and â—hall eat your flesh like fire the hire of those aâ—ourers who have laboured in the word and doctrine â—ryeth and their cries are entered into the ears of the Prov. 3. 9 10. â—ord of Sabboth to such as these I shall say no more â—hen what hath been said before honour the Lord with â—hy sustenance so shall thy Barns be filled with encrease Consider of these things and the Lord give you understanding in all things Deo trinuni gloria CONCIO AD PLEBEM OR THE Christians Guide Chalking out the way that leadeth to Eternal Happiness Written by P. Fullwood M. A. R. of South-Normanton in the County of Darby LONDON Printed by John Lock for E. Calvert at the Black-spread-Eagle at the West end of St. Pauls 1673. Col I. V. 10. That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing being fruitfull in every good work IUST Lot though he was vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked Sodomites yet how loath was he to desert those Tents of wickedness or bid adieu to those Sons of Belial till God by his Angel leads him forth and such is our fondness of our darling lusts as though they warre against our Souls and provoke Gods heavy wrath and displeasure yet we are as loath to leave them as the Raven was to return to the Ark hence therefore this blessed Apostle seems to lead us out by the hand like Lots Angel who like a wise master builder having laid the foundation of repentance from dead works and faith towards God makes his address to the throne of grace in the behalf of the Colossians that they might go on to perfection and this he doth in these words precedent we do not cease to pray foryou and desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding that ye walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing being fruitful in every good work The Text presents you with two general heads First the way to walk in that ye walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing Secondly The provision for the journey being fruitful in every good work In the First Quid what walk Secondly Qâ—omodo how worthy of the Lord. Thirdly Quâ—m ad finem for what end unto all pleasing In the latter here is first Quid what being fruitful Secondly In quibus in every good work of these in their order And first of the first that ye walk walking is a Metapher drawn from Travellers signifying the right ordering of our lives and conversations for the better explication of this Metapher I shall present you with these three considerations First which is the way we ought to walk in Secondly what diligence is required in walking Thirdly what is the end we should propound to our selves herein First consider what is the way we ought to walk it is the way of Gods commandement blessed are the undâ—filed in the way that walk in the law in the law of the Lord they are much out of the way who so live as if there were no God to direct them counâ—ing the Law of God as a strange thing and cry out with those depart from us for we desire Job 21. 14. not the knowledge of thy wayes others there are that look for new visions or revelations to such as these I may say in the words of the Prophet this is the way walk in it Isa 30. 21. 2 Pet. 1. 10. Secondly what diligence is required in walking give all diligence to make your calling and election sure if the clouds be full they will pour rain upon the Earth to make it fruitful if the spring be good it will send forth pure waters into the Cistern good motions as they are stirrâ—d by the Spirit of God so they are fostered by practice the good husband orders his land in due season fools and ding-thrifts trifle away the time but wise-men imploy it to the best advantage see then that ye walk circumspectly Eph. 5. 15 16. not as fools but as wise redeeming the time because the days are evil So I come to the third consideration what is the end we should propound to our selves viz. the salvation of 1 Pet. 1. 9. Souls receiving the end their faâ—â—h the salvaâ—â—on of their souls the seventy returned with â—oy saying Lord even devils are sâ—â—ject unto us through thy Name if Moses and Miriam Lâ—k 10. 17. if Dâ—borah and David did so shout and sing at their corporal conquests how in conceiveable is the joy of such as tread down Sathan under their feet yet behold I shew you a more excellent cause of rejoycing notwithstanding in this rejoyce not that the spirits are subject unto you but in this rather rejoyce that your Names are written in Aug. Heaven cum accepta fuerit in â—ffâ—bilis illa lâ—titia perit quodammodo mens humana sit divina so soon as we receive this inconceiveable joy our mortality is swallowed with immortality our humain soul is made caelestial and Psal 16. 11. Psal 37. 25. divine in thy presence is fulness of joy at thy right hand are pleasures for ever more to which may be added this pathetical expostulation whom have I in heaven but thee there is none upon earth I can desire in comparison of thee Now that you may ascend this Jacobs ladder that will bring you to eternal happiness take these few directions First begin betimes now is the fittest season it is dangerous to deferr it the time past is gone we cannot recall it the time to come is not in our power we know not whether we shall ever enjoy it the time present is only our own therefore we should improve it in the Pool of Bethsada lay a multitude John 5. v. 3 4. of impotent folk waiting for the moving of the water forth Angel went down at a certain season and troubled the water whosoever then after the troubling of the water first stâ—pped in was made whole Religion must have its seed time the seeds are sown the harvest is hereafter they that seek me early shall find me Secondly keep the way such as are out of the way are Eph. 2. 12â— Aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel strangers from the Covenant of the Promise without hope without God in the World but as for Christs innocent Lambs that keep the fold the eyes of the Lord are alwayes over them and his ears are open to their prayers He commands his Angels to be tâ—eir Guardians to keep them in all their wayes and those that offend them it was better that a milstone was hand d about their necks and they drowned in the depth of the Saa Oh that our wayes were so directed that we might walk in Gods statutes Lhirdly persevere unto the end it is the evening crowns the day not he that puts on his armour but that puts it off 1 Cor. 15 v. 58. may vaunt be ye stedfast unmoveable allwayes abounding in
Prophesie it was the direction our Saviour gave to his Disciples before he sent them to preach Behold I send as Lambs among Wolves be ye therefore wise as Serpents but innocent as Doves The Prophet David fought first with a Lion then with a Bear then with a Phillstine but we must wrestle with Principallities Powers the Rulers in dark places here is the great Lucifer of the Church of Rome together with other evil Angels that have fallen the Church by Apostacy therefore let us walk in Wisdome toward them that are without Secondly respectu habito justitiae It is a principle in moral Policie that corrupt execution of Law is as dangerous as unjust violation it is a mercy to have such in Authority modo audeant quae sentiunt saith Cicero the Aegyptian Kings usually and solemnly presented this Oath to their Judges not to swerve from their consciences though they should have a command from them to the contrary such an heart without affection a mind without passion a treasurer which keepeth for every man what he hath and distributeth to every man what he ought to have Thirdly respectu habito charitatis the rigour of Justice is not to be exacted without the sweet commixture of Mercy Rulers must be like Cherabins to have wings to shelter the innocent as well as a flaming sword to drive out offendors he that is Judge of the whole world his mercy like Nebuchadnezzars tree spreads over the face of the whole Earth or Davids Sun which runs from one end of the Earth to the other therefore as God said to Moses see thou do all things according to the pattern shewed thee in the Mount So I come to the last step of this first general let them labour in the word and doctrine The office of an Elder as it is a work of great importance so not to be done negligently such deserve not this double honour but a curse rather cursed is every one that doth the work of the Lord negligently the Elders are compared to Planters Builders Soldiers Husbandmen the Husbandman is never out of work redit Agricolae labor but especially in time of Harvest now is the Lords Harvest there is need of painful labourers to gather Gods wheat into his Barn but do I stand upon comparisons there is no labour saith St. Chrysostome is comparable to the labour of the faithful Pastour hence the Apostle here adds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as some take the word not in apposition but in composition plurimum laborantes labouring most earnestly they must not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 take an easie and light yoke but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 use double diligence they must labour in the word and doctrine they must labour but not in the affairs of this life with which they must not intangle themselves that they may please him who hath called them the inordinate cares of this World are a great distraction to any Christian much more to such as are called to wait at Gods Altar the Prince of Philosophers hath given this precept let no Husbandman or Handy-crafts-man be a Priest it is a maxime grounded upon the Law of Nature It stands not with the honour of God that they that are imployed in his service should be manuary Trades Such mechanical imployments with-draw their minds from their holy function and are repugnant to that knowledg and other gifts that are required in that holy order they that spend more time amongst beaâ—ts then amongst books are fitter for the plough than the Pulpit let us fix our thoughts on a more noble object let us labour in the word and doctrine let us not labour for the meat that perisheth but for the mâ—at that endureth unto everlasting life Theodorus Beza in one of his Polemical Treatises upon these two Word and Doctrine hath found a ground of upholding their new distinction betwixt Pastours and Doctours which he thinketh so manifest as he saith quis not videt and yet never any before him could find it out duae istae voces saith Calvin rem unam significant as Joseph said of Pharaohâ—s two dreams they are both one Carthusianus starts another distinction upon these two Word and Doctrine they must labour in the word of exhortation and in the doctrine of instruction for the enlightning of the understanding the word of exhortation for the regulating of the affections the one to dispel the darkness of the mind the other the rebellion of the heart the doctrine of instruction with the word of exhortation doth commonly produce a cold and speculative knowledg without practice the word of exhortation without the docâ—rine of instruction begets a blind and pernitious zeal without knowledg Other distinctions betwixt these two Word and Doctrine have been noted in verbo scientibus in doctrina ignorantibus so Ausâ—lmus in the word to them that know already in doctrine to them that are yet to learn he must labour in verbo scientibus in the explication of obscure and difficult peeces of Scripture called by the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which he that cannot unfold is like the ridiculous builder of whom it is said caepit ad ficare noâ— potuâ—t consummarâ— this man began to build and was not able to finish He must labour likewise in doctrina ignorantibus in catechismes gathered from easie and plain places of Scripture which were in uâ—e in the Apostles time and called a form of sound words and the principles of the doctrine of Christ and since the Apostles time both in the Greek and Latine Church the neglect of catechizing is the cause why so little good is done amongst us by Preaching Preaching without Catechizing seems Rachel like beautiful but barren making the Hearers like Pharaohs lean kine that devoured the fat ones and were never the fatter Be we then like those Olive branches in the Prophet Zacharie which through these two golden pipes empty the holy oyl out of our selves Thus at the length we have measured the waters of this golden sea viz. the Elders duty Oh! let the waves thereof beat a while upon your affections and then they will bring you to the Haven to that honour that double honour which is intailed upon us Let the Elders that rule wâ—ll be counted worthy of double honour especially such as labour in the word and doctrine So I come to the second general the Elders heres first Quale honos honour Secondly Quantas double honour Thirdly Quarâ— they are worthy Fourthly Quomodo how let them be counted worthy of these in their order and first of the first The Heathens directed by the divine light of Nature ever had and still have their Priests in great estimation amongst the Romanes none were created Pontificies but such as were of noble blood by the Mahometan law if any outrage be done to a Priest if he be a Turk that so doeth he looseth his right hand if a Christian or Jew that so doeth he must be burnt alive there is no greater
the work of the Lord forasmuch as you know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord other servants may change their master but the served of the Lord with him in the old law must be bored through the ear to ferve him for ever be thou faithful unto death and I will give you a crown of Rev. 2. life If you want any further direction the Text suggests it in the words following worthy of the Lord which is the next step of this first general that ye walk worthy of the Lord here worthyness according to the current of interpreters seems to note a correspondency of one thing to another God is the most exact copy for us to follow Jesus Christ Ephes 5. v. 1. came into the world to be an example as well as a Saviour be ye followers of God as dear children and walk also in love as Christ also hath loved us other examples may be followed so far as they follow God without this lunitation they will prove but an ignis fatuus to lead us out of the way Lucius Aemilius looking upon the Image of Jupiter at first stood amazed afterward burst forth into this expression solus profecto Jupiter Phidae Jovis Homerici expressit imaginem we make the applycation to God Almighty such is his eternal weight of glory as the tongue of Men and Angels is not able to express it yet we may behold him in his back parts with Moses so far as he hath revealed himself to us in his holy word he becomes an exact copy not only for admiration but imitation there are four things wherein Gods example is set forth to us for our imitation First his wisdome and knowledge in him are hid all the Col. 2. v. 3. treasures of Wisdome and Knowlâ—dg so glorious is this Suns lustre as might dazzle the purest eyes to behold it in the perfection of its beauty yet in those beams descending thence it becomes obvious to our sight so pretious a Jewel is wisdome the splendour whereof makes the Angels out shine all the Worthies of the World it is the distinction betwixt man and man and man from beast but this is but the trapings of wisdome the beauty whereof doth most clearly appear in the saving knowledg of God in Christ this is life eternal John 17. 3. that they may know the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent Secondly purity and holyness it is the quintesence of the divine essence the life of God the character of his Laws the qualifiâ—ation of his Subjects he is so jealous of the least tincture of impurity as he hates the garments spotted with the flesh he that hath the hope purifyeth himself as he is pure 1 John 3. 3. Joh. 1. 29. Mat. 11. 29 30. 1 Kings 12. v. 14. Christ himself comes into the World as a Lamb in all his â—ermons he strives to work meekness and humility propounds his own example the preservative of meekness and lawliness take my yoke upon you and learn of me for I am meek and lawâ—y and you shall find rest unto your Souls for my yoak is easy and my burden is light It was Rehoboams answer to old mens counsel my father made your yoake heavy but I will add to your yoak but Christs yoak is easy and his burden is light Fourthly Love and Charity God is love and is the fountain from whence all those rivelets of charity do flow he spared not his own Son that he might spare us but delivered Rom. 8. 32. him up for us that he might deliver us from death amor sine exemplo charitas sine paralelo love without an example charity without a paralel and as he is the fountain of love so he â—â—â—ds us to draw water out of this well of salvation our blessed Saviour breathing out of the bosome of his Father his will to us doth stretch forth this duty like Davids Sun Psal 19. 6. from one end of the Earth to the other not only to our friends and those that have done us good but even to our very Enemies love your enemies bless them that curse you do Mat. 5. 44. good to them that hate you pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you how prone are we Elijah like to call fire from Heaven upon our Enemies hence our Saviour seems to keep our mouth as it were with a bit and bridle and to temper our language that we may bless them that curse us and when our weening passion seems to bespeak us as God did Moses let me alone that I may be avenged of this People Christ binds our hands and turns our hearts to do good to them that hate us and directs our prayers to pray for them that despitefuly use us and persecute us and all this is perfumed with the sweet odour of love So I come to the third step of this first general quem ad sinem to what end unto all pleasing and these words seem to be referred ad formale religionis to the right ordering of our actions so as they may please God we must so guide the Stern of our actions as they may arrive at the Harbour of Gods acceptance we must not rest in opere operato in the deed done but look at the modus agendi let not formality Luk. 12. 43. 1 Cor. 9. 24. 1 Cor. 11 28. Heb. 12. v. 1 2. swallow up the crown of your endeavors God is much delighted in Adverbs blessed is that servanâ— whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing So run that ye may obtain Let a man examine himself and so let him eat of this bread and drink of this cup. Then let us run with patience the race is set before you looking unto Jesus the Authour and finisher of our faith So I come to the first step of the second General being fruitful The terms seems Metaphorical a tree not only buds and blossomes but brings forth fruit a Christians buds are holy thoughts his blossomes godly words his fruits is in the power of godliness we must not only be budded with good thoughts nor blossome in good words but bring forth fruit the fruit of righteousness yet how few such trees of righteousness are there some bring forth no fruit and fall Mat. 20. 6. within the compass of our Saviours reprehension why stand ye here all the day idle neglect of duty lets in all suggestion and holds in all pollutions idleness is aâ—horrent to Nature the heart is alwayes thinking the fancy alwayes working the Earth doth bring forth herbs for the service of man if all this will avail nothing consider that heavy doom denounced against the unprofitable servant cast ye the unprofitable servant Mat. 25 30. into utter darkness there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth others bring forth false fruits How many such Jezebels there be that can paint over a foul face with fair colours and draw a fair