2.11 2 Iohn 5 abstaine from fleshly lusts c. And thus Saint Iohn I now beseech thee Lady So that wee see what meekenesse and mildnesse we ought to vse exhorting and intreating euen then when we may lawfully command And no maruel when God himselfe herein goeth before vs in his owne example Oh that Israel would haue hearkned Psal 81 13 Mat. 23. And our Sauiour Christ inuiting the Israelites in the same manner vnto himselfe that the Henne doth her chickens Let this serue then for our Imitation and Instruction Vse 1. that we endeauour to win our people with gentlenesse and loue And surely when ministers speake thus to sinfull men I beseech you by the mercies of God I beseech thee my Brother leaue thy whoredome forsake thy drunkennesse c. If the heart bee not sealed vp with hardnesse it must needes pearce it Wee see how in things of this life men are faine to sue for that which is their owne and are heart-glad if by fair intreaties they can gather vp their debts If then we can by earnest exhortations and effectuall perswasions get at our peoples hands this debt of obedience which they owe to God let it neuer grieue vs that wee come with Brethren I beseech you Caucaâ—s And yet withall great wisdom and circumspection must be vsed in this manner of proceeding for wee must beware that wee so lay downe our authority as that the word lose not any but abide still a word of power to command To this purpose these rules are to be obserued First so exhort and perswade as that the very coÌ„sciences of men that hear thee may conclude that euen there where thou intreatest thou hast power to command although in loue thou laiest downe that power for the present So the Apostle to Philemon Phil. 8.9 Wherefore though I might bee much bould in Christ to enioyn thee that which is conuenient yet for loues sake I rather beseech thee c. Secondly so to exercise lenity as that thou forget not seuerity when the case requireth it Compassion must be had on some Iud. 23 but not on all som must with fear be puld out of the fire When sinne waxeth bold then must Gods Ministers put on bouldnes as Moses did when the calfe stood before him When the Ministery is like to bee brought into contempt then must power and authority be put on 1 Kings 19.13 Sometimes must Gods Minister deliuer the word as it were in a soft and still voice and otherwhiles hee must change his note and lift vp his voice like a trumpet and shew them their sinnes Paul Esay 58.1 2 Cor. 10.2.8 Acts 13.10.11 1 Tim. 1.10 as occasion serueth can stand vpon his Apostleship and authority hee can censure Elymas hee can deliuer vnto Satan as well as intreat and beseech Thirdly Doct. The Minister ought tenderly to affect his people 2 Cor. 6.11 in that the Apostle calleth them Brethren obserue with what tendernesse of affection a Minister should be deuoted to his people O Corinthians our mouth is open vnto you our heart is made large saith this our Apostle to this people to whom he now wrot And Phil. 1.8 writing to the Philippians he doth vehemently protest his sincere feruent loue towards them God is my record saith hee how greatly I long after you all Rom. 1.11 in the bowelles of Iesus Christ Such was his loue also to the Romans as he witnesseth when he saith That he longed to see them that hee might bestowe some spirituall gift vpon them to strengthen them 1 Thes 2.7 Such was his loue also to the Thessalonians as appeares in that hee saith Wee were gentle amongst you euen as a Nurse cherisheth her children not as a Nurse mercenary but as a nursing-Mother whose affections are most tender And a little after he saith thus We exhorted you Verse 11 and comforted and besought euery one of you as a Father doth his children And writing vnto Timothie he chargeth him 1 Tim. 4.12 That he should bee an ensample of the beleeuers in word in conuersation and in loue Where hee notes the Pastors duty So to loue his people as that they might learne by him to loue one another If Ministers should examine what loue they Vse bear vnto their people I fear many would finde a great want of brotherly affection How empty are their hearts of this hearty and vnfained loue who seeke pretenses of long absence from their flocks whereby the duties of teaching and examples of life in their own persons are neglected Surely this loue ouerthroweth ordinary absence without just and conscionable causes Lawfull causes of a Ministers absence from his flock I deny not but there may be som occasions which may and that lawfully draw a Pastour for a time from his people as when the publike seruice of the Chur. shall require it Alterius Ecclesian eâ—ssitatibus euocatâ—â— â—â—mime vobis solituÌ„ studium dependâ—â—se vâ—dâ—or Amb. Ser. 28. for the settling and compounding variances and differences and such like profitable imploiments Thus when the necessity of other Churches calleth for help at a Pastors hands heer is a good occasion of absence And vpon this ground Ambrose excuseth himself vnto his flock And secondly when a Pastor personally is sought for and cannot remaine amongst his flock without peril of his life if the persecution be not publike both of the people and Minister but onely personal of the Minister alone heer is then good cause of his absence So Athanasius did leaue the Church of Alexandria and hidde himself for the space of six years in a dry cisterne Quis aâ—â—hi mira â—â—â—ter diuinitus â—râ—pto vt tio vâ—rtat quod non â—t manaâ— me quaereâ—tâ—n râ—ccâ—â—m Tripa hist l. 6. c 22. and 4 moneths in his Fathers Tomb and made this Apology for himself Who can blame me beeing miraculously deliuered that I did not cast myself into their hands that is the Arrians who sought mee Thirdly when health of body shall require discontinuance for a time Phil 2.25.28 it is lawfull This cause staied Epaphroditus from the Church of the Philippians whom assoon as he was recouered Paul sent vnto them Fourthly a Minister may vpon his necessary priuate occasions lawfully for a time bee absent as in following necessary sutes of law for defending of his right which requires his personall attendaÌ„ce or in attending som Courts of Iustice whither he is cited and the like heer are just and lawful causes And yet in these cases Aug. Ep. 188 Augustines rule must be obserued There must bee a care had that the Church be not left destitute but the Pastors absence be by others for that time suppli'd and that by such as are sufficient to guide their people making no such bad choice of their Curates 1 Kings 11.31 as Ieroboam did of his Priests of the lowest of the people who were not Leuites that
admonish thy selfe as sometimes Plinius Secundus admonished his nephew Poteras has horas non perdere Plin Secundâ—in Epist ad MarciÌ„ Thou might'st haue not lost these houres And lastly let hearers hence learn their lesson for is it so that though Gods Ministers take the Vse 3 greatest pains that can be taken there will be still something left for them to doo then certainely there is a remainder for you as well as they Dost thou know somthing yet alas how many things art thou ignoraÌ„t of that thou art bound to know and remaine for thee to learn And though thou hast knowledge in aboundance so that thou art able with Salomon to discourse from the Cedar-tree that is in Lebanon 1 Kings 4.33 euen vnto the hysope that springeth out of the wall and of all beasts and fowls fishes creeping things yet still there is a remainder namely practice and obedience for Iohn 13.17 if you knowe these things blessed are you if you doe them saith our Sauiour Think of these things thou who art so puffed vp with a conceit of that same small scantling of knowledge thou hast receiued as that thou neglectest all further means of edification And doo thou also think of this who conteÌ„tst thy self with a bare hearing of the word without consequent meditation or practice Sermon is don thou saist when the Minister hath done preaching and so it is indeed with many for it is no more thought of after But the Sermon that wants consequent meditation heere may bee meditated of in hell heerafter Remember that Brethren Text. The Obseruations from this Compellation are from the consideration of Paul as a christian or as an Apostle If we consider him thus calling them as he was a Christian then we obserue There is a spirituall kinred and brotherhood amongst Christians Such as professe the same faith Doct. Christians are spiritually aâ—â—n and worship the same God are Brethren And so we finde them often stiled in Scripture Psal 21.22.12 I will declare thy Name vnto my Brethren saith Dauid in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee And elsewhere thus Psal 12â— 8.9 1 Cor. 5.11 For my brethren and companions sake I will wish thee now prosperity So the Apostle S. Paul willeth If any that is called a Brother bee a fornicatour or couetous c. with such a one no not to eat And againe The Brethren which are with mee vnto the Churches of Galatia Gal. â— 2 This our Sauiour sheweth to his Disciples Mat. 2â— 8 when he saith One is your Master euen Christ and all ye are Brethren Reason Iames 1.18 Gal. 4.26 1 Pet. 1.23 1 cor 10.16.17 2 Tim. 4.8 And no maruell for they haue one and the same Father which is God one and the same Mother which is the Church in whose womb they lie together they are begotten of the same spirituall seed which is the word they are fed at one and the same table with the same nourishment and look for one and the same inheritance euen eternal happiness and blessednes Vse 1 Let this serue then first for the Reproof of such as disdain to call Christians by the name of Brethren or to giue any Saint such a title especially if hee bee a mean one and of lowe rank But what disparagement is it or can it bee to any to acknowledge them to bee their Brethren whom Christ acknowledgeth to bee his Brethren and God acknowledgeth to be his Sons Forasmuch as you haue done it to the least of these my Brethren saith our Sauiour you haue done it vnto me Mat. 25.40 Heb. 2.11 Shall we be ashamed of such as Christ is not asham'd of Let vs beware of this pride of heart which doth so puffe vs vp in regard of outward condition in the world as that it maketh vs to forget such as are mean and lowe and causeth vs so to carry our selues as if they were not our Brethren of the same christian calling professioÌ„ with our selues True it is we are differenced in ciuill policy and ciuill societies some being noble some base som rich some poor which differences Religion doth not take away nor abolish before men yet in that spirituall society of which Christ is the Head there is no such distinction Heer we are all one all equals all Brethren Let not then our inequality in our ciuill calling cause great men to forget their equality in the Christian nor our equality in our Christian cause mean men to forget their inequality in the ciuill In both let vs carry our selues like men of wisdome And if these are to bee reproued then much more are such profane persons to be soundly lessoned who cast this name of Brother as a word of reproach disgrace vpon such as fear the Lord Oh you are one of the holy Brethren you are one of the holy Sisters Now what doo such miscreants but through their sides strike the Prophets the Apostles yea and Christ himselfe Let such knowe that they openly proclaim as it were with a trumpet that they haue not God for their Father nor the Church for their Mother but do openly disclaim them from being their parents while they professe that they are none of that holy Brotherhood As this serueth for Reprehension so in the second Vse 2 place it may serue for our Instruction for out of this name wee may spell our duties Look what nature ties natural Brethren vnto that doth grace much more tie spirituall vnto Duties of Brethren Brethren as we knowe loue together and liue peaceably one with another There is vnity and amity amongst them First yea so strong is that loue which is amongst Brethren as that it exceeds all other loue amongst men It exceeds the loue in mariage saith one because that is by choice this by nature It exceeds the loue betweene Parents and children because that is not reciprocall for the inequality of the persons this is most equall And therefore the Arabians and West-Indians as Histories make mention prefer brethren before children in inheritances This is the loue of Brethren by nature Now we haue obtained a more excellent Brotherhood and therefore ought to loue and loue as earnestly Our loue must be as the loue of Brethren and so we are commanded Be affectioned to loue one another with Brotherly loue Rom. 12.10 Heb. 13.1 2 Pet. 1.7 saith the Apostle And againe Let Brotherly loue continue And againe To godlinesse adde Brotherly kindnes Tertul. in Apol. c. 39. ad stuporem Gentil In Tertullian his time there was such vnity amongst Christians and their loue each to other was so great as that it was to the amazement of the Heathen See say they how these Christians loue one another and are ready to dy one for another But alas for vs our contentions and wranglings euen about toies and trifles may make men amazed How shall God bee our Father if we
may not be betraied Follow peace and holinesse saith the Apostle Our peace then must be a holy peace and not vnholy Melius est disâ—duem pictatis ortum causa quam vttiosa 〈◊〉 ordia Hier. for a godly dissension is far better than it When question is of matters of religion when by our silence the truth is like to bee betraied God dishonoured and the saluation of our Brethren hindred in these cases peace cannot be retained Hence Apostles and Apostolike men haue chosen to contend by preaching and by writing against errors and superstitions as Paul with the Galatians Augustine against the Manichees and Donatists and so others rather then by holding their peace to betray the truth of Christ So ought wee then to haue peace with men as that we doe not make warre with God If the truth and righteousnesse be violated pluck vp thy heart be valiant and fight the Lords battaile and chuse rather to lose peace then truth and Iustice Our peace is a warfare against Satan and his complices Pax nostra bâ—llum coÌ„tra Satanam Tert. l. ad Mart. Secondly So much as lieth in vs. Som are so quarrelsome and contentious as do one what hee can to appease and please them they will haue no peace Towards these wee shall do our dutyes when we are peaceably disposed neither giuing nor hastily taking any occasion of dissension We are to desire and seeke peace as much as lieth in vs that there be no defect in vs no neglect of our duty And if then we cannot gaine peace with them we shal bee sure to get praise with God and though heer peace fly froÌ„ vs yet in the end peace shall be our portion To dreame then of an vnity with the Papists of an vniformity with Schismatickes is an idle phantasie For so long as one is an enemy to truth the other an enemie to Peace both set on mischief coÌ„bined in faction though differeÌ„t in faith wee may wish for it but neuer haue it But is it lawfull for a man to sue another at the law seeing that seems to be contrarie to peace Quest It is lawfull if ther bee iust cause Resp Rom. 13.4 for the magistrate beareth not the sword in vain He beareth it to punish wrong-doers and defend the right which hee cannot doo if hee haue no knowledge of it And how shall he knowe if there be no Plaintiff And yet with these Caueats Caueats in suing at the Law First not for euery trifle or trespasse but in matters of waight and importance Secondly not vntill thou hast offred peace and it be refused and that not once but often Thirdly not accounting him whom thou impleadest as an enemy hauing war onely with his vices but peace with his person Fourthly prosecuting it with mildnesse not with extreamity As in suing of bonds and recouering dammages mercy must be shewed according to that rule of the Apostle Let your moderation be knowne vnto all men Phil. 4.5 Which rules being obserued As thou maist lawfully vse physicke for the recouery of thy health so maist thou vse the Law for recouering of thy right And thus we haue seen what the Apostle in this precept requireth how to perform that which he requireth at our hands What now remaineth but that wee put these things in practice and endeauour to keep the vnity of the spirit in the bond of peace Eph. 4.3 Let vs not be vnpeaceable with the peaceable that argueth a diuelish minde nor vnpeaceable with the vnpeaceable which argueth a corrupt mind nor yet content our selues in that we are peaceable with the peaceable for that argues but a ciuill minde but if it be possible and as much as in vs lieth let vs bee peaceable with the vnpeaceable which is that that onely argues a true Christian and heroical mind And so should we make it good that wee are endued with true grace Esay 11.6.7 â— Rom. 14.17 and are true subjects of that kingdome which is the kingdom of Peace whose king is peace Peace was that last rich jewell which Christ departing to his Father left his Spouse for a Legacy Peace I leaue with you my peace I giue vnto you Iohn 14.27 It is the last duty I shall exhort you vnto Be peaceable my Brethren I haue read of two Noble Lacedemonians who were at mortall hatred and beeing met with by their King called Archidamus in the Temple of Minerua hee requires them to put their matter to an indifferent Vmpire They chuse the King himself He makes them swear to abide his order which accordingly they doo Now saith the King I order that you shall not go out of this Temple vntill you be friends And so they were reconciled for an oath taken in that Temple was vnlawfull to bee broken My Brethren we are the Temple of God and now heer met together in the Temple of God and haue this day and now doo partake together of the holy things of God And yet as I hear 1 Cor 6 7 there is vtterly a fault amongst you in this respect in that there are contentions one amongst another and going to law one with another and that onely for such things as sauour but of spleen Might I be Vmpire the like order would I giue as that King did you should not depart out of this Temple till you were reconciled Remember my Beloued the diuell is the authour of dissension Hee it was that went about at the first to seuer man from God and it is he that now laboureth to seuer man from man Christ is our Salomon the Lord of peace The Church is the Shulamite the Lady of peace If thou belongest to Christ or to his Church be peaceable And so much be spoken of the duties whereto they are exhorted now a word or two of the Argument or Motiue wherwith they are enforced Text. And the God of loue and peace shall be with you God is heer called the God of loue and peace because hee is the authour approuer and rewarder of it And heer by the way it is worth our noting how that the Apostle praying for peace or exhorting to peace sets God before him as hauing that in him for which he praies and of which hee speaks giuing such titles to him as best fits the presents argument Doct. We are to see in God thâ— fulnes of these graces we desire of him and may teach vs wheneuer wee come to God by praier so to consider of him as that wee may see in him those things we desire Thus the Apostle exhorting the Romans to patience and consolation fals to praying for them and sets God before him as a God of patience and consolation Rom. 15.4.5 Now the God of patience and consolation grant you c. And a little after Verse 13. he cals him the God of hope The God of hope fill you with all ioy c. And in the very next