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
in the house in the field in the City in body in soule in temporall things in spiritual thinges Now when God is obeyed men should reioyce and be glad and when his Lawes are broken they should be much greeued and troubled The Apostle Iohn writing to an elect Lady k 2 Iohn 4. reioyced greatly that hee found of her children walking in truth as they had receiued a cōmandement of the lord On the other side wee see Dauids l Psal 119 136 eyes did gush out with Riuers of teares because Wicked men kept not his Lawes These Reasons beeing duely waighed and rightly considered do teach vs that Gods blessings bestowed vppon our Bretheren must minister matter of ioy and great comfort vnto vs. Vse 1. Let vs now proceede to the handling of the Vses that wee may haue the benefit of this Doctrine and not suffer it to passe from vs without profit First of all seeing Gods graces vpon others must worke ioy in our selues we learn the truth of that article of our faith which al professe to beleeue but many do not vnderstand to wit the communion of Saints There is a double communion m What the munion of Saints is which we beleeue one which we haue with Christ the other which the church hath among themselues the former is the cause of the latter For Christ our head hath giuen himselfe vnto vs whereby we haue the right of adoption the imputation of his righteousnesse and a title to the kingdome of heauen From hence as from a fountaine issueth that communion which all the members both in heauen earth haue among themselues howsoeuer seuered in place one from another howsoeuer the one sort be dead the other liuing howsoeuer the one sort is triumphant the other Militant Our Brethren in heauen wish well to the Church pray for it generall desire the perfect consummation of it and craue the full and finall deliuerance of it from all troubles The Apostle bringeth them in speaking on this maner n Reuel 6 10. How long Lord holy true Doest not thou iudge and auenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth True it is they know not they see not they heare not what things are done vpon the face of the earth and therefore they cannot pray in particular for the particular conditions and persons of men On the other side we who liue vppon the earth o Phil. 3 20. haue our conuersation in heauen our minds our harts soules are there we do in our desires and affections conuerse with them we pray to be dissolued and to be with Christ Our Communion among our selues consisteth in three things first in the affection of the heart secondly in the gifts of the spirit thirdly in the vse of temporall riches The first in heart when we are so linked and coupled together that we are like affectioned one to another so that when one is greeued the rest are greeued and when one reioyceth the rest are refreshed The Euangelist describing the estate of Christes Church saith p Acts 4 32. The multitude of them that beleeued were of one heart and of one soule The Heathen wish well to their owne blood and kindred but wee must wish well to all Christians as to our selues we must not onely know heare of but feele their miseries and mourne with them that mourne we must not tell them as newes but lay them to our hearts The second branch is in the blessings of God bestowed vpon vs we must impart to our Brethren our spirituall gifts we must teach them by our example we must aduise them by our Counsell we must guide them by our admonition we must stirre them vp by our exhortation we must raise them vp by our comforts we must helpe them by our Prayers The third part of our communion q Galat. 6. 10. standeth in temporal thinges when wee are content not onely to leaue our superfluities but euen to spend our selues for the good of our fellow-members wee must be readie to feede the hungry to cloath the naked to harbour the harbourlesse which are not onely of our owne flesh but of our owne faith not onely cloathed with the same Nature but adorned with the same Name This is the communion which wee professe and beleeue and is confirmed and concluded in this place Vse 2. Secondly we learn to desire the best guifts that we may reioyce and comfort the godly For when we profit in good things we chear the harts and minds of al the faithful Euery liuing thing hath his prospering proceeding and is known to haue life in it by encreasing from one degree of perfection to another The grasse springeth the plant shouteth the corn florisheth the tree groweth If we haue any life in vs of Gods Spirit be not as grasse that is withered as plants that are dead as Corne that is blasted and as trees that are plucked vp by the roots we must go forward from one measure of grace to another from a lesser to a greater This serueth to reprooue sundry abuses and to meet with many corruptions that abide and abound among vs. First it condemneth such as delight to offend to grieue and vexe the Saints of God For if we should seeke to reioyce and comfort them and to Minister all occasion of ioy vnto them then we are not to discomfort and trouble them wee are not to worke sorrow and anguish in them The estate of these offensiue liuers is fearefull as Christ our r Math. 18 7. Sauiour declareth Woe vnto the world because of offences for it must needs be that offences shall come but woe be to that man by whom the offence commeth whosoeuer shall offend one of these little ones which beleeue in me it were better for him that a Milstone were hanged about his neck and that he were drowned in the depth of the Sea Wee ought to giue no offence eyther to Iew or Gentile or to the Church of God for woe shall bee to them that offend their Brethren that greeue the Spirit of God and cause the enemies of our Faith to blaspheme Secondly it reprooueth such as conuerse onely with the vngodly and can be merry onely in their company The Children of God haue alwayes accounted it a great crosse and vexation to dwell with such as are leud in their course of life and are bare and barren in good things The Prophet saith ſ Psal 120 5. Woe is me that I remaine in Meshech and dwell in the Tents of Kedar It is an heape of miseries and a verie representation of Hell to be continually vexed and exceedingly greeued with their wicked conuersation Iust Lot was vexed with the t 2 Pet. 2 7 8. vncleane conuersation of the wicked for hee being righteous and dwelling among them in hearing and seeing vexed his righteous soule from day to day with their vnlawfull deedes And in what place almost now
the holy Scriptures that Peter was euer at Rome Whereby we learne that the Popish Religion is a doubtfull and vncertaine religion their Faith is vncertaine their Hope is vncertaine their Heauen is vncertaine For the supremacie of the Pope and subiection to him is made a fundamentall point of Religion and the beleeuing of it necessary to saluation Bellarmine a Cardinall of Rome q De Ecclesia militante lib. 3. cap. 2. defining the Church maketh it to be a Company of men professing the faith and partaking of the Sacraments vnder the iurisdiction of the Byshop of Rome so that such as hold no Pope are iudged and censured to build vpon a false foundation and therefore to be no true Churches no sound Catholickes no right Christians The cheefe Controuersie betweene vs and the Papists is for the Popes Monarchy and Authoritie ouer the Vniuersal Church which is maintained by many of them as a materiall point and necessarie for euery one to holde that looketh to be saued Which is an Opinion both absurd and ridiculous and vnreasonable The Church Triumphant in Heauen is not subiect to the Pope of Rome The Church of the Old-Testament was neuer subiect to the Pope of Rome The Church of the New-Testament which was when Christ liued vpon the earth was not subiect to the Pope of Rome The Primitiue Church that was in the dayes of the Apostles was not subiect to the Pope of Rome For during all this time there was no Pope of Rome at all and yet there was during al this time a Church or else they must say that the Triumphant Church the Iewish Church and the Christian Church are no Churches at all Moreouer the necessity of subiecting euery soule to this supposed supremacy and pretended primacy doeth blot out of the number of Churches the East-Churches and the South-Churches and leaueth onely the Roman Church to whom the Title least of all belongeth or at least as little as to any of the rest Besides at the death of euerie Pope and in euery vacancie of that Sea which sometimes hath beene no small time the Church should faile and fall for how should the faithfull then bee subiect to the Byshop of Rome when there is no Byshoppe of Rome at all in the World Furthermore when there falleth out a Schisme so that there are two or three Popes that are together by the eares for the Popedome and Prelacie the people are vncertaine to which of them to cleaue and whether of them to obey Lastly it is false that the members of the Church must be subiect to the Pope seeing he is no better nor no other then that Antichrist which the Scripture hath fore-shewed time hath discouered and the faithfull haue felt and suffered Thus then we haue seene that howsoeuer the Romanists make it a principall matter of faith to put our heades vnder the Popes Girdle to bowe our knees to kisse his holye feete and to feare the Thunderbolts of his wrath yet all his iurisdiction is besides the Scriptures nay contrary to the Scriptures seeing Peters Byshopprick and being at Rome is verie vncertaine To say no more If then it be vncertain whether Peter were euer at Rome then it must also be vncertaine whether hee were Byshop of Rome and if it be vncertaine whether he were euer Byshop of Rome then it must also be vncertaine whether the Pope bee Byshop of Rome and his successor in that Sea and if the Popes succession and Dominion ouer the Church be vncertaine his Triple Crowne shaketh and beginneth to totter all which waighty burthens do hang by a twines-thred of Peters beeing at Rome which hath no foot-step or foundation in the Scriptures True it is we dare not directly and peremptorily say that he was neuer at Rome wee know how hard a thing it is to prooue a negatiue yet it is more likely and probable that he was neuer there then that he was euer there the Scriptures being Iudges Who would willingly trauaile in a blinde and vncertaine way where he cannot be assured whether he goe right or wrong But such is the iourney that the popish passengers enter into they walke in vnknown pathes and tread the Mazes of many doubtfull steps The Popish Writers cannot agree r Bellar. lib. 2. cap. 6. de pont Roma in what yeare Peter came to Rome One hath assigned one time Another pointeth vnto another time They agree Å¿ Onuph in Annot post petr not how many yeares he stayed there when he departed from thence how long he sate t Bellar. de pontif Rom. lib. 2. cap. 5. Byshop there who succeeded in his place immediatly after him whether Clement or Linus or Cletus or Anacletus It is made of absolute necessitie by them to receiue the Saeraments yet by their Doctrine no man can certainly know whether he be partakers of them or not inasmuch as they teach that all standeth vpon the Priests intention which can be knowne to none but to God and himselfe Thus we see how weak and wofull a Religion the Romish Religion is and vpon what silly and sandie foundations it resteth Let vs leaue these vncertaine by pathes and tread in the beaten way of the Scripture which cannot deceiue let vs build our faith vpon the rocke which cannot be shaken and forsake that Church that goeth a way she knoweth not and leadeth her Children shee knoweth not whether and teacheth them to receiue she knoweth not what and beleeueth those things which she cannot proue Thus much for the generall Obseruations There salute thee Epaphras my Fellow-prisoner c. These Verses doe containe mutuall salutations with kinde and Christian wishes one toward another This is the winding vp of the whole matter wherein hee reporteth the friendly greetings of the faithfull which they sent to Philemon This we see to be verie common in the beginning of euerie Epistle Doctrine 1. Courteous speeches louing salutations are beseeming the seruants of God From hence we learne that courteous speeches and friendly salutations are to bee vsed of one Christian toward another whether present or absent All kinde and courteous dealing ought to be shewed mutually toward each other When Melchizedek met Abraham hee blessed him Gen. 14. When the Angell came vnto Gideon he saluted him thus t Iudg. 6 12. The Lord be with thee thou valiaunt Man When Boaz in haruest time came among his Reapers u Ruth 2 4. he said vnto them The Lord be with you and they answered him The Lord blesse thee that is so soone as he saw the Labourers that reaped his fields hee beganne kindly to salute them and to wish them well they likewise returned the like answere backe againe as an Eccho vnto him The Angell Gabriell being sent of God vnto the Virgin Marie he saide vnto her Luke 1 28. Hayle thou that art freely beloued the Lorde is vvith thee blessed art thou amongst Weomen When Christ sent out his Apostles and gaue them Commission
the truth It is the cause that maketh the crosses of Christians to be the Crosse of Christ The Apostle testifieth he was a Prisoner for Christ and the Gospell not for his owne sinnes and offences It is not our suffering barely and nakedly considered can honour vs with the reward of glory and the Crowne of Martyrdome g The cause maketh a Martyr not the punishment but the cause in which we dye and the quarrell in which we suffer True it is afflictions are common to the godly and vngodly they suffer alike they are imprisoned alike arraigned condemned and executed oftentimes alike but albeit the afflictions bee one and the same yet the cause is not one and the same for which they are afflicted The vngodly ate punished for their sinnes the godly are afflicted for a good conscience Abell is murthered of his Brother Caine is curssed and condemned to be a fugitiue vpon the earth both of them are afflicted but the cause is diuerse Abell is killed for his godlinesse Caine is punished for his wickednesse Ioseph is sold to Strangers and cast into prison so likewise are Pharaohs two Eunuches his Butler and his Baker they lye all in one prison but they had not one cause for he is committed through the slaunders and false accusations of his Mistresse they for their demerites and offences against their Maister Christ had his feete and his handes nayled on the Crosse so had the two Theeues they suffered al one punishment but how contrary were the causes of him and them seeing he suffered without cause but they iustly and worthily had the sentence of death executed vpon them Let vs not therefore onely fasten our eies and looke vpon the bare punnishment but consider what the cause is and according to the cause esteeme both of the person and of the punishment Some are prisoners h Math. 5 25. of men i 2 Tim. 2 26. others are Prisoners of the Deuill of whom they are holden captiue and both of them for their wickednesse but if we will be Martirs of Christ we must be the prisoners of Christ This serueth to reprooue the Church of Rome who glory in their Martyrs as sometimes the Donatists did and fill vp their Kalender with such as they haue canonized for Saints in Heauen which were no better then Traytors when they liued vpon the earth The Church of Rome which vaunteth her selfe to be the onely true Church of God and condemneth other honoureth diuers Saintes which neuer were in the World some that were Pagans others that were Iewes in Religion and refused Christ and others that were Heretiques and Traytors that neyther had Faith on Earth nor haue saluation in Heauen beeing Rebels to their Princes and enemies to their Countrey and disturbers of the State And therefore also it condemneth those who albeit they liue vnder the Gospell and shroud themselues vnder the branches of it as vnder a comfortable shaddow whereby they haue refreshed and enriched themselues yet they magnifie the Church of Rome and set vp the Faith professed therein they ballance it equall with the true Church of God among our selues and thereby seeke to shake in sunder the Faith of many These men cry out not onely that there are and haue been learned men on both sides but Saintes and holy men on both sides and true Martyrs on both sides and therefore would haue the people carryed about with vncertainety of Doctrine as with a waue of the Sea But we deny that any haue suffered among vs for the Roman Faith or haue beene led to execution for their Religion The truth is they haue but too much fauour shewed them and too great liberty giuen them Indeede such as haue beene found factious and forward to aduance forraigne power to adhere to forraigne enemies to stirre the people to rebell and take armes against the Prince to compasse the death and destruction of the Prince such as haue beene Authors of treacheries and conspiracies and beene conuinced to be trumpets of sedition by the deposition of witnesses by the forme of their tryall and by their owne confessions haue beene iustly executed among vs as by all men must needes be acknowledged In the Cittie of Rome all that will not take the Popes part or shall take him to be no Pope or refuse to ioyne with him if an Army should bee sent against him are adiudged to be no lawfull Subiects but disloyall Traytors No forraine Prince will repute them for his people and Subiects that shall deny to take his part against any forraine Vsurper or Inuador whatsoeuer So the Lawes of our Land haue seized vpon some who haue busied themselues in matters of State bringing ouer Buls declaring that the Prince was to bee deposed and the Subiects discharged of their alleagiance As for pointes of Faith they were neuer mentioned in the proceedings against them they were not called into question for their opinion concerning the Masse for transubstantiation for worshipping of Images or for any other point of the Romish Religion or rather superstition Therefore it is false that any haue dyed among vs as Martyrs or any otherwise then as Traytors The true k Who are true Martyrs and who not Church of God euer held them for Martyrs that dyed for the profession of the Faith and the testimony of Christ but such of the Popish faith and faction as haue beene executed among vs dyed for maintenance of the Popes pleasure and tyranny taking vpon him to depose Princes and seeking by open armes and secret Treasons to murther them True Martyrs suffered for the truth wrongfully and therefore deserued commendation according to the rule of the Apostle l 1 Pet. 2 19. It is thanke-worthy if a man for conscience toward God endure greefe suffering wrongfully but these suffer not in matter of wrong nor for a good conscience vnlesse the will of the Pope be the rule of their conscience True Martyrs must be endued with Charity m 1 Cor. 13 3. for as the Apostle teacheth If I giue my body to be burned and haue not loue it profiteth nothing but these haue not any shaddow of charity who plot the death of their Prince and seeke the destruction of their Countrey To conclude this point vnlesse Treason be Religion and falshood truth and vnlesse Antichrist be to bee receiued for Christ these men cannot be esteemed and honoured as Martyrs among vs who dyed not for Christ but for practising against the Doctrine of Christ which teacheth to be gentle patient humble and not any way to seeke reuenge Vse 4. Lastly from this Doctrine ariseth great comfort to the Seruants of God and as great terror to all their Enemies It is a great consolation for them that are afflicted for Christs sake to asswage their sorrow and a great meanes to worke in them patience to consider that Christ putteth all their teares in his Bottle and accounteth their afflictions to be his afflictions If we
his kingdome The fourth reproofe Fourthly if it be a calling of such dignity it reprooueth those that run before they be sent and wait not a lawful calling from God that they discharge it afterward with peace of heart and comfort of Conscience We see manie young men make more hast then good speede in entring into the Ministery who for the most part want that iudgment staydnesse experience grauity moderation that is meet to be in men of that profession Hence it is that they are called by the name of Elders in the Scripture The Apostle thought it necessary to giue this charge to Timothy a young man though he were of rare hope and of excellent guifts u 2 Tim. 2 22. To fly the lusts of youth and to follow after righteousnesse Faith Loue and peace with all them that call on the Lord with a pure heart And in another place he saith x 1 Tim. 4 12. Let no man despise thy youth but be vnto them that beleeue an ensample in word in conuersation in Loue in Spirite in Faith in Purenesse If hee had this neede of instruction howe much more others The fift reproofe Fiftly it reproueth those that are so hand-fasted that they repine at their maintenance that labour among them How many places and Parishes are there that regard not how they be taught or whether they be taught or not so they may be well dealt withall in their Tithes that is if they might pay little or nothing to maintaine their Minister There is growne in many congregations this agreement and bargaine betweene the Pastor and the people if he will spare them in temporall things they regarde not how hee deale with them in spirituall things If they may pay little they are content hee shall preach little If they may enioy their Tithes at a low rate they are well pleased that he take his ease and teach them seldome But albeit he preach in season and out of season and do his dutie with all diligence yet they murmure and repine at his allowaunce and thinke euery thing too much that is bestowed that way The sixt reproofe Lastly it reproueth such as regard not the censures of the Church inflicted vpon euill doers The censures of the Church are made as a scar-Crow and esteemed of many as a mocke But if that power and authority were regarded in the Ministers hand that the word of God alloweth and appointeth wherby he is authorized to exercise spirituall iurisdiction in Church-matters not onely to preach but to punish not onely to teach but to correct not onely to instruct but to excommunicate then would the Office be magnified then would the Ministry be esteemed according to the institution of them Our Sauiour giuing order and direction to informe the Gouernors of the Church when scandals and offences arose among them addeth y Math. 18 18 Verily I say vnto you whatsoeaer ye binde on earth shall be bound in Heauen and whatsoeuer ye loose on earth shall be loosed in Heauen We see God promiseth to ratifie the sentence pronounced and denounced in his name The abridgement of this power is the contempt of the men and of their Ministry and the curbing cutting short of their authority doth open a gappe to all contumely and reproach of their persons and office If a Magistrate shoulde prescribe and ordaine that Law which is wholesome and profitable to the Common-wealth and haue no power at all to punish the Malefactors and misdoers that transgresse who is it that would regard the Commandement If a School-maister had authority onely to rule and to teach but were restrained to take vp the rod to correct and chastise the obstinat sluggard what Scholler would harken or giue eare to his teaching In like manner so long as the Minister is allowed only to speake the word or to threaten but stinted that he shall go no farther his Ministry will be little regarded as if a Maister should tell some of his Schollers of their shrewde trickes but were not licensed to punnish their euill doing God hath ioyned authority to the Pastors office put into his hand the discipline of the Church and the Ministers of God haue exercised executed the same according to his ordinance Hence it is that the Apostle reprouing an heinous offence amongst the Corinthians and shewing the vse of Ecclesiasticall correction saith z 2 Cor. 4 21 What will ye Shall I com vnto you with a rod or in loue and in the spirit of meekenesse Vse 2. Secondly seeing boldnesse to command vnder Christ belongeth to the office of the Minister it teacheth vs and putteth vs in minde of manie good duties as first to aske this guift of God and craue of him to indue vs with the zeale of his glory and other graces of his spirit that we may speake the word a Ephes 6 20. boldly as we ought to speake We see an example heereof in the Apostles when they heard the threatnings of the enemies of the Gospel b Acts 4 29. 5 28 29. They lift vp their voices to God with one accord and said O Lord thou art the God which hast made the heauen and the earth the sea and all things that are in them beholde their threatnings and graunt vnto thy seruants with all boldnesse to speak thy word So when the cheefe Priests said Did not we straightly commaund you that yee should not teach in his name And behold ye haue filled Ierusalem with yoar Doctrine and ye would bring this mans bloud vpon vs. Then Peter and the Apostles answerd We ought rather to obey God then mē Many men are endued with great gifts of learning and knowledge but they want the tongue of the Learned to minister a worde in season they want zeale and vtteraunce to deliuer the word of God to the people Let euery one therefore seeke to fit and furnish himselfe to this calling and in Christ Iesus be bold to do this dutie This the Prophet saith c Esay 58 1. Crie alowd spare not lift vp thy voice like a Trumpet and shew my people their transgression and the house of Iacob their sinnes This reproueth those that haue the worde in respect of persons who dare not do their duties and are afraid of mens faces They would be counted the Embassadors of God but they are affraide to do their Maisters message Let such learne of Iohn Baptist who shrunke not backe but was bold to tell Herod that it was not lawfull for him to take his Brothers Wife Wee must not bee Dastards and faint-hearted souldiers to fight the Lords battels but first be sure we haue a good warrant out of the word and then go boldly into the fielde and feare not to looke the enemy in the face True it is if wee haue not our Commission signed and sealed vnto vs wee haue iust cause to feare we speake in our owne names and not in the name
doers of the word and not hearers onely deceiuing our owne soules we must l Iam. 1 21. Lay apart all filthinesse and superfluity of maliciousnesse and receiue with meekenesse the word that is grafted in vs which is able to saue our Soules Now we haue in this Epistle m Illyr arg in hanc Epistol a most worthy example of receiuing them that are fallen of forgiuing the penitent of the pardoning of iniuries of ioy for the conuersion of a Sinner Yea we learne not onely to be louers of peace but to be makers of peace as Paul doth betweene the Maister and the Seruant Our Sauiour pronounceth them blessed n Math. 5 9. That are Peace-makers for they shall be called the Children of God We are charged not onely to seeke peace our selues but to make peace with others whereby we beare the liuely Image of God who is called the God of peace we are made like vnto Christ who is our peace and hath reconciled vs vnto his Father Vse 5. Fiftly we are taught to take heede we doe not rashly sit in iudgement vpon any This euill Seruant had picked and purloyned from his Maister and when he had done ranne his waies yet GOD found him out and gaue him repentance when he sought not after God It is a common Prouerb He runneth farre that neuer returneth Christ Iesus calleth some at the leaueth houre as hee did the Theefe that hung with him vpon the Crosse The Apostle chargeth that o 1 Cor. 4 5. We iudge nothing before the time vntill the Lord come who will lighten things that are hidden in darknesse and make the counsels of the heart manifest and then shall euery man haue praise of God And in another place p Rom. 14 4. Who art thou that condemnest another mans seruant He standeth or falleth to his owne Maister All men are in the hand of God and all times and seasons are disposed by him The Husbandman Tilleth the ground and soweth his Corne but it doth not by and by gtow vp The Disciples of Christ heard many things of his mouth which seemed buried and forgotten but the precious fruit thereof appeared plentifullie afterward Let vs not limit vnto God his times and seasons nor goe about to teach him knowledge Paul was a Persecuter of the truth a Blasphemer of God an oppressor of the Church yet in the end he was called by the voyce of Christ Let vs therefore condemne no man nor iudge any rashly least we be iudged Vse 6. Lastly we see euidently as in a Glasse in this Epistle that all that are elected of God to eternall life shal in Gods good time be called effectually to the knowledge of the truth God hath made all things in number waight and measure As no more shall be saued then he hath appointed so not one of them shall bee lost that he hath prepared to be heires of glory God hath many waies to pull them out of the fire whom he will haue saued So many as belong to him he will at one time or other send them and offer them the meanes of their saluation yea when we least of all seeke our owne good and intend our owne conuersion it pleaseth God to call vs and to gather vs into the bosome of the Church The Parable q Math. 20 1. of the Housholder hiring labourers into his Vineyard teacheth that he calleth at all times and houres of the day We see it in the example of Paul when Christ Iesus called vnto him from the Heauens he thought nothing of his owne conuersion but of the Churches subuersion Wee see it in the Penitent Theefe in Manasseth in Mary Magdalen and many others VVe see it in Onesimus in this place Who would haue imagined that this man playing the vile Runna-gate and the false Theefe and departing out of the religious House of godly Philemon which is honoured with the Name of a Church would euer haue turned a new leafe and come to the acknowledgement of the truth who would haue thought that the prodigal Son r Luke 15 24. going from his Father forsaking his Brother wasting his patrimony and spending his strength and wealth vpon Harlots would euer haue seene his owne folly and that it should be said of him My Son was dead and is aliue againe he was lost but he is found This is that which is set downe in the Actes of the Apostles Å¿ Acts 13 48. When the Gentiles heard it they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord and as many as were ordained to eternall life beleeued God is able to make a way for the execution of his purposes and knoweth how to accomplish his decrees Thus much of the circumstances of time and place as also of the Argument of this Epistle Now let vs come to the words 1 Paul a Prisoner of Iesus Christ and Brother Timotheus vnto Philemon our deare friend and fellow helper 2 And to our beloued Apphia and to Archippus our Fellow-Souldier and to the Church that is in thine House The order of the words and interpretation of them In this Epistle we are to consider two thinges First the Praeface in the three first verses Secondly the substance and matter of the Epistle in the rest The Praeface or entrance containeth the inscription or Title in these two verses sundry prayers in the foure verses following The inscription remembreth both the parties writing to wit Paul and Timothy and likewise the persons to whom the Epistle is written Philemon Apphia Archippus and the Church that was in Philemons house These persons as well writing as written vnto are not barely and nakedly set downe but are described by their seuerall notes and titles giuen vnto them wherein are contained seuerall Arguments of perswasion to mooue Philemon to that whereunto he exhorteth and intreateth him And first for himselfe a Captiue and Prisoner hee mooueth him to respect his suit in regard it was the suit of one vnder persecution bound in chaines and kept in thraldome whom he ought to pitty especially seeing he was a Prisoner of Iesus Christ that is not for any bad cause but for the professing and Preaching of the glorious Gospell of Christ Secondly he ioyneth in this suit with him Timothy a Brother nay more then a Brother a famous Euangelist whose commendation was thoroughout all the Churches who with him intreated for his Seruant Moreouer concerning those to whom this Epistle is written first Philemon himselfe is mentioned with whom he presumeth to preuaile both because there is mutuall loue between them louing one another in the truth and Christian Faith and because he is a fellow-helper seeking to promote and further by all good meanes the course of the Gospell in both which respects there should be a neere familiarity and speciall interest one with another Secondly to him he ioyneth Apphia which seemeth to be his Wife both because she hath the second place after Philemon and
giue light to al that are in the house And what vse is there of the Salt vnlesse application bee made of it to the meate that it may be kept from putrifaction Away therefore with this Monkish life out of the Church which standeth neither with the ordinance of God nor the society of man and let vs maintain concord and company one with another not forsaking the fellowship as the maner of some is but remembring that God hath said It is not good for man to be alone and that two are better then one Vse 2. Secondly this teacheth vs to maintaine the publike meetinges and assemblies of the Saints and to magnifie the Lords Sabbaoths when all the Church ioyne in prayers prayses and other exercises of our Christian Religion making euen k 1 Kin. 1 40. Heauen and Earth to ring with the sound of their thanksgiuings and consents in the Doctrines of Faith and fruits of their obedience For seeing the doctrine we haue in hand teacheth that the company of others chiefly of the faithfull is very auaileable to helpe vs forward and to further vs in all good duties wee learne the excellent vse of all Church-meetings where with one mind and with one mouth we glorifie God the father in Iesus Christ Surely l Bab. on Exo. Chap. 25. as many stickes make a greater fire and many strings a fuller Musick so is the meeting of many in the Church to pray to God together to heare the word together to receiue the Sacraments together to sing the prayses of God together it is a fire that casteth abroad a great heat and an harmony passing pleasing in the eares of the Lord. Now the more gracious these meetings are the greater is their sinne that breake off this fellowship of the Saints and dissolue the people of God which came m Psal 110 3 willingly together at the time of mustring together his Army in perfect beauty Now the Standard seemeth pulled downe and the Campe to be broken vp and the people disperced and scattered as Sheepe without their Shepheards wandring heere and there as it were vpon the Mountaines to seeke pasture to saue their liues It is noted in the holy History that a great Famine was sent vpon Samaria when the Prophets were destroyed n 1 King 18 5 So that they sought for the Fountaines of Waters and the streames of the Riuers if so bee they might finde to saue the Horses and the Mules aliue least the Land were vtterly depriued of them The word of God groweth precious in our daies and the people that hunger after the Bread of life are constrained to goe from place to place to sustaine themselues This made the Prophet to cry out o Psa 84 1 2. O Lord of Hoasts how amiable are thy Tabernacles my soule longeth yea fainteth for the Courts of the Lord for my heart and my flesh reioyce in the liuing God This serueth to reprooue those that shew no loue or liking to Church-meetings that despise the grace of God offered vnto them and preferre any assemblies in the World and of worldly and wicked men before the assemblies of the Church These men if they be asked say they hope to be saued but they will not vse the meanes of their saluation they looke to come into the Kingdome of Heauen but they regard not the way and path that leadeth vnto it they will needs be of God but they will not heare the word of God p Iohn 8 47. and therefore we may truely conclude that because they heare it not they cannot be of God Vse 3. Lastly we must not content our selues or thinke it sufficient to pray vnto God or to praise him alone in the Closset of our house or of our heart or in the company of our Family when we should doe our duties to God publikely and ioyne with the rest of the Congregation Christ Iesus himselfe repaired to the Temple q Luke 2 42. at the set times of Gods worship so did the faithfull in all ages of the Church they were terrified neyther by the coldnesse of the weather r Psal 84 6 7. nor by the greatnesse of the heat nor by the length of the iourney nor by the costlinesse of the worship but had the greatest solace and chiefest delight in those holy meetings Å¿ Mat. 18 20. Gen. 28 17. where is the presence of God the ioy of the godly the gate of heauen Hence it is that the Prophet saith Blessed are they that dwell in thine house they will euer praise thee a day in thy Courts is better then a thousand other where I had rather be a doore-keeper in the house of my God then to dwell in the Tabernacles of wickednesse Psal 84 5 10. True it is we are commaunded to make priuate prayers and to poure out the secret Meditations of our hearts before the Lord but when wee ought to assemble with our Bretheren in one place and frequent the meetings of the Church God will not heare vs nor accept vs if we refuse such solemne meetings although wee priuately call vpon him in our houses They that come sildome to publique Prayers doe also most sildome vse priuate prayers And such as enter into their Chamber when they haue shut the doore do pray vnto their Father which is in secret will make conscience to enter into the Lords Courts and to pray vnto him with the rest of the faithfull For if God promise his presence where two or three are gathered together in the Name of God much more will his eares be ready to heare vs and his mouth open to answere vs and his hands stretched out to help vs when we shall ioyne together with the rest of our Brethren as one man to call vpon him See then the difference between the godly and vngodly The Children of God haue desired nothing more then to abide and continue in the house the Lord all the daies of their life as the Prophet maketh known his t Psal 27 4. 42 1 2. 137 1. request Psa 27. One thing haue I desired of the Lord that I will require euen that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the daies of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to visite his Temple And nothing hath more troubled and disquieted them then when they haue been constrained to goe from the house of God and beene banished from the exercises of their Religion This wee see in the example of the Iewes carried into captiuity By the Waters of Babell we sate and there we wept when wee remembred Sion But the vngodly are neuer more merry nor better contented then when they are out of the Church nor neuer more heauy and discontented then when they are in the house of God They thinke euery houre seauen They count euery Sabbaoth the losse of a day and no time worse spent then that which is spent in the seruice of
Catechizing of our youth teaching of the ignorant reading of the Scriptures singing of Psalmes conferring one with another examining of our people a Math. 13 51 taking an account how they profite comforting them that are weak encouraging them that are willing discountenancing them that are froward and vntoward shewing gentlenesse vnto all suffering the euill and instructing them with meekenesse that are contrary minded Thus doing we shall beginne a Church in our houses we shall erect a temple and Tabernacle vnto God and giue to those that liue with vs and depend vppon vs an entrance into the Kingdome of Heauen But alasse May wee speake and write to many Maisters in our times as Paule doth in this place to Philemon May we truly call their priuate houses little Churches by reason of the exercises of Religion vsed in them Nay I would to God there were not great multitudes swarming among vs which haue such dissolute and disordered houses so farre from being Images and likenesses of a Church that they are liuely pictures of the prophane World and very representations of the Kingdome of darknesse and of the bottomlesse pit of Hell These men howsoeuer they shroude themselues vnder the names of Christians and would bee accounted faithfull men yet it is manifest that they are farre from true Christianitie and from a godly and religious minde For shall they bee esteemed sound and sincere b What the houses of the vngodly are Christians that suffer their Families to bee full of swearing lying railing roysting quarrelling contention and all other wickednesse and neuer goe about to examine them or exhort them to any goodnesse So that it is a very hell to dwell in them a very death to liue in thē a loathsome and stinking person to remaine in them yea a foule and filthy lakes to abide in them wherein all vnsauoury and vnseasoned practises are contained and continued I dare boldly auouch and constantly defend that a man were farre better to thrust his Sonne into a Pest-house or place of infection then to commit him to such Maisters of misrule and teachers of all abhominations most noysome and dangerous to Soule and Bodie where those corruptions are quickly learned which are afterward hardly forgotten and bred in the bone which are not easily remooued out of the flesh We vsually and commonly say of him that liueth in a contagious place Lorde haue mercy vpon him but much rather and farre better may wee say and pray for such as are in leud and vngodly houses Lord be mercifull vnto them and deliuer them from euill For if the plague and pestilence walke among vs and we among them they can but kill the body and make an end of this Mortall life but the contagion of sinne will bring fearefull destruction both vppon Soule and Body and will root out whole Houses and Families wast Townes and Citties and consume vtterly Countries and Kingdomes We see how by the instinct of Nature Parents haue a care to place their Children where they may be well vsed and where they may bee well prouided for that they want nothing but what folly is this to looke to the body and to haue no respect to the Soule To be curious in the least and carelesse in the principall thing To see that the backe bee cloathed and the belly filled and neuer require or inquire how the soule which is the chiefest part bee prouided for and sustained To be angry if they want food for this life and yet to seeme pleased and contented though they neuer tast of that bread and of that meat which indureth to euerlasting life It hath alwaies beene otherwise with faithfull Gouernours and Christian Parents they haue made conscience of their duties to God and their Families It is noted touching Iacob when hee was to goe to Bethell the house of God c Gen. 35 2. he sanctified and prepared his people he reformed and redressed the abuses that were crept in among them before they came to the worship of God Abraham had in his house three hundred and eighteene persons which hee had well instructed d Gen. 14 14. who were ready to aduenture their liues with him in the battell The Apostle giueth this commendation to Timothy That he had knowne the Scriptures of a Childe who are able to make him wise vnto saluation e 2 Tim. 3 15 through the faith which is in Christ Iesus His first yeares as it were the first fruits of his age were seasoned with the doctrine of Christ which was doone by a familiar and easie order of instructing him Our gouernment therefore ouer others must not be a meete ciuill gouernment as the gouernment of most men is but a religious gouernment to feede the soule as well as the bodie to prouide for the life to come as well as for this present life Vse 4. Fourthly it is required of vs to bring our seuerall Families to the publique exercises of Religion of the word and prayers that we may know how to vse and practise these aright within the Walles of our priuate houses It is not enough for vs to serue God alone by our selues and to plant true Religion in our owne hearts but wee must endeuour to bring others to God especially those that are neerest vnto vs. It is not enough for vs nor a sufficient discharge of our duties to goe to the Church our selues and to frequent the places of Gods publike worship f Math. 21 13 to come to the house of Prayer and to attend to the preaching of the word on the Lords day but wee must looke to our Children and Seruants we must haue an eye ouer them we must see that they be not absent but present and when they are present that they attend and hearken to the Ministery of the word and when as they are departed we must know what they haue profited When we send our Seruants to the Market we will see what they bring home and how they haue prouided for our bodies much more when we send them to the Market of their Soules should we require an accounts of them where they haue beene and what they haue done and how they haue heard How many are there among vs that haue a care to come to this place themselues that haue no conscience to looke to their Children whose saluation should bee as deare and as much desired as their owne Yea euen among you that are at this present in this place if diuers were asked Indeed heere you are here you sit but where are your Sons where your Daughters Where are your Man-Seruants where your Maides for whose Soules ye must giue an account what reasonable aunswere could ye make Nay how many are there to be found who if they haue their worke well done on the weeke-daies care not what they do how they behaue themselues or where they become vppon the Sabbaoth day And so they make themselues guilty and partakers of their sinnes through
of prayer both publicke and priuate for our selues and others is most necessary It is a speciall gift of the spirit which is common to all for all haue not the grace of Prayer The Apostle saith i 1 Tim 2 1. I exhort that first of all supplications prayers intercessions and giuing of thankes be made for all men The neglect of this is a note of a ranke Atheist k Psalme 53 4. who is described not to call vpon God Christ Iesus did oftentimes pray he was feruent and continuall in it hee spent whole nights in Prayer When he was in his Agony he prayed once and againe and the third time This condemneth those that are carelesse and negligent in the practise of this dutie that are so couetous for themselues that they can craue nothing for their Brethren If one member of the body should scrape all to it selfe what would become of the rest Such are vnnaturall members as take care onely for themselues These can say the Lords Prayer and rehearse the wordes but their hearts are farre from the meaning and right vnderstanding They say Lord giue vs our daily Bread that is to me and to my brethren not to me alone nor to them alone but to me and to them to these my Brethren as well as to my selfe These men are liberall in words bur couetous in mind their mouths are opened and enlarged but their harts are restrained and instraightned they thinke they neuer haue enough and that their Brethren haue too much They are farre from giuing thankes vnto God for them who repine at euerie morsell that they eate and at euery blessing that they enioy Vse 2. Secondly we learne that the weakest and meanest in the Church are not to be despised and contemned inasmuch as they may by their prayers and other meanes helpe the strongest and the greatest The Apostle teacheth that God hath so framed the members of the body l 1 Cor. 12 21 22. That 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 yea much rather those members of the body which seeme to be feeble are necessarie The strongest stand in need of the helpe of the weakest the greatest of the meanest the highest of the lowest the richest of the poorest the Prince of the people All mankind are so created as that they are not perfect of themselues but euery one wanteth the ayde of another One Nation standeth in need of another no Countrey yeeldeth all commodities No man hath all the gifts of Nature but some one some haue others We see it euen among the brute beasts such as are excellent in craft and mighty in strength yet haue their wants together with their wiles and their maimes ioyned with their great might The Fox is subtle to keepe himselfe from snares yet hee is weake to guard himselfe from Wolues on the other side the Lion is strong enough to guard himselfe from Wolues but he is not subtle enough to keepe himselfe from nets We haue not all thinges requisite and necessary for vs we haue not all properties to be commended wee runne into many dangers from whence the meanest may helpe to deliuer the mightiest So then seeing we are enioyned to pray one for another and thereby may helpe one another let vs know that we must despise no man reproch no man hate no man but consider that at one time or other we may want the help hand of him This doth the Wise-man point vnto m Eccl. 9 14 15. when he mentioneth a little City and few men in it and a great King came against it compassed it about and builded forts against it and there was found therein a poore and Wise-man and he deliuered the Citty by his wisedome And wee haue a notable example heereof in the siedge of Abell by Ioab a wise woman cried out of the Cittie and mooued him to returne from the assault We see how forcible the praiers of Abraham were to mooue the Lord to spare the n Gen. 18. Sodomites if tenne righteous persons had beene found in the Citty Thus God testifyeth that he was restrained by the Prayers of Moses and as it were o Exod. 32 10 tied with bands that hee was not able to destroy the people Let vs therefore make much one of another and let no man hate his Brother in his heart but know that his prayers auaile with God for him Wee see the Prayers of the Church profited Peter much though he were an Apostle p Acts 12. for thereby he was deliuered out of prison and from the daunger of death by the Ministry of an Angel So they profit vs if they be faithfull and seruent Vse 3. Lastly it is our duty to entreat the mutuall Prayers one of another We heard before how all the people prayed Samuell to pray for them So did the people come to Moses and entreat this duty of him q Num. 21 7. that they might be deliuered from the fiery Serpents The Apostle is oftentimes earnest in requiring this at the Churches handes r Rom. 15 30 Brethren I beseech you for our Lorde Iesus Christs sake and for the loue of the spirit that ye would striue with me by prayers to God for me When we are poore and can doe our Brethren no other good yet may we benefit them by our Prayers When we see our Brethren in necessity in danger in affliction in persecution in sicknesse and in great misery when we haue no hand to help them no power to deliuer them no means to succour them no fauour to speake for them yet wee haue hearts to lifte vp for them to God the Father of all mercies and the God of all consolation and by praying vnto him for them we shall do them much good giue them much comfort minister vnto them much helpe and procure vnto them speedy deliuerance This shall bee more auaileable and profitable vnto them then all other meanes of helpe and succour vsed for their safety without this Let such as are of the greatest giftes earnestly craue and call for the prayers of those that haue lesser and smaller gifts This reproueth such as neuer regard them nor require them that thinke they haue no neede of them nor know the necessity of them It is all one to these men whether they bee prayed for or not whom God no doubt doth oftentimes crosse in the works of their hands that they do not prosper because they make no account of the Churches Prayers It reprooueth such also as regard not the publick assemblies of the faithfull and the meeting of the Congregation of Christ in one place where Prayers are made for the Church where praises are sung and thankes are rendred for the blessings of God yea heauen and earth are made to ring and rebound with sounding out his glorie as it were with the voice of one man All our
of that which is past the other of that which is to come That which is past is our election from euerlasting before the foundation of the worlde was laide that which is to come is our perseuerance and persistance vnto the end of our dayes yet wee see the Apostle professeth some knowledge nay perswasion of them both which is grounded vpon the graces of God bestowed vpon those that are his The more excellent these graces are in quality the more they are in number the greater they are in quantity the better Testimony they giue vnto men and the surer iudgement ariseth from them vnto such as haue them Reason 2. Secondly God hath giuen praise and glory as an vnseperable companion of godlinesse and goodnesse and on the other side he hath appointed and allotted shame to follow sinne He hath ioyned these together to wit glorie with piety and shame with iniquity These drawe together as it were in one yoake so that one cannot be without the other The Apostle speaking of the vngodly saieth i Phil. 3. Their glorie shall be to their shame Seeing therefore the graces of Gods spirite are Testimonies of election and Companions of praise and glory we must from hence conclude that the good giftes of God that are found in vs make vs accepted of God and man Vse 1. The Vses follow to be considered and learned of vs. First seeing faith in Christ and loue toward the Saints giue vs a good report in the Church and lay vp a good foundation for vs in heauen we see that onely godly men haue a good name and euill men shall leaue an euill name behinde them This is one difference betweene the godly and vngodly the godly as hee leadeth a godly and sanctified life so he leaueth behinde him a good report wherby he smelleth sweetly in the Nostrils of God and man But the vngodly as they dishonour God in their liues so he will dishonour them in their persons and names and reward them with confusion of faces This is it which the Prophet k Es 65 14 15 threatneth in the name of God Behold my seruaunts shall sing for ioy of heart and ye shall cry for sorrow of heart and shall howle for vexation of mind ye shall leaue your name as a curse vnto my chosen for the Lord God shall slay you and call his seruants by another name There is a praise and commendation which turneth to shame and infamy to woe and misery and againe there is a shame and reproach that bringeth glory and praise with it This our Sauiour teacheth l Luk 6 26 22 Woe be to you when all men speake well of you for so did their fathers to the false Prophets but blessed are you when men hate you and when they separate you and reuile you and put out your name as euill for the son of mans sake It seemeth to many that looke with an eye of flesh and iudge with corrupt iudgement that the righteous are forgotten and their names buried as in the graue of silence they seeme aboue all other wretched and miserable because no man reuengeth the wrongs and iniuries that are offred vnto thē yet God in the end will maintaine their cause and giue them good estimation with all good men On the other side howsoeuer the vngodly flourish for a season and are famous in the world howsoeuer they are praised of others and praise themselues with their owne mouths yet their names shal be filthy and abhominable according to that which Salomon sayeth m Prou. 10 7. The memoriall of the iust shall be blessed but the name of the wicked shall rot This ouerthroweth three sorts of men that offend and esteeme not of men according to their faith and profession The first reproofe First such as slander the godly and bring vp an euil report of the faithful people of God such as reuile them and seeke to take away their good name from them which is a Iewell more precious then Siluer and Gold But we shall lesse esteeme what they speake if we consider who they are that spake For the witnesse of an enemy is by no Law to bee taken but alwayes to bee suspected The second reproofe Secondly such as magnifie and aduance the vngodly giue them the praise and applause of the world speake well of them as of the onely honest men that deserue to be commended But so long as they liue in sinne their owne wickednesse doth testifie to their faces and their vngodly heartes proclaime their owne shame and shall bring vpon them vtter confusion Let this be written and engrauen in our mindes that vngodlines will bring a blot and leaue a reproach behind it The third reproofe Lastly it conuinceth such as are Ciuill men that can say they are not Drunkardes they are not adulterers they are not Theeues they lead an honest life they pay all men their owne they are ready to pleasure their friendes they deale iustly with their Neighboures these men haue a good liking of themselues and are accounted the onely men among others For this ciuill honest man is reputed the onely honest man But a man may do all this and be a Pharisie yea no better in the sight of God then a Turke and infidell He may carry the countenance and haue the report of such a liuer and yet smell strongly and sauour rankely in the Nostrils of God of ignorance of vnbeleefe of pride and of selfe-loue If we would deserue true praise indeed we must not rest in these outward practises and in this morall ciuility we must plant Religion in our hearts wee must haue a sound Faith in Christ we must know the Doctrine of the Gospel we must worship God aright This the Apostle setteth downe as a rule to direct vs in our praising of men m Rom. 2. 28. 29. He is not a Iew which is one outward neither is that circumcision which is outward in the Flesh but he is a Iew which is one within and the Circumcision is of the heart in the spirit not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God It is the commendation of Dauid that he was a man after Gods owne heart It is the commendation of Iob n Iob. 1. 1. 2 3. that he was an vpright and iust man one that feared God and eschewed euill It is the commendation of Zachary and Elizabeth o Luke 1. 6. that they were both iust before God and walked in all the commandements and Ordinances of the Lord without reproofe If a man be void and destitute of this piety he can receiue no comfort by his ciuility and albeit he haue the estimation of an honest man it shall auaile him nothing vnlesse withall he be a Religious man and if our praise be neuer so great for our externall dealing toward men it shall minister no profit vnto vs except we shew inward deuotion toward God Vse 2.
threw him into the water to drowne him and at all times sought to destroy him when he beheld with the eyes of a Father that his childe fomed at the mouth gnashed with his teeth pined away in his body and was bruised in his bones hee was tempted with vnbeleefe and this made him cry out with teares a Marke 9 24 Lord I beleeue helpe mine vnbeleefe This is it wherein the Lord forewarned and fore-armed Peter b Luke 22 32. Behold Satan hath desired you to winnow you as Wheat but I haue prayed for thee that thy faith faile not He prayed not that their Faith should not be tried but that it should not be destroyed forasmuch as they must on euery side be assayled But the Faith of many is such that they say they perfectly beleeue and they thanke God they neuer doubted in all their life This Fath is no Faith it is an idle conceite a vaine perswasion a foolish presumption Lastly the true Faith encreaseth by degrees it is like vnto a graine of mustard seede which at the first is the least of all seedes c Math. 13 31 which afterward groweth vnto a Tree that the Birdes of the Ayre come and builde their Nestes in it and therefore wee must d Rom. 1 17. proceede from Faith to Faith But many amongst vs that will needes be in the number of the faithfull neuer feele these Degrees of Faith they see not any encreasing or decreasing any shining or ecclipsing of their Faith Nay they neuer examine themselues whether they be in the Faith or not They neuer consider whether they go forwarde or backeward in the wayes of Godlinesse they can cast vp their accounts euerie Weeke with the worlde but they can suffer whole moneths and yeares to passe ouer their heades and neuer once offer to make leuell with the Lord. If wee will assure our owne hearts that wee haue this true and perfect Faith in Christ let vs obserue the manner and measure of it the steppes and degrees of it how we walke by it and labour by all holy meanes to encrease it in vs. Thus much touching the Obiect of Faith Now let vs consider the Obiect of Loue. Loue toward the Saints The meaning of these words is first to be obserued and then the Doctrines are to be gathred which the Spirit of God offereth in this place to our considerations By loue we are to vnderstand the fruits of loue mercy consolation compassion brotherly kindnes reliefe pity and whatsoeuer fruits of charity we see them want stand in need of It standeth in the affection of the mind in the words of the mouth and in the workes of the hand By Saints we do not vnderstand such as are deade and deceased but those that are liuing not such as are of the Church Triumphant but in the Church Militant not such as are crownd with glory in heauen but those that dwell vpon the earth not such as are inrolled in the Popes Register and stand in redde Letters in the Popish Kalender but the faithfull whose Names are Written in the Booke of life which are the true members of Iesus Christ Thus much touching the true Interpretation of the Wordes We see heere that Loue is described by the Obiect thereof to wit the Saintes For as Christ is not the Obiect of our Charity e Psal 16 2. for our wel-dooing extendeth not vnto him so the Saints are not the Obiect of our Faith but as Faith hath respect and relation to Christ so hath loue reference to the Saints Now we haue shewed already that Philemons loue is commended toward the Saints because he had a principall and speciall care of them True it is he neglected not others but he was most of all mindfull of the godly poore and distressed Brethren Doct. 8. The works of mercy are especially to bee shewed to the poore that are godly We learne heereby that the workes of mercy are especially to be shewed to the poore among vs that are faithfull which may bee accounted of the fellowship and Communion of the Saints Howsoeuer all such as are poore are in their pouertie to bee regarded inasmuch as Christ hath taught vs that the poore we shall haue alwayes with vs yet the Godly poore that haue piety ioyned with their pouertie are before others and aboue others to be respected and releeued In the performance of this duty we see the practise of the Prophet Dauid going before vs a psal 16 2 3. and leading vs the way O my soule thou hast said vnto the Lord thou art my Lord my well-dooing extendeth not to thee but to the Saintes that are in the earth and to the excellent all my delight is in them In like manner also our Sauiour Christ describing the manner of the last Iudgement when hee shall giue to euerie one according to his Workes b Math. 25 40 declareth that the fruites of mercie bestowed vpon the members of Christ beeing sicke imprisoned hungrie thirstie naked and in necessity are allowed as notable fruites of a iustifying Faith and of a true loue and accepted as done to Christ himself So the Euangelist Luke testifieth in the Acts that c Acts 4 32. the multitude of them that beleeued were of one heart and of one mind they had all thinges common no man accounted any thing he possessed his owne but to serue the necessary vse of the Saints The Apostle hauing prooued in the Epistle to the Romanes that we are iustified freely by the grace of God without the works of the Law wherby we are at peace with God commeth to set down the fruits of Faith Chap. 12. Reioycing in hope continuing in Prayer d Rom. 12 13 distributing vnto the necessities of the Saints giuing your selues to Hospitality Heereunto come diuers Lawes which God ordained among his people e Deut. 15 17 If one of thy Brethren with thee be poore within any of thy gates in thy Land which the Lord thy God giueth thee thou shalt not harden thine heart nor shut thine hand from thy poore brother but thou shalt open thine hand vnto him and shalt lend him sufficient for his need All these testimonies of Scripture doo proue that the poore which are godly are most of all to bee succoured and sustained as they that for the most part stand in greatest need to be helped Reason 1. The Reasons heereof are to be considered First it is a fruit of our election which we ought to assure to our selues more and more The Apostle Iohn testifieth this f 1 Iohn 3 14. We know that wee are translated from death to life because wee loue the Brethren he that loueth not his Brother abideth in death We ought daily to gather arguments to perswade our hearts of Gods loue towardes vs which we shall see by our loue toward our brethren The election of God is hidden in himselfe the cause of it is not in our selues but we
of those thinges they enioy no more then of those things which they haue not obtained This made the Apostle say f Heb. 6 11 12 We desire that euerie one of you shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope vnto the end that ye be not sloathfull but followers of them which through Faith and Patience inherit the promises God is constrained oftentimes to take away the means that he sendeth for our good whē we make no good vse of them he taketh away good Pastors he sendeth setteth vp euill Pastors in their roomes when we do not profit nor are careful to make others profit by vs. This the Prophet Zacharie denounceth from the mouth of the Lord g Zach. 17 16 I will raise vp a Shepheard in the Land which shall not looke for the thing that is lost nor seeke the tender Lambes nor healt that that is hurt nor feede that which standeth vp but he shall eate the flesh of the fat and teare the clawes in peeces This also Christ our Sauiour teacheth in the Gospell h Math. 13 12 Whosoeuer hath to him shall be giuen and he shall haue abundance but whosoeuer hath not from him shall be taken away euen that he hath Furthermore in the parable of the man that going into a farre Countrey called vnto him his seruants and deliuered vnto them his goods we see that the euil seruant that hauing receiued a Talent hid it in the ground brought onely a Talent to his Maister againe hath i Math 25 28. that taken from him and it is giuen to him that had gotten and gained fiue Talents It is accounted an euill Tree not that onely which bringeth forth euill fruit but that also which bringeth forth no fruit It is accounted euill ground not onely that which beareth Thornes and Briars but that also which bringeth forth no Corne for the vse of man He is accounted an vniust steward not onely that wasteth his Maisters goods conuerteth thē to his own vse but he that keepeth them safe and sound without imployment which he had receiued to lay out to dispense and to distribute He is accounted an euill seruant not onely that selleth to others or reserueth to himselfe his Maisters Corne which he should haue sowed in the earth that it might haue brought forth great increase and a plentifull Haruest but he that keepeth it by him and in the end deliuereth it backe in the same manner and measure that he tooke it So are we vnfaithfull seruants vniust Stewards and euill bestowers of our Maisters mony if we let it lye by vs and do not imploy it to some gaine If then they be blamed and vnrewarded that gaine nothing what shall they be esteemed that loose the Stocke and dash away the principall Againe if God haue giuen vnto vs this worldes good he requireth of vs to do good with it to helpe those that are in want and to distribute to the necessities of the Saintes Hath God beene liberall to vs that we should be hand-bound and heart-bound vnto others He hath left the poore with vs that we should be in stead of God to them k Exod 4 16. as Moses is said to be giuen to Aaron in Gods stead as a wise Councellor so we are appointed to be vnto them as a wise distributer supplying that which is wanting vnto them How should God giue much vnto vs when for his sake we will not giue a little If we were in their case and condition and had experience how great the misery of want is and how heauy the burden of pouerty is we would be willing to be refreshed comforted and eased l Mat 7 12. Therefore whatsoeuer ye would that men should do to you euen so do ye to them for this is the Law and the Prophets Whatsoeuer we do vnto them shall not be vnregarded or vnrewarded we sow it in a fruitfull ground and we shall reape it againe with great encrease Vse 3. Lastly seeing we must imploy that which we haue receiued to the benefite of others it serueth greatly to comfort such as haue beene careful to communicate to others rhose thinges that they haue receiued and to make them partakers of the same comfort that they haue reaped by them It is a blessed thing when men haue endeuoured to their power to benefit others to exhort them to admonish them to comfort them to refresh them and haue vsed our guiftes to the profit of our bretheren O what a wonderfull comfort and consolation shall it be vnto vs when we must leaue this world and go the way of all flesh to remember that we haue not spared to do good to others wee haue not failed to benifit others we haue not ceased to scatter abroad a part of that which we haue gathered Let vs lay this to our heartes and apply it to our consciences both we that are the Ministers and you that are the people If we that are made watchmen ouer the Citty of God and ouerseers of the Church shall to the vtmost of our power imploy our guifts and spend our selues to giue light to others God will not forget the labour of our hands but great shall be our reward in heauen according to the promise mentioned in Daniell the Prophet m Dan 12 3. They that be wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the Firmament and they that turne many to righteousnesse shall shine as the Starres for euer and euer Heereunto accordeth the answere of Christ to the question of Peter n Luk 12 42 43. Who is a faithfull Steward and wise whom the Maister shall make Ruler ouer his houshold to giue them their portion of meat in season Blessed is that seruant whom his Maister when he commeth shall find so doing We shall find more comfort of conscience and ioy of heart and gladnesse of spirit when we depart this life that we haue beene faithfull in that little committed to our trust and made others partakers of it as well as our selues then if wee had great abundance of earthly blessings and were owners of the whole world The like comfort shall all faithfull people of God find that haue distributed their Maisters goodes they shall receiue their reward according vnto their worke We see the haruest is answereable to the seed time and they shal reap as they haue sowed Then they shall tast the sweetnesse and reap the comfort of their labor bestowed in applying themselues to the profit of others Their last day shall be a blessed day vnto them when they shall finde God as readie to communicate vnto them his glory as they haue bin to do to others their duty and to bestow vpon them the fruits of mercy and the works of charity The greatest good is to seeke to gaine their soules the next is to giue to their bodies On the other side howe vncomfortable shall that day of our leparture be how wofull and full of trouble bringing
GOD pondereth the hearts This is it which Christ spake to the Pharisees i Luke 16 15. Ye are they which iustifye your selues before Men but GOD knoweth your hearts for that which is highly esteemed among men is abhominable in the sight of God Let vs therefore publish the guiftes of God vppon our selues and our Bretheren not to the magnifying of our owne persons but to the extolling of his praises and let vs so spread abroad our graces as that wee remember his glorie that wrought them in vs by his Spirite Verse 7. For we haue great ioy and consolation in thy Loue. Hitherto wee haue spoken of the matter of his Prayer now let vs see the reason why hee made this the matter thereof For the Apostle might haue craued and asked of God many other things for him of God yet he desired that his faith might be communicated to many and so bee manifested to bee effectuall working by loue The reason heere rendered is from the effect or fruite of his prayers they were not vttered in the ayre they fell not without profit good successe to the ground but he felt great comfort and consolation wrought in him by the workes of Philemon performed to the glorie of God to the praise of his Faith and with the approbation of the church Heere then he sheweth that he had occasion offred him of great ioy and gladnesse in regard of the graces of God effects of faith fruits of true piety which he heard and knew to bee in Philemon Doctrine 4. The spirituall graces of God bestowed vpon others giue occasiō of ioy to the Saints From hence we learne that spirituall blessings and graces of God bestowed vpon others do giue iust occasion to the Saints of God of great gladnesse and comfort It is our dutie greatly to reioyce when we see spirituall blessings in heauenly thinges giuen to the Children of God This trueth our Sauiour Christ teacheth in the Parables of the stray Sheep of the lost Groat and of the prodigall Sonne The Shepheard a Luke 15 5 and 10 31. hauing found his sheep layeth it on his shoulder with ioy he commeth home he calleth his friendes saying Reioyce with me for I haue found my Sheep which was lost I say vnto you that likewise ioy shall be in heauen for one sinner that conuerteth more then for ninety and nine iust men which need none amendment of life The poore woman hauing lost a Groat lighteth a Candle sweepeth the house searcheth euery corner and when she hath found it she gathereth together her neighbors saying Reioyce with me for I haue found the Groat which I had lost wherevppon hee addeth Likewise I say vnto you there is ioy in the presence of the Angelles of God for one sinner that conuerteth The Father of that riotous sonne which wasted his goods hath compassion vpon him runneth to meete him fell on his necke and kissed him put apparrell on his back a ring on his finger and shooes on his feete reproued his sonne that enuied and repined at it saying let vs eate and reioyce it is meet we should make merry and bee glad for this thy Brother was dead and is aliue againe he was lost but hee is found Heereunto commeth the Thankesgiuing of Christ to his Father when he saw the encrease of his Church and the ouerthrowe of Satans kingdome c Luke 10 21 That same houre reioyced Iesus in the Spirite and saide I confesse vnto thee Father Lord of Heauen and earth that thou hast hid these thinges from the wise and vnderstanding and hast reuealed them to Babes euen so Father because it so pleased thee The Prophet Dauid reioyced with great ioy when hee sawe that the people d 1 Chron. 29 9 10. offred willingly vnto the Lord with a perfect hart he blessed the Lord God of Israel When the Iewes heard of the conuersion of the Gentiles that the Holy ghost fell vpon them as vpon themselues at the beginning e Acts 11 18. They held their peace and glorified God saying Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance vnto life When the apostle perceiued the notable zeal of the Thessalonians in receiuing entertaining the gospel not as the word of man but as it is indeed the word of God f 1 Thes 2 19 20. he witnesseth that they wer his hope his ioy his crown his glory in the presence of our Lord Iesus Christ at his comming Likewise the Apostle Iohn g 3 Iohn 4. reioyced greatly when the Brethren testified of the truth that was in Gaius how he walked therein Hee had no greater ioy then this to heare that his sons walked in the verity Whereby we see there ought to be great ioy amongst the faithfull when they see the Church prosper and flourish and the graces of God to encrease among them Reason 1. The Reasons are many that confirme this vnto vs. First the glory praise of God is much increased which shold comfort the harts reioice the spirits of the Saints The more wee abound with spiritual blessings in heauenly things the more God is honored and his name glorified This the Apostle teacheth speaking of the releeuing of the Church at Ierusalem h 2 Cor. 9 12. The ministration of this seruice not only supplieth the necessities of the Saintes but also abundantly causeth manie to giue thankes to God Where hee sheweth his ioy that he receiued and conceiued for their voluntary submission to the Gospell and compassion to the brethren this was a speciall cause that God was praised this ministered greater gladnesse to him then that the Saints were comforted and releeued Reason 2. Secondly the general good of the church must lead vs to this duty cause vs to reioyce which next vnto God shold be dearest to vs. For whē we see the Church encrease and many soules of many men women saued when we see their hearts conuerted regeneration wrought in them so that they begin to liue to God who before in the time of their ignorance liued to themselus to sin to condemnation who can haue such hearts of Flint or of Iron as not to be moued with ioy euen tickled with a sweet meditation of Gods mercy beholding the enlarging of the kingdom of Christ The prophet reioysed to see the people willingly affected religiously minded i Psal 122 1 2 to go to the house of the Lord Because Ierusalem did thereby prosper peace was within her wals and prosperitie within her pallaces Where he sheweth that his reioysing was for the wealth and welfare of the house of God Reason 3. Thirdly the Ordinances and Lawes of God are walked in and obserued so his blessings procured and obtained For if we hearken obey his voice we haue a promise to be respected and rewarded Such as walke in the Statutes commandements of the Lord to do them shal be blessed
themselues may want if they shold be liberal in giuing Answere I answer this proceedeth from the bitter root of infidelity God hath promised to rewarde the liberall giuer but these men haue not hearts to beleeue him to consider that he is true of his word They thinke that by giuing almes they shall be wasted but the spirite of God pronounceth that their wealth shal be increased He that giueth to the poore k Prou. 28. 27 and 11 25. lendeth to the Lord shall neuer lacke The liberal person shal haue plenty and hee that watereth shal haue raine There is that scattereth and more is encreased but he that spareth more then is meet surely commeth to pouerty Whatsoeuer is bestowed vpon the poore is accounted as giuen to Christ who is a rich Rewarder of all that seeke him Hence it is that the Apostle saith l 2 Cor. 9 9 10 Hee hath dispersed abroad and hath giuen to the poor his beneuolence remaineth for euer also he that findeth seed to the sower will minister likewise Bread for food and multiply your seed and encrease the fruites of your beneuolence The Wise man teacheth that if our bread and our bountifulnesse were cast vpon the waters yet after many dayes we shall finde them againe The Husbandman casteth his seed in the earth and burieth it almost an whole year before hee receiueth reapeth the fruit of that he hath sowne Therefore let not those that vse to giue releefe to others feare that they shall want the releefe of others Obiection Again others plead and pretend that they are poore and needie themselues they are rather constrained to receiue then to giue to take then to distribute to accept then to bestow for he that hath but little cannot minister to others But this cannot excuse the neglect of this dutie Answere Let such knowe that if there bee a willing minde m 2 Cor. 12. A Man is accepted according to that which hee hath and not according to that which hee hath not The poore Widdowe mentioned in the Gospell cast but one Mite into the Treesury and yet that which she gaue of her penurie n Luke 21 3. was more respected of Christ then all the aboundance of the Rich. The Churches of Macedonia were themselues o 2 Cor. 8 9. in extream necessity and in great pouertie yet sent releefe to others aboue their abilitie They that were conuerted to the Faith after Christes ascension diminished their owne substance when they solde their possessions o Acts 4 5. and distributed the money among the poore according to the necessities of euery one Euerie man is bound to minister to his neighbour and to supply his wantes as God hath enabled him Obiection 3. Thirdly others alledge for themselues that they haue a great charge and heauy burthen lying vppon their shoulders they must prouide for Wife and Children they haue Father and Mother and Kindered to releeue and if they should not sustaine them they are made worse then Infidels and haue denied the Faith Answere These shiftes cannot serue our turne nor iustifie vs in our euill doing True it is these thinges must bee done but the other must not bee left vndone The Church gathered by Peters preaching after Christs ascending into Heauen not onely spent of their superfluity but solde their patrimonie to releeue the poore yet no doubt they had Wife and Children of their owne to prouide for So no doubt had the Macedonians who not onely according to their power but also beyond their power were willing to doo others good Wee must commit our Children vnto him that hath promised to bee a Father vnto them Hee hath promised that he will not leaue vs nor forsake vs but be our deliuerer p Heb. 13. So that vvee shall not feare what Man can doo vnto vs. Wee haue a full assuraunce of his worde That the righteous q Psal 37 25. shall not bee forsaken nor his seede begge their Bread Such therefore as set their hearts to prepare and prouide much for their posterity do withdraw themselues commonly from helping the poore and by this meanes do oftentimes bring a curse vpon their owne goods so that some of their Children or of their Childrens Children riotously wast them make hauocke of all most vnthriftily Obiection 4. Fourthly some there are that hang backe and will giue no Almes because the poore are lewde and wicked they are Idle and abuse their almes they haue bad tongues and are vnthankful persons towards such as releeue them Answere I aunswere wee must in our giuing respect more the Commaundement of God then the personnes of men and though it fall out that their tongues cursse vs yet if wee succour them in their necessitie the loynes of the poore shall blesse vs and wee shall thereby heape Coales of fire vpon their head and make them ashamed of their euill We are likewise commaunded to loue our Neighbor it is not mentioned in the gospell that we should not loue him except he bee godly We are commaunded to set before vs the example of God r Math. 5. Who maketh the Sun to shine rain to fall vpon the iust and vniust vpon the godly and the vngodly that so we may bee perfect as our heauenly Father is perfect Againe the Apostle Paule hauing taught that ydle personnes which will not labour should not eate Å¿ 2 Thes 3 13. addeth one thing further to bee practised That we should not bee wearie of well-dooing Let vs not therefore so much looke vpon the person of the men as consider the greatnesse of their want Let vs not looke for a recompence from them but from him that hath promised vnto vs that a Cuppe of colde Water shall bee respected and rewarded by him This is it which Salomon meaneth Eccles. 11 3. when hee sayeth t Eccles. 11 3 If the Clowdes bee full they will poure foorth Raine vppon the Earth and if the Tree do fall towardes the South or towardet the North in the place that the Tree falleth there it shall bee In this place the Wiseman perswadeth the Church to liberality toward the poore the Clowds when they are full of water doo not keepe it to themselues but poure it on the earth that gapeth for the raine as if it were a thirst and openeth his mouth to bee refreshed so when men are laden with wealth they are bound to cherish their bretheren as it were pined away with hunger third Then he preuenteth that obiection which Couetous men make to stay their hands from shewing mercie and to shut vp their compassion from the needy because they are wicked and vnworthy of any fauour that they will abuse it to Whoredome to Drunkennesse and to excesse For hee telleth them of the profite and reward that they shall receiue because as the Tree howsoeuer it falleth on the right hande or on the left on the North
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
truth of the word of God or not One man defending a truth is to be preferred before an hundreth others holding and vpholding an error or heresie and we are rather to beleeue z Luther lib contra Henr. Octa. Panormitan T it de elect can Significasti a poore and silly man grounding himselfe vpon the scriptures before a thousand Doctors building vpon humane Traditions and vnwritten verities If these men that are blinde themselues and looke vpon all things through other mens spectacles had liued in the daies of Eliah Micaiah and Ieremy when the truth of God was so often contradicted and ouerswaied by multitudes of men a 1 King 18 19 and 22 6. when for one true Prophet of God there were fiue hundreth false Prophets whom would they haue beleeued whom would they haue receiued whom would they haue condemned It would haue gone hard with the truth and beene euill spoken off by the euill mouths and malicious tongues of these partiall Iudges They would haue said Eliah is but one the Prophets against him are many are not they liker to see the truth then he Thus the faith of Christ and pure Religion is not waighed in the ballance of the Sanctuary nor measured with a iust Ephah and a true Hin but with false waights and deceitfull ballances which are an abomination vnto the Lord. In all causes and questions that rise the word of God must iudge Vse 3. Thirdly this giueth comfort and contentment to the meanest smallest of Gods Saints and putteth them in remembrance not to be discomforted and out of heart for their meane calling or for their low estate for they are nothing the lesse regarded of God or to be esteemed of his Church They haue as great an interest in all Gods blessings as the richest sort and many times a greater they haue as great a portion in Christ as the mightiest men and many times a greater For God b Luk 1 52 53. hath put downe the mighty from their seates and exalted them of low degree he hath filled the hungry with good things and sent away the rich empty What grace of God what meanes of saluation is hidden from these poore little ones so accounted off by the men of this world They haue interest in the word and Sacraments they haue free accesse to come into the glorious presence of God to pray vnto him and to poure out their supplications before him as well as they that swell with riches and abound in earthly thinges When God had made a couenant with Abraham and planted his Church in his family he gaue Circumcision as a signe and seale thereof not onely to Abraham but to all his house and commanded him to Circumcise c Gen 17 26 27. not onely himselfe and his seed but all the men of his houshold both borne in his house and bought with money of the stranger Whereby we see that the lowest of his seruants and bondmen that belonged vnto him haue as great right to the Couenant and as good a Title to the promises of God as he had in asmuch as they were assured by the commandement of God that the visible signe that was in their flesh was not in vaine The like we see in the Apostle writing to the Corinthians d 1 Cor 10 1 2 3 4. Moreouer bretheren I would not haue you ignorant that all our fathers were vnder that Cloud and all passed through that Sea and were all baptized vnto Moses in that Cloud and in that Sea and did all eate the same spirituall meate and did all drinke the same spirituall drink for they dranke of the spirituall Rocke that followed them and the Rocke was Christ This people was a great body standing of many members some of them were the Elders of the people and the heads of the families others were of the lower sort and of inferiour degree yet they had alike priuiledge in the Sacraments and the Apostle fiue times remembreth that all of them were partakers of them This is it that e 1 Cor 7 21. 22. made him say in another place Art thou called being a setuant Care not for it for hee that is called in the Lord being a seruant is the Lords free-man likewise also he that is called being free is Christs seruant We see this in the members of our natural bodies some members are more high and honourable then others yet none are contemned We haue a care not onely of the head and hart of the hands and liuely parts but of the least and smallest that belong to the body e 1 Cor 12 22 23 24 25. Yea much rather those Members of the bodie which seeme to be more feeble are necessary and vpon those Members of the Body which we thinke most vnhonest put wee more honestie on and our vncomely partes haue more comlinesse on for our comely parts neede it not but GOD hath tempered the bodie together and hath giuen the more Honour to that part which lacked least there should bee any diuision in the bodie but that the Members should haue the same care one for another So ought none that belong to Christ Iesus to bee neglected Hee contemneth Christ himselfe whosoeuer contemneth the least member that belongeth vnto him This Christ our Sauiour sheweth f Math. 18 6. Whosoeuer shall offend one of these little ones which beleeue in mee it were better for him ehat a Mill-stone were hanged about his Necke and that hee were drowned in the depth of the Sea As this causeth contentment in the poor so it worketh Humility in the rich considering that their Honour Wealth Authoritie and such like priuiledges of the flesh cannot commend the more to God or to the Saintes but their soundnesse in Faith and sincerity in life according to the saying of the Apostle Iames g Iam. 1 9 10 Let the Brother of low degree reioyce in that he is exalted Againe He that is rich in that he is made low for as the flower of the grasse shall be vanish away The poorest man that is of base account and reckoning in the World hath as great and as good a Title to Christ as the greatest men that be They haue not so great a portion in outward blessings but they haue as great a part in Heauenly Graces Hee that hath Christ is a Rich man hee bringeth with him all thinges else for in him are hidde all treasures which we are bound to seeke after He that wanteth Christ h Reuel 3 17. is a poore begger if he had his house full of Siluer and Gold and possessed Mountains of Pearles and precious Stones The Apostle teacheth i Gal. 3 29. that If we be Christes then we are Abrahams seede and heyres by promise so that the poorest person that is in the Church if hee beleeue in Christ is in the place of Abraham and succeedeth him in the inheritance of the Kingdome of Heauen which is a greater Honour
wisedome in the end be turned into folly our presumption into despaire our dallying with the word into destruction Thirdly wee are put in mind by this meanes of our regeneration to acknowledge the happy estate and condition of that Nation of that people of that parish to whome God hath vouchsafed the preaching of his word because it is a sure pledg proof of his loue toward them and a manifest argument and testimony that he hath a Church there to be gathered a people to be conuerted and many soules to be saued For euen as God withholdeth the meanes of saluation from those that he doth not determine to saue i 1 King 17 1. As he stayeth the heauens from raining vpon the earth when he will bring a famine so when he will shew mercy he wil send the meanes plentifully It was a great mercy to the Iewes when Christ called his Disciples k Math. 10 6. and bad them Go and preach to the lost sheepe of the house of Israel that the kingdom of heauen was at hand It was a great blessing intended to the Macedonians when a vision appeared to Paul in the night l Acts 19 6 10 and 18 10 11. There stood a man of Macedonia and prayed him saying Come into Macedonia and help vs whereby Paul was assured that the Lord had called him to preach the Gospell vnto them It was a great fauour bestowed vppon the Corinthians when the Lorde saide to Paul Feare not but speake and hold not thy peace for I am with thee and no man shall lay hands on thee to hurt thee for I haue much people in this City so he continued there a yeare and sixe months and taught the word of God among them Where the Lord telleth his seruant that he had people there whome he meant to saue and therefore he sent them his word to saue them yea he had much people there to saue and therefore the Apostle must bestow much time and diligence among them to bring them to saluation When God would preserue Moses out of the waters that might haue drowned him hee sent m Exod. 2 5. Pharaohs daughter to the Riuer to take vppe the Childe and to prouide for it who brought him vp at her owne cost So when God will saue a people from their sinnes and make them partakers of his Kingdome hee offereth vnto them the meanes he sendeth his word he giueth guiftes vnto his Ministers hee toucheth their hearts with a Conscience of their duties and causeth them to preach vnto them that so they might be conuerted and saued If God haue thus blessed vs and bestowed this mercy vpon vs which he hath denied to many places and persons n Amos 4 7. causing it to raine vpon one Cittie and not vpon another Cittie so that one peece was rained vppon and the peece vvhereupon it rained not vvithered Let vs therefore acknowledge this goodnesse and walke worthy of this benefit least the Gospell bee remoued from vs and giuen vnto another Nation that will bring forth the fruites of it When the Gospell was offered vnto the Iewes o Acts 18 6. and they resisted blasphemed the Apostle shooke his raiment and saide vnto them Your blood be vpon your owne head I am cleane from henceforth will I go vnto the Gentiles It had beene better for vs we had neuer had the word preached among vs then to haue it offred and we not regard it It shall bee easier for the Turkes and Sarazens in the day of judgement then for vs for if they shall be condemned that neuer had the truth of God among them and knewe not what the preaching of it meaneth much more iustly shall we perish that haue had the Gospell taught in our streets and brought vnto our doores and Christ Iesus described in our sight and among vs crucified Let vs therefore take heede that the Gospell be not the sauour of death to death vnto vs and that Christ be not a rocke of offence to stumble at least if we fall on him he grind vs to peeces and to powder Vse 2 Secondly seeing the word preached is the meanes whereby we are regenerated it teacheth the Minister to be careful to exercise his duty with faithfulnesse and seruiceablenesse to Christ and his Church Heereby he shal deliuer his owne soule gaine glory to God and turne many vnto righteousnesse This made the Apostle say p 1 Tim. 4 15 16. 1 Cor. 4 1. 2 Cor. 4 5 6. We preach not our selues but Christ Iesus the Lord and our selues your seruants for Iesus sake The Lord Iesus himselfe went about all Citties and Townes preaching the Gospell and healing the sicke The Apostle Paule saith of himselfe q 1 Cor. 6 19. A necessity is laide vpon me and woe vnto mee if I preach not the Gospell And thus he exhorteth the Elders of Ephesus Take heede vnto your selues and to all the flocke whereof the Holy-Ghost hath made you Ouer-seers to feede the Church of God which hee hath purchased with his owne blood Acts 20 28. It is his dutie to be well studied in the word of God to exercise himselfe carefully in the reading thereof that he may be able to declare the same vnto the people He must be as a plentifull Store-house of all necessary prouision that they may resort to him and seeke the Lawe at his mouth For how shall he be able to teach another that which hee himselfe hath not learned Or how shall he deliuer that which himselfe neuer receyued Neither is it enough for him to seeke knowledge himselfe and to keepe continually in his study till he become as r Greenh part 4. Sermon 4. one saith as a Tun that wil not sound being full when one knocketh vpon it but he must come foorth and preach the word of God and deliuer wholsome doctrine and declare by feeding the flocke of Christ that hee loueth his Maister and the Maister of the Sheepe whose seruant he professeth himselfe to be This is it which the Apostle Peter teacheth Å¿ 1 Pet. 5 2 3 4 Feede the flocke of God which dependeth vpon you caring for it not by constraint but willingly not for filthy lucre but of a ready minde not as though ye were Lords ouer Gods heritage but that ye may be ensamples to the flocke and when that cheefe Shepheard shall appeare ye shall receiue an incorruptible crowne of glory If we do not thus labour but loyter in the Lords Vineyard we cannot assure our selues to be the Ministers of the Lord but robbers and spoylers nay murtherers and man-slayers who do not onely eate the sins of the people and fill our bellies with the sweat of other mens browes but make a prey of their soules and expose them to bee destroyed and deuoured of their enemies When the great day of the Lord shall come and the great Shepheard of the Sheepe shall appeare and a great account of our Stewardshippe
haue saide he was some couzener or Coniurer some Impostor or deceiuer as often before they had falsely and blasphemously charged him Or had they faith in their owne power to beleeue when they would and to receiue him to be the Sauiour of the world These carnall men do resemble and reason like vnto the Scribes and Pharisees If God would descend from heauen as they wold haue Christ come downe from the Crosse then they would immediately beleeue then they would no longer lye in their sinnes But if God should with his dreadfull and terrible voice speake vnto vs we were not able to appear before him nor to abide the hearing of it but should bee swallowed vp with feare and stand amazed as dead men When God spake vnto the Children of Israell in the Mount they fledde from him and could not endure his presence they stood a farre off and cried vnto Moses g Ex. 20 18 19. Talke thou with vs and we will heare but let not God talke with vs least we die Shall we then in the foolishnesse and pride of our own harts challenge the Lord to come foorth vnto vs and presume to settle our selues to enter talke and communication with him when the earth quaketh at his voyce and trembleth vnder him When the Mountaines are remooued before him h Esay 6 2. and the Angels couer their faces from him If we wil not belieue the preachers of the worde nor content our selues with this ordinance of God but woulde haue eyther reuelation from Heauen or the presence of God or the person of Christ or the glorie of an Angell or the appearaunce of the dead or wee know not what we shall neuer bee partakers of the benefits of Christ we shall neuer receiue to beleeue wee shall neuer haue the grace of regeneration bestowed vpon vs. God hath not left vs to the preaching of Angelles but to the Ministry of men If we will not yeelde obedience to the voyce of God speaking to vs in his Ministers wee would not regard his owne immediate voyce thundring downe vppon vs nor beleeue if a damned soule or ghost shal come out of hell to preach vnto vs. If we will not beleeue Moses and the Prophets i Luke 16 31. we would not beleeue though one came vnto vs from the dead Wherefore let vs leaue this vanity and in a conscience to God and obedience to his ordinance in a loue to our own souls and desire of our own saluatiō let vs euery one be swift to hear slow to speak slow to wrath Now to the end we may heare aright k Three things required to be good hearers of the word of God three thinges are required of vs Preparation Attention and Meditation ioyned with practise Preparation before we heare Attention in the time of hearing Meditation and practise after our hearing When Christ had propounded the parable of the Sower and the seed in the end he gathered from thence this note and draweth this conclusion and admonition l Luke 8 18. Take heede how ye heare For some present themselues to the Ministery of the Word for forme and fashion for company and custome without conscience others thinke it enough to bee present howsoeuer they be affected in the hearing or mooued after the hearing It is therefore necessary that we should be prepared before we come Now to this preparation three thinges are necessary Faith Feare and Desire first we must haue Faith without which the Word is as a dead Letter without life and as an empty sound without power and if we doe not giue credit vnto it m Heb. 6 4 2. it cannot profit the hearers Secondly we must come with feare that we may feare God in his word and auoyd the breach of it For the Lord hath n Esay 66 2. respect vnto them that are of humble and contrite hearts and tremble at his word We must set our selues o Act. 10 33. in the presence of God and heare as if we saw him present before vs and so receiue the word as from Christ himselfe the Teacher of his Church Thirdly we must come with good stomackes as vnto a feast prepared for vs we must hunger and thirst after the word to feede our empty Soules desiring it and longing after it as doth the dry ground after the Dew of heauen and the shewers of Raine This the Apostle Peter teacheth p 1 Pet. 2 2. Desire the sincere Milke of the word of God that ye may grow thereby Hee that thinketh himselfe full before he come to the Lords house is no fit Guest to be partakers of his dainty fare In hearing the word we must be attentiue and intentiue to that which we heare As we are present in bodie so we must be present in minde God opened the heart of Lydia to attend to those things that were deliuered by Paule This is very profitable q Three benefits of attention many waies and helpeth as a Soueraigne remedy against the rouing cogitations of the minde against the entertaining of other actions of another Nature and against the loathsomnesse and wearinesse that for the most part accompanyeth the most holie thinges of God First we are subiect to vnconstancy and lenity of minde our hearts are ready to wander and goe astray from the present work in hand and oftentimes are carried away from the best matters so that wee neither remember where we are nor consider what we doe nor endeuour to profit as we ought Secondly it auayleth against those deceits and destructions whereby we entertaine other actions of piety which with-draw vs from the present occasion and duty of hearing required of vs. For some thinke they do God good seruice when they offer vnto him no bettet then a will worship which is abhominable before him Hence it is that many thinke it enough to be present with the assembly and regard not how they be occupyed so that whlie the Congregation is imployed one way they are imployed another while it performeth a publike action they are exercised in some priuate deuotion as for example when the Church is hearing they are praying or when the Church is praying they are reading This is to offer the Sacrifice r Eccle. 4 17. of Fooles For the publique actions of the Church must be publikely attended of all the assemblie and there is neither time nor place vnto any thing that is priuate or proper to one or to few For the Minister beeing a a publike person is alwaies either the mouth of God or the mouth of the the people the mouth of God to speake vnto vs from him and to deliuer the word in his name the mouth of the people and Congregation to speak vnto the Lord for vs so that the action is common to the whole Church So then it cannot stand with the rules of the word and the comely order that God hath left to his Church that in the time of publique
were filled with the Spirit of God in wisedom in vnderstanding in knowledge and in al workmanship If couetousnes be the cause of placing such blind guids which is as great an ouer-sight as to set a blind man to be a Watch-man or a dumb man to be a Messenger or a Lame man to be a Post or a deafe man to bee a Iudge we must obserue that the Lord compiaineth in the Prophet n Mal. 3 8. that he was spoyled and robbed when the Tithes and offerings were taken away from the true vse and from the right Owners and therefore would visit it with a greeuous plague and heauy iudgement The Iewes in the Gospell alledge it vnto Christ as an Argument of loue to them and their Nation that the Centurian whose Seruant was sicke o Luke 7 5. had built them a Synagogue so that on the otherside they would haue branded him with the note of hating them and their Nation if he had spoiled the Synagogue or taken away the priuiledges belonging vnto it The Prophet Dauid as we heard before would not drinke p 1 Chron. 11 16. of the Water of Bethleem because it was gotten with the danger of some few mens Temporall liues Ought not this to teach a great conscience to euery one to take heede that he doe not eate and drinke that which hazzardeth the Soules and bodies of many of their Brethren and to make them afraid to cloath themselues and their families by leauing the people naked to their enemies to be a pray vnto them and to be destroyed by them It is noted as a thing worthy of note and memory q Possid in vita August 10. 24. in the life of S. Austine that he sharpely rebuked and reproued a Gentleman in his time for re-calling and taking away his owne guift which before he had giuen to the maintenance of his Church how much more would he haue beene offended if he had liued in our daies wherein many are as friendlie and fauourable to the Ministery as the East wind is to the fruits of the earth how much more seuerely would hee haue censured those Caterpillers and Cormorants that take away by iniurious customes and corruptions the maintenance of the Church which neither they nor their Fathers haue giuen The ancient Romaines by the light of Nature as Liuy r Decad. 5. lib. 2 testifieth disliked and checked Qu. Fuluius Flaccus because he had vncouered a part of Iunoes Temple to couer another Temple of Fortune with the same Tiles they tolde him that Pirrhus or Hanniball would not haue done the like and that it had bin too much for him to haue done it to a priuate Cittizens house being a place farre inferior to a Temple and in conclusion forced compelled him to send home those Tiles againe by a publike decree of the Senate Let those things be duely waied and make these men ashamed to come behinde the Heathen who did more to their Idols then they will doe for the honour of the true God If they be not hewen out of Oakes and haue hearts of Flint let them open their eyes and behold the oppressions of the Church and the pulling away in whole or in part the prouision appointed for the Pastor whereby it commeth to passe that many places want the preaching of the Word and many Soules perrish for the want thereof When the Å¿ 1 Sam. 6 3. Philistims sent home Gods Arke from them they sent it not backe empty they returned it not without a guift When Zaccheus repented of his iniurious dealing t Luke 19 8. hee offered to restore foure-folde If these Church-pollers who haue robbed the Church and enriched themselues with the spoiles thereof will not restore that which they haue wrongfully taken and make vp the breaches which they haue wastfully made beeing without the feare of God and any fruit of true Religion they shall in the end receiue iudgement according to their workes and in the meane season their owne consciences shall sting and torment them It goeth indeede hard with the poore Church that is oppressed and it groneth and sigheth vnder the burden of her oppression yet in the end when the Lord cheefe-Iustice of Heauen and Earth shall pronounce sentence against them it shall bee knowne that they who oppresse others do u August epist 211. more hurt themselues then those whom they oppresse in as much as the sorrow and smart of the oppressed haue an ende but the woe and torment of the oppressour shall be euerlasting because he heapeth vnto himselfe wrath against the day of wrath and of the declaration of the iust iudgement of God 11 Which in times past was to thee vnprofitable but now very profitable both to thee and to me 12 Whom I haue sent againe thou therefore receiue him that is mine owne Bowels The order of the Words HItherto we haue heard the cheefe matter of this Epistle propounded and amplified Now let vs see how it is proued and confirmed The matter handled is that Onesimus should be receiued and entertained againe by his Maister This is first strengthned and then concluded To effect his purpose Paule draweth diuers reasons some taken from Onesimus others from the Apostle himselfe From Onesimus in the eleauenth verse because he should find him very profitable and seruiceable which is amplified by the contrary albeit he haue beene vnprofitable and vnthrifty vnto thee The reason may be thus framed If he will proue profitable vnto thee then thou oughtest to receiue him least thou be found an enemy to thine owne profit But he will proue profitable vnto thee Receiue him therefore This hath included in it the force of a close and secret Obiection Obiection For Philemon might obiect I haue found him hurtfull why then should I receiue into my House as a member of my Family that Seruant which will cause more harme then bring profit I haue had experience of the damage that he hath done me what homage he will doe me I know not Answere To this the Apostle maketh a double answer first by graunting then by correcting that which he had graunted and both waies by comparing the time past with the time present the time before he embraced Religion with the time of his conuersion as if he should say true it is and I grant he was once vnprofible to thee for while he was vnfaithfull to God he could do no faithfull seruice vnto thee but why dost thou vrge the time of his ignorance And why dost thou consider so much what he hath beene For now hee is become a new man he hath tasted of the true Religion he hath learned to know God to know himselfe to know thee and to know me To know God his mercifull Creatour to know himselfe a wretched Sinner to know thee his louing Maister to know me his spirituall Father whereas in former times he was ignorant of all these As he regarded not to know
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
soeuer our places how simple soeuer our persons how base soeuer our conditions are we haue as good a title and as great an interest in the death and passion of Christ as they that shine in the world that are clad in Purple and fare deliciously euery day And as these haue redemption by him so God affordeth to them the meanes of saluation as wel as the mightiest Monarkes vpon the earth The poore man hath the word of God offered to him reade vnto him and preached vnto him as well as the rich he hath the Sacraments of God prouided for him as well as for them that are of high place he may pray vnto God as freely as comfortably as chearefully as the great men of the earth and he hath a gracious promise to be heard and respected as well as they Though thou farest hardly and meanly at home k Prou. 9 2. Math. 22 1. yet God hath prepared thee a feast and biddeth thee to his Table richly furnished and plentifully stored with all prouision Though thou do not iet vp and down in Silks and Veluets and hast no gorgeous attire to put on yet God hath l Rom. 13 14 prouided thee a better garment he giueth thee his owne sonne to put on and clotheth thee with his righteousnesse which shall couer all thy shame that thy nakednesse shall neuer appeare in his sight So then seeing God accepteth no mans person seeing Christ vouchsafeth to call vs Bretheren and lastly seeing the faithfull haue redemption by his bloode it followeth necessarilie that our Christian Religion and Faith in Christ doe make all persons after a sort equall as Bretheren and Sisters of one and the same Father and Family and Ioynt-heyres of one and the same Kingdome that is immortall and neuer fadeth Vse 1 The Vses of this Doctrine are many putting vs in minde of sundrie good duties First seeing that in Christ who is the elder brother of the house we are al made Brethren and Sisters together hauing one Father which is God one Mother which is the Church one inheritance which is heauen it is our duty being neerely ioyned by so strong bands and in so fast and firme a society to loue one another to seeke the good one of another and to cut off all occasions of discord and diuision that may arise among vs. For shal such as are members of one body be diuided one against another Or shal such as are the deare Children of the same Father nourish hatred and hart-burning among themselues Or shall such as are parts of the same family foster mallice in their hearts and follow contentions and emulations to the ruine one of another My Brethren we see these things are but these things ought not so to be How shall God be our common Father if wee liue not together as louing Brethren Or how shall he call vs his children if we behaue our selues as strangers or enemies one to another This Brotherly loue is the roote of all good duties to be performed where it is wanting there is nothing but strife and sedition and all manner of euill workes This is the old commandement m Leuit. 19 18 That we loue our Neighbors as our selues This is the new commandement giuen vnto vs n Iohn 13 34 That we loue one another Seeing therefore there is one body and one spirit one Faith and one Father one Church and one Baptisme let vs support one another by loue and endeuour to keep the vnity of the spirit in the bond of peace This is it which the Apostle prooueth when he hath shewed o Colos 3 11 12 13. That there is neither Grecian nor Iew neither circumcision nor vncircumcision Barbarian Scythian bond free but Christ is all and in all things he addeth As the elect of God holy and beloued put on the bowelles of mercies kindnesse humblenesse of mind meeknes long-suffering forbearing one another and forgiuing one another if any man haue a quarrell vnto another euen as Christ forgaue euen so do ye and aboue all these thinges put on loue which is the bond of perfectnesse When a Controuersie contention arose in the houses of Abraham and Lot among their seruantes though there were a great difference and disparity between them yet Abraham saide p Gen. 13 8. Exodus 2 13. Acts 7 26. Let there bee no strife I pray thee between thee me neither between thy Heardmen my Herdmen for we are Brethren This is that whereof the Prophet putteth vs in mind and offereth to our consideration q Psal 133 1 3 Behold how good and comely a thing it is Brethren to dwell euen together there the Lorde hath appointed the blessing of life for euer To this purpose the Apostle saith r Ro. 12 10 11 Be affectioned to loue one another with Brotherly loue in giuing honour go one before anothee not sloathfull to doe seruice feruent in spirit seruing the Lord. It cannot bee denied but many occasions of iarres and ianglings arise among men and the more they are giuen to the world the more they are wrapped and intangled in them the lesse desire and delight they haue to be loosed from them Hee that is giuen to contention shall alwayes feede himselfe vpon it and neuer want matter to keepe him in it But would we know what is the cause of so much hatred malice that remaineth among vs Heereupon it ariseth euen from hence that we forget that we are Brethren and do all looke for one and the same inheritance Vse 2 Secondly seeing the Gospell of Christ teacheth vs to account our selues as brethren albeit it take not away the degrees of persons the differences of Callings it serueth as a good instruction to all Superiors to vse all mildnesse and moderation patience and meekenesse towards those that are their Inferiours and placed vnder them and to teach them not to contemne and abhorre them not to despise and disdaine them For howsoeuer there be one way a great inequality betweene them in matters of this world and in the things of this life inasmuch as God set superiors aboue vs in an higher place and requireth subiection reuerence and obedience of those that are beneath yet in another respect they are matches and equals hauing a like portion in Christ and a like interrest in the meanes of saluation Wee see in many things of this life the Lord maketh no difference betweene high low betweene Prince and people True it is their foode is daintier but are their bodies stronger Their attyre is costlier and their apparrell finer but are they kept the warmer They may haue greater helpe of the Physitians but can they deliuer them from death They may haue a more costly Coffin a a more sumptuous Tombe and a greater train following them to the graue but can these things helpe the soule No no the Prophet is plaine and experience shoulde make vs able to see it and wise to
his Ministry by which he was at the first conuerted and hitherto continued in the state of grace which remained as a Seale engrauen and imprinted in his heart Doctrine 4. Such as haue gained vs vnto God ought aboue all others to be most deare vnto vs. From hence we learne that such as haue gained vs to God or preserued vs in the state of Saluation by the preaching of the Gospell ought to be most deare vnto vs we owing vnto them euen our selues and whatsoeuer we haue besides to doe them good The benefits bestowed vpon vs by the Ministry of the word can neuer be sufficiently esteemed nor worthily enough prized nor aboundantly enough be recompenced and rewarded Hence it is that when Elisha sell sicke of his sicknesse whereof he dyed Ioash the King of Israell came downe vnto him and wept vpon his face and said z 2 Kin. 13 14 O my Father my Father the Charrâ—t of Israell and the Horsemen of the same Where we may learne what to account of the Teachers of the Church by the testimony of a King that sitteth on his Throne if he do so account of theÌ„ such as are inferior to him must not make lesse reckoning of them Hereunto commeth the saying of the Prophet a Esay 52 7. Nah. 1 15. How beautifull vpon the Mountains are the feet of him that declareth publisheth peace that declareth good tidings and publisheth saluation saying vnto Sion Thy God raigneth Where he sheweth by way of admiration that it is one of the greatest benefits to haue Pastors sent vnto vs that may direct our steps into the way of peace and guide our feet to eternal life This is the estimation that the Galathians had of Paul and the commendation which Paule giueth of the Galathians that they accounted nothing too dear or too good for him b Gal. 4 14 15 The triall of me which was in my flesh ye despied not neither abhorred but ye receiued me as an Angell of God yea as Christ Iesus What was then your felicity For I beare you record that if it had beene possible ye would haue pulled out your owne eyes and haue giuen them vnto me Where he sheweth that he was entertained among them as an Angell nay aboue an Angell euen as Christ himselfe To this purpose he writeth to the Corinthians c 1 Cor. 4 1. Let a man so thinke of vs as of the Ministers of Christ and disposers of the secrets of God By all which testimonies it is manifest that such as conuerted vs to the faith and brought vs to be Cittizens of the kingdome of heauen ought to be dearely and entirely beloued of vs. Reason 1 Neither should this seeme strange vnto vs. First of all they are most of all to be loued and highly esteemed of vs that doe vs most good we are most deeply indebted vnto them that labour most for our benefit This it is which our Sauiour insinuateth in the parable of the lender that had two debters the one ought him more the other lesse and he forgaue them both declaring that he iudged vprightly d Luke 7 43. Who supposed that he would loue him most to whom he had forgiuen most The greatest benefit requireth of vs the greatest loue But the Ministers do vs or may do vs the greatest good if we lay not a barre in our owne way For the blessings that God bestoweth vpon men by the Ministry of his Pastors and Teachers are spirituall and eternall blessings but the blessings that the hearers do returne and recompence to their Ministers are Temporall and as the Apostle speaketh and calleth them Carnall saying e 1 Cor. 9 11. If we haue sowen vnto you spirituall things it is a great thing if we reap your carnall thinges They fight our Spirituall battels for vs and what do we not owe to such Reason 2. Again they are vnto vs in stead of Christ they are his officers that he hath appointed in his Church who when he ascended into heauen gaue gifts vnto men and ordained those that should teach his people vnto the end of the World Hence it is that the Apostle saith f 2 Cor. 5 20. Now then are we Ambassadours for Christ as though God did beseech you through vs we pray you in Christes stead that ye be reconciled vnto God If we did beleeue that the Ministers were left vs in Christes stead and did supply his roome we would otherwise respect them and esteeme of them then we doe Reason 3. Thirdly they are the Ministers by whom we beleeue and consequently by whom we are saued They are our Fathers in Christ by whom we are begotten to eternall life To this end the Apostle saith g 1. Cor. 3 5. Who is Paul then And who is Apollos but the Ministers by whom ye beleeued and as the Lord gaue to euery Man Can we haue a greater blessing bestowed vpon vs then Faith without which it is vnpossible to please to God But Faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the Word of GOD And the word is brought vnto vs by the Ministers of God Seeing then that they deserue the greatest loue that doe vs the greatest good Seeing the Ministers are vnto vs in the place of Christ Iesus and lastlie seeing they are the Instruments by whom we beleeue It followeth necessarilie that such as turne many vnto righteousnesse are highly to be regarded and to bee greatly magnified of vs aboue many others Vse 1. The Vses arising from hence are of diuers sorts First of all it directeth vs to other necessary truths to be learned of vs. It is noted by the Apostle to be one generall vse of the Scripture that it serueth and sufficeth to teach all truth needfull to saluation so the former point being receiued will help vs to finde out and conclude other truthes First we learne that wheresoeuer there is a true profession a sound feeling and true tast of Religion or ioy of saluation there will be a reuerent account and ioyfull entertainement of the teachers and publishers of the Gospell On the other side a light slender account of the Ministers argueth a light account of the word of Christ of the doctrine of saluation and of the truenesse of Religion Let euery one of vs examine our owne affections and try our owne hearts by this Touchstone It is vnpossible to make any diuorse betweene the true Ministers of God and the true Doctrine which is according to godlinesse He that honoreth one magnifieth the other and hee that contemneth the one despiseth the other Whosoeuer it is that being distempered and diseased esteemeth of his health or desireth it he will honour the Physitian that cureth and recouereth him He that being wounded is throughly healed will greatly regard him that gaue vnto him the salue to make a plaister He that hath beene ignorant and is taught the knowledge that he had not before will make much of him that
feed on Milke as they that are inexpert in the word of Righteousnesse It is a signe of health when men grow in strength and stature and it is a token of the true Childe of God when men grow in grace This is it which the Apostle speaketh to the Corrinthians x 2 Cor. 8 7. As ye abound in euery thing in faith and word and knowledge and in all diligence and in your loue toward vs euen so see that yee abound in this grace also And afterward he saith y verse 24. Shew toward them and before the Churches the proofe of your loue and of the reioycing that we haue of you Likewise Timothy had great praise in the Church who according to the prophesies that went before of him did answer the expectation of the faithful approuing himselfe in the sight of God and men Heerevnto commeth the counsell and commaundement of the Apostle z 1 Tim. 4 15 These thinges exercise and giue thy seife vnto them that it may be seene how thou profitest in all thinges It is a great comfort and encouragement to the people of God to see any the members of Christ to prosper and profit in good thinges On the otherside it ministreth occasion of much griefe and heauinesse of heart to behold the zeale of the Spirit quenched and the light of the Gospell that hath shined in their minds eclipsed If a man should looke vpon the members of his own body and see any one of them shriueled and withered as Arme or hand or Leg not prospering not growing not mouing not receiuing life from the head it would worke sorrow in vs and we would pitty others in whomsoeuer we should see such infirmities In like manner we must be well assured it cannot but greatly greeue the Church of God to behold the parts thereof to begin to faint and waxe feeble to grow groueling downeward when they should cast vp their eyes to Heauen and liue as Cittizens of that Kingdome 22 Moreouer also prepare me lodging for I hope through your Praiers I shall be freely giuen vnto you The order of the words THe chiefe matter of this Epistle concerning Onesimus hath hitherto bin handled and is now finished wherein we haue heard diuers and sundry reasons drawn partly from the person of Paule and partly from the person of Onesimus Now followeth the remainder intended chiefely by the Apostle concerning himselfe For we haue already shewed that the principall scope of this Epistle is double one touching Onesimus which hath thus far beene expounded the other touching Paul himselfe which now commeth to be considered This point is knit vnto the former and hath an euident dependance vpon it and is amplified by a transition in the first words Moreouer also Heereby he doth effectually mooue Philemon and seeketh to obtaine his former purpose For when he heareth that he shall shortly entertaine the Apostle himselfe in his house it must needes kindle a greater forwardnesse and willingnesse in him to graunt his request least hee make him heauy and deceiue his expectation Whereas therefore Philemon might haue thought with himselfe and thus reasoned touching Paules suit It skilleth not whether I graunt it or not he hath beene a most lewd Seruant vnto me and Paule liueth farre off from me he is held in Prison at Rome eyther he will not heare what becommeth of Onesimus or if he doe heare peraduenture he shall neuer be deliuered out of prison but remaine a Prisoner all the daies of his life and therefore I will deal with Onesimus as seemeth good to my selfe These and such like imaginations the Apostle putteth out of his head and telleth him he should shortly looke for his comming vnto him whereby he should know what account he made of his wordes and what obedience he would yeeld to his request Hence it is that for this cause Paule craueth to haue lodging prepared for him rather by Philemon then any other Citizen at Colosse not that he required much prouision and preparation to bee made for his entertainement a Phil. 4 11. Who had taught others and learned himselfe to be content with a little but because by this commaundement as by a sharpe Sword he would pierce the Bowels of Philemon and as by a strong Engine batter the Fort and Bulwark of his heart and throughly perswade him and preuaile with him to receiue Onesimus both into his house and into his fauour In this verse we haue to consider two pointes first a Commaundment secondly a reason whereby the commaundement is strengthened The commaundement is to prepare him hostage and lodging wherein he answereth a double doubt and question that might arise in him and trouble the motion and matter that Paule intended For first he might haue saide I may vse Onesimus as I list Paule is farre enough from hearing of it Againe he might haue thought b Theophil enarrat in epistol Philem. It is well he had such a cause to plead and such a request to make otherwise I should neuer haue heard from him These suspitions the Apostle remooueth when he saith in this place I haue not written for his cause alone but for my selfe that thou make account to be mine Host and to receiue mee into thine House The reason is drawne from the working cause I hope to be giuen vnto you through your Prayers and may be thus frame If I hope to be giuen vnto you by your Prayers then prepare me Hostage But I hope to be giuen vnto you by your Praiers Therefore prepare me Hostage Or rather the latter part of this Verse is the the taking away of an Obiection which Philemon might haue made vpon the hearing of the charge giuen vnto him of preparing him lodging which may be thus supplyed Shall wee looke for thy comming Why Thou art a Prisoner Thou art safe enough from comming to vs and lodging at mine house thou must be content with a cold lodging in another place thou maist well tell vs of thy forth comming but I doubt thou wilt not yet be cōming forth To this the Apostle aunswereth I hope in short time to be deliuered whereunto he annexeth two causes of his hope that he might know it was not builded in the Ayre without foundation but grounded and established sufficiently relying vpon the prayers of the faithfull and vpon the grace and mercy of God The Interpretation of the words This is the order of the wordes Now let vs consider the Interpretation of them as they lye When he saith Prepare me lodging he meaneth the entertainement of Hospitality whereof lodging is but a part The word signifieth al things requisite for the well vsing of a Stranger as receiuing to House food lodging and all other necessaries belonging thereunto whereof many parts are expressed c 1 Tim. 5 10 by the Apostle in the description of the Widdowes that were to be taken to serue the Church in attending vnto the sicke In the next place
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