6.4.6 Wee lye vpon beds of Iuorie and stretch our selues vpon our couches and eat the Lambes out of the flocke and the calues out of the midst of the stall we drinke wine in bowles and anoint our selues with the chiefe ointments but we are not grieued for the afflictions of Ioseph Are not the bowels of the Saints wrung with grief and the Church pinched with the persecutions of her aduersaries Doo not the mighty Nimrods of the world hunt her And are not furrowes made vpon her backe with their ploughs Look into the world consider the miseries of the Churches in forrain parts in France and Germany and if thou hast in thee any spark of brotherly affection nay if thou hast not put off the very nature of a man thou must needs abate of thy pleasures Psal 137.2 with the captiue Iewes hang vp thy Harp vpon the willowes The Ark and Israel and Iudah abide intents 2 Sam. 11.11 and my Lord Ioab and the seruants of my Lord are encamped in the open fields shall I then go into my house said Vriah to Dauid to eat and to drink and to ly with my wife As thou liuest and as thy soule liues I will not do this thing See hee would not affoord to himselfe any more then necessary contentment vnto nature till hee saw the issue of that business Esay 22.11.13 14 Shall we then feast and sport and reuell Shall joy and gladnes slaying oxen and killing sheep eating flesh and drinking wine be found amongst vs in this day when the Lord of Hoasts cals to weeping and to mourning to baldnesse and to girding with sackcloth Surely it will be reuealed in the ears of the Lord of Hoasts and this iniquity shall not bee purged from vs till we dy Let vs not my Beloued think we haue the affections of children when wee can see our mother sick and sorrowfull without remorse Let vs not think we haue the affections of brethren when we can hear or see the maims and miseries of Gods people without laying them to heart And therefore as when the Church of God flourisheth and houlds vp her head we must lift vp ours though otherwise it goeth not so wel with vs in our owne priuate estate and condition so when the Church mournes and hangs downe the head wee must cast downe ours though our owne condition bee neuer so good For as the peace and prosperity of Ierusalem should sweeten our priuate grieuances so her afflictions and dangers should sowre and make distastefull to vs all priuate comforts whatsoeuer And thus wee haue seen the qualities and properties of Brethren which if wee finde in our selues it is no matter for the worlds mocking and scorning at this Brotherhood it is our glory If we consider Paul as a Minister or an Apostle so tearming them then we thence note First his great Humility For though many of them to whom hee wrote were poor and meane 1 Cor. 1.26 and such as laboured with their hands and few of them wise men after the flesh or mighty or noble and hee himselfe a Minister of the word yea an Apostle 1 Cor. 12.28 and so in the highest degree of the Ministery and a planter of many Churches yet he maketh himself equall to them of the lower sort in calling them Brethren Rom. 12 which is a word of equality Secondly his great Mildeness and gentlenesse of spirit in that hee doth thus gently exhort them when he had authority to command and insinuates himself into them by such a cōpellation the better to prouoke them to doo that they stood bound to doo Thirdly his great Affection and Loue in vsing such a kinde and louing tearm wherby he shewed that hee did dearly and tenderly affect them in the Lord and respect them as those who were conjoined with him by the bond of one truth one faith and one hope of saluation From the first wee inferre Doct. 1 Ministers must be humble Luke 21.25.26 Ministers ought to behaue themselues humbly in their places and callings The Kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship ouer them and they that exercise authority vpon them are called Benefactours But you shall not bee so but hee that is greatest amongst you let him be as the youngest and he that is chief as though he did serue The meaning of our Sauiour in which words is not to take away order but to take away arrogancy and ambition Saint Peter giueth the like precept 1 Pet. 5.2.3 Feed the flocke of God which is amongst you neither as being lords ouer Gods heritage but being ensamples to the flock Vse How then doth that same Antichristian spirit vsurping authority with tyrannous vsage of Gods people sort with the Apostles precept and practice And that not onely of that Arch-prelate of Rome 1 Thes 2.4 who vnder that title of Seruant of the seruants of God aduanceth himselfe aboue all that is called God but also of others who are puft vp for their place and gifts 3 Iohn 9.10 and with Diotrephes loue to haue the preheminence and will neither receiue Iohn nor his Brethren Paul an Apostle equalles himself with them of the lower sort But now behould a change Ordinary pastors and they of the lower sort doo not onely equall themselues with but euen aduance themselues aboue Apostles taking more vpon them than euer they did Plinius giues this report of Vespasian C. Plinius Epis ad Vespas Nec quicquam in te mutauit fortunae amplitudo nisi vt prodesse tantundem posses v lles That greatnes and majesty changed nothing in him but this that his power to doo good should bee answerable to his will And I would this also might bee truely said of such who either in respect of office in the Church degrees in Schoole riches in the world or any such-like outward prerogatiue are aduanced aboue their Brethren Sure I am if God aduance Hester Hest 4.14 Doct. 2 Courteous 〈◊〉 to be vsed rather than 〈◊〉 it is that shee may bee a means to relieue the Distressed of the Church of Cod. Secondly wee learne that Courteous and gentle means are rather to be vsed by Gods Ministers than rigour or seuerity to perswade men to obedience The seruants of the Lord must not striue 2 Tim. 2.24.25 but be gentle towards all men in meekenesse instructing those that oppose themselues sayth Paul to Timothy And you shall finde him the same in practice that he was in doctrine vsually comming to his hearers with I beseech you Brethren by the mercies of God Rom. 12.1 2 Cor. 10.1 2 Cor. 5.20 6.1 I Paul my selfe beseech you by the meekenesse and gentlenesse of Christ Wee Ambassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you through vs we pray you in Christs stead that you be reconciled to God How sweetly doth he practice his owne precept And so Saint Peter Dearely beloued I beseech you as Pilgrims Strangers 1 Pet
Thus then we see the meaning as if the Apostle should haue in larger manner thus said The Metaphrase Hitherto I haue at large written vnto you O yee Corinthians whom I tenderly affect euen as my Brethren in Christ and to whom I wish all welfare and happiness both in the things of this life and of a better And yet ther is a remainder and something left to bee done which that I may conclude in brief is this That you endeuor to perfection purging out sin increasing in grace and so making vp what is amongst you wanting As also that you mutually comfort one the other and take comfort one of another that you may the better bee enabled to withstand the many oppositions you are like to meet withall in the course of Christianity See also that you be alike minded and affected in matters of religion that the Church may not bee troubled by your diuisions and dissensions And in things ciuill let there be a like concord and agreement found amongst you as betweene neighbour and neighbour husband and wife parent and childe maister and seruant and the like which if there be then that God who takes delight in loue and peace and who is the rewarder of them that liue in loue and peace and who is the Author and Donor of these graces of loue peace shall be with you by his gracious protection and comfortable presence and shall blesse you and bestowe vpon you all good blessings And thus we haue seen the Apostles meaning Now wee come to speak of some such profitable instructions as these words shall afford Finally The Apostle as we see Text. had written largely to these Corinthians and yet there is still a remainder behinde for so the word signifieth as wee haue before seene Hence then wee gather Though Gods Ministers spend their time Doâ—t Ministers haue euer something left to do after their greatest pains 1 Cor. â— â— and take the greatest pains that can bee taken in teaching and instructing their people yet there will bee still a Remainder and something left to bee done Not without cause and reason then is the Ministers task and toil paralleled with the Husbandmans who hath no vacation the end of one work is but the beginning of another euery season of the yeer bringeth his seuerall trauell with it So that no calling is accompanied with more labour or lesse ease Ier. 4.3 And thus the Minister Hath hee broke vp the fallow ground of his peoples harts then must he sowe the precious seed therin 1 Cor. 3.6 Hath he sowed seed then must he water what he hath set and sowed Mat. 13.25 Yea tares and weeds will growe and soon sprout vp sleep we neuer so little and therefore great need of daily weeding Vse 1 Let this then stoppe the mouths of such as cry out against the Minister for an idle calling and account Ministers of all others to liue the easiest liues as hauing least to doo of any I confesse indeed as some vse it it is a calling of excessiue idlenesse Ezek. 34.1 when they feed themselues but not the flock and doo not gather but eat the hony Of such it may be said Mat. 6.28 as our Sauiour of the Lillies in the field They labour not But consider it in its owne nature and as it ought to bee performed wee shall finde it to bee a seruice of great imploiment and his task to be an endlesse task so that none can haue just cause to say that because he is a Minister he hath an easie occupation calling to follow Haruest-labourers of all other are the sorest labourers as wee knowe no labour more toilsome than theirs is that of all others as wee say Mat. 9.37 is the sore-sweating labour And are not Ministers such surely the sweat of the Ministry be it followed as it ought exceeds the sweat of other callings and with the sorest labourer doth the painfull Minister eat his bread in the sweat of his brows There is a labour of the soule as well as of the body as there is a suffering of the soule as well as a suffering of the body And look as the suffering of the soule exceeds by farre any paines that the body vndergoeth for Pro. 18.14 The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity saith Salomon but a wounded spirit who can bear so doth the soule-labour exceed any other labour whatsoeuer Say not then that Ministers are idle and their callings easie because they labour not with their hands What though a Gouerner of a ship sitteth still at the stern while some climb the mast and others walk vpon the hatches and others labour at the pump for though he doth not as they doo yet he doth far greater and better things Their calling then is not easie idle It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a painfull calling humeris angelorum formidandum but laborious and painfull as it is an honour so it is a burden and such a one as requireth the strength of Angels Secondly this taxeth such as being entred into this same calling and function of the Ministry Vse 2 liue an idle life and sit them down to rest with Isachar think ease is good Gen. 49.14 especially if they haue for some times heertofore laboured in the word and doctrine Such little vnderstand the nature of their office as hauing laid some grounds of knowledge neglect the daily vrging of practice and perseuerance A great part of the building is behinde after the foundation is laid These are they that occasion the world to judge of Ministers as Paul the Cretians to be slowe-bellies T it 1.12 I take no pleasure in defiling my owne neast nor in laying open the nakednes of men of my owne coat But God forbid that I should as a Fly lie blowing vpon their sores or vse my tongue to licke their filthy vlcers Let such bee what they will whether idle or vnable like Aesops Hen too fat to lay they are a burden to our Church a disgrace vnto our calling which allows vs no time of sitting stil Why stand you heer all the day idle Mat. 20.6 It was the Lord of the Vineyards reproof to them that stood idle but in the market-place what sharpnesse then must such look for as staÌ„d not in the market-place but in the Vineyard and idle too and all their day It is ill being idle in the market but much worse to stand idle in the Vineyard of the Lord. Let vs then 2 Cor. 4.1 so many as haue receiued this Ministry 1 Tim. 4.13 not faint but giue attendance to reading to exhortation to doctrine Is knowledge planted then practice must bee vrged Is their practice good then perseuerance progresse and continuance must bee pressed A Souldier should dy in the wars standing and a Minister in the pulpit preaching no better place to haue God finde vs in And when thou standest idle
admonish thy selfe as sometimes Plinius Secundus admonished his nephew Poteras has horas non perdere Plin Secundâ—in Epist ad MarciÌ„ Thou might'st haue not lost these houres And lastly let hearers hence learn their lesson for is it so that though Gods Ministers take the Vse 3 greatest pains that can be taken there will be still something left for them to doo then certainely there is a remainder for you as well as they Dost thou know somthing yet alas how many things art thou ignoraÌ„t of that thou art bound to know and remaine for thee to learn And though thou hast knowledge in aboundance so that thou art able with Salomon to discourse from the Cedar-tree that is in Lebanon 1 Kings 4.33 euen vnto the hysope that springeth out of the wall and of all beasts and fowls fishes creeping things yet still there is a remainder namely practice and obedience for Iohn 13.17 if you knowe these things blessed are you if you doe them saith our Sauiour Think of these things thou who art so puffed vp with a conceit of that same small scantling of knowledge thou hast receiued as that thou neglectest all further means of edification And doo thou also think of this who conteÌ„tst thy self with a bare hearing of the word without consequent meditation or practice Sermon is don thou saist when the Minister hath done preaching and so it is indeed with many for it is no more thought of after But the Sermon that wants consequent meditation heere may bee meditated of in hell heerafter Remember that Brethren Text. The Obseruations from this Compellation are from the consideration of Paul as a christian or as an Apostle If we consider him thus calling them as he was a Christian then we obserue There is a spirituall kinred and brotherhood amongst Christians Such as professe the same faith Doct. Christians are spiritually aâ—â—n and worship the same God are Brethren And so we finde them often stiled in Scripture Psal 21.22.12 I will declare thy Name vnto my Brethren saith Dauid in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee And elsewhere thus Psal 12â— 8.9 1 Cor. 5.11 For my brethren and companions sake I will wish thee now prosperity So the Apostle S. Paul willeth If any that is called a Brother bee a fornicatour or couetous c. with such a one no not to eat And againe The Brethren which are with mee vnto the Churches of Galatia Gal. â— 2 This our Sauiour sheweth to his Disciples Mat. 2â— 8 when he saith One is your Master euen Christ and all ye are Brethren Reason Iames 1.18 Gal. 4.26 1 Pet. 1.23 1 cor 10.16.17 2 Tim. 4.8 And no maruell for they haue one and the same Father which is God one and the same Mother which is the Church in whose womb they lie together they are begotten of the same spirituall seed which is the word they are fed at one and the same table with the same nourishment and look for one and the same inheritance euen eternal happiness and blessednes Vse 1 Let this serue then first for the Reproof of such as disdain to call Christians by the name of Brethren or to giue any Saint such a title especially if hee bee a mean one and of lowe rank But what disparagement is it or can it bee to any to acknowledge them to bee their Brethren whom Christ acknowledgeth to bee his Brethren and God acknowledgeth to be his Sons Forasmuch as you haue done it to the least of these my Brethren saith our Sauiour you haue done it vnto me Mat. 25.40 Heb. 2.11 Shall we be ashamed of such as Christ is not asham'd of Let vs beware of this pride of heart which doth so puffe vs vp in regard of outward condition in the world as that it maketh vs to forget such as are mean and lowe and causeth vs so to carry our selues as if they were not our Brethren of the same christian calling professioÌ„ with our selues True it is we are differenced in ciuill policy and ciuill societies some being noble some base som rich some poor which differences Religion doth not take away nor abolish before men yet in that spirituall society of which Christ is the Head there is no such distinction Heer we are all one all equals all Brethren Let not then our inequality in our ciuill calling cause great men to forget their equality in the Christian nor our equality in our Christian cause mean men to forget their inequality in the ciuill In both let vs carry our selues like men of wisdome And if these are to bee reproued then much more are such profane persons to be soundly lessoned who cast this name of Brother as a word of reproach disgrace vpon such as fear the Lord Oh you are one of the holy Brethren you are one of the holy Sisters Now what doo such miscreants but through their sides strike the Prophets the Apostles yea and Christ himselfe Let such knowe that they openly proclaim as it were with a trumpet that they haue not God for their Father nor the Church for their Mother but do openly disclaim them from being their parents while they professe that they are none of that holy Brotherhood As this serueth for Reprehension so in the second Vse 2 place it may serue for our Instruction for out of this name wee may spell our duties Look what nature ties natural Brethren vnto that doth grace much more tie spirituall vnto Duties of Brethren Brethren as we knowe loue together and liue peaceably one with another There is vnity and amity amongst them First yea so strong is that loue which is amongst Brethren as that it exceeds all other loue amongst men It exceeds the loue in mariage saith one because that is by choice this by nature It exceeds the loue betweene Parents and children because that is not reciprocall for the inequality of the persons this is most equall And therefore the Arabians and West-Indians as Histories make mention prefer brethren before children in inheritances This is the loue of Brethren by nature Now we haue obtained a more excellent Brotherhood and therefore ought to loue and loue as earnestly Our loue must be as the loue of Brethren and so we are commanded Be affectioned to loue one another with Brotherly loue Rom. 12.10 Heb. 13.1 2 Pet. 1.7 saith the Apostle And againe Let Brotherly loue continue And againe To godlinesse adde Brotherly kindnes Tertul. in Apol. c. 39. ad stuporem Gentil In Tertullian his time there was such vnity amongst Christians and their loue each to other was so great as that it was to the amazement of the Heathen See say they how these Christians loue one another and are ready to dy one for another But alas for vs our contentions and wranglings euen about toies and trifles may make men amazed How shall God bee our Father if we
reproued are such as haue begun well and held on for a while but now recoil like Zarah in Thamars womb Apostates backsliders who return to their ould sinnes and start away like a deceitfull bowe as if they neuer had bin the men Dan. 2 resembling Nebuchadnezars image whose head was of gold and whose feet were of dirt beginning gloriously in the spirit but ending shamefully in the flesh as the Apostle speaketh of the Galatians Many there are that haue set out very fresh like some pamperd jade which at first is so free that no ground wil hold but soon after giue in and tire Of how many may it bee said They haue been forward zealous carefull in the waies of godliness but now the world hath choaked them the vanity thereof beguiled them they are not the men they haue been Alas for such 2 Pet. 2 22 in as much as they are becomne very dogs and swine The diuell himselfe can say hee hath been good but what is hee the better nay he is much the worse God will reward vs in the present tense not in the preterperfect tense as we are not as we haue been It were surely better for such neuer to haue knowne the way of righteousnes than after they haue knowne it 2 Pet. 2.21 thus to turn from the holy commandement deliuered vnto them * These are like the Sun in Heâ—echiahs â—â—e that went backward All these come far short of the Apostles precept Be perfect By which rule let vs all walk and resolue endeauour contend and striue for perfection as for a prize adding grace to grace 2 Pet. 1 Psal 84 and growing from Vse 2 strength to strength As the waters spoken of in Ezechiel grew vp by degrees first to the ankles then to the knees then to the loines and lastly to the head so let vs be perficientes going and growing vp that at the last we may bee perfecti made perfect men in Christ Proficiency is comfortable and a pledge that the Lord will perfect what hee hath begun And to stir vs vp vnto this duty let vs consider how naturall things doo affect and in their manner long after the perfection of themselues The infant is still growing in the womb vntill it come to a perfection and so plants and other liuing creatures wee see what little beginnings they haue yet they neuer cease mounting till they attaine their due perfection As nature hath put this property into such things as are by her made vnperfect whereby they enlarge themselues and growe out to the perfection which doth agree vnto their kinde so hath grace much more this property that albeit it hath weake and small beginnings yet if true it will growe as a grain of mustard-seed Mat. 1â— 31 and increase mightily It may then justly bee feared that thou hast not the truth of Christianity who hast not a desire longing after the perfection of Christianity and thou that doost not aime at the perfection of degrees hast not in truth the perfection of parts As for absolute and Angelicall perfection it is not to be expected in this world It was the heresie of Nouatus and Pelagius Euseb l. 6â— 42 who boasted of such a purity and gaue the name of Puritans vnto themselues Our perfection is in part not wholly in respect Imperfecta perfectio Phil. 3.13.14 not absolute An imperfect perfection ours is and this it is To acknowledge imperfection and striue hard toward the mark which is the thing that now we presse as the Apostle sheweth For the attainment of which Meant to attain perfection Phil. 3.13 these directions may be auaileable First learn to forget that which is behind and look on that which is before Think not so much of what thou hast attained as what remains to be atchieued look not so much on what thou hast done as on what remaines by thee to bee done This is a good course Often to consider how far short thou art of that thou shouldest be Secondly Compare thy self with thy superiours rather than with thy inferiors in grace we often look vpon o hers far behinde vs and That causeth vs to think wee need not so bestirre our selues And hence it is that we seem to our selues half-Angels because we are not as some others half-diuels Such a deceit is this saith one as that of Drapers who commend a kersey by laying it to a rug Our knowledge is thought superaboundant because it is more then what our forefathers had neuer considering that our meanes are more and therfore God looks for more from vs. And this causeth many to sit downe and rest themselues contented with what they haue And yet in things of this life men do not thus for what man hauing a competent estate will cast his eye vpon a begger that hath nothing and thereupon conclude He is rich enough he will now giue ouer trading Rather he wil set before him one richer than himselfe to prouoke him to greater diligence And so let vs set before our eies the most eminent amongst Gods Saints as Abraham Iob Dauid Moses yea God himselfe that so our dull flesh may be spurred on and we caused to endeauour to be perfect as he is perfect Mat. 5.48 Thirdly bee daily conuersant in the reading hearing and meditation of holy Scriptures for they are giuen by inspiration of God for this end That the man of God may be perfect 2 Tim. 3.16.17 throughly furnished vnto all good works What might wee come to in Christ if wee would daily study the Scriptures and meditate therein continually for want of which we grow so slowly The neglect of labouring at this oar causeth vs to go downe the winde and tide These means let vs vse that we may attain vnto perfection 1 Sam. 6 And as the kine of the Philistines which drew the Ark of God though they were milch and had calues at home the one to weaken them the other to withdraw them yet without turning to the right haÌ„d or left they kept on their way til they came to Bethshemesh so hauing once joined our selues to the yoak of Christ and bearing the Ark of his law vpon our shoulders in the way of a vertuous life though we haue many hinderances worldly allurements the diuels temptations and our owne sinfull prouocations yet let vs keep on the way of godliness being not like the old Moon in the wane but like the new in her increase and like the morning light which groweth brighter and brighter to perfect day Remembring that as God is Alpha and Omega so hee will haue his seruants to runne from Alpha to Omega from the beginning to the ending in the constant profession of the faith Pray therefore for perseuerance and look to thy self that thou losest not the things which thou hast done but that thou maist receiue a full reward And so we pass from this duty vnto the next Text. Bee of good
comfort The Apostle well knew with how many discouragements they were to meet withall for there is no calling nor duty but hath his crosses attending Without the world sometimes scoffing at their piety and laughing it out of countenance otherwhiles threatning otherwhiles vexing alwaies labouring to discourage few to accompany many to oppose Within conscience of infirmitie and imperfection which is so strong and preualent with many that they become weary of well doing because they are weake in doing And therefore the Apostle willeth them to comfort their hearts one with another iointly and each one seuerally that they might be able to withstand in the euill day and not make shipwracke of their faith when any boisterous tempest and storme of temptation did arise The point that naturally ariseth out of the words to passe by others is Christians ought mutually to comfort one another Doct. Christians ought mutually to om ort one another and to be comforted one by another This is the scope of the Apostle and the sense of the words as wee haue seene at the beginning in the Exposition For further proofe and confirmation read what is sayd in the Prophecie of Isaiah Comfort ye Esay 40.1.2 comfort ye my people sayth the Lord God speake yee comfortably to Ierusalem And in the Prophecie of Zephaniah thus read we Sing O Daughter of Sion Zoph 3.14 shout O Israell be glad and reioice with all the heart O Daughter of Ierusalem Psal 32.11 And in the same Psalme which the sweet singer of Israell penned to giue instruction as the title hath it the righteous are charged with this duty Be glad in the Lord and reioice ye Righteous and shout for ioy all yee that are vpright in heart and elsewhere thus Let Mount Sion reioice Psal 48.11 and let the daughter of Iuda be glad And in the new Testament our Apostle doth often vrge it 1 Thes 4.18 Cap. 5.11 Verse 14 Wherfore comfort yee one another Wherefore comfort your selues together Wee exhort you Brethren to comfort the feeble minded support the weake And in the same Chapter Verse 16. he doth enioine a continual reioicing Reioice euermore In all estates aduerse or prosperous in whatsoeuer condition God is pleased to place vs in Phil. 4.4 So is the precept Reioice in the Lord alwaies againe I say reioice hee doubles the Mandate to shew the necessitie of the dutie And this was the end of Leuiticall Festiuities Thus wee haue seene this point prooued viz. Christians ought mutually to comfort one another and to take comfort one of another Reason And good reason For sorrow is a gulfe and swallowes vp many when comfort is wanting as the Apostle sheweth to these Corinthians 2 Cor. 2.7 when hee requireth them to forgiue and comfort that excommunicated person The diuell is subtill and when any of Gods children are in perplexitie then he laboureth to take most aduantage against them as experience maketh good The vses follow hereupon Vse 1 First confutation of their sottish opinion who thinke no ioy nor comfort belongs to a Christian and that the life of a man fearing God is a dumpish and melancholy life And why so because they cannot take pleasure in vanitie and laugh and be merry in things sinfull Surely that which is a carnall mans greatest mirth is vsually the greatest sorrow of a Christian and makes his heart to melt for griefe Doct. Hall Decad 2. Epist 8 The world is like an ill Foole in a play the Christian is a iudicious spectatour who thinkes those iests too grosse to bee laught at and therefore entertaines that with scorne which others with applause But haue they then no ioy Yes matter of great ioy Psal 118.15 The voice of reioicing and saluation is in the Tabernacles of the Righteous But who more heauy and vnchearefull Ob. more sad and sorrowfull experience shewes it that we see their ioy we see not True R s Pro. 14.10 For the stranger shall not enter into his ioy they shall not meddle with it nor can they discerne it It being internal and requires an internall eye the eye of Faith to discerne it with And for their sorrow it cannot bee denied but the Godly are oft-times more sorrowfull then they haue cause And yet when they haue cause their joyes are an hundred fold more than their sufferings Mark 10. â—0 And their greatest sorrow is but as a painted sorrow in comparison of the sorrow of the wicked and therefore sayth the Apostle As sorrowfull yet alwaies reioicing 2 Cor. 6 1â— which maner of speech is wel obseru'd by one Ansâ—lâ—n loc and is worthy to be obserued by all He bringeth in the sorrow of the Godly with a quasi as it were sorrowe not that it is sorrow indeed but sayth he As sorrowfull but when he speakes of Ioy there is no quasi but true ioy The Sorrow of Gods Children then hath a quasi their Ioy hath none But now è contra the wicked worldling is most miserable For his Ioy hath a quasi but his sorrowes are without They are sorrowes to good earnest and therefore they are bidden to howl and lament to weep and roar Iames 5.1 Florent ad tempus pertunt in aeternum florent falsis bonis â—ereunt veris tormentis Aug oâ— psal 5â— for those sorrowes that shall come vpon them They flourish and joy for a time but they perish and mourne for euer saith a Father they joy in false deceiueable good things and they perish in true and remedilesse torments Secondly Redargution or Reprehension first of Vse 2 such as fail in their duty in not giuing comfort secondly of such as fail as much in their duty in not taking comfort when it is giuen Of the former sort there are degrees Some there are that will giue comfort but not to all or at least not in that manner and measure as is fitting Let some of the wealthier sort be in any trouble then there is riding running sending going pitying praying and as mice and rats they run to the Barne which is full of corn but he that is poor is hardly acknowledged of his brethren Pro. 19.4.7 much lesse coÌ„forted or if he be it is very coldly few words are spoken whereby his wearied and perplexed spirit may be refreshed Will you hear the vsuall form of comforting I am sorry neighbour to see you thus say some I hope to see it otherwise with you ere long say others I should bee sorry else I haue seen others as lowe brought as you yet haue done well enough And heer is all As for deeds it may be some rich Chuff may send-him-in a pot of pottage or a groat and think hee hath done a work of supererogation in so doing Heer is sory comfort to refresh the bowels of the saints withall in the day of their distresse Others there are that giue gall for meat and vineger to quench
wrote to the Corinthians as well as in the later end of this wee shall finde the Apostle commending this duty to them thinking it to bee so necessary that both in the beginning and in the end and at all times they were to be put in mind of it Now I beseech you 1 Cor. â— 1â— Brethren saith hee by the name of our Lord Iesus Christ that ye all speak the same things aâ—d that there bee no diuisions amongst you but that ye bee perfectly ioyned together in the same minde and in the same iudgement And in his epistle to the Romans the last chapter saue one hee makes a most earnest praier to God that this might be found among them saying Rom. â—5 5 Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be alike-minded one towards another according to Iesus Christ that you may with one minde and with one mouth glorifie God Phil 2.1 â— And writing to the Philippians hee doth deeply charge them yea strongly adjure them that If there were any consolation in Christ any comfort of loue any fellowship of the spirit if any bowels and mercies fulfill yee my ioy that yee bee like-minded hauing the same loue beeing of one accord and of one minde Were not this a duty of great importance surely the Apostle would neuer bee so earnest in the vrging of it beseeching praying yea adjuring vs to the practice of it And no wonder For a great aduantage is giuen to the enemy by dissension It is a military principle Tempt not an enemy by giuing him the aduantage Wee giue them opportunity to shuffle-in their counterfeit coine whiles we consent not in our gold And yet alas the difference amongst vs is not so much about the weight or purenes of substaÌ„ce as about the fashion Euseb Eccles Hist And this Eusebius obserues was the policie of the subtill serpent when persecutions gaue the Church breathing space Euermore to begin to vexe her with her owne diuisions Vse 1 Alas for vs for there is vtterly a fault amongst vs in this respect As for diuision in Doctrine which is Heresie we cannot be charged with but for diuision in rites which is Schisme that is our disease In substance we ioine and therefore thinke it a small matter to dissent in circumstance and indeed it is the lesse matter yet such a matter as deserues a sharpe censure what detriment it hath been vnto our Church hee hath no mind that considers not no heart that condoles not Shee hath beene like Rebecca troubled in her wombe with the striuings of two children of contrary dispositions which hath caused her to complaine Why am I thus Gen. 25.22 Ephraim is against Manasses and Manasses against Ephraim Woe to such vnnaturall brethren who pittie no more the paines of their mother Surely the Authors and Fautors of her diuision haue much to answere for before the Lord. For the sinne is so great if we beleeue Chrysostome especially authoritie being resisted that it cannot bee expiated by Martyrdome Let it therefore admonish and exhort as many Vse 2 as loue the peace of Sion to bee knit together in one mind and one iudgement in the Lord. Read how many vnities the Apostle puts vs in mind of that we might be the better wonne to this vnitie Ephes 4.4 5 6. There is one Body one Spirit one Hope one Lord one Faith one Baptisme one God and Father of all Indeed if we serued diuers Lords Masters there might sometimes naked swords be seen but now contentions must needs be odious Againe consider Is it not a shame for the children of God to dissent when the children of hell are at peace The diuels in hell are not diuided and it is necessary for them to hearken one vnto another saith a Father and to haue vnity in their distraction lest they ruine their owne kingdome Expedit ipsis daemonâ—bus â—baâ—â—â— libi 〈◊〉 in Schisma◠〈◊〉 Mat Aâ—â— 29. For a kingdome nay that very kingdome being diuided against it selfe could neuer stand Thirdly consider the effects that follow heereupon The diuision of tongues as we read in holy writ hindred the building vp of Babell and it cannot otherwise bee but the diuision of hearts must needs hinde◠〈◊〉 â—ding of our Ierusalem Gods Sabbot◠〈◊〉 â—eglected the Word the Gospell of Câ—â—â—â— Iesus cannot haue that free passage that it otherwise could and would haue were it not for our owne home-bred broyles Some wil heare none but refusers of conformity others take aduantage of their disobedience to contemne their Ministery both waies the kingdome of Christ is hindred It giueth likewise matter of encouragement vnto our enemies How commeth it to passe say Papists to vs you haue so many sects amongst you What meane the tearmes of Zuinglians Lutherans Caluinists How is it that some are Brownists some Baraists some Puritans some Protestants How happens it that touching Ceremonies Discipline Blessed bee God they can taxe vs in no other there is such disagreement Strom l. 7. Quia Omnia secta christianismi titulum sibi vendâ—cat tamen alia altam exceratur condemnat Clemens Alexandrinus brings in the Heathen exprobrating our religion for vntrue vnwarrantable vpon this very ground Thus it giueth aduantage to our enemies to scorne vs yea and more to scourge vs. Aske the reason why the wild Boare hath spoyled the vineyard why the Iim and Zijm filthie and vncleane birds roost themselues within our sanctified Dominions The answere must be Israel is not true to Iudah the renting of the ten Tribes from the two hath made both the tenne and the two miserable Scilurus his arrows taken singly out of the sheaf are broken with the least finger the whole bundle vnseuered feares no stresse By dispersing our forces we have weakned our selues and thus we haue found the Politicians rule to be but too true Make diuision and get dominion Diuiâ—◠〈◊〉 impâ—ra amicorum dispendia hostiuÌ„ compendia Dissensions haue beene and are a Lent to our friends a Christmas to our foes gain to the one and losse vnto the other To draw now to a conclusion of this point Let it be enough yea and more than enough that our falling out hath been a grief and heart-smart to our mother let vs proceed no further lest we all smart for it in the end So shall the peace of our Ierusalem break forth as the light and the saluation thereof like the morning-Sun Let vs be guided by that one rule which God hath prescrib'd in his word and not decline from that either to the right hand or to the left In such things as are not reuealed let vs a-while suspend our judgements and wait GOD's good pleasure for the reuelation of them and Text. Prius pertinet ad opinionum consensum vt sâ—â—lâ—cet idem de sâ—de dogmatibus ipsâ—â— sentiamuâ— Alcerum est mutua se charitate amorum coniunctione complecti Cal. in loc to those
and for this I will euer acknowledge you to bee the worthier man For I began the strife but you the peace Hee that began the quarrell is the worst and he that procures Peace the worthiest Motiues to peace Sundrie are the reasons or motiues which scripture vseth to presse the endeuour of this duty It would be too long to number all these are some 1 First our calling is in and vnto peace as we before noted and now againe will touch 1. Cor. 7.15 God is a God of peace Christ is the Prince of peace the Gospell is the Gospell of peace the Godly are children of peace Wee haue one Shepheard and are of one sheepfold liue in one Church which is the house of God feed at one table strong bonds all to binde vs to the peace How fowle a thing then is it to see discord amongst such as are knit together with so strong a tye The Creatures in the Ark as we know agreed together though of a fierce cruell and deuouring nature A great shame then will it bee to vs that liue in the Arke of Gods Church if wee agree not It is for dogges and swine to barke and grunt one at another and not for Sheepe and Lambes all the world would wonder to see them bite and teare their fellows If then wee professe our selues to be members of this Church sheepe of this fold whereof Christ is Shepheard let vs liue in loue for how can we with any comfort looke him in the face when we so farre differ from the nature and properties of his sheepe in eating vp and deuouring of our brethren 2. Motiue Againe it is good and pleasant sayth the Prophet Dauid Ps 132.1 for brethren to dwell together in vnitie and peace And no wonder Hâ—â—ar cit â—â—a cal de vera pac for the very name of peace is beautifull and louely sayth an ancient and therefore the practise of it must exceede There are some things good which are not pleasant as Patience and tolerance of euils Some things pleasant but not good as Epicurisme and voluptuous liuing Some things neither good nor pleasant as Malice Enuie But of Peace and Concord sayth the Prophet as wee see it is both good and pleasant In it and the practice of it both these are met Thirdly where strife is there is confusion 3. Motiue Iames 3.16 and euery euill worke sayth Saint Iames 1. Confusion For the breaking of Relatiues is the ruine of Substantiues we stand not of our selues but vpon reference Liuius Decad. 1. lib. 2. I haue read of a fitting storie for this our purpose and this it is It sometimes fell out that there was a great variance betweene the Nobles and Commons of Rome insomuch that the people banded theÌ„selues together to the great indangering of the Common-wealth The Senate sent vnto the people one Menenius Agrippa a famous Oratour to perswade them and hee tells them this parable On a time the members of the body obiected against the stomake that it deuoured all and took no paines but idly and sluggishly lay in the midst of the body while the rest of the members laboured full sore Hereupon the eye would not see for it nor the hand worke for it nor the foot walke for it nor the mouth aske for it nor the teeth chew for it but euerie member refused any more to doe it office And what followed hereupon The stomake wanting meate and beeing empty the eye began to bee dimme the hand weake the seet feeble all the members beganne to be weake and the whole body to wither in so much that at last they were of necessity compelled to growe friends and bee at agreement with it By which parable he quieted the people and brought them to concord with the Senate Thus if the magistrates bee vnjust people contentious if one profession or society quarrell with another and deny mutuall performaÌ„ce of their duties each to other the whole body of that house city society must needs dissolue When the husband and the wife draw not euenly in the yoke when one brings fire and the other hath no water to quench it when children are refractory seruants wasters and the like there must needs be a decay of this family Thus then wee see Where strife is there is confusion And yet S. Iames goes further and addeth euery euill work and that most truely For where strife is peace wanting the Lord seeth and men may euidently perceiue that there are euil thoughts euil words and euill practices of all kindes Where sinne and satan bear sway it cannot otherwise be but such places must bee filled with all manner of pollutions Let the consideration of these things so far preuail with vs as that we may bee more in loue with this grace which is much set by of the Lord and auoid strife which Gods abhorres But how may a man become thus peaceable quiet Quest And what must be done for the attainement of this grace First Resp remoue all those things which are enemies to peace and they are either Inward or Outward Inward as thy lusts which is the fountain of all thy discoÌ„tentments as S. Iames verefieth Iames 4.1 Of which there are three principall The one is Enuy Verse 2. of which S. Iames makes mention in the place before quoted and this is a great enimy to peace and a disquieter of it It was enuy which wrought that vnquietness between Ioseph and his brethren for the Patriarchs moued with enuy Gen. 37.4 Acts 7.9 sould Ioseph into Egypt Enuy wrought all that vnquietness between Dauid and Saul for 1 Sam. 18.8 when once Dauid was in credit aboue him he had few quiet daies after And what is it but Enuy which breedeth most of our factions in societies opposition in sectaries emulation in equals and molestation to superiors And who sees not what a hand Enuy hath in most sutes and debates which are in our Courts of Iustice daily pleaded No maruell therefore Saint Iames and Saint Paul Iames 3.14 Rom. 13.13 elsewhere joyneth them together for indeed they are seldome separated If thou would'st follow peace withstand that A second is Pride by which saith Salomon Pro. 13.10 men make contention and therefore these two also are well yoaked together as twinnes Phil 2.3 by our Apostle writing to the Philippians Cap. 2.3 This is that which maketh men now-adaies so proue to offer wrongs and so vnwilling to put vp wrongs beiâ—g offred In all ages it hath been manifested that where pride is deepest there patience hath been shallowest and they that ouerflow with the one haue been void and empty of the other And in another place Salomon hath this Prouerb Pro. â—8 â—5 Hee that is of a proud spirit stirreth vp strife By both which prouerbs we see clearly that there is no greater instigator to vnquietnes then pride and vain-glory is If therefore we would