learne that there is no friend like to the Christian friend who is another of the same Such as are coupled together in this society and fellowship q Deut. 13 6. are made one soule Hence it is that Moses teaching that no naturall affection toward those that are nearest vnto vs ought to withdraw our hearts from God describeth such as are most deare and so haue greatest interest in vs where he calleth Brethren the sonnes of the same Mother he calleth the wife her that lyeth in the bosome he saith of a Friend that hee is as a mans owne soule whom he loueth as himselfe The Heathen glorie in certaine Golden r Cicero lib de amicitia paires of stedfast friends that haue bin ready to lay down their liues one for another Howbeit in all ages and times of the world they are able to reckon vp very few and those for the most part forged and counterfet rather to teach what should be done then what euer was truly done And yet if such friendship had euer bin practised and such friends euer really extant it had beene begun and ended in the flesh and therefore had been but a corrupt and carnall friendship For where God doth not couple together and make the knot and where the glory of his name is not the mark we shoot at there the very life of true friendship is wanting All the former examples of supposed friends that were fastned without the glew of Religion and the feare of God to hold them together might make a goodly shewe of rare loue to the eyes of naturall men howbeit they did al things to be praised of men to be magnified of the world to bee spoken of after their death and to be highly esteemed of others But they are not to be matched compared with true Religious friends which haue the bond of the spirit and of a good conscience to couple them together Such were Ruth and Naomi for when Ruth was willed to returne after her Sister she answeared Å¿ Ruth 1 15 16 Intreat me not to leaue thee nor to depart from thee for whether thou goest I will go and where thou dwellest I will dwell thy people shall be my people thy God my God where thou dyest I will dye and there I will be buried the Lord do so to mee and more also if ought but death depart thee and me Such were Ionathan Dauid of whom we spake before who did cleaue and adhere one to another as if they had beene no longer two but one man and as if one had beene of the bone and flesh of another Such were t Gen. 29 18. Iacob and Rachell hee thought no time too long he iudged no seruice too bitter he esteemed no wages too litle because he loued her Such were Reuben and Ioseph he would u Ge. 37 21 22 not content to shed Iosephs blood nor to lay violent hands vpon him but counselled his Brethren to cast him into a pit to the end hee might deliuer him out of their hand and restore him to his Father again Such were Moses Aaron Such were Salomon and Hiram x 1 King 5 1â— betweene whom was peace they made a Couenant one with another so that they did communicate either to other such commodities as they were stored withall Among these was mutual loue and friendship did binde them together There is a difference betweene loue and friendship For he may loue that is not beloued but hee cannot bee a Friend vnlesse he loue and be loued which the Apostle noteth when hee saith y Rom. 13 8. Owe nothing to any man but to loue one another This is the sum of the whole Law for he that loueth another hath fulfilled the law Hence it followeth that the nearest band and surest coniunction is betweene the faithful they onely can be true and trusty friends because they loue and are loued that which one doth the other is ready to require and return the like to performe mutuall kindnesse one to the other This is the right and religious friendship and this is onely to be found among the Saints that are members of the same body and ioyned in one brotherhood and Communion But it is not so betweene the godly and vngodly betweene the holy and prophane betweene the elect and the reprobate There is z 2 Cor. 6 14. no fellowship betweene righteousnesse and vnrighteousnesse there is no communion betweene light and darknesse there is no concord between Christ and Beliall These being mixed and ioyned together a Dan. 2 42 43 are like the feete of Nebucadnezzars Image which he saw in a dreame which were part of Iron and part of Clay which was easily dissolued and quickly broken in peeces so is it in the agreement and loue that is betweene the faithfull and vnfaithfull it is partly strong and partly weake but it cannot bee ioyned fast one with the other as Iron cannot be mixed with Clay For albeit the godly do loue the vngodly euen the Infidels according to the commaundement of God yet there can be no sound and sincere friendship betweene them because that is not mutuall loue it is not in both parties inasmuch as the wicked do hate extreamely the Children of God and contemne them in their hearts as Caine did Abell Let vs therefore sort and associate our selues with those that are godly men who will in time of triall proue our safest friendes All other society how strongly soeuer it seemeth to be planted and builded will fall to the ground We see Neighbors oftentimes forsake vs we see our alliance and Kindred renounce vs we see Brethren oftentimes shewe themselues as strangers one to another but where grace and Religion is there the friendship will neuer faile but is as a running streame that neuer waxeth dry Marke this in those sweet paires of frends which before we coupled togither in an equall yoake whom grace and godlinesse ioyned and therefore no vnkindnesse could seperate Ruth loued Naomi as greatly when she returned empty as when she came out full and well stored Ionathan was found as faithfull to Dauid when Saule sought to slay him as when he beganne to honour him when he lowred at him as when hee shewed the best countenance toward him And howsoeuer the vngodly may hide the intents of their hearts and promise to performe all duties of loue towards vs yet their loue hath no certaine foundation but will deceiue them that trust vnto it When Iob was in prosperity and authority euery one respected him and was readie to pleasure him he was honoured in â—he gate hee was reuerenced in the street he was feared in the house But when his goods were gone and al his dignity failed no man regarded him his friendes his seruants his Wife despised him Let vs heare in his owne words the complaint that he maketh and attend to that he speaketh where he declareth what befell him b Iob. 19
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
Flesh it is not accompanied with thankefulnesse but with all loosenesse excesse and riotousnesse Verse 21. Trusting in thine obedience I haue written vnto thee In these words the Apostle excuseth that hee hath hitherto beene so earnest with Philemon declaring that notwithstanding his exact and effectuall manner of handling the matter he doubted not of his receiuing of him into his fauour againe So then his drift is to shew his good opinion of him that he would not sticke to forgiue him but yeeld readily to euery honest reasonable request Hee knew not certainly what Philemon would doe hee knew what wrongs he had receiued and what losses he had sustayned at his Seruants handes yet we see how grounding himselfe vpon the former triall of his Faith and Obedience he hopeth the best he doubteth nor the worst he trusteth in his obedience he feareth not his deniall Doctrine 4. Men ought alwayes to hope well and to thinke the best of their Brethren From hence wee learne that it is our dutie alwayes to hope well and to thinke the best not to suspect the worst of our brethren This appeareth to haue beene in Iacob towards his Children when they had sold their Brother and dipped his Coate in a Kids blood and brought it to their Father Albeit he knew they hated Ioseph whome he loued exceedingly yet hee would not suspect them for the murthering and making away of his Sonne but saide Gen. 37 33. It is my sonnes Coate a wicked Beast hath deuoured him Ioseph is surely torne in peeces The like appeareth in Ioseph who was betrothed to Marie the Mother of Christ when he saw that she was with Childe d Math. 1 19 hee concluded rather that it was by committing Fornication before the contract then by committing adultry after her betroathing When the matter was vncertaine and vnknowne vnto him he iudged the best Thus dealt Ionathan who was faithfull toward Dauid he perswaded himselfe and his friend the best of his Father For when Dauid said e 1 Sa. 20 1 2 What haue I done What is mine iniquity And what sinne haue I committed before thy Father that he seeketh my life He saide vnto him God forbid thou shalt not die Beholde my Father will doe nothing great nor small but he will shew it me and why should my Father hide this thing from me He will not do it There was more Charity in the sonne then there was piety in the Father for he iudged better then Saule deserued Likewise when the Apostle Peter had reprooued the Iewes for crucifying Christ the Lord of glory and deliuering of him into the hands of sinners he exhorteth them to repentance saying f Acts 3 17 19 Now Brethren I know that through ignoraunce ye did it as also your Gouernors amend your liues therefore and turne that your sinnes may bee put away when the time of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. He hopeth the best of them and doth not keepe or hide in his heart any hard conceite against any of them In like manner the Apostle writing to the Hebrewes and denouncing a sharpe and seuere threatning against those that fall from God deny his trueth and renounce his Religion he addeth g Heb. 6 9. But beloued wee haue perswaded our selues better thinges of you and such as accompany saluation though we thus speake Whereby he mittigateth and asswageth al that he had said hoping better of them to whom hee writeth All these Testimonies taken both out of the old new Testament do serue to teach vs that we are bound to iudge the best and charged not to nourish any hard conceits against our brethren Reason 1. The Reasons following will make it more plaine if any thing can yet bee plainer First it is a property of loue to be charitably affected as the Apostle testifieth in his description of it 1 Cor. 13 5 7. Loue thinketh not euill Againe he saith It suffereth all things it beleeueth all things it hopeth all things it endureth all things The Wise man also teacheth h Prou. 10 12 That loue couereth a multitude of sinnes So then where Christian Loue and Brotherly kindnesse is there is the best opinion and iudgement one of another Reason 1. Secondly it is a fruite of a righteous man to hope the best and to iudge charitably of his Brother The best man doth hardly suspect others to bee bad It is saide of Ioseph Math. 1 19. that being a iust and righteous man he was not willing to make the Virgin Mary that was betrothed vnto him a publicke example but was minded to put her away secretly Whereby we gather that the reason why he would not pursue his right with extreamity but conceyued the best according to the rule of Charity was because hee was a iust man ready to giue to euerie man his owne On the other side it is a note of a wicked man to thinke or immagine the worst of men It is a common Prouerbe A man doth muse as he doth vse as himselfe vseth to do so he immagineth of another He that iudgeth lewdly of another by meere suspition or supposition is commonly lewd himselfe For such as are wicked do thinke others as wicked as them-selues and such as are Hypocrites themselues are most forward to tax others of hypocrisie Seeing therefore to be charitably minded is both a property of loue and a fruit of righteousnesse it followeth that we ought to hope the best of all our brethren Vse 1. The Vses remaine to be considered First this serueth to reproue sundrie abuses that are crept in among vs and are too common in our practise directly condemned in the ninth Commaundement which tend to the hurt of our Brothers good name as all hard conceits and euill surmizes all vncharitable opinions and suspitions against them The good name of a man is very precious yet it hath many enemies If then we be charged to conceiue the best in doubtfull cases one of another the capitall sinne of Calumniation or slander is heerby condemned as the chiefe opposite to a mans estimation and credit This hath many branches that are breaches of the Law all of one kinde and Kindred and all enemies vnto the good Names of our Bretheren In this number are ranged these three as Companions one of another the Tale-breeder the Tale-bearer and the Tale beleeuer The first beginner of all the mischiefe is the Inuenter and Deuiser of Tales who forgeth them in the fire of hell who hammereth them vpon the A nuile of malice and enuy who venteth them abroad and letteth them flye vpon the wings of fame and report thereby maliciously intending the disgrace and damage of his Brother There is no sinne maketh a man so resemble the Deuill as this doth inasmuch as he hath his name from slaundering and backbyting These men the Lord doth greatly detest and wil shut them out of his kingdome Secondly heereby is reprooued the Tale-carrier
is the best friendshippe These loue in the Faith and therefore cannot start backe Such friendshippe as beginneth in the Flesh and ariseth vpon carnall causes and worldly respectes is easily broken and dissolued the least displeasure dooth ouer-turne it but the friendship which is in God and for God endureth for euer no enuy shall vndoe it no occasion shall breake it no time shall dissolue it This appeareth f Prou. 18 24. by the wordes of the Wise-man Prouerb 18. 24. A man that hath friends ought to shew himselfe friendly but a friend is neerer then a Brother Seeke such friends as feare God and be Christianly minded Chuse none to be thy friend but him that is the friend of God Let none be thy Brother that is not the Brother of Christ One such friend is worth ten thousand others If thou haue in all thy life found by tryall and experience such an one make more account and reckoning of him then of a naturall Brother which band is but in the flesh assuring thy selfe that grace will worke aboue nature and therefore prefer him before al earthly treasure If then thou be careful to keep thy temporal Riches and Possessions much more oughtest thou to bee carefull to keepe a faithfull friend and ioyne thy selfe in amity with him True it is there is a kinde of friendship and familiarity among Drunkards among Adulterers among Robbers and among all Malefactors as g Prou. 1 14. Salomon teacheth Prouerb 1. 14. These sometimes seeme most neerely ioyned but by the least occasion that can be they are easily separated There is in all places and parishes almost a band and knot of these friendes and good fellowes But such as the word of God maketh Friendes and the band of the Spirite gleweth together are not easily sundred and disioyned but haue a sure and stedfast coniunction and are builded vppon a strong and stable foundation These loue more in aduersity then in prosperity in time of need do shew what their friendship is whereas the friendship arising vpon worldly causes will faile and abate when wealth decayeth when the world lowreth when trouble commeth so shew themselues not to haue beene the friendes of vs but of our wealth not of our persons but of our prosperity Vse 2. Secondly we learne from hence to be bold with all Christian friends and to suffer them to be bold with vs. It is a true note of a true Friend of a faithfull friend to deale plainely to reprooue comfort exhort commend without flattery without partiality There is none of vs all how great soeuer our knowledge be how great soeuer our graces bee how much soeuer wee haue profited in the faith of Christ but sometimes we haue need to be instructed sometimes to be comforted sometimes to be reprooued and sometimes to be threatned It is a great blessing of God when hee giueth a friend by whom as by a true Glasse wee may perceiue and know our wants and blemishes We shall find euery where such as will be ready to sooth and flatter vs in our offences to tell vs all is well done but few there are that will deale faithfully with vs. This a great plague and a great iudgement commonly waiting vppon great men and rich men that they finde few or none that dare admonish them of their faults or tell them of their offences and so many times are suffered to runne on to their destruction Let vs account it as a speciall blessing sent vnto vs of God when wee haue a friende by whom wee may heare what is amisse in vs. We could giue him thankes that would tell vs of some spot in our faces or blemish on our Garments and shall wee enuy or maligne him that will discouer vnto vs the sinnes of our Soules which doe more soile and defile vs then all the blemishes of the Body The Prophet Dauid hauing found the benefit and comfort of a godly reproofe when hee was reprooued by Nathan the Prophet saith h Psal 141 5. Let the righteous smite me for that is a benefite and let him reprooue me and it shall be a precious Oyle that shall not breake mine head To this end speaketh Salomon in the Prouerbes i Prou. 9 8. Rebuke not a Scorner least he hate thee but rebuke a wise Man and he will loue thee The correction of a Friend is as the Rodde of a Father the end is not to destroy but to saue not to ouerthrow but to deliuer from death We are all of vs bound as it were in a bond or Obligation to performe this duty one to another and wee must in humility submit our selues vnder the reproofe of our Christian friends We cannot better make manifest our loue vnto our Bretheren then by admonishing of them and reproouing of them This is it which Moses teacheth in the Booke of Leuiticus k Leu. 19 17. Thou shalt not hate thy Brother in thy heart but thou shalt plainely rebuke thy Neighbour and suffer him not to sinne Can a Physition shew his loue better then by telling his patient his disease and declaring vnto him the meanes whereby to cure it Can a Man meeting his Brother wandering out of his way in Hilles and Dales in Woodes and Wildernesse shewe his loue better vnto him then by bringing him into the way and laying his errour before his face So that no man can giue a sounder Testimony of his sincere heart and vnfained loue toward his Brother then by dealing plainely with him when he walketh not vprightly For a Friende is vnto the Soule as Phisicke is to the Body and the admonishing of our Brother is as the directing of a Trauailer Let vs therefore suffer the word of exhortation k 1 Thes 5 14 Knowing that such as are out of order must be admonished the feeble-minded must bee comforted the weake must bee strengthned the euill must be reprooued the obstinate must be terrified and threatned And let vs not fret and rage against our Bretheren when we are checked and controlled for our sinnes It is a signe wee are perswaded and resolued to continue in our sinnes when we cannot abide to be reprooued but are ready to say with Ahab Hast thou found me ô mine Enemy The word of God is good to him that walketh vprightly and wee shall finde in the ende l Prou. 27 5. That open rebuke is better then secret loue yea that the Woundes of a Louer are faithfull and the Kisses of an Enemy are pleasant Vse 3. Lastly seeing one Friende especiallie a Christian Friend may challenge and claime much from his Friende wee must know that it is a fearefull sinne vnder colour and shew of friendship to betray or vndermine one another Of such false and fained Friendes Dauid complaineth in sundry places of the Psalmes m Psal 41 9 55 12 13 14. My familiar Friende whom I trusted which did eate my Bread hath lift vp the heele against me
6 16. But these men say Doe not I loue them that hate thee and hate them that loue thee They hate the godly in their hearts and the more grace appeareth in them the more they despise them as Michall did Dauid when she saw his zeale in bringing home the Arke of the Lord into his own Cittie They esteeme more of their dogs and Swine then they doe of the deare Seruants of God bought with the precious blood of Christ therfore they say Oh these are the little flock these are Saints these are holie folkes we are not for their company But if we belong to God and to his Kingdome wee must of necessitie be of the Communion of Saints And if indeede thou thinke them holie thou oughtest to conclude therefore we are and must be and will be for their company For either we are holie or vnholie either godlie or prophane either righteous or vnrighteous If we be not true Christians we are no better then Deuils incarnate and therefore shall haue our portion and reward among the Deuils So then either they vtter those words with a scoffing spirit and then we leaue them to his iudgement that will take vengeance of all such taunts that he accounteth cast out against himselfe or else they make a fearefull conclusion against their owne Soules disclaiming themselues to be Members of the Church renouncing the sweet society communion of the Saints refusing the forgiuenes of their sins and accounting thēselues vnworthy of eternall life or else they speake ignorantly as poore silly blind Soules who are to be pittied and praied for and this all the hurt we wish vnto them for all the mallice they beare against vs beeing bold to craue more good for them then they doe for themselues saying g Luke 23 34 Acts 7 60. Father forgiue them for they know not what they doe Lord lay not this sinne to their charge Thus we desire God to giue them them eies that are blind and to open their hearts that haue shut them against the truth and the professors thereof Vse 2 Secondly seeing it is our duty to respect euery one of the faithfull according to the grace of God measured out vnto him it is required of all men to looke alwaies to the best things in the choise of the companions of their life We learne not to enter rashly into any neere societie with such as haue not the graces of Gods holie spirit to commend them When any of vs are to seeke friendes to match our selues with a Wife to entertaine Seruants to make choyce of teachers our care must be to enquire after such as haue true pietie in their hearts and may yeeld vnto vs sound comfort And whensoeuer we haue made that happy and heauenly choyce we must labour to cherish to encrease and to strengthen them in all their waies and for our parts must delight and reioyce in them aboue all other One good Friend one godly Wife one religious Seruant is worth ten thousand others what priuiledges of the flesh soeuer they bring with them Hence it is that the Apostle saith h 1 Cor. 7 39. The Wife is bound by the law as long us her husband liueth but if her Husband be dead she is at liberty to marry with whom she will onely in the Lord. We see how Dauid among all the Sonnes of Saule made choise onely of Ionathan to ioyne with him in a strong league of sure friendshippe because he knew him to haue an vpright and faithfull hart toward God These two did take sweet counsell together and had their soules knit in a fast and firme knot of mutuall loue Likewise concerning the seruants of his house that he would receiue and retaine he saith i Psal 101 6 7 Mine eyes shall be vpon the faithfull of the Land that they may dwell with me he that walketh in a perfect way he shall serue mee there shall no deceitfull person dwell within mine house he that telleth lies shall not remaine in my sight c. The Apostle Paul called to be an Apostle teacher of the Gentiles hauing conuerted many to the faith did take the greatest delight and reaped soundest consolation in them he accounted them his Crown he esteemed them his Sonnes he called them his glory he reioyced in them as his hope This appeareth in the example of Onesimus whom he had begotten in his bonds the greater fruits of Faith he found in him the greater account and reckoning did he make of him The like wee might say of others euen of whole Churches gained to the Gospell the more they encreased in godlynesse the more his bowels were enlarged in care and compassion toward them This affection ought to be in all true Pastors toward their people they must loue such aboue the rest as exceede and excell the rest in the knowledge and practise of true godlinesse This affection should be in the Father towards his Children he should loue them most he should giue them most hee should prouide and prepare for them most that haue most Religion in their hearts most grace in their soules most soundnesse in their liues Let them bee vsed best that are best and finde most fauour that shew the greatest faith The Scripture teacheth vs that Isaac had two sonnes Esau was the first borne yet Iacob had the blessing Godlinesse maketh the younger to bee the elder the second to be the first the lowest to be the highest the least to bee the greatest but vngodlinesse causeth the first borne to be last maketh the elder to be younger and easteth downe the highest into the lowest roome So we see that among the sonnes of Iacob k 1 Chro. 5. 1. Gen. 49 3 4. Ioseph had the double portion albeit he were the youngest of them all sauing one because the rest of his Children had stained them-selues with some grosse sinne which did put them out of their proper place and disinherit them of the blessing This point heere to be learned and practised reproueth two sorts of men as well such as make choise of such as bee wicked as those that hate them which are good and godly We must not delight our selues in those that be carnall and corrupt albeit they be neuer so neer vnto vs. Ahab did repose and reioyce himselfe l 1 King 21 7 1 Sam. 22. 9. 1 Ki. 12 8 31 in Iezabell against Naboth Saule in Doeg against Dauid when he saw that God was with him and his spirit departed from himselfe Rehoboam made choise of youthfull vaine and vicious Companions and refused the Counsell of the prudent and the aduise of the Elders the friends of his Father Ieroboam made choyse of the ignorant multitude of the scum of the people and of the Rascall sort to be the teachers of Israell and their guides and Gouernors in the matters of Gods worship It is a common euill to delight in euill company in prophane persons in Idoll-shepheards in carnall
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