serueth greatly to comfort vs both in prosperity and aduersitie and that for the time to come wee should repose our whole hope in God For seeing all thinges come to passe by the prouidence of God so that not so much as sinne it selfe is committed without his will it is a great comfort many waies to Gods Church and chosen Children Wee know that hee can moderate and will moderate the rage of the Deuill and the mallice of wicked men that they shall not hurt or hinder their Saluation For the Deuill is the Lordes Seruant or slaue to worke his will albeit he do it vnwillingly and by compulsion The Prophet Dauid saith c Psal 16 8. The Lorde is at my right hand therefore I shall not slide And when his Souldiers were purposed to stone him to death he was in great sorrow and heauinesse d 1 Sam. 30 6 But he comforted himselfe in the Lord his GOD. If then we cast vp our eyes and behold the prouidence of God euermore watching ouer vs wee shall not doubt of the loue and goodnesse of God nor of deliuerance to come from his hand albeit we see no ordinary meanes but all thinges goe a contrarie way This made the holie Man Iob say e Iob 13 15. Though the Lorde would kill mee yet will I trust in him And the Prophet f Psal 23. Though thou cast me into the place of Dragons and into the shaddow of death yet will I feare none euill The church being in great perplexity and danger in the daies of Mordecay he was not without comfort he liued not without hope hee ceased not to vse lawfull meanes for the deliuerie of it he was not at his wits end nor dispaired of an happy issue because his heart was grounded and established in the Doctrine of Gods prouidence as appeareth by his wordes to Ester g Est 4 13 14 Thinke not with thy selfe that thou shalt escape in the Kinges House more then all the Iewes for if thou holdst thy peace at this time comfort and deliuerance shall appeare to the Iewes out of another place but thou and thy Fathers House shall perrish and who knoweth whether thou art come to the Kingdome for such a time Againe this prouidence of God in euery thing teacheth contentation of minde in euery estate yea in aduersity when we lie vnder the Crosse so that all thinges goe against vs forasmuch as Gods prouidence hath appointed vs our lot and portion When we liue in peace and haue abundance of outward meanes to maintaine vs as plenty riches health pleasure friends libertie and such like we must remember from whom they come and so be put in mind to be thankfull for them because they come not to vs by chance but by Gods prouidence so that we must not barely looke vpon them nor wholely rest vpon them but behold his goodnesse and blessing in them For if wee consider that all prosperitie commeth from him as Meate Drinke ease peace and all plenty who is not pricked forward and stirred vp vnto Thankesgiuing towards so louing and bountifull a Father Hence it is that the Apostle saith h 1 Thes 5 18 In all thinges giue thankes for this is the will of God in Christ Iesus The Prophet Esay complayneth of the vnthankefulnesse of the Iewes towards GOD i Esa 1 4 5 6 7 I haue nourished and brought vp Children but they haue rebelled against mee the Oxe knoweth his Owner and the Asse his Maisters Cribbe but Israell hath not knowne mee my people hath not obeyed mee The Prophet Dauid dealt otherwise and behaued himselfe with greater dutie teaching vs all what to doe when hee saith k Psal 116 12 What shall I render vnto the Lord for all his benefits toward me I will take vp the cup of saluation and prayse the name of the Lord. But when these outward things whereby life is maintained do faile vs we must not faile to remember whence famine warre pestilence sicknesse trouble and affliction come that there is no euill in the City which the Lord hath not done Moreouer let vs depend vpon him for the time to come assuring our selues that he will not leaue vs nor forsake vs. He giueth vs euery day experience of his mercies so that by remembrance of benefits receiued from him wee cannot doubt of his fauour toward vs. Lastly this should bee a very strong reason vnto vs not to be vnmeasurably dismayed nor excessiuely offended when offences and great euils breake out among vs as oftentimes it falleth out whereby many are ready to shrinke backe and others are much disquieted to see the Church of God so troubled We are not to thinke it strange or to forsake the faith through these scandals for God would not suffer any euill to come to passe vnlesse out of that euill hee were able to bring good and out of that sinne to bring forth righteousnesse to the glory of his great name and for the saluation of his deere Church Hee would neuer haue left Adam vnto himselfe if he had not determined out of his fal to gaine praise to himselfe and to prouide better for his people It is necessary that offences come but woe to that man by whome they come Let vs not therefore fret our selues because of the wicked men neyther be enuious for the euill doers for they shall soone be cut downe like grasse and shall wither as the greene hearbe And we must rest and be resolued assuredly that God dooth not allow or fauour their sinne nor purposeth to free them from the guilt and punnishment of sin howsoeuer he turneth their wicked purpose to a good end For sinne l 1 Iohn 3 4 Iohn 8 44. is the transgression of his Law But God neuer swarueth nor stayeth from the strait rule of his owne will neither putteth wickednes into man but as the earth affoording sap and moysture as well to the euill trees as the good cannot be reproued because the cause why the euill trees bring forth euil fruit is of themselues and their owne nature or as the Sunne that rayseth euill smels and noysome fauors from vnsauoury puddles cannot iustly bee found fault withall because the reason thereof is not in the Sun beames but in those corrupt places euen so when God disposeth to good endes the sins of men that proceed from the instigation of the Deuill and abide in the vngodly themselues he cannot be called the cause or author of sinne although by his prouidence he moueth all thinges yea euen the vngodly that are not able to moue or remoue themselues Vse 3 Lastly seeing Gods prouidence extendeth to euery thing that is and disposeth it according to his owne pleasure it directeth vs in our obedience putteth vs in mind of a Christian duty namely to be patient in al aduersity If we consider that nothing can befal vs but that which is sent by the fatherly wil and counsell of God who hath alwaies iust
Surely mine Enemy did not defame mee for I could haue borne it neyther did mine Aduersary exalt himselfe against me for I would haue hid mee from him but it was thou ô Man euen my Companion my Guide and my Familiar which delighted in consulting together and went into the house of God as Companions This falsehood haue the faithfull felt in all Ages This had Christ himselfe experience of being betrayed of one of his owne Disciples and Houshold So haue his members continually prooued the same beeing exercised by the deceipt of false Bretheren This was the sinne of Caine n Gen. 4 8. Who spake friendly to his Brother but when he had him alone in the Fielde he rose vp against him and slew him This was the sinne of Ioab o 2 Sam. 20 9. his false and fraudulent dealing with Abner and Amasa he spake peaceably but meant treacherously Art thou in health my Brother And so smote them with the sword that they dyed This was the sinne of Iudas p Mat. 26 48. who had Haile Maister in his mouth and couered the hollownesse and Hypocrisie of his heart with the kindnesse of a Kisse but this was a token of his Treason and the signe that he had giuen to apprehend him It was not a Kisse of loue but a Testimony of his villany and therefore Christ saide vnto him Betrayest thou the Son of Man with a Kisse Hence it is that the Apostle Iohn exhorteth 1. Iohn 3. q 1 Iohn 3 18 19. My little Children let vs not loue in word neither in tongue onely but in deede and in truth for thereby we know that we are of the truth and shall before him assure our hearts This is the true loue which standeth not in word but in deede which lyeth not in the tongue but in the heart which consisteth not in an outward shew but in the inward truth Such was the loue of the godly gathered together after the ascention of Christ they loued together in truth and had all thinges common in the vse For r Acts 2 44 4 32 34 35. all that beleeued were in one place and had all thinges common they were of one heart and of one Soule neyther any of them faide that any thing of that which he possessed was his owne neyther was there any among them that lacked Where the Euangelist declareth that their harts and affections were so ioyned in God that being all members of one body they could not suffer their fellow-members to bee destitute accounting the defeating and defrauding of them as it were a spoyling and robbing of themselues Wee must not deny our helpe to them that are in Christ but shewe our selues ready to cloath him to feede him and to visite him in all his members as wee shewed before otherwise wee are no true members but dead members And to our deare Sister Apphia c. Hitherto we haue spoken of the first and cheefe person to whom the Epistle is directed Now let vs come to such as are lesse principall being ioyned with him which are these first Apphia Secondly Archippus Thirdlie the Familie of Philemon to whom this Epistle was to bee read The first that commeth to bee considered is Apphia whom he calleth a beloued Sister This Woman seemeth to be the Wife of Philemon my reason is because she is placed immediatly after Philemon and before the Minister and Pastor of the Church For no cause can be assigned why she should follow Philemon and goe before Archippus but that she was the Wife of Philemon and therefore the Apostle ioyneth her next vnto him in place as she was ioyned to him by the ordinance of God And this Å¿ Chrysost hom 1. in Phil. Theophyl in Epist Phil. is the iudgement of many Now as Paule before did ioyne with himselfe Timothy so in this place he ioyneth Apphia as a Companion with Philemon that thereby he might make the way more open to obâ—…ine his purpose Good Women ought to doe much with their Husbandes and the Apostle prouoketh her by naming and saluting her to be a moouer and perswader of her Husband to this charitable and Christian duty Doct. 6. Christian women should be helpers of their husbands We learne from hence that it is required of all Christian Women to be helpers and furtherers of good things in their Husbands It is the dutie of Wiues to stirre vp and spurre vp their Husbands to all Christian duties and holie fruites of Religion The ende of her Creation was that she should bee an Helper vnto Man especiallie in the best thinges for the Woman was made for Man and not Man for the Woman and therefore GOD saide from the beginning t Gen. 2 18. It is not good for Man to bee alone let vs make him an Helper meete for him Salomon describing in the Booke of Prouerbes a vertuous Woman whose price is farre aboue u Prou. 31 10 11 26 27. the Pearles he saith The heart of her Husband trusteth in her and hee shall haue no neede of spoile Shee will doe him good and not euill all the daies of her life c. She openeth her Mouth in Wisedome and the Lawe of Grace is in her tongue shee ouer-seeth the waies of her Household and eateth not the Bread of idlenesse An example of this dutie wee haue in the Wife of Manoah the Mother x Iudg. 13 22 23. of Sampson when her Husband was greatly affrighted and astonied at the sight of the glorious departure of the Angell of God who ascended vp in the flame of the Altar and cryed out in the perplexitie of his Spirit and terrour of his heart We shall surely dye because we haue seene the Lord She encouraged him and comforted him being greatly cast downe If the Lord would kill vs he would not haue receiued a burnt offering and a meate offering at our handes neither would hee haue shewed vs all these thinges nor would now haue told vs any such Another example we haue in the Shunamite a Woman of great estimation when she perceiued the Prophet Elisha to come often that way y 2 King 4 9. she saide vnto her Husband Behold I know now that this is an holy Man of God that passeth by vs continuallie let vs make him a little Chamber I pray thee with Walles and let vs set him there a Bed and a Table and a Stoole and a Candlesticke that he may turne in thither when he commeth to vs. Where we see she stirreth vp her Husband to doe good to the Prophet and to prepare him a study by himselfe fit for his Meditations And the Apostles doe often vrge this duty and teach that all Women should bee helpess not hinderers furtherers not discouragers stirrers forward not houlders backeward from good things Reason 1. The Reasons are plaine For first they may by the gracious goodnesse of GOD be blessed Instruments to winne their Husbands to the Faith by beating
of that which is past the other of that which is to come That which is past is our election from euerlasting before the foundation of the worlde was laide that which is to come is our perseuerance and persistance vnto the end of our dayes yet wee see the Apostle professeth some knowledge nay perswasion of them both which is grounded vpon the graces of God bestowed vpon those that are his The more excellent these graces are in quality the more they are in number the greater they are in quantity the better Testimony they giue vnto men and the surer iudgement ariseth from them vnto such as haue them Reason 2. Secondly God hath giuen praise and glory as an vnseperable companion of godlinesse and goodnesse and on the other side he hath appointed and allotted shame to follow sinne He hath ioyned these together to wit glorie with piety and shame with iniquity These drawe together as it were in one yoake so that one cannot be without the other The Apostle speaking of the vngodly saieth i Phil. 3. Their glorie shall be to their shame Seeing therefore the graces of Gods spirite are Testimonies of election and Companions of praise and glory we must from hence conclude that the good giftes of God that are found in vs make vs accepted of God and man Vse 1. The Vses follow to be considered and learned of vs. First seeing faith in Christ and loue toward the Saints giue vs a good report in the Church and lay vp a good foundation for vs in heauen we see that onely godly men haue a good name and euill men shall leaue an euill name behinde them This is one difference betweene the godly and vngodly the godly as hee leadeth a godly and sanctified life so he leaueth behinde him a good report wherby he smelleth sweetly in the Nostrils of God and man But the vngodly as they dishonour God in their liues so he will dishonour them in their persons and names and reward them with confusion of faces This is it which the Prophet k Es 65 14 15 threatneth in the name of God Behold my seruaunts shall sing for ioy of heart and ye shall cry for sorrow of heart and shall howle for vexation of mind ye shall leaue your name as a curse vnto my chosen for the Lord God shall slay you and call his seruants by another name There is a praise and commendation which turneth to shame and infamy to woe and misery and againe there is a shame and reproach that bringeth glory and praise with it This our Sauiour teacheth l Luk 6 26 22 Woe be to you when all men speake well of you for so did their fathers to the false Prophets but blessed are you when men hate you and when they separate you and reuile you and put out your name as euill for the son of mans sake It seemeth to many that looke with an eye of flesh and iudge with corrupt iudgement that the righteous are forgotten and their names buried as in the graue of silence they seeme aboue all other wretched and miserable because no man reuengeth the wrongs and iniuries that are offred vnto thē yet God in the end will maintaine their cause and giue them good estimation with all good men On the other side howsoeuer the vngodly flourish for a season and are famous in the world howsoeuer they are praised of others and praise themselues with their owne mouths yet their names shal be filthy and abhominable according to that which Salomon sayeth m Prou. 10 7. The memoriall of the iust shall be blessed but the name of the wicked shall rot This ouerthroweth three sorts of men that offend and esteeme not of men according to their faith and profession The first reproofe First such as slander the godly and bring vp an euil report of the faithful people of God such as reuile them and seeke to take away their good name from them which is a Iewell more precious then Siluer and Gold But we shall lesse esteeme what they speake if we consider who they are that spake For the witnesse of an enemy is by no Law to bee taken but alwayes to bee suspected The second reproofe Secondly such as magnifie and aduance the vngodly giue them the praise and applause of the world speake well of them as of the onely honest men that deserue to be commended But so long as they liue in sinne their owne wickednesse doth testifie to their faces and their vngodly heartes proclaime their owne shame and shall bring vpon them vtter confusion Let this be written and engrauen in our mindes that vngodlines will bring a blot and leaue a reproach behind it The third reproofe Lastly it conuinceth such as are Ciuill men that can say they are not Drunkardes they are not adulterers they are not Theeues they lead an honest life they pay all men their owne they are ready to pleasure their friendes they deale iustly with their Neighboures these men haue a good liking of themselues and are accounted the onely men among others For this ciuill honest man is reputed the onely honest man But a man may do all this and be a Pharisie yea no better in the sight of God then a Turke and infidell He may carry the countenance and haue the report of such a liuer and yet smell strongly and sauour rankely in the Nostrils of God of ignorance of vnbeleefe of pride and of selfe-loue If we would deserue true praise indeed we must not rest in these outward practises and in this morall ciuility we must plant Religion in our hearts wee must haue a sound Faith in Christ we must know the Doctrine of the Gospel we must worship God aright This the Apostle setteth downe as a rule to direct vs in our praising of men m Rom. 2. 28. 29. He is not a Iew which is one outward neither is that circumcision which is outward in the Flesh but he is a Iew which is one within and the Circumcision is of the heart in the spirit not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God It is the commendation of Dauid that he was a man after Gods owne heart It is the commendation of Iob n Iob. 1. 1. 2 3. that he was an vpright and iust man one that feared God and eschewed euill It is the commendation of Zachary and Elizabeth o Luke 1. 6. that they were both iust before God and walked in all the commandements and Ordinances of the Lord without reproofe If a man be void and destitute of this piety he can receiue no comfort by his ciuility and albeit he haue the estimation of an honest man it shall auaile him nothing vnlesse withall he be a Religious man and if our praise be neuer so great for our externall dealing toward men it shall minister no profit vnto vs except we shew inward deuotion toward God Vse 2.
how Faith is alone and how it is not alone how it goeth with Loue and when it goeth not with Loue. It is alone in our Iustification it is not alone in our godly conuersation It is alone in receiuing Christ it is not alone in furnishing a Christian mans life nor sufficient to adorne him with such graces as God requireth to be in his person for all other vertues must be in him Vse 3. Lastly seeing Faith and Loue are alwaies linked together in one man this ouerthroweth another Doctrine of the Church of Rome which teacheth that Faith may be without Charity and separate from good workes For the true and iustifying Faith of Gods elect can be no more without workes then the fire without heate the water without moysture the sand without heauines the Sunne without brightnes the soule without life or the good tree without good fruit Neither let them pretend the d Iam 2. 17 Apostle Iames to colour this their fancy as though it proued that a man may haue Faith without Charity For he speaketh in that place of a dead Faith not a liuely Faith of a false Faith not of a true Faith of the Faith of the Deuils not of the Faith of Gods elect of Faith in outward profession not in the inward affection He sheweth that e verse 17. Faith if it haue no workes is dead and againe f verse 20. 26. Faith without workes is dead he likeneth such a Faith to the Faith of the Deuils and therefore it cannot be a iustifying Faith vnlesse they will make the Deuils good Catholiques and partakers of saluation He resembleth this Faith to the good words of him that wisheth well to a poore man but doth nothing at all for him he speakes him faire but he doth not succour him And as the body that breatheth not is dead so Faith that bringeth not forth good workes is dead Now a dead Faith is no Faith it is Faith in name but not in Nature The Philosophers g Arist polit lib. 1. cap. 1. teach that when the body is dead there shall be neither foot nor hand but onely a likenes of name as a man tearmeth a hand of wood or stone a hand so in like sort is a dead hand called an hand or a dead man a man because howsoeuer they are not the same yet they retaine the shew and shaddow of the name but al true parts of the body are defined by their Office and faculty Thus doth the Apostle call a dead faith by the name of faith whereas indeed it is no more true faith then a dead man is a liuing man Hence it is that some of the Popish writers teach that Iames by the name of h Iam. 2. 26. spirit vnderstandeth not the soule but the breath and that he fitly compareth workes to breath and faith to the body i Caietan com on Iam. 2. 26. because as the body of a liuing creature if it breath not is dead so faith if it bring forth no workes is dead for breathing is an effect of a liuing body and working is the proper effect of a liuing faith we say therefore that there is a faith which may be without Charity and there is a faith that cannot be without Charity There is a generall faith which beleeueth that there is one God and giueth assent that the Scriptures be true which goeth no farther this we confesse may be and oftentimes is without good workes But there is a faith that worketh by Loue which can neuer be seperated from Charity and good workes but wheresoeuer it is there is infallibly and inseparably ioyned vnto it the Loue of God and man k Phil. 1. 11. bringing forth the fruits of Righteousnesse which are by Iesus Christ to the glory and praise of God If we haue this true faith l Act. 15. 9. which purifieth the heart it will be rich and plentifull in all good workes and teach vs to shew the fruites of Loue to our Bretheren There hath beene a long contention and much adoe in the Church how to reconcile Paule and Iames together the one aduancing faith and the other good workes Paule saith m Rom. 3. 28. we are iustified by faith and not by the workes of the Law Iames saith wee are iustifyed by n Iam 2. 24. workes and not by faith onely These sayings by faith and not by faith by workes and not by workes seeme one directly opposite and contrary to the other This difference is onely in the letter not in the matter in shew not in substance in words not in meaning and the Doctrine which now wee haue in hand will helpe easily to accord them nay there cannot be a better reconciliation then when we ioyne them together in the practise of our liues and conuersations Let vs ioyne the liuely Faith of Paule with the Good-workes of Iames let vs bring them both into action and so we shall be iustified by S. Paules faith before God and by S. Iames Workes before men Thus the places will easily be made one which seeme different the one from the other For although Paule do commend Faith yet he dooth not condemne Workes and albeit Iames do commend Workes yet he doth not condemn Faith and therefore as they teach both so we must practise both we must be voyde of neyther of them Seeing they preach both we must know that both are required of vs. This ouerthroweth two sorts of men first Papists and then Libertines The first reproofe First the Church of Rome do vs great wrong and iniury both in falsly slandering vs and in filling the eares of the simple and ignoraunt people with lyes that our Doctrine is a Doctrine of liberty and licentiousnesse that wee teach men or at least open a gap to men to liue loosely and lewdly and that we are enimies to Good-workes whereas in verie deede we do the cleane contrarie as this Doctrine among a thousand others may beare witnesse which now wee deale withall teaching vs that Faith must alwaies go with Works that Faith purifieth the heart and giueth victory ouer the world Wee teach that Christ is not onely our Iustification but also our Sanctification We charge men to beware that they vse not the liberty of the Gospell as a cloak of maliciousnesse We teach them to serue the Lord with feare in holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of their life Wee will men to let their light so shine before men that they seeing their Good-Workes may glorifie their father which is in heauen This is no Doctrine of liberty nor openeth a window to all wickednesse and yet this is our Doctrine which is so plaine and euident a truth n Stapl. de Iustif pag. 334. that some of our hottest aduersaries are driuen to acknowledge it But who are they that haue this leisure to pry and search into the liues of others abroad and are ignorant of themselues and their owne Doctrine
shall not neede to climbe vp to Heauen to know it God hath left vs a better a more easie certain way then to search into the secrets of God that he hath kept to himselfe if we enter into our selues and see the effects and signes of it wee shall not doubt thereof but rest assured with vnspeakable comfort that we belong to him For as the Lord knoweth who are his so we shall know that wee are the Lords if wee finde the fruites of election grauen in our hearts among the which this is one of the principall our vnfaigned loue to the Brethren the forgiuing of our enemies our delight in the Saints our dooing good to them that are of the houshold of Faith Reason 2. Secondly such poore as be faithfull belong vnto Christ and what comfort soeuer is ministred what releefe soeuer is shewed to them is ministred and shewd to Christ as christ himself witnesseth with his own mouth who is truth it selfe that they should the more readily embrace it as the truth For hee telleth vs that it shall be said to vs in the last day that haue helped the Saints and refreshed their bowels g Math. 25 40 Verily I say vnto you inasmuch as yee haue done it vnto one of the least of these my Brethren ye haue done it to me This is a notable motiue and encouragement to moue vs to this dutie to consider that our loue is shewed not to men vpon the earth but to Christ sitting in heauen at the right hande of his Father Heereunto commeth the wise saying of Salomon h Prou. 19 17. He that hath mercie vpon the poore lendeth vnto the Lord and the Lord will recompence him that which he hath giuen Yea he is so rich a rewarder and a bountifull recompencer of that which is done to those of his houshold i Math. 10 42 that if a cup of cold water be giuen to a Disciple in the name of a Disciple to a righteous man in the name of a righteous man he shall not loose his reward When one lendeth to an honest man that standeth vpon his credite hee seareth no losse he knoweth he will performe what hee hath promised and accounteth his word as good as a band and Obligation how much more ought we to be assured of right good payment when wee haue done any good thing vnto the poore forasmuch as we haue not done it to man but vnto God He hath giuen his word to see vs paid will we not take his word he offreth to enter into bands to be bound in a statute is not statute-statute-law good with vs Albeit he be indebted to none but all in debt to him yet hee offereth himselfe as a pledge and becommeth surety for the money who is so good a pay-maister that he wil not onely restore the principall but pay the hire and profite to him that hath lent it both in this life and abundantly in the life to come Reason 3. Thirdly we are bound to follow the example of our heauenly father to loue as he loueth to loue most where hee loueth most of all and least where hee loueth least of all Now he loueth all his creatures which are the works of his hands k Gen. 1 31. Hee saw them all when they were made and loe they were all exceeding good but he especially loueth mankinde Whom l Gen. 1 26. hee created in his owne Image according to his likenesse and yet most especially he loueth the faithfull vppon whom hee bestoweth the riches of his loue and hideth not the secrets of his kingdome from them yea hee hath giuen them his owne sonne to bee their Wisedome Iustification Sanctification and Redemption vnto them howe should he not with him giue them al things else This the Apostle teacheth m 1 Tim. 4 10 warning vs to Trust in the liuing God which is the Sauiour of al men especially of those that beleeue Heere is a patterne and president for vs to follow that wee may be like our Heauenly Father we must loue all mankinde but wee must most entirely and dearly respect the godly we must loue al the poore but the poore that are faithfull we must loue most of all If we must bestowe labour vppon barren ground we must not leaue the fruitfull vntilled and if wee must cast our Bread vppon the Waters where it may seeme to bee lost wee must not denie it to the liuing members of Christs bodie which are our Brethren Reason 4. Fourthly wee cannot by our well-dooing benefite God at all our goodnesse can doo him no good our loue cannot profit or pleasure him For as our wickednesse can do him no harme so our kindnesse can procure him no good This hee sayth and thus hee speaketh in the Prophet n Psal 50 9 10 11 12. I will take no Bullocke out of thine house nor Goates out of thy Foldes for all the Beastes of the Forrest are mine and the Beastes on a thousand Mountaines I knowe all the Beasts on the Mountaines and the Wilde Beastes of the fielde are mine If I bee hungrie I will not tell thee for the World is mine and all that therein is Wee receiue all good from him wee can returne nothing backe to him againe to doo him good This is the reason which the Prophet Dauid teacheth which mooued him to ioyne himselfe vnto the people of God and to profit them because hee saw he could not pleasure God his well-doing could not extend to him Seeing therefore the dutie of loue shewed to the Bretheren are seales of our election and are accepted as done to Christ himselfe seeing we must follow the example of our heauenly Father and that we cannot by al our goods helpe him it followeth that we must begin our works of mercie at the faithfull cast a pittiful eie open a liberal hand especially toward thē Vse 1. Let vs now come to the Vses of this doctrine First this teacheth that there ought to be among all the faithfull a communion of Saints they are as a family or houshold among themselues They haue a neere fellowship they are neer brethren they are fellow members of one body they are knit togither by one spirit they are called vnder one hope they are made Christs by one faith they are made one by one baptisme they haue one bread to feede vpon they haue one cup to drinke of they haue one table to meet at they haue one God that they worship they haue one saluation that they aime at This the Apostle expresseth at large Ephe. 4. Support one another through loue o Ephe. 4 2 3. endeuouring to keep the vnity of the spirit in the bond of peace There is one bodie and one spirit euen as ye are called in one hope of your vocation There is one Lorde one Faith one Baptisme one God and Father of all which is aboue all and through all and in you all We are
possesseth it it tormenteth his minde it wasteth his bodie it fretteth his minde it shortneth his dayes and it destroyeth his soule It setteth him on worke to backbite and slaunder his Neighbour and to denie him all duties of humanity So then enuy hatred and back-byting alwayes go together as three Cankers and euill sores that consume the bodie hurt the good Name lessen the guifts and repine at the goods of our Brethren And if it be euill to enuy the guifts of God our eye should not bee euill because the Lords eye is good Much more euill is it to scorne mocke and disgrace the guifts of God in his Seruants as prophane Beasts and Heathnish Atheists doo in these dayes saying you are an holy Brother you are a Saint you are a man of God This sitting downe in the seate of Scorners is woorse then dwelling in the foule and irkesome Caue of enuie and therefore let vs beware thereof Let vs praise the guiftes of GOD in whomsoeuer wee finde them whether in Friend or enemy Vse 4. Lastly seeing we should all seeke to profite our selues and others in godlynesse we must know that it is our dutie to stirre vp the guifts of God in vs that we do not burie them as in a Graue we must exercise the guifts that we haue by continuall practise Vse maketh men prompt and readie want of vse maketh men vntoward Let vs take heed we do not quench the spirite and grieue him The spirit of God is in many respectes resembled to fire which purgeth some things consumeth other things and heateth other thinges So doth the Spirit of God purge consume and warme It refineth and purifieth vs as mettall is from drosse it wasteth and consumeth sinne in vs as straw and stubble it kindleth in vs the heate of zeale and warmeth vs when we are frozen in our sinnes Now as the Spitit is compared to fire so our sins are likened to Water Water wee know will quench the Fire Sinne will quench the Spirit Let vs therefore blowe this Fire let vs kindle the Coales of it let vs stirre vppe the Brandes and put more matter to it that it die not The Priestes in the time of the Law n Leuit. 6 5. 9 24. and 10 1 were appointed to maintaine the Fire vppon the Altar day and night that it should neuer goe out because it was from Heauen and they were forbidden to offer straunge Fire So the Apostle warneth Timothy and o 2 Tim. 1 6. putteth him in remembrance that hee stirre vp the guift of GOD which is in him by the putting on of his handes Obiection But heere some man may Obiect If the Spirit it selfe may be lost then much sooner and easier the lesser guifts Answere I answer the Spirit of Faith and regeneration can neuer be quite lost for the faithfull and regenerate are begotten not of mortal but of immortall seede their knowledge is like the light of the Sun the others are like the brightnesse of the lightning and flashing in the ayre which shineth for a season and by and by vanisheth and fadeth away True it is the best gifts may decay but not die they may be weakned but not quite wasted they may be lessened but not vtterly lost They may seem to perish and be wholy gone in time of tentation as we see in Dauid Peter and many others yet euen then they remaine in them though not felt as fire couered in the ashes or as the light ouer-shaddowed with a cloud This the Apostle Iohn testifieth saying p 1 Iohn 3 9. Whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not for his seede remayneth in him neyther can hee sinne because hee is borne of God Where hee teacheth that Faith and Loue of Holynesse are neuer lost which serueth to the comfort of the Godly not to nourish securitie of the Flesh in themselues The fellowship or communication of thy Faith Heere we see how the Apostle in the matter of his Prayer which hee vsed for Philemon intreated for the communicating and fellowship of his gifts that is that they should flow and yssue out to the good and benefit to the profit and bettering of others Doctrine 2. The guiftes which we haue receiued must tend to the good of others This teacheth vs that the guifts and blessings of God whether temporall or eternall bestowed vpon any must not lye hid or dead but be vsed and employed to the good of others and so yeelde a fellowship and communion to others Whatsoeuer good things we haue receyued we must haue them not for our selues alone but for the good of others This we are taught in the Parable of the Scribe taught of God vnto the Kingdome of Heauen q Math. 13 52 and 25 14. Luke 19 13. hee is likened to an House-holder which bringeth foorth out of his Treasure thinges both new and old His olde and new store must not be kept to himselfe but be brought forth and serue for his fellow Seruants So in the parable propounded Luke 19. this appeareth A certaine Noble-man went into a farre Countrey to receiue for himselfe a Kingdome and so to come againe and hee called his tenne Seruants and deliuered vnto them tenne peeces of Money and sayde vnto them Occupy till I come And afterwarde the first came saying Lorde thy peece hath encreased tenne peeces and the second sayde thy peece hath encreased fiue peeces The Apostle likewise sheweth that all the guifts of Wisedome Knowledge Faith Prophesying the guiftes of healing the operation of great works the discerning of spirits the diuersity of toongs the interpretation of tongues r 1 Cor. 12 7. are distributed to euery man seuerally to profit withall and for the good of the whole body And speaking of such as haue temporall thinges hee chargeth Timothy to charge them that are rich in this world that they be not high-minded nor trust in vncertaine riches but in the liuing God who giueth vs abundantly all things to enioy that they do good and be rich in Good-workes and bee ready to distribute and communicate All blessings therefore are to bee communicated and distributed to others they ought not to be laid vp in a Napkin or be buried in the earth or be couered vnder a bushell as the manner of many men is Reason 1. The Reasons of this truth are to be sought out and considered of vs. First we are seruants vnto all to do them good and to further their saluation True it is the faithfull are most free being set at liberty by Christ from the cursse of the Lawe and from the Dominion of sinne according vnto the saying of Christ Iohn 8. If the Sonne make Å¿ Iohn 8 36. you free you shall bee free indeede Notwithstanding this freedome it is a part of their dignity to be the seruants of God and a part of their duty to bee seruants to men to seeke their good to procure their benefite to further their edification
can tell thy disease open the cause of it shew thee the cure and remedy of it and restore thee to thy former state and strength so when thy soul is sick vnto the death and euen to damnation the man of God can heale the deadly wound that Satan hath giuen and apply a soueraigne plaister for thee made of the precious blood of Christ From hence all men may learne how to esteeme Gods Ministers and with what affection we are to heare them The Sheepe of Christ t Ioh. 10 27. will heare his voice and follow him This is a notable token to know the children of God by to disobey the Ministers of God is to disobey God himselfe to despise their word is to despise the word of God himselfe Is not the Embassador of an earthly Prince receiued with great honor reuerence Is not his message receiued as vndoubtedly as if the Prince himselfe were present Are not they which despise his authority as heinously punished and as vilely accounted of as if they resisted and rebelled against the Kings owne person Shall then the Messengers of the liuing God the King of Kings and Lord of Lords bee receiued lesse worthily then the other whose authority is greater who message is waightier whose place is higher It is requisite therefore that the people feare and reuerence their Minister or else they wil in no case honor and obey him For where feare is not present all honour is absent whosoeuer scorneth to performe this dutie of feare let him be well assured hee contemneth not him but the Lord that sent him This feare is to be yeelded not to his person but to his Office For as the Apostle exhorteth the Thessalonians to u 1 Thes 5 12 13. acknowledge them that laboured among them and haue them in singular loue for their workes sake so wee ought to feare those that are set ouer vs in the Lord for their worker sake So he witnesseth that the Galathians x Gal. 4 14. receyued him as an Angel of God yea more then so they receiued him as Iesus Christ himselfe This was not as he was a man but as the Minister of God this was not for the excellency of his person which hee acknowledgeth to be simple and testifieth to be contemptible but hee was receiued for that excellent message which he brought among them Therefore Paule writing to the Phillippians sayth y Phil. 2 12. As yee haue alwayes obeyed mee not as in my presence onely but now much more in my absence so make an end of your saluation with feare and trembling This reprooueth all those that are stubborne and disobedient and wil not obey the word of exhortation deliuered vnto them such also as heare not often and constantly but seldome and carelessely as if they were perswaded that they had nothing to do with God or God with his word such as when they heare are not stricken with any feare of the presence of God or of the power of the word or of the truth that is deliuered so that they neuer can heare aright seeing GOD accounteth those only the right Hearers z Esa 66 2 5. that tremble at his Worde and are of humble and contrite hearts Lastly such as are content to heare and listen with their outward eares but it is no longer then they list and no farther then their owne fantasies are fed and their desires followed and their humors pleased They are willing to heare vntill their speciall sinnes be reprooued but when they finde themselues touched or their iniquities which they dwell in discouered they grow out of patience and begin to reuile and raile at the Ministers that seeke with a good Conscience to discharge their duties This is an euident note of a corrupt hearer and a plaine testimony of an euill heart We must be ready to heare the curses of the Law as well as the promises of the Gospel we must account it a benefit to be reproued our selues as well as to heare others reproued A sicke man would not content himselfe to haue the Physitian shew vnto others their diseases but would haue his owne disease discouered vnto him so is it profitable vnto vs to see our owne sinnes and to heare our owne corruptions reuealed and manifested vnto vs. If we once desire to come out of our sinnes and iniquities wherein wee haue liued if once they become bitter and vnpleasant vnto vs it will bee no griefe or burthen to see our selues stripped and layde open to the view and sight of the worlde Let vs therefore with meekenesse of spirit submit our selues to the stroke of Gods word and not rage when wee are reprooued as the manner of those is that purpose to perseuer and to continue in their sinnes vnto the end Verse 9. Yet for your loues sake I rather beseech thee Heere we haue the second part of the diuers reason before remembred The former Verse was a preparation or entraunce into the prayer or petition of Paule and containeth the authoritie that he had if hee would vse it to command Philemon that which was conuenient for him to do These words are a mild mittigation of the former namely that albeit he might commaund him by his office yet he would rather entreat and beseech him thorough loue The Apostle hauing to do in this place with a matter of Christian moderation and equitie wherein hee might from the Lord command with authoritie doth notwithstanding pray and beseech and when hee might lawfully vrge and require the practise thereof hee rather resolueth to vse gentle humble and louing meanes Doctrine 2. Gentle means are to bee vsed rather then seuere to perswade men to the truth The Doctrine arising from hence is this That the Seruants of God ought to vse mildnesse and meekenesse in deliuering the will and message of God to his people rather intreating them with lenitie then commanding them with authoritie albeit they haue libertie so to do Courteous and gentle meanes are first to be vsed if they may preuaile rather then checking and chiding sharpely and rigorously with Offenders We see this in Christ Iesus himselfe who did not breake the bruised reede nor quench the smoaking Flaxe hee sayth c Mat. 11 28. Come vnto mee all yee that are weary and heauie laden and I will ease you for my yoake is easie and my burden is light This appeareth in sundry places of Paules Epistles Rom. 12 1. I beseech you Brethren by the mercies of Christ that ye giue vp your bodies a liuing Sacrifice holy and acceptable vnto God which is your reasonable seruing of God So 2 Cor. 5 20. Now then are we Ambassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you through vs we pray you in Christs stead that ye bee reconciled to God And in the tenth Chapter of the same Epistle d 2 Cor. 10 1. I Paule my selfe beseech you by the meeknesse and gentlenesse of Christ which when I am present
God so hee could not regard thy good but now thou shalt receiue a new Onesimus a new Seruant a new man the same in substance but renewed in quality and altered from the Crowne of the head to the sole of the foote He was not before so vnprofitable but now thou shalt finde him as profitable vnto thee as I haue found him both diligent and dutifull vnto me in my bonds and imprisonment The reasons taken from the Apostle himselfe are of two sorts first from his action of sending him secondly from the Communion and fellowship which Paule had with Philemon The first touching his present sending of his Seruant backe is propounded and then the obiections that might be alleaged are preuented The reason may thus be concluded If I haue sent him backe againe then thou oughtest to receiue him at my hands But I haue sent him backe againe vnto thee Verse 12. Receiue him therefore The meaning of the wordes This is the reason the preuenting of the Obiections is in the three Verses following which come afterward to be considered This is the order of the words it remaineth breefly to vnfolde the meaning Interpretation of thē When he saith of Onesimus That he was in times past vnprofitable he meaneth in the time of his ignorance before his conuersion before his calling by the preaching of the Gospel and before he came to the knowledge and vnderstanding of true Religion By Vnprofitable we must vnderstand leud vntrusty vnfaithfull stubborne dissolute and euery way carnall Againe when he saith But now he meaneth since his conuersion and since a new-birth was wrought in him he is made Profitable that is honest helpfull dutifull faithfull seruiceable so that he opposeth and compareth the State and condition of Regenerate Onesimus with the State and condition of vnregenerate Onesimus and maketh the one contrary to the other When he willeth Philemon to receiue him he meaneth to grace and fauour forgiuing and forgetting his former faults and bad dealing Lastlie when he calleth Onesimus his owne Bowels he meaneth as deare to him as his owne Bowels who although he were a poore Slaue and abiect Seruant by calling and a Fugitiue and Runna-grate by his former condition yet now greatly beloued of the Apostle euen as himselfe As if he should say If thou louest mee account of him no other-wise then thou dost of me entertaine him as mine owne heart receiue him as my Sonne and as if hee were begotten of mine owne bowels Diuers pointes to be obserued In these two Verses containing two reasons to perswade Philemon to receiue his Seruant being made much better by his departure from him wee are to obserue diuers pointes woorthy of our diligent obseruation and of our carefull consideration First we are to marke how the Apostle speaking of the offence of Onesimus and of his former State before his conuersion doth mittigate the greatnesse of his sinne by the mildenesse of the word For whereas hee might haue called him a Theefe a Rogue and a Runna-gate he dooth allay it and expresse it vnder a gentler Name as we shall see better afterward to teach vs that when we haue to do with Sinners that are conuerted vnto Christ truely and haue repented of their sinnes vnfainedly we should deale fauourably with them we should not racke and stretch their offences but after a sort couer them with the cloake of charity and bury them in the Graue of forgetfulnesse Secondly we may obserue how the Apostle speaking of his Conuersion and Regeneration doth set it out to the full not onely that Philemon should be perswaded but that Onesimus might be comforted Wherefore he doth not onely say that he was become profitable but very profitable or exceeding profitable And he addeth not onely very profitable to Philemon but to himselfe euen to them both whereof Paule had experience already Philemon should haue heereafter which teacheth vs to vse all good and louing meanes to strengthen such as are newly conuerted and to remember for their comfort and encouragement such good thinges as appeare to haue beene in them not to diminish or lessen them but fully to expresse and declare them to others that God may be glorified in their calling and they themselues may be strengthned in all well doing Thirdlie we see in the strength of the first reason that men are greatly moued to doe any thing by hope of receiuing profit and commodity It is an Argument not onely to induce prophane and vngodly men to commit wickednesse but to perswade the godly and faithfull to follow holinesse of life Whatsoeuer is offered vnto vs vnder the Title of profit doth carry with it a certaine force and power to lead vs to the practise of it whereby we ought to learne that in moouing men to well doing wee may lawfully lay before them the hope of Heauen and assurance of profit yea all men for their better encouragement in the workes of godlinesse may haue respect to the profit of their labour and the recompence of reward True it is the glory of God and the discharge of our dutie ought to be the principall meanes to moue vs but the consideration of our owne profit should not be neglected Hence it is that the Apostle x Tit. 3 8 9. mouing all that haue beleeued to be carefull to shew forth good workes addeth These thinges are good and profitable vnto men on the other side remoouing them from foolish questions and Genealogies and contentions and brawlings about the Law he concludeth for they are vnprofitable and vaine So the Apostle declaring the wonderfull Faith of Moses who refused to be called the Sonne of y Heb. 11 26. Pharoahs Daughter chose rather to suffer aduersity with the people of God and esteemed the rebuke of Christ greater riches then the treasures of Aegipt sheweth that he had respect to the recompence of the reward Fourthly Paules sending is made a reason for Philemons receiuing and he concludeth that he is to bee receiued of his Maister because hee is sent backe by Paule himselfe For seeing Onesimus returned not of his owne accord or through compulsion of others or through danger of law or through feare of punishment but by the purpose and appointment of Paul and came not againe empty but laden with letters of commendation it serueth highly to set forth the matter To present himselfe in this sort before his Maister by the direction and aduise of Paule was more then if he had returned of his owne head and it was more effectuall to mooue Philemon to receiue him which teacheth vs that the authour and perswader of any iourney or embassage doth serue greatly to commend the iourney and to set forth the embassage it selfe and therefore a message sent from a faithfull and good man is not lightly to be passed ouer or rashly to bee contemned or vnreuerently to be receiued of him to whom it is sent Lastly we are to obserue the tender and inward affection
it in their hearts and thereby made Charitie a note of Christianity seeing that where loue doth not rest there Christ doth not dwell If then we wold make it manifest that we haue beene brought vp in the Schoole of Christ we must loue one another Reason 4. Lastly seeing it is the sum of the Law and a token and testimonie that we make Conscience to walk in the wayes and commandements of God Heerunto commeth the laying of the Apostle c Rom. 13 8 9 Owe nothing to any man but to loue one another for he that loueth another hath fulfilled the Law For this Thou shalt not commit Adultery Thou shalt not kill Thou shalt not steale Thou shalt not beare false witnesse Thou shalt not couet and if there be any other commandement it is breefely comprehended in this saying euen in this Thou shalt loue thy neighbor as thy selfe This is a speciall praise and singuler commendation of loue that it is a short summe and briefe abridgement of the whole Lawe and of euerie Commandement contained in the Law This truth is taught in sundry other places and repeated againe and againe d Gal. 5 14. Colos 3 14. 1 Tim. 1 5. All the Law is fulfilled in one worde which is this Thou shalt loue thy Neighbor as thy selfe And Col. 3. Aboue all things put on loue which is the bond of perfectnesse Likewise 1 Tim. 1 5. The end of a commandement is Loue out of a pure heart and of a good Conscience and of Faith vnfaigned Loue therefore comprehendeth all duties for Charity is the Law abridged as the Law is Charity enlarged Loue is as it were a generall Vertue like vnto the soule which is said to be whole in the whole in euery part or as the blood which is dispersed through the whole body so is loue enlarged and lengthned through all and euery vertue Seeing then such as are conuerted by vs are the fruit of our labour and that Loue to the brethren is the seale of our saluation the badge of our profession and an Epitome or a breuiary of the whole Law it followeth that it ought to be harty earnest and feruent toward all the faithfull especially such as haue gone astray and bin brought by vs into the right way Vse 1. This then being a vertue so necessary that euery one which belongeth to the Lord Iesus Christ must yeeld their obedience euen to loue the Bretheren and shew himselfe a true Christian by shewing Charity to his neighbor let vs consider the nature and properties of this Loue that wee may haue the right and true vse of this Doctrine For heere is occasion offered vnto vs to search into the knowledge of this Vertue which is almost banished from among men or weeded and worne out of the world or caried from hence into the wildernesse from the sonnes of men or departed vp from heauen from whence it came and to haue quite and cleane abandoned the grosse earth which is vnworthy to entertaine so precious a Iewell any longer First therefore let vs know e What Loue is what Brotherly loue is It is a work of Gods spirit whereby a man is moued to affect his Brother for Gods sake and to shew forth the fruite of this affection I call it a worke of Gods spirite because it is not Naturally in vs it is not borne with vs. Naturally euery one is a louer of himselfe and vnnaturally is an hater of his neighbour so that true loue is the print of Gods finger and a marke set vpon vs by his spirit Hence it is that the Apostle setting downe the fruites of the spirit reckoneth vp Loue in the first place as one of the principall f Gal. 5 12. Ephes 6 23. The fruite of the spirite is loue ioy peace long-suffering gentlenesse goodnesse c. So then wee want this grace vntill God worke it in vs. We neede not seeke farre for selfe-loue for Loue of the world and the things that are in the world for the Loue of pleasures carnall vanities we haue these neere vnto vs euen within vs but we can neuer loue the godly for Gods sake vntill it be giuen vs from aboue of whom only we must aske it and from whence onely we can receiue it Againe to be well affected toward our Brother is to wish and seeke his good to reioyse at his prosperity and to be greeued at his misery True loue is not ydle g 1 Iohn 3 18 and it maketh vs that we shal not be vnfruitfull and vnprofitable vnto others We must be ready to helpe them beare their burthen and shewe the bowelles of compassion toward them That loue which doeth not manifest it selfe to the releefe and helpe of his neighbor is no true Loue but beareth only the shadow of it Moreouer it is added that we must doe it for Gods cause because God is principally and first to be loued with all our power and for himselfe Our neighbor is to be loued in God and for God because hee is Gods creature and beareth his Image For Loue extended to man is a fruite of the Loue of God Hence it is that the Apostle saith h 1 Iohn 4 21 This Commaundement haue wee of him that he that loueth God should Loue his Brother also God cannot be loued and our Brother hated because there is one and the same Law-maker that commandeth both to loue him and our neighbor also Lastly we must consider who is our Brother and what is our neighbor that we must Loue which are the parties to whom it is to be shewed By Brother we are i Who is our Brother or Neighbor not onely to vnderstand the sonne of our Father that is our owne blood kindred and by Neighbor we must take heede we doe not deceiue our selues restraining it to such as are ioyned to vs in friendship or neer vnto vs in dwelling or such as beare vnto vs good will but such as are of the same Nature with vs euen any of mankinde He is to be accounted as our neighbour that is a man as we are and doth beare the Image of God as we do of what condition so euer he be whether he dwell neere vnto vs or farre from vs whether he be our owne Countrey-man or a Stranger whether he bee worthy or vnworthy whether he be a friend or an enemy whether he bee knowne or vnknowne because we are to consider him in God not in himselfe as we noted before This our Sauiour teacheth in the i Luke 10 29 30 31. Rom. 13 8. Esay 58 7. parable of the Samaritan answearing the Scribes question Luke 10. that we must shew the duties of loue to him that wanteth our helpe and releefe though he were our enemy one that did hate vs as the Samaritans were vnto the Iewes whether he be godly or vngodly we must extend the duties of loue toward them Thus did Dauid deale toward Saul his enemy
that sought his life to take it away he spared him when he might haue slaine him and hee cut off onely a peece of his coate when he might as easily haue cut off his head which kindnesse of his heaped vp coales of fire vppon his head and so wrought with him k 1 Sa. 24 17 that hee called him Sonne and prayed God to recompence vnto him that goodnesse that he had shewed and ceased from persecuting of him at that time The like example wee haue in Elisha l 2 King 6 22 23. who woulde not suffer the Horsemen that were sent to take him to be smitten with the sword but commanded Bread and water to be set before them so they did eate and drinke they refreshed themselues and returned to their Maister Let vs follow these worthy presidents and account all men our neighbors let vs account our selues bound in dutie to help them and do vnto them as we would haue them deal toward vs. Thus we see what loue is we haue heard from whence it commeth wherein it consisteth and to whom it is to be shewed It commeth from God and is the worke of his spirit it consisteth in a fellow-feeling of their good and greefe of their prosperity and aduersity so that we shold reioyce with them and mourne with them according to the condition wherein they are it is to be shewed to all such as are of the same nature and are couered with the same flesh that is to all mankinde Secondly we are to consider the property of this Loue m The property of Loue. how it is to be performed For as we haue seene the parties who are to be loued euen al so we must marke the manner how they are to be loued that is feruently and earnestly This is taught by the Apostle Iohn n 1 Iohn 3 18 11 12. My little children let vs not loue in word neither in tongue onely but in deede and in truth This also he pointed out a little before This is the Message that yee heard from the beginning that wee should Loue one another not as Caine who was that wicked one and slew his Brother And the Apostle Paule saith o Rom. 12 9. Let Loue be without dissimulation Likewise in the Epistle to the Galathians p Galat. 4 18. It is a good thing to Loue earnestly alwayes in a good thing and not onely when I am present with you Our Loue therefore must not onely be true but feruent and that for these causes We haue the perfect example of Christ q Iohn 10 11 Who gaue his life for his Sheepe and suffered the shamefull death of the crosse to redeeme them Againe if occasion require it and our calling will beare it r 1 Iohn 3 16. we ought so to Loue them as wee shoulde giue our liues for the brethren which duty wee can neuer fulfill except our Loue bee feruent Lastly there are manie meanes to quench Loue as wronges iniuries vnkindnesse vnthankfulnesse hatred and emulation all these corrupt affections are as water to the fire Seeing then it is so quickely and by so many meanes cooled and quenched let vs kindle it and labour to continue it that it may alwayes burne and not decay This feruent Loue is a rare Iewell which seemeth almost gone out of the world Thirdly we must know the forme and manner how wee are to Loue our brethren to wit euen as our selues By this rule our practise must bee squared and by this rule shall our loue be iudged As we wish our own good hartily sincerely and vnfaignedly so ought we to desire the good of our neighbor It is the Law of Nature that teacheth vs to doe to others as wee would haue others do to vs. It is the Law of God that commandeth vs to Loue our neighbor as our selues Our Loue must be without hypocrisy and dissimulation from the very heart This hearty Loue is as it were the life and soule of the duty due to our brethren Let vs therefore loue them with a sincere affection and in vnfaigned simplicity This appeareth plainly in such as prayed for their persecutors and vtter enemies as Stephen when they stoned him kneeled downe and cried out with a lowd voyce Å¿ Acts 7 60. Lorde lay not this sinne to their charge And our Sauiour Christ when they crucified him said t Lu. 23 33 34 Father forgiue them for they know not what they do If we can practise and performe the like wish their good as our owne pray for them as for our selues and desire their forgiuenesse as we would be forgiuen of God then is this true loue to our true comfort found in vs. Vse 2 Secondly seeing this is the Loue that must bee found in vs towardes the Saints it serueth to meet with many enormities and to reproue manie sinnes that raigne in the world and are as the fore-runners of the full and finall ruine thereof Our loue to others is a cold loue frozen without heat dead without life barren without fruite such as our Sauior speaketh of in the gospell u Math. 24 12 Because iniquitie shall be encreased the Loue of many shall be cold But our Loue is hot toward our selues we haue abundance of selfeloue which ouerfloweth in vs and ouercommeth true loue This is the onely loue that remaineth in the worlde in these daies which is the corruption nay the bane and poyson of true loue This is it which the Apostle prophesied of long agoe x 2 Tim. 3 1 2 This know also that in the last dayes shall come perrillous times for men shall be louers of their owne selues without naturall affection no louers at all of them which are good Where we see that Paul prophesying of the last dayes daies of great perill and much impiety doth put selfe-loue in the first place as it were in the forefront and make it the fountaine from whence the traine floweth that followeth afterward For he which loueth himselfe will not regard what he doth to others and arrogateth all things to himselfe hee setteth vp himselfe as the onely man of account he magnifyeth himselfe hee contemneth all others Hence it is that he is couetous proud treacherous stubborne heady high minded and heapeth or hoordeth vp sinne vpon sinne till he fill vp the measure The worlde is pestered with these Monopolies which are all for themselues nothing for the common good of Church or Countrey We haue a common Prouerbe rife in their mouthes but more rife and ripe in the practise of the people Euery one for himself and God for vs all The first branch sheweth what is in vse but the second part must be changed for where euerie one is for himselfe there the Deuill is for all Wherefore the former is the Deuils Prouerbe and is no more to be vsed among Gods people The Christian Prouerbe must be Euery one for his Brother and God for vs all y 1 Cor. 13 5
6 16. But these men say Doe not I loue them that hate thee and hate them that loue thee They hate the godly in their hearts and the more grace appeareth in them the more they despise them as Michall did Dauid when she saw his zeale in bringing home the Arke of the Lord into his own Cittie They esteeme more of their dogs and Swine then they doe of the deare Seruants of God bought with the precious blood of Christ therfore they say Oh these are the little flock these are Saints these are holie folkes we are not for their company But if we belong to God and to his Kingdome wee must of necessitie be of the Communion of Saints And if indeede thou thinke them holie thou oughtest to conclude therefore we are and must be and will be for their company For either we are holie or vnholie either godlie or prophane either righteous or vnrighteous If we be not true Christians we are no better then Deuils incarnate and therefore shall haue our portion and reward among the Deuils So then either they vtter those words with a scoffing spirit and then we leaue them to his iudgement that will take vengeance of all such taunts that he accounteth cast out against himselfe or else they make a fearefull conclusion against their owne Soules disclaiming themselues to be Members of the Church renouncing the sweet society communion of the Saints refusing the forgiuenes of their sins and accounting thēselues vnworthy of eternall life or else they speake ignorantly as poore silly blind Soules who are to be pittied and praied for and this all the hurt we wish vnto them for all the mallice they beare against vs beeing bold to craue more good for them then they doe for themselues saying g Luke 23 34 Acts 7 60. Father forgiue them for they know not what they doe Lord lay not this sinne to their charge Thus we desire God to giue them them eies that are blind and to open their hearts that haue shut them against the truth and the professors thereof Vse 2 Secondly seeing it is our duty to respect euery one of the faithfull according to the grace of God measured out vnto him it is required of all men to looke alwaies to the best things in the choise of the companions of their life We learne not to enter rashly into any neere societie with such as haue not the graces of Gods holie spirit to commend them When any of vs are to seeke friendes to match our selues with a Wife to entertaine Seruants to make choyce of teachers our care must be to enquire after such as haue true pietie in their hearts and may yeeld vnto vs sound comfort And whensoeuer we haue made that happy and heauenly choyce we must labour to cherish to encrease and to strengthen them in all their waies and for our parts must delight and reioyce in them aboue all other One good Friend one godly Wife one religious Seruant is worth ten thousand others what priuiledges of the flesh soeuer they bring with them Hence it is that the Apostle saith h 1 Cor. 7 39. The Wife is bound by the law as long us her husband liueth but if her Husband be dead she is at liberty to marry with whom she will onely in the Lord. We see how Dauid among all the Sonnes of Saule made choise onely of Ionathan to ioyne with him in a strong league of sure friendshippe because he knew him to haue an vpright and faithfull hart toward God These two did take sweet counsell together and had their soules knit in a fast and firme knot of mutuall loue Likewise concerning the seruants of his house that he would receiue and retaine he saith i Psal 101 6 7 Mine eyes shall be vpon the faithfull of the Land that they may dwell with me he that walketh in a perfect way he shall serue mee there shall no deceitfull person dwell within mine house he that telleth lies shall not remaine in my sight c. The Apostle Paul called to be an Apostle teacher of the Gentiles hauing conuerted many to the faith did take the greatest delight and reaped soundest consolation in them he accounted them his Crown he esteemed them his Sonnes he called them his glory he reioyced in them as his hope This appeareth in the example of Onesimus whom he had begotten in his bonds the greater fruits of Faith he found in him the greater account and reckoning did he make of him The like wee might say of others euen of whole Churches gained to the Gospell the more they encreased in godlynesse the more his bowels were enlarged in care and compassion toward them This affection ought to be in all true Pastors toward their people they must loue such aboue the rest as exceede and excell the rest in the knowledge and practise of true godlinesse This affection should be in the Father towards his Children he should loue them most he should giue them most hee should prouide and prepare for them most that haue most Religion in their hearts most grace in their soules most soundnesse in their liues Let them bee vsed best that are best and finde most fauour that shew the greatest faith The Scripture teacheth vs that Isaac had two sonnes Esau was the first borne yet Iacob had the blessing Godlinesse maketh the younger to bee the elder the second to be the first the lowest to be the highest the least to bee the greatest but vngodlinesse causeth the first borne to be last maketh the elder to be younger and easteth downe the highest into the lowest roome So we see that among the sonnes of Iacob k 1 Chro. 5. 1. Gen. 49 3 4. Ioseph had the double portion albeit he were the youngest of them all sauing one because the rest of his Children had stained them-selues with some grosse sinne which did put them out of their proper place and disinherit them of the blessing This point heere to be learned and practised reproueth two sorts of men as well such as make choise of such as bee wicked as those that hate them which are good and godly We must not delight our selues in those that be carnall and corrupt albeit they be neuer so neer vnto vs. Ahab did repose and reioyce himselfe l 1 King 21 7 1 Sam. 22. 9. 1 Ki. 12 8 31 in Iezabell against Naboth Saule in Doeg against Dauid when he saw that God was with him and his spirit departed from himselfe Rehoboam made choise of youthfull vaine and vicious Companions and refused the Counsell of the prudent and the aduise of the Elders the friends of his Father Ieroboam made choyse of the ignorant multitude of the scum of the people and of the Rascall sort to be the teachers of Israell and their guides and Gouernors in the matters of Gods worship It is a common euill to delight in euill company in prophane persons in Idoll-shepheards in carnall
are the members one of another This is it which our Sauiour teacherh in the Gospell y Iohn 10 16. There shall be one sheep-fold and one Shepheard There cannot bee a neerer coniunction communion then the members of the same body haue one with another euery one seeketh the good of another and all labour after the benefit and preseruation of the whole This comparison is fitly alledged by the Apostle z 1 Cor. 12 12 As the body is one and hath many Members and all the members of the body which is one though they be many yet are but one body euen so is Christ So then seeing God is the common Creator of vs all and seeing we are made the members one of another through our coniunction and vnion with Christ we gather from both these considerations that our fellowship and communion one with another must cause and compell vs to doe all good one to another and to haue a speciall care one of another Vse 1 Let vs breefely see what profitable Vses may be concluded from hence And first if the communion that we haue one with another and the entercourse of friendship ought to moue vs to Christian duties then it followeth much more that the communion that we haue with Christ and the honour which God vouchsafeth vnto vs to account vs his Friendes should be auaileable to ioyne vs to him to teach vs to obey him to honor him to serue him to worship him and to walke in the practise of his Commandements Hence it is that Abraham performing the condicions of the Couenant that God hath required of him when he promised to be his God and the God of his Seede a 2 Chro. 20 7 Esay 41 8. Iames 2 23. is oftentimes renouned with this honourable Title to bee tearmed The Friend of God This Christ our Sauiour teacheth b Iohn 15. 14 15. and 14 15. Ye are my Friendes if ye do whatsoeuer I commaund you henceforth call I you not Seruants for the seruant knoweth not what the Maister doth but I haue called you Friendes for all thinges that I heard of my Father haue I made knowne to you No friendship is more glorious and gainefull then the frendship of God none is more constant or continuall seeing whom he loueth he loueth to the end Hereby we haue accesse vnto God as to our Friend then which what can be a greater Dignitie Now the honor is great so we must know wherein it consisteth for friendship is not an idle name without the truth of the thing The loue of God to vs is seene in his fauour toward vs in blessing of vs in taking the care of vs in pardoning our sins in adopting of vs to be his Sons and in giuing of vs eternall life Our loue toward God is to be measured by keeping his Commaundements in depending vpon him in beleeuing in him and in looking for all good things from him But if we rebell against him and forsake his lawes we cannot make any account of Gods friendship nor make our reckoning to haue him to be our friend For sin is a Make-bate Commonly we hate and detest those as the worst sort of men that raise contention among Friends But such is the nature of sinne it causest the greatest enmity where there should be the greatest amity The Prophet Esay teacheth this very euidently c Esa 59 1 2 3 The Lords hand is not shortned that it cannot saue neither is his eare heauy that it cannot heare but your iniquities haue separated betweene you and your God and your sins haue hid his face from you that he will not heare for your hands are defiled with blood and your Fingers with iniquities your lips haue spoken lies and your tongue hath murmured iniquitie They wanted many good blessings but they considered not the cause that their sinnes had made God their Enemie and caused him to depart from them If then we desire the friendship of God we must haue a desire to walke in his waies So then they are in a miserable case that haue no care to please him for they haue not God to be their friend but their aduersary We say commonly a friend in the court is as good as a penny in the pursse but to haue a friend in the highest Court of heauen and the friendship of the most high who is the â—ing of Kings is more worth and better to be esteemed then all the World beside From this ground our Sauior teacheth vs to regard his friendship aboue all to feare his wrath which if it be kindled rageth as the fire and not to stand in feare of the displeasure of men thereby to be hindred in our obedience d Luke 12 4 5 I say vnto you my friends be not afraid of them that kill the body and after that are not able to do any more but I will forewarne you whom ye shall feare feare him which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell yea I say vnto you him feare Thus it behooueth vs from the consideration of our communion one with another to ascend and rise vp to the contemplation of our fellowship with God and from the meditation of our duties to be performed to men to proceede to the practise of our duties to God Vse 2. Secondly seeing our communion is accompanied with duties of godlinesse we must be carefull to associate our selues with godlie men to whom we are most bound and from whom we may receiue the greatest benefit For seeing our fellowship one with another teacheth vs to loue and make much one of another we must delight in the company of the faithfull that so wee may heare counsell comfort regard and exhort one another All mankind are combined together in one societie but if we be brought by Gods ordinance into one Family we haue another and a neerer band to couple vs in the same yoake We must beware least we giue roome and entertainment to those that are vngodlie whereby the rest of the House may bee insected Thus the Apostle Peter exhorteth the beleeuing Iewes e Acts 20 40. Saue your selues from this froward Generation It is certaine that such as are good by vsing euill company are made euill and such as are euill are made worse Such as make no conscience of their company will make no conscience in time of any iniquitie Vse 3. Thirdly we must learne by this communion to shew the duties of compassion one to another to helpe and releeue them that want and euerie way to sustaine and succour such as are in necessitie When Iob considered that we haue one Creator and sprung all out of the Earth which as a common Mother bare vs in her Womb f Iob 31 19 20. He could not see any perish for want of clothing or any poore without couering And in another place he complaineth of them that offered great kindnesse vnto him in his prosperitie when he had no
in it owne nature lawdable and lawfull may be vsed wickedly vnwarrantably and vnlawfully The Apostle Paule speaking of the Law saith c 1 Tim. 1 8. We know that the Lawe is good if a man vse it lawfully The thing that is good may be vsed in a manner that is not good But it is a true and common Prouerbe That the faults of the Artificers are not to be ascribed to the Arts themselues The Law is not to be blamed but the Teachers of the Law who did falsely apply it and wrongfully wrest it and ignorantly corrupt it Now that which the Apostle speaketh of the Law may rightly be spoken of suretyship It is good and lawfull if a man vse it well and lawfully But if wee vse it and enter into it rashly not rightly ordinarily not warily foolishly not wisely desperately not discreetly if we entangle our selues with it without much deliberation without good circumspection and without due consideration it becommeth vnlawfull vnto vs. True it is it is not euill in it selfe but to him it turneth to bee euill that vseth it euilly according to that which the Lord saith by the Prophet d Ezek. 20 25. I gaue them Statutes which were not good and Iudgements wherein they shoulde not liue because they brake them and abused them and were made more inexcuseable without them in that they framed not their liues according to the obedience of them It falleth out oftentimes that such as haue incombred themselues with rash promises and vnaduised suretyshippe seldome liue in peace and quietnesse without distraction of minde or feare of trouble or daunger of losse or feeling of misery Hence it is that Salomon teacheth vs to behaue our selues wisely and warily in this point and beateth vppon no Doctrine more often more earnestly more effectually then hee doth vpon this matter that wc haue in hand In the sixt Chapter of the Prouerbes hee sayeth e Prou. 6 1. My Sonne if thou be surety for thy Neighbor and hast stricken hande with the Stranger thou art snared with the wordes of thy Mouth and art taken with the words of thine owne mouth Where he compareth him that is free from bils and bands and bookes of the Creditors free from suretyship and fuch like bondage to a Bird that hath the liberty of the whole aire to flie therein at her owne pleasure but he that is bound by Promise or Couenant or Statute is like a bird in the net of the Fowler the which albeit she flutter with hir wing and cry with her voyce and hop with her foot yet is fast caught and may be killed or put in the Cage So is it with him that is entred into bandes or hath giuen his word for another he hath after a sort lost his freedome hee standeth in danger of falling into mischiefe Wherefore that this giuing of assurance to others and for others either by our word or hande may bee performed lawfully to the good of others and not to the hurt of our selues f Two thinges to be obserued in suretyship wee must marke remember and practise two points First consider the persons of others for whom it is doone Secondly our owne persons that doe it Touching those persons for whom we become sureties we must know that we are not to engage our selues and our credite for euery one that will craue it at our handes or will desire vs to pawne our Word and enter into bandes for them and promise vs faire to see vs discharged but in such men who oftentimes haue a greater feeling of their owne wantes and necessities then of freeing them out of woe that haue pledged themselues for them g In the persons for whō we are bound we must consider three things wee are to obserue three things First that they be well knowne Secondly that they bee honest and godly Thirdly that they bee suffient to pay that which they woulde haue vs bound vnto another to assure him that they will pay These are the persons that we are bound to helpe either for Piety or Charitie or Honestie or Amitie or Consanguinity or Affinity all which bandes do binde vs one to another and require some dutie to bee performed towardes them This is set downe as a singular point of true Wisedome by the Wiseman Prou. 11 15. Hee shall bee sore vexed that is surety for a Stranger and he that hateth suretyship is sure And afterward in the same Booke to the same effect h Prou. 20 16. and 27 13. Take his Garment that is suretie for a Stranger and a pledge of him for the straunger As if he should say pitty him not let him feele the smart of his folly and rashnesse and let him beare the punishment of his headinesse and heedlesnesse according to that which is set downe in another place i Prou. 17 18. A Man destitute of vnderstanding toucheth the hand and becommeth suretie for his Neighbour Whereby wee see that we must not bee so ouer-seene to vndertake for all men hand ouer head without difference but for such as are well and thoroughly knowne vnto vs within and without with whom we haue liued and beene long conuersant and eaten as it is k Cicer. lib. de amicitia in the Prouerbe a Bushell of Salt of whose care and Conscience in his dealings with others either in the same or in the like cases we haue had some good triall and experience Hee that doth engage himselfe farre for a stranger whom he doth not know shall repent afterward when it is too late And if we haue seene or heard of his vnfaithfulnesse in former times to others we are deceiued if we expect any better dealing 2. Againe we are to obserue that Salomon by the word Stranger doth not onely vnderstand such an one as is vnknowne vnto vs but would haue vs beware of those that are lewd and vngodly For so throughout the whol book of the Prouerbes for the most part hee taketh and vseth that word By the m Prou. 2 16. Strange Woman he meaneth a wicked Woman So in the former places his purpose is to teach vs to looke to our selues that they be not of prophane life and loose behauiour for whom we promise to become sureties they ought to bee knowne vnto vs for their honesty and piety that so our hearts may trust and rest in them But such as are vngodly and giuen ouer to all licentiousnesse and spend their dayes and wealth in beastly drunkennesse will neuer make conscience of their word or band to saue vs harmlesse They may well flatter vs till we be bound but they regarde not to discharge vs after we are bound They are vnfaithfull to God and therefore we cannot looke to finde them faithfull to our selues Whereby we see how grosly they are deceiued and how greatly they are deluded and how sencelessely they are besotted that will sooner be bound for Shifters Gamsters Bankerouts Tosse-pots and other base
see a plaine confirmation of it by sundry reasons For first it is a common Prouerbe among vs Fast binde fast finde That which is loosely bounde is lightly lost but a three-fold Cord well tyed and twisted by worde by writing by seale is not easily broken A word affirmeth a writing confirmeth a seale assureth and euery one of them bindeth to performe our promise We see by daily experience that men are both mortall and mutable and wordes proue oftentimes but winde albeit ratified with the greatest solemnitie True it is our word ought to be as good as a thousand Obligations but deceite is bred naturally in our hearts so that we cannot ground vpon the bare word of men to finde good dealing Otherwise the Lord would neuer haue giuen Å¿ Leuit. 19 11 13. so many Lawes to restraine wrong and Iniustice fraud and oppression All these or at least a great part of them are preuented by setting downe our Couenants and Agreements in Writing vnder our hands and seales Reason 2. Secondly it is needfull to haue this manner of dealing among vs to the end that equity and vpright dealing might be obserued among vs and that all occasions of wrangling and wresting of wordes and bargaines may bee cut off as with the sword of Iustice This is it which the Prophet Ieremy expresseth in the 32. Chapter of his prophesies mentioned before where the Doctrine hath his confirmation t Ier. 32 14. Thus saith the Lord of Hoastes the God of Israell Take the writings euen this Booke of the possession both that is sealed and this Booke that is open and put them in an earthen vessell that they may continue a long time Where he maketh mention of a double writing or instrument which is heere called aftet the manner of the Hebrewes A Booke One of them was vnsealed the other was sealed and so concealed both of them were euidences to assure vnto him the Land that he bought and purchased That which was sealed seemeth to be the Original and as it were the Court Rolles authentically recorded and laide vp for the perpetuall rememberance of the matter That which was open and vnsealed seemeth to bee a Coppie deliuered and taken word for word out of the former to bee carried about with them into Captiuitie The end of both was for continuance that the bargaine and sale that passed betweene them might neuer bee forgotten Reason 3. Thirdly that all occasion of Controuersie and couzenage might bee taken away For if there were no writinges to shew the memories of men being fraile and their practises being vnfaithfull the world would bee full of all loose dealings and concord would bee banished from among men The end why Abraham set seauen Lambes by themselues u Gen. 21 30. was because Abimelech should receiue them at his handes to be a witnesse of their agreement and that all controuersies were finished and ended betweene them It appeareth many times when proofes in writing faile that false witnesses are suborned and so the seates of Iustice are subuerted all which are easily remedied when good assurances are at the first taken Reason 4. Fourthly good assurance is to be allowed and receiued to the end wee may safely dispose of such thinges as are in our power and possession eyther to our posteritie or otherwise Hence hath beene in all ages the lawdable and commendale vse of making Willes and Testaments which the word of God approoueth by deliuering diuers rules belonging to that profession The Law of God and of Nature hath taught that the Will and Testament of the dead ought x Gal. 3 15. not to be abrogated or altered and that no y Heb. 9 13. Will is of force vntil the Testator be dead Now we know not whether the gifts that we giue the Legacies that we bequeath be of our own proper goods or the goods of other men except we haue before hand a sufficient assurance of them made vnto vs. Seeing therefore where there is a fast knot there is a sure keeping seeing vpright dealing is to bee obserued seeing occasions of quarrels and contentions are to be stopped and seeing the goods that God hath giuen vnto vs are rightly to be bestowed it followeth that euery one is to prouide for the security and quietnesse of his estate by all lawful means not onely by word of mouth but by assurance in writing that thereby hee may foresee the danger that may come vpon him and be wary and circumspect in all his doings according to the saying of Christ the Teacher and Author of true wisedome z Math. 10 16 Be ye wise as Serpents and innocent as Doues For if wisedome doe season all our affaires then also our contracts that are common in this life Vse 1. We haue heard this Doctrine confirmed Now let vs see how it may bee applyed and what vses may be concluded out of it First of all it setueth for reproofe of the Anabaptists who are heereby directly ouerthrowne that condemne the propertie of goods and possessions together with all contracts and conditions that passe from one to another For we haue shewed that bargaines and sales are lawfull not onely among the Gentiles but euen among the Christians not onely vnder the rudiments of the Law but in the times of the Gospell The end of such writings Obligatory is nothing else but to assure euery one of his owne and to make it appeare what belongeth to another man If then it be lawfull to possesse House and Landes Money and moounables as our owne substance it is as lawfull to craue and take assurance of the possession of them that they may not by fraudulent meanes be alienated from vs. But of this we haue spoken before Secondlie they are reprehended who are offended that men in these cases will not trust them and relye vpon their wordes without farther assurance in writing and refuse to giue men good security For all is little enough and many times too little I haue heard it credibly affirmed and auouched by some Maister of that profession that albeit a conueyance of Land a deede of estate an Indenture of Couenants be drawne as sure and certaine as learned counsell can deuise and contriue yet it is an easie matter to picke holes in them and to take aduantage of them We see daily what quirkes and trickes of Law are broached and inuented whereby such as are simply and honestly minded are defrauded and defeated of Houses Landes and other Chattels Neuer was there so a Psal 62 9. little truth and so great craft and cozenage in the World as in these daies Sathan himselfe seemeth now to haue opened all his packe of deuises and his Instruments as good Schollers of so bad a Maister haue learned sundry deuillish practises whereby true meaning men are oftentimes notoriously gulled Some there are that are thought to study little else then to finde wantes and imperfections in Statutes in Leafes in Lands
and in assurances giuen betweene man and man This is the cause that the Makers of our Lawes are compelled to vse so many wordes and to heap vp so many Tearmes that thereby they might heale this sore and remedie this mischiefe Let vs not therefore greeue or grudge to make sure that whereof wee haue made sale No man ought to be so simple as not to aske it and no man ought to be so peeuish as to deny it We may easily behold such as are friends to day to be enemies to morrow one while they affirme another while they deny at one time they promise to pay or repay at another they hang backe at it and make it strange that they should be challenged of their promise Euery one b Phil. 2 21. Seeketh his owne and not the thinges of other men and how many haue been foulely deceiued and guilefully beguiled by trusting too far But there is no reason or equity that when wee haue receiued Money we should deny or delay to giue good security and that other men should stand to our curtesie Wherefore it is a great iniury and In-iustice to require men to depend vpon vs and our word without further assurance in blacke and white For albeit we mean not falsely but faithfully not fraudulently but honestly and our Word be as firme as our Oath and our Oath as sure as our Band and our Band as good as ready payment and present possession in regard of our honest meaning and true intent yet we cannot liue for euer and we know not what may fall out after our decease Obiection But some man may say what neede so much a doe among Friends And what stirre doe you make as if we were Infidels and not Christians Or what neede so many Couenants and conueyances where there is a shorter course And where the profession of Christ is a stronger band then all the writings that the wit of man can imagine and set downe Answere I answere that all they that professe Christ in word doe not beleeue in him in heart And albeit the sauing knowledge of Christ be a band of all bands to linke vs together yet this doth not hinder or abolish ciuill contracts to be assured to vs and our posterities Be it that we are the greatest friends there is so much more neede of so much the more adoe among them that are Friends thereby to keepe them Friends and to hold the knot of friendship between thē For oftentimes it falleth out that through want of wordes and writings and witnesses such as haue bin most faithfull friends haue become most bitter enemies one to another Were not Paul and Philemon Friends neere Friends yea the neerest and dearest Friends that could be Were they not as the Father and the Sonne Did they not so liue together and loue together c Verse 17. That they had all things common Yet we see Paule offereth assurance of his word and promise in writing subscribed with his owne hand I Paule haue written it with mine owne hand Yea notwithstanding all assurances that can be desired and demaunded we may well perceiue by daily and lamentable experience what sutes and strifes arise about Titles and conueyances of Lands and Liuings how much more would we contend one with another if there were no Instruments drawne no Euidences made no writings ingrossed to testifie the truth among vs All Kingdomes and Citties all Townes and Villages would be full of stirres and strifes of troubles and tumults that would neuer end and the Iudges and Iustices might stand from Morning to Euening to heare cases and decide controuersies betweene man and man to the wearying of themselues and others He that hath an heauy pursse and a strong heart would neuer rest satisfied if no writing or records could be produced against him Wherefore it standeth all men vpon on the one side willingly to yeelde good assurance and on the other side to aske good securitie where they buy and sel or borrow or bargaine and doe giue or take vpon trust through want whereof sometimes not onely the Rents and Reuennewes but the Lands themselues are spent in suits and actions of Law Lastly it reproueth such as notwithstanding assurance giuen do make no conscience to pay debts and demaunds due vpon agreement to their brethren These are forward to giue assurance but backeward to make performance Many there are that are content to yeeld to what promises and enter into what bands you will craue but when they haue done they vse no care and make no account to pay their debts and to performe the Couenants whereunto they haue consented and condescended contrary to the counsell of the Prophet who asking the question d Psal 15 1 4 Who shall dwell in the Tabernacle of the Lord and who shall rest in his holy Mountaine He answereth He that sweareth to his owne hindrance and changeth not It is requisite for euery one to be as wary and well aduised in his promises as he can and to deliberate with himselfe and his Friendes that he doe nothing rashly but when he hath striken hands and made a promise to his Neighbour he ought to performe it albeit it be to his hinderance vnlesse peraduenture he be released Be it therefore knowne vnto all men that as it is lawfull to conuerse and commerse one with another so it is meete and conuenient that they should deale not vpon vncertaineties but vpon assurances as they that builde not vpon a sandy ground but vpon a sound foundation As it is right and lawfull that there should be buying and bargaining purchasing and possessing among vs so is it right and lawfull that there should be Deedes and Indentures to testifie the same and as it were to liue when we are dead And as it is needfull and expedient so long as the world endureth and continueth there should be borrowing and lending so it is as necessarie there should be Bils and Bands to shew the truth and to binde men to the payment of all dues debts and demaunds whatsoeuer and after payment well and truely made to giue discharge acquittance accordingly that controuersies so much as may be may be auoyded and concord as far as is possible may be maintained and established They therfore are vnworthy to liue in any wel-ordered and gouerned Common-wealth that refuse being able to performe their promises and satisfie their Creditors and cancell the Obligations that thēselues haue sealed and deliuered before many Witnesses who albeit they stand not by the high-way side with Swordes or Staues or Rapiers or other Weapons yet are indeede no better then Theeues and Robbers nay many times are worse inasmuch they bring greater damage and are the meanes of vndoing many men Such are they that are angry and much offended with Notaries and Scriueners which by their writings binde them as they imagine too strongly and when they see themselues troubled and arrested vpon the Obligation they hate
them and cursse them and cannot behold them with a friendly looke and a louing countenance as if the fault were in the Clearkes Bayliffes and other publique Officers not in themselues and their owne vnfaithfulnesse which is all one as if a Male-factor should charge the Executioner who is the Minister of Iustice to be the cause of his death forgetting that his owne misdeedes and misdemeanors brought him vp vnto that place and punishment Vse 2. Secondly seeing it is needefull that to confirme our lawfull contractes there be Euidences to shew it is a good point of wisedome required of vs to vse the aduise of such as are learned in the law and are both men of knowledge and of conscience For heere if in any thing else we shall finde the common Prouerbe true That the best is best cheap Many there are that regard the Fee more then the Cause and speake for themselues rather then for the partie that hath chosen them Againe many suites arise through ignorance and vnskilfulnesse of the Law wherefore it is meete we should resort to a learned Counsell so that partly through the want of honesty and piety in some partly the want of skill and practise in others many poore Clients go to wracke We must all deale in the matter of our goods as wise Patients doe for the curing of their bodies and the recouery of their health They will not goe to euery Slubberer or Sorcerer to euery Leach or Mountebanke to take charge of their bodies to whom a man would be loath to commit his Beasts If any doubts arise auoyd all forgery and periury suborning of false Witnesses counterfeiting of Euidences and such like deceitfull practises as the God of this world hath taught the Children of darknesse and confusion Take that course which God alloweth and Iustice warranteth repaire to men of that profession giue him good instruction and follow thou his direction For this purpose I will craue leaue to set downe e Three rules belonging to Lawyers three rules that are required and are to be performed of men of Law the obseruation whereof shall giue peace and comfort of conscience with God and gaine them Crownes and credit among men First of all if they disdaine not to be aduised and taught by vs let the end of all their pleas and proceedings be the finding out of the ttuth Let this be the marke that they shoot at and the starre whereby they direct all their course which seasoneth all their pleadings as it were with Salt If they regard not the tryall of the truth nor which way the cause go so they may receiue their Fee they abuse the ballances of Iustice and turne equity into Iniquity God is truth and euery one that belongeth vnto him should labour to bring the truth to light It is a generall rule taught by the Apostle f 2 Cor. 13 8. We cannot doe any thing against the truth but for the truth Woe therefore vnto them that dig deepe to hide the truth and inuent shifts to bury it out of sight that it may not take place and do all things against the truth and nothing for it The second rule is that they doe not delay the causes of their Clients and protract the time in hope of farther gaine from Tearme to Tearme and from yeare to yeare As there may be too great hast so there may be too great delay and there are Rockes on eyther hand the safest course is to saile in the midst betweene them both for feare of shipwracke It is a dutie of the Surgeon not to linger the curing of his Patient and to torment him a whole yeare where he might restore him in a quarter Suites of Law are tedious and chargeable they are as the fits of a Feauer that vexe the body and trouble the minde It is an euill course to keepe sores alwaies raw and woundes greene in hope to get Mony So it is an vncharitable proceeding to retaine causes and to keepe them alwaies on foot except they may haue for expedition Lastly as the end of their pleading must bee truth and veritie and the course of it without delay so it is required of them when they know the cause to be euill and see the manifest signes of an ouerthrow that they doe not conceale it but discouer and open it vnto their Clients They are to forewarne them of the end that they doe not intangle themselues in vnnecessarie and vnlawfull suites It is deliuered as a dutie of the Physition and of the Minister when they come to a sicke man that lyeth on his death-bed and see manifest signes of death that they doe not hide it from him nor flatter him in his sicknesse saying I hope you shall doe well and recouer and be as merry among your Neighbours as euer you were but rather with wisdome warne him and with discretion certifie him of it to the end he may renounce all confidence in earthly thinges and put his whole affiance in God according to that sentence of the Apostle g 2 Cor. 1 9. We receiued the sentence of death in our selues because we should not trust in our selues but in God which raiseth the dead Thus ought it to be with the carefull and conscionable Lawyer when he seeth the cause of his Clyent desperate and languishing without hope of life he ought not to draw him on and moue him to proceede but perswade him to giue ouer and tell him the danger that will come vpon him It is too late to bid the Souldier beware when the victory is lost The wisest way is to preuent a mischiefe betimes before it be too late So then to trusse vp these thinges closely together and to couch them in a narrow roome if he shall vse his diligence that the truth may be discouered and right take place and make this the end of his pleading if he bend his wits to giue quicke dispatch to the causes he vndertaketh and not to prolong the time for his owne aduantage And last of all if he lay open the weaknesse of his Clyents cause vnto him and forewarne him of the issue thereof he shall doe the part of an honest man of a faithfull Christian of a learned Lawyer and of a discreet Counseller Vse 3 Thirdly from these assurances in writing to confirme our promises one to another we learn the cause why it pleased the Lord to vse so many waies and meanes with vs to giue vs his Word his Oath his promises his Miracles his Couenants and his Seales We learne wherefore all these do serue euen to strengthen our Faith in the good meaning of God toward vs. And as he thereby assureth his owne graces so he prouideth for our weakenesse If there were in vs that measure of Faith that ought to be the bare word of God might be all-sufficient to teach vs to acknowledge him to be the God of our saluation and to depend vpon him for our Redemption But seeing
another If euery mans word and deede did euer goe together and the outward wordes of his mouth did agree with the inward secrets of his heart if he did hate fraud and falsehood as Death and Hell what need were there of so many mens oaths to be taken of so many Witnesses to be called of so many Writings to be ingrossed of so many Euidences to be drawn and of so many assurances to be made A man cannot in these daies borrow or lend a little Money but there must be Bils and Bands Writings and Obligations Seales and Witnesses to testifie the same If there were those sincere hearts that ought to be among vs and that vpright dealing that God requireth there should not neede so many Oaths not so many Nouerint vniuersi be euery where found Let vs therefore deale iustlie and truelie and not seeke to winde away in the darke so soone as any starting hole is offered vnto vs. Hence it is that Moses saith p Leuit 25 14 15 16 17. When thou sellest ought to thy Neighbour or buyest at thy Neighbours hand ye shall not oppresse one another but according to the number of yeares thou shalt increase the price thereof and according to the fewnesse of yeares thou shalt abate the price thereof for the number of Fruits doth he sell vnto thee oppresse ye not therefore any Man his Neighbour but thou shalt feare thy God for I am the Lord your GOD. Where we see the Lord chargeth his people to keepe a good conscience in their Traffique one with another and condemneth all deceitfull Sellers and cozening Bargainers that ayme onely at their owne gaine but seeke not the good of their Bretheren Heereunto commeth the Exhortation of the Apostle 1. Thess 4. 6. q 1 Thess 4 6. Let no Man oppresse or defraud his Brother in any matter for the Lord is an Auenger of all such thinges This is a notable warning to all men that professe holinesse without which no man shall see God to beware of all iniuries and In-iustice and to seeke no commoditie to our selues by the discommodity nor aduantage by the disaduantage of another We are all Bretheren Shall one Brother oppresse another Or deceiue and defraud another Thus doth the same Apostle encrease the sinne of the Corinthians when he saith vnto them r 1 Cor. 6 4 5. Why rather suffer ye not wrong Why rather sustaine ye not harme Nay ye your selues doe wrong and doe harme and that to your Brethren There are many Bands as it were ioynts whereby we are knit and coupled one to another to be of one Blood of one Kindred of one Countrey of one Cittie of one assembly and of one Family all which kindes of coniunction as so many strong Arguments doe cry out in our eares and publish to our hearts that no iniurious and vniust dealings ought to be practised among vs. And albeit the former reasons ought to be sufficient vnto vs yet none can be more effectuall to ioyne vs in mutuall friendship and to procure the good one of another then the consideration of the coniunction that we haue with Christ our head and the communion that wee haue in Christ one with another whereby it commeth to passe ſ Ephe. 2 15. That wee are made one new Man in himselfe t Rom. 12 5. And euery one one anothers Members If all these thinges will not suffice and serue the turne to turne vs away from doing wrongs to those that are so neere vnto vs yet let the vengeance of God that hangeth ouer the heads of all Oppressours terrifie vs who in all Ages past hath shewed in the seasons present doth shew and in the times to come will shew himselfe the great Reuenger of Fraud Pillage Theft Iniurie and all wrongfull dealinges If then the knowledge of Gods will cannot worke in vs an hatred of In-iustice let vs be assured that after the breach of his Law and the transgression of his will followeth the execution of his wrath and the inflicting of punishment due thereunto It is a fearefull thing to fall into the handes of the liuing God If that his wrath bee kindled yea but a little blessed are all they that trust in him These men that scratch and scrape together the Treasures of this life which are but trash in comparison of the life to come neuer consider the day of reckoning that shall follow when the Lord will call them to an account of their stewardship And iudge euery man according to his workes Rom. 2. 6. Albeit I do not say to thee that thou owest moreouer vnto me euen thin owne selfe Hitherto we haue seene the former part of the answer to the obiection Now remaineth in these wordes to be considered the reuocation of the former grant wherein albeit the Apostle will not speake what he thinketh yet he leaueth it to Philemons secret cogitation to consider what he was indebted vnto him as if hee should say I haue offered to discharge thy Seruants debt neuerthelesse if thou remember me and if thou hast not forgotten thy selfe the amends is already made the debt is already paide Whereby it appeareth u Philemō won to the faith by the Ministery of Paule that Philemon was himselfe wonne to the embracing of the Faith by the Ministery of Paule as his Seruant also was First of all the Apostle claimeth at his hands that duty he challenged at the Seruants hand as appeareth verse 13. where he sheweth that he would haue retained him that in his stead he might haue ministred vnto him in the bonds of the Gospell Seeing therefore both of them owed the like seruice it followeth that both of them had the same occasion for the Apostle ioyneth them together as the fruits of his Apostleship Secondlie it is the greatest debt that can bee that is heere expressed when he saith to him Thou owest vnto mee euen thine owne selfe It was a great debt which the x Math. 18 28 Seruant owed to his Fellow-Seruant that required of him an hundred pence but so much Money would haue leuelled the debt and discharged him from prison and haue paied that he owed They were great Debers y Luke 7 41. and 16 7 8. that owed the one fiue hundred pence the other fifty but he that owed ten thousand Talents was the greatest of all and yet if they had beene able to haue paide so much the debts had beene fully discharged For where Money is owing Money will make euen a little summe will be paide with a little a great summe with the like quantitie The vniust Steward called together his Maisters Debters and one owed an hundred measures of Oyle another so many of Wheate but the Apostle saith hee did owe vnto him not fifty pence not an hundred pence not ten thousand Talents not an hundred measures of Oyle not an hundred measures of Wheat but his owne selfe that is euen his Soule and body This debt he vrgeth because of
louing and friendly exhortations then by seuere threatnings denounced against them They are indued with Gods spirit which is a Maister to teach them worketh in them the wil and the deed Of vnwilling they are made willing of tough rough hewen they are made pliable and apt for the building of stubborn they are become obedient ready to learn They are as good schollers in the school of Christ who feare more the displeasure of their Maister whom they loue and who loueth them then the suffering of many stripes and strokes giuen vnto them This is a true note to know the disciples of Christ from al others Euill men abstaine from sin for fear of the punishment for feeling of iudgment so that if there were no threatnings denounced no curses annexed no plagues and torments feared they would grow worse and worse quickly fill vp the measure of their iniquity Fourthly we may gather heereby that pollitick order is not ouerthrown by the Doctrine of the Gospell neither is the right and authoritie of Maysters ouer their seruants abrogated by the faith of Christ For Philemon was not an Infidell or vnbeleeuer d Verse 1. but a fellow-helper with Paul yet rule ouer his seruants is not denied him nor taken from him but hee is onely bidden to receiue him curteously and to pardon him mercifully yea Paule as we see doth humbly beseech him that hee may obtaine and retaine his former place and doth not straitly command him to discharge him of his seruice This iurisdiction standeth by good warrant of the Lawes of God and Men but of this wee haue spoken more at large before in the 12. Verse of this Epistle Fiftly we see the Title againe repeated that he giueth to Philemon when he calleth him by the name of his Brother Thus he called him before verse 7. and so he esteemed of Onesimus verse 16. VVhereby wee see that all men made members of Christ and engrafted into his body are become as faith Brethren one to another Thus doth the Apostle call this Onesimus e Col. 4 9. A faithfull a beloued Brother who is as one of them that were chiefe in the church The consideration heereof ought on the one side to pull downe our proud Feathers and make vs equall with them of the lower sort and on the other side to make vs loue one another not with dissimulation but with brotherly loue not in word onely but in truth as members of one body and as brethren of one father Sixtly he continueth his humble supplication for Onesimus which sheweth that they are farre from true repentance that doe excuse or defend or deny their faults and offences For hee that i Prou. 28 13. hideth his sinnes shall not prosper but he that confesseth and forsaketh them shall finde Mercie When Onesimus did see so famous an Apostle of Christ so carefully to intreate for his cause he ought much more to be humbled with a feeling and remembrance of his former offences thereby to mooue the minde of his Maister to gentlenesse and moderation Lastly obserue out of this place that albeit we doubt not to obtaine that which we desire but are assured to inioy that which we ask yet we must deal earnestly and effectually both in regatd of the matter it selfe for in a waighty and necessary cause we ought not to proceed slenderly and in respect of the nature of men who many times are dull to conceiue and slow to graunt that which we craue There is no man so quick of pace but needeth to haue the spurres clapped to his sides now and then No man runneth so swift a pace but sometimes wanteth exhortations consolations reprehensions admonitions threatnings and such like encoragements We haue not yet attained vnto perfection so long as we liue we must be Schollers in Christes schoole and as it were proceed from step to step Thus much breefly touching the generall Obseruations Now let vs come to the handling of the perticuler Doctrines Yea Brother let me obtaine this fruite By this conclusion it may appear that albeit Onesimus had robbed his Maister and run away with a great part of his substance yet hee had spent all as it often falleth out with ill-gotten goods and then being beaten with his owne rod as the k Luke 15 17. prodigall sonne and brought to necessity tasted of the sweete fruite of the Ministery of the blessed Apostle Hence it is that he vrgeth so earnestly and presseth Philemon so exceedingly to remit the debt to forgiue the hurt he had receiued by his naughty seruant as being no way able to satisfy him nor by any means heereafter being likely to satisfy him For if any ability had bin in him to make satisfaction there had bin no place for pardon and remission nor for Paules vndertaking of the debt If we by fraud and stealth by iniury and iniustice possesse the goods of other men we are commanded to make actuall and reall restitution The word of God teacheth vs directly that such as detain the goods of other men l Leuit. 6 1 7. Math. 5 23 24 Numb 5 6 7. are vnmeet for his worship vnfit for his seruice Againe such as with-hold them from the right owners m Eze. 18 15 33. shall die in their sins and not haue pardon before restitution when God hath enabled them thereunto But if we do keep backe from them their owne n August epist ad Maced our repentance is not conscionable but counterfet Heerby it appeareth that Onesimus was not able to pay vnto his Maister such things as he had taken away for otherwise it had bin an vnreasonable request to haue a debt pardoned which might be restored For that which any man doth vniustly detaine is none of his but that persons from whom it is detained So then this being the poore seruants condition that he had left nothing of all that which he had taken away as commonly goods euilly gotten are euilly spent the Apostle craueth pardon Doctrine 1. No mā ought to be eager extreame in exacting debts dues from the poore and needy From hence we learne that wee ought not to bee eager and extreame in vrging and exacting debtes from the poore and needie but rather be readie to remit releeue or at least to forbear what we may and are inabled to do Heerunto commeth the precept deliuered in the law of Moses o Deut. 15 2 Euery creditor shal quit the loue of his hand which he hath lent to his neighbor he shal not ask it again of his neighbour nor of his brother for the yeare of the Lords freedom is proclaimed Where he teacheth that mercy should be shewed to their brethren in necessity that they ought not to be hasty in calling for the things that are due to thē but rather to giue farther day respit So afterward Verse 7. If one of thy Brethren with thee be poore within any of
great cheere and bidding the Rich to their Tables whereas the Scripture vnderstandeth by it a courteous entertainement of such poore Christians as are bannished out of their Countries They therefore are much deceiued that commend those to be the onely House-keepers that feede men of all sorts without difference and discretion and releeue idle persons that flocke vnto their Gates and gather together such as are sturdy and vagrant to receiue their Almes contrary to the rules of the word and the Statutes of well-gouerned Common-Wealths These may be said rather to keepe great houses then good houses and to be great House-keepers rather then good House-keepers It were more charity to punish then to releeue such vnruly persons as wil submit themselues to no Lawes nor liue in any Family or society to the ende there may be sufficient for them that are Strangers indeede And such as wander vp and downe and are inccorrigible are no better then Theeues in as much as they liue by the sweate of other mens labours e 2 Thes 3 8 10. and as idle Drones sucke away the Hony from the Bees and deuour that which should maintain the faithfull of the Land and such as labour the thing that is good Let such therefore as haue their affections ready to receiue others into their houses and to make them partakers of the blessings that God hath bestowed vpon them vse it most commonly toward the poore Saints and destitute members of Christ according to the precept of our Sauiour Luke 14. f Luke 14 12 13 14 When thou makest a Dinner call not thy Friendes nor thy Bretheren nor thy Kinsmen nor thy rich neighbours least they also bid thee againe and recompence be made thee But when thou makest a Feast call the poore the maimed the lame and the Blinde and thou shalt bee blessed because they cannot recompence thee for thou shalt be recompenced at the resurrection of the iust True it is our Kinsmen our Friends and rich Neighbours may be inuited and bidden but not they onely as the custome is of our daies we entertaine such as may entertaine vs againe Secondly this meeteth with the corruption of our times we cannot abide those that are Strangers but are enemies to the very name when we heare it But all neglect of them and iniurious dealing toward them is a great sinne and such as are haters of Strangers are grieuous Sinners Such g Gene. 19. Iudg. 19. were the Sodomites such were the men of Gibeah that offered all violence they could to the Strangers that came to lodge among them it was an euident signe of horrible impiety and iniquity that raigned among them They that cry out so much against Strangers and vse it as a word of reproach do shew plainelie that they doe not deserue to be numbred among the Children of God nor to be accounted as members of Christ any more then Dogs and Swine inasmuch as out of their owne mouths they shall be iudged It is a shamefull barbarousnesse for men to haue pitty and compassion on them that are helplesse Among the Heathen and Infidels they were euill thought of that had not this reason and vnderstanding to receiue them gently and peaceably that were cast out of their houses and dwellings how much more is it requisite for vs when we see the Church of GOD tossed and tumbled and tormented by Tyrants and enemies of the truth to giue courteous entertainement to the poore Christians which are banished out of their Countries bereaued of their friends and separated from their Kinsfolkes of whom they might be succoured If we do not these thinges it is an euident token that we renounce God and haue no sparke of true piety in vs. For the Lord doth more rigorously condemne the outrages and wrongs that are done to strangers then those that are done to a mans owne Neighbours The Heathen shame vs nay shall rise vp in iudgement to condemne vs in this behalfe for when they intended to shew that some man was of a wicked and slauish Nature they were wont to say Get thee hence thou art an Enemy toward Strangers and this checke and taunt was more with them then if they had branded a man with the Name of an Whore-maister a Drunkard a periured person a Murtherer or if they had saide Thou art worse then a brute Beast They h Homer Odyss lib. 22. accounted the poore man and the stranger to be both sent vnto vs of God and therefore ought not to be despised They called them to lodge and soiourne i Virgil. Aeneid lib. 1. 8. with them and acknowledge that there ought to be a compassion of the miseries one of another They shewed not a niggardly mind k Ouid. Metamorph lib. 8. but a cheerefull looke and a friendly countenance toward such as they had receiued to their house The Painims haue spoken and practised after this manner what shal then become of vs that professe our selues to be Gods Children when we fight so directly against the order of nature For God hath set one common and generall band among al mankind and it is required of vs to extend our charitie toward all such as resemble vs and carry the Image of God vpon them but especially it behooueth vs to respect such as are more neerly knit vnto vs by the band of Faith and therefore ought to be more deare vnto vs then all others True it is all Strangers are to be warned and admonished for their part that they abuse not that name and priuiledge If a man haue a priuiledge and protection from a Prince and then abuse both himselfe and it so that vnder the colour of that benefit and honor done vnto him he commit some outrage and wicked Act shall he not be worthy of double punnishment It falleth out sometimes that a great number will say they are driuen out of their Countrey for their conscience yet they shew a corrupt conscience defile the Church with their dissolute life giue occasion to vnbeleeuers to blaspheme the purity of doctrine and to haue their mouthes wide open against the professors of it Notwithstanding we must take heed that for the offence of some we do not reiect those that are Gods strangers that we do not leaue them helplesse but succour them as God hath inabled vs. They are among vs to try our beneuolence and charity If we shew mercy to them though they be not able to requite it yet God is both able and willing to recompence our workes of mercy Vse 3. Thirdly it is our duty to take the opportunity offered vnto vs of God nay it is required of vs to seeke the opportunity to expresse our obedience to God and our loue to his people in doing all good to such as stand in neede The practise hereof we see in Abraham l Gene. 18 1. who sate at his Tent doore to inuite such as he saw passing by and had neede of the fruites
z Ephe. 2 8 9. 1 5 6. By grace are ye saued through Faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God not of works least any man should boast himselfe God will haue the glory of our iustification he will be accounted and acknowledged to bee the Iustifier and Sauiour of vs he hath not left vs to iustifie our selues nor to be our owne Sauiours as shall better appeare afterward Reason 2 Secondly there are no such properties in any mans workes as that they cannot merit or proceed from any other fountaine then Grace Let vs therefore see a What properties must be found in workes to make them merritonous what properties are necessarily required in workes to make them merritorious First they must be done of a man of himselfe by himselfe but we haue nothing of our owne to giue him but are most poore men and meere beggers and can but pay God with his owne The workes that are our owne are sufficient to deserue his wrath but haue no power at all to procure his fauour For in our selues we are wretched and miserable poore naked and destitute of all goodnesse so that it is truely saide by the Apostle Paule b 1 Cor. 4 7. Who separateth thee And what hast thou that thou hast not receiued If thou hast receiued it why reioysest thou as though thou hadst not receiued it Without him therefore we can do nothing it is he that must work in vs the will and the deede Secondly they must be such workes as are not due vnto him they must not be due debt they must come from our owne free will they must be such as God cannot iustly challenge at our hands But whatsoeuer we do we do as poore debters nay we are worse then poore debters wee are miserable Bankrupts we haue nothing we haue lesse then nothing to pay Our Sauiour hath a worthy sentence to this purpose Luke 17 10. When ye haue done all those things that are commanded you say we are vnprofitable seruants we haue done that which was our duty to do And what could Adam do and offer vnto God in his innocency but that which was his duty and whereunto he was bound vnto his Maker for his Creation and other blessings bestowed vpon him Thirdly the worke must be done to the benefit and profit of him from whom we looke to be repayed But our goodnesse and well-doing reacheth not to the Lord Psal 16. We may benefit men but wee cannot benefit our maker from whom we haue receiued life and limbe soule and body all that we haue but we can giue him nothing Now they that cānot giue anie thing to God can deserue nothing from him but wee cannot giue any thing to God according to the saying of Paule e Rom. 11 35. 36. Who hath giuen vnto him first and he shall be recompensed For of him and through him and for him are all things to him be glory for euer Amen therefore it is euident that wee cannot deserue Fourthly whatsoeuer is vnperfect cannot stand in the presence of the most iust and perfect God we must bring nothing before him but that which is absolute and able to beare and sustaine his wrath But all that we doe offer or can offer vnto God is maimed and vnperfect such are our best Workes our Prayers our Meditations our Hearing so that our righteousnesse is like a f Esay 64 6. menstruous cloath Whatsoeuer proceedeth from vs is foule and faulty no man is able to satisfie the Iustice and rigor of the Law according to that of the Apostle g Rom. 3 10 12 20. There is none righteous no not one they haue all gone out of the way they haue beene made altogether vnprofitable there is none that doth good no not one and therefore by the workes of the Law shall no flesh be iustified in his sight Wee must all entreate for pardon and forgiuenesse of our euill Workes and not stand vppon the perfection and sufficiencie of our good workes Lastly the worke and the reward must be in proportion equall for if the reward be more then the worke it is not a rewarde of desert but a guift of good will The Apostle saith Rom. 8 I account that the afflictions of this present time are not worthy of the glory which shall be shewed vnto vs. Thus then we reason Nothing can deserue but that which is equiualent to the thing deserued but nothing that we can do can equall or deserue the guiftes the least guift of God So then albeit we had some-what to giue and that wee were not as most naked and needy beggers yet it cannot be compared or correspondent to that which we receiue For grace and glory are vnvalewable and vnmatchable no price can purchase them no mony can buy them no merits can match them So then whether we consider that GOD will haue the glory of all his workes or that there is a great disproportion betweene Mercy and Merits in both respects we conclude that the guiftes of GOD giuen vnto his faithfull seruants proceede from his free grace not from our free will so that they are not deserued of vs but bestowed vpon vs. Vse 1. This Doctrine being thoroughly strengthned let vs see what Vses may be grounded from thence First we learne from hence that seeing God giueth not by desert but of his mercy that whatsoeuer we haue obtained and receiued by any prayer or other meanes from the hand of God wee must ascribe all to the glory and praise of his name and acknowledge him to bee the Author and giuer True it is we are commanded to call vpon the Lord and to put vp our suits and supplications vnto him and when we haue praied and God hath heard our prayer we must not thinke that wee haue well deserued to speed in our desires and say For my righteousnesse the strength of my Prayers I haue gotten this or that but as we vse the meanes so we must acknowledge that God findeth such faults in our best prayers that he might curse vs rather then blesse vs and condemne vs rather then heare vs and withall consider that in hearing vs he respecteth more that which is in himselfe then any thing that is in vs he is moued rather of his owne mercy then any absolutenesse that he can see in our well-doing Let vs therefore meditate vpon our owne wants and albeit we vse those helpes and Instruments that he hath appointed yet let vs giue him all the glory to whom it is wholly due When a great multitude of enemies came against Iehoshaphat he set himselfe to seeke the Lord and proclaimed a fast through out all Iudah They asked counsell of the Lord and prayed vnto him yet when God had giuen them the vpper hand they blessed not themselues but the Lord they praised not their owne zeale but his mercy and they ascribed not the victorie to their fasting and prayer but