appointment and obseruation is indifferent and so the Church hath power and the Christian Magistrate to constitute them as things seruing to the promoting of the worship of God as that there might be assembling together for the reading of holy Scripture for prayer and preaching of the word No man will deny but that it is conuenient to celebrate the memoriall of the Passion and Resurrection of our Sauiour on some particular day But if euery man should choose his owne time there would be confusion Therefore for order in the Church Consule Zanch. tom 4. in 4. praeceptum pag. 668. seq and for diuers benefits accrewing thereby it is very fit that there should be some Holy dayes appointed to be obserued besides the Sabbath 1 Hereby our selues our seruants our cattell haue rest which is one of the ends of the Sabbath The Iewes had need of such addition of dayes of rest and therefore God instituted diuers holy dayes and so haue we need also 2 Faith and good manners are furthered hereby Aug. Ianuario Epist 118.119 whatsoeuer is not contrary to Faith and good manners may be done saith S. Augustine but hereby they are builded vp by publique prayers reading and preaching of the Word 3 Hereby the loue and ioy of Christians is increased Hieron com in Epist ad Gal. c. 4 through their mutuall beholding one another as Hierome affirmeth 4 The poore haue the more time to bee instructed in Religion 5 Hereby the principall patefactions of God and benefits which he hath bestowed vpon vs also the holy vertues of the Saints are being vpon such dayes inculcated made the better knowne vnto vs. 6 Hereby wee keepe conformitie with the Primitiue Church and with the Fathers from whom to dissent in things indifferent which may be vsefull vnto good life were arrogancy and indiscretion But some Holy dayes are called by the names of Saints Obiect They are dedicated not to them but to God Answ they are called after their names because their story is then commended to the Church and on those dayes wee make no supplication to the Saints but onely praise God for them and pray for grace to imitate their vertuous and holy liues as did the Antients But here the errour of the Papists and Anabaptists and Familists is to bee taken heede of These will haue no holy and festiuall dayes They will haue too many troubling the Church with their single and double feasts c. putting Religion in the day and dedicating it not to God but to the Saint yea sometime to such a Saint which neuer was vpon earth or neuer shall bee in heauen also they preferre the reuerence of many of their holy dayes before the Sabbath Neglect not thou the holy daies appointed in our Church but yet make a difference betweene the Lords day and them For that is called the Queene of dayes Ignatius And therefore as is the Virgin Mary blessed amongst women so is the Lords day amongst other holy dayes for the dignitie whereof the whole weeke among the Iewes was called Sabbatum the Sabbath as some Learned haue obserued Tremel in annot ad suam Syram trans Noui Test Mat. 28.1 the dayes of the weeke being thus distinguished prima Sabbati secunda Sabbati c. It is requisite there should be some holy dayes for order sake and gouernment 1. But not ouer many that the Church be not burdened 2. Holden indifferent in their owne nature that Christian libertie be not indangered Diuersitie of opinion for obseruation of daies and such like indifferent things Vse 1 ought not to breake charity and vnity among the Brethren when that we doe is of conscience Hereof we haue a notable example of Polycarpus and Anicetus Bishop of Rome who differing in opinion and obseruation of dayes and fasting yet continued in loue and maintained vnitie as witnesseth Irenaeus in a Letter written to Victor Bishop of Rome yea and Irenaeus giueth this testimonie to the Church then and before his time that all such which held contrary obseruations Luseb hist eccl l. 5. c. 23. Socat schol hist Eccl. l. 5. c. 21. did notwithstanding hold fast the bond of loue and vnity Holy dayes are religiously to be obserued to the Lord according the end of their institution Vse 2 But many make them daies of vanity and carnal delight least of all thinking of glorifying God so that God is more prouoked in one of them nay on the Lords day it selfe by some wicked wretches then all the weeke after When a man walks according to the warning of his conscience Vse 3 although he erre in doing yet his religious and well nurtured conscience pleaseth God In things wee discerne not nor conceiue it is good for a man to walke according to his conscience so that he neglect not to be rightly enformed and bee ready to obey when it shall be otherwise reuealed The Iew may not vse Christian liberty till he may enioy it with a good conscience For it is better to follow an erring conscience when it cannot be informed and corrected then to doe against conscience In all things giue thankes Vse 4 without which all things are impure both our meat and our abstinence also and with it euery creature of God is good vnto vs 1. Tim. 4.4 as the Apostle witnesseth Many little better then Atheists and like vnto Swine sit downe to their meat without any acknowledgement of the giuer of it Doe thou giue thankes For 1 Thus they did in old time 1 Sam 9.13 Mat. 14.19 Luk. 24.30 Act. 27.35 Plutar. in Symp. Samuel must blesse the sacrifice before the people will eate Our blessed Sauiour alwayes gaue thankes before meat The blessed Apostle Saint Paul vsed so to doe as we reade of him in the Acts. Yea the very Gentiles vsed not to eate till they had offered a part as first fruits vnto their gods And I haue read that the Turkes vse thanksgiuing or some forme of benediction before they eate 2 Thereby thou acknowledgest that God by his prouidence maintaineth and preserueth thee Cornel. Cor. a lap com in 1. Tim. c. 4. 3 By this thy meat becomes wholesome and nourishing to thee which otherwise would be as a stone For man liueth more by Gods blessing then by bread Mat. 4.4 4 Hereby thou hast alwaies a table prepared Chry. hom 79. ad pop Ant. For as Chrysostome saith Mensa ab oratione sumens initium et in orationem desinens nunquam deficit c. Where men begin and end their refections with prayer there shall be no want 5 By this our mindes are furthered to some holy meditation while we are eating drinking as of labouring for the meat which perisheth not of our mortality Aug in Regula Monacharum Ep. 109. of eating bread in the Kingdome of Heauen For which purpose the Antients vsed to haue a Chapter read out of the Bible in the time of their meales as
when some are set apart for trading proceeding in law c. Nor naturall obserued by the husbandman for plowing and sowing his corne planting grafting Nor Medicall for opening a veine purging c. Nor Astrologicall whereby some are fained to be good and fortunate some to be euill and vnfortunate But such an Obseruation is here meant whose end is reputed to be the worship of God yea where the very obseruation of the Day is so esteemed For the second some haue applied the first point of the case to the strong vnderstanding it of our Sabbath the proper feast of Christians One man that is say they the strong esteemeth the Lords day to be precisely kept aboue others Others apply the same to the weake concluding therefrom the abrogation of the Sabbath But the first to esteeme one day aboue another is the opinion of the weake one and to esteeme euery day alike the opinion of the strong And the dayes here spoken of are the Iewish ceremoniall holy dayes appointed to be kept ouer and aboue the Sabbath prescribed in the 4. Commandement Now the Iewes being trained vp in the obseruation of such solemne feasts ordained of God thought reuerently and holily of them not vnderstanding that they were as shadowes now abrogated and therefore they censured all them which did not obserue them But on the other side the strong Christian knowing that such differences had an end in Christ for obseruation of them despised the Iewes The Ebionites both obserued the Iewish holy daies and our Sunday Euseb hist ccel l. 3. c. 24. so also doe the Aethiopians at this day The same Doctrine ariseth from hence which wee had verse 2. The direction followes which is double First how each of them should carry themselues toward themselues in particular Secondly how each to other The first is in these words Let euery man be fully perswaded in his owne minde which is a caution to each seuerally wherein we haue the Thing full perswasion amplified by the subiect in his owne mind The Persons euery one Bee fully perswaded in his owne minde The vulgar reade it abound in his owne sense which a libertine might lay hold on to be of any or no religion But neither are the words so rendred nor the sense To abound in ones owne sense is the part of one addicted to his own conceipt or much affected to an vnlimited liberty We may not abound in a false sense it is not to be permitted in points of doctrine though in things indifferent some such thing be implied in the next verse To be fully perswaded is by good arguments out of the word to be assured that that which we doe is neither displeasing to God nor contrary to his Word It is not enough if the conscience doe not checke vs but the conscience must be certainely grounded and informed by the Word that a man may be able to say as verse 14. I know and am perswaded by the Lord Iesus This is the plerophory or full perswasion hee speaketh of not I thinke but I know vpon certaine and infallible arguments In his owne minde not to walke by another mans conceit but himselfe to vnderstand what he doth Let euery man be fully perswaded the strong and the weake But how can there bee a warrantable perswasion in both that they please God when their opinions are contrary In things commanded and forbidden both cannot haue such perswasion but in things indifferent they may And yet the Apostle saith not thus as though the weake had a warrantable perswasion of his courses but that hee might haue it Doctr. A Christian ought to be able to warrant his opinion and particular actions by the word Esay 8.20 To the Law and to the Testimony if they speake not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Rom. 14.23 Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Vse 1 Bee fully perswaded in his owne minde Then good meanings if groundlesse will not serue the turne nor the implicit and colliarike faith of the Papists which beleeueth as the Church beleeueth not knowing what the Church beleeues In things indifferent a man must haue full perswasion much more in the point of his iustification before God To the welfare of a good conscience Vse 2 a full perswasion is necessary from the word about our doing or leauing vndone things indifferent In deed herein differ things necessary from those of a middle nature those are mentioned in the word by precept or prohibition these are not For these it is enough to faith if they be not forbidden for then they are not reproued For the vnderstanding of the simple A thing is lawfull where the word hath not determined the manner and the circumstances there it is lawfull for a Christian man to doe and for the Magistrate to command that which agrees with nature and reason so that it contrary not the generall rules of that thing in the word But where the word hath determined there onely such determinations are lawfull For instance It is lawfull to weare apparell now for the stuffe the colour the fashion because they are not determined in the word a man hath liberty to vse any he likes so be they agree with the generall rules of apparell in the word Also the Magistrate hath power to prescribe lawes for apparell and then the vse of our liberty is restrained and limited thereby So prayer is lawfull nay commanded but inasmuch as the Scriptures determine not whether on a booke or presently conceiued a Christian hath liberty the magistrate authority So in gestures we are commanded by our Sauior to receiue the Holy Sacrament now because our Sauiour hath not determined the gesture sitting or kneeling the Christian hath liberty and the Magistrate authority who if hee determine the gesture the vse of a mans liberty is also thereby determined So in all other indifferent things Ciuill or Ecclesiastical and then are such our actions according to the Scriptures when they are not determined by the Scriptures as aforesaid Whereas therefore many will say where doe you read kneeling at the Communion or the Surplisse c. commanded in the Bible it is no good reasoning In matters of faith and of the substance of Gods worship it is true which Tertullian saith Tertul lib. de monogamia Negat Scriptura quod non notat The Scripture denies that which it noteth not and it followes well to say The Scripture mentioneth it not therefore it is not a matter of faith But in matters of fact not so It is not mentioned therefore it was not done it followes not Or from a deniall of fact to a deniall of right As Paul lead not about a sister a wife as did other Apostles therefore it was vnlawfull for him so to haue done it followes not He tooke no maintenance of the Corinthians therefore hee had no right so to haue done It is no good consequence Wisely apply this to all
327. two things which strike at the very heart of the Church 335 Commend what it is to commend 312. that good Christians must bee commended to others 314. wee must bee warie whom wee commend Ibid. two faults herein reproued Ibid. Companie the comfort of good Companie 295 Concupiscence it is euill three wayes 94. it is not fulfilled without a great deale of care and torment 98 99 Condemnation those are not rashly to bee condemned whom God hath receiued to grace 116. a conscience not condemning is a great blessing 225 Conscience what 25. whether the Lawes of man may binde the conscience 26.27 rules to perswade the conscience of the lawfulnesse of thing commanded 28.29 Conscience a guard of piety 30. a good rule or two for an erring conscience 138. a Conscience not condemning is a great blessing 225. Conscience is either a mans best friend or greatest foe Ibid. Contention vide Strife The contentious like the Basiliske 83. like the Salamander 84. in the Church most odious 84. a good rule in asking questions Ibid. Customes the diuers acceptation of the word 35 D Damnation how taken 12 Darkenesse how miserable they are that sit in darkenesse 62. what it is 65. the Analogie betweene the bodily and spirituall darkenesse 65 66 Day how accepted 59.60 the time of grace called The day 62. concerning obseruation of dayes 129. whether it bee lawfull to obserue Holy-dayes 136. reasons Ibid. of Holy-dayes called by the names of Saints 137 a good rule in the obseruation of them Ibid. Holy-dayes to be obserued in the Lord. 138 Death a good death followes a good life 142. Christs death should teach vs obedience 149.150 Debts of a double debt 38. loue alone is a perpetuall debt Ibid. whâ—t to doe to keepe out of debt 39. three sorts deseruing reproofe herein 40 Deralogue pretty obseruations about the deuiding it 44.45 Decencie what 216. Deeciue what it is 336. Despise what 111 Diuisions such as cause diuisions contrary to the doctrine of Christ serue not Christ 337. a necessary caueat 338. he that makes diuisions we may bee iealous that hee is but sanctified in shew 341 Doubting how dangerous to doe any good thing doubting 133. the acceptation of the word doubting 228 229. Drunkennesse what and how vile 74. it disgraceth the persons and professions of men 75. its fearefull effects 76 77. not possible to bee religious and a drunkard 78. drunkennesse and whoredome seldome sunder 80. drunkennesse begets strife 82 E Eate foure reasons why the Israelites were forbidden to eate certaine meates 107 108. rules in eating 177 Edifie what it is to edifie 199. Enuie contrary to honest walking 83. it is compared to the Basiliske Ibid it is to bee abhorred 85 it is a most iust sinne Ibid. an enuious man most vnhappie 86. what enuie doth Ibid. Epiretus who and how described 322. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the difference betweene it and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Companion or Fellow 41 Euill it is threefold 50. Euill in fact three wayes Ibid. â—uill called the workes of Darkenesse three wayes 66. euill must bee put off with hatred of it c. 69 F Fauorite a pretty History of a Princes fauorite suing for an vniust thing 23 Faith that wee may both haue and keepe faith fiue things are required 230 231. Faithfull that all the faithfull are vnder Gods care and protection 145. what it should teach vs Ibid. it breeds comfort in distresses 146. that men must bee faithfull in their vndertakings 301. notably applyed to all sorts 304 Feasting it is lawfull but c 75. examples and rules therein 76 Fruit we must bring forth fruit 303 Fulfill a twofold fulfilling of the Law 42 G Garment Christ is a Garment two wayes 87. the white Garment signifieth three notable things 89. a pretty Historie of the white Garment in Baptisme 93 Glorie how a Minister may glory 277 278 Gospell the blessings of the Gospell what 301 Grace what it teacheth vs 68. the Graces of God ought to be praised in others 265 Griefe what it is 180. the weake lye open to Griefe three wayes by the liberty vsed by the strong Ibid. whether wee may grieue our brother in nothing 181. of vsing things indifferent to the griefe of our brother Ibid. with two cautions Ibid. H Hearers what they owe to their Preachers 320 Honesty diuersly accepted 70. our care must be that our behauiour be honest 71 Honor as referred to or conferred on Princes what it signifies 35 36. To bee in Christ is a great honor 326. It is a great honor any way to aduance Religion 332 Houshold that we ought to gouerne our housholds so as that they may worthily be called Churches 321 I Iewes why not to be despised 260 Ignorance totall ignorance destroyeth faith 109 Illyricum where it is 284. how farre off Ierusalem 285 Indifferent whether and how things indifferent bind the conscience 24.27 28. That for things indifferent there ought to bee no breach of charity nor separation among Christians 111.137.138 a notable example hereof 138. That things are indifferent two wayes 111. Things indifferent how called by the ancient 112. Vnity about things indifferent 113 114. We must not iudge our brethren for things indifferent 114. a great sinne so to do 121.126 That a full perswasion from the word is necessary for the doing or leauing vndone things indifferent 131. Excellent things concerning things indifferent 131 132. In things indifferent we are to propound to our selues the glory of God 135. Cautions ibid. A most conscionable Rule for opposers of things indifferent 143. A most earnest exhortation to vnity about things indifferent 113 114. That things indifferent are cleane in themselues but vncleane to him that so esteemeth them 177. a good reason hereof ibid. To vse thing indifferent to the griefe of our brother is against charity 180. two cautions herein 181. A reproofe of strong and weake in the vse of things indifferent 189. The kingdome of heauen is not of things indifferent but of things necessary 194. the striuers about things indifferent are guilty of three sinnes 195. scandall giuen and taken for things indifferent destroyeth the worke of God 204. The blame both of Preachers and hearers herein ibid. a threefold admonition hence 205 206. Indifferent things must bee abstained from for the weake brothers sake 208. how long we must abstaine for the weake brothers sake 212. Of the Churches authority in determining the vse of things indifferent 214 215. Whether our faith knowledge in things indifferent be alwaies to be mâ—nifested by practice 222. Ioy that wee must wish our brethren ioy in beleeuing 262 Judging vid. Censure there are foure things that we man not iudge 166 Iudgement that there shall be a generall iudgement 153. it appeares by many reasons ibid. it is comfort to the good but terrour to the bad 154. that should perswade vs to repentance ibid. Three things should make vs carefull against the day of iudgement 163. What to doe to
ought to be subiect for that is to be done whose contrary is to be abhorred The Antecedent is proued by two arguments the first from the quality of the fault the second from the greatnesse of the Punishment The quality of the fault is that he which resisteth powers resisteth the ordinance of God The punishment is great euen Damnation He which resisteth To resist saith one a Musculus in loc is not to be subiect and the Greeke word b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 notes such a resisting as when a man is contrary to the order established and this is either by force as rebels or without force as by contumacious denying of the lawfull commandement in things Ciuill or Ecclesiasticall or by a cunning cluding and crafty auoiding of the Law or by hindring iustice from due execution by wrong information and false suggestion For Princes often see and heare by other mens eyes and eares and therefore seldome see and heare the truth And by this meanes a good and wary and wise Prince is bought and sold the subiects abused and wronged without the knowledge and contrary to the intention of the Prince as Ziba abused Dauid and his master also c 2 Sam. 16.1 seq 19.24 seq Resisteth the ordinance of God Here is another word which is translated to resist which signifies to stand against d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whether it bee by force of armes or arguments It is a military word and such Paul vseth that wee may vnderstand refusing to obey to bee a greater sinne then wee make reckoning of And he which resisteth Here is the same word with the last the word resisteth is three times vsed and euery time put in the present tense but in the Greeke onely the first is in the present the two last in the time past as if you should render it He that resisteth the power hath resisted the ordinance of God and he that hath resisted shall receiue damnation This is obserued by a learned man f Caietane who thereby noteth that many times when we doe not obey Magistrates we intend not to resist them but when we haue not obeyed then it is plaine we haue resisted Shall receiue to himselfe damnation He saith not it is like or it may so fall out but peremptorily He shall receiue Damnation Punishment here by the hand of the Magistrate whose lawes he hath broken and eternall punishment in the world to come if he repent not Receiue to himselfe They are the cause of their owne iudgement and hurt themselues more then the Magistrate by their disobedience A grieuous punishment remaines for them which resist authority Doctr. Pro. 17.11 A cruell messenger shall bee sent against an euill man who seeketh rebellion Pro. 24.21.22 My sonne feare the Lord and the King and meddle not with them that are giuen to change or are seditious For their calamity shall rise suddenly and who knoweth the ruine of them both Ecclesiastes 8.1.2.3.4.5 and 10.20 Though we must not resist Obser 1 yet we must not obey vnlawfull commands by doing them for the power of a Prince is limited and if it agree not with the word of God then hath place that saying We ought to obey God rather then men It was the nefarious voice of Antoninus Bassianus Caracalla Emperour of Rome which hee sucked from his mother Si libet licet If it like mee it is lawfull Hee murdered his brother Geta and requiring Papinian a famous Lawyer to defend his fact receiued this answer It is easier to commit parricide then to excuse it for which he caused him also to be slaine Godly Princes are contrary to Caracalla and godly subiects are like to Papinian rather choosing to dye then to doe that which is worse then death The men of Calecut will doe whatsoeuer their Emperour commands though it be to worship the diuell as they say they doe but we must Feare God and the King Princes may not bee resisted Obser 2 but they may be reproued by them which haue a calling to doe it so it bee in wisedome and humility and so that the reproofe of the fault no wayes tend to the preiudice of their power It is not lawfull by any humane or diuine law reuealed Vse 1 for a subiect or inferiour Magistrate to take armes against his Prince though a wicked man Though Saul vniustly and tyrannically persecuted Dauid yet he neuer lift vp his hand against him but honoured him aliue and dead as you may reade in his Story of which Bucanus writes dangerously and erroneously f Buca l. com loc 49. de Magistratu quaest 77. Our blessed Sauiour would not suffer Peter to defend him with his sword against the present authority though it did vniustly Peter commands all seruants to bee subiect not onely to good masters but to the froward g 1 Pet. 2.18 Take heed how thou resistest thy Prince vpon any pretence or takest part with such and suffer not thy selfe to be deceiued by any thing thou shalt reade in any learned mans workes which may tend thereunto and of these especially beware of a book intituled Vindiciae contra tyrannos set forth by Stephanus Iunius Brutus to the dishonour and disparagement of Kings and Princes Abhor Insurrections rebellion treason great is the sinne Vse 2 and great is the punishment as may appeare in the punishment of Corah Dathan Abiram of Absolon Sheba of the Guizes in France of the Gowries in Scotland of the popish Priests and diuers Iesuited Gentlemen in England both in Queene Elizabeths dayes and now in the dayes of our most gratious King Iames whom all God the ordainer and defender of Kings brought to shame and ruine for their treasonable practices The persons of Kings and Princes are sacred The Poet said and wee say Sacred Maiesty i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Homer They are the Lords anointed and God hath a speciall care of them Great deliuerance giueth he to his King k Psal 18.50 It is hee that giueth saluation to Kings that deliuereth Dauid from the hurtfull sword l Psal 144.10 From a wonderfull escape of Titus at the view of the wals of Hierusalem Iosephus collects Imperatorū pericula Deum curare m Ioseph bel Iud. l. 6. ca. 2. that God takes care of Princes in their danger Aulus Gellius n A Gellus Noct. At. l. 5. c. 9. also reports of a strange deliuerance of King Craesus Hee being ouercome in battell and being followed by a souldier who was ready to haue run him through not knowing he was the King * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a yong man the Kings sonne being borne dumb suddenly spake Man kill not Craesus wherevpon his life was saued Alphonsus King of Arragon would say that the liues and soules of kings were not subiect to the will of priuate men but in security vnder the care and protection of God This may euidently appeare in the manifold deliuerances of
who had no night of ceremonies Thirdly Paul sets downe verse 13. what be the works of the night hee meanes viz. Chambering and wontonnesse gluttony and drunkennesse c. We therfore take the fifth and last to be the true meaning of this place The Night is farre spent the Day is at hand The Apostles so speakes to note the goodnesse and yet the imperfection of our estate It is not so Day with vs but that we haue much darknesse nor so Night but that blessed be God wee haue some light some knowledge some Faith some power against sinne c. Our estate is excellently called by the Fathers Crepusculum which is a middle time betweene darknesse and light it is as the grey morning with vs betweene the darknes of sin and the light of the vision and glory of God Infidelity is midnight Faith is the morning The vision of God is as High noone If we looke vpon Infidelity it is day with vs If to the blessed vision of God it is as night The Angels haue a day which we haue not yet and we haue a day which Turkes and Infidels haue not yet Infidels see nothing We see in part The blessed in heauen see all things The time of Infidelity Doctr. is darke night and the time of grace as the comfortable day Act. 26.18 Paul is sent to the Gentiles that they may turne from darknesse to light Eph. 5 8. Yet were sometime darknesse but now are yee light in the Lord. As the euening was before the morning Vse 1 so first it is night with vs through our corruption before it be day with vs by grace No man is borne in this day but as when darknesse was vpon the face of the deepe God made the light by his word so by the preaching of his Word hath he turned our spirituall darknesse into light according to that comfortable saying God 2 Cor. 4.6 who commanded the light to shine out of darknesse hath shined in our hearts to giue the light of the knowledge of God in the face of Iesus Christ The Creation of light no greater worke then thy conuersion Be thankfull to him who by his word hath brought thee which satest in darknesse and in the shadow of death into the comfortable light of sauing grace Happy are beleeuers Vse 2 vnbeleeuers and wicked men are most miserable when these with the Aegyptians are vnder darknesse which may be felt then are the children of God with the Israelites in the blessed light of Goshen Truely the light is sweet Eccle. 11.7 and a pleasant thing is it for the eyes to behold the Sunne but darknesse is hideous How tedious to a sick man is the night how desires hee and longs for the Day for light of it selfe cheareth and mitigates griefe so is the time of grace most comfortable As is he who lyeth in the bottome of a dark stinking dungeon so is the man who hath a conscience without the light of grace There is nothing more pure more pretious more delightfull more powerfull then the light Damasc Ort. fid l. 2. c. 7. it is pulchritudo et ornamentum omnis visibilis creaturae the beauty and ornament of euery visible creature said Damascene The best things are called light God dwells in the light Christ is the light of the world The good Angels are Angels of light the Word is light Saints are light Baptisme is light c. and the night or darknesse is contrary To bee bodily blind is a great misery but to bee spirituall blind is an excesse of misery As it is easie to make the blind fall into the ditch so if our eyes spirituall be darkned how great is the darknesse how easily can Satan lead such men into the very pit of hell If thou hast receiued grace shew forth his prayses who hath called thee out of darknesse in to his maruellous light 1 Pet. 2.9 Night and Day are two contrary states Vse 3 It is not possible to bring mid-night and mid-day together so impossible that a man being in the state of sinne and infidelity should bee a good Christian Examine thy estate whether it be night with thee or day thou shalt know this by thy inward affections and by thy outward actions 1 Thou readest in the Psalmes that God makes darknesse and it is night and then all the beasts of the forest creepe forth the Lyons seeke after their prey c. But when the Sunne ariseth they lay them downe in their dennes and then man goeth forth to his worke and to his labour till the euening Looke now to thy heart is pride there malice couetousnesse c. Surely if these beasts be abroad it is night with thee these are not to be seene in the light of grace but are hunted out to Hell the Diuels den from whence they came 2 Thou readest in S. 1 Thess 5.6 7. Paul Let vs watch and be sober for they that sleepe sleepe in the night they that are drunken are drunken in the night Looke now to thy life Ioh. 3.20 Euery one that doth euill hateth the light Iob. 24.14 15.16.17 saith our Sauiour and the theefe the murderer the Adulterer wait for the twilight saith Iob and the morning is to them as the shadow of death If therefore whoredome drunkennesse theft c. be thy practices then certainly it it midnight with thee stand vp from these dead workes that Christ may giue thee light The Night is farre spent Vse 4 the Day is at hand Though wee haue some light yet wee haue some darkenesse which the Regenerate see and bitterly complaine of O the dulnesse ignorance rebellious corruptions that yet remaine wee are not perfectly renewed in euery degree let it admonish vs to proceed in faith and the daily practice of repentance that the Day-Starre may more and more dawne in our hearts Heare the Word and pray that thy light may increase Democritus the Philosopher put out the eyes of his body A. Gellius Noct. Attic. l. 10.17 perswading himselfe that the cogitations and commentations of his minde in the contemplation of nature would bee the more liuely and exact thereby so one way doubtlesse to further the light of the soule is to pluck off the scales of worldlinesse and voluptuousnesse and to put out the carnall eye wherewith with so much doting we behold the things of this world Euery day dresse thine eyes that thou maist see more and more Pre. 4.18 He that is righteous let him be more righteous that he may be like the morning light which shineth more and more vnto perfect day VERSE 12. Let vs therefore cast off the workes of darknesse and let vs put on the Armour of light IN these words are the generall Exhortation issuing out of the Reason contained in the first words of this verse of which before This Exhortation hath two branches according to the two parts of the Reason The night is farre spent therefore cast off
receiued the beginnings of grace Pareus or not of finall perseuerance but of standing in some particular thing The censure and iudgement of mens deeds and behauiour pertaineth to God Doctr. This is proued by the two parables Matth. 18.23 and Matth. 25.14.19 where the King or Lord is brought in taking account of his seruants for as it appeareth in that of the Talents the diligence or negligence of the seruants is to the Masters either benefit or losse This Doctrine taketh not away charitable reproofe of my brother if he offend doing that which is euidently contrary to Gods word but it taketh away rash iudgement concerning things indifferent which are not commanded or forbidden in Gods word Condemne no man for the lawfull vse of things indifferent Vse 1 for such shall be stablished but rather iudge charitably If thou seest thy brother standing wish his establishing if falling pray for him and despaire not of his rising againe considering not his Humane condition but the Diuine vertue It was an excellent speech of M. Caluin in locum Caluin Semper benè speremus de eo in quo cernimus aliquid Dei Let vs alwayes hope well of him in whom we see any grace of God though the least tokens of adoption It is our fault to require that euery man by and by should be as Paul or Abraham but God accepteth of the least grace if it be in truth Let vs therefore be charitable Our deeds belong to God Vse 2 not that hee receiueth either profit or damage by them but our selues Not as we are benefited or hindered by our seruants Plato in Euthyphrone 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aug. de Gen. ad lit lib. 8. cap 11. Jrenaeus aduers Haereses l. 4. c. 31. so is God by vs godlinesse is gratefull to him but not profitable as on the contrary sinne is hatefull but not hurtfull to him Ille seruitute nostra non indiget nos vero dominatione illius indigemus saith Saint Augustine wee need such a Master he needeth not such seruants To this purpose also Irenaeus in a certaine chapter shewing that God commandeth that wee should loue him not that he wanteth our loue sed homini deest gloria Dei c. but wee want his glory which wee by no meanes can be partakers of but by louing and obeying him Ibid. ap 32. and a little after that God commanded sacrifices not for his gaine but to honour vs and to haue occasion to bestow his benefits vpon vs. So Eliphaz to Iob Can a man be profitable to God Iob 22.2 3. as he that is wise may be profitable to himselfe Is it any pleasure to the Almightie that thou art righteous or gaine to him that thou makest thy wayes perfect And thus Elihu also to him If thou sinnest Iob 35 6 7 8. what doest thou against him c. If thou be righteous what giuest thou him c. Thy wickednesse may hurt a man as thou art c. but not God If thou doest well God will blesse thee if ill he will slay thee not as a King doth a traytor because he feareth him but to manifest his iustice Doe well because God acknowledgeth it Doe not ill because thou fallest to God Remember thou wretch when thou art drunke blasphemest c. to whom thou fallest euen to thine owne Master to whom thou art bound a thousand wayes to such a Master as is able to kill bodie and soule and throw them into hell to such an one as hath and is readie to offer grace if thou repentest seeking thy good thereby not his owne O how this wounded Dauids heart when he fell hee fell to God Against thee thee onely haue I sinned c. Psal 51.4 So this broke the Prodigals heart it was his Father whom hee had offended We haue a Lord who standeth not for a Cyphar but who will call vs to account Let vs so liue as remembring wee must giue vp an account and that to God Here is comfort he that standeth shall be stablished Vse 3 To him that hath shall be giuen We haue a louing and bountifull Master who is able and willing to promote vs in the grace he hath bestowed Hee is not so able but wee stand in as much need wee are weake wee cannot beare a crosse word euerie little temptation foyleth vs pray to him who is able and hath promised 2. Tim. 1.12 Hee is able to keepe that which thou hast committed vnto him vnto that day God is only able to make vs stand Vse 4 without whom we haue no more power then an infant of a day old Man falleth by his owne will and weaknesse but hee standeth by the will and power of God If God forsake they which stand must fall and they which fall must perish for euer If Christ had not held Peter hee had sunke to the bottome and if God had not raised Dauid he had layne in his sinne to this day Let him that thinketh he standeth 1 Cor. 10.12 take heed lest he fall It is fearefull to be without grace but to fall from grace much more What is then to be done Pray heare the Word come to the Lords Table and receiue his holy Supper for this especially was instituted for our establishing and confirmation If thou commest to the holy Communion with faith and repentance This was preached a few daies before a Communion thou shalt receiue strength against Satan against sinne against thy corruptions Feelest thou thy selfe weake come that thou mayest bee strengthened Cypr. l. 4. Epist epist 6. Art thou afraid of persecution consider Te calicem sanguinis Christi bibere vt possis et ipse propter Christum sanguinem fundere That thou drinkest of the Chalice of Christs blood that thou thy selfe mightest bee able to shed thy blood for Christ saith Cyprian Wouldest thou that the Diuell should be more afraid of thee then thou of him Come to that holy Sacrament in faith and repentance and it shall so come to passe For Quasi leones ignem spirantes ab illa mensa recedimus Daemonibus terribiles Chrysost hom 61 ad pop Antioch As lyons breathing fire we goe from that Table terrible euen to the Diuels themselues saith Chrysostome If the woman which touched the Hemme of Christs garment Matth. 9.21 was made whole of her infirmitie much more they which touch and eate the very body of Christ by faith shall be confirmed in spirituall health VERSE 5. One man esteemeth one day aboue another another esteemeth euery day alike Let euery man be fully perswaded in his owne minde HEre is the second instance of Dayes where we haue the Case and the Remedy or Direction In the case wee haue two things First what daies are meant Second what was the opinion of each part concerning such dayes Concerning the first neither is here meant an obseruation of fasting dayes appoynted by the Church Nor the Ciuill difference of daies
other things Ecclesiasticall and ciuill of this kinde the ignorance whereof hath much troubled the minds of many people Know also that the scope of the word isnot to set downe all particulars in things Ciuill or Ecclesiasticall but onely the generall rules of such things The principall office of the Gospell being to declare the way of iustification in the sight of God by Iesus Christ It is most sound which Tertullian affirmes about things of this nature Tertull. de Corona militis Consuetudo in ciuilibus rebus pro lege suscipitur cum desicit lex◠nec differt Scripturâ an ratione consistat quando et legem ratio commendet Porrò si lex ratione constat lex erit emne iam quod ratione constiterit That is Custome in ciuill things is taken for law where law failes neither skils it whether a thing of such nature viz. indifferent for he speaks of such things consist by Scripture or by reason in as much as the Law is grounded vpon reason If the law consist of reason then whatsoeuer so doth is Law He that denies these things can neuer haue a quiet conscience in that which he doth because the Scripture mentioneth not infinite particulars of our life and many profitable things haue beene since inuented and therefore could not be mentioned in the Bible See that thou be able to iustifie thy actions thy opinions Vse 3 It shewes but small reuerence to the word when wee are so ready to holde euery thing that comes into our head and to striue with others and presently to condemne them What warrant hath the vncleane person for his vncleannesse the drunkard for his drunkennesse No warrant to doe them but proofe enough that they which doe such things shall be damned if they repent not Let euery man be fully perswaded in his owne minde Vse 4 Be carefull for thy selfe looke to thine owne conscience let other men alone Let it not trouble thee that another man doth thus or thus but looke thou that thy conscience bee well grounded vpon the Word Other mens opinions or doings are not to be the rule of thy walking Be certaine if thou desirest a quiet conscience to doubt of a thing and yet to doe it is a great sinne against the first commandement for it takes away Feare and Faith Feare for if thou thinkest it may bee to doe this will please God it may bee it will displease him doe it not If thou doest thou art an open contemner of God whom if thou hadst feared thou wouldest haue abstained Faith He that doubteth whether hee please God beleeueth not that God heares him therfore he hateth God and by little and little falles into despaire Who shall excuse them whom their owne consciences doe accuse Saue thy conscience To die in the peace of a good conscience an vnspeakable happinesse VERSE 6. Hee that regardeth a day regardeth it vnto the Lord and hee that regardeth not the day to the Lord he doth not regard it He that eateth eateth to the Lord for he giueth God thanks and he that eateth not to the Lord hee eateth not and giueth God thanks IN these words beginnes the Direction how they should carry themselues each to other To omit many coacted expositions M. Caluin takes these words as a precept or exhortation rather then an affirmation and to this Pareus seemes also to encline but the reason alledged of Thanks noteth a thing done not a precept of a thing to be done Here therefore I take it the direction verse 3. and repeated verse 30. is to be vnderstood and here a reason thereof brought from the end which both the strong and weake propound to themselues in their different courses which is the glory of God and the pleasing of him which reason both the instances being here brought may be thus formed Hee that doth that which he doth to the Lord is not of his brother to be despised or iudged But he that eateth or eateth not obserueth a day or obserueth not doth it to the Lord Therefore c. To doe a thing or not to doe a thing to the Lord is so to doe or not to the honour of God or because you are perswaded that such doing or not doing pleaseth God or at least displeaseth him not The strong put no difference in meats or dayes because hee knew that God would no longer be worshipped by such ordinances and that his Christian liberty was not displeasing to God The weake made difference because he thought his conscience was still bound by the Law and that such obseruations pleased God The weake erred not of malice but of ignorance and infirmity his obseruation of such things was lawfull at that time but not his opinion His opinion was superstitious condemned vnder the name of weaknes Now that he which is holden in such superstition dare not violate the solemnity of the day this pleaseth God because hee dares not doe against his conscience That both parties respect the glory of God in those things is prooued by the signe which is Thankesgiuing The summe is that the Apostle would haue them cease from despising and iudging one another for meats or daies seeing neither part doth any thing out of any contempt of God but to please him they should therefore friendly take and construe one anothers doings In things indifferent in all things we are to propound to our selues to glorifie God 1 Cor. 10.31 Whether ye eate or drinke Doctr. or whatsoeuer you doe doe all things to the glory of God Col. 3.17 Whatsoeuer ye do in word or deed doe all in the name of the Lord Iesus giuing thanks to God and the Father by him Cautions for the meaning of this verse 1 It fauours not Academicks that we should question euery thing for in the verse before he required full perswasion 2 Nor will-worship for he speaketh not of our inuentions but of things commanded of old 3 Neither doth hee commend the opinion of the weake but would not haue him despised for his fact His opinion was intolerable because he put religion in such things his fact or practice tolerable because he obeyed conscience 4 Neither is euery thing that is pretended to bee done to the Lord a good worke nor doth giuing of thanks prooue a thing to be done to the glory of God For the Iewes when they set vp the golden Calfe proclaimed a feast to the Lord Exod. 32.5 and if a theefe should giue God thankes that hee met with a rich booty he should do no other but blaspheme Therefore it is to bee remembred that Saint Paul here speakeh of a right intention and onely of things indifferent not in their nature only but also so left to vs in regard of their vse Out of this verse and the former Quest it is lawfull for Christians in the time of the New Testament to obserue holy dayes beside the Sabbath day It is lawfull Answ such indeed are neither commanded nor forbidden therefore their
step of liuing to the Lord is not to liue to our selues Dimidium facti qui benè caepit habet It is easy to liue to God when we haue once learned not to liue to our selues If thou hast thoughts of seruing God then thy selfe that is thy flesh will say If thou wilt serue God then bid adieu to thy pleasures thy profits thou must be hated scorned and suffer persecution If thou canst ouercome this and deny thy selfe thou hast wonne the goale and hee that beginnes not here will neuer proue Christs disciple for thus saith our Sauiour Luke 9.23 If any man will be my disciple let him deny himselfe and take vp his crosse and follow me If a man be called in question for the Gospel and haue not learned this lesson he will renounce Christ before he will dye for him Pride couetousnesse enuy malice reuenge c. were easily conquered and banisht if we could deny our selues Thou hast opposed the Church a long time refusing to kneele at the Sacrament and to submit to orders established It appeares that they are lawfull and thou art not able to gaine-say it and yet thou yeeldest not What is the caus thou hast not yet learned to deny thy selfe Thy heart tels thee that it is a disgrace to bee conuinced to haue erred all this while especially hauing beene peraduenture violent against the orders Now I beseech thee whosoeuer thou art that standest out in these things whether thou be Minister or other that thou wilt examine thy heart hereupon Examine whether thou doest respect thy credit before men more then the glory of the truth and the peace of the Church Yea let vs all examine whether we would not sooner being put to it offend or deny Christ for our commodity sake then lose our commodity for Christs sake Paul sometime complained that all seeke their owne Philip. 2.21 and not the things which are Iesus Christs If we doe so preserring our base dunghill names before the duty wee owe to God will not Christ say to vs at the last day Nay thou preferredst thy profit pleasure before me thine owne will before mine thy credit before the glory of my name thou hast thy reward what shall become of vs if we be so found Let vs therefore deny our selues let vs giue our selues to the Lord and to his Word and if any motion thought 2 Cor. 8.5 inclination affection desire arise in our hearts contrary to Christ and his word let vs kill it and cast it out as a most vile enemy confederate with the Diuell VERSE 8. For whether wee liue we liue vnto the Lord or whether we dye wee dye vnto the Lord whether we liue therefore or dye we are the Lords THe first part of this Verse sets downe the affirmatiue end which true beleeuers haue in life and death viz. to liue and die to the Lord of the which hath beene spoken in the seuenth v. to which indeed that part doth specially belong The other part of this verse Whether we liue therefore or dye we are the Lords is a most sweet and comfortable Illation hauing the force of a reason to proue that wee should not liue and dye to our selues but to the Lord. The reason is taken à relatis from things that haue a necessary relation one to another They which are the Lords seruants must liue and dye to the Lord. But we are the Lords seruants Therefore c. Here is an affirmation of a thing and an amplification of it The affirmation is We are the Lords The amplification is from the extent of it which is double 1. of State 2. of Time Of State in life and not onely so but in death Of Time both in life and death We that is which beleeue not with a temporary or historicall faith onely but with a true liuely applying iustifying sauing faith The Lords How his creatures it is true but so are the stones in the street yea the diuels how then not his enemies though there be many such euen in his Church but his seruants bound to doe his will and to bee at his disposition whether if it be to liue or dye He hath created vs and doth daily preserue vs It is equall that hauing our being and maintenance from him we should be subiect to his will He hath redeemed vs and so the Father hath giuen vs to him which is most proper to this place as the next verse sheweth we were in captiuity vnder the diuell bound and holden downe vnder him but Christ hath rescued and redeemed vs and therefore we are his bounden seruants in life and death But we are brethren with Christ Obiect and coheyres with him True Answ as we are sonnes of God the Couenant makes vs sonnes but the Redemption seruants The Lords yet we haue not all the meaning We are then the Lords that is in subiection to him and also vnder his tuition Our seruice to him is not onely hereby implyed but and that principally his care and protection of vs. As Colos 4.1 Masters giue to your seruants that which is iust and equall Iust that is feed them gouerne them protect them reward them So we are the Lords to receiue from him as well as to performe vnto him Whether we liue or dye That is in all estates of health sicknesse riches pouerty prosperitie aduersity life death and also at all times euen for euer All true beleeuers are in the Lords seruice Doctr. and vnder his care and protection Psal 55.22 Cast thy burden vpon the Lord and he shall sustaine thee 1 Pet. 5.7 Casting all your care vpon him for he careth for you 1 Cor. 3.21.22.23 All are yours whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come all are yours and yee are Christs and Christ is Gods We ought not to dissent and wrangle one with another Vse 1 wee are holden in a common seruice to one Master and are entertained of him with an equall care and loue Wilt thou iudge thy fellow seruant Is it equall that hee should order his life and conscience according to the Rule of thy will or of the Lords Workes of seruants in regard of vertue or faultinesse are to be measured by the will and law of our absolute Lord and Master It is a great dignity to serue King Salomon Vse 2 but vnspeakable honour and happinesse to be the feruant of Christ 1 Kings 10.8 Iohn 15.15 Heb. 2.11 a wiser richer and more gracious Master then Salomon could be who vseth his seruants not as vassals but as his deare friends and brethren protecting them prouiding for them and rewarding them with euerlasting life Be patient vnder the crosse euen in death Vse 3 for in life and death we are the Lords be thou in vtrumque paratus liue willingly and if it be thy Lords will willingly die Be willingly rich and not vnwillingly poore willingly enioy thy children and if thy
would hide our selues yet sistemur we shall be set or presented before the Iudge The consideration of the last iudgement Doctr. should perswade vs to our duties and to refraine from that which is euill Act. 17.30.31 God commandeth all men euery where to repent because hee hath appointed a day wherein he will iudge the world c. 2 Cor. 5.10.11 We must all appear before the iudgement seat of Christ that euery one may receiue c. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord we perswade men Iudge not thy brother Vse 1 for thou thy selfe shalt bee iudged Shall the prisoner that stands at the barre for his life leap vp into the seate of the Iudge Anselmus Qui iudicat fratrem tantum crimen elationis in currit vt Christi tribunal fibi videatur assumere eius iudicium praeuenire Hee which iudgeth his brother shewes so great pride as if hee should aduance into Christs tribunall and preuent his iudgement Iudge nothing before the time vntill the Lord come saith Paul elsewhere 1 Cor. 4.5 Let vs not meddle with iudging wee shall haue iudging enough at that day let vs rather be carefull that wee may stand with boldnesse and confidence before the Iudge Saint Paul giueth vs here to vnderstand that one of the bils of enditement that shall be put in against vs and to bee enquired of is for Iudging our Brethren for which he cueth the Romanes to answer it before the great Iudge at that day There shall be a day of generall Iudgement Vse 2 though many scoffers beleeue it not of whom Saint Peter speaketh 2. Pet. 3.3 4. and though thousands wish it might neuer be Oh how much would the Drunkard and other abominable sinners giue to buy off that day But we must all stand before the Iudgement seate of Christ It is most true that euery particular mans soule in death vndergoeth a particular iudgement and in the same moment is eleuated intellectually to heare the Sentence of the Iudge by an illumination or locution intellectuall and so knoweth it selfe to be saued or damned by the authority of Christ by the law appointed by God and accordingly at that instant goeth vnto or is in ioy or torment But this is but Particular and there must bee a Generall Iudgement as the Scripture signifieth which may also appeare by reason 1 Many iust persons are here afflicted and wicked prospered there shall be therefore a time wherein exact Iustice shall be manifested 2 Many wicked men are punished here and many are not there must be therefore a time of generall iudgement or else there may seeme to be some inequalitie 3 Many iust persons are condemned here to death as if they were wicked and many wicked dye with an opinion left of their sanctine 4 Also in the particular iudgement onely the soule is iudged but the body must also therefore there must in iustice be a generall Iudgement 5 Some affirme Bellarm. in Explicatione Symb-Apostol art 7. that our good and ill deeds are not finished in death but our sinne or worthinesse encreaseth to the day of Iudgement as any are bettered or corrupted by our example speeches writings c. and therefore because euery one shall receiue according to his workes that there must be a generall Iudgement euen for this It is a great consolation to true Beleeuers Vse 3 that there shall be a day of Iudgement and that Christ shall be their Iudge who dyed for them who yet maketh intercession for them who is their Aduocate their Friend their Brother whose members they are Surely this day will be the happiest day that euer dawned vpon vs It shall neuer repent vs that we haue serued God mortified our corruptions denyed our selues refused the pleasures of sinne which are but for a season that we haue fasted prayed wept for our sinnes endured the Crosse c. for we shall then receiue a thousand fold by the sentence of the Iudge This day is not so comfortable to the good as it will bee terrible euen a day of blacknesse and confusion to the wicked when their greatest Enemy shall sit vpon his greatest Enemies Oh how shall Iudas and Pilate tremble and be confounded at that day Thinke of it thou Drunkard thou blasphemer c. He whom thou hast condemned shall be thy Iudge How darest thou expect pardon and mercy Now indeed is the time of mercy but then only of Iudgement The remembrance of the day of Iudgement should perswade vs to repentance Vse 4 for this end Christ commanded his Apostles especially to testifie this to all men Act. 10.42 that he is ordained Iudge of quicke and dead So Saint Paul vseth this as the last Argument to draw men from their sinnes 2. Cor. 5.11 And truely who can haue any desire or delight in sinne when he shall thinke of that Iudge of that Iudgement of that Sentence of that neuer dying worme of those vnquenchable flames Magna est peccati poena Aug. ser 120. de Temp. metum memoriam futuri perdidisse Iudicij It is a great punishment of sinne to lose the feare and remembrance of the Iudgement to come said Saint Augustine But if thou dost remember it and heare of it and yet not feare it is a signe of the infinite Anger of God vpon thee The found of the last Trumpet was alwayes in the eares of Saint Hierome who wheresoeuer he was thought he heard the voyce of the Arch-angell Arise yee dead and come to Iudgement Act. 24.25 Yea Foelix himselfe trembled to heare Paul preach of the Iudgement to come Alwayes thinke of this day and repell the temptations vnto sinne with the remembrance thereof Consider what it will cost thee Now the Drunkard the vncleane person the proud the couetous c. see not the foulnesse of their faults but then thou shalt see and wonder that thou wert so mad to runne into such danger for such small and idle satisfactions When thou shalt appeare before that Iudge when Satan and thine owne conscience shall accuse thee when thou shalt behold the frowning and irefull countenance of the Iudge and those fires prepared for thee What wilt thou doe whither wilt thou goe nor friends nor riches nor promises nor prayers nor teares can auaile What shall we doe if that day shall finde vs often forewarned but vnprepared How shall wee endure that fire that cannot endure the tooth-ake the stone a fit of an Ague Let vs vse all care while wee liue here so to behaue and discharge our selues that that day may be happy and comfortable vnto vs. Amen VERSE 11. For it is written As I liue saith the Lord euery knee shall bow to me and euery tongue shall confesse to God IN this verse is prooued that wee shall all stand before the Iudgement seat of Christ and in the next verse the end of such appearance there is declared The proofe is by a Testimony In which wee may note the qualitie
teeth It is the duty of Christians to receiue strangers Vse 2 so did Abraham and Lot and others The Israelites must loue strangers Deut 10.19 and Christians may not forget it Heb. 13.2 But Christian strangers which professe true Religion must be receiued in the Lord and as it becommeth Saints Doe good vnto al men but specially to the houshold of Faith saith S. Paul elsewhere So of true Protestant Christians there must be a speciall and honourable regard The Saints are consecrated to God looke what difference we make betweene the Lords day and the other dayes of the weeke so much ought we betweene the Saints and other men as there is another manner of vse of things holy and of things common O happy England which knowest not what it is to bee a stranger But there may a storme arise and for thy fruitlesse profession driue of thy Children into forraine parts as in the dayes of Queene Mary therefore receiue thou strangers especially the persecuted members of Iesus Christ In the middest of the Noone-day make thy shadow as the Night to hide the outcasts of the Lord Let them dwell with thee and be a couert to them from the face of the Spoyler Esay 16.3 4. as the Prophet Esay admonisheth Moab Whatsoeuer is done to such strangers Mat. 18.5.6 25.34 seq Christ accounteth done to himselfe eyther by way of offence or defence It is a gainfull office to receiue such as witnesseth the example of Abraham Lot the Widow of Sarepta and others And I am perswaded that England fares the better for kindnesse shewed in dangerous times to French and Dutch strangers long may England be a Sanctuarie refuge and harbour for the persecuted Saints For hee that receiueth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall haue a righteous mans reward Mat. 10.41 Let vs remember therefore the monition of Saint Peter 1. Pet. 4.9 Vse hospitality one towards another without grudging and in these times of domesticall peace and forraine troubles let vs cheerefully and with a liberall minde and not Nabal-like relieue such as fly vnto vs. Account it no small blessing if God by his prouidence send one of his poore Saints a stranger to thee to be relieued and say after the words of Elizabeth Luke 1.43 Whence is it that a brother of my Lords comes vnto me God honours thee if he giue thee such occasion and commits to thy trust such a Iewell Make such thy friends that when thou failest they may receiue thee into euerlasting habitations Vouchsafe them a roome in thy house whom Christ disdaines not a place in Paradise and if it were needfull euen wash their feete knowing that the foote of a true beleeuer is more honourable then the head of the proudest wicked man on earth The Romanes must assist Phoebe in all her affaires Vse 3 Such loue ought to be betwixt beleeuers that they ought to support vphold and by all kind offices further one another As one hand washeth another so wee being members of the same body ought mutually to be helpfull Wicked men will take part with wicked men and ride and goe in the behalfe one of another yea euen the Deuils back and second one another much more ought Christians to countenance and further one another but alwayes in that which is good onely and among good things in spirituall chiefly It is iust that such as haue by their place birth Vse 4 authoritie goods countenance prayers counsels example labors or otherwayes done good whether of superiour or inferiour rancke should be singularly respected vpon all occasions The Church is a debter vnto such But such as haue beene no way seruiceable of due can expect no such regard much lesse may they who haue wronged and disgraced the Church and members thereof by their cruell and euill life VERSE 3. Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Iesus 4. Who haue for my life layd downe their owne necks vnto whom not onely I giue thankes but also all the Churches of the Gentiles THe second part of this Chapter beginnes in these Verses and is continued to the end of the 16. Verse and againe in the 21. V. and so to the end of the 23. In the verses betweene the 16. and 21. is the third part of this Chapter This part is nothing but salutations which are eyther from Paul or from sundrie others A Salutation is a signification of our loue whereby wee wish all temporall and spirituall welfare to our brethren Barac Imperatiuum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Hebrew word as also a Greeke word are vsed to this purpose both at meeting and parting of friends The Greeke word in this place implyes the performance of such courtesie and well wishing The Latine word comes of a terme which signifies health Salus The reason of Pauls saluting so many here is threefold 1 That he might winne them by such courtesie the readilier to entertaine and follow the good admonitions giuen them about indifferent and other things in this Epistle and for a preparation against his comming 2 That the Romanes might take speciall knowledge of these aboue the rest that they might imitate their graue and peaceable courses and follow their counsell 3 That these persons saluted by the praises which Saint Paul giueth them might be prouoked to perseuere in such praise-worthy vertues for euery commendation implyeth a secret admonition of perseuerance These things premitted our order in handling of this part shall be first to note the generall Doctrine of Salutations and then briefely to passe it ouer making some few obseruations out of some of the verses To Salute our friends Doctr. present or absent is a courtesie not to be neglected This is to be proued by the practice of holy men of all times of Iethro and Moses Exod. 18.7 of the Angell to Gideon Iudges 6.12 of the Angell to Mary Luke 1.28 So Christ commanded Matth. 10.12 and practised Iohn 20.19 so Saint Paul here and in other of his Epistles So Peter 1. Pet. 5.13.14 Christians are not to omit this dutie Vse it being a singular meanes to adorne our profession and to nourish loue and whom should blessing better become then the Heires of blessing But see it be from the heart There are notwithstanding two exceptions hereunto 1 The first Luke 10.4 Our Sauiour chargeth the seuentie disciples sent forth to preach to salute no man by the way By which prohibition hee doth not vtterly take away such complements as the Anabaptists from that place but sheweth that they were to vse no delay but to set all other occasions aside and speedily to attend the preaching of the Gospell When friends meete they are loth to part and therefore such courtesies to be omitted when weightier matters are to be performed When we should preach or heare or resort to the Congregation to publike prayer c. it is then no time of visiting friends entertaining them with discourse or