these come to their places without the prouidence of God Prouerbes 8.15 Now God keepes this busines in his owne hands to see to the calling of Magistrates because of the seruice by them hee can execute For a great part of his Kingdome is managed by their deputation By them God scourgeth the sinnes of the wicked yea of the whole world either by suffering them to be publike miseries or by guiding theÌ„ to punish offenders by the sword of Iustice and by them he manie times brings many common blessings vpon worlds of people as the next words shew Vses The vses are diuers some particular some generall In particular it should teach vs First by praier to sâ—eke Magistrates of God subiects may get great blessings of this kind if they would pray hard for them For GOD it is that sends Magistrates Secondly with patience to beare the wrongs of euil Magistrates seeing there is a hand of God in it Thirdly with thankfulnes to giue the praise to God for good Magistrates seeing it was hee that sent them as a common blessing Fourthly in all suits about the liues or duties or successions of Magistrates to trust vnto God For though wee know not where to bee prouided in earth yet God can send one from heauen as it were The word sent importes that God can raise him vp beyond expectation In general it shold stir vs vp in al things done by outward meanes in this world to striue for the skill to finde out and acknowledge Gods hand and prouidence in it seeing in these things which are apparantly done by meanes for the most part yet Gods prouidence is in it Thus of the Authour of their calling the end followes For the punishment of euill doers Diuers things may bee noted from hence First that in all Common-wealths in the world there will be euill doers though there be a King gouernours and Gods commandements lye hard vpon mens consciences yet there will bee euill doers And the point shewes the horrible strength of the poison of naturall corruption which no Lawes of God nor man nor experience of euill nor example can restraine or dry vp and withall it shewes their folly and weakenes that will forsake Christian assemblies for the wickeds sakes whereas the Apostle improues that euen in Christian Common-wealths there will bee this part of a Magistrates vertue to punish the euill doers such as are knowne to bee so and therefore such curious persons must goe out of the world if they will goe from euill doers And withall it should breed in men a greater care to look to themselues that they bee not infected by them since there is no society of men in which this plague-sore of sinne runneth not we must redeeme the time because the daies are euill And further it should breed in vs a loathing of this wicked world of this present euill world and a desire of heauen since we shall neuer liue in a place where the people wil bee all righteous till we come to heauen And finally it confutes their folly that from the vitiousnes of some men conclude the faultinesse either of the doctrine lawes or gouernment Secondly that euill dooers must bee punished Rom. 15. and great reason for first euill dooers in any society are infectious many may bee defiled by them Secondly they work much disquietnes and trouble humane societies Thirdly if they escape without punishment they may bring down the iudgements of God vpon the place where they liue Vses Which may serue for terrour to other offenders First the very sight of Magistrates should affright them considering that God sent those very Magistrates to punish them It importeth that though they escape the hands of men they shall not escape the hands of God Secondly it should teach men if they would liue out of the danger of the Magistrates punishment to take heed they be not euill dooers Quest. Now if you aske who are euill doers Ans. I answer Such as liue in notorious offences such as are swearers drunkards whoremongers railers theeues idle persons murtherers Sabbath-breakers sowers of discord and the like The original word doth point at some speciall sort of offendors For naming euill doers such especially must not scape as 1. Inuent euill where it is not 2. Or sinne not out of ignorance but wilfully 3. Or are leaders of other men to euill 4. Or make a trade of offending by custome in sinne 5. Or studie how to doe mischiefe gathering together as things might further their euil courses All this may bee included in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. Thirdly there are from hence many to bee blamed that speake euill of such as take any course to reforme abuses 4. Fourthly Magistrats must look to their calling and Gods commandement to see abuses amended or else they must account to God for it 3 The third doctrine which may bee noted from hence is That all euill doers are to be punished without respect of persons they are to looke vpon mens workes and not on their persons great men must bee punished if they bee euill doers as well as poore men many men as well as one man yea if good men do euill they must beare the punishment of their sinne Christians as well as Pagans 4. That euill doers are not accounted safe members of any society and therefore are distinguished from good subiects as not fit to bee of that order 5. That such as transgresse the lawes of men are accounted by the Apostle euill dooers as well as such as transgresse the Lawes of God for he heer speaks especially of such as are euil doers in respect of humane ordinances which may be a warning to such as securely liue in the transgression of the commandements of Christian Magistrates and withall it may impair the honour of their condition that liue in the breach of the lawes of God without repentance For if it be so hatefull a thing to bee a breaker of the lawes of men in what case are they in that haue so grosly broken the Laws of God 6 That punishment of euill doers is in the power of the Magistrate priuate men cannot reforme publicke abuses they may pray for reformation they are not to execute it but by authoritie 7 That there are diuers euils which men cannot punish for the Magistrate can onely punish euill doers that is such as offend in word or deed euill thinkers they cannot meddle withall Which may warne Magistrates to be wary how they punish men onely vpon suspition or presumption without proofe that they are euill doers and withall it shewes that God hath reserued the iudgement of mens workes also to himselfe For God hates the sinnes of the heart as well as the sinnes of life and therefore since for these euils men answer not to men they must prouide to answer before God 8. That a Magistrate that punisheth sinnes doth but execute the commission hee receiued from God hee was sent of God to
all patience instruct men and call vpon them and perswade them to saue their soules Doct. 7. Wee may yet further from hence obserue that before calling the very Elect of GOD may bee as bad as any other as heer till God visited those elect Gentiles they were railers as well as others so were the former sinnes mentioned 1. Cor. 6.9 found in the very Elect as the eleuenth verse sheweth This appears by the example of Manasses Marie Magdalene Paul and the thief on the Crosse see further Tit. 3.3 And the reasons may bee easily assigned for first the very Elect before calling haue the same corruption of nature that other men haue and so all haue sinned and are depriued of the glory of God so as there is not one of them doth good no not one Secondly they haue the same occasions to sinne from the Deuill and the world Thirdly and were their natures somewhat better then other mens yet they would haue beene leauened as they were a part of the lump of infected mankinde This may both inform vs teach vs in diuers things It may inform vs in three things viz. about our election and our iustification and about the Gospell as the means of our vocatiō For election this point proues it must bee free seeing there was no goodness in the very elect more then in the reprobate in the estate of nature And for Iustification the Apostle Paul vseth the consideration of this doctrine in the third Chapter to the Romans to prooue it cannot be by workes And for the Gospell wee may here see the mighty power of it it may well bee called the Arme of the Lord and his power to saluation that can thus mightily and suddenly change men And it should teach vs also diuers things as it concernes either our selues or other men or God 1. For our selues it should teach vs to walke both more humbly all our daies seeing wee haue beene vile as well as others and also more watchfully seeing wee carry about vs a nature that hath beene so rebellious against God and besides wee should resist the beginnings of sinne in vs as hauing knowne by experience whither sinne will lead vs if wee giue way to it and dally with it 2 For others not yet called it should teach vs both compassion of their miserie it hauing beene our owne case and a care to shewe all meekness to all men in wayting for their conuersion and patience in bearing their wrongs 3 For God how can wee euer sufficiently loue him that hath shewed such loue to vs euen when wee were his enemies Yea wicked men that are smitten with terrors for the hainousnesse of their sinnes should hence confirme themselues against despaire seeing they may hence learne that as great offendors as they haue beene conuerted and saued 2. Tim. 1.15 There is one thing that from hence men must take heede that they doe not learne that is that they abuse not these examples to confirme themselues in sinne for there is matter to daunt them and fright them from this presumption For first not all that haue liued licentiously but some few onely haue beene saued the rest perished in their owne wickednesse Secondly of those that were saued none were saued without amendment of life and regeneration and therfore so long as thou liuest in thy sinne so long their example fits thee not Doct. 8. The last Doctrine that may from hence be made is in particular concerning the sinne of speaking euill of the godly and the point is That Gods gracious visitation doth cure that disease exactly Hee will neuer raile any more that is truly gathered vnto God in his day of visitation It is possible Christians may speake euill one of another in particular and it is lamentable when they doe so but that is vpon supposall of particular faults in those of whom they speake euill But that a man should speake euill of godly men in generall because they are godly with desire he might finde them euill doers is a vice not found in such as are truly called And therefore let such as are guilty of that sinne of speaking euill of good Christians because they follow goodnesse know That their day of visitation is not yet come Verse 13. Submit your selues to euery ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether to the King as superior FRom the 13 Verse of the first Chapter to the 9 Verse of the third Chapter is contained matter of exhortation and the exhortation is either generall or speciall The generall exhortation concernes all Christians and hath beene set downe from the 13 Verse of the first Chapter to the end of the 11 Verse of this second Chapter Now those words and those that follow to the 9 Verse of the next Chapter containe speciall exhortations which concerne some Christians onely namely subiects seruants wiues and husbands Of the duty of subiects he entreats from Verse 13 to Verse 18 Of the duty of seruants from Verse 18 to the end of this Chapter of the duty of wiues in the seuen first Verses of the third Chapter and of the duty of husbands in the eightth Verse of that Chapter So that the Apostle hauing taught all Christians before how to behaue themselues in their generall calling hee now vndertakes to teach some sorts of Christians in particular how to order themselues in their particular callings and so hee teacheth them in some things that concern the Politickes and in some things that concerne the Oeconomickes Vnto order in a Common wealth belongs the duty of Subiects and vnto houshold gouernment belongs the duty of Seruants Wiues and Husbands From the coherence and the generall consideration of the whole exhortation diuers things may be noted before I breake open the particulars of the Text. 1 The Word of God must be the warrant of all the actions of our life it not onely giues order about the businesses of Religion but it prescribes matter of obedience in all our conuersation it tells vs what to doe in our houses and in the Common wealth as well as what to doe at Church which shewes vs the perfection of the Scripture Theologie is the Mistresse of all Sciences it perfects the sound knowledge of the Ethicks Politickes or Oeconomickes and it should teach therefore in our callings whether generall or particular to seeke warrant from the Word which warrant we may finde either expressed particularly or else implied in generall directions and withall we should take heed that wee make not more sinnes in any estate of life then are made in Scripture and so not affright or disquiet our selues with vaine fears that way 2 The Apostle would haue Christians in a speciall manner careful that they offend not the lawes of the Princes of this world this appeares in that hee enioynes them the duties of Subiects first and in that they doe teach them the duty of submission both in this and other Scriptures with great force and
violence as it were of arguments which shewes that they were wonderfull desirous to charge and instruct the Christians so that if it were possible they might not offend that way and the reasons are diuers many why Christians should bee aboue all men carefull to keepe the lawes of Princes first because by breaking the lawes of men they sinne against God Secondly because euill minded men haue in all ages watched godly Christians to see whether they could finde any fault by them in the matters of the kingdome Thirdly because if earthly Princes bee prouoked it may cause a generall trouble of the Churches the offendors many times suffer not alone but many others vpon displeasure raised by them Fourthly because if earthly Princes be good the carefull obedience of their Subiects may incourage them to bee great helps to religion euen to bee Nursing fathers and nursing mothers to the Churches 1. Tim. 2.2 Fiftly because peruersnesse and contempt and carelesse neglect of the lawes of Princes many times prooues scandalous and VVee must not offend them that are without 1. Cor. 10. 2. Col. 4.5 Many that were somewhat enclined to embrace the sincerity of the Gospell haue beene cast backe and professe that therefore they abhor such people because they obserue their disobedience against humane gouernment either through indiscretion or nice scruples or peruerse wilfulnesse The vse may bee to reproue the carelesnesse of many Christians this way and that for diuerse offenses as first for sluggishnes in not studying the Lawes of the Countries where they liue Some Christians haue a secret iealousie against the lawes of men and doo in heart think meanly of them and vnlesse the equity of the Law stare them in the face they doo without any further consideration securely cast aside the care of it and rush into the breach of it Secondly diuerse Christians doo much sinne against the holy desire and direction of the Apostles in the intemperancie of their words when in ordinary discourse they speak with much scorne of the obseruation of the lawes of men which they vnderstand not A Christian that will not study to be quiet in respect of the laws of men is a singular plague to the Church where he liues Doct. 3. We may hence note that it is necessary for Ministers often to teach their hearers their duty to Magistrates and to shew the power that Princes haue to make lawes to gouern them by And this is fit to be noted because of the strange weaknes and peruersenesse of some Christians that are much offended with their Teachers if they fall vpon doctrine of this nature with any application to the times they mistrust them or censure them to be temporizers and to speak out of flattery or wilfulnesse or the like corruption of conscience I speak not now of such Ministers as plead the rights of Princes onely for their owne ends or in such a manner as they discouer an apparant hatred of godlinesse it self for these are worthy to bee blamed but euen of such Ministers as prooue the rights of Christian Princes with compassion and loue and meeknes without prouoking or reuiling tearms euen these I say are mistrusted and censured though we hear and see in other Scriptures that they are bound to proue and defend the authority of the Magistrate in any thing wherein it is vniustly questioned Doct. 4. It is necessary we should first be taught our duty to God and those things that concerne a religious life and then our duty to man and in particular to Magistrates This the Apostle intimates in that he first instructs them as Christians and then as Subiects and there is apparant reason First in respect of God secondly in respect of themselues and thirdly in respect of the Magistrate First in respect of God for wee are first and chiefly bound to God our first couenant is made with God and we are more behoulding to God than to all the world besides and therefore again to respect his glory and obedience to him in the first and chief place Secondly in respect of our selues and our owne profit we must study God's Lawes as well as the lawes of men yea with our first and chiefe cares and accordingly yield obedience because though by keeping the lawes of men we may liue quietly and safely and with much reputation yet all this will not protect vs against the breach of GOD's Law but the hand of God may pursue vs while we liue and we may be damned in hell when wee die for want of a religious life Thirdly in respect of the Magistrate hee shall haue the better subiects by it good Christians are the best Subiects and the knowledge of Religion and God's Word makes men obey not for feare or custome but for conscience sake and for feare of God's displeasure And besides it makes men humble and charitable humble not to think themselues too good to obey and charitable in not suspecting the meaning of Princes further than they must needs And it restraines the excessiue pronenesse of mens natures that are without Religion apt to speak euil of those that are in authority and chiefly because true Religion will make men pray heartily to God for their Gouerners and GOD himselfe doth spare or blesse them the rather for the praiers of the righteous The vse should be to informe and teach all sorts of men to take heed of separating what God hath ioyned together It is an extreme folly to giue vnto Caesar what is due to Caesar and not to giue vnto God what is due to God and so it were to giue vnto God what is due to God if men could doo it and not to giue to Caesar what is due to Caesar. The respect of God's Laws should make vs more carefull to obserue mans lawes And contrariwise it is a fearfull case that many liue in that think they haue done enough if they liue in obedience in respect of the authority that rules them in the places they liue in they would be much troubled if the Magistrate should be offended with them but are neuer troubled though they prouoke God to his face and they are maliciously foolish that would haue the lawes of men obeyed when they are against the Lawes of God or would haue men so rest in obseruing the iust lawes of men as not to be so forward and busie about the duties of Religion Further a question may be heer asked Why the duty of Magistrates is not heer set downe as well as the duties of Subiects I answer that in those times of the Apostles the Magistrates were without so farre from being Christians that they did for the most part persecute that way and therefore they doo auoid meddling or vndertaking to teach them that would not learn but rather be incensed against such Teachers Besides if this and other Scriptures of the new Testament bee marked wee shall finde that the duty of Inferiours is both more often and more fully taught than
good Conscience and the other is that a man runnes onely blindefolded so long till death and hell may seaze vpon him Thus of the effects of an euill Conscience The meanes how Conscience may bee made good follow That an euill Conscience may bee made good two things must bee looked into First that wee get a right medicine to heale it Secondly that we take a right course in application of the medicine First the medicine for the curing of an ill Conscience is onely the blood of Christ the disease of Conscience is of so high a nature as all the medicines in the world are insufficient nothing but sprinkling it with blood will serue the turne and it must bee no other blood then the blood of the immaculate Lambe of God as the Apostle shews Heb. 9.14 The reason of this is because Conscience will neuer bee quiet till it see a way how GODs anger may bee pacified and sinne abolished which cannot be done any way but by the blood of Christ which was powred out as a sacrifice for sinne Now vnto the right application of this medicine foure things are requisite First the light of knowledge Secondly the washing of regeneration Thirdly the assurance of Faith Fourthly the warmth of loue First knowledge a man must haue both Legall and Euangelicall For they must knowe by the Law what sinnes lie vpon the Conscience and trouble it and they must knowe by the Gospel what a propitiation is made by Christ for sinnes And for the second an euill Conscience will neuer bee gotten off vnlesse our harts bee sprinkled and washed from the filth and power of the sinnes which did lie vpon the Conscience Heb. 10.22 1. Tim. 1.5 Now vnto such remouing of such sinnes from the hart two things are requisite First that by particular confession wee doe as it were scratch off the filth of those sinnes that foule the heart and trouble the Conscience Secondly and then that wee wash our harts and dayly rinse them with the teares of true repentance and humiliation before God for those sinnes Thirdly assurance of faith is necessary to the cure of an ill Conscience because faith is the hand that laies on the medicine A man must apply the sufferings of Christ to himselfe and beleeue that Christ did satisfy for those sinnes that lie vpon the conscience and must accordingly all to besprinkle the conscience with that blood of Christ and then of an euill Conscience it will presently become good but men must looke to one thing and that is that their faith be vnfayned For Conscience will not be satisfied with the profession of faith they must beleeue indeed and with their harts and with sound application of the promises of the Gospell concerning the bloud of Christ or else Conscience will not bee answered Heb. 10.22 1. Tim. 1.5 Fourthly the heate of loue must bee added a man must so apply the blood of Christ as that his owne blood bee heated in him with affection both towards God and Christ and Christians Christian loue doth put as it were naturall heat into the Conscience and makes it now receiuing life by faith to bestir it selfe in all the works either of seruice to God or duty to men 1. Tim. 1.5 Heb. 9.24 Knowledge bringing it light Mortification making it cleane Faith curing it and putting life into it by sprinkling it with the blood of Christ and loue infusing or rather inflaming it with the heate of life All these things are requisite though I stand not vpon the precise order of the working of euery one of these Thus how conscience may bee made good Now I might adde a direction or two how Conscience may doe her worke aright that is a good Conscience and not doe ill offices in the soule Two things I say are of great vse for the guiding of a good Conscience First that in all her proceedings shee must follow the warrant of Gods word Secondly that shee doe not mistake in iudging of particular actions she must bee sufficiently informed about our Christian liberty For vnlesse the conscience discern that we are freed from the malediction of the Law and from the rigorous perfection of obedience and haue restored vnto vs a free vse of all things indifferent and the like shee may bee ouer-busy and troublesome disquieting the hart and restrayning the ioyes should refresh and support a man Thus of the meanes how Conscience may bee made good the signes of a good cōscience follow First by the opposition it makes against the remainders of sinne in the godly It maintains a constant combating against the law of the members hauing at command the law of the minde It doth not onely resist grosse euils but euen the most secret corruptions in the heart of man This Paul discerned in himself Rom. 7. of doing God seruice Secondly by the manner of exacting of obedience for a good Conscience First doth incline a man to doo good duties not by compulsion but a man shall finde that he doth them by force of an internall principle in himself Secondly it cannot abide dead works a good Conscience abhorres all cold and careless or luke-warm or counterfet seruing of God it puts life into all good duties it exacteth attendance vpon God in doing them Heb. 9.14 Thirdly it more respecteth GOD than all the world or the man himself and therefore wil compell a man to obey against profit and pleasure and liking of the world 2. Cor. 1.12 Fourthly it requires an vniuersall obedience it would haue all God's commandements respected and therefore Paul saith I desired in all things to liue honestly Heb. 13.18 The allowing of one sinne shewes the deprauation of the Conscience if it be a knowne sinne and still tolerated As one dead flie will spoyle a boxe of pretious oyntment I say one dead flie tho many liuing flies may light vpon a boxe of oyntment and doe it no great hurt So a godly man may haue many infirmities and yet his Conscience bee sound but if ther be one corruption that liues and dies there that is such a corruption as is known and allowed and doth by custome continue there it will destroy the soundnesse of the best Conscience of the World and doth vsually argue a Conscience that is not good Fiftly a good Conscience doth require obedience alwayes Thus Paul pleades I haue serued God till this day It doth not command for God by fits but constantly Act. 23.1 A third signe is that a good Conscience is alwaies toward God it still desires to bee before God it seekes God's presence it reckons that day to be lost and that it did not liue as it were when it found not the Lord or had no fellowship or conuersation with God A good Conscience is like a good Angell it is alwaies looking into the face of God Act. 23.1 Thus of the signes The benefits of a good Conscience are many and great for First it is the best
come This would put all other proiects frō the world or the Diuell or the flesh because there can bee nothing in any degree comparable vnto the vnsearchable riches is to be had by Christ. Oh the preferment of a true Christian if he had studied the premises soundly If we could effectually think vpon the fauour of God the pardon of all sinnes the inhabitation of the H. Ghost the gifts of the Spirit and all other sorts of spiritual blessings if there were nothing else to bee had by Christ what can be equal in value to that immortall inheritance reserued for vs in heauen Thirdly we should much thinke of the dignity of the person of Christ of whom it is true that when God brought out his first begotten Sonne hee said Let all the Angels of heauen worship him As also of his transcendent preferment to be carried vp to heauen and there sit at the right hand of the Maiesty on high a King of all Kings euen such a King as all the Kings of the earth must cast downe their Crownes at his feet It is vnspeakeable stupidity that keepes vs from being fired with these things Fourthly we should often contemplate of our interest in Christ and the assurance that he is of God giuen to vs All things are ours because Christ is ours as the Apostle Paul speakes Question But how should we shew that wee do account Christ as deare and precious Answere I answere by diuers things First By longing for his comming againe to vs mourning for our owne absence from him Then wee did indeed soundly shew our loue to Christ when we did feel our hearts affectionately moued with a vehement desire after him It is a dull loue of Christ that can bee content with his absence Secondly while we are heer in this world we may shew the high account wee make of Christ by ioying in him that is by taking comfort in the means of his presence or in the thoughts of his loue to vs when wee can preferre our entertainment in the House of Christ aboue our greatest ioyes on earth Thirdly when in our conuersation we can be contented to shun all the baits of the world and Satan and in respect of Christ contemn all those sensuall pleasures profits or honours that intice vs to make shipwrack of faith and a good conscience Then wee loue Christ indeed when our credits friends riches yea life it self is not dear vnto vs for Christs sake and the Gospell Fourthly when wee can renounce our owne righteousnes and praises and seek onely to bee found clothed with his righteousnes Fiftly we signifie our respect of Christ by the very respect we shew to the members of Christ. He loues Christ with all his heart that loues and entertains Christians as the only excellent people of the world Hitherto of that part of the testimony which concerns Christ the other part that concernes Christians follows He that beleeueth on him shall not be confounded In which words the happinesse of the Christian which beleeueth in Christ is expressed There are many points of doctrine may bee obserued out of these words as First in generall it is faith that makes the difference among men before God men are iudged of before GOD by their faith or vnbelief GOD to finde out a worthy man doth not ask what money or land or birth or offices he hath but what faith he hath Gal. 5.6 Hee is rich and happy that beleeueth and he is miserable that beleeueth not whatsoeuer his outward estate be Which should cause vs more soundly to inform our selues and not to bee lifted vp in our selues for any outward things nor to be deiected if our faith prosper and it should be a great comfort to poor Christians in all their wants if the LORD haue made them rich in faith He is a great rich man that hath a strong faith And therefore also wee should learn to iudge of men not according to the flesh or these outward things but euer acknowledge more honour to a faithfull Christian than to any rich wicked man And it is a great signe of our owne vprightnes of heart when we can iudge of Christians as GOD iudgeth and without dissimulation account them the onely excellent Ones Secondly in particular we may heer obserue the necessity of faith in respect both of the fauour of God and the merits of Christ we cannot please God though we bee in Sion without beleeuing Heb. 11.6 and without faith wee see heer we are not built vpon the foundation and so haue no part as yet in Christ. And therefore we should euery one be throughly awakened to examine our selues whether we haue this precious faith or no 2. Cor. 13.5 and to keep our owne soules with so much attendance heerupon as to be sure the Tempter deceiue vs not in our faith 1. Thes. 3.4 And heer especially take heed that thou dash not thy soule vpon the rock either of ignorance or presumption of ignorance as many doo that to this day knowe not what a true faith is of presumption as many doo that entertain without all ground from Gods promises a hope to be saued which they call a strong faith in Christ and yet liue in their sinnes without repentance and heer neuer taste of the sweetnes of spirituall things nor shew the affections of godlinesse in God's seruice Thirdly note that he saith He that beleeueth indefinitely meaning any of what nature or condition or state of life soeuer And therefore when this Text is quoted Rom. 10.11 and 9.33 he saith in stead of He that Whosoeuer beleeueth which sheweth vs plainly that in matter of faith God is no accepter of persons No man can say hee is exempted A poor man a Gentile a Barbarian an vnlearned man a seruant c. may beleeue as well as the rich learned free c. There is no exception against any calling of life or any sex Faith will make any one a childe of GOD and a member of Christ. The seuerall sorts of men are all one in Christ Iesus Gal. 3.26 28. This is the large extent of God's loue to the world that whosoeuer beleeueth should be saued Iohn 3.16 Mark 16. The proclamation is to all that are athirst they may be possest of those treasures of gold without money Esay 55. Which should much embolden vs to go vnto God with a true heart in the assurance of faith Heb. 10.22 And withall it should cause vs to cast out of our hearts all the wauerings and doubts of vnbelief arising from our owne condition in vnworthinesse Fourthly wee may hence note that faith in Christ was euer required in all sorts of men It was required of them in the Prophet Esay's time and it is still heer required in the Apostles time Thus Paul Heb. 11. shewes that faith was the character of the Godly in all Ages before the Floud and after the Floud before the Law and after the Law and he proues it by an
their horrible fall Which should teach vs to learn of God to doo likewise towards all our enemies and withall it may much comfort vs. If God will do thus with his enemies what will he do with his owne children and seruants how will hee honour and reward them and if the notorious oppositions of the Pharises cannot hinder God's acknowledging of that little goodnes was in them how much lesse shall the meer frailties of the Godly that will doo nothing against the truth though they cannot doo for the truth what they would hinder the glorious recompense of reward and acceptation with God! Thirdly we may hence note that Christ and Religion and the sincerity of the Gospell may bee disallowed opposed by great learned men by such as are of great mark in the Church euen by such as were Gouerners of the Church in name and title Quest. 1. Two questions do easily rise in mens mindes vpon the hearing of this doctrine The first is Whence it should bee that learned men who haue more means to vnderstand the truth than other men and by their calling more especially tied to the study of all truth yet should be drawne to oppose or reiect Christ and the truth Ans. I answer that this may come to passe diuersly First sometimes it is because of their ignorance neither may this seem strange that they should be ignorant for though they may be very learned in some parts of study yet they may be very blockish in some other Besides the naturall heart of man doth not take any great delight in the study of the Scriptures and therefore the answer of Christ was proper Yee erre not knowing the Scriptures or the power of God Secondly in some it is because of their secret Atheisme Many learned men bee very Atheists in heart and such were some of the Pharises for they neither knew the Father nor Christ as he chargeth them Thirdly some haue a spirit of slumber they haue eies and yet cannot see as in the case of some of those Pharises they could not apply the very things themselues spoke For being asked about the King of the Iewes Matth. 2. they could answer directly out of the Scriptures and giue such signes of the Messias as did euidently agree to Iesus Christ and yet these men were so infatuated that when God shewes them the man to whom their owne signes agree they cannot allow of him Fourthly in some it is enuy They are so fretted at the credit and fame of Christ or such as sincerely preach Christ that for very enuy they striue to destroy the work of God and to disparage the progresse of the Kingdome of Christ they cannot endure to see all the world as they account it to follow Christ. Fiftly in others it is ambition and desire of preeminence and the quiet vsurpation of the dignities of the Church that they alone might raign and be had in request this no doubt moued the Pharises and was the cause why Diotrephes made such a stir in the Church Sixtly in others it is couetousnes and desire of gain These are they that account gain to be godliness as the Apostle speaks and such were some of the Pharises Luke 16.14 Seuenthly in others it is a wilfull and malitious hatred of the truth and such was it in those Pharises that were guilty of the sin against the holy Ghost Quest. 2. But how shall a simple ignorant man stay his heart and bee settled in the truth when the wise and learned men of the world oppose it how can he tell it is the truth which they reiect who haue more learning and wit than hee Ans. I answer A simple and single-hearted Christian may some-what be helped against the testimony of those wise men of the world if hee mark but their liues for vsually by their fruits they may bee knowne Mat. 7. For commonly such as oppose Christ and the Gospell or the sincerity of the Gospell are men that may be apparantly detected of profanenesse as our Sauiour Christ shewes by diuerse instances in the Pharises Mat. 23. But because sometimes the messengers of Satan can transforme themselues into Angels of light therefore I answer secondly that all the Godly haue the sure Word of the Prophets and Apostles which may bee the touch-stone to try the opinions of men by which in the points absolutely necessary to saluation is euident and plain and infallible to the Law and to the Testimonies if they speak not according to these it is because there is no light in them Esay 8.20 And that they may bee sure let them pray to God to teach them for hee hath promised to teach the humble his way if a man come to God with an humble minde and with desire of reformation of his life in that hee knowes God hath bound himself to shew him his will Psal. 25.9 Iohn 7.17 Besides euery childe of God hath the Spirit of God in his heart who knoweth the things of God which indited the Scriptures and is the onely supreme Iudge of all controuersies Hee that beleeueth hath a witnes in himself the Spirit working much assurance in his heart and anointing him with ey-salue and leading him into all truth And by this help the entrance into the Scriptures giues light to the simple Vse The vse of the point then is First to informe vs concerning that great Iustice of God in hiding his truth from the wise and reuealing it to babes and children or infants which our Sauiour and Saint Paul take notice of Secondly to confirme vs against the sinister iudgement of worldly-wise and learned men and in matter of religion not to be swaied by that inducement since it is thus plainly told foretold Thirdly to confute the Papists that plead vnto the ignorant that their religiō is the right because it is hath bin maintained by such a number of Popes Cardinals which haue excelled in learning greatnes of place for heer we see the builders reiect the head stone of the corner Fourthly to shew vs that whatsoeuer wicked wise great men pretend yet their quarrell is against Christ and his Kingdome Fiftly to reach vs therefore to pray for our teachers and gouernors that God would guide them by his good Spirit and assist them in their callings c. Sixtly to bee more thankefull to God when the Lord giues vs builders not in name onely but in deed that settle about Gods work with all their hearts and labour with all faithfulnes to promote the Kingdome of Christ. Hitherto of the Persons The cause of their punishment is their refusing of Christ. Refused They refused Christ they disallowed him as vnfit for the support of the building They cast him away as rubbish they reiected him or accounted him as a reprobate Christ is refused or disallowed many waies First when the Gospel of Christ is contemned or neglected that is when men neglect or contemne the doctrine of saluation by
submission and to that end they should bee at the paines to studie this Doctrine and withall pray to God to direct them and keepe them in his feare and obedience herein and besides they should be sure that they meddle not with the changers or with the seditious Pro. 24.22 Yourselues These words may note either the manner of our submission or the matter the manner thus Submit your selues that is yeeld obedience vncompelled doe it of your selues stay not till you be forced to doe it and so the Apostle should therby import that our submission euen to men should be performed willingly and so wee should willingly and cheerefully obey their laws honor and defend their persons pray for them to God yeeld them tribute yea wee should without murmuring submit our selues to their punishments yea cheerfully beare their iniuries and so it remoues grudging and force from our submission But I rather vnderstand the words to note the matter to bee submitted that is our selues not our goods only for tribute or custom but our persons also must be at the Princes seruice our very bodies must be submitted both to doe the labour that belongs to the bearing of any office for the publike good and to the enduring of any punishment by the lawes to bee inflicted vpon the bodie and to the imploying of the body and life in defence of the true Religion and of the Kings person law and desire in warre or otherwise This is manifest by the frequent warres in the old Testament both required and performed nor may any say that Christians in the new Testament are not charged in the businesse of warre for First it was Christ's main intendment to forme a spirituall Kingdome to God hee left the state of earthly kingdomes to the condition they were in before Secondly when the Apostles doo in the generall require the submission of Christians to their Magistrates without exception of their obedience in war or otherwise it is manifest that they leaue them to the lawes of nature and the Laws of God before Thirdly euen in the new Testament this is implied by Baptist's answer to the souldiers Luke 3.14 and the praises of those worthy warriours Heb. 11.33 34. In which place also is a manifest proof for subiection euen in our bodies to the Sentences of Magistrates whether iust or vniust And the Magistrate's sword Rom. 13.4 is not onely a sword of iustice vpon malefactors in his owne Land but of reuenge on the enemies of God or the Church or Common-wealth abroad And for that Saying of our Sauiour to Peter Hee that taketh the sword shal perish with the sword Ma. 26.52 it is spoken of him to whom of the Lord it is not deliuered that is of him that hath not authority from God as Magistrates haue to command others to take the sword and it was spoken to Peter a Pastor of soules Put vp again thy sword into his place That materiall sword was not for him to vse Thirdly note that it is indefinitely propounded Your selues that all of all sorts no man can be exempted from subiection to Princes Christians must obey as well as Pagans strangers as well as home-born while they are within their gates All the doubt is whether Church-men are to bee subiect to secular Princes The Papists deny it but we affirm it and haue reason so to doo First because the precept is general without exception Secondly because the Apostle saith Rom. 13.1 that Euery soule must be subiect and therefore if Church-men haue soules they must be subiect to the higher Powers Thirdly because Princes haue executed their authority ouer Church-men whereof wee haue manifest examples in the Word as Dauid appointed the orders and offices of the Leuites Salomon put down Abiathar from the Priest-hood Iosiah burned the very bones of the Priests vpon their Altars and also purged the Temple and restored the Passeouer Christ himself was subiect to the authority of Princes he gaue tribute and appeared at their Tribunall Paul was subiect and appeared before the Magistrates and vsed their power when he appeald to Caesar 2. Thes. 2. â—ourthly there is manifest reason for it for if Church-men bee citizens or members of the Common-wealth then they must be subiect to the Rulers Lawes of the Common-wealth Fiftly the doctrine of the purest times since the Apostles is agreeable heerunto for Chrysostome vpon the 13 to the Romans auouches it that Priests Monks yea Apostles Euangelists and Prophets must be subiect to secular Powers And Bernard reasons out of that place thus If euery soule must be subiect then yours also that are Church-men who hath excepted you from this All If any man go about to except you hee goes about to deceiue you And Pope Gregory acknowledgeth the Emperour Maurice as Lord of him and the Clergy They obiect that the ecclesiasticall gouernment is greater than the secular iure diuino and therefore Church-men ought not to be subiect because the Superiour ought not to be subiect to the Inferiour Ans. The ecclesiasticall gouernment is superiour to the secular gouernment and it is inferiour to it it is superiour in respect of the rule ouer themselues in the things of the Kingdome of heauen by means appointed of Christ viz. the Word and Sacraments c but it is inferiour in respect of ciuill subiection in the obedience or submission that concerns body and goods The Prince must bee subiect to the Church in matters of faith and godlinesse and the Church subiect to the Prince in matters of this life and ciuill subiection How far Princes haue power in cases ecclesiasticall will be shewed afterwards They obiect that diuers Councels doo except the Clergy from the Barre and Tribunall of Princes and diuers Popes haue discharged the Clergy of such subiection Ans. Councels Popes cannot decree against the Word of God besides they iudge and determine in their owne case for what were the Popes or Councels but Clergy-men Moreouer the Popes assumed a power to themselues which was neuer giuen them for they were so farre off from hauing power to free their Clergy that they had no power to free themselues 2. Thes. 2.7 They obiect again and say that it is absurd the sheep should rule and iudge the shepheard Princes are but sheep and Priests are the shepheards Answer Magistrates are not sheep in all things but in spirituall things in matters of faith and so Ministers are shepheards to feed their soules but in ciuill things the Magistrate is the shepheard and the Clergy-men sheep because citizens or subiects But they say that Clergy-men are freed by priuiledge from the Emperors and by the Lawes of the Empire Ans. If that be so then their priuiledge is Iure humano not diuino Secondly they plead a false priuiledge for in things in question they were neuer priuiledged that is in matter of obedience to the Law or in matter of punishment in things criminall Thirdly if it were so then they are
hould themselues tied to follow the example of Christ neither in diuers circumstances about the Sacrament as that it was receiued at night in a chamber after supper in vnleauened bread onely by Ministers not by women c. nor in the matter of gesture in other things as that hee sate and praied and yet none of them pleades that it is necessary for our imitation And further it may cleerely bee shewed that the commandement of God about circumstantiall ceremoniall things might in some cases be transgressed without sin which shewes that those precepts did neuer in Gods intendement bind the coÌ„science absolutely as moral precepts in things substantiall did As that euery man should bee circumcised the eightth day was Gods commandement yet the children of Israel were not circumcised for forty yeers in the wildernesse Iosuah 5.5 6 7 9. The law was that None should eat of the shew-bread but the Priests yet Dauid did eat and was blamelesse Mat. 12.3 The Priests in the Temple did work or profane the Sabbath as it is translated Mat. 12.5 and yet were innocent It was the law that None must sacrifice any where but on the one and onely Altar of the Lord yet Salomon sacrificed on another altar for the reason mentioned in that Text 2. Chron. 7.7 1. Kings 8.64 In Hezechias his time they kept the Passeouer neither at the time nor in the ceremoniall manner as was required in the Law and yet they sinned not 2. Chron. 30.2 3 17 18 19 20 23 27. To abstaine from meats sacrificed to idols was enioyned by the Apostles Acts 15. and yet that did restraine Christian liberty beeing a thing indifferent and afterward to eat meat sacrificed to idols swarued from the patern of that ordinance For the third It is also manifest that things that were abused to superstition and idolatry had notwithstanding a lawfull vse when their abuse was remoued from them As for instance The Iewish ceremonies especially Circumcision were notoriously abused by the peruerse Iewes who held very corrupt opinions about them and yet the Apostle Paul did not make any doubt to vse them Again the meat sacrificed to idols when it comes out of the idols temple is pronounced to be clean and not polluted by the Apostle Paul Beâ—ides it is manifest our Temples Bells Chalices and such like haue been abused by idolaters and yet there is not any question made of the lawful vse of them by Diuines on either side That this point may be a little more vnderstood we must confesse that in the time of Moses Law whatsoeuer thing had been vpon or about the idoll it was infected and made vnclean by the idol but withall we must vnderstand that the idoll euen in those times did neuer pollute all things that were of that sort which were before it it did pollute that very thing in indiuiduo not all in specie of the same sort And further wee must now knowe that the idoll is nothing and can infect nothing of it self out of the idolaters vse and so that those lawes about pollution of idols are ceased for the Apostle Paul shewes that the very meat that was sacrificed to idols or diuels out of the idols temple was not polluted but was lawfull to bee vsed it was not neer an execrable thing as was the Babylonish garment in the time of the Law in Achan's possession Iacob erected a Pillar as a monument that concerned the true God and yet it is manifest that the Gentiles haue most idolatrously abused themselues in that course of erecting Pillars Leu. 26.1 For the fourth point Such ceremonies as had signification put vpon them were notwithstanding lawfull as is manifest by the consideration of most of those ceremonies mentioned before the Altar by Iordan the Cup vsed at the Passeouer the Couer on the heads of women and the loue-feasts with the holy kisse and so had all the Iewish ceremonies Now for the last thing which makes things indifferent with vs scandalous we are not left without witnesse from the Scriptures in such cases but that ceremonies knowne to bee scandalous were notwithstanding vsed for it is manifest concerning the Iewish ceremonies that they were scandalous in the vsage to the Gentiles and in the omitting to the Iewes Acts 21.21 22 27 28. Gal. 2.3 9 12. But that this point of scandall may bee distinctly vnderstood diuers rules are to be considered of First that the angring or bare displeasing of other men is not the offense or scandall condemned in Scripture as not onely the words in the Originall shew but all sound Diuines grant A scandall is a stumbling block that occasions a man to fall from grace in the profession of it into sin or error Secondly that to giue offense by dooing any thing which is simply euill in it self as Dauid did by his adultery and murder this is out of all question abominable Thirdly that the offense of Alients is to bee regarded that is we must not do any thing by which men that are not yet conuerted may bee hardned from the liking of Religion and so offense must not be giuen either to the Iew or to the Grecian 1. Cor. 10.31 Fourthly that when the authority of the Magistrate or Church hath determined concerning the vse of things indifferent we are not now left free nor are bound to look at the scandall of particular persons but must make conscience of it that wee offend not the Church by working a greater hurt or losse to the Church than the particular hurt of priuate persons can extend vnto In such cases as this the Apostle's rule holds If any man seem to be contentious we haue no such custome nor the Church of God 1. Cor. 11.16 And wee are bound in this Text of the Apostle Peter to obey the humane ordinances of men in authority from which obligation other mens offense cannot free vs. And the Apostle chargeth vs to look to it that wee offend not the Church in prescribed ordinances and that wee bee carefull not to offend priuate men in free ceremonies Fiftly that where ceremonies are left free and indifferent and haue no commandement to restrain their vse or enioyne it there are men to redeem the offense of their brethren with no other price than the losse of liberty in things indifferent The Apostle Paul saith Rather than he will offend his brother he will neuer eat flesh while he liueth 1. Cor. 10.8 13. Hee doth not say He will neuer preach the Gospell while hee liueth or neuer receiue the Sacraments while he liueth a necessity lay vpon him to preach the Gospell and to yeeld to the vse of all lawfull things to get his libertie whosoeuer be offended Sixtly that where the person that takes offense is wilfully ignorant and by all meanes auoids instruction and will not haue the patience to bee taught such offense is not to bee regarded Thus our Sauiour Christ teacheth confidently his doctrine of eating his flesh though the
God will certainly bee a reuenger of this disobedience it being his owne cause as well as the Magistrates Besides it serues to informe vs concerning the admirable power and wisdome of God in effecting the subiection of man to authority of Magistrates all men naturally affect to excell and like not superiority in other men and besides it is needfull that one man should gouerne and keepe in order millions of men disposed as before Now this well points at the cause of this order and subiection which is the respect of God God naturally hath planted in the hearts of men a feare to rebell or disobey euen for fear of God himself more then Princes and besides God hath made man to see by experience that hee doth defend the persons and rights of Kings by reuenging the disobedience of men this naturall conscience keepes vnder naturall men Now though the Apostle would haue godly men to obey for the same reason yet it is vpon a higher ground for godly men are instructed by the Word of God to obey Princes yea herein differs the obedience of the godly from the wicked that the godly man obeyes for the meere loue hee beares to God and the wicked onely for feare of vengeance from God so both obey for a higher reason then the respect of Princes themselues euen for the Lords sake the one for the loue of God and the care of his glory the other for feare of his punishments and iudgements Lastly it shewes men must so acknowledge the glory of Princes as that especially we haue respect vnto the glory of God who is King of Kings we must obey Kings in the land so as God be not disobeyed Thus of the Proposition the Exposition followes The Apostle labours to cleare this doctrine from diuers scruples might be conceiued by Christians whether they arise from the diuersitie of the sorts of Magistrates or from their soueraignety For the sorts he shews they must obey Magistrates of all sorts both superior and inferior the highest and those which are subordinate to them both Kings and Gouernors also for their soueraignety Hee teacheth them to obserue the supremacy of Kings and Monarchs In generall wee may learne from the Apostles care to preuent mistaking herein that he accounts it a pernicious thing to erre about the authority of Princes and their Gouernours and experience shewes it to bee pernicious sometimes to the persons of Kings who are often by treason murthered vpon wicked and erroneous grounds and sometimes to the subiects who drawe vpon themselues not onely fearefull sinnes but miserable punishment also by erring herein somtimes it is pernicious to religion it selfe and religious causes giuing not onely scandall but procuring desolation in the Churches through errors somtimes on the left hand and sometimes on the right hand Whether to the King It may be questioned whom the Apostle meanes by the word King Such as vnderstand the Epistle to be written to the Iewes may perhaps conceiue that the Kings that ruled by deputation in Iudea should be meant such as were Herod and Agrippa But in as much as the Iewes were scattred through the Prouinces and those prouinciall Iewes were most in quiet and in as much as for the reasons afore giuen it is likely that the Epistle was written to all Christians both Iewes and Gentiles therefore by the King hee meant Caesar. And then a more scruple ariseth for the Romans hated the name of a King and Caesar was an Emperour to which diuers things may bee answered First that though the present gouernour was an Emperour yet the Apostle knowing that the most monarchies in the world would rest in the title of King in all ages therefore hee vseth that title that may concerne the most of the Elect in all ages Secondly that though amongst the Romans the title of King was not vsed yet the Grecians in whose language hee writ did familiarly vse the word which wee translate King Thirdly the Apostle might haue respect vnto the signification of the word as vnto a word which was most effectuall to note the highest dignity among men For it notes him that is the stay or foundation of the people or the common-wealth and though ambitious men sought new titles as higher yet the Apostle knew that this was most maiesticall and honourable for the tearm of Emperour in the signification of it may agree to any subordinate rule who gouernes or commands other men Fourthly it may bee that the Apostle knowing the hypocrisie of those Emperours who onely disclaimed the name of Kings to auoid the hatred of the people and yet sought the full right of Kings and so to destroy the liberty of the people giueth the name they sought in substance though not in tearme Where by the way wee may note how hatefull hypocrisie is to God and how vaine it is God will vnmaske euen Kings if they dissemble with him He that tryeth the hearts reines iudgeth according to truth and will not bee deceiued with pretences Though men durst not charge Caesar to affect the kingdom yet God dares and will require at his hands the ambition of his heart And if God will not beare with dissimulation in Kings much lesse will he beare it in meaner men hee hates hypocrisie and fained pretences and painted showes wheresoeuer hee findes it which should teach vs all to labour for a plain and vpright heart in all things to direct our words and carriage according to the true intent of our hearts For besides that God will plague men for their dissimulation which cannot be hid from him it fals out vsually that such as vse dissembling are perpetually suspected all their faire pretences notwithstanding as those Caesars were Lastly the Apostle may name Kings to preuent rebellion in the subiects which either should feare such as affected the title or liue vnder such as professed themselues to bee Kings and so the meaning is that hee would haue them obey euen Kings how hatefull soeuer naturally that kinde of gouernment did seeme vnto them It may bee that the Apostle mentioneth Kings as the last kinde of gouernment a Monarchy being in many respects the most excellent forme of gouernment as being such a form of gouernment as comes neerest to the similitude of God who is not onely one in nature but in gouernment also and is most agreeable to nature which doth affect vnity as well in the body politicke as in the body naturall But I let this passe as a question belonging rather to the Politickes then to Diuinity to be discussed at large Thus coniecturally of the reason why the Apostle vseth this tearm Concerning Kings I propound these things to be considered of First the Originall of Kings Secondly the excellency of Kings both these tend to work in man the care of obedience to them and their Lawes Thirdly the indefinite manner of propounding the tearm shewing that this submission belongs to all Kings Fourthly the vses of all
praise as well as such as do euill dispraise Vse 2. Secondly it may much condemne the corruption of heart which appeares in many men in this point in sinning against the iust praises of others either by speaking euill of them and blemishing their good names which is to steale their riches from them or by withhoulding due praise which is to withhold the good from the owner thereof It should much affright such as are guilty of this fault that our Sauiour Christ measures our loue to God by our readines to praise for the Works of God done by another Iohn 5.41 42. It is a signe that men loue not God when they loue not goodnes in others which sure they doe not if they commend it not Doct. 5. Weldoing ought to be esteemed whersoeuer it is found in a subiect as well as a Prince in a seruant as well as a Master in all estates and conditions of men For God doth so as may appear Ephes. 6.7 8. and grace and goodnes is alike precious wheresoeuer it is in the like degree which serues to rebuke that secret corruption in the natures of men that are apt to obserue and praise good things in greater persons but withhold the incouragement is due to other men onely because they are poore and because they are worser Iames 2.1 2 3. You may now by this doctrine try whether they be good themselues For it is a signe of goodnes to obserue and loue goodnes wheresoeuer he seeth it in a seruant as well as in a frend and in a poore Christian as well as a rich Doct. 6. It may bee yet further obserued that if men would bee praysed they must doe well praise is onely due to weldoing Rom. 2.10 2. Tim. 2.20 21 1. Thes. 4.4 Rom. 13.5 And therefore it is a poore praise that men raise to thēselues for other things all that fame which is raised for any thing but weldoing is externall vain and therefore they are greatly deceiued that rest in the report that is raysed from their wit or beauty or birth or preferment or sumptuous buildings or the like Those may cause a great fame but onely well-doing can cause a good fame Secondly it shewes that hypocrites that haue gotten reputation onely because they are thought to bee good haue but built in the sands For when in time it shall appear that their owne works doe not praise them they shall find that the praise of men will not last It is not saying well that works a durable good name but doing wel It is but complementing at the best to professe and promise great care of practice and praising and yet bee barren and vnfruitfull Vse 3. Thirdly this shewes the great corruption of their nature that so vnquietly seek after praise and complain how much they be neglected and yet their own consciences know how idle and vnprofitable they are and which is worse that they not onely doe not well but manifestly doe euill and sin daily in pride and enuy in passion and wilfulnes or other open transgressions This thirst after respect aboue others is a signe of a great strength of hypocrisy when they are more desirous to be thought good then indeed to be so and more carefull of the praise of men then of God Fourthly they sinne shamefully that praise the wicked and iustify him that God condemneth but Salomon hath set a note vpon those persons that they are naught themselues For hee saith that they that break the law praise the wicked Prou. 28.4 and 24 25. Psal. 10.3 Fiftly they are yet worse that glory in their shame that seek praise for the excesse of wickednes committed by them either against God or men as they doe that would bee commended for their cost bestowed on Idols or for their worshipping of Saints or Angels or for their reuenges and wrongs done to men or for their mightinesse to hold out in drinking wine or for their filthy acts of any kinde or for their excesses in strange apparell or for the raysing of themselues by vnlawfull meanes or for their deliciousnes in their fare or the like As those glory in their shame so their end is damnation Phil. 3.18 Lastly this doctrine should beget in men a great desire to liue profitably and to doe good and in a speciall manner to apply themselues to such works as are most praise-worthy Quest. Heere then ariseth a question What things in particular doe most aduantage a mans iust praises Ans. The answer is that there are diuers things will make a man to bee much praised as First to honour God hee hath promised to honour those that honour him Prou. 8.17 Now to honour God is to seek his Kingdom first and to confesse his name before men though it bee in euill times Secondly humility and a lowely carriage with meekenes For the humble shall bee exalted and the proud brought low Luke 1.14 20. Thirdly mercy to the poore This made the Macedonians famous in the Churches especially to shew it liberally and readily 2. Cor. 8. Fourthly diligence and exact carefulnes to discharge the labours of our particular calling with all faithfulnes this made the good woman famous mentioned Prou. 31.27 28 29 30 31. especially if wisdome and prouidence bee ioyned with diligence Fiftly to liue in peace and stand to bee quiet and meddle with our owne busines and to be a peace-maker winnes a great deal of praise 1. Thes. 4.11 Math. 5.9 Sixtly to bee exactly iust in mens dealings and true in his words and contracts this wil make men abound with blessings The word is praises as it is in other places translated Prou. 28.20 Seuenthly to bee courteous is to bee amiable so as it bee done without affectation and not directed for thy owne ends and not done with dissimulation Eightthly to doe good to our enemies to bee not onely ready to forgiue but to pray for them forbeare to wrong when it might be executed and to shew all willingnes to ouercome their euill with goodnes Rom. 12.20 21. Ninthly a care in all things strictly to submit our selues to the iust Laws of men auoiding transgression for conscience sake as the coherence in this place shewes And thus of the sixt doctrine Doct. 7. It may yet further bee obserued from hence that God doth require Magistrates in a speciall manner to looke vnto it that they doe all they can to praise and incourage Godly men and such as do good in the countries where they liue Rom. 13.5 This is the end of their calling Iob 29.25 This wil proue heauy one day for those prophane Magistrates that in the places of their abode disgrace men more then such as are godly and countenance none more then such as are most dissolute and lewd of life The iudgements of the Lord wil be terrible against these vnrighteous men Lastly the Antithesis is heere to be noted For when hee saith that such as doe well should be praised he doth not say
Princes and the Lawes of God For many times the lawes of Princes agree not with the natures and hearts of Princes whereas God's Word is alwaies agreeable to God's Will and withall this should the more quicken to obedience because by conforming our selues to God's Word we conforme our selues to God's Nature And further it may comfort vs in the hope of strength to bee enabled to doe God's Will and what he requires because he wils what we should doe For God's Will causeth an impression vpon the creature it giues assistance it will see it done he will worke our works for vs God's Word is a Word of power it workes what it wills which mens lawes cannot doe When wee know God wills such a thing in his Word to bee done we should conceiue that he doth not onely shewe vs by that place what is to be done but also what assistance we shall haue to doe it Doct. 4. The Will of God is the rule of our actions what he wills we must doe and so it is vrged here by the Apostle and therefore it should teach vs to labour to vnderstand what his will is since all is lost that is not conformed to this rule Ephes. 5.10 We must get vs to the Law and to the testimonies For whatsoeuer is not directed from thence hath no light in it Esay 8.20 Secondly we must go to God and pray him to teach vs to doe his Will since he hath enrolled it in his Word Ps. 143.10 Thirdly if this doctrine were throughly digested vnruly froward and wilfull Christians would make more conscience of their passionate and incorrigible courses Let them look to it in time they must giue account to him that so hath prescribed rules by his will that he will not admit of courses carried onely by their wils Fourthly Inferiours must look to the warrant of their actions it is not the will of man but the will of God can iustifie them to doo well 1. Pet. 4.2 Lastly if his will rule vs then wee must take heed of that fault of making the lawes of our wils the causes of his will as they doo that think God must will to doo nothing with wicked men vnlesse his will bee confined to certain rules which they conceiue in their wils Doct. 5. That the bare signification of Gods will should be argument enough to perswade a godly Christian to doo any thing though it bee to deny himself or to go a course which is crosse to his owne desires The knowledge of God's will alone doth compell a godly minde to obey It is not the Maiesty or the rewards of God but God's wil which alone sufficeth to guide him which may try the obedience of man by the motiues For onely the sound Christian wil obey simply for the commandement sake and must teach vs to stick to it the bare will of God must rule vs though there were neuer so many men contrary-minded Vse The vse is for triall of hypocrites the true Christian laies down all his owne courses as soon as euer hee heares the sound of Gods will Doctr. 6. The practice of a Christian must bee confirmed iust according to the pattern so is the will of God it must bee iust so as the will of God is so from the manner as well as from the matter which should teach vs three things First to walk circumspectly seeing wee must look so precisely to the manner as well as to the matter of Gods will Ephes. 5.15 Secondly wee must therefore increase in the knowledge of his wil Col. 1.10 for the more things are to be done or the more exactly God wills vs to doe the more care wee must haue to increase our knowledge and study his will since all must be iust so as hee wils to haue it Thirdly wee should bee stirred vp to pray for our selues and one for another seeing it is such a hard thing to liue a Christian life and to please God Mark with what force of words the Apostle praied about this point Heb. 13.20 21. Now the God of peace that brought againe from the dead our Lord Iesus that great shepheard of the sheepe through the blood of the euerlasting Couenant Make you perfect in euery good work to doe his will working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight through Iesus Christ to whom bee glory for euer and euer Amen Quest. But can a Christian bee so exact as to answer the pattern to doe iust so as God wils him Ans. 1. Hee may for the substance of the obedience though not for all the degrees or circumstances 2. He may do it in desire hee must set his patterne before him as that hee desires to follow and striues as well as hee can and is vexed because hee cannot do it and with God if wee haue alwaies done as much as well as we did desire to do hee accepts the desire for the deed but it is certaine of the most of vs in the most things that we haue neither done the things right nor brought the desiring to do them and therfore it is iust with God if wee lose what wee haue wrought Doct. 7. That in some cases God would haue vs take notice of his will in more especiall manner hee hath certaine speciall wils there are some things that hee doth as it were more stand vpon then other things and these speciall wills of God we must heedefully take notice of as for instance 1. Thes. 4. about auoiding fornication this is the will of God hee meaneth his speciall chiefe will so about thanksgiuing 1. Thes. 5.18 Where the Apostle vrgeth the wil of God as a thing that God would aboue many other things haue don Aboue all things giue thanks For this is the will of God c. So our Sauiour Christ notes in his owne occasions an especiall wil of God Iohn 6.39 41. So heer God doth in a special manner will vs to obey Magistrates and to silence wicked men by well-doing Vse The vse should bee to teach vs to marke what things God doth specially require of vs and to apply our selues to his will that the Lord may take pleasure in vs and say of each of vs as he did of Cyrus He is the man of my will which is heer explained He is the man that executeth my counsell Esay 46.11 It was Dauids singular glory that hee would doe all Gods will whatsoeuer speciall seruice God had to do Dauid was ready to execute it Acts 13. For heerein lieth the triall of a sound Christian he doth the will of his heauenly Father and rests not in talking of Religion onely and professing it Mat. 7.21 Rom. 2.11 1. Iohn 2.17 And in particular in this text wee see there bee two things that God would faine haue vs do to silence wicked men and stop their mouthes First hee would haue vs so to behaue our selues that wee keepe out of their danger in respect of the Lawes of Magistrates Secondly and then
we are free in respect of things indifferent and all things are indifferent that are neyther commanded nor forbidden in the Word of God all the restraints that in the time of the old Testament lay vpon any creature are now taken off so as all the creatures of God are good and lawfull All things are pure to the pure Titus 1.15 1. Tim. 4.4 Rom. 14. so are dayes meates garments c. So as now Christians may vse them or omit them freely note what I say vse as well as omit For some are so singular or simple as to thinke Christian liberty doth onely make reference to omit but not to vse meates garments dayes or indifferent ceremonies whereas they restraine Christian liberty that forbid the vse of those indifferent things as well as they that dislike the omitting onely in vsing men must take heede as hath beene shewed before of the opinion of merit worship or necessity to holinesse or saluation which is that which is condemned by the Apostles Vses The vse may bee first for humiliation to wicked men for hereby is implyed that they are in great bondage and not free for howsoeuer it is true that euery wicked man in Christian Churches is freed from that yoake of Moses lawes yet in all the rest they are in danger still and bondage They stand bound by the couenāt of works to the absolute keeping of the Law because none haue the benefit of the new couenant till they be in the same and so all their faylings of the perfect fulfilling of the Law are imputed to them and they are vnder the execration and all the curses of the Law They are in bondage to the tyranny of their owne sinnes and haue the diuels intrenched in strong holdes in their soules They would bee troubled to know that the diuell did possesse their bodies and yet do not consider that the diuell doth certainely possesse their soules euery wicked man is possessed Besides they are in bondage by these seruile feares they dare not set their hearts in Gods sight It is a death to them nor dare they for Religions sake displease men and the feare of death is like a continuall death to them and for all this they are neuer helped till their hearts be turned to God Secondly we may hence gather the difference betweene the liberty of the new Testament and that in the old In the old Testament godly men were free from the rigour and curse of the Law and from the dominion of sinne and power of the diuels and from seruile feares onely in the new Testament there are these three things added 1. That the doctrine of liberty in the former things is more cleere and more generally reuealed 2. That wee are freed from the Mosaicall Lawes 3. That wee haue liberty in things indifferent A third vse may be for instruction to teach men to try their interest to this freedome For such men onely are made free that beleeue in Christ Iohn 1.12 and resolue to continue in the Word Iohn 8.31 and are weary and heauy loaden Mat. 11.29 and are throughly turned to God 2. Cor. 3.16 17. Lastly our Christian liberty may bee a great comfort to our hearts if we consider seriously the great miseries wee are freed from and the great priuiledges we are freed to and the rather because our freedome proceedes from the tender mercy of God Luke 1.78 and was purchased at a deare rate by Christ 1. Pet. 1.18 and the Patent of it is sealed by the holy Ghost Eph. 1.13 and also because it is graunted to none but the sonnes of God As free These words restraine the grant of our liberty and shew that though we bee made truly free by God yet in diuers respects wee are but as free rather like freemen then so indeed and so we are but as free First in respect of others for by the iudgement of others no freeman can bee knowne infallibly but onely in the coniecture of charity Secondly in respect of our selues and so we are but as free 1. In respect of the rigour of the Law For most Christians through ignorance and vnbeliefe liue vnder the bondage of Legall perfection and so discerne not that vprightnes in the Gospel is accepted in steade of perfection 2. In respect of the malediction of the Law so many Christians are but as free First because they doubt of Gods fauour Secondly because though the curse be remoued yet the things that are cursed are not remoued for the matter of affliction is still the same in respect of which our life may bee said to bee hid with God Colo. 3.3 3. In respect of the power of sin For though the dominion of sinne be taken off yet sinne rebells in the most godly and many times preuailes in a great degree through their security or infirmities Rom. 7. Fourthly in respect of things indifferent whether we respect God or our selues God hath freed vs in respect of right but restrained vs in respect of vse by a threefold commandement viz. of faith of charitie and of obedience to Magistrates The commandement of faith bindes vs not to vse our liberty vnlesse we be fully perswaded of our right that is in things we may either doe or omit at our owne pleasures Rom. 14.6 The commandement of charity in things we may either doe or omit at our pleasure bindes vs not to vse our liberty when the weake brother will bee offended The commandement of obedience bindes vs to submit the vse of things indifferent to the commandement of the Magistrate so as if the Magistrate make ordinances about the vse or restraint of things indifferent God hath bid vs to obey those ordinances and so though we be free still in respect of our right yet we are not now free in respect of the vses of them Againe many Christians binde themselues where God bindeth not sometimes by thinking things indifferent to be vnlawfull and sometimes by thinking themselues free to leaue them but not to vse them Lastly seruile feares doe much darken the glory of Christian liberty in the hearts of many Christians whilst through ignorance or wilfull vnbelief they trouble themselues with conceits that God doth not accept their seruice or when they admit too much respect fear of the displeasure of men or when they vse not the meanes to beare the feare of death in themselues Vse And therefore the vse should bee to teach Christians so to study the doctrine of Christian liberty and so to attend the informing reforming of their own hearts that they may no longer restraine their own liberty in any part of it and withal since in some things we are not fully freed in this life they should the more earnestly stire vp themselues to hope for and long for that glorious perfect liberty in heauen purchased by Iesus Christ. Not vsing your liberty as a cloak of maliciousnes In these words the Apostle remoues the abuse of their liberty The word
What hast thou to do to iudge another man's seruant he standeth or falleth to his owne master Rom. 14. Secondly that all masters haue authority ouer their seruants though the master be a poor man or an ignorant man or a cruell man or a froward man or a hard man yet the seruant must bee subiect to him and bear himself as reuerently and obediently as if he were the richest or wisest or worthiest master in the world and the reason is because the subiection is due not to the masters riches or gifts or greatnes but to the authority which God hath giuen him as a master and therefore seruants must look to this point and the rather because it will be the greater triall of their subiection and singlenesse of heart when neither feare nor reward nor any outward respect doth compell or constrain them but simply the conscience of God's Commandement and the masters authority Thirdly wee may heer inquire how masters come by this authority ouer seruants by nature they haue it not and therefore must haue it by law The lawes of men cannot make one man a seruant and another a master therefore it is by the Law of God Since it is by the Law of God if wee haue recourse to the tenne Commandements wee shall finde that it is the fift Commandement which giueth masters this authority and honor the exhortations of the Apostle being but interpretations of that Law And that this point may bee cleered two things must be searched into First what sorts of men are called fathers and mothers there and secondly why they are so called in the Commandement seeing the most sorts of them in the vsuall life of man haue other titles For the first This tearm Father wee shall finde in Scripture to be giuen first to such as begat vs Heb. 12.9 Secondly to Ancestors Ioh. 6.18 Thirdly to Tutors so Students are called Children of the Prophets Fourthly to such as beget vs in respect of grace as to our Ministers 1. Cor. 4.15 Gal. 4.19 Fiftly to Magistrates Gen. 41.43 1. Kings 24.12 Ezra 1.5 Sixtly to Elders in age 1. Tim. 5.1 Seuenthly to the Inuentors or Authors of any science art or trade Gen. 4.20 Lastly it is giuen to masters so Naaman's seruants called him Father 2. Kings 5.13 And from hence masters were wont to be called Patres familias as Magistrates were called Patres patriae For the second Magistrates Tutors Ministers Masters and all Superiours are called Fathers first because the father was the first degree of superiority and the fountain and seminary of all society Secondly God of purpose preserues this title in all superiority thereby to sweeten subiection to Inferiors and to make them think the seuerall dangers burdens labours and subiections in each condition to be not onely tolerable but meet to be born because they endure them vnder parents as it were and so such superiority for that reason should not bee resisted or enuied Thirdly that thereby Superiours may bee put in minde of their dutie to auoid insolency cruelty oppression and the too much respect of themselues God charging them by this title to remember that their Inferiors are to them by God's Ordinance as their children Thus of the proposition of the duties of seruants The exposition followes and so first he sheweth the manner how they must be subiect viz. With all feare Seruants must subiect themselues to their masters in all feare which being put downe indefinitely must be vnderstood both in respect of God and in respect of their masters Seruants must shew their feare of God in their places diuers waies First by auoiding such sinnes as are contrary to the will and commandement of God in their generall life such as are swearing lying slandering hatred of the godly drunkennesse whoredome and the like Psalm 101.3 4 5. Secondly by carefulnesse to doo God seruice as well as their masters not onely by spending the Sabbath in the duties of Religion but in redeeming the time in the week-daies as may be without hindrance of their work or offense to their masters to imploy themselues in praier reading conference c. and the reason is because as seruants must doo their masters work as they are seruants so they stand bound in the common obligation to do God's seruice as they are men and no man but is subiect to the Law of God who hath giuen all his Commandements to seruants as well as to masters Thirdly by dooing their masters work out of conscience respecting the will and commandements of God and therefore seruing their masters with all faithfulnesse as if the seruice were to bee done to God himself or to Iesus Christ Eph. 6.5 Col. 3.23 Fourthly by praying for their masters and for the good successe of their labours for their masters commodity thus Abraham's seruant is commended for his practice of the feare of God and left for an example to all seruants to doo likewise Genes 24. Fiftly by dooing their masters work without eye-seruice being as carefull and as diligent when their masters are absent as when they are present as remembring that the Lord sees them though their masters doo not Col. 3.22 The feare then toward their masters they may shew diuers waies First by auoiding what might displease their Masters such as is answering again Tit. 2.10 contention with their fellowes and all vnquietnesse Phil. 2.4 sullennesse Prou. 29.19 and all vnfaithfulnes shewed either by purloining in the least things Tit. 2.10 or carelesness in disappointing the trust committed to them as also masterfulnesse pride and haughtie behauiour when they will not abide it to be told or directed or doing what they list not what they be appointed Secondly by reuerent behauiour to be shewed by lowlynesse of countenance by giuing titles of honor and respect Iohn 13.13 by standing before them when they sit Luke 17. by auoiding rude behauiour or sawcy familiarity as accounting them in heart worthy of all honor 1. Tim. 6.1 one point of which reuerence is that seruants should not presume to deliuer their opinions easily in their Masters presence vnlesse it be required or may bee gathered by argument from the lesse Iob 32.6 7. Thirdly by their secrecy in all the affayres of their Masters especially they should take heede of discouering their Masters infirmities to others abroad out of the family Fourthly by auoyding inquisitiuenesse to meddle only with their owne businesse the seruant knoweth not what his Master doth Iohn 15.15 Fiftly by doing their work with all faithfulnesse and diligence in absence as well as presence that when the Master comes he may finde them so doing Math. 24. Thus of the manner of the duty â—he persons to whom they must thus submit themselues follow And so they must be subiect with all fear not onely to the good but also to the froward To the good and gentle For the sense we must enquire who are good Masters and who gentle Good Masters are discerned by diuers signes
that to suffer for any kinde of wel-doing is acceptable before God though a man doo not suffer for Religion but for the duties of his particular Calling as the case washeer yet euery such suffering is gracious before God Verse 21. For heerunto yee are called for Christ also suffred for vs leauing vs an example that ye also should follow his steps THus of the first reason taken from God's acceptation the same reason followes in the beginning of this Verse and that is taken from their calling and for these words For thereunto were yee called the sense is that vnto patient suffering for well-dooing they were tied by their calling if need did require Now God calls men to suffering diuerse waies First by his decree for he hath heer destinated men to be made like to his Sonne in suffering vniustly they were ordayned to afflictions Rom. 8.29 1. Thes. 3.3 Secondly by his Word or Law wee are called to it because the Word of God doth require that wee should take vp our crosse and suffer for the truth as many Scriptures shew Thirdly by the work of God's grace when hee makes vs again new men in Iesus Christ for by the same calling that he calls vs to be Saints he calls vs to suffer for sanctity and this seems to bee intended specially heer Fourthly God calls vs to suffer by his speciall gift for as he hath giuen vs to beleeue so hath he giuen vs to suffer for his sake Now God by euery gift doth really call vs to the execution and vse of it when there is occasion Fiftly Seruants and other Inferiours are called to suffer correction though it should be vniust euen by their particular Calling Sixtly the coherence shewes that the example of Christ suffering vniustly is a pattern that calls vs also to suffer and so to walk in his steps This last and the third way of Calling are especially meant in this place and so from thence diuerse things may be briefly noted by way of doctrine For of our effectual Calling I haue at large intreated both in the former chapter and the tenth verse of this chapter First all God's people or seruants become His by Calling it is the way by which God hires seruants and makes a people to himself for by nature euen the Elect are not a people but liue in darknes dead in sinne sensuall and carnall as other men and re-creation is such a link in the chain of saluation as cannot be wanting Rom. 8.30 And therefore men should labor to make their Calling sure as euer they would haue comfort that they are God's seruants or people Secondly God works great things many times without any great toile or power of instruments as heer To conuert a man is but to call him To make him liue is but to bid him liue Thus God can call vp generations of men out of the heap of dead and forlorn mankinde Thus the dead shall be raised at the last Day by the voice of the Sonne of God which should teach vs to liue by faith in all estates and rest vpon Gods power by which wee are kept to saluation Thirdly God's Calling accepts not the persons of men it puts no difference all are called alike as to honour so to labour and danger The Apostle puts-in all Christians by this Calling to suffer if need require as well as seruants So with God there is neither circumcision nor vncircumcision Iew nor Gentile bond nor free but all are one in Christ Col. 3.11 Which should bee a maruellous comfort to Christians that are meaner than others in the world to think on it that God requireth as hard work of the richest as hee doth of them and makes as great account of a poor Christian as of the mightiest Monarch And it should teach Christians humility and not to striue so much for precedency but rather if men will excell others it should be in seruice and sufferings Fourthly all men are not called hee saith heer Yee are called as importing that it was a speciall honour done to them Many haue not the meanes of Calling and many refuse their Calling when they haue the means Which shewes the wofull estates of worlds of men or to whom the voyce of God by his Word in the Spirit comes not Fiftly the Calling of God doth propound conditions vpon which his election in time doth depend for many are called but few chosen vpon that Calling and the reason is because they yeelded not to the Conditions of their Calling God calls men to a new Couenant and requires first â—he beleef of all things promised on his part Secondly sanctify and holinesse of life thus they are said to be Saints by Calling 1. Cor. 1.1 Thirdly to suffer for well-doing if there bee occasion so heer Now vpon the conscience and consent of the heart vnto these conditions doth God make his choice or acknowledge men and therefore heerby mens hearts must bee tried or men must try their hearts and estates whether they be effectually called or no. Sixtly men are bound to take notice of and to learn and obey the will of GOD reuealed in his Word though it be hard to finde out as heer the Apostle saith They were called to suffer which is a thing that is not easie to prooue by expresse Scripture but must be found out as it lies enwrapped in consequences in diuers places of Scripture For if the lawes of men binde and oblige vs to punishment though we knowe them not because we ought to take notice of them much more must we study the Lawes of God though they be many in number and hard to finde out without much labour and many helps Seuenthly our generall Calling doth binde vs to a carefull obseruation of our particular Calling as heer their Calling in Religion to be God's seruants did bind them to look to their duty as mens seruants yea and to be subiect to their corrections though vniust And therefore those Christians are farre out of the way that neglect their particular Calling and the charge God hath deliuered them vpon sentence of religion their generall calling Eightthly the main doctrine in them or in the scope of them is that God calls his seruants all of them to suffer for the truth Hee shewes them heauen and the saluation of their soules and bestowes rich treasure vpon their hearts but withall tells them hee looks they should arme themselues with a resolution to suffer what may befall them for well-doing Our Sauiour Christ told his Disciples plainly that they must think of taking vp the Crosse daily before they come to wearing of the Crown And therefore they doo foolishly that vndertake the profession of Religion before they haue set down to cast what it will cost them Thus of the second reason The third reason is taken from the example of Christ who suffred greater wrongs than can befall seruants or any other sort of men and this doctrine of Christ's suffering he handles
at large from verse 21. to the end of the chapter Which doctrine of Christ's suffering is fitted partly to the case of seruants and partly to the vse of all Christians Concerning the Passion fiue things are in all these verses noted First who suffred Christ suffred verse 21. Secondly the end of his suffering viz. to leaue vs an example c. verse 21. Thirdly the manner how he suffred set out 1. Negatiuely and so he suffred first without sin verse 22. secondly without reuiling verse 23. 2. Affirmatiuely and so he commits himself to him that iudgeth righteously Fourthly the matter what he suffred viz. our sins in his owne body on the tree verse 24. Fiftly the effect of his sufferings 1. In respect of vs and so his suffrings serue To kill our sinnes Verse 24. To make vs aliue to righteousnes Verse 24. To heal our natures Verse 24. 2. In respect of himself and so they procured his exaltation to be Shepheard and Bishop of our soules verse 25. Thus of the order Euen Christ suffred The first thing to be considered in the Apostles description of the Passion of the person who suffered is that it is named heer with speciall Emphasis Euen Christ or Christ also Christ is the sir-name of our Sauiour as Iesus was his proper name Iesus is a name onely giuen him in the new Testament but Christ was his name in both Testaments and signifies Anointed being a Greek word as Messiah doth in the Hebrew And so it is a name importing his office of Mediator as being thereby proclaimed to bee the substance of the ceremoniall types euen the supreme Doctor or Prophet Priest and King of the Church for these three sorts of men were anointed in the old Testament and were types of Christ's anointing It is true that we doo not reade that our Sauiour was himself anointed with oile because his anointing consisted in the substance of that shadow For the shadow signifieth two things First ordination to the office secondly the pouring out of gifts by the holy Ghost for the exornation of the office Now whereas Christ is Mediator in both natures his anointing must bee distinguished according to his natures The whole person was anointed but yet differently in respect of his natures for gifts could not be poured out vpon his diuine nature yet as the Sonne of God the second person in Trinity he was anointed in respect of ordination to the office of Mediator and as the Sonne of man he was anointed in respect of the pouring out of the gifts of the holy Ghost vpon that nature in measure as the Psalmist saith aboue his fellows Psalm 45. The first doctrine about the Passion is heere briefly contained in these three words of the Apostle Euen Christ suffred which is a doctrine full of excellent vses for thence First wee may see how vile the errour was of those Hereticks they called Patri-passianus who taught that God the Father suffred whereas in this and other Scriptures we are taught that it was onely Christ the second Person in Trinity that suffred The ground of their error was that there was but one Person in the Deity which in heauen was called the Father in earth the Sonne in the powers of the creatures the holy Ghost and thence they affirm the same things of the Father they did of the Sonne that he was visible mortall and immortall passible and impassible passible on earth and impassible in heauen But we haue learned from the Prophets and Apostles to beleeue three Persons and so to acknowledge that the second Person suffered onely and that in his humane nature Secondly we may hence learne that Christ was subiect to the Law after a peculiar manner so as no other man was subiect For hee did not onely fulfill the Law by a most perfect obedience but hee suffered the malediction and curse of the Law also Some men are subiect to the malediction of the Law onely and so are all the wicked reprobates that obey it not Some men are subiect to the Commandements of the Law and not to the malediction and so our first parents were while they continued in their innocency because God did not require them to suffer so long as they obeyed the Law and so all godly men in Christ are vnder the Law in respect of obedience but not in respect of malediction onely Christ is subiect to the malediction and obedience of the Law as our surety Thirdly hence wee learne a plaine demonstration of the truth of the humane nature of Christ Hee had not a fantasticall body but a true body because he did verily suffer in the flesh as followes afterward Fourthly Hence wee may bee informed of the excessiuely vile disposition of the world in that it is so set on wickednes that the very Sauiour of the world if hee come into the world shall suffer from the world Fiftly wee may hence learne that Christ suffered willingly and of his owne accord For in that hee that is God suffered it shewes hee had power to preserue himselfe so as all the world could not haue forced him to suffer and therefore wee haue cause so much the more to admire his loue to vs that suffered for our sakes as the next point will shew Sixtly wee may hence learne to know how abominable sinne is that makes the Sonne of God suffer miserable things if hee become a surety for sinne Seuenthly wee may hence learne to know the ineuitable destruction and fearefull perdition of impenitent sinners For if God spared not his own Sonne that was but a surety for sinne and did none himselfe will hee euer spare them that are principals and monstrous offenders Eightly did euen Christ suffer then we should euermore arme our selues with the same minde and prouide to suffer in the flesh 1. Pet. 4.1 It is a shame for vs to expect or desire a life of ease and prosperity seeing the Prince of our saluation was consecrated through afflictions Heb. 2.10 and 12.3 And the more should wee bee confirmed to suffer in willingnes in this life because God hath predestinated vs to bee conformed to the image of his Sonne in sufferings Rom. 8.29 Lastly in that it was Christ that suffered wee may hence gather comfort to our selues in his passion all the daies of our life because his sufferings must needes bee of infinite merit being the sufferings of him that is God as well as man Thus of the Person suffering The persons for whom hee suffered follow For vs. The sufferings of Christ were not casuall such as befell him for no vse nor were they deserued by himselfe For hee neuer offended God nor did hee seeke his owne peculiar good in them but hee suffered all hee did for our sakes Esay 53 5. Hee was wounded for our transgressions the chasticement of our peace was laid vpon him and verse 8. Hee was plagued for the transgression of God's people and as the Apostle saith hee was deliuered to death for
rēdred maliciousnes signifies vsually any wickednes generally or in general His drift is to warn them that they should not any way abuse their liberty and make it any way a pretence couer colour or meanes of sin or malice Men may vse their liberty and the doctrine of it as a cloke of wickednes taking the word in the generall sense fiue waies First when men reiect their liberty and spurn at it and trample it vnder feete as if it were a doctrine of sinning or made a meanes of sin Thus he that would not eat did reiect those ceremoniall meates as very badges of wickednes and did by that signe iudge of such as did vse them to bee hypocrites Rom. 14.3 as we see now many Christians doe reiect and spurne at the ceremonies imposed and doe iudge all that vse them to bee but formall Christians and hypocrites and such as perswade to the vse of them to vse such perswasions but as clokes for their ambition hope of preferment how godly soeuer they bee or how sure soeuer they bee of their lawfull vse of their Christian liberty therein and so this is one way of abusing our liberty when we throw it away as if it were a very cloke of maliciousnes Secondly when men make a shew that they are freemen and yet are in bondage to sin and the world still and thus do all hypocrites sin that haue a forme of godlines but deny the power of it that seeme as if they were godly and deuout to Iesus and yet haue neuer repented of their sinnes nor forsaken the world such are they 1. That seeme outwardly godly and yet liue in some horrible secret abomination as either whoredome or the sinnes of deceit or any vile affections Math. 23.27 28. 2. That doe professe Religion and yet liue as vnreformed in the course of their conuersation such are they Isaiah 1. verses 13.16 3. That though they are not scandalous or iniurious to others yet they are in bondage to the world and are intangled either with the cares or losses of life as the conforming themselues to the vanities and excesses and fashions of the time make apparant Thirdly when men rest in the outward shew of liberty and think it is enough but this will turne to wickednes It was the manner when seruants were manumitted and made free they went with hats whereas before while they were bond-men and prentises they were bare-headed Some think the Apostle alludes to this and then the sense were that he would not haue them rest in the bare shew of free-men as if it were enough to weare a free-man's hat but they must fall to their trades and so set-vp in godlinesse as they that did imploy all their labour and stock and credit to growe wealthy in spirituall treasures else if men rested in the outward signe of free-men and were idle and vnprofitable this would be occasion of much wickednes for 1. To shew our selues in the habit of free-men is not that which God requires if we imploy not the portion of gifts he hath giuen vs nay God will require this vnfruitfulnesse at our hands as a great offense the shew without substance is painted wickednes 2. This resting in the outward form of godliness may breed a dangerous habit of hypocrisie 3. Their naturall corruptions still hang vpon them and then this shew of liberty is but a cloak to hide them Fourthly when men take liberty to sinne vnder pretense of their Christian liberty GOD hath freed vs in Christianity from the ceremonial Law not from the morall for though hee hath deliuered vs from the malediction and raign of the morall Law yet he neuer freed vs from the obedience of the same Rom. 6.15 Iude 3. And it is manifest that Christian liberty can giue no toleration to sin for Christ died to free vs from sinne and not to let vs loose to sinne more freely we were freed from sinne that we might be seruants to righteousnesse Rom. 6.18 Besides God hates sinne by nature and not by precept onely and therfore God himself can giue no liberty to sinne God himself cannot dispense with the breach of the Lawes that bee morall in themselues and such Lawes as bee morall in themselues I account to be all the ten Commandements but the fourth The fourth Commandement is morall by precept not by nature and so the Lord of the Sabbath may dispense with the literall breach of the Sabbath but the other nine are simply indispensable That Abraham was commanded to kill his sonne was but a Commandement of triall And when God willed the Israelites to take the iewels of the Aegyptians hee did not will them to steal for God himself was chief Lord of all the earth and all things therein the Aegyptians were but his stewards Fiftly when men vse Religion and their liberty in Christ of purpose to hide and cloak themselues in the practice of knowne sinnes as when Simeon and Leui pretended the necessity of circumcision to hide their murderous intents and Herod pretends his comming to Christ to worship him and yet intends to kill him and the Pharises vse and make long praiers for a pretense to couer their deuouring of widows houses Luke 20.47 And so vnder pretense of giuing to the Priest the free children from relieuing their parents Mat. 15. And so when men preach Christ onely to get liuing 1. Thes. 2.5 And so also when men enter into profession of Religion onely to aduantage themselues in wicked purposes as to satisfie their lusts or further their owne carnall desires Thus liberty is abused as a cloke of wickednes Now more particularly liberty is abused many times as a cloke of malitiousnes when Christian liberty especially in things indifferent is pretended and made a cloke to couer vile malice or ill affections toward their brethren Now Christian liberty may be made a cloke of malice in things indifferent which lie vnder the commandement of the Magistrate and that two waies First when the authority of the Magistrate is pretended vrged and vsed as a meanes to empty mens malice vpon their brethren when they hate them not because they break mens lawes but because they keep God's Lawes Secondly and so also on the other hand Christian liberty is abused as a cloke of malitiousnes when vnder pretense of liberty by Christ men refuse to obey the Christian Magistrate in things indifferent and this is the main thing intended by the Apostle in the words of this verse For hauing exhorted them to submit themselues to the Ordinances of men hee brings in these words as was shewed before to answere their obiection that might pretend that they were freed by Christ from all Ceremonies or Ordinances in things indifferent The Apostle answeres that that were to make their liberty in Christ to bee a cloke for their maliciousnesse that is for their ill-affectednesse toward the Magistrate Where note by the way that vpon all pretences to withdraw obedience from
the lawes of Magistrates in things indifferent is in Gods account a sinne of malice partly because God reckons it as hateful as malice and partly because it flowes vsually from a heart that is not well-affected vnto the Magistrate but some way is wanting in that harty respect ought to be borne to the Magistrate Secondly in things indifferent that are left free to vse or not to vse and so Christian liberty is abused when it is vrged to defend such things as are scandalous or offend such as are weake and this is that which the Apostles in other Scripture so much vrge when they write of offending the weak brother Thirdly in things indifferent whether free or vnder the Ordinances of men There bee cases wherein Christian libertie may bee vilely abused As 1. When things indifferent are vrged as matters of necessity and with opinion of holinesse and merit Gal. 5.1 2. 2. When Christians doe bite and deuoure one another by quarrelling censuring back-biting one another and make diuisions about these things this is a reciprocall abuse about these things of Christian liberty and zeale ill spent seeing brotherly loue is the fulfilling of the Law c. Galat. 5.13 14 15. and the Kingdome of God stands not in garments gestures meate and drinke but in righteousnesse power and ioy in the holy Ghost Romanes 14.17 As the seruants of God These words are the reason why Christians must not neglect their obedience vnto the Magistrate nor abuse their liberty to licenciousnesse or maliciousnesse For though they be free by Iesus Christ yet they are entertained by God still in the nature of seruants and so are bound to do what he commands and hee doth command them to submit themselues to the Ordinances of the Magistrate For matter of Doctrine two things may be heer noted Doct. 1. God entertaynes none by Iesus Christ but he takes them bound to be his seruants All God's people are God's seruants And thus it is with men not onely in the new Testament but was so alwaies before Thus Abraham Iob Moses and Dauid are called God's seruants Vse The vse should be for instruction diuersly First seeing we are God's seruants wee should make Conscience of it to do his worke he hath by the Gospell hired vs to that end to imploy our selues in the workes of righteousnesse mercy and piety Tit. 2.12 Secondly since we belong to God who is so great a Master we should not onely doe his worke but do it in such a manner as becomes the seruants of the King of all kings God's seruants should serue him 1. Reuerently and with feare and trembling we must humble our selues to walke with God Psal. 2.11 Mic. 6.7 2. Zealously we should be zealous about this worke and so we should do it readily It is a shame for vs to bee dull and carelesse and prone to shifts and excuses the Centurions seruants goe when hee bids them and come when he calls for them and do this when he requires it and our zeal should bee shewne by our cheerefulness and willingness God's people should be a willing people and our hearts should be full of desires aboue all things to approue our selues to God we should make it appeare that we not onely are his seruants but loue to be his seruants Isaiah 56.7 and in matters of his worship or the meanes thereof the zeale of his House should eate vs vp 3. Wisely and discreetely Kings get the wisest men they can light vpon to serue before them and therefore the King of all kings will not be serued with fooles Since we serue GOD we should be circumspect and be sure we vnderstand what the will of God is Eph. 5.15 16. And therefore wee haue need to pray with Dauid that God would giue vs true vnderstanding hearts to search his Law Psalm 119.124 4. Sincerely Iosh. 24 14. And this sincerity in God's work wee should shew fiue waies First in seeking none but him Deut. 6.13 Wee must not be the seruants of men 1. Cor. 7.23 to satisfie mens humours or stand-vpon their liking or disliking Wee may not serue Mammon in our owne lusts No man can serue two Masters God refuseth vs for his seruants if we serue riches Luke 16.13 Secondly we should shew our sincerity in obeying him in all things there is no work hee requires that we should think our selues too good to do it we must not dare to neglect any thing he requires They are none of God's seruants that will do onely what they list in Religion Thirdly we should shew it in dooing all things that may bee best for his aduantage seeking his glory in all things 1. Cor. 10.31 We must not seek our owne praise or profit but his whom we serue Fourthly by dooing his will indeed without dissimulation 1. Chron. 28.9 Fiftly in newnes of spirit bringing new hearts to his work not trusting the old man to do any worke for God Rom. 7.6 5. We must doo his work constantly A seruant is not he that doth a daies work and so is gon but hee that works all the yeer nor hath God any seruants that hee hires not by life Hee hath none from yeer to yeer Psalm 119.17 Wee must finish his work and neuer giue-ouer till wee fulfill the task appointed vs Lukeâ— 74 Reu. 7.17 6. We must serue him with our spirits God is a Spirit and will be serued in spirit and truth If he may not haue the seruice of our hearts hee reiects the seruice of our bodies we must serue him with all our hearts and all our soules Deut. 10.12 Philip. 3.3 7. Confidently Seruants to ill or poor masters are fain to trust them for diet and wages how much more should wee relie vpon God and commit our selues wholly to him taking no care but onely to doo his work leauing all the rest to him Esay 43.11 8. With one shoulder or with one consent they must agree one with another Zephany 3.9 9. With all modesty Acts 20.19 without pride or self-conceits or conceitednes acknowledging that when we haue done all wee are vnprofitable seruants Luke 17.10 and with sorrow for our failings Acts 20. Luke 15.29 and the rather because God can finde faults in his best seruants Iob 4.18 Vse 3. Thirdly since God's people are God's seruants they should learn in all places to stand for the honour and glory of their Master and not suffer God to bee dishonoured by the seruants of a strange god Lastly since all God's people are his seruants and do his work it serues for the discouery of the miserable condition of multitudes in the visible Church who are heerby proued not to bee God's people because they are not God's seruants And so these sorts of men following are reiected as none of Gods people because they are none of his seruants First all prophane persons that aske what profit it is to serue God Iob 21.15 Malac. 3.15 and serue their owne lusts Math. 24.49 Secondly all worldlings