost according to his owne will Lastly where it is saide They haue the Bookes of Moses and the writings of the Prophets let them heare them Luke 16. This is the summe of all our Sermons and preachings we preach nothing out of the Law and the Prophets but both Moses and the Prophets must bee expounded and applyed The Eunuch f Act. 8 30 31 sitting in his Chariot had Moses and the Prophets and read them as he sat yet when Phillip came to him and asked Vnderstandest thou what thou readest He answered How can I without a guide Furthermore the reading of the Scriptures is not heere opposed against the preaching of them but against Visions and Apparitions of the dead as the Prophet speaketh t Esa 8 19 20 When they shall say vnto you Enquire of them that haue a spirit of diuination and at the Soothsayers which whisper and murmure should not a people enquire at their God From the liuing to the dead To the Law and to the Testimony if they speake not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Obiection 5. Fiftly if the word preached bee the ordinary meanes of bringing vs vnto sanctification and so to saluation then where it is not there is not ordinarily saluation and consequently no Church visible where no Minister is Heerby we shall condemne many particular Congregations to be no visible churches because they want the publicke preaching of the word
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
and feature of the body but looketh vpon the grace and garnishing of the heart so that albeit we be euery way deformed yet if we be thoroughly reformed in the inner man we shall bee accepted before him a thousande times more then such as haue the greatest Ornaments of the body but haue nothing to decke and adorne the soule It may be he departed for a season Note heer how the Apostle describeth the sinne of Onesimus committed against his Maister he doth not aggrauate and exaggerate his offence with big swelling words to shew the greatnes of his sin but doth lessen it by gentle mild termes wherby he calleth it His running away he nameth a departing his absence from his Maisters house seruice the missing of him as it were an hour This the apostle speaketh c Theophyl in Philem. not so much to asswage the anger of Philemon prouoked thorough the offence of his seruant as to testify his vnfaigned repentance wherby he had buried and blotted out the wickednes which he committed by running from his Maister by robbing of him Doctrine 3. The fals and sins of our brethren that repent are not to be encreased and amplified with odious extream words We learne heereby that the fals sins of our brethren that repent are not to be increased with odious and extreame words Whensoeuer I say we see the fruits of vnfained repentance in any of our brethren that haue falne into sinne and beene ouertaken through the weaknesse of the flesh wee are to binde vp their woundes as carefull Surgeons and to comfort them with the sweet promises of the Gospel not to reuile them or raile at them or reproach them for their former falles we must not speake the most or the worst or the hardest of them but in mildnesse of spirit mollifie the greatnesse of the sinne what we can This Doctrine is made euident vnto vs by many testimonies and examples in the word of God When Ioseph saw his f Gen. 45 5 8. Brethren sad and greeued with themselues because they had solde him into Egypt hee comforteth them with the prouidence of God whose worke it was to haue him sent and sold into the hand of strangers Now then you sent me not hither but the Lord who hath made me a father vnto Pharaoh Lord of all his house and Ruler throughout all the land of Egipt This we see in the Lord himselfe toward Iob who reproued him for much weaknesse that he had shewed in the combat and tentation yet g Iob. 39 37. and 42 6. when he had repented in dust and ashes and laid his hand vpon his mouth the wrath of the Lord was kindled against his three friendes because they had not spoken of him the thing that is right like his seruant Iob. The like practise appeareth in Nathan toward Dauid whom he reprooueth first couertly and closely vnder a parable then openly and euidently he chargeth him with adultry and murther together with great vnthankfulnesse toward God that had bin so gracious to him but when he repented and humbled himselfe vnder the stroke of the two-edged sword of Gods word saying h 2 Sam. 12 13 I haue sinned against the Lord the Prophet doth no more vpbraid him with those foule and filthy sinnes of committing Whoredome and shedding of blood but said vnto him The Lorde also hath put away thy sinne thou shalt not die Thus did Christ our Sauiour deale with the woman taken in adultery euen in the verie acte brought before him by the Scribes and Pharisees he preached vnto her the Gospell vpon her repentance i Iohn 8 11. I do not condemne thee Go and sinne no more The like we see in the Apostles dealing with the incestuous Corinthian before his conuersion the Apostle chargeth him with fornication k 1 Cor. 5 1 and 2. Cor. 2 6 7. and Such fornication as is not named among the Gentiles that one shoulde haue his Fathers wife and reprooueth the whole Church that they had not put him away from among them yet when he had confessed his sinne and testified his repentance by his vnfaigned sorrow for his sinne the Apostle would haue his sinne forgiuen and his person comforted Least he should be swallowed vp with ouermuch heauinesse Likewise remembring the Corinthians what they were in the time of their ignorance Theeues Oppressors Fornicators Idolaters Drunkards Railers riotous persons by their conuersion to the Gospell and Faith in Christ they were changed to a better life and so could no longer be charged by such sins l 1 Cor. 6 11. Ye are washed ye are sanctified ye are iustified in the name of the Lord Iesus by the spirit of our God Whereby we see this truth plainly prooued vnto vs that it is our duty not to aggrauate and amplify the sins of such as haue repented them of their sinnes Reason 1. To this duty we shall be better directed and strengthned in the truth of it if we marke the reasons For first we are not to encrease in wordes the sinne of a penitent person because loue worketh softnesse and gentlenesse in vs a care of the good name of our Brother and banisheth all euill surmises suspitions from vs. Hence it is that the Apostle saith m 1 Cor. 13 4 Loue is patient When Peter exhorteth vs that aboue all things we should haue feruent loue among vs to the end he may confirm his exhortation and shew that there is nothing more profitable vnto the faithfull then to maintaine mutuall Charity hee bringeth this reason n 1 Pet. 4 8 Prou. 10 12. For Loue couereth the multitude of sins If this loue rule in our harts remaine among vs one towards another it bringeth excellent benefits and we auoid inumerable euils But if hatred beare sway men in byting and tearing one another are ready to consume one another to reproch and detract one from another to slander and defame to strike and quarrel one with another without measure or mercy Reason 2. Secondly we are not alwayes to vpbraid our Bretheren and cast them in the teeth with their former fals because wee must account it sufficient that they haue beene checked and teproued by vs or by the mouths of many witnesses The nature of God himselfe is gentle toward vs o Ps 103 9 10 that hee will not alwayes chide nor keepe his anger for euer So ought we to deale one toward another For if he doth not deale with vs after our sinnes nor reward vs according to our iniquities we should haue compassion one toward another If he know whereof we are made and remember that we are but dust we must also learne that we haue all neede to be forgiuen as there is no man but desireth to be forgiuen If then it be auaileable to our Bretherens good to haue them reproued wee ought not to proceede to reuiling of them and rayling vpon them for
those offences which they haue forsaken This is the reason touched by the Apostle mentioning the transgression and conuersion of the incestuous person who washed away with his teares the guiltinesse of his sinne he saith p 2 Cor. 2 6 7 It is sufficient vnto the same man that hee was rebuked of many so that now contrary-wise ye ought rather to forgiue him and comfort him c. If then it be sufficient to reproue then to reuile and reproach is more then sufficient euen superfluous and vnprofitable and vncharitable as wee noted before Reason 3. Thirdly whensoeuer our Brethren repent we are bound to testify our forgiuenesse of them and to bring a cloak to couer the foulenesse and deformity of their offence But so long as wee publish them abroad and proclaime them in the eares and audience of others it is very plaine we doe not forgiue them so long as we remember them to their discredit and reproach wee do not couer them It is that reason which wee heard before out of the Apostle where he instructeth the Corinthians in Christian meeknesse and moderation toward him that offended and repented that had falne and was risen againe and chargeth them to esteeme it enough that he was reproued q 1 Cor. 2 7. so that now they should confirme their loue toward him and freely forgiue him Seeing therefore that loue couereth the multitude of sins seeing it sufficeth to reproue the sinner and that it is a duty belonging vnto vs to testifye our forgiuenesse of him that sinneth we may from all these considerations as from euident consequences conclude that the sins of our brethren committed and repented of ought not aboue measure to be stretched and augmented but rather mittigated and lessened by vs. Obiection Before we come to the Vses of this Doctrine it shall not be amisse to answere some Obiections First the Euangelist Mathew called to bee an Apostle r Math. 10 3. calleth himselfe a Publican for in numbering vp the twelue he mentioneth himselfe Mathew that Publican Answere I answere the office of a Publican was no vnlawfull calling and therefore not of that Nature that falleth within the compasse of this Doctrine that we haue in hand True it is in regard of the abuse of the Office the name of the Officer was becom odious ſ Math. 9 11. and therefore the Publicans and Sinners are oftentimes ioyned together Now their Office was to be Collectors of the Toll and tribute imposed vpon them by the Romains which was as lawfull for thē to gather as for the people to pay Hence it is that Iohn the Baptist doth not exact of the Publicans that came vnto him to leaue their office but exhorted them to beware of bribery oppressions t Luke 3 13. Require no more then that which it appointed vnto you So then the condition of a Publican the prosession of a Christian may both stand together so that a man conuerted to the faith may hold the office and bee called by the Name without any disgrace of his outward or inward calling Obiection 2. The Prophet denounceth a fearful wo against al those that cal u Esay 5. 20. euil good or good euil which put darknes for light light for darknes If then we are to speak of a penitents sins fauorably not to deal rigorously with a Conuert it seemeth to giue liberty to vtter a lie to smother the truth Answere I answer it is one thing to speake of the nature of the sinne and another thing to speake of the conuerted sinner The sinne is one thing but the Conuersion maketh it another When we speak of the Nature of the sinne and the offence against God we are not to lessen or diminish it but when we consider it in the person that hath repented the shame and reproch is done away so that we may speake of it with all gentlenesse and mercy toward them Obiection 3 The Scripture often mentioneth the vncleane life of Rahab and albeit she turned to God forsooke her filthinesse and ioyned her selfe to the people of God yet she is branded euermore with the name of an Harlot So the Apostle saith to the Hebrewes x Heb. 11 31. By Faith the Harlot Rahab perished not with them which obeyed not when she had receiued the spies peaceably In like maner Iames speaketh y Iames 2 25. Was not Rahab the Harlot iustified through workes when she had receiued the Messengers sent them out another way Answere I answer this is not mentioned to her reproach but spoken to their praise she is not vpbrayded with it but commended because she had forsaken it We see heereby what shee was before her calling she is not reproached with it after her calling Thus our Sauiour speaketh in another place to the cheefe Priests and Elders of the people Verily I say vnto you z Math. 21 31 that the Publicans and the Harlots goe before you into the kingdome of God Where he meaneth that they were such as the Apostle speaketh of the Corinthians but nowe they had giuen ouer that life Thus he saith of his Myracles that he had wrought a Math. 11 5. The blinde receiue sight the halt do walke the Leapers are cleansed the deafe heare and the dead are raised vp These men while these infirmities were vpon them could not be deliuered from them but he sheweth what they had been and what they were they had beene diseased but now were restored So in Rahab the Apostles testifie what she had beene to wit an Harlot and what she is not any longer an Harlot but a true beleeuer with the people of God It is added therefore not any way sounding to her defaming but to shewe the greatnesse of Gods compassion and the soundnesse of her conuersion Vse 1 The Vses remaine to be stoode vpon that the Doctrine may serue to our comfort and instruction First we learne from hence a notable point of Christian wisedom to esteem of all men as they are and not as they were according to their present estate wherein they remaine and not according to the condition wherein they liued in times past It skilleth not what they haue bin we must consider what they are The Apostle reckning vp many horrible sinnes committed by the Corinthians in the darke night of their ignorance he saith b 1 Cor. 6 11 Such were some of you but now ye are washed now ye are sanctifyed Where we see he maketh a flat opposition betweene their former estate before their calling and their estate after their conuersion and setteth a difference betweene that which they were once and that which they are now He saith such they were he doth not say such they are they were but nowe are not because they had repented The like we see in his affection towards one perticular member of that Church of whom we spake before while he continued
therefore seeke to blaunch the foulenesse and filthinesse of it to which they are so continuallie accustomed But howsoeuer these men account of sinne and whatsoeuer they call it they shall find that the lessening of it is the way to encrease it and the diminishing of it is the meanes to make it greater If we would haue our sinnes and offences not to come into account we must forsake them and repent of them Thirdlie it reprooueth such as disclose and reueale a Penitents confession When our Brethren in the anguish of their Soules and in a feeling of the horror of sinne haue sought peace and comfort at our handes and haue discouered their offences that trouble them to vs as the sicke man doth his disease to the Physition that hee may bee healed it is our dutie to comfort them not to disgrace them to conceale them not to reueale them to hide them not to publish them and blaze them abroad to their disgrace and discredit True it is when euill is opened vnto vs e Alexand. Hal. part 4. Quest 28. membr 2. art 2. Siluest in Confess 3. nume 2. not past or present but to be done afterward as if a man confesse his determination and resolution to commit Murthers we are not tied to couer and conceale it but are bound to manifest and make it knowne This sheweth the wonderfull abuse of the Church of Rome committed in holie thinges and thinges supposed by them to be holie The Sacrament of the Lordes Supper is most horribly prophaned of them which being instituted in remembrance of the death of Christ to assure vs of our spirituall communion in him and of our spirituall nourishment from him is often receiued of them to combine them together in wickednesse and to take securitie thereby one of another not to reueale the Treasons and Conspiracies that are plotted among them Thus it is in the supposed Sacrament of Pennance when they would reueale the hidden mischeefe and poysons of their hearts to the Priestes and Iesuits their Confessors they will seeme to doe it by way of confession that so it might be as it were locked vp and sealed with this Seale as a secret neuer to bee disclosed and discouered Thus is confession become nothing else but a couer of Treason and Rebellion But when our Brethren being afflicted in Conscience and wounded with the Darts of Satan and the poyson of sinne shall accuse themselues and confesse some haynous sinne committed that lyeth heauy vpon them and can find no comfort in concealing of it but greater horror thereby are brought to the gates of Hell and like to be swallowed vp in despaire when they shall I say confesse to the glorie of God and the shaming of themselues the wickednesse of their hearts and handes we are not to vtter it to others to their disgrace but by all meanes we can to couer it in secret and silence For as we f Iam. 5 15. are to acknowledge our faults one to another and to pray one for another so we are in loue to conceale the falles one of another and not to open them in choller and mallice to their reproach Lastly this reproueth our remisnesse and wretchlesnesse in dealing with recusant Papists the members of the Pope and Popish Church who because we would not offend them we speake of them honourably and giue them the Name of Catholikes and honour them with the Title of the Church whereas wee should giue them their right and call them by their propper Names of Idolaters and enemies of the Grace of God and disturbers of the State We haue many among vs that are ready to ioyne with them and to giue them the right hand of fellowship who can bee content to mingle together God and Baall Christ and Beliall light and darkenesse the Temple of God and an Idoll But as we beleeue the High-priest of Rome to be the very Anti-christ described in the Scripture so we also hold that the Church of Rome is a false and Bastard-Church and no true Church of Christ Iesus who not onely haue shaken but razed downe the very foundations of Religion maintaining the worshipping of Images and the merrits of workes by making a mocke of Christes merits and satisfaction by deuising other Mediators and by presuming to offer him vp an vnbloody Sacrifice to God the Father Let vs not therefore halt betweene g 1 Kin. 18 21 two opinions nor go about to reconcile those thinges which can neuer hold or hang together The false Apostles would ioyne the Law and the Gospell together the workes of the Law and the grace of Faith in the matter of Iustification which can neuer be the one destroying and pulling down the other because h Rom. 11 6. if it be of grace it is no more of workes or else were grace no more grace but if it be of workes it is no more grace or else were worke no more worke So we haue those that dreame of an vnion between Christ and Antichrist but if the Lord be God follow him if Baall be he then goe after him No man can serue both these Maisters so contrary one from the other so that whosoeuer cleaueth to the one forsaketh the other Verse 16. Not now as a Seruant but aboue a Seruant euen as a Brother c. Heere is a singular commendation of Onesimus expressed by many steps and degrees the one ascending and climbing aboue the other He was not onely as a Seruant but aboue a Seruant not onely as a Brother but a beloued Brother not onely deare to Paule but much more to Philemon himselfe This is so much the more worthy praise and commendation nay of wonder and admiration as the disposition of Seruants in those times was lewd and licentious who albeit they had good and godly Maisters yet they were light-fingered and light-footed and vpon euery occasion they were apt to run away from them i Gen. 16 6. as appeareth in Hagar that liued in the house of Abraham when Sarah began to deale roughly with her immediatlie she fled from her Seeing therefore it was so rare a thing among those kinde of men to finde any well minded and disposed the Apostle maketh the more account of him and would haue his Maister to make account of him As if he should reason thus Him who in Christ Iesus is become thy Brother thou oughtest carefully to tender and dearely to loue But Onesimus is now by his vnfained conuersion become thy Brother Therefore receiue him Heere we see the Apostle reasoneth for Onesimus to haue him receiued and respected aboue an ordinary Seruant because hee was truely conuerted and had in him a good measure of Grace and was become a true and sound Christian Doctrine 4. The more grace appeareth in any the more should they be tendered and regarded of vs. We learne from hence that the more Grace appeareth in any the more should they be tendered and regarded of vs whether
they be Seruants Children Neighbours Pastors People Wife Kinsfolke or Acquaintance In whomsoeuer the greatest store of heauenly things is to be found such as most of all to be loued and regarded tendered and respected The Prophet Dauid teacheth when the Lord who had annointed him to bee King ouer his people should bring him vnto the Kingdome and make him Ruler and Gouernour ouer a great and mightie People what they were that he would most of all regard and vpon whom he would cast his eyes k Psa 101 6 7 Mine eyes shall be vpon the faithfull of the Land that they may dwell with me hee that walketh in a perfect way he shall serue me c. Salomon hath many heauenlie sentences and Diuine Prouerbs l Prou. 14 35. 17 2. 16 13. to this purpose as Chap. 14. 35. The pleasure of a King is in a wise seruant but his wrath shall be toward him that is lewd So in the 16. Chapt. The righteous lippes are the delight of Kings and the King loueth him that speaketh right thinges Likewise in the Chapter following A discreete Seruant shall haue rule ouer a lewd Sonne and he shall deuide the heritage among the Brethren The practise of this dutie we see in Abraham he had a faithfull Seruant whom he made the Steward and Gouernour of his house and made more reckoning of him then he did of Ismaell his Sonne or of the rest that did attend about him m Gen. 15 2. and 24 2. and therefore purposed to haue made him his heire When he purposed to prouide a Wife for his Son Isaac he called him and imployed him to goe to his Country and to his Kindred to bring a wife for him The like we see in Iacob n Gen. 37 2 4. Who loued Ioseph aboue al his Bretheren because he saw most grace in him This was in Elkanah toward his wife Hannah o 1 Sam. 1 8. he comforted her in her affliction and said Why weepest thou And why eatest thou not And why is thy heart troubled Am not I better to thee then ten Sonnes This appeareth in Ionathan toward Dauid p 1 Sam. 20 17 and 18 1 2. He loued him as his owne soule and made a couenant of peace and a league of friendshippe with him not in any worldly respect not for any earthly commodity not to enioy any temporall benefit for he seemed thereby to loose a Kingdome but because he saw the Lord to be with him So the Apostle writing to the elect Lady and her Children testifierh That he loued them in the truth and reioyced greatly that he found them walking in the truth Heereby we see laying all these testimonies together the truth of this doctrine that it is our duty to regard them most that haue greatest grace shining in them Reason 1. The reasons hereof are plaine to informe vs. For first where Grace is it bringeth blessednesse to that society kingdome congregation family and person as appeareth by the confession of Iosephs Maister Gen. 39. 2. 3. whom he serued Now who are more to be regarded or better to bee thought off then such as are blessed and cause blessednesse to others The wicked man is accurssed of God q Iosh 7 1 2. and draweth the cursse of God vpon the places where he dwelleth and vpon the persons with whom he dwelleth But such as haue found grace with God and haue grace laid vp as a precious Treasure in their hearts doe bring the blessings of God to others and serue to conuay them to them as we see by infinite examples in the Scripture Reason 2. Secondly we see that God is most gratious to such as haue most Grace in their harts he tendreth them as the apple of his eye and loueth them as own Sons Indeed he loueth all the works of his handes as they are his Creatures he maketh his Sunne to shine his raine to fall his fruitfull seasons to refresh them he hath not left himselfe without witnesse among the Infidels that he might make them without excuse Hee giueth to r Psal 144 13 and 147 19. 76 1. Beastes and to beastlie men their foode their Corners and Garners are full and abounding with diuers sortes and their Sheepe bring forth thousandes and ten thousands in their Streetes but GOD is speciallie knowne in Iudah his Name is great in Israell he sheweth his Word and his Statutes among them hee hath not dealt so with euerie Nation neyther haue they knowne his iudgements As this is the dealing of God toward those that are his whom he maketh partakers of the secrets of his Kingdome so it is our duty to follow his example and to shew our selues like vnto him in our brotherly kindnesse toward his chosen Children and our beloued Brethren Reason 3. Thirdly the more grace appeareth in any the neerer he doth resemble God the more euidently doth the Image of God shew it selfe in him The Image of God standeth and consisteth Å¿ Ephe. 4 24. especially in holinesse and true righteousnesse The vngodly are stamped and marked with prophanesse and wickednesse t Iohn 8 44. 1 Iohn 3 8. which is the Deuils badge and impression The more they grow in euill and bring forth the fruites of impietie and vnrighteousnesse the neerer they come to Satan and are like vnto him On the other side such as bear the Image of their heauenly father must be exceedingly respected and regarded as the Apostle teacheth u 1. Iohn 5 1. Euery one that loueth him which begate loueth him also which is begotten of him He that loueth the Father will for the Fathers sake loue the Child And he that loueth God will for his sake loue the Child of God Seeing therefore it is blessednesse to euery society and Congregation to haue men therein endued with grace seeing God delighteth to rest among them that seeke after grace and lastly the more grace is found in any the neerer he draweth to God in all these respects we conclude this as a certaine truth that it is our duty to respect them aboue all others that haue the greatest measure of grace abiding in them Vse 1 Let vs gather the vses that arise from this Doctrine First of all this ought to stirre vs all vp to labour to grow in grace and in the gifts of the Spirit that therby we may procure deserue the loue of men They that grow in grace are truly to be reputed and accounted gracious It is noted in Christ x Luke 2 52. That he encreased in wisedome and stature and in fauour with God and men When a man groweth in strength of body it is a signe his meate nourisheth him and doth him good So when we profit in knowledge and vnderstanding in holinesse and sanctification of life it sheweth that we are good hearers of the word Salomon saith in the Prouerbs y Prou. 1 5. A wise man shall heare and
need of them or their curtesie but forsooke him in his greatest necessitie g Iob 6 15. These he compareth to Winter brookes which flow and ouer-flow when there is an ouer plus of water but are dry and dammed vp in time of Summer when the earth gapeth and the Grasse withereth and the Flower fadeth for want thereof Such men forget themselues and the condition wherein God hath set them They know how to require and looke for duties from others but they are vnmindfull of their owne and so become vnmercifull to their Brethren They doe not remember that the time shall come when they will preferred one drop of Mercy before a thousand Kingdomes yea befor tenne thousand worlds If thou account our things common c. Hitherto we haue considered the strength of the reason and gathered the Doctrine that ariseth from hence Now we are to weigh the words alone by themselues The Apostle taketh his Argument from the communion and fellowship that is between him and Philemon so that he could not deny him his suit Doctrine 2. Among Christian friends all things are common From hence we raise this Doctrine that among Christian Friends all thinges are common Such as are true friends not in tongue but in truth not in hypocrisie but from the hart should haue great interest one in another to vse themselues their gifts their blessinges without grudging to the naturall comfort one of another When Ionathan entred into a couenant of loue and league of friendshippe with Dauid h 1 Sem. 18 4. By and by he put off his Robe that was vpon him and gaue it Dauid and his Garments euen to his Sword and to his Bow and to his Girdle Yea he discouered the secret counsels and consultations of his Father that hee might deliuer his friend from danger of death This is it which the Apostle speaketh to the Romans i Rom. 12 4 5 As we haue many Members in one body and all Members haue not one office so we being many are one body in Christ and euery one one anothers Members The Euangelist Luke describing the state and condition of the Church after the Resurrection and ascension of Christ saith k Act 2 44 45 All that beleeued were in one place and had all things common and they sold their possessions and goods and parted them to all men as euery one had neede And afterward in the fift Chapter he addeth at large the same point l Act. 4 33 34 Great Grace was vpon them all neither was there any among them lacked for as many as were possessors of Lands or Houses sold them and brought the price of the thinges that were sold and laid it downe at the Apostles feetâ— and it was distributed vnto euery man according as he had neede Hence it is that we are taught in the Articles of Faith to beleeue the communion of Saints yea this is so plaine and manifest a truth m Plato de leg lib. 5. Cicer. offi lib. 1. de Amicit. Aul. Gell. noct Atti. lib. 1. cap. 9. Terent. in Adelph that the Heathen had this sentence as a common Prouerbe commonly in their mouthes that among friends all things should be common Whatsoeuer is bestowed vpon vs we should haue it not onely for our selues but for others If we haue riches it is our friends if we haue any guifts bestowed vppon vs they must be at the commandement of our friends Whatsoeuer we haue to profit them withall it must be theirs as well as ours All these Testimonies of the holie Scripture and common experience teach vs that wheresoeuer Christian friendship is there must bee also a Christian community that there bee no lack but the want of euery one must be supplied by a common hand of those that do abound Reason 1. Let vs see how this is confirmed vnto vs by reasons First it is the ordinance of God that one man should be an hand and helper vnto another in all necessities and hath vnited vs as Bretheren so that they should seeke to comfort one another This is it which Salomon propoundeth n Prou. 27 9. As Oyntment and perfume reioyce the heart so doeth the sweetnesse of a mans friend by heartie counsell If then we be bound to helpe our brethren by our handes by our mouths by our feete by our hearts and by all that wee haue in our power it followeth that there ought to be a communion in the vse of all blessinges that we enioy Reason 2. Secondly the Lord Iesus which is the great peace-maker of the world and sole Mediator betweene God and man who hath ioyned Heauen and Earth together by his Crosse o Ephes 2 18 so that through him we haue an entrance vnto the Father by one spirit he I say hath brought peace vnto vs hee hath made perpetuall friendship betweene his Father and vs and consequently setled sure friendship among our selues This is it which the Apostle speaketh Ephe. 2. p Ephes 2 14 16 1â— Col. 1 20 21 He is our peace which hath made of both one and hath broken the stop of the partition wall to make of twaine one new man in himselfe that hee might reconcile both vnto God in one body by his Crosse and stay hatred thereby It is the Office of Christs Priesthood to make peace not only beâ—ween God and man which notwithstanding is the cheefest worke but betweene man and man whereby we become one body in him Reason 3. Thirdly the faithfull haue the same priuiledges and liue as it were in common together They haue the same Father they expect the same inheritance they heare the same word they receiue the same Sacraments q Gal. 4 26. 1 Pet. 2 2. 1 23. Rom. 8 9 15. they are born of one Mother they are begotten of one immortall seed they are fed by the same sincere Milke they liue as by one soule the spirit of Christ they are as neere as Father and Children and as members of one body we are al one in respect of the promises of saluation Albeit there bee a distinction amongest them in Countrey Nation Age Sex and such like and liue in diuers ages and places yet there is such a spirituall Kindred and neere society between them that these common priuiledges binde them mutually and manifestlie one so another Wherefore seeing it is the ordinance of God that we shold put our helping hand to doe all good to our brethren seeing Christ Iesus hath reconciled vs to God his Father and made peace amongest our selues and lastly seeing the faithfull haue a common interrest and priuiledge in the same holy thinges whereby they are fitted to the Kingdome of Heauen in all these respects we learne that among true Christian friends there should bee a Communion and fellowship of all the blessings of God bestowed vpon them Vse 1. Now order requireth that wee handle the Vses of this Doctrine And first of all we
louing and friendly exhortations then by seuere threatnings denounced against them They are indued with Gods spirit which is a Maister to teach them worketh in them the wil and the deed Of vnwilling they are made willing of tough rough hewen they are made pliable and apt for the building of stubborn they are become obedient ready to learn They are as good schollers in the school of Christ who feare more the displeasure of their Maister whom they loue and who loueth them then the suffering of many stripes and strokes giuen vnto them This is a true note to know the disciples of Christ from al others Euill men abstaine from sin for fear of the punishment for feeling of iudgment so that if there were no threatnings denounced no curses annexed no plagues and torments feared they would grow worse and worse quickly fill vp the measure of their iniquity Fourthly we may gather heereby that pollitick order is not ouerthrown by the Doctrine of the Gospell neither is the right and authoritie of Maysters ouer their seruants abrogated by the faith of Christ For Philemon was not an Infidell or vnbeleeuer d Verse 1. but a fellow-helper with Paul yet rule ouer his seruants is not denied him nor taken from him but hee is onely bidden to receiue him curteously and to pardon him mercifully yea Paule as we see doth humbly beseech him that hee may obtaine and retaine his former place and doth not straitly command him to discharge him of his seruice This iurisdiction standeth by good warrant of the Lawes of God and Men but of this wee haue spoken more at large before in the 12. Verse of this Epistle Fiftly we see the Title againe repeated that he giueth to Philemon when he calleth him by the name of his Brother Thus he called him before verse 7. and so he esteemed of Onesimus verse 16. VVhereby wee see that all men made members of Christ and engrafted into his body are become as faith Brethren one to another Thus doth the Apostle call this Onesimus e Col. 4 9. A faithfull a beloued Brother who is as one of them that were chiefe in the church The consideration heereof ought on the one side to pull downe our proud Feathers and make vs equall with them of the lower sort and on the other side to make vs loue one another not with dissimulation but with brotherly loue not in word onely but in truth as members of one body and as brethren of one father Sixtly he continueth his humble supplication for Onesimus which sheweth that they are farre from true repentance that doe excuse or defend or deny their faults and offences For hee that i Prou. 28 13. hideth his sinnes shall not prosper but he that confesseth and forsaketh them shall finde Mercie When Onesimus did see so famous an Apostle of Christ so carefully to intreate for his cause he ought much more to be humbled with a feeling and remembrance of his former offences thereby to mooue the minde of his Maister to gentlenesse and moderation Lastly obserue out of this place that albeit we doubt not to obtaine that which we desire but are assured to inioy that which we ask yet we must deal earnestly and effectually both in regatd of the matter it selfe for in a waighty and necessary cause we ought not to proceed slenderly and in respect of the nature of men who many times are dull to conceiue and slow to graunt that which we craue There is no man so quick of pace but needeth to haue the spurres clapped to his sides now and then No man runneth so swift a pace but sometimes wanteth exhortations consolations reprehensions admonitions threatnings and such like encoragements We haue not yet attained vnto perfection so long as we liue we must be Schollers in Christes schoole and as it were proceed from step to step Thus much breefly touching the generall Obseruations Now let vs come to the handling of the perticuler Doctrines Yea Brother let me obtaine this fruite By this conclusion it may appear that albeit Onesimus had robbed his Maister and run away with a great part of his substance yet hee had spent all as it often falleth out with ill-gotten goods and then being beaten with his owne rod as the k Luke 15 17. prodigall sonne and brought to necessity tasted of the sweete fruite of the Ministery of the blessed Apostle Hence it is that he vrgeth so earnestly and presseth Philemon so exceedingly to remit the debt to forgiue the hurt he had receiued by his naughty seruant as being no way able to satisfy him nor by any means heereafter being likely to satisfy him For if any ability had bin in him to make satisfaction there had bin no place for pardon and remission nor for Paules vndertaking of the debt If we by fraud and stealth by iniury and iniustice possesse the goods of other men we are commanded to make actuall and reall restitution The word of God teacheth vs directly that such as detain the goods of other men l Leuit. 6 1 7. Math. 5 23 24 Numb 5 6 7. are vnmeet for his worship vnfit for his seruice Againe such as with-hold them from the right owners m Eze. 18 15 33. shall die in their sins and not haue pardon before restitution when God hath enabled them thereunto But if we do keep backe from them their owne n August epist ad Maced our repentance is not conscionable but counterfet Heerby it appeareth that Onesimus was not able to pay vnto his Maister such things as he had taken away for otherwise it had bin an vnreasonable request to haue a debt pardoned which might be restored For that which any man doth vniustly detaine is none of his but that persons from whom it is detained So then this being the poore seruants condition that he had left nothing of all that which he had taken away as commonly goods euilly gotten are euilly spent the Apostle craueth pardon Doctrine 1. No mā ought to be eager extreame in exacting debts dues from the poore and needy From hence we learne that wee ought not to bee eager and extreame in vrging and exacting debtes from the poore and needie but rather be readie to remit releeue or at least to forbear what we may and are inabled to do Heerunto commeth the precept deliuered in the law of Moses o Deut. 15 2 Euery creditor shal quit the loue of his hand which he hath lent to his neighbor he shal not ask it again of his neighbour nor of his brother for the yeare of the Lords freedom is proclaimed Where he teacheth that mercy should be shewed to their brethren in necessity that they ought not to be hasty in calling for the things that are due to thē but rather to giue farther day respit So afterward Verse 7. If one of thy Brethren with thee be poore within any of
It is a property of the good and diligent seruant who being bidden to go will run about his businesse or being required to do little will gird vp his loynes and doe more as on the other side the Wiseman teacheth Prou. 10 26. that as Vineger is to the Teeth and smoake to the eyes so is the slouthfull to them that send him When we behold such an encrease in godlinesse and a running in the race of Christian duties let vs be mindfull to giue God the glory and the praise who hath touched their hearts to bring forth so great fruits Contrarywise it is the cause of much griefe and sorrow when men deceiue the hope and expectation that is conceiued of them in the best thinges when we looke for a plentifull Haruest and finde onely a few blasted eares when wee expect an encrease and see nothing but a fearefull fainting and languishing in honest and holy duties This is it which the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrewes reproueth in them p Heb. 5 21. When as concerning the time ye ought to bee Teachers yet haue ye need againe that we teach you what are the first principles of the worde of GOD and are become such as haue neede of Milke and not of strong Meate The like reproofe is cast vpon the Galathians Chap. 3 1. O foolish Galathians who hath bewitched you that ye should not obey the trueth to whom Iesus Christ was before described in your sight and among you crucified Oh! see see the misery of our dayes all come short of the duties that are required of them be they neuer so iust honest necessarie so greatly to Gods glorie and the aduancement of true Religion If men would come thus farre to yeeld halfe so much as is requested of them or as farre as they should wee should iudge it much and it would appeare greater then it is Beholde the barrennesse and backwardnesse of our daies that yeeld no better fruit If a man would take a Light and search vppe and downe from house to house where shall he finde a true-hearted Philemon of whom we may boldly say as Paule doth in this place I know that thou wilt do euen more then I say I would we were come thus farre to say of our professors I know thou wilt do as much as I say We haue not learned to performe so much we have started backe from our former zeale we are fallen from much to little and from little to nothing at all and from nothing to lesse then nothing that is from no good to much euill For how many might a man single out by name and point out with the finger who nothwithstanding their happy beginnings raysing a woonderfull expectation of a glorious end are now become dry and withered of whom we may say I knowe thou wilt doe nothing I know there is nothing in them I know they haue embraced this present World These are q Iob 6 15 16 c. like those Streames or Channelles which immediately after a showre of Raine runne swiftly and promise to the poore Traueller that wandereth in the VVildernesse a most comfortable refreshing but in time of neede deceiue him So is it with such as haue embraced the Faith and seeme to haue receyued into their drie heartes the sweet r Deut. 32 2. Dewes and pleasant showers of the Word who appeare zealous for a time and afterward fall away they deceiue the hope that hath beene conconceiued of them and the end with them is worse then the beginning The Doctrine that hath dropped vpon them as the raine vpon the hearbes and the great raine vpon the grasse is quite dried vp and no remnants therof are to be discerned according to the saying of Christ Å¿ Math. 25 29. Vnto euery man that hath it shall be giuen and he shall haue abundance but from him that hath not euen that he hath shal be taken away This is notably expressed in the parable of the Man that going into a strange Country called his seruants deliuered and deuided to them his goods and when one of them went his way and hidde his Talent in the earth it was taken from him that had beene slouthfull and giuen to him that had gained fiue Talents Againe if the time would serue it were easie to shew how sumptuous costly and full of expenses men are to maintaine their vanities pleasures and delights aboue that we can desire or imagine but in other thinges most nigh and niggardly and hand-fasted We see how wasting and prodigall they are in the pursuit of their carnall lustes they thinke no cost to be too much no charges too great Vse 3. Lastly it is the duty of euery man to labour to be answearable at the least to the expectation that the Church hath had of him and to endeuour to be as good as he hath made shew off perfourming therein the practise of his profession not deceiuing any of the Seruants of God therein This requireth of vs a carefull obseruation and marking of the manners of men both of their beginnings and proceedings and not to stand as idle behoulders gazing in the aire that we may vnderstand the time the meanes the forwardnesse the knowledge the shew that hath beene in many all which haue promised much and caused vs to expect good thinges at their handes and yet oftentimes in vaine This appeareth in the song of the Prophet Esay Chap. 5. Wherein he setteth before the peoples eyes their great vnthankfulnesse t Esay 5 4. that albeit the Lord had done for his Vineyard what he could yet it brought forth wilde Grapes in stead of good Fruit and therfore he threatneth that the Thornes shall ouergrow it the Beastes should spoile it the Raine shall not nourish it Thus also the Apostle speaketh to the Hebrewes who as hee exhorteth them that leauing the Doctrine of the beginning of Christ they should be led forward vnto perfection so he threatneth such as turne backward with an horrible iudgement that shall come vpon them a fearefull curse that shall ouertake them u Heb. 6 7 8. For the earth saith he that drinketh in the raine that commeth oft vpon it and bringeth forth Hearbes meet for them by whom it is dressed receiueth blessing of God but that which beareth Thornes and Briars is reproued and is neere vnto cursing whose end is to be burned Whereby we see that an heauy curse belongeth vnto all such as answeare not the hope that is conceiued of them they deceiue men much they deceiue as farre as lieth in them God himselfe but especially they deceiue their owne soules We pitty those greatly whom we haue seene fresh and lusty strong and sturdy of body when they grow weake faint sickly and decaying in age and strength but much more ought we to lament to see those that haue beene forward and gone before many others to haue need to be taught againe the first principles of Religion and to
and communication which we haue together among our selues will quicken our Faith and kindle our zeale that it will breake out into a great flame Hence it followeth that they are happy that delight to frequent the company of the godly and of such as may profit vs in the best things He that walketh with the wise shall be the wiser but he that is a companion of Fooles shall learne foolishnesse Wherefore they are hereby reprooued that neuer thinke themselues better at ease then when they are farthest from them that delight in the Lorde and take pleasure in lewd and ryotous company by whom they are misled and carryed out of the right way Lastly wee see that the Apostle alwaies ascribeth much to to the Prayers of the Saints We know that Paule was one of the cheefe of the Apostles whose guifts were great whose labours were painefull whose visions and reuelations were wonderfull yet he reiecteth not the praiers of the Church as appeareth in this place and l Phil. 1 19. Phil. 1 19. I know that this shall turne to my saluation through your prayer and by the helpe of the spirit of Iesus Christ So then the excellency of any member and worthinesse of the cheefest in the Church doth not exempt him from standing in neede of the Prayers of the poorest Christian and lowest part of the Church Nay the greater and higher and more eminent any man is the more he hath need to be praied for and commended to the grace of God inasmuch as he is set in a more slipperie place he lyeth open to greater daunger and is exposed to stronger tentations and assaults of Sathan then those that are in a lower place and a meaner condition Such then as excell others in guifts or calling ought to desire the prayers of the faithfull which auaile much if they be feruent no lesse if not more then others Note also the great necessity and force of prayer that all persons as well high as low stand in neede of it Lastly let euery one labour to haue a feeling of his owne want of the supplication of others yea the higher we are set the greater will be our fal if we be not strongly assisted by all such meanes as God hath left to further our saluation and deliuerance out of troubles that hemme vs in on euery side Hitherto of the obseruations Now let vs come to particular doctrines Moreouer also prepare me lodging He requireth in these words of Philemon an entertaining of such as are destitute and driuen out of house and home for the Gospels sake as if he should say when any of the poore Saints are banished persecuted and put to great extreamities as the World doth alwaies carry an hard and vnmercifull hand toward them be carefull to receiue them cheerefully and to minister al comfort ye can vnto them willinglie The word therefore vsed in this place hath a generall signification and containeth all duties belonging to the entertainement of Strangers And by Strangers we meane not such as ordinarily come to visite vs nor such as trauaile about the businesse of this life and take vp their lodgings in Innes or Tauernes but such as fly from place to place and are compelled against their wils to leaue Countrey or Kindred or House for the Gospels sake The word vsed in this place is not to be restrained to giuing of them lodging as if they had discharged so much as could be required of them but vnder that all duties of the same kind and nature are comprehended as Meate Drink Apparrell and all other thinges necessary for them These the Apostle knew would be ioyfully yeelded by Philemon to him and all other the faithfull especially such as labour in the word and Doctrine Doctrine 1. Hospitality is diligently to be vsed practised of all the Children of God Hereby we learne for our instruction that Hospitality that is the curteous and ioyfull entertainment of distressed Strangers is to be vsed and practised diligently by all the Children of God The succouring of Straungers that are destitute especiallie the poore Ministers that are imployed or would be imployed in the affaires of the Church is required of vs. This we see in the examples of sundry of the faithfull one very famous among the rest is the Shunamites Wife m 2 Kin. 4 8 9 Who called the Prophet of God to her house to eate Bread and she said to her Husband Behold I know now that this is an holie Man of God that passeth by vs continually let vs make him a little Chamber with Walles and let vs set him there a Bed and a Table and a Stoole and a Candlesticke that he may turne in thither when he commeth to vs. This is it which the Prophet Esay commendeth Chapt. 58. 7. Is not this the fasting that I haue chosen n Esay 58 7. to deale thy bread to the hungry and that thou bring the poor that wander vnto thine house When thou seest the naked that thou couer him hide not thy selfe from thine owne Flesh This is noted as a part of the innocency and integrity of Iob Chapt. 31. o Iob 31 32. The stranger did not lodge in the street but I opened my doores vnto him that went by the way The like wee might say of of the Woman of p 1 King 17. Luke 10. Iohn 11. Luke 19. Actes 16. 2 Tim. 1. Sarepta that entertained Eliah in the time of famine of Lazarus and his Sisters that receiued Christ into their house of Zacheus who lodged him ioyfully of Lydia who intreated Paul and his Compaons to come into her house and to abide with her of Onesiphorus who sought out the Apostle diligently refreshed him oftentimes and was not ashamed of his Chaines All these examples Registred and recorded in the Olde and New Testament teach vs that God requireth it as a speciall dutie at our handes to entertaine lodge and refresh such poore Straungers as are constrained to wander vp and downe either for preaching or professing of the Gospell Reason 1. This dutie is vrged vpon vs by diuers reasons in the holy Scriptures First it is to be practised of vs because it is the commandement of God that wee should loue and lodge strangers and shew all pitty and compassion toward them to succour them in their necessity This is it which Moses saith Deut. 10. q Deut. 10 19 Loue ye the Stranger for ye were Strangers in the Land of Aegipt Herevnto commeth the rule of the Apostle Rom. 12. r Rom. 12 13. Distribute to the necessities of the Saintes giue your selues to Hospitality This is the precept of the Apostle Peter Chapt. 4. Å¿ 1 Pet. 4. Be ye harborous one to another without gruding Seeing therefore God commaundeth it is our part to obey and submit our selues to his will and pleasure Reason 2 Secondly as God requireth this duty of vs so wee haue his owne example to teach it vnto vs.
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
when once he was in Hell to cry vnto Abraham to haue mercie on him and to Send Lazarus that he might dip the tip of his Finger in Water and coole his Tongue tormented in that flame but in his life time hee had shewed no mercie hee had denied the Crummes that fell from his Table and therefore now no mercie is shewed to him all comfort is denied vnto him Thus shall it bee with all that are enemies to the distressed Saintes that are constrained to wander without any certaine dwelling as poore straungers from place to place to saue their liues with losse of their Liuings God shall measure out to them as they haue measured to others then shal they condemne their folly that is past and repent of their Crueltie when it is too late For I hope through your Prayers I shall be bestowed vpon you Heere the Reason is rendred wherefore the Apostle requireth Philemon to prepare to entertaine him comming as a Stranger vnto him because hee was in hope that their prayers should preuaile with God for his deliueraunce out of prison It was the duty of the Church to make prayer and supplication to God incessantly for him to see if he would be intreated to release him out of prison and to deliuer him from the mouth of the Lyon Touching the effect of them the Apostle declareth that they were not powred out in vaine but it should vndoubtedly come to passe that God being stirred vp by the prayers and desires of the faithfull would graciously heare them speedily procure his safety and freedome Doctrine 2. The prayers of the faithfull are auaileable for themselues others both to obtaine blessings and to remooue iudgements From hence wee learne that the prayers of the faithfull made to God are very auayleable and effectuall The supplications of the Godly that come from a faithfull heart and proceed from lips vnfaigned are not ydle and vnfruitfull but of great power and force with God as well to obtaine the blessings which they want as to remooue such plagues and iudgements as are heauy vpon them The Testimonies that might be brought to proue this point are infinite The prayers of Abraham a Ge. 20. 18. preuailed to heale Abimelech and his seruants The prayers of Abraham should haue preuailed if ten righteous persons had bin found in Sodome The course of the Sunne and Moone were stayed b Ioshua 10. by the prayer of Ioshua till he was reuenged of his enemies Isaac prayed for c Gen. 25 21. his wife because she was barren vnto the Lord and the Lord was entreated of him and Rebekah his wife conceiued so that she became fruitfull and had two sonnes giuen vnto her of whom came two Nations Eliah by prayer obtained Raine which had bin d 1 Kings 17. Iames 5. with-held from the earth three yeares and sixe moneths So did Hezekiah the continuance of his life for fifteene yeares The Church by prayer e Acts 12. 1 2 obtained the deliuerance of Peter out of prison when as he should haue bin brought foorth to the place of execution and slaine as Iames was This is that which the Apostle Iohn setteth downe Iohn 5 14 15. This is that assurance that wee haue in him that if we aske any thing according to his will he heareth vs and if we know that he heareth vs whatsoeuer wee aske we know that we haue the petitions that we haue desired of him These consents of holy Scripture teach vs that the prayers of the faithful are the means and Instruments appointed of God to obtaine his blessings for vs and to remoue his iudgements farre from vs and others Reason 1. And as the examples are many that might be alledged so the reasons are many that might be produced to settle this truth in our hearts First of all our Prayers do delight the Lord exceedingly he loueth to heare our voyce as the Father doth to heare his Childe True it is the grace of Praier is his owne guift yet he smelleth the sauour of it as sweet Incense he heareth the Harmony of it as pleasant Musicke he accepteth the odour of it as a burnt Offering Heereunto commeth the commendation that Christ giueth to the Church Cant. 2 14. Shew me thy sight let me heare thy voice for thy voice is sweet and thy sight is câ—mely To this purpose the Prophet saith Ps 141 2. Let my Prayer be directed in thy sight as Incense and the lifting vp of mine hands as the euening Sacrifice All the faithfull are to him as the sweet singers of Israell he taketh pleasure to heare them as we doe to heare the best Consort that is among men Reason 2 Secondly true Prayers are of such strength that they do after a sort force the Lord and constraine him to yeeld himselfe as ouercom and vanquished inasmuch as it pleaseth him by this meanes to be conquered They are as mighty weapons whereby all Christians shew themselues valiant Champions not onely to defeat their enemies but to preuaile with God It is noted that Iacob g Gen. 32 24 wrastled with God in the forme of man and hee could not preuaile against Iacob for as God assailed and assaulted him with the one hand so he vpheld and strengthned him with the other He had power with God as it were to ouercom and to â—arry away the praise of the victory Thus shall it be with all the godly who are true Isralites that are feruent in faithfull prayer none shall be able to stand against them God will yeelde himselfe vnto them as it is said he could not preuaile against Iacob The like we see in Moses Exod. 32 9 10. to whom the Lord said h Ex. 32 9 10. I haue seene this people it is a stiffe-necked people Now therefore let mee alone that my wrath may wax hot against them for I wil consume them but I will make of thee a mightie people As if he should haue said thy prayers bind me hand and foot and after a sort take me prisoner so that I am not at mine own liberty thou ouer-rulest me and ouer-maisterest me by thy prayers Hence it is that the Prophet saith i Psal 106 23 He minded to destroy them had not Moses his seruant stoode in the breach before him to turne away his wrath least he should destroy them And the Apostle rehearsing the Christian mans armour of proofe weapons of defence k Ephes 6 18. nameth the Prayers and supplications of the Saints which are not the least part of that Harnesse Reason 3. Thirdly his promise goeth with our prayers he cannot deny the wordes of his owne mouth nor frustrate that which once he hath spoken It is that which the Prophet mentioneth Psal 50 15. Call vpon me in the day of trouble so will I deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me Heere we haue a Commaundement to call on God we haue a promise assurance to be
to preach to the lost Sheepe of the house of Israell and afterwarde appointed seauentie Disciples to second their Labors he willed them to salute the places whether they came x Math. 10. 11 12. with Luke 10 5. Into whatsoeuer Citty or Towne ye shall come enquire who is worthy in it and there abide till ye go thence and when ye come into an house salute the same and first say Peace be to this house That which Christ commandeth his Disciples himself practiseth toward his Disciples for when he appeared to his Disciples after his resurrection y Iohn 20 21. he saide Peace be vnto you The Apostle writing to the Romaines spendeth the greatest part of the sixteenth Chapter in Salutations Commendations sent too and fro among the Saints Thus hee concludeth another of his Epistles z 2 Cor. 13 11 12. Finally Brethren fare ye well be perfect bee of good comfort be of one minde liue in peace and the God of Loue and Peace shall bee with you greet one another with an holy kisse all the Saints salute you All these examples teach vs this as an vndoubted truth that the vse of kinde and curteous speeches are beseeming the seruants of God and becommeth their profession Reason 1. We shall not neede to seeke farre to finde out the true causes and reasons of this Doctrine First our well wishing one to another is a fruit of our loue and a meanes to maintaine and continue loue among vs. To this purpose the Apostle Peter doth command not onely that they should salute one another but such as they loued and such as loued them Chap. 5. a 1 Pet 5 14. Greet ye one another with the kisse of loue If we would maintaine loue we must wisely and carefully entertaine such helpes as may further vs in the perfourmance of that duty whereof this that now we speake off is one so that we are to expresse our inward loue by outward tokens to the end it may bee seene and appeare vnto others Reason 2 Secondly our salutations are remembrances of our care and good affections toward these whom we greet well It is a signe that wee are not forgetfull of them but doe greatly regard and respect them This doth the Apostle Paule signifie Colos 4 12. Epaphras the seruant of Christ which is one of you b Col. 4 12. saluteth you and alwaies striueth for you in praiers that ye may stand perfect and full in all the will of God Where we see he ioyneth these two thinges together as depending one vpon the other his saluting of them and his praying for them Reason 3. Lastly to desire the good of others from the heart is both a fruit of the spirit and a good signe and testimony to our owne selues that we are chosen of God to eternall life To this purpose the Apostle numbring vp many notable fruits of the spirit maketh mention c Gal 5 22. of Loue Peace Gentlenesse Goodnesse meeknesse Long Suffering And in another place he exhorteth them d Col. 3 12. as the elect of God holy and beloued to put on the bowels of mercies Kindnesse Humblenesse of minde Meeknesse Long-Suffering Forbearing one another and forgiuing one another So then if we shall consider that courteous speeches are tokens of loue remembrances of our affection fruits of the spirit and testimonies of our election we may conclude that it is the duty of one Church to wish well to another and of one Christian to speake kindly to another We haue heard the Doctrine confirmed but before we come to the vses that arise from hence it shall not be amisse briefly to answeare an Obiection or two that may stand in our way which may seeme to restraine and forbid that which heere is commanded and allowed Obiection 1. We read in the booke of the Kings that when Ellisha sent his seruant Gehazi to the Shunamites house e 2. King 4 29. Luke 10 4. he bad him if he met any not to salute him and if any man saluted him he should answere him nothing And when Christ sent out his disciples to preach he gaue them the same charge and willed them to Salute no man by the way Where the duty which is heere approued may seeme there to be reprooued Answere I answeare the drift and scope of those places is to be considered and not the bare wordes to be vrged The intent of the Prophet speaking to his seruant and of Christ to his Disciples is to enioyne those persons to omit for that time the practise of duties of common curtesie and ciuility so farre forth as they might stay or any way delay the perfourmance of waightier affaires enioyned vnto them We must therefore vnderstand the meaning of them comparatiuely as if it had beene said Rather then you should any way hinder the quicke dispatch and speedy practise of that businesse which is laid vpon you speake to no man in the way So then the meaning of the places is not simply and absolutely to forbid men to salute others but so farre to require the omitting of it as it should be a let and an impediment vnto them in doing their duties Obiection 2. Secondly we read in the Apostle Iohn in his second Epistle f 2 Iohn 10. If there come any and bring not this Doctrine receiue him not to house neither bid him God speed for he that biddeth him God speede is partaker of his euill Heere againe seemeth to be another prohibition contrary to the precept and Iniunction in this place Answere I answere this place doth not forbid salutations courtesie of man to man but familiarity and acquaintance with Hereticks euen such ioyning and closing with them as may seeme to giue the least applause and approbation to their bad proceedings and wicked opinions Thus much of the loosing of these knottes and aunswering the Obiections that seeme to contradict the Doctrine taught out of this place Now let vs handle the Vses Vse 1 First we learne that courtesie with ciuill gentle friendly soft speeches are to be entertained of the seruants of God This is it which Salomon teacheth in sundry places of the Prouerbes g Prou. 15 1. 25 15. A soft answer putteth away wrath but grieuous words stirre vp anger And Cha. 25. A Prince is pacified by staying of anger and a soft tongue breaketh the bones This is the commaundement that the Apostle giueth h Ephes 4 32 Bee ye courteous one to another and tender-hearted This is the commendation of Gideon against the rage of the Ephraemites that were greeuously incensed and sharpely set against him hee answered them mildly and gently i Iudges 8 3. and thereby their spirits abated towardes him The like we see in Abigail when Dauids wrath was kindled against her husband and houshold she pacified him by her louing and lowly aunswere k 1 Sam. 25 32 so that he blessed
iudgement of God punishing sinne with sinne and recompencing great vengeance vpon their heads that start from the Faith as a deceitfull Bow and renounce that truth which they haue solemnly professed Let these punnishments be alwaies before our eyes so often as we begin to slake our course and to grow negligent and secure that so we may begin to renew our couenant with God and to recouer our selues from the pit of Apostacy into which we were falling Vse 2. Secondly this Doctrine teacheth the difference betweene those that are truely godly and religious and such as are Hypocrites Such as professe well for a time and afterward slide backe are like the Grasse or Corne that groweth vpon the house top which flourisheth and waxeth greene for a season but it decayeth incontinently and commeth not to any seasonable ripenesse Howsoeuer therefore there be a great likenesse and a neere resemblance betweene the faithfull and the Hypocrite yet God will haue the one discerned from the other and Hypocrisie to be laide open and seene in his colours as it is This is that vse which the Apostle Iohn maketh of this doctrine Chapt. 2. where comforting the Church against the offences and stumbling blocks that were rise and common in those daies and perswading them not to be terrified with the falling backe of certaine he maketh it plain that albeit they had place in the Church as corrupt humours haue in the body yet they were neuer of the Church Whreeupon hee concludeth ſ 1 Iohn 2 19. This commeth to passe that it might appeare that they are not all of vs. Would wee therefore know who are Hypocrites And would we haue eyes to see them and iudgement to discerne them Behold heere a plaine marke and euident token to bring vs to a perfect vnderstanding of them they shall not alwaies deceiue the Church they shall not alwaies couer their faces with the Vizard of holinesse they shall in the end be made euident to all men that euery one may point at them with the finger and say This is an Hypocrite this is a Dissembler this is he that went about to deceiue both God and Man but now he is reueiled that al men may looke vpon him and hisse at him On the other side it is a notable priuiledge of a man truely sanctified to bee constant and continually set vpon good thinges to perseuer in good things and neuer to repent of the doing of them he buildeth his house vpon the rock and therefore no blasts or tempests of temptation can ouerthrow it He receiueth the seede into good ground and therefore it taketh roote downeward and beareth fruit vpward with patience he is carefull to please God in the duties of both Tables both of holinesse and true righteousnesse and therefore he shall neuer be remoued Vse 3. Thirdly seeing many begin well that are as a morning Cloude which is quickly scattered and therefore do not continue we learn not to be offended when we see any or many faint or fall away nor to bee discomforted whē we haue examples before our eies of those that haue professed the saith and beene thought zealous aboue many others who nowe are falne into a deepe or rather a dead sleepe that no life of Gods spirit appeareth to be in them Thus it hath alwayes beene in the Church thus it is at this present thus it will be heereafter When Samaria had receiued the Gospell t Acts 8 13. Simon Magus himselfe beleeued also and was baptized and continued with Phillip wondered when he saw the signes and great Myracles which were done yet notwithstanding this embracing of the faith was but as the flash of Lightning which suddainly appeareth and presently vanisheth as appeareth by his offering of money to buy the Graces of the Spirit u Verse 20 23. and by the answer of Peter denouncing an horrible curse against him renouncing him for hauing any part or fellowship in that businesse discouering the hypocrisie of his hart and manifesting to all men that he was in the gall of bitternesse and in the bond of iniquity The like we might say of Hymenens Phyletus and Alexander x 1 Tim. 1 20. and 2 Tim. 2 17. and 4 14. mentioned by Paule in his Epistles to Timothy they were counted famous and esteemed as Pillers of the Church yet they fell to renounce euerlasting saluation which was purchased for vs by our Lord Iesus Christ Let vs all heerby be wise and warned and take heed that we build not vpon men least the foundation sinking and shrinking downe we fall and perish with it True it is they shall greatly be punished that lay a stumbling-blocke before others giue occasion vnto them to fall to depart from the faith yea it were better that a Mill-stone were hanged about their necke and they drowned in the sea then one of the members of Christ be offended Woe therefore shall be to those that giue a scandall to the Church yet such as follow them and forsake the fellowship of the Saints through their euill example cannot be excused Wilt thou refuse thy Corne because thou seest much Chaffe and Trash mingled with it No man must forsake the Church because hee seeth offences to arise in it euery man must labour with himselfe to be good Corn and then the Chaffe shall hurt vs nothing at all And albeit we see some fall away and make a separation euery day the Church looseth nothing but is made more pure and perfect euen as it hindreth not nor hurteth the Wheat that the Tares wither away When we behold those that were chiefe men reputed as Angels in comparison of others to fall as Lightning from Heauen let vs not be dismayed or discomforted thereby though men turne as the winde and the Weather-cocke let vs stand fast and build vpon the rock that can neuer be shaken Albeit wee may point out thousandes on the one side and ten thousand on the other side let vs not feare the falling of the Church which standeth vpon a sure and certain foundation Thus doth the Apostle comfort Gods people when sundry made Shipwracke of their faith and fell into Apostacy x 2 Tim. 2 19. The foundation of God remaineth sure and hath this seale The Lord knoweth who are his If men shew their frailty and be as a Reede shaken with the winde it is no maruell nor new thing we rest not vpon them we builde not our Faith vpon our Teachers that haue beene the meanes of our conuersion so that if they should reuolt and renounce the doctrine that they haue preached we must not go with them nor follow after them Indeede we should be greeued to see those that seemed forward to turne cleane backward and as we ought to reioyce to see the Church of God encreased so it cannot but trouble vs to haue it diminished notwithstanding this must bee our comfort that God will maintaine his Church and keepe al
vse them all to his glorie of whom we haue receiued them If GOD haue giuen vs wit wisedome knowledge authority credit riches strength honour and such like wee must remember wherefore they haue beene bestowed vpon vs and must be referred to their right end not thereby to magnifie our selues and to set vppe our owne Names but to glorifie the Giuer of them and to praise his great Name If this bee not the marke we ayme at and if euery blessing doe not make vs gaine some glory to God who hath thus magnified vs and lifted vp our heads aboue our Bretheren it had beene better for vs we had neuer receiued these blessinges but had beene as wandering Cloudes without Raine as corrupt Trees without Fruite and as emptie Vessels without Water Hence it is that the Apostle remembring that through Gods blessing we are made partakers of food i 1 Cor. 10 31 he addeth Whether therefore yee eate or drinke or whatsoeuer ye doe doe all to the glorie of GOD. It is a notable comfort vnto vs to vse his blessinges aright that they that vsed their Talents well were honoured of the Maister and had more giuen vnto them It is a fearefull sinne to abuse them and to turne them to the dishonour of God to the hurt of his Church and to his owne destruction This is a common sore and sicknesse in our daies Whatsoeuer we haue receiued we haue receiued in not for our selues alone but for the good of others and the glory of God so that weare not to bee lifted vp in the pride of our owne hearts nor disdaine or contemne our Bretheren but consider that there is nothing which we haue not receiued and therefore we must not boast as if we had not receiued it 4 I giue thankes to my God making mention alwaies of thee in my Prayers 5 When I heare of thy Loue and Faith which thou hast in the Lord Iesus Christ and toward all Saints The order of the words and the interpretation of the same We shewed before that the Prayers vsed by the Apostle are partly a salutation and partly a thanksgiuing Of the salutation we haue spoken hitherto Now followeth the Thanks-giuing wherein hee giueth thankes to God for such good thinges as were found in him and thereby conceiueth hope to obtaine of him that which hee requested The Thankesgiuing is set forth First by the subiect or person to whom thankes are rendred to God Secondly by the time when he prayseth God for him not sparingly or sildome but oftentimes and continually when hee prayed vnto God and poured out his supplications vnto him Thirdly by the efficient cause the hearing of his vertues and graces that abounded in him to wit his Faith in Christ and his loue to the Saints the poore afflicted members of Christ So then we see to whom he gaue thankes to God when hee gaue thankes for him alwaies when he prayed and wherefore he gaue thankes because he heard of his faith and loue As if he should haue said As I wish vnto you all the full fauour of God and all prosperitie both of Soule and body so I cease not to reioyce in thee and to offer praise and thankes for thee to God whom onely I serue and hang vpon euen so often as I pray vnto him I remember thee and that vpon good ground and triall for I doe daily heare from the Churches of the worthy fruites of the Spirit of God that dwell in thee namely of thine vnfained Faith which thou hast toward the Lord Iesus Christ and of thy feruent loue which thou shewest to all the Saints that stand in neede of thy releefe comfort Thus much touching the order and meaning of the words The questions propounded But before wee proceede to handle the seuerall Doctrines offered to our considerations in this diuision it shall not be amisse for vs to answere three doubts that may arise out of these wordes First the question may be asked why the Apostle calleth God his God as if he were no mans GOD but his Secondly the Rhemists x Rhe. test vpon Phil. ver 5. in this place gather two notable errors Iustification by works and Prayer to the Saints and make Faith to be no lesse in the Saints then in Christ The like collection is made by Bellarmine y Bellar. de sanct beatit lib. 1. cap. 20. that wee must beleeue in them and hope in them as in our Patrones because the Apostle maketh mention of Philemons Loue and Faith toward Christ and toward the Saints so that they gather that there is Faith toward the Saints as well as toward Christ Thirdly it may be demaunded why Philemons loue is limited to the Saints and to no other Touching the first doubt arising out of the fourth verse z The first question answered it may seeme strange vnto some that the Apostle should say I thanke my God Is he not the God of the rest of the Apostles and of all beleeuers as well as his God Is hee the God of the Mountaines and not of the Vallies Is he the God of the Iewes onely and not of the Gentiles Yes euen the Gentiles also Paule therefore may be thought of many to inclose a Commons and to incroach vpon the right of others he may seeme very curteous and to claime and challenge as proper to himselfe that which belongeth generally to all the faithfull But the Apostle setting downe his right and interest in God doth not deny or debarre others of their priuiledge Hee dooth herein expresse the nature of a true Faith which is to beleeue not onely that hee is the God of other Men but that he is his God and that he was to beleeue in him to rest in him to depend vpon him to looke for all good things from him Hence it is that the Prophet Daniell praying vnto God saith sometimes h Dan. 9 17 18 19. O our God and sometimes againe O my God To say our God is a word of Charitie to say my God is a word of Faith the one respecteth others the other reflecteth vpon our selues When we pray Our Father we shew our loue to the Brethren when we say My Father we shew our Faith that we haue our part and portion in God as well as others and are to apply the promises of Grace made to all beleeuers particularly to our selues otherwise they cannot helpe vs and auaile vs. But of this we shall speake more afterward when we come to the Doctrines The second question answered The second question ariseth from hence that Paule seemeth to make Faith respect the Saints so to teach vs to beleeue in them and to pray vnto them For in the fift verse he saith he heard of Philemons loue and Faith which hee had toward the Lord Iesus Christ and toward the Saints But if the Apostle had meant to teach Faith to men and to direct vs to beleeue in Saints hee should be
contrary to the Doctrine deliuered by himselfe contrary to the rest of the holy Scriptures and contrary to the Articles of our Faith Contrarie to himselfe because he teacheth i Rom. 10 13 14. that we cannot call vpon any whom we do not know out of Gods word and beleeue to be both able and willing to help vs saying Whosoeuer shall call on the Name of the Lord shall be saued how then shall they call on him on whom they haue not beleeued Where he reasoneth thus that we must beleeue onely in God and therefore pray onely to God Hee should be contrary to other Scriptures because we are k Heb. 4 16. taught by them To come with boldnesse to the Throne of Grace therefore the inuocation of Saints is vaine and needlesse seeing we haue a free accesse and bold approching vnto God through Christ againe they are l Ier. 17 5. Curssed that trust in man and make flesh their Arme and so with-draw their heart from the Lord. Christ calleth vs vnto himselfe and commaunded m Iohn 16 20 vs to aske the Father in his Name for the Father himselfe loueth vs. He should be contrary to the Articles of Faith wherein we are taught to beleeue onely in God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost Againe such as are not obstinately blinded and peruersely disposed may easily distinguish the Apostles words and see that he referreth not Faith both to Christ and the Saints but Faith to Iesus Christ and loue to the Saints For after that he had commended Philemon for two chiefe guifts of God Faith and Loue in both which consist the perfection of a Christian man he assigneth to eyther of them their propper subiect namely that Faith is in our Lord Iesus Christ and Charity is toward all the Saints which distinction and diuerse Relation may appeare by the Latine Interpretour and by their owne Rhemish Translation altering the preposition and reading it thus n In Iesu Christo in omnes Sanctos Loue and Faith in Iesus Christ and toward all the Saints Thirdly the Apostle else-where hauing occasion to mention these two graces of God he doth describe them distinctly by their seuerall obiectes and expresly referreth Faith to Christ and loue to the Saints o Ephe. 1 15. Col. 1 3 4. as writing to the Ephesians he saith Therefore also after that I hear of the Faith which ye haue in the Lord Iesus and loue toward all the Saints I cease not to giue thankes for you making mention of you in my prayers So in the Epistle to the Colossians We giue thankes to God euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ alway praying for you since we heard of your faith in Christ Iesus and of your loue toward all Saints Compare these two places with the words of Paule in this place and wee shall see they serue as a Key to open this and doe vtter that plainely which here is spoken more darkely Thus we see by the way that the Scripture is the best Expositer and Interpretour of the Scripture p August lib. 2 de doctr Christ cap. 6. and that which is spoken obscurely in one Book is made euident and manifest in another Fourthly it were not hard to produce and alledge sundry authorities and testimonies of elder times thus distinguish the words as we doe and auouching that no Faith and confidence is to be put in any of the Saints q Theodoret Ambrose Theophylact as if the Apostle had saide I know how great Faith thou hast reposed in our Lord which hath saued vs and with how great Charity thou hast releeued them that are the Seruants of God and esteeme godlines Lastly Faith in the Saints cannot bee prooued and inuocation of them established and grounded from hence because the Apostle speaketh of the Saints liuing not departed in the Church Militant not Triumphant the Saints on Earth not in Heauen For the Saints on Earth want our help and craue our releefe to be extended toward them but they that are in glory and haue receiued their Crowne doe not stand in neede of our comfort and refreshing and therefore this is a weake foundation to builde the Popish Faith and beleefe in Saints that are dead and departed out of this life seeing the Apostle vnderstandeth it of one sort and they take it and stretch it to another The third question answered The third question is this why the Apostle restraineth Philemons loue to the Saints whereas loue is a common debt that we owe to all men as the Apostle saith r Rom. 13 8. Owe nothing to any Man but to loue one another for hee that loueth another hath fulfilled the Law Seeing therefore loue should not be restrained to the Saints as though we ought to shut vp our bowels of pitty and compassion from others and seeing we are not to despise our owne flesh but honour the Image of God engrauen in our Nature how is it that his loue which ought to comprehend all mankind and enlarge it selfe to all others is onelie mentioned to haue beene toward the distressed Saints and Members of the Church The reason is they which are of the Houshold of Faith are tyed to vs by a stronger and straighter band of friendship and familiarity and God commendeth them vnto vs more particularlie and so they ought to challenge the first place in declaring the fruits of our loue The Apostle doth direct vs to this point when he saith Å¿ Gal. 6 10. While we haue time let vs doe good vnto al men but especially to them which are of the Houshold of Faith We are charged to loue all but we must loue the Saints with a peculiar and speciall loue euen as heires with Christ and Members of the same body with vs. God requireth of vs to loue al men as his Creatures but the godly as his Children Though therefore our loue should be common and extend it selfe farre and neere into all the world yet there should bee certaine degrees and an order in our loue should be obserued We are commaunded to loue all but we are not commaunded to loue all alike We are bound to loue the godly and vngodlie but we are not bound to loue the vngodly as the godly the Reprobates as the elect the Vessels of wrath as the Vessels of honour the Children of Belial as the Children of God We are therefore heere directed whom we are most neerely and deerly to loue euen those that haue Christ dwelling in their harts and grace shining in their faces Contrary to the practise of worldly Men who onely loue such as are of this World their loue is like themselues prophane men a prophane loue carnall men a carnall loue they loue euill men for their euill because they partake with them in euill they hate the godly for their godlinesse because they are vnlike them and will not runne with them into all excesse of ryot t Psal 38
went in and lay with his Fathers Wiues Heere are sundry deuillish and wicked practises Incest Murther Rebellion treason all abhominable enormities and yet God saith k 2 Sam. 12 12 He did all these things These sinnes were most foule and filthy to looke vpon as they were the inuentions of the Deuill the perswasions and practises of euill men but as they are punishments sent of God vpon Dauid for his offences they were beautifull in their time they were the righteous sentence of a iust Iudge who cannot deale vniustly in iudgement Thus much of answering these few Obiections Now let vs proceede to conclude some Vses out of this truth Vse 1 The Vses that will arise from hence are many but wee will onely touch the principall This Doctrine serueth for reproofe for comfort and for obedience For it serueth to reprooue and conuince sundry persons that eyther know not or knowing doe abuse this prouidence of God whereby he taketh care of all thinges that are in the World and directeth them to a right end And first of all we set against it and oppose vnto it the dreames and dotages of Atheists Epicures Libertines and such like Wretches who either deny wholy there is a God or make him sit as idle in heauen as themselues are vpon the earth so that albeit he know and see all thinges yet hee worketh or ordereth not the speciall actions of men that fall out These are they that pull God out of his Kingdome and set vp Chance and Fortune as an Idoll and make it their God We must all learne and confesse that the Lord that is the Creator of Heauen and Earth is also the Ruler and Gouernor of all euen the least Creatures The whole world from the highest heauen to the center of the Earth is subiect to his prouidence He worketh all things according to the counsell of his owne will he giueth life and l Acts. 17 28 breath he preserueth them so that nothing commeth to passe without his appointment Whether they be things with life or without life with reason or without reason generall or particular euill or good Angels or Men necessary or not necessary all are ruled by his decree So then Chance Fortune are words of the Gentiles and are blindly vsed by such as are called Christians whereas nothing can be done without his will and working who is omnipotent What seemeth more casuall then the Lot Yet The lot is cast into the lap but the whole disposition is of the Lord. Prou. 16. 33. This is it which our Sauior teacheth m Math. 10 29 30. and 6 26. Are not two Sparrowes sold for a farthing and one of thē shall not fall on the ground without your Father Yea and all the haires of your head are numbred So that we see Chance and Prouidence cannot stand together but the one ouerturneth the other Secondly it reproueth such as frō hence take encouragement to commit sin to breake out into sundry outrages or to liue securely because God can turne it to our good and maketh it serue to set forth his mercy This is that presumption and sin of rebellion touched by the Apostle Why do we not euill that good may n Rom. 3 8. come thereof whose damnation is iust So in another place o Rom. 6 1 2. What shall we say then Shall we continue still in sin that Grace may abound How shall we that are dead in sinne liue yet therein We confesse indeed that God is the Soueraigne cause of all euents that are brought to passe and whatsoeuer the enemies of the Church intend and enterprise whether the Sonnes of Men or the Deuill and his Angels he staieth and hindreth or represseth and disappointeth and alwaies disposeth it to the good and saluation of his children Neuerthelesse this doth not excuse or free the Instruments that he vseth from fault They do the will of God blindly and ignorantly but they do crosse his will openly and purposely so that his prouidence doth not exempt the wicked from their euill doing Dauid knew well enough and confesseth as much that Shemei was sent of God most iustly to cursse him and to raile vpon him when he fled from the face of his son Absolon yet in his last speach to the King his Sonne he doth not defend him or excuse him o 1 King 2 8 9 But giueth charge and commaundement to be reuenged of him and not to account him innocent If then euill instruments cease not to be guilty before men much more faulty shall they be before the iudgement Seate of the Almighty and much lesse shall they escape punishment for transgressing the Law of God For howsoeuer wicked men be well moued by God to execute his worke by them who may vse any of his creatures according to his owne power pleasure yet in asmuch as they being moued of God do peruersely and crookedly and wickedly moue themselues to will and work euill so that themselues are the workers and causers of their own euill works whereby it commeth to passe both that they grieuously offend God and afterward seuerely punished of him Wherefore such as resist God rebell against his law and striue against his will cannot say they haue done his will inasmuch as they had no purpose to keep his ordinances therefore make themselues subiect to all his iudgements Lastly this reproueth the Church of Rome that among many slanders cast out against vs are not ashamed to lay to our charge that we mainetaine that God is the author of sin We hold we teach priuatly publikely by word by writing in Schooles in Churches that God is not the author of sin but the deuil mans own corrupt wil whosoeuer teacheth and preacheth otherwise if it were an Angell from heauen we hold him accurssed Hence it is that the Prophet saith p Psal 5 4. Thou art not a God that loueth wickednesse neither shall euill dwell with thee So the Prophet Habakuke q Hab. 1 13. Thou art of pure eyes and canst not see euill thou canst not behold wickednesse Likewise Zephany saith r Zeph. 3 7. The iust Lord is in the midst thereof he will do none iniquity In like manner the Prophet Zachary saith ſ Zach. 8 17. Let none of you imagine euill in your harts against his neighbour and loue no false Oth for all these are the things that I hate saith the Lord. Thus we heare that he loueth righteousnesse and hateth wickednesse so that he is the authour of all good of no euill If we would heare this farther opened the Apostle Iames is a witnesse of it t Iam. 1 13 14 Let no Man say when he is tempted I am tempted of God for God cannot be tempted with euill neither tempteth he any man but euery man is tempted when he drawn away by his owne concupiscence and is entised This is the conscionable Doctrine of pietie and the contrary wee renounce and
abhorre as open blasphemy This also is the opinion of all our Teachers that euer were among vs as were easie to shew u Calu. instit lib. 1. cap. 18. by infinite Testimonies out of their writings if it were necessarie Nay which is more we teach no more then the Schoole-men of their owne side the Men of their owne Religion the Doctors of their owne profession First I will declare what we hold touching Gods prouidence ordering all thinges euen sinne it selfe which is out of order and then confirme the same out of Popish Writers thereby to stop their mouthes and to aunswer the false imputations that are laid vpon vs that if they will not see what we hold yet they may vnderstand themselues or if they wil needs condemne vs let them condemne their own Prophets That which we x God worketh in sin three waies teach of Gods actions concerning sinne may be reduced and referred to these three heads First he is the Vniuersall cause of all things he sustaineth mankinde that in him he liueth and mooueth and hath his being yea he vpholdeth the beeing and moouing of all his Actions good and bad insomuch that no Man could mooue hand or foote to an Action no nor haue beeing himselfe if God sustained and supported not so that the act is of God as also the actions of all Creatures Now if they will not be ignorant but take knowledge of their doctrine y Occham qu. 5. lit K. many among them affirme full as much that God is immediatly the first cause of all thinges produced by the second causes but of things euill he is the mediate cause in that he produceth and preserueth the Creature that is the mediat cause of euill So likewise another saith z Bartol Med in â— 2. qu. 93. art 6. pag. 496. A Sinner when hee sinneth doth against the law and will of God in one sense and in another not against them He doth indeede against his signified will and against his precepts and prohibitions c. but against the will of his good pleasure he doth not nor against the effectuall ordination of God In this maner and meaning write many others a Bann 1. part qu. 49. art 2. that no sinne falleth out beside the will and intention of God Secondlie we teach that God being free to bestow where he will to restraine where he will and being bound to none doth with-hold his Grace withdraw his spirit and leaue the wicked to themselues whervpon it followeth that their minds are blinded their harts are hardned and they cannot chuse but sin But how may some man say doth God harden I answer not by inspiring euill into men not by creating any sin or corruption in their will which was not there before as he doth grace in their heart but by denying them the power of his grace which might mollifie them and by offering them sundry obiects which they conuert into occasions of sinne and by deliuering them ouer as a iust Iudge to the tentations of Sathan whereby they are ouercome and haue neither power nor will to stay themselues For when God departeth how can it be but Sathan should come in place This is not strange Doctrine among the Papistes themselues One saith b Occham 3. qu. 12. lit yy that GOD is a debter to no man and therefore he is bound neither to cause that Act nor the contrary nor yet not to cause it but the will of the Creature by Gods Law is bound not to cause the act and so consequently sinneth by doing it Lastly we teach that God doth both order or ordinate the sinne that is committed which is nothing else but a directing of it as pleaseth him that it goe not beyond his will neither otherwise then seemeth good in his wisedome Sometimes he restraineth it that it shall not passe nor proceed farther then he appointeth who giueth bounds vnto the Sea Sometimes he turneth it to another end then the person intended that practised it Both these we see euidently in Iobs tentations The Deuill desired nothing more then to destroy body and soule but God restrained his rage appointed how far he should goe and what hee should not doe and wrought Iobs greater good by his greatest mallice Sometimes also hee maketh way for sinne to passe that thereby he may punnish one sinne with another And doth not the Church of Rome teach as much Yes fully as much Bellarmine in the third Tome of his Controuersies saith as much c Bellar. de amiss grat lib. 2. cap. 13. that God not onely permitteth the wicked to do many euils neither doth he onely forsake the godly that they may be constrained to suffer the thinges done against them by the wicked but he also ouer-seeth their euill wils and ruleth and gouerneth them he boweth and bendeth them by working inuisibly in them Thus wee see that if our Aduersaries looke well into their wordes and know their owne voyce tâ—…y shall not neede to exclaime and cry out against vs that we make God the Authour of sinne seeing the same speeches in the same cause are vsed by themselues We freely confesse that God willeth nothing that is formally sinne as he willeth that which is good but he hateth it and forbiddeth it absolutely d Esay 30 21. Rom. 2 15. within vs by the light of his holy spirit e Deut. 27 26 and without vs by the light of his holie word The first entrance of sinne into the World was by the voluntarie action of mans will corrupting it selfe God inspiring or infusing no euill into it To conclude let vs know that as we all agree that euery Act is of God so wee must take a difference between the action the euil that is in the action The action it self is of God but the defect or disorder of the action is from the Instrument which beeing corrupt can it selfe bring foorth nothing but that which is corrupt If a man spurne forward a lame Horse that halteth down right in that he mooueth and goeth it commeth from the Rider but in that he halteth it is from the Horse himselfe If a man cut with an euill Knife he is the cause of the cutting but not of euill cutting but the badnesse of the Knife is the cause Or as a cunning Musition that plaieth vpon an Instrument that iarreth and is out of tune the sound is from him that playeth who obserueth due proportion of time and a right order of striking but in that it iarreth it is in the Instrument it selfe The like we must hold of Gods prouidence ouer wicked men and Angels and all their actions hee putteth no wickednesse into them but he ordereth and gouerneth that which he findeth in them and bendeth it by his infinite wisedome and power to a farre other end then the euill Instrument intended The whole cause of sin is truely and properly in Satan and in our selues Vse 2. Secondly this Doctrine