thine holy Sonne Iesus whom thou hast annointed both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and the people of Israell gathered themselues together to doe whatsoeuer thine hand and thy counsell had determined before to be done So then albeit they wickedly intended nothing but to shew their hatred and testifie their enuie in the death of Christ yet God brought another matter out of their mallice and made his endlesse mercy to man appeare in his worke of Redemption God would haue him dye Caiphas would haue him dye Pilate would haue him die Iudas and the Iewes would haue him die but God for our Redemption they for other ends as Iudas for couetousnesse and the Priestes for enuy The History of Iob is a plaine and direct proofe of this point that now we haue in hand he was robbed of his goods depriued of his Seruants and Children through the rage and couetousnesse of his Enemies and by the crueltie of Sathan the p Iob 1. and 2. enemies intended heerein to satisfie their owne couetousnesse the Deuill purposed to bring the Seruant of God to dispaire neither of theÌ„ aimed at any good to Iob but God that ouer-ruleth and ouer swaieth all had another end to try his patience to make knowne his Faith to try his obedience and to giue the deuill the foile ouerthrow Thus then we see that all things whatsoeuer they be are ordered and disposed by the prouidence of God to the good of those that belong vnto him euen then when they doe not intend it Reason 1. The reasons of this Doctrine are apparant to settle our hearts and consciences therein The first is the infinite wisedome and vnsearchable power of â—od who as the Apostle teacheth q 2 Cor. 4 6. bringeth light out of darkenesse worketh by contrary means such as men count foolishnesse r 1 Cor. 1 21. as to saue men by the foolish preaching of the Gospell that is which is esteemed among the wise men of the World no better then foolishnesse When Christ would make a blind man see and restore his sight vnto him Å¿ Iohn 9 6 7. He spat on the ground and made Clay of the spittle and annointed the eyes of the Blinde with the Clay A naturall man would thinke this had beene a way and meanes iudging by humaine reason rather to make a man that seeth to be blind then a man that is blinde to see Christ was able to haue healed him with a word or to haue giuen vnto him new eyes but he chose rather to vse these weak means that in themselues had no power or strength in them Thus was Naaman the Syrian cleansed of his foule Leprosie whereas he imagined the Prophet would come t 2 Kings 5. forth vnto him lay his handes vpon him and call vpon God for him it pleased God to worke by other meanes and to cleanse him by washing seauen times in Iordan We see this in nothing plainer then in the glorious worke of our Redemption The Lord Iesus u Hebr. 2 13. By death ouercame death by humbling of himselfe beneath all x Phil. 3. he was exalted aboue all By making himselfe poore he made many rich By suffering himselfe to be condemned he hath brought vs to be iustified and saued Thus he also dealeth with his owne Children hee bringeth men to Heauen by Hell he leadeth to immortalitie by corruption he guideth them through fire and water to set them in a wealthy place He worketh not by ordinary waies by extraordinarie so often as it pleaseth him When hee would comfort he terrifieth when he would raise vp he casteth downe when he would reuiue he mortifieth when he would exalt he bringeth low when he would make a man rich he maketh him poore This it is which Hannah setteth downe in her Song of Thanks-giuing y 1 Sam. 1 6 7 8. The Lord maketh poore and maketh rich bringeth low and exalteth the Lord killeth and maketh aliue bringeth downe to the Graue and raiseth vp This also the Prophet z Esay 28 21. Esay signifieth The Lord shall stand as in Mount Perazim he shall be wrath as in the Valley of Gibeon that hee may doe his worke his strange worke and bring to passe his Act his strange Act. This is one of the workes of the strange workes one of the actes of the strange actes of God when he turneth euill into good and ordereth the wicked actions of men to the glory of his Name and the good of his Children Reason 2. Secondly it is the pleasure of God to confound the wisdome of Man that cannot attaine to great matters but by great meanes For x 1 Cor. 1 27 God hath chosen the foolish thinges of the World to confound the wise and GOD hath chosen the weake things of the World to confound the mighty things And vile thinges of the World and things which are despised hath God chosen and things which are not to bring to naught things that are that no flesh should reioyce in his presence God disposeth of all things as pleaseth him and oftentimes crosseth the deuises of men They intend one thing but God bringeth to passe another they purpose one end but he will haue another come forth to teach mans wisedome to be but foolishnesse Reason 3. Thirdly he expresseth his wonderfull loue making all things that fall out in the world to serue his Church True it is the Church of God is beset with many enemies that as wilde Boares seeke to roote it out of the Earth as the Deuill which is the Captain of this Army vnder whose Banners are gathered together the wicked world the flesh hell death sin all which multitude as a great hoast muster together to work the vtter ouerthrow thereof yet God that sitteth in heauen maketh all their endeuours and enterprises further the saluation of his Church This the Apostle teacheth y Rom. 8 28. We know that all things worke together for the best vnto them that loue God euen to them that are called of his purpose He blesseth their troubles and afflictions and worketh in them patience vnder the crosse humility in suffering and experience of his mercies and maketh them confesse that it was good for them that they haue been afflicted We see this euidently in the example of Iobs troubles and torments that he endured there were many work-men set on worke to wast his goods to destroy his Children to kill his Seruants to afflict his Body to torment his Soule all ayming at this to bring him to despaire and all these Wheeles were set to moue by the Deuill but the Lord out of their sinnes wrought his great good z Iames 1 3 4 Rom. 5 3 4. Making tryall of his Faith to bring forth patience and patience experience and experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed So then seeing God is able to work and doth work both aboue and contrary to means that men imagine seeing he
is in vaine for them to resist God and the power of his might Let them refraine from iniuring his Seruants and from going about to stop their mouthes let them remember what Gamaliell said n Acts 5 38. Now I say vnto you refraine your selues from these Men and let them alone for if this counsell or this worke be of men it will come to naught A notable lesson to bee learned of all malicious men and bloudy persecuters of the Gospell that would if it lay in them bury all remembrance of Christ and his Gospell they shall finde and feele the strength of him against whom they wrastle they shall see the folly of their owne waies and the madnesse of their owne workes and they shall in the end perceiue it to be as vnpossible and themselues as vnable to hinder the free passage of the Gospell as to bind the wind in their Fistes or to stop the Raine of Heauen from watering the earth Hence it is that the Prophet speaketh to like purpose to the Enemies of the Church o Esay 8 9. Gather together on heapes ô ye people and ye shall be broken in peeces and hearken all yee of farre Countries gird your selues and ye shall be broken in peeces gird your selues and ye shall shall bee broken in peeces Take counsell together yet it shall be brought to naught pronounce a decree yet it shall not stand for God is with vs. Vse 3. Thirdly seeing the Gospell cannot be stopped it it is the dutie of all of vs to pray for the free passage of it We haue a promise that God will spread abroade his sauing health and magnifie his great Name ouer all the Earth now it belongeth as a speciall duty to vs to pray vnto him to glorifie himselfe and to make his Name knowne among the Sonnes of Men. This charge doth the Apostle giue vnto the Thessalonians p 2 Thes 3 1 2 Furthermore Bretheren pray for vs that the word of the Lord may haue free passage and bee glorified euen as it is with you and that we may be deliuered from vnreasonable and euill Men for all men haue not Faith It is the duty of all the godly to pray for the enlarging of the Gospell whereby the Kingdome of God is also enlarged Let vs be mindfull daily of this duty desiring of the Lord this grace that the Gospell may be freely preached and cheerfully receiued q Math. 9 38. that he would send forth labourers into his Vineyard and maintaine them against rauening Wolues that seeke to deuour them that he would blesse their labours and remoue all stumbling blockes out of their way that hee would giue them courage and constancy in discharging their duty vtterly remoue al hirelings and false teachers out of his Vineyard It is God that must thrust forth Labourers into his Haruest It is he that fitteth them to the worke It is he that blesseth them in the worke Let vs not therefore be wanting to our selues but pray to the Lord of the Haruest to send out able worke-men to gather the Corne into his Garner The cause why we are not furnished with such Teachers and if we bee furnished yet the worke doth not prosper vnder their hands is because we doe not aske for a blessing from God from whom euery good guift proceedeth Vse 4. Lastly this serueth as a great comfort both to the Pastors and people For seeing the Gospell shall haue his course let the Ministers boldly go forward in the discharge of their dutie and teach the people committed to their charge Let vs not feare the faces of Men. The word which we preach is the word of God who is able to maintaine it and make it mighty in our mouthes to cast downe hils and holds that lift vp themselues against it He is able to danut and dash in peeces all those that set themselues against it The worke is the Lords the Worke-men are the Lordes the blessing and successe is the Lords and they that striue against it fight against the Lorde Let vs comfort our selues in these thinges against all the disgraces and reproaches of the World And concerning the Professors of this Gospell let this Minister comfort also vnto them that they builde not vpon the Sand or vppon a weake Foundation but their building standeth vpon a Rocke which shall neuer be remooued The Apostles comfort themselues and encourage one another r Acts 4 29. in the worke of the Ministery because they were assured that the word which they deliuered was no vaine word nor deceiueable Fable but the Gospell of Christ who chose them to the calling and sent them to the worke and strengthned them to stand and gaue them wisedome to conuince and confound all their Aduersaries Likewise Paule teacheth ſ Phil. 1 14. That many of the Brethren in the Lord were boldned through his bands to confesse and professe the truth of God We cannot fall except the word fall with vs nay except God fall with vs so long as wee stand fast in the Faith Wherefore howsoeuer others shrinke backe and make ship-wracke of a good conscience let vs hold out vnto the end and then wee shall be sure of eternall happinesse in the Heauens The occasion and argument of this Epistle Hitherto we haue handled the time when this Epistle was written and the place from whence it was written to wit when hee was in prison Now let vs consider the Argument thereof and the occasion whereof it was written The occasion of penning and writing this Epistle was double First generall for the instruction and direction of the whole Church in some necessary points of faith and obedience intreating most waightily and wisely of Iustice mercy mildnes meeknes moderation reconciliation Christian equity u Caluin vpon Philemon insomuch that he seems rather to respect the edification of the whole Church then to haue in hand the businesse of one poore and priuate man The speciall occasion was to intreat at Philemons hands to pardon his seruant that had offended him and to accept his subiection and submission vnto him This Phile. as it seemeth was a cittizen of Colosse x Hierom. in prolog Coloss Erasmus in hunc locum a citty scituate in Phrygia not far frō Laodicea whose seruant Onesimus committing either Theft in purloyning away his Maisters goods or some other great and grieuous crime as the manner of leud and euill Seruants is ran away from his M. as far as Rome being many hundred miles distant from Colosse where he supposed he should heare no more of him or if he did would not follow and pursue after him so far This Fugitiue and Runnagate Seruant false fingered and false hearted comming to Rome y Synop. Athana in hanc Epist was by the gratious prouidence of God brought where Paul the Apostle lay bound in prison and hearing him among others preaching the Gospel of Christ to Remission of sins to all
are as certaine steppes whereby we climbe vp to the society and mutuall loue of others so the moe steps and degrees there are the greater ought our loue to be To be a man created after the Image of God is one degree and challengeth loue from vs to be performed toward him To be ioyned in a Politicall or Domesticall knot to wit in the Common wealth or in the priuate Familie as the Prince and Subiect the Father and Sonne the Maister and Seruant is another and a neerer degree and ought to be the cause of farther loue But if to these naturall and ciuill respects there be added a spiritual Communion in Christ which is the best band that bindeth faster then all the rest whereby the Subiect is made his Princes brother the Child his Fathers Brother and the Seruant his Maisters Brother this requireth a more faithfull and feruent loue and a farther degree of our affection toward them On the other side if the coniunction betweene them be onely in the two former considerations there can be no true and sincere loue betweene them albeit they bee so closely tyed together no although they be Fathers and Children Husbands and Wiues Maisters and Seruants Princes and Subiects For where Christ Iesus is not there can be no singlenesse and soundnesse of the Soule whosoeuer loueth not in the Lord he cannot loue from the heart and where there is no true piety there can be nothing else but hypocrisie which is the bane and poison of true loue Hence it is that hee which hath an euill Seruant doth not in truth possesse him he hath an interest and propriety in the least part of him he may haue his handes but he cannot haue his heart So the Apostle sheweth that while Onesimus was a wicked man and an vnbeleeuer his Maister Philemon could not commodiously vse him he wandred therefore a while from his House that by changing of the place he might be turned into another and returne a new man before an vnworthy Seruant but now a profitable Seruant nay a beloued Brother made neere and after a sort equall with his Maister thorough Faith in Christ Whensoeuer therefore Kinges and Princes Fathers and Maisters being beleeuers haue vnder them and belonging vnto them such as are vnfaithfull and vnbeleeuers they cannot promise to themselues that they haue the whole rule and command ouer them This appeareth euidently in the Popish sort that beleeue the Doctrine of the Councell or rather Conuenticle of Trent if one that professeth the Gospell haue a Wife or Child or Seruant embracing that falsly named Catholike-Religion that rest vpon the deceiueable errors of the Priests and Iesuits and all of them vpon the decree and determination of the Pope he cannot make his accounts except he account amisse that he hath full power ouer them or the rule of their liues or the loue of their hearts We see it oftentimes come to passe in Subiects adhering to the Dregges of Popish superstition that notwithstanding the bands of fidelity and allegiance whereby they are obliged to their Princes they breake out into actions of open Rebellion and seeke the subuersion of King and Countrey and Religion If then a man would haue an absolute and Soueraigne commaund ouer his Inferiours and be assured to haue a whole and entire Wife that his heart may trust in her and her heart rest in him if a man would haue a dutifull Child and a faithfull Seruant to do his will and performe seruice vnto him for conscience sake he must make choise of such as haue in them the feare of God the Faith of Christ the guifts of the Spirit the loue of Religion the desire of instruction and the care of saluation If these be wanting neuer thinke their affection can be firmely setled toward thee but vpon euerie occasion it will be easilie remooued from thee It is the surest and fastest knot that Christ knitteth all other bands will quickly be broken and loosed Vse 4 Lastlie seeing the encrease of many bands meeting together doubleth and trebleth the care and loue one toward another so that where the smallest number of meanes is found there also is found the smallest loue and where the greatest number of occasions concurreth as it were on an heap there ought to bee the surest knot of friendship and amitie it should put all superiours in minde of a necessary dutie to be carefull to instruct those that belong to their seuerall charges and iurisdictions that so they may tye them with a surer knot to themselues and haue the better seruice at their handes For seeing they are neerer coupled vnto them that are vnder the reach of their authoritie or the roofe of their houses then vnto the rest of mankinde they ought to haue a greater respect vnto them and beare a dearer loue vnto them euen vnto their bodies how much more vnto their Soules But wee cannot better testifie our loue vnto them and shew our care ouer them then by making knowne vnto them the workes of the Lord and the waies of saluation If we be commaunded to l Heb. 3 13. Exhort one another while it is called to day and to stirre vp one another to good things m 1 Thes 5 14 if we must admonish them that are out of order and comfort the feeble minded how much more are wee bound in conscience to perfect it to those that depend vpon vs and are neerer vnto vs It was the first and principall care of all the godly Kings that had true Religion in their owne harts to prouide for the instruction of their subiects The Apostle writing to the Ephesians and prescribing the distinct duties of sundry persons forgetteth not the Father and the Son and as he chargeth Children m Ephe. 6 2 4 To obey their Parents in the Lord so he commaundeth Parents to bring them vp in the instruction and information of the Lord. Thus godly Maisters haue vsed all diligence to bring their Seruants to haue a desire of Religion and a loue to the exercises of pietie whereby oftentimes such a good worke hath beene wrought in them that they haue accounted their Maisters as second Fathers and as spirituall Fathers confessed themselues more bound in all dutie to them then to their naturall Parents hauing learned that to the glory of God and the saluation of their Soules by their Maisters instruction which they could neuer vnderstand by their Fathers education They haue confessed themselues to haue gained more by such a seruice then if a large portion a rich inheritance and great reuennewes had beene left vnto them And indeede this is the onely way to teach Children dutifulnesse and to frame our Seruants to obedience to plant godlinesse in them and to water that which is planted The neglect of this care in vs will make them carelesse and the making of no conscience to teach them will bring them to be vnconscionable in their places If we be dumb and open not
meanes we can bee pursued after It is not enough to doe good thinges but we must doe them in a right manner we must bee forward and feruent in the doing of them So dooth Paul in this place set vpon Philemon and omitteth nothing that may serue his present purpose Great was the a Exod. 32 19 20 22. zeale of Moses for Gods glory against the Idolatry of the people and afterward for their pardon and forgiuenesse The first Table requireth our loue to God b Math. 22. Withall our heart with all our soule with al our strength and the second Table requireth vs To loue our Neighbour as our selfe so that whether wye performe the duties of the first or of the second Table we must performe them heartily sincerely and earnestly The Prophet Dauid had a zeale as hot as fire c Psal 96 10. So that the zeale of Gods house did eate him vp When we call vpon the Name of God d Rom. 12. Wee are commaunded to be feruent in Prayer In the high work of the Ministery e 2 Tim. 4 2. we are charged to Preach the word in season and out of season to improue rebuke and exhort with all long suffering and doctrine In hearing the word wee are willed to be swift to heare In all the workes of Sanctification we are f Gal. 6 10. warned while we haue time to doe good to all men and to redeeme the time because the daies are euill The Apostle noteth of himselfe touching his owne practise g 1 Cor. 9 19. That to the Iewe he became as a Iew that he might winne the Iewes To the Gentiles he became as a Gentile that he might win the Gentiles to the weake he became as weake that hee might win the weake and he became all thinges to all men that by all meanes he might saue some All which testimonies and consents prooue directly that we must follow after good things diligently Reason 1. The Reasone remaine to be considered First God is delighted with diligence and earnestnesse in our callings and is wont to yeelde a blessing vnto it He promiseth that such h Pro. 2 3 4. As cry after knowledge and search for wisedome as for Siluer and desire it as a Treasure shall vnderstand the feare of the Lord and finde the knowledge of God Earnest Prayer alwaies preuaileth and auaileth much with God Luke 18 2. Iam. 5 16. Feruent zeale addeth wings and maketh it mount vp on high and pierce the Heauens where Lip-labour is lost labour and bringeth nothing but returneth empty to him that made it like the Dew that being raised vp in the day by the beames of the Sunne falleth downe againe in the euening Reason 2. Secondly earnestnesse and zeale are of great waight and force to prouoke others to imitation We must bee examples to them and seeke to draw them to follow vs. This should comfort and encourage vs vnto well doing insomuch as we shall stirre vp other to be like vs and to walke in our steppes This is the reason which the Apostle teacheth writing to the Corinthians i 2 Cor. 9 2. I know your readinesse of minde whereof I boast my selfe of you vnto them of Macedonia and say that Achaia was prepared a yeare agoe and your zeale hath prouoked many Reason 3. Thirdly mens hearts are hardned and their affections frozen they shut their eyes they stop their eares and they turne away their hearts from the truth and therefore in regard of this Iron or Brazen age into which wee are fallen all meanes that can be taken and all occasions that can be vsed are too little though most earnest to worke vpon such tough and rough Mettall This doth the Apostle prophesie of long age when perswading Timothy to wait with all diligence vpon his office hee addeth this as a reason k 2 Tim. 3 4. For the time will come when they will not suffer wholesome Doctrine but hauing their eares itching shall after their owne lusts get them an heape of Teachers and shall turne their eares from the truth and shall be giuen vnto fables Seeing therefore the earnest doing of good thinges bringeth downe a blessing from God prouoketh men to an imitation and seeing many are hard-hearted that they will not easily bend and yeeld it followeth that we are bound to do all good duties that belong vnto vs diligently not carelesly forwardly not faintly feruently not coldly Vse 1. Let vs now see what good Vses may necessarily be concluded from hence First we learne that zeale and forwardnesse is a grace and guift of the Spirit to be commended honoured and magnified in the Seruants of God The Lord himselfe commended and blessed the zeale of Phinehas The Apostle l Gal. 4 18. saith It is a good thing to loue earnestly alwaies in a good thing This reproueth those that reproach it and cannot abide it in others They scorne and scoffe at the Seruants of God for doing their duty and so make themselues culpable of an horrible sinne But let not vs be ashamed of the taunts and reproches of them that hate vs and deride vs because we desire to serue the Lord in the vprightnes of our hearts The time will come when we shall receiue the ioy and they the shame We haue a notable example hereof in Michall Sauls Daughter and Dauids Wife When she not able to comprehend the inward motions of Dauids ioyfull heart leaping and dancing before the Lord bringing home the Arke with shouting of voyce with sound of Trumpet and with gladnesse of heart despised him in her heart and came out to meete him and said m 2 Sam. 6 20 O how glorious was the King of Israell this day c. Then Dauid said vnto Michall It was before the Lord which chose me rather then thy Father and all his House and I will be yet more vile then thus and will be low in mine owne sight Where we see it is and euer hath been the lot of Gods Seruants to be branded and vpbraided for their zeale it was neuer liked of cold and carelesse men that are neuer earnest in any thing but in wickednesse nor forward but in following the prophanenesse of their owne hearts While they delight themselues in the pleasures of sinne and walke in their owne corrupt desires they are earnest enough but when they should practise the duties of godlinesse and shew by their godly conuersation whose Seruants they are there appeareth no life of Gods spirit in them they remaine as dead and sencelesse men Vse 2. Secondly negligence and coldnesse in Religion and in performing the duties of Christianity are great sinnes which wound the Soule and procure the wrath of God The Prophet pronounceth those accursed that doe the worke of the Lord negligently The Church of the Laodicea is seuerely threatned to be Spewed out n Reuel 3 16. of the mouth of Christ because it was neither hot
but the Labourers are few pray ye therefore the Lord of the Haruest to thrust forth Labourers into his Haruest Where we see he calleth the Ministers of the Gospell Labourers in the Haruest-fielde and gatherers of the Lords Corne. We see what great paines men take in Haruest and how necessary Labourers are when the Corne is ripe and ready to be reaped The Apostle Paule speaking of himselfe and the rest of the Apostles saith q 1 Cor. 3 9. We together are Gods Labourers And in another place r 1 Tim. 5 17 The Elders that rule well is worthy of double honour specially they which labour in the word and doctrine Heerevnto agreeth that which he writeth in another Epistle Å¿ 2 Tim. 2 15. Study to shewe thy selfe approued vnto God a worke-man that needeth not to be ashamed diuiding the word of truth aright All these testimonies teach vs this truth that the office of the Ministery is not so much a dignity as it implyeth a duty it is not onely an honour but a burthen it is not onely a Title of renowne but a work of labour Reason 1. This will better appeare if wee marke the Reasons following First the ordinance of God appointeth that euery calling should eate their Bread in t Gen. 3 19. the sweate of their browes that is should be industrious and painefull in their seuerall vocations whether it be in bodily or in spirituall labour The bodily calling requireth bodily labour the spirituall calling requireth spirituall labour Idlenesse and negligence in any u Ier. 48 10. worke of the Lord is accursed An idle hearer that ioyneth not practise is abhominable a loose and carelesse professor that addeth not obedience is a bad professor Reason 2. Secondly the Ministers of God fight the Lords spirituall battels for vs by their prayers care watchfulnesse faith and the whole Armour of God by opposing and setting themselues against Heritiques Atheists Worldlinges Schismatiques Wicked men and all thinges that exalr themselues against God Is not this a great worke of great labour to resist the budding and growing of so many sinnes as daily rise vp as men that striue with the whole Earth To labour in study in word in doctrine in zeale in watching According to that which the Apostle saith x 2 Cor. 11 27 28. I was often in wearinesse and painefulnesse in watching often besides the things which are outward I am combred daily and haue the care of all the Churches who is weake and I am not weake Who is offended and I burne not How did Moses fight in prayer y Exod. 32 31 and labour in zeale for the people of Israell when hee stood in the gap and stopped the wrath of God that was kindled against them If then we would reason from the generall to the speciall waying the purpose and appointment of God who hath annexed labour to euery calling or consider that the Ministers of the word are the Souldiers of God to fight his battels against sinne and sinfull men in both respects we may conclude that the calling of the ministery is an office of great necessity and of much labour Vse 1. This doctrine teacheth vs and offereth vnto vs diuers Vses First let vs learne to acknowledge the worke of the Ministry to bee a worke of great diligence painefulnesse and labour if it be performed as it ought to be We must keepe backe z Act. 20 27 28. nothing from the people but shew vnto them the whole counsell of God We must lay the Foundation of Religion among them and build constantly vpon it which cannot be done without faithfulnesse If wee take heede to our selues and to all the flocke whereof the holy Ghost hath made vs Ouer-seers to feede the Church of God which hee hath purchased with his owne bloud we shall find our function to be full of labour and sweating to receiue much euill intreating and hard entertainement heere in this World The Apostle teaching the duty of the hearers toward their Ministers saith a 1 Cor. 3 1 2. Let a man so thinke of vs as of the Ministers of Christ and disposers of the secrets of God and as for the the rest it is required of the Disposers that euery Man be found faithfull So he teacheth in another place b 1 Tim. 3 1. This is a true saying If any Man desire the office of a Bishop he desireth a worthy worke Where he sheweth indeede that the calling is a worthy calling but it requireth also worthy labouring This will farther appeare vnto vs if we consider the Titles that are giuen vnto them They are called Builders that are continually busie in building hewing tough Timber and squaring rough stones No Timber no Stones of themselues so vnfit for building as we are by Nature to be coupled together and to grow vnto an holy Temple in the Lord. They are called Souldiers they are alwaies fighting or looking for their enemies and drawing out the Sword of the Spirit c Ephe. 6 17. which is the word of God Is any calling vnder Heauen more necessary then the profession of a Souldier in time of danger And when an assault is made or the battels ioyne is any profession more painefull Sometimes they are called Husband-men Is not the life of the Husband-man a painefull life and is not the ending of one worke the beginning of another Doth not euery season of the yeare bring his seuerall trauell So that no calling is accompanied with more labour and lesse ease Sometimes they are called Watch-men who stand continually on their watch Tower to discry the comming and approaching of the Enemy Sometimes they are called Shepheards abiding in the fielde and keeping watch by night ouer their flocke they are in the day consumed with heate and with Frost in the night and their sleepe departeth from their eyes Seeing therefore the Ministers aie builders of the Lordes house Souldiers in the Lordes Campe Husbandmen in the Lords fielde Watch-men in the Lordes Citty and Shepheardes ouer the Lordes flocke which hee hath redeemed with his precious blood we must all confesse that the Ministry of the word is a worke of great labour if it be discharged aright For this if wee know not by practise wee may see by experience that to study with constantnesse to meditate with earnesse to instruct with diligence to exhort with carefulnesse to reproue with zeale to comfort with cheerefulnesse to conuince with boldnesse to watch ouer the people with a godly d Heb. 13 17. ouer-sight as they that must giue accountes for their Soules to conceiue godly anger and great sorrow for sinne to pray in publike and priuate to goe in and out before the people of God in the doctrine of Faith and in example of life to prepare themselues to handle the word and to deliuer it with power and euidence of the spirit with earnest affections being thus prepared I say to performe all these duties
but they blush not with brazen faces and Iron fore-heads to breake out into all prophanenesse Let these take heede y Math. 10 33 least Christ bee ashamed of them when he commeth into his kingdome If wee be ready to confesse him and to professe his truth he will acknowledge vs before his Father which is in Heauen Obiect 2. Some say it is a note of hypocrisie to performe these duties and condemne them as Hypocrites that teach their Families These are euill Seruants that out of their owne mouthes may bee iudged Let them pray to haue their stony hearts taken away and new hearts giuen vnto them z 1 Ioh. 3 20. For if their hollow and hypocriticall hearts doe condemne them God is greater then their harts and knoweth all thinges And let them take heede they sit not in iudgement vpon others least with the same measure that they mete it bee measured to them againe Let them iudge nothing before the time but reserue iudgement to the Iudge of the whole world Obiect 3. Others say it will let and hinder their Seruants worke wee must haue so much praying that we shall haue little working These men can alot and alow no time for the Lord but thinke euery houre lost that is not spent in businesse of the World and affaires of this life These are like to prophane Saule who when the Philistims pressed toward him and hee was to aske counsell of the Lord a 1 Sa. 14 19. Hee commaunded the Priest to with-draw his hand that is he saide vnto him the season serueth not to seeke vnto GOD wee cannot spend the time in calling vppon him let vs goe vnto the battell and fight against our Enemies These men are like to wretched Pharaoh when Moses called vppon him b Exod. 3 4. to let the people goe into the Wildernesse to serue and sacrifice to the Lord he is charged to make them idle and to cause them to surcease from their workes These men are like to couetous Iudas c Iohn 12 4. who when Mary annointed Christes feete complained of the wast and said Why was not this Oyntment solde for three hundred pence and giuen to the poore Wherefore our Sauiour answereth such in his reply to Martha who was much troubled and cumbred about much seruing d Luke 10 41 One thing is needfull Mary hath chosen the good part which shall not be taken away from her Nay to be instructed in true Religion and to set out a time for calling vpon the Name of God is so farre from hindring our Seruants worke that it shall further it and giue a blessing vnto it We are commaunded to meditate in the Law of the Lord day and night e Iosh 1 8. that so wee may make our way prosperous and haue good successe in the workes of our hands And the Prophet teacheth That except the Lord builde the House and watch the Citty the labour of the Builder and of the Watch-man is in vaine Obiect 4. Others say they shall bee mocked taunted and scorned by the World they shall be tearmed Precisians they shall be called Puritans But wee must not seeke to please men by running into the displeasure of God For oftentimes it falleth out through the iust iudgement of God that whilst we hunt after the pleasure and fauour of men against God wee haue the fauour neither of God nor Men. The Apostle saith of himselfe writing to the Galathians f Gal. 1 10. If I should yet please Men I were not the Seruant of Christ It was the lot of Christ it hath beene the portion of all true Christians to bee scourged by the viperous and venomous tongues of vngodlie men that care not for God nor regard any Religion We are faint Souldiers not worthy to beare the Name of Christ if wee fly out of the fielde for euerie idle word and taunt of the tongue cast out against vs. Wee must prepare our selues against greater encounters g Ephe. 6 11. and arme our selues against wordes and Swords we must buckle both with the Deuill and with Deuilish men hand to hand except we will yeild him both our bodies and Soules to our destruction Obiect 5. Some say they cannot bring the vnlearned to knowledge and that youth are stubborn they wil be youth still and we were once youths they should hardly keepe any Seruants if they should strictly tye them to this order nay they should fly the Parish rather then beare this yoake I aunswere first let vs remember that GOD giueth the knowledge of his Mysteries euen to the simple and lowly minded that feare him Secondly consider that young men are commanded h Eccle. 12 1. to remember their Creator in the daies of their youth and shall giue an account of all thinges vnto God As for their stubbornnesse the word of God is the best remedy to bend them and make them pliable vnto all goodnesse so that the Prophet saith i Psal 119 9. Wherewith shall a young Man redresse his way In taking heede thereto according to thy word But if they bee so stiffely and stubbornely minded that they will not be reclaimed and reformed their roome is better then their company If admonitions will not winne them they are to bee auoyded thy house is better without them then with them Neither are we to feare their flying away and departing to another place for if this course of instruction were taken in hand euery where the Obiection were answered and their mouths stopped For whether would they goe to escape this training vp in the principles of Religion It is certaine they could turne themselues no whither but it would meete with them in all places Obiect 6. Others obiect our Fathers did well enough without obseruing any such order I trow you will not condemne them Why should wee make ourselues wiser then they They troubled not themselues or their Children with learning of Catechismes and wee see men doe well enough prosper in the World yet busie not their heads about this I answere if they meane those forefathers and Ancestors whose steps we should follow as Adam Abraham Isaac Iacob Iosua Dauid and diuers others which were indeede our Fathers then we may bee assured out of the word of truth that these busied and bestirred themselues this way they taught their Children they instructed their families they reformed disorders they remooued the disordered If they meane our forefathers that liued in latter times when darkenesse couered the earth no maruell if they were not vrged thereunto themselues or that they vrged not others for then they liued at the dyet of the Prelats and nothing pleased the Prelats better then the ignorance of the people k Math. 15 14 they were the blinde Leaders of the blinde they could neither enter into the Kingdome of heauen themselues nor suffer those that would enter Notwithstanding we will not meddle with condemning our forefathers neither will
we iustifie them both these belong vnto God and therefore are not to be vsurped by any man We must iudge the best of them according to the rule of Charity l 1 Cor. 13 7. Which hopeth all thinges and beleeueth all thinges We know God reserued to himselfe m 1 King 19 18. 7000. in Israell in the daies of Ahab that neuer bowed the knee to Baall and he hath a few n Reuel 3 4. names yet in Sardis which haue not defiled their garments which shall walke with him in white for they are worthy We may say with the Apostle of them o Acts 17 30. The time of this ignorance God regardeth not but now he admonisheth all men euery where to repent We are not therefore to looke what they haue done but consider what by the word they should haue done and what by the same wee ought to doe And touching the thriuing and prospering of them that neglect this duty this is an Obiection fitter for Atheists then Christians to vse Christ hath taught vs that this is no rule to measure good or euill he sheweth p Math. 5 45. That the Father maketh his Sunne to shine and his raine to fall vpon the iust and vniust vpon the godly and the vngodly The Wiseman hath taught that by outward thinges we cannot q Eccle. 9 1 2 vnderstand whether we be loued or hated of God We see the wicked for the most part prosper more in the World in worldly things then the godly as we read Psal 73. 3 4 5. and Iob 21. 8. 9. Obiect 7. Lastly it is obiected that some which haue beene diligently and duely taught doe yet liue as leudly and prophanely as they that neuer knew any thing of God I answere it may be this is thy wrong and rash iudgement The world speaketh euill of those that will not follow them into all excesse of ryot But let vs grant it to be so yet heerein they play the wrangling Sophisters and Cauillers alleadging a false cause for a true For I am sure this course of learning is not the cause of the loosenesse of their liuing If grace had beene in their hearts it would bee a meanes to make them beleeue and liue better He that knoweth his Maisters will is more likely to performe it then he that knoweth it not nor careth for the knowing of it He that hath his eye-sight is more likely to walke without stumbling and falling then he that is blinde so he that is instructed in the waies of godlinesse hath better meanes to walke in the feare of God then hee that is ignorant and knoweth nothing True it is some that know their Maisters will doe it not some that haue their eyes open fall downe now and then yet none can be so voide of reason to conclude from hence that it is not necessary to know his will or to open our eyes Thus much for the remouing of the obiections and the scattering of those Mists and Clouds that stood before vs. Vse 1. Now let vs come to the Vses of this Doctrine First seeing it belongeth to the Maisters and Gouernours of Families to instruct them in godlinesse we gather that it is not enough for them to prouide for the bodies of such as are vnder them and belong vnto them in this life but they must care most especially for their soules and bodies in the life to come They then are greatly deceiued who when they haue giuen them meate and Money thinke themselues sufficiently discharged If we onely feede them and fill them to the full what doe we more to them then to our brute Beasts If we onely cloath them and pay them their wages r Math. 5 20. what doe wee more to them then the Turkes and Infidels that feare not God that know not God doe performe to their Children and Seruants If we thinke our selues discharged by prouiding for them and leauing vnto them a temporall patrimony and possession and neuer regard to make them heires and Inheritors of the Kingdome of Heauen what do we more then the Iewes or Gentiles that are ignorant of Christ and his Gospell What should it auaile vs or them to leaue them rich in the World and poore in God To lay vp for them treasures on earth and to neglect the treasures of Heauen which are the true and enduring substance True it is Fathers and Mothers are bound concerning this bodily life to make honest prouision for the sustenance of their Children and therefore all vnthrifty Dicers and Drunkards which wast and wash away their goods whose Children may well bee accounted fatherlesse and their Wiues as Widdowes haue no Å¿ 1 Tim. 5 8. spark or portion of naturall Fathers in them neuerthelesse they are charged not onelie to bring them vp in the World but to prepare them for the World to come It is a vaine and foolish imagination to dreame that wee haue done our part or discharged a Fathers and a Mothers duty when we haue nourished appartelled and brought vp our Children whereas wee haue a farre greater account to make before God for their soules They are also greatly deceiued who if they send them to the Church on the Sabbaoth day and bring them to the place of Gods worship they thinke they haue answered the charge required of them These men post ouer all their dutie to the Minister and lay the burthen to ease themselues vpon his shoulders They care not they spare not to lay load vpon anothers backe that they may not beare it or touch it with their little finger But God cannot thus be mocked or deluded or defrauded who commaunded that themselues should rehearse his Lawes and Commaundements to their Children and Housholds Indeed it is a commendable duty to see that they serue God and to accompany them vnto the house of God but this is onelie halfe if halfe our dutie or rather to do our dutie to halues we must both prouide that they may bee taught and also teach them our selues when the Minister hath planted wee must water when he hath preached wee must see how they profit and by all meanes assist him in the worke of the Lord. They are also greatly deceiued who take themselues to be discharged of their duty when they haue taught them to say the ten Commaundements the Lords Prayer and the Creede or the Articles of Faith because they say they haue done what they can and are able to performe no more If they can doe no more it is a shame for them that they will be Fathers before they can doe that which is the duty of fathers It is one thing to teach them to say them another to vnderstand them It is not enough for vs to helpe them to speake the wordes vnlesse wee labour to make them conceiue the meaning of the wordes The Commaundements of the Law and the petitions of the Lords Prayer stand not in the bare wordes but in the true meaning
vs and the Gulfe of his wrath ready to swallow vs we shall cry out for one drop of Grace for one drop of Faith for one drop of comfort to refresh our pining Soules and to deliuer vs from the shaddow of death Now is the time to desire and seeke after grace if we let slip the present occasion offered vnto vs we shall afterward cry out for it and complaine of the want of it and yet shall neuer attaine vnto it Thus was it with the rich Man when he entreated Abraham to haue mercy on him and to send Lazarus that he might dip the tip of his Finger in Water to coole his tongue beeing tormented in that Flame Abraham answered Sonne remember that thou in thy life time receiuedst thy pleasures and likewise Lazarus paines now therefore hee is comforted and thou art tormented Thus was it with the foolish Virgins who slumbred and slept and regarded not to procure and prouide Oyle h Mat. 25 10 11. for their Lampes for when the Bridegroome was come and had shut the Gate they cryed in vaine Lord Lord open vnto vs who receiued their answere Verily I say vnto you I know you not Thus it shall be with those in the last day which shall say i Math. 7 22. Lord Lord haue we not in thy Name prophesied And by thy Name cast out Deuils And by thy Name done many great workes For then hee will professe vnto them he neuer knew them depart from me ye workers of iniquity So shall it be with those that haue neglected the time and passed ouer the opportunity k Luke 14 25 26. who begin to say Lord open vnto vs we haue eaten and drunke in thy presence and thou hast taught in our Streets to whom he shall say I know you not whence ye are Let vs all be wise and beware by their examples that we do not delay the time from day to day Let vs craue this guift of God that we may haue it in time of neede and in the houre of tentation If now while we haue time we shall desire and labour to obtaine grace wee shall not neede heereafter to stand in feare of Death or to cry out through horror and despaire O that I had one drop of Faith O that I had one drop of Grace Vse 2. Secondly seeing grace is in the first place aboue and before all other blessings to be desired and required at the handes of God let vs learne the high-way and enter into the beaten path that leadeth to this Grace and when wee haue learned it let vs walke in it in a constant and setled course Now the steppes l Three steps leading vs to finde Gods grace that wee must make to trace it and finde it out are these The first degree or steppe is to dislike our selues and to bee in disgrace with our selues Euery man naturally is in loue with himselfe and his owne shadow But wee must cast off this selfe-loue that cleaueth so fast and hangeth on and learne to know our selues and to hate our selues No man can magnifie Gods mercy sufficiently vntill hee attaine to the knowledge of his owne misery Daniell a man gratious and dearely beloued of GOD acknowledged this in his prayer and as it were ascendeth into the presence of God by this steppe m Dan. 9 7 8. O Lord righteousnesse belongeth vnto thee and vnto vs open shame as appeareth this day to our Kings to our Princes to our Fathers and vnto euery Man of Iudah because we haue sinned against thee This was the course that the Prodigall Sonne tooke and the way that he entred g Luke 15 21 Father I haue sinned against Heauen and before thee and am no more worthy to bee called thy Sonne Thus did the poore Publican insinuate himselfe into the grace of God and departed iustifyed in his sight he smote his breast saying h Luke 18 13 Lord be mercifull to me a Sinner To be proud and puffed vp with our owne righteousnesse and to trust in our owne wisedome is the fore-runner of a fall The second step to obtaine grace is after we haue felt this want and misery in our selues wee must not rest there but earnestly desire and inwardly hunger and thirst after the loue and fauour of God in Christ aboue all earthly thinges First we must feele our selues empty before our Soules can haue this hunger Our Sauiour describing true blessednesse to his Disciples and shewing wherein it consisteth contrary to the iudgement of the World hee saith i Math. 5 3 6. Blessed are the poore in Spirit that is that know themselues poore that feele themselues poore and voide of righteousnesse and then he addeth Blessed are they which hunger and thirst after righteousnesse for they shall be filled We must k Iohn 6 27. and 4 14. hunger after the meat that neuer perisheth wee must thirst after that Well of Water which springeth vp vnto euerlasting life If wee neuer hunger after grace we shall neuer haue grace The whole desire l Math. 9 12. not the Phisition but they that are sicke They m Iohn 9 41. which thinke they see are made blind and their sinne remaineth Lastly it is required of vs to lay hould by the hand of a true Faith vpon the grace and mercy of God in Christ Iesus offered vnto all of vs in the promises of the Gospell generally and learne to apply them to our selues particularly Christ calleth those n Mat. 11 28. that are weary and heauy laden promising to ease end refresh them In the last and great day of the Feast Iesus stood and cryed saying o Iohn 7 37. If any man thirst let him come vnto me and drinke He teacheth p Mark 16 16 That he that shall beleeue and be Baptized shall be saued These are generall promises these require particular application Wee cannot receiue them into our hearts and make them our owne except we lay houlde of them by a speciall Faith This liuely Faith bringeth Christ home to vs and openeth the doores of our Soules to entertaine him If then we feele our owne miserie if we hunger after mercie and if wee apply the promises of the Gospell to vs particularly we shall be assured to finde the grace of God and tast plentifully and abundantly of his loue So many as truely desire grace must looke to attaine it by these meanes and climb vp to the top of it by these steps and degrees as by certaine staires Vse 3. Thirdlie seeing grace is first of all to bee craued it directeth vs to obserue and keepe a good order in seeking and crauing thinges at the hands of God We are taught first to seeke his grace and fauour as the roote and Fountaine and then peace welfare and other blessings He that will receiue fruit from the tree must come to the roote and body before he can come to the braunches so if we would haue peace health
couch together and practised by the Church and beleeuers u Actes 4 32. who are saide to be of one Soule and of one heart Fiftly we haue peace with our enemies who are charged not to touch the Lords annointed and to doe his Prophets no harme This is so farre verified as is expedient to set forth the glory of God to procure the safety of the godly and to represse the rage of the Reprobate Thus Ioseph was at peace with Pharaoh Obadiah with Ahab and Daniell with Nabucadnezzer Mordecai and the Iewes with Ahashuerosh and thus is the saying of the Wise-man verified x Pro. 16 7. When the waies of a Man please the Lord he will make also his enemies at peace with him Lastly we haue peace with the Beasts of the fielde the Foules of the Heauen and all the Creatures of God so that we shall find help and comfort from them y Hos 2 18. as we see in the Prophet God maketh a Couenant with them for his people Hos 2. In that day I will make a Couenant for them with the wilde Beasts and with the Foules of the Heauen and with that which creepeth vpon the earth I will breake the Bow and the Sword and the battell out of the Earth and will make them to sleepe safely Loe heere how large and ample is this peace and how many and woorthy preheminences there are thereof This peace followeth grace as a fruit of it and therefore we see it is ioyned vnto it both in this place and in sundry other Epistles Doct. 2. Such as are in Gods fauour haue all his blessings following them We learne hereby that such as are vnder the grace and couenant of God liuing vnder his protection and obedience haue assurance of all Gods mercies spirituall and temporall of this life and of the life to come all which doe belong vnto them and shall follow them and ouertake them I say such as are vnder the grace and fauour of God haue all his blessings following them so farre as they may further their eternall happinesse Moses sheweth z Deu. 28 3 4 Deut. 28. that when once they belong to God and are vnder his grace as vnder the shaddowe of his Wings all his blessings should follow them and come vpon them from Heauen and Earth from house and fielde from soule and body that they should be blessed in the fruit of their body in the increase of their Cattle and in the aboundance of all things Aaron and his Sonnes did thus blesse the people Num. 6. 6. The Lord lift vp his countenance vpon thee and giue thee peace Where we see he setteth peace after the shining of Gods gratious countenance vpon them This the Apostle teacheth in the Epistle to the Romanes hauing proued at large that we are iustified without the workes of the Law hee addeth a Rom. 5 1. Being then iustified by Faith we haue peace toward God through our Lord Iesus Christ The Prophet Dauid expressing that God is his Shepheard to refresh him with his grace to feede him with his word to rule him by his staffe and to deliuer him from danger b Psal 23 1 6 and 84 11. concluded hereupon I shall want nothing doubtlesse kindnesse and mercy shall follow me all the daies of my life and I shall remaine a long season in the house of the Lord. The like we see in another place The Lord God is the Sunne and Shield vnto vs the Lord will giue grace and glorie and no good thing will he with-hold from them that walke vprightly The Apostle Paul setteth downe at large the blessings flowing from this loue of God c Ephe. 1 5 6. Who hath predestinated vs to be adopted through Iesus Christ in himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will to the praise of the glory of his grace where-with hee hath made vs freely accepted in his beloued by whom we haue Redemption through his blood euen the forgiuenesse of sinnes according to his rich grace whereby hee hath beene aboundant toward vs in all wisedome and vnderstanding Where he teacheth that the free grace of God whereby wee are accepted in his beloued in whom hee is well pleased and exceedingly contented is the cause of all other mercies and therefore such as are in his fauour shall finde the fruites thereof to their comfort and haue all his blessings to ouertake them Reason 1. If any doubt yet remaine in vs to trouble vs and hinder our faith from receiuing and beleeuing this Doctrine as a pregnant and certaine truth consider with me a little farther the reasons to ground and establish vs herein For first when the wrath of God is once appeased and the loue of God opened vnto vs we haue free and bold accesse vnto him and to the Throne of grace as to a most mercifull Father The Apostle hauing declared that we are at peace with God through Christ he addeth immediatly d Rom. 5 2. By whom also thorough Faith we haue this accesse into this grace wherein we stand and reioyce vnder the hope of the glory of God We may freely come into the presence of God we haue boldnesse to aske any thing that we want we haue assurance to be heard when we call vpon him Reason 2. Secondly it is the free loue and fauour of God that spared not his owne Sonne but bestowed him vpon vs who is our life our peace our attonement Now seeing it is his grace onely that hath giuen vs the blessing of all blessings we shall with him and by him haue all other guiftes to compasse vs about and to come vpon vs according as the Apostle teacheth Rom. 8. If God be on our side who shall be against vs Who spared not his owne Sonne but gaue him for vs all to death e Rom. 8 32. how shall he not with him giue vs all things also Reason 3. Thirdly his loue reconcileth all his Creatures and openeth the way to his mercies toward them whom hee loueth This is it which Moses speaketh to the Israelites f Deut. 7 8. Because the Lord loued you and because he would keepe the oath which he had sworne vnto our Fathers the Lord hath brought you out by a mighty hand and deliuered you out of the house of bondage And afterward he putteth them in minde g Deut. 23 5. That the Lord would not hearken vnto Balaam but the Lorde their God turned his cursse to a blessing vnto them because he loued them Thus doth the Prophet tell the people of God h Psal 44 3. That they inherited not the Land by their owne Sword neyther did their owne Arme saue them but his right hand and his Arme and the light of his countenance because he did fauour them Reason 4. Lastly they loue God againe whom he loueth His loue worketh loue and constraineth them to expresse back againe that which they haue receiued They that loue him
mercies of God and yet neuer call vpon him In him they liue and mooue and haue their being yet neuer acknowledge him from whom they receiue life and breath and being This is an euident argument of a prophane Spirit d Psal 14 4 and made the marke of an Atheist not to pray to God Moreouer it reprooueth such as hauing great benefites bestowed vpon them doe not magnifie the Authour and giuer of them but some praise themselues and ascribe them to their owne power and so sacrifice to their owne yarne as e Dan. 4 27. Nebucadnezzao did Dan. 4. 27. Is not this great Babell that I haue built for the House of the Kingdome by the might of my power and for the honour of my Maiesty This way do the greatest sort of men offend if they haue any thing they impute it to themselues and thanke their owne handes and ascribe it to their owne labours to their early rising to their late going to bed but neuer remember the Name of God nor consider that whatsoeuer wee haue for Soule and Body and all thinges belonging vnto them are from God whether of necessitie plentie or pleasure Let vs learne to confesse and say with the f Psal 23 5. Prophet Psalme 23. Thou dost prepare a Table before mee in the sight of my aduersaries thou dost annoint mine head with Oyle and my Cup runneth ouer Some likewise blesse their Idols and the workes of mens hands which is detestable Idolatry as g Dan. 5 4. Belshazzar did who when he brought forth the golden Vessels that were taken out of the Temple of the Lords house at Hierusalem he praised his Goddes of Siluer and Gold to whom hee ascribed the praise of the victory and contemned the true God who liueth for euer Others call vpon Saints and Angels instead of flying vnto God as they do that embrace the Religion of the Church of Rome who for euery purpose and vse haue a seuerall Saint as likewise the Heathen had that knew not God For touching the Idolatry of the Gentiles and of the Papists touching superstition of the one and the other blood cannot be more like to blood Milke to Milke or an Egge to an Egge then one of them is to another as may appeare h Muscul comment in Psal 16 1. by the conference and comparison of them both For first there was no Nation no Prouince no Citty no House which had not some peculiar protecting God to stand for them against Enemies and to defend them from euill as Babylon had Belus Aegipt had Isis and Osyris Athens had Minerua Ephesus Diana c. Thus is it among the false Catholikes and false Christians Spain hath Iames France hath Saint Denis Germany hath Saint George Venice hath Saint Marke Coloine hath the three Kinges Rome hath Peter and Paule the Hungarians haue Ludouick Milen hath Ambrose and so other people other Patrones Secondly among the Gentiles the Elements had their seueral Gods to rule ouer them and to beare all the sway in them as the Heauen and Fire had Iupiter the Ayre Iuno the Sea Neptune and Hell had Pluto not much vnlike is it among the Papists where Agatha ruleth ouer the Fire Nicholas ouer the Sea Valesianus Theodulus ouer the tempests c. Thirdly the Gentiles had a certaine God assigned to their Cattle as Apollo and Pan the Sheepheards God and likewise to the fruites of the Earth as Apollo ripened their fruit Bacchus encreased their Wine Ceres sent them store of Corne so is it among the Romanists Wendelinus taketh care of their Sheepe Eulogius of their Horse Pelagius of their Oxen Anthony of their Pigges and Swine Iodocus ouer their Fruits of trees Vrbanus ouer their Vines and to shew themselues no wiser then a Goose they gaue the charge of their Geese to Gallus Fourthly the Religion of the Gentiles assigned seuerall Gods for seuerall diseases and those they called vpon to heale them and help them they called vpon Apollo for the plague vpon Hercules for the falling sicknesse vpon Iuno for Women in trauaile so the superstition of the Papists hath assigned and deputed diuers He-Saints and She-Saints to the same purpose f Chemnil exam part 3. de innocat sanct they pray to Sebastian against the Plague to Petronella against the Ague to Saint Iohn against Poyson to Apollonia against the Tooth-ach to Anastasius against the Head-ach to Mark against suddaine death to Liberius against the Stone to Margaret for Women in trauaile to Vincent for the recouering and restoring of thinges lost Saint Felicitas gaue Male Children Anna Riches and Barbara prouided that none should dye and depart before that they had receiued the Sacrament Fiftly the Heathen had peculiar Gods that were the Patrons of learning and learned men and gaue knowledge in Handy-crafts as such as were studious Apollo Minerua and the nine Muses Smiths had Vulcane Physitians Aeculapius Souldiers Mars Hunters Diana Marriners Castor and Pollux Harlots had Venus Flora Lupa and the like If we come and compare these with the Church of Rome we shall see the like practise for among them the God of the learned is Gregory of the Painters Luke of the Physitians Cosmas and Damianus the God of Souldiers is Saint George of Smiths Eulogius of Shooe-makers Crispin of Tailors Gutman of Hunters Eustachius of Harlots Magdalena and Asra Lastly the superstition of the Papistes in worshipping Idols is the same with the Idolatry of the Gentiles for the Heathen did build Churches and Chappels erected Altars ordained Priestes set vp Images appointed Feasts and formes of praiers offered guifts burned Incense and fell downe before their false Gods which are the true workes of mens hands They sware by their names when they entred into their Temples they sprinkled themselues with holy Water and they carried about with them their Images to worship Let any man compare g Virell principi Christ. relig lib. 2. the Romane Religion and the manners of worship retained and practised in that Church and then let him openly declare whether the names onely of the Idols being changed the same Idolatry be not still maintained and continued and whether the old Idolaters which were the Gentiles and the new Idolaters which are the Papists do any whit differ But to leaue them either to the mercy of God to open their eyes or to iudgement to make them that see not more blinde let vs acknowledge God onely to be our Patrone and Protector who ruleth ouer Sea and Land who taketh care of vs and ours whom we h Psal 50 15. Are commaunded to call vpon in the day of trouble with promise to heare vs. Christ Iesus teacheth vs a forme of prayer and willeth vs to say Our Father and therefore let vs goe to the root not to the braunches to the Fountaine not to the streames to the Creator not to the Creatures Vse 3. Lastly seeing all guiftes come from God by Christ we are put in minde to
the Minister if they do him no harme if they offer him no wrong if they abstaine from iniurie toward him It was farre otherwise with the Galathians who loued Paule so dearly and entirely that they accounted nothing to bee too precious for him q Gal. 4 14 15 The triall of me which was in my flesh ye despised not neither abhorred but ye receiued me as an Angell of God yea as Christ Iesus what was then your felicity For I beare you record that if it had beene possible ye would haue plucked out your owne eyes and haue giuen them vnto me But in these daies wherein we liue it were well or not much amisse for the faithfull Ministers of the Gospell if such as should support them would not subuert them if such as should help them would not hinder them if such as should raise them vp were not ready to cast them downe and if such as should refresh them were not rather giuen to reuile them and disgrace them Heere then is condemned all hard and bitter dealing toward them whereby their calling which is an honourable office is made an irksome burthen vnto them to bear against such as taunt and scorne them that iest and mocke at the worke of their ministry which is the wisedome of God and the power of God against those that delight to vex the seruants of God to mingle their bread with grauell their drinke with gall and their life with reproach This made the Prophets and Apostles cry out continually to see themselues abused their Ministery contemned the word of God himselfe refused all Religion prophaned When Eliah saw that the children of Israell had forsaken the Couenant of God cast downe his Altars and slaine his Prophets he desired God to kill him r 1 King 19 4 It is now enough O Lord take my soule for I am no better then my fathers The prophet Å¿ Esay 65 2. 53 1. 49 4. Esay saith I haue spred out my hands all the day to a rebellious people which walked in away that was not good euen after their owne imaginations Lord who hath beleeued our report and to whom is the arme of the Lord reuealed I haue laboured in vaine I haue spent my strength in vaine and for nothing but my iudgement is with the Lord and my worke with my God The Lord sayth to Ezekiell t Ezek. 33 31 32. The Children of thy people talke of thee by the walles and in the doores of houses they sit before thee and heare thy words but they will not doo them for vvith their mouths they make iests and thou art vnto them as a iesting song of one that hath a pleasant voice and can sing well for they heare thy words but they do them not and when this commeth to passe for loe it will come then shall they know that a prophet hath beene among them So when Paule came to Athens u Acts 17 18. and saw the City full of Idols he preached vnto them the knowledge of God and the resurrection of the dead but they said What will this babler say And others worse then those that scorne and scoffe at the word of life which they should heare with feare and reuerence are falne into this horrible depth of sinne that thorough malice to the word it selfe do come vnto them to heare them not to learne but to trap and intangle them not to edifie themselues but to misreport and accuse them not to receiue profit but to finde occasion to persecute them as the Iewes did with Christ and his Apostles who came not to heare them but to tempt them not to beleeue them but to belye them Many such Iewes and Iudasses wee meete withall in our dayes who are so farre from reioycing the hearts of their Ministers that they may doo the worke of their calling wil ingly not grudgingly cheerefully not heauily u Heb. 13 17. with ioy not with greefel that they thinke it a great duty done vnto them if they doo not disgrace them or molest them It is a great sinne not to helpe them not to countenance them not to stand with them in good causes but to suffer euery base companion and beastly liuer to insult vpon them as their footstool but it is more greeuous to scorne them and deride them to make them their Table-talke and their Tauern-talke to declaime against them from the Tribunall of their Ale-bench but it is most fearefull of all to come to them to catch them and intrap them to hunt after words and Syllables and to wrest them against the minde and meaning of the speaker Let vs beware of these sinnes let vs not be in the number of such as are set downe in the seat of scorners and false accusers If they shall not escape that do no good if they shall not be excused that do not reioyce them surely they shall bee guilty of a sorer and seuerer punnishment that malice them that mocke them that misinforme others of them and euery way misvse them and contemne them Vse 4. Lastly seeing we are all bound to reioyce in the proceeding of the faithfull it followeth from hence necessarily that wee are not to enuie and repine at the growth of the Church or of any member of the Church This is a great fault and folly in many when they see any parts of the Church flourish and behold greater encrease in others then in themselues by and by they grudge and repine at it and haue their owne eye euil because the Lords eie is good These are like to those Labourers that were hyred into the Vine-yard who when they saw such as were hyred about the eleauenth houre to receiue their penny and to be made equall with them who had borne the brunt and burthen of the day x 1 Mat. 28 20 11. and had endured the heat and sweate of the worke they enuied at the Seruants and murmured against the Mayster of the house We must enuy no mans good wee must repine at no mans Saluation The calling and conuersion of the Gentiles y Acts 11 3. 15 1. was such a stumbling-blocke in the way and n Mote nay a Beame in the eyes of the Iewes that they had rather renounce the Gospell and depart from Christ then to receyue them into a fellowshippe of the same Faith and make them partakers of the Kingdome of Heauen So did the Scribes and Pharisees z Math. 9 11. Luke 7 39. take it greeuously that the grace of God and Remission of sinnes and the Mysteries of Saluation should be preached and published to Publicans and Sinners There is no guift or benefit bestowed vpon any but it is giuen for the good and comfort of the whole Church so that wee should reioyce therein not repine thereat forasmuch as we haue our portion and profite in it Neuerthelesse what is more common and vsuall then to make the blessinges of God vppon others a great
light of his countenance from vs yet he will restore vs to the ioy of his saluation as we see in the example of the Prophet he could not in his trouble receiue any true comfort m Psa 77 5 11 for howsoeuer hee did thinke vppon the Lord he was still troubled and though he prayed vnto him yet his spirit was full of anguish the helpe then which hee found in his present distresse was this Then I considered the dayes of old and the yeares of ancient time I called to remembrance my song in the night I remembred the workes of the Lord certainly I remembred thy wonders of olde So when we feele not that comfort and delight in praying that wee felt we must not wax faint giue ouer we must continue in the Prayer of faith though not of feeling Making mention alwaies of thee in my Prayers This is the second circumstance whereby the Thankesgiuing of the Apostle is amplified wherein hee witnesseth that he vsually prayed for Philemon and others Doctrine 3. It is the dutie of the faithfull to pray one for another In this practise of the Apostle we learn that the faithful are to pray one for another It is a duty required for al of vs not only to pray for our selues but to pray for others especially for those whose piety is knowne vnto them This we see plentifully prooued and confirmed in the example of Abraham he prayed for the Sodomites that they might be spared he prayed for Abimilech that he might be healed When the people desired Samuell to pray for them he saide a 1 Sam. 12 23 God forbid that I should sinne against the Lord and cease praying for you This Paule performed for the Romaines b Ro. 1 9 10. God is my witnesse whom I serue in my spirite in the Gospell of his Sonne that without ceasing I make mention of you alwaies in my Prayers beseeching that by some meanes one time or other I might haue a prosperous iourny by the will of God to come to you Heerunto we are directed by that forme of Prayer which Christ taught his Disciples and left vnto his Church directing vs to say Our Father giue vs forgiue vs lead vs not deliuer vs Not My Father giue me forgiue me lead me not deliuer mee So the Apostle shutting vp what Armour a Christian must vse against his spirituall enemies hee saith c Ephes 6 18. Pray alwaies with all manner Prayer and supplication in the Spirite and watch thereunto with all perseuerance and supplication for all Saints and for me that vtterance may be giuen vnto me that I may open my mouth boldly to publish the secret of the Gospell So hee d Colos 1 3. and 4. 3. prayed for the Colossians alwayes since hee heard of their faith in Christ and of their loue toward all Saints and hee required the Prayers of the Colossians againe for himselfe that God might open to him the doore of vtterance to speake the Mystery of Christ for which he was in bonds Thus the Apostle Iames doth teach vs to deale one toward another e Iames 5 14. Is any sicke among you Let him call for the Elders of the Church and let them pray for him and annoint him with Oile in the name of the Lord the Prayer of Faith shall saue the sicke and the Lord shall raise him vp All which examples and Commaundements serue to guide vs to the performaunce of this speciall dutie that we are charged and commaunded to pray one for another and to be mindfull one of another in our best thoughts and most serious Meditations Reason 1. The Reasons heereof being rightly waighed will easily gaine our affections to yeeld to this truth For first the Communion and fellowship that is among the Saints requireth our Prayers one for another We beleeue that there is one body one head one company one inheritaunce one Brotherhood f Ephes 4 3. as we see Ephes 4. Endeuour to keepe the vnity of the spirite in the bond of peace there is one bodie and one spirit euen as ye are called in one hope of your vocation there is one Lord one Faith one Baptisme one God and Father of all which is aboue all and through all and in you all Now what Communion were this among the members of Christ vnlesse we were straightly tyed to pray one for another and to performe this mutual dutie one for another So that the want of it is a plaine argument that we are not members of the same body seeing we desire not the good of them Reason 2. Secondly it is a most forcible weapon put into our hands whereby we are made able to helpe our selues and the rest of our Brethren which are fellow-souldiers with vs all of vs fighting vnder the same Captain Iesus Christ Their fighting is our fighting their retyring is our retyring their victory is our victory their loosing of the field is our loosing of the field For euerie one is not a Soldier by himselfe but wee are all ioynt-souldiers together wee ouercome together and we are put to the foyle together For euen as souldiers do not onely stand vpon their seuerall guards but vnite their forces togither whereby it commeth to passe that they who being seuered assunder and scattered abroad might easily be ouercome hauing ioyned their forces are vnconquerable and vnresistable so if we doo not onely looke to our selues and our owne footing but ioyne in Prayer with other they for vs and wee for them our spirituall enemies shall not be able to confront vs or confound vs but we shall make them turne their backes to vs and their faces from vs. The Apostle g Ephes 6 18. naming the Armour which we must all put on to defend our selues and our Brethren and to offend our enemy doth set down Prayer as a chiefe meanes to obtaine Gods assistance for our selues and others Reason 3. Thirdly Prayer is a Medicine to heale all maladies and a Plaister to cure all sores What Physition is it that hath such a receite What Chirurgion that hath such a salue The Maisters of that Art haue seuerall remedies for sicknesses and diseases that come of contrary causes but this Medicine will take away all our spirituall greefes and infirmities yea albeit they proceede of contrary causes So then it must needs be a soueraigne Salue that serueth to such seuerall purposes This is it which the Apostle Iames pointeth out vnto vs h Iames 5 16. Acknowledge your faults one to another and pray one for another that yee may be healed for the Prayer of a righteous man auayleth much if it bee feruent Seeing therefore wee are as a body standing of many members and seeing prayer is a weapon to defend vs and a medicine to heale vs it followeth that we must vse it one to helpe and succour another Vse 1. Now let vs see what are the Vses First we learne that the vse
Atheisme Let not such therefore flatter themselues and deceiue their owne soules let them shew their religion if they haue any or else they shew themselues to be men of no religion The third reproofe Thirdly it reprooueth such as censure and condemne others as too pure and precise by reason of their profession These men that are colde themselues and care not whether Religion go sorward or backward cannot abide that any should be more zealous and earnest then themselues because they will not runne with them into all excesse of riot therefore they rayle at them and speake all manner of euill against them They haue borrowed many opprobrious tearmes and drawne many reuiling tauntes from the enemies of the Gospell and grace of God and apply them whete they ought not to bee bestowed When the Lord had restored the Gospell vnto vs being brought out of Superstition and Idolatry that the Romanists gnashed their teeth for anger disgorged their malice with rage and were like to breake in peeces through enuy of the worke of the Lord set vp among vs they deuised against vs and our religion most bitter reproaches then was our profession called Puritanisme and our professors branded with the names of Puritans Praecisians and vnspotted Brethren which contumelies are nowe taken out of the mouths of enemies and one Brother dooth spit them in the face of another What a shame and indignity is this that we professing one faith liuing vnder one Gospell embracing one Religion and enduring the same enimies shold borrow such venomous speeches from the scornefull and despightfull Papists and cast them as Dung in the faces of our Bretheren Let vs therefore leaue these rayling and reuiling speeches and send them backe to Rome the Mother of cruelty and of all byting and bitternesse from whence they come Let vs vpbraid no man with his zeale nor hit no man in the teeth with his profession Let vs rather be mooued in loue to follow their example bee prouoked in a godly aemulation to walke in their steps And let vs all know that we must not be like the Laodiceans h Reuel 3 15. which were neither hot nor cold for if we scorne all zeale and forwardnesse in the wayes of godlinesse if we bee luke-warme professors and neither hot nor cold it shal come to passe that the Lord will spew vs out of his mouth The fourth reproofe Fourthly it reprooueth such as thinke they may bee present at the Sacrifice of the Masse and heare and see their Idolatry so they keepe their conscience to God and themselues yea some go farther and thinke they may not only be present at Idolatry in the Idols Temple but bow downe to the Idolles offer vnto them creepe vnto them and serue them with their bodies so that they abhorre such worship in their minds and serue God in their hearts But these excuses cannot serue to iustify such manner of seruing of God When God would assure Eliah that he had his people in those ruines of the Church that he was not left alone he said i 1 Kin. 19 18 He had left seuen thousand in Israell euen all knees that haue not bowed vnto Baal and euerie mouth that hath not kissed him He doth not say hee had reserued such as did not beleeue in Baal but keepe their heart to God but they are noted by this marke to bee the Lords that they gaue not to Baal the bending of the knee nor any outwarde subiection vnto him In the tentations offered to Christ our Sauiour when the Deuill onely required of him to fall downe and worship him k Math. 4 10 he answered Auoid Satan for it is written thou shalt worship the Lord and him only shalt thou serue Nebucadnezzar required nothing of Shadrach Meshach and Abednego the three Seruants of God but to bow the knee and to fall down l Dan. 3 19. to the golden Image that he should set vp and yet they did choose rather to bee cast aliue into the hot fiery furnace and to endure the extremity of the flame It is not therefore enough to worship God in heart and soule True it is he commandeth vs to m Iohn 4 24. worship him in spirit and truth but not only in spirit and truth God requireth of vs the body as well as the spirit the outward man as well as the inward the knee as well as the heart He challengeth euery part member of our body to be employed to his worship Hee that hath an eare to heare n Reuel 2 7. Must heare what the spirit saith vnto the Churches Hee that hath a o 1 Pet. 4 11. Tongue to speake must speake as the words of Gad. Hee that hath handes to lift vp p 1 Tim. 2. 8 Must lift vp pure hands without wrath and without contention Hee that hath a knee to bow q Ephes 3 14. Must bow it to the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ He that hath a mouth to open r Rom. 10 10 Must make confession with it to saluation He that hath feet must say Å¿ Psal 122 2. Our feete shall stand in thy gate O Ierusalem The cause why God claimeth and challengeth the whole body is because the body is his as well as the soule It is his by creation because he made it t Psal 100 3. and not wee our selues we are his people and the Sheepe of his pasture The Clay was his whereof we were formed so that we are his by the Law of Creation Hee feedeth and findeth vs of his owne costs and charges he cloatheth vs with his owne wooll u Psal 50 10 For all the Beasts of the field are his and the Beasts on a thousand mountaines If then we liue at his expenses we are his by another right euen the Booke of his prouidence We are made his by the freeing of vs from the thraldome of sinne from the tiranny of Satan from the bondage of corruption by paying a price a great price by giuing for vs a ransome a great ransome not of Siluer and Gold but by shedding his blood his precious blood for vs the Speare pierced his hart the Nayles pierced his hands and his feet the Thornes pierced his head Seeing therefore he suffered so much in his bodie for our bodies we are wholly his by the worke of our redemption who before were not his The Holy-Ghost likewise sanctifieth our bodies as well as our soules and maketh them a Temple to dwell in and lastly we look for saluation and glorification not onely in soule but in body x 1 Cor. 6 19 20. and therfore we must glorifie God both in our bodies and in our soules wee must offer vp our bodies an holy Sacrifice vnto him and not commit Sacriledge against him by plucking and withdrawing away any part of our bodies from him The fift reproofe Lastly it reproueth such as keepe company with open enemies to God and
how Faith is alone and how it is not alone how it goeth with Loue and when it goeth not with Loue. It is alone in our Iustification it is not alone in our godly conuersation It is alone in receiuing Christ it is not alone in furnishing a Christian mans life nor sufficient to adorne him with such graces as God requireth to be in his person for all other vertues must be in him Vse 3. Lastly seeing Faith and Loue are alwaies linked together in one man this ouerthroweth another Doctrine of the Church of Rome which teacheth that Faith may be without Charity and separate from good workes For the true and iustifying Faith of Gods elect can be no more without workes then the fire without heate the water without moysture the sand without heauines the Sunne without brightnes the soule without life or the good tree without good fruit Neither let them pretend the d Iam 2. 17 Apostle Iames to colour this their fancy as though it proued that a man may haue Faith without Charity For he speaketh in that place of a dead Faith not a liuely Faith of a false Faith not of a true Faith of the Faith of the Deuils not of the Faith of Gods elect of Faith in outward profession not in the inward affection He sheweth that e verse 17. Faith if it haue no workes is dead and againe f verse 20. 26. Faith without workes is dead he likeneth such a Faith to the Faith of the Deuils and therefore it cannot be a iustifying Faith vnlesse they will make the Deuils good Catholiques and partakers of saluation He resembleth this Faith to the good words of him that wisheth well to a poore man but doth nothing at all for him he speakes him faire but he doth not succour him And as the body that breatheth not is dead so Faith that bringeth not forth good workes is dead Now a dead Faith is no Faith it is Faith in name but not in Nature The Philosophers g Arist polit lib. 1. cap. 1. teach that when the body is dead there shall be neither foot nor hand but onely a likenes of name as a man tearmeth a hand of wood or stone a hand so in like sort is a dead hand called an hand or a dead man a man because howsoeuer they are not the same yet they retaine the shew and shaddow of the name but al true parts of the body are defined by their Office and faculty Thus doth the Apostle call a dead faith by the name of faith whereas indeed it is no more true faith then a dead man is a liuing man Hence it is that some of the Popish writers teach that Iames by the name of h Iam. 2. 26. spirit vnderstandeth not the soule but the breath and that he fitly compareth workes to breath and faith to the body i Caietan com on Iam. 2. 26. because as the body of a liuing creature if it breath not is dead so faith if it bring forth no workes is dead for breathing is an effect of a liuing body and working is the proper effect of a liuing faith we say therefore that there is a faith which may be without Charity and there is a faith that cannot be without Charity There is a generall faith which beleeueth that there is one God and giueth assent that the Scriptures be true which goeth no farther this we confesse may be and oftentimes is without good workes But there is a faith that worketh by Loue which can neuer be seperated from Charity and good workes but wheresoeuer it is there is infallibly and inseparably ioyned vnto it the Loue of God and man k Phil. 1. 11. bringing forth the fruits of Righteousnesse which are by Iesus Christ to the glory and praise of God If we haue this true faith l Act. 15. 9. which purifieth the heart it will be rich and plentifull in all good workes and teach vs to shew the fruites of Loue to our Bretheren There hath beene a long contention and much adoe in the Church how to reconcile Paule and Iames together the one aduancing faith and the other good workes Paule saith m Rom. 3. 28. we are iustified by faith and not by the workes of the Law Iames saith wee are iustifyed by n Iam 2. 24. workes and not by faith onely These sayings by faith and not by faith by workes and not by workes seeme one directly opposite and contrary to the other This difference is onely in the letter not in the matter in shew not in substance in words not in meaning and the Doctrine which now wee haue in hand will helpe easily to accord them nay there cannot be a better reconciliation then when we ioyne them together in the practise of our liues and conuersations Let vs ioyne the liuely Faith of Paule with the Good-workes of Iames let vs bring them both into action and so we shall be iustified by S. Paules faith before God and by S. Iames Workes before men Thus the places will easily be made one which seeme different the one from the other For although Paule do commend Faith yet he dooth not condemne Workes and albeit Iames do commend Workes yet he doth not condemn Faith and therefore as they teach both so we must practise both we must be voyde of neyther of them Seeing they preach both we must know that both are required of vs. This ouerthroweth two sorts of men first Papists and then Libertines The first reproofe First the Church of Rome do vs great wrong and iniury both in falsly slandering vs and in filling the eares of the simple and ignoraunt people with lyes that our Doctrine is a Doctrine of liberty and licentiousnesse that wee teach men or at least open a gap to men to liue loosely and lewdly and that we are enimies to Good-workes whereas in verie deede we do the cleane contrarie as this Doctrine among a thousand others may beare witnesse which now wee deale withall teaching vs that Faith must alwaies go with Works that Faith purifieth the heart and giueth victory ouer the world Wee teach that Christ is not onely our Iustification but also our Sanctification We charge men to beware that they vse not the liberty of the Gospell as a cloak of maliciousnesse We teach them to serue the Lord with feare in holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of their life Wee will men to let their light so shine before men that they seeing their Good-Workes may glorifie their father which is in heauen This is no Doctrine of liberty nor openeth a window to all wickednesse and yet this is our Doctrine which is so plaine and euident a truth n Stapl. de Iustif pag. 334. that some of our hottest aduersaries are driuen to acknowledge it But who are they that haue this leisure to pry and search into the liues of others abroad and are ignorant of themselues and their owne Doctrine
in life more backward in good thinges more prophane in heart more contemning the word of God and loathing the meanes of saluation then they were in the beginning of their dayes This is our estate and condition most lamentable and fearefull and yet wee can complaine of Idle boyes and sluggish Schollers that thinke they take to much learning for their money and neuer consider that we are the men and that the prouerbe concerneth our selues God will enter into iudgement with vs and if we be not learners in his Schoole he will remoue vs and discharge vs out of his Schoole It had beene better for vs that we had neuer knowne God that we had neuer receiued his truth nay it had beene better for vs that we had neuer beene borne or beene borne Turkes and Canibals Pagans and Infidels then to haue the Gospell among vs and not to heare it or to heare it and not to learne by it or to learne by it and not to obey it and grow daily in the practise of it This appeareth by the greeuous threatnings denounced by Christ our Sauiour against those Citties where his word had beene preached and professed and his great miracles had beene wrought and shewed n Mat. 11. 21. 22. 23. 24. Woe be to thee Corazin woe be to thee Bethsaida for if the great workes which were done in you had beene done in Tyrus and Sidon they had repented long agone in sackecloth and ashes but I say vnto you it shall be easier for them at the day of iudgement then for you And thou Capernaum which art lifted vp vnto Heauen shalt be brought downe to Hell for if the great workes which haue beene done in thee had beene done among them of Sodome they had remained to this day But I say vnto you that it shall be easier for them of the Land of Sodome in the day of iudgement then for thee He compareth heere Corazin and Bethsaida with Tyre and Sydon likewise Capernaum with Sodom that is the places where Christ had dwelled where the Gospell had beene offered where many of his miracles had beene manifested with such Citties as neuer had the Law neuer heard the Gospell neuer saw the Prophets neuer knew the Doctrine of saluation but liued in ignorance and in idolatry And in this comparison he teacheth that such Townes and Villages as haue had the preaching of the word and the ministry of the Gospell among them shall receiue greater punishment in the day of iudgement then other poore blind wretches that neuer had these meanes offered vnto them We would all of vs thinke it a very harsh and homely comparison and farre from all likely-hood of truth if I should compare vs euen vs of Isfield with Sodome and Gomorrah wee know o Ezek. 16. 49. how foule and filthy these places were we confesse they are loathsome in our eyes and odious in our eares we know that for their wickednesse they p Gen. 19 â—4 were destroyed with fire and brimstone from heauen and yet I say vnto you in the name of God from the warrant of his sacred word by which we shall all be iudged that if we liue in this contempt of the truth that is preached vnto vs and do not bring forth the fruits of the Gospell it had been better we had beene borne Sodomites and Gomorrheans for our iudgement shall be greater and our punishment heauier because our sinne is heinouser No sinne greater then the contempt of the Gospel as no mercy is greater then the peaceable enioying of the liberty of the Gospell and therefore no reward of sinne shall be more horrible So that we may truely say from the mouth of Christ it shall be easier for Sodome in the day of iudgement then for our Village Let vs apply this to our selues and lay it to our heartes to worke in vs true repentance Corazin Bethsaida and Capernaum had many priuiledges and might glory as much as we in the fauours vouchsafed vnto them and yet they are vpbraided by Christ with their vnthanke-fulnesse toward the Gospell so that the case of Sodome is made better Take heed therefore least we contemne the Gospell and so committing one of the greatest sinnes wee make our selues guilty of the greatest iudgementes that can fal vpon mankind The contempt of the Gospell hath brought the heauy hand of God vpon the Iewes that were Gods owne people Let vs not be high minded we are no whit better but rather feare least God spare not vs and tremble vnder his grieuous but yet righteous iudgements who spareth not those that are deere vnto him when they sinne against him Vse 2. Secondly we are bound to vse the meanes that may further these guiftes in vs that is the ministry of the word which being reuerently vsed hath a promise of blessing It is a light vnto our feet and a lanthorne vnto our paths it setteth vs in our way and directeth vs vnto our iourneies end The Apostle teacheth q 1 Cor 3. 6. that Paule planteth Apollos watereth but it is God that giueth the encrease to wit by the planting and watering of the Ministers The Husbandman tilleth and toyleth about his ground he soweth his Corne but he cannot make it spring vp nor send the earely and latter raine So is it with the Ministers of the Gospell the Lordes Husbandmen they must labour in his field which is the Church that the people may grow in faith and grace This reproueth those that attend not to the ordinance of God with care and diligence but neglect the worke of the Lord in them They will not suffer themselues to be ploughed and tilled that grace may grow in their hearts as Corne doth in the Fieldes They say they increase and proceed in the waies of Godlinesse but they will not vse the meanes which God hath ordained and therefore they do deceiue themselues He that heareth not at all doth not grow at all he that heareth negligently groweth slowly in any good thing For as we sow so we shall reape Againe this checketh the dulnesse and drowsinesse of such as when they haue begun in the spirit would end in the flesh which say the word is profitable and necessary to gather a Church but not to continue it to begin faith but when it is begun and begotten in vs we need not heare still we haue faith already by the preaching of the word we shall not therefore need to frequent the preaching of it still we haue that wrought in vs which the word is appointed to worke These men vnder a colour of hauing faith do scorne and deride the preaching of faith But the word is not onely the immortall seed to beget vs but wholesome food to sustaine vs it is milke for such as are weake and strong meate for such as are of riper yeares He neuer had faith by the word that seeketh not the strengthning of it by the word It is not enough to haue saith but we must
These men through their benumming and back-sliding cause the name of God to be euill spoken of raise a scandall vpon their profession bring an euil name vpon the word and open the mouths of wretched men to speak against true Religion and all those that do embrace it True Religion is a woorthy worke and a great building it requireth harde labour great patience much striuing and long continuance whereof our Sauiour Christ putteth vs in mind when he saith b Luke 14 28. 29. Which of you minding to builde a Tower sitteth not down before and counteth the cost whether he haue sufficient to performe it least that after he hath laide the foundation and is not able to performe it all that behold it begin to mocke nim saying This man began to build was not able to make an end Wherefore it standeth all Pastors people vpon to remember from whence they are falne and to do their first workes lest God come against them in his anger and vex them in his fore displeasure The calling of the Ministery is an high calling it is one of the highest callings but if wee make it a calling of ease and ydlenesse feeding our selues and not teaching the people we disgrace our office and make it most vile with God and men This is it which our Sauiour expresseth vnder the comparison of Salt when hee saith c Luke 14 35. Salt is good but if Salt haue lost his sauour wherwith shall it be salted It is neither meet for the Land not yet for the Dunghill but men cast it out All other things though corrupted and spoyled yet retaine some other vse as we see in Wine when it is sower in a Tree when it is dead and withered and in straw when it is rotten they are turned into other vses but if d Berent in Luke 14. the Salt be vnsauoury it is good for nothing it is hurtfull for the Land it is vnprofitable for the Dunghil no reckoning or account is to be made of it e Socrat. lib. 3. cap. 13. but to be troden vnder foot as vnsauoury So then such as are made Ouer-seers of others to teach the Church and watch ouer the people of God are reproued being idle slothfull and such as will take no paines in instructing those that are committed vnto them Let Ministets be diligent and watchfull to doe the duties of their calling let them preach the worde in season and out of season let them beware of sluggishnesse and slothfulnesse Al such as are idle and negligent are not worthy to be maintained they vsurpe that hire which they receiue they haue no right or interrest to liue of the Gospell that doe not preach the Gospell they haue no iust title to eate the milke of the flocke that do not feede the Sheepe albeit they may claim their wages by the Lawes of men yet they are no better in the account of the high God then Theeues and robbers that liue by ruine and spoyle of the people f Gal. 6. 6. who are partakers of all their goods and yet like wrongfull vsurpers they wil not teach them in the word yea the good ordinances of men require that such as receiue wages should doo the worke and such as take the hire should take the paines If any man haue an house to build if he see the Carpenter and Mason idle and do nothing so that the frame to bee set vp is in no greater forwardnesse in the end of the yeare then it was in the beginning will hee pay them their wages Or if we haue any businesse to do will we pay the workemen before the worke be finished or if they let it alone and leaue it vndone And shall it go worse with the people of God then all other that hire labourers to labor for them Or shall they alone be constrained to maintaine and sustaine ydle Lubbers and loyterers that can do nothing or will do nothing more then a Child of seauen yeares old may do as well as themselues We are the Lordes Builders and spirituall Masons to build his Church we are his husbandmen to Till his ground we are Shepheards to feede his flocke It is out dutie to frame his building and euery day to adde somewhat to the building It is our duty to Plough vp the fallow ground and sow the precious seed of the word among them that they may grow thereby It is our dutie to feed his Sheepe with wholesome food and to lead them into greene pastures If we bee not carefull to do our worke there is no reason we should receiue his wages and if we care not to discharge the duty we cannot with a good Conscience take a penny if we will be at no paines what warrant haue we to make any gaines by our ydlenesse God hath prouided for vs a liberall allowance hee requireth of the people a cheereful performance thereof and he chargeth the ministers to haue a carefull remembrance to labour in the Lordes haruest that so they may eate their owne bread and not liue by the sweate of other mens browes It is a generall rule deliuered by the Apostle binding all persons and degrees of men g 2 Thes 3 10 11. Euen when we were with you this we warned you of that if there were any which would not worke that he should not eate for wee heare that there are some which walke among you inordinately and worke not at all c. Let all such therefore as are negligent in the work of the Lord and stand ydle without employment consider that as God hath giuen no guifts to be ydle but to be vsed so he would haue no ydle persons to bee maintained he doth grudge them their meate he dooth not allow them a Morsell of bread he regardeth not though they starue that will not set their handes to labour For he inhibiteth and forbiddeth his Church and people to bestowe any thing vppon sluggards or to giue them any succour to the end that the forcible weapon of necessity may constraine them to set their hand to worke and also to busie themselues in the Calling which they professe And this standeth with exceeding great equitie and good reason For what is meate but the rewarde of Labour And what is the Wages which they haue but the recompence of the Worke Or what is hyre but onely the reward of paines-taking Now he that doth no good but is vnprofitable to mankind and is not dilligent in his businesse what right or reason is it that he should be rewarded as a Labourer The second reproofe Moreouer they are heere reprooued that vse their guiftes â—o the hurt and hinderance of others For if such be iustly blamed and condemned as hide their guifts to their hinderance and vse them not to the benefit of others they are much worse that abuse them vnto euill that vse their wit to vndermine the ignorant their wisedom to beguile the simple their learning to
can tell thy disease open the cause of it shew thee the cure and remedy of it and restore thee to thy former state and strength so when thy soul is sick vnto the death and euen to damnation the man of God can heale the deadly wound that Satan hath giuen and apply a soueraigne plaister for thee made of the precious blood of Christ From hence all men may learne how to esteeme Gods Ministers and with what affection we are to heare them The Sheepe of Christ t Ioh. 10 27. will heare his voice and follow him This is a notable token to know the children of God by to disobey the Ministers of God is to disobey God himselfe to despise their word is to despise the word of God himselfe Is not the Embassador of an earthly Prince receiued with great honor reuerence Is not his message receiued as vndoubtedly as if the Prince himselfe were present Are not they which despise his authority as heinously punished and as vilely accounted of as if they resisted and rebelled against the Kings owne person Shall then the Messengers of the liuing God the King of Kings and Lord of Lords bee receiued lesse worthily then the other whose authority is greater who message is waightier whose place is higher It is requisite therefore that the people feare and reuerence their Minister or else they wil in no case honor and obey him For where feare is not present all honour is absent whosoeuer scorneth to performe this dutie of feare let him be well assured hee contemneth not him but the Lord that sent him This feare is to be yeelded not to his person but to his Office For as the Apostle exhorteth the Thessalonians to u 1 Thes 5 12 13. acknowledge them that laboured among them and haue them in singular loue for their workes sake so wee ought to feare those that are set ouer vs in the Lord for their worker sake So he witnesseth that the Galathians x Gal. 4 14. receyued him as an Angel of God yea more then so they receiued him as Iesus Christ himselfe This was not as he was a man but as the Minister of God this was not for the excellency of his person which hee acknowledgeth to be simple and testifieth to be contemptible but hee was receiued for that excellent message which he brought among them Therefore Paule writing to the Phillippians sayth y Phil. 2 12. As yee haue alwayes obeyed mee not as in my presence onely but now much more in my absence so make an end of your saluation with feare and trembling This reprooueth all those that are stubborne and disobedient and wil not obey the word of exhortation deliuered vnto them such also as heare not often and constantly but seldome and carelessely as if they were perswaded that they had nothing to do with God or God with his word such as when they heare are not stricken with any feare of the presence of God or of the power of the word or of the truth that is deliuered so that they neuer can heare aright seeing GOD accounteth those only the right Hearers z Esa 66 2 5. that tremble at his Worde and are of humble and contrite hearts Lastly such as are content to heare and listen with their outward eares but it is no longer then they list and no farther then their owne fantasies are fed and their desires followed and their humors pleased They are willing to heare vntill their speciall sinnes be reprooued but when they finde themselues touched or their iniquities which they dwell in discouered they grow out of patience and begin to reuile and raile at the Ministers that seeke with a good Conscience to discharge their duties This is an euident note of a corrupt hearer and a plaine testimony of an euill heart We must be ready to heare the curses of the Law as well as the promises of the Gospel we must account it a benefit to be reproued our selues as well as to heare others reproued A sicke man would not content himselfe to haue the Physitian shew vnto others their diseases but would haue his owne disease discouered vnto him so is it profitable vnto vs to see our owne sinnes and to heare our owne corruptions reuealed and manifested vnto vs. If we once desire to come out of our sinnes and iniquities wherein wee haue liued if once they become bitter and vnpleasant vnto vs it will bee no griefe or burthen to see our selues stripped and layde open to the view and sight of the worlde Let vs therefore with meekenesse of spirit submit our selues to the stroke of Gods word and not rage when wee are reprooued as the manner of those is that purpose to perseuer and to continue in their sinnes vnto the end Verse 9. Yet for your loues sake I rather beseech thee Heere we haue the second part of the diuers reason before remembred The former Verse was a preparation or entraunce into the prayer or petition of Paule and containeth the authoritie that he had if hee would vse it to command Philemon that which was conuenient for him to do These words are a mild mittigation of the former namely that albeit he might commaund him by his office yet he would rather entreat and beseech him thorough loue The Apostle hauing to do in this place with a matter of Christian moderation and equitie wherein hee might from the Lord command with authoritie doth notwithstanding pray and beseech and when hee might lawfully vrge and require the practise thereof hee rather resolueth to vse gentle humble and louing meanes Doctrine 2. Gentle means are to bee vsed rather then seuere to perswade men to the truth The Doctrine arising from hence is this That the Seruants of God ought to vse mildnesse and meekenesse in deliuering the will and message of God to his people rather intreating them with lenitie then commanding them with authoritie albeit they haue libertie so to do Courteous and gentle meanes are first to be vsed if they may preuaile rather then checking and chiding sharpely and rigorously with Offenders We see this in Christ Iesus himselfe who did not breake the bruised reede nor quench the smoaking Flaxe hee sayth c Mat. 11 28. Come vnto mee all yee that are weary and heauie laden and I will ease you for my yoake is easie and my burden is light This appeareth in sundry places of Paules Epistles Rom. 12 1. I beseech you Brethren by the mercies of Christ that ye giue vp your bodies a liuing Sacrifice holy and acceptable vnto God which is your reasonable seruing of God So 2 Cor. 5 20. Now then are we Ambassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you through vs we pray you in Christs stead that ye bee reconciled to God And in the tenth Chapter of the same Epistle d 2 Cor. 10 1. I Paule my selfe beseech you by the meeknesse and gentlenesse of Christ which when I am present
The vses remaine to be considered First we learne from hence that it is no disgrace or disparagement to a mans modesty when such as are bound by the law of God and nature and by all good order do forget to yeeld their superiors their due or which is worse do in pride and contempt insult ouer them to claime and chalenge that which is his right The Apostle doth oftentimes remember his place and calling to the Corrinthians which had forgotten him and reiected him He putteth them in mind of his Office q 1 Cor 9 1 2 Am I not an Apostle am I not free haue I not seene Iesus Christ our Lord are ye not my worke in the Lord If I be not an Apostle vnto other yet doubtlesse I am vnto you for yee are the seale of my Apostleship in the Lord. This we see likewise in Samuell r 1 Sam 12 2 3. I am old and Gray-headed I haue walked before you from my Childhood vnto this day beare record of me before the Lord and before his annointed whose Oxe haue I taken or whose Asse haue I taken or whom haue I done wrong too or whom haue I hurt or of whose hand haue I receiued any bribe to blinde mine eyes therewith and I will restore it you We are bound to yeeld to euery man his due as a debt which we owe vnto him according as God hath distributed his Talents among the seuerall degrees of men This Christ himselfe teacheth Å¿ Mat 22 21 Giue vnto Caesar the things which are Caesars and to God the things which are Gods So the Apostle saith t Rom 13 7. Rom 13 7. Giue to all men their duty tribute to whom ye owe tribute Custome to whom Custome feare to whom feare honour to whom ye owe honour Whensoeuer therefore this Honour or Feare or Reuerence is denied vs which God hath giuen vnto vs it is no Pride or haughtinesse of heart to challenge it and require it at their handes that are bounde to yeelde it If they will not know vs it is lawfull for vs to knowe our selues If they contemne vs and cast vs at their feete wee must learne to magnifie and make much of our Callinges and Guiftes This reprooueth and condemneth those that dispraise and disable them-selues too much wherein there may be as close and secret Pride as in them that rise vppe earely to praise themselues Wee must not denie the graces of GOD that are in vs but acknowledge them to the praise of God and submit our selues to the iudgement of others that will not flatter for vs for that we haue not nor craftily conceale that which we haue Vse 2. Secondly seeing such as excell vs in Age or any Guiftes ought to bee much esteemed of vs and preuayle verie much with vs it putteth all Inferiors in minde of many good duties First it is required of them to praise and commend the Guiftes of God in them and giue the glory of them to God the giuer We must magnifie them and preferre them before all others that haue not the same Guiftes though they be our enemies and such as hate vs. Wee must not so much consider their persons how they are affected toward vs as their Guiftes they are the Guiftes of God and therefore should be acknowledged and approoued They haue worthy Guiftes that we want and yet are giuen for our good and benefite Wee do not see their Guiftes so defiled with infirmities and mingled with Corruptions as our owne are all which thinges should helpe to adde Grace and Glory to the Guiftes that are in others When Pharaoh perceiued the great Wisedome that was in Ioseph u Gen 41 43. Psal 150 22. hee spared not to speake of it hee shamed not to place him ouer all the Land of Egipt to make him Lord of his house and Ruler of all his substance that he should binde his Princes vnto his will and teach his Auncients wisedome So when Nebucadnezzer saw that Daniell was indued with knowledge and vnderstanding from aboue more then all the Astrologians and Enchaunters that were in Babilon he doth confesse them to be in him and reuerence him for them So ought we all to do when we heare or behold the guiftes of God in our bretheren let vs acknowledge them and praise God for them This reproueth the common practise of those that will diminish and disgrace their guifts and like of nothing but that which is in themselues Let vs beware of Pride and Enuy disdaining others deprouing and lessening such inward graces of Gods spirit as are in them If another man should not readily acknowledge their outward guiftes wherein they glory and reuerence them for their Parentage Titles and dignities they would thinke themselues wronged and disgraced they would be ready to cast them in the teeth with forgetfulnesse of their duty Why then should not they confesse the inward guifts and heauenly graces that appeare in their bretheren which are farre more excellent then the former Secondly it is our duty to make profit of the guifts of our Superiours and take benefit by them This is the end for which they were giuen by God himselfe and this is the vse that we must make of them It is a great blessing of God when hee is gratious and bountifull vnto his people and largely and liberally bestoweth his blessings vpon them we haue many examples of godlinesse of mortification of patience of meeknesse of mercy and many other gifts in the godly so that we may take counsell and comfort from them Yea as we are greatly to reuerence these guifts in others so we must labour to feele them in our selues and to keepe them in the Closset of our owne hearts It is ashame to see others religious and to bee without Religion in our selues To see others godlie and our selues to be without godlinesse To see so many graces in our Bretheren and we remaine without grace This is a plaine argument that wee esteeme nothing at all and make no reckoning or account of any good guiftes in our Brethren for as much as we are not desirous to be partakers of them our selues For whatsoeuer we regard in others we will labour to haue and enioy our selues Lastly it behooueth all young persons to conceiue a reuerent opinion and to carry a dutifull and discreet behauiour toward their elders that are more auncient then they in yeares Old men are in stead of Fathers x 1. Tim. 5 1. and the Apostle would haue them to be exhorted as Fathers Againe old age is a blessing of God which few obtaine and attaine vnto in comparison of the rest The contempt of it is the contempt of God and a deriding of his Image as appeareth by the commaundement expressed Leuit. 19. When the Lord had prescribed a reuerent behauiour toward aged men hee addeth y Leui. 19 32. Thou shalt dread thy God I am the Lord declaring thereby that where there is want of
they teach so they be not idle They are Ministers of the Church of England and therefore may preach in any part of the Land and are blamelesse Therefore there is no vnlawfull non-residency For God hath ordained saith the Å¿ 1 Cor. 9 14 Apostle That they which Preach the Gospell may liue of the Gospell Answere I answer they are not onely Ministers of England but of such a particular Congregation and haue their maintenance of such a particular Church and therefore are bound to imploy their labour in that particular place He that hath not a particular charge and Church to care for will care indeede for no Church as he ought to care For if that which is t Arist polit lib. 2. cared for of all is cared for of none then he that hath but a generall care of one place no more then of another commonly neglecteth all When God sent Ionah the Prophet to Niniue u Ion. 1 2 3. he sinned in going to Tarshish If he had preached neuer so duely and diligently in that Citty when God called him to another he had not discharged the duty of a good Prophet Besides whereas they say they are Ministers of England therefore sufficeth to preach in any corner or quarter of the Land they may as well say they are Ministers of Europe and consequently may preach in any part of Europe and be discharged in conscience of any farther duty to be required of them Nay some are so shamelesse as they dare openly auouch that they are as much bound to the Church of Ierusalem if they might haue accesse thereunto as to that people that called them and doe maintaine them Verily this argueth little learning and lesse conscience For this were to change a Pastor into an Apostle a limited office into an vnlimited and as great a wonder as to bring all the world into the circuit and compasse of a little Towne And we see it is directlie against the order of the Scripture which calleth them Ministers of such and such a particular Church x Acts 20 17. Phil. 1 1. Reue. 2 3. as of Ephesus of Pergamus of Sardi and the rest So when generall teaching y Math. 28 20 is Apostolicall particular is z 1 Pet. 5. 2. Heb. 13 17. Pastorall which is limited to a certaine place Againe it is a thing in it selfe vnreasonable and to the people iniurious that they shoulde receiue their Wages in one place and performe their seruice in another place that one should giue them their hire and another haue the profit of their paines Would not a man thinke he had wrong done him if he hyring a seruant another shoulde take the labour of his hands Or should that seruant be excused who hauing wages paid him by his Maister should apply himselfe in another mans work Or when a man hireth a shepheard to looke to his sheepe will hee not complaine if they be neglected and another mans sheepe fed and attended Or can such a shepheard thinke his duty discharged albeit he be neuer so diligent and watching in looking to the sheepe of another A Shepheard hath a particular Flocke to attend which hee must watch a Seruant must dispatch his worke that hath hired him Thus it ought to be with euery faithfull Minister he hath his speciall ground to Till his proper house to build his Flocke to feede his Citty to watch his Army to lead and may not wander out of the boundes and borders limited vnto him Obiection 7 Others alledge in excuse of this absence that many of them giue necessary attendance vpon their Lords and their Families and being their Houshold Chaplaines and so doing seruice to great persons are forced to bee absent from their Cures Answere I answere this sauoureth of couetousnesse or of ambition or rather of both They haue couetous hearts and aspiring mindes If they haue peculiar charges of their owne Who compelled them to be other mens Chaplaines Or if they be to attend vpon their Lords who compelled them to take the charge of Soules It was an vsuall thing among the godlie Kinges of Iudah to haue their Prophets at their elbowes to teach them to stirre them vp to good thinges and to keepe them from falling into sinne The Prophet Dauid had Gad the Seer belonging vnto him a 1 Sam. 22 5 2 Sam. 24 11 who was with him in his banishment and was as his Counsellour he was retained both in prosperity and aduersity with him And it is a commendable thing not only in Princes but in men of State and high place when they entertaine such for a loue of the truth to instruct them and their families in the knowledge of godlinesse when they esteeme them as the Ministers of God and giue them not single but that double honour which Gods word alloweth them and when they can be content to heare the Law at their mouthes and submit themselues to the obedience of that which is spoken vnto them in the Name of the Lord. Yea such as are so entertained may highly aduance Gods glory and doe great good with such great men and in such great Families if they regard to doe good seruice to God rather then to themselues if they doe not flatter to please men but deale carefully and conscionably in their places But such as are of high calling may haue attendance and sufficient seruice done vnto them by others that are without Cures and haue no charge of soules committed vnto them and as they are willing to entertaine them so they are able to maintaine them that they shall not liue of the Churches which they doe not instruct Obiection 8. Lastly they pretend that they teach commonly by themselues but continually by their substitutes They come often among their people and teach them by Curates which they haue set in their places and therefore they sinne not by Non-residency Answere I aunswer this often teaching is not sufficient where continuall watchfulnesse is required The Lord neuer said vnto him Teach often but preach the word in season and out of season He is accursed that doth the worke of the Lord negligently Iere. 48 10. Diligence is required where danger is feared The flockes that are in danger of the Wolfe b Gen. 31 40 Luke 2 8. Esay 62. 6. are watched day and night The Enemy is alwayes at hand and watcheth his aduantage by the absence of the Pastour If they could couenant and agree with the aduersary neuer to assault their charges but at cettaine times and seasons of the yeare and bargaine with him not to meddle in their absence they had some good pretence for their negligence and might bee ready to meete him when he commeth to tempt and seduce their people Againe they cannot bee discharged by a Deputy where they are to performe personall duty neyther are they freed from blame by other mens guifts where they are to practise their owne guifts These are
beseech you Brethren that ye acknowledge them that labour among you and are ouer you in the Lord and admonish you that ye haue them in singular loue for their workes sake The fift Commaundement calleth and comprehendeth all Pastours vnder the Name of Parents to teach vs to know those that haue begotten vs vnto the Lorde and to note the time the meanes and the person that hath brought that blessing vpon vs. It hath beene an old and ancient custome for men to celebrate their birth-day n Math. 14 6. as we see in Herod who vsually made a great Feast at it much more oughtest thou to make thy New-birth day wherein thou was borne againe and made the Childe of God a day of solemnity neuer to be forgotten and to reioyce therein aboue all thinges and times in the World This reprooueth those that regard not to heare them nor care to attend to their Doctrine For as God condemneth the absence of the Pastour from his owne people so he reprooueth the absence of the people from their owne Pastour Some hold of Paule some of Cephas some of Apollos and delight more in the guifts of a Straunger then in the Ministerie of him whom the Lord hath placed ouer them Obiection But may wee heare none but our owne Pastours What if they be vnapt to teach and vnable to instruct Answere I answere we may heare others and prooue many Spirits but we ought not willingly to bee absent from our owne assemblies where our presence and company is especially required I am no Patron of vnpreaching Prelats I wish them eyther reformed or remooued eyther amended or depriued If a man want foode at home he may lawfully aske Bread and take releefe abroad but when a man is plentifully stored or at least competently and conueniently prouided for at home it is a shame to take the Bread that is appointed for others Be it that other Pastours haue greater guiftes of learning of zeale of vtterance then our owne yet wee are bound to heare them to pray for them to attend vpon them as they attend vpon vs. He hath commanded euery o Prou. 5 15. Man to eate his owne Bread and to drinke the Water of his owne Cesterne contenting himselfe with his own estate not enuying the better estate of another Wee see how mercifully the Lord dealeth with those of the lower and poorer sort who haue little and the same homely prouision of fare in comparison of others that are full fed and fare deliciously euery day and are charged with many Children to bring vp yet p Deut. 8 2 Dan. 1 13 15. both they and their children are as healthfull in body and as strong in their Limbes as comely in countenance and as well graced in their outward persons as they that abound in Wealth and their Cuppes ouer-flow in all the dainties and delicacies of the World So we may be well assured that the Lord will much more prouide for our Soules and blesse that prouision that he hath appointed for vs albeit it be but meane and simple When a man is sicke in body he will preferre that Phisition which knoweth best the state of his body who is most likely to doe him most good although perhaps some other be better learned and deeper skilled Thus ought it to be with vs our owne Pastour which is the Physition of our Soules knoweth best our estate seeth whereof wee haue neede vnderstandeth the Nature of our disease and consequently is best able to restore vs to health againe He that hath more learning may profit by him that hath lesse may profit I say euen in knowledge For the Lord speaking by the mouth of his Minister whom hee hath in some measure furnished with guifts many times teacheth the wise by the simple and the great learned man by him that is inferiour to himselfe The Lord Iesus q Iohn 1 29. was oftentimes present at the Sermons of Iohn The Prophets that were extraordinarily called disdained not the Ministery of the Priestes r Hag. 2 11 12. but were content to learne the law of them This is the Lordes doing to aduance his owne glory and to humble the highest Teachers of the Church The Apostle hoped to profiâ— by the Romaines as Å¿ Rom. 1 12. they should by him Euery Congregation or Parish should consist of so many Christians as can meet at one assembly The Apostles directed by the Spirit of God were the Authours of this diuision and distinction who hauing conuerted many to the Gospell separated them and ordained them Elders not onely according to the number of their Citties t Reasons why the people should attend their owne Pastours but also according to their seuerall multitudes which are called Churches For euen as God hath distributed the Ciuill State of the World into Kingdomes Prouinces Shires Citties and other Dominions and hath ranged them into seuerall meetings so he hath diuided his Church into certaine and seuerall assemblies for the better ordering and edifying of them and therefore the distinction of particular Churches is not of humane inuention but of diuine institution Hence it may be concluded and inferred that one Pastour cannot be ouer all assemblies nor all assemblies vnder one Pastour Euery Shepheard must haue his owne Flocke and euery Flocke must know his owne Shepheard There is a neere band and mutuall coniunction betweene these two The Minister is charged with his owne people by the ordinance of God he must attend the Flock committed to his care and Cure ouer which the Lord hath made him Watch-man and Ouer-seer This is the knot that tyeth the people fast to their owne Pastour Euery one in the Ciuill State knoweth his owne Citty and to what company he and his whole house doth belong Euery Company in the Citty knoweth to what iurisdiction he belongeth So it ought to be in the Church of Christ euery particular Christian should be annexed vnto one certaine assembly and bee there enrolled as a member of that society to liue vnder the Ministery and gouernment thereof For where shall we rather hope to receiue good then vnder that Ministery which the Lord hath set ouer vs Or from whom rather shall we expect the blessing of God then from him whose labours he hath promised to blesse Hence it is that the Apostle saith u Heb. 13 17 Obey them that haue the ouer-sight of you and submit your selues for they watch for your Soules as they that must giue accounts that they may doe it with ioy and not with greefe for that is vnprofitable for you Heere he addeth many reasons as it were vpon an heape to vrge vs to this duty If they watch for our Soules we also ought to waite vpon them If that they must render an account for our Soules we must also render an account of their labours bestowed vpon vs. If they must doe it with ioy and not with greefe we are charged by our obedience
were filled with the Spirit of God in wisedom in vnderstanding in knowledge and in al workmanship If couetousnes be the cause of placing such blind guids which is as great an ouer-sight as to set a blind man to be a Watch-man or a dumb man to be a Messenger or a Lame man to be a Post or a deafe man to bee a Iudge we must obserue that the Lord compiaineth in the Prophet n Mal. 3 8. that he was spoyled and robbed when the Tithes and offerings were taken away from the true vse and from the right Owners and therefore would visit it with a greeuous plague and heauy iudgement The Iewes in the Gospell alledge it vnto Christ as an Argument of loue to them and their Nation that the Centurian whose Seruant was sicke o Luke 7 5. had built them a Synagogue so that on the otherside they would haue branded him with the note of hating them and their Nation if he had spoiled the Synagogue or taken away the priuiledges belonging vnto it The Prophet Dauid as we heard before would not drinke p 1 Chron. 11 16. of the Water of Bethleem because it was gotten with the danger of some few mens Temporall liues Ought not this to teach a great conscience to euery one to take heede that he doe not eate and drinke that which hazzardeth the Soules and bodies of many of their Brethren and to make them afraid to cloath themselues and their families by leauing the people naked to their enemies to be a pray vnto them and to be destroyed by them It is noted as a thing worthy of note and memory q Possid in vita August 10. 24. in the life of S. Austine that he sharpely rebuked and reproued a Gentleman in his time for re-calling and taking away his owne guift which before he had giuen to the maintenance of his Church how much more would he haue beene offended if he had liued in our daies wherein many are as friendlie and fauourable to the Ministery as the East wind is to the fruits of the earth how much more seuerely would hee haue censured those Caterpillers and Cormorants that take away by iniurious customes and corruptions the maintenance of the Church which neither they nor their Fathers haue giuen The ancient Romaines by the light of Nature as Liuy r Decad. 5. lib. 2 testifieth disliked and checked Qu. Fuluius Flaccus because he had vncouered a part of Iunoes Temple to couer another Temple of Fortune with the same Tiles they tolde him that Pirrhus or Hanniball would not haue done the like and that it had bin too much for him to haue done it to a priuate Cittizens house being a place farre inferior to a Temple and in conclusion forced compelled him to send home those Tiles againe by a publike decree of the Senate Let those things be duely waied and make these men ashamed to come behinde the Heathen who did more to their Idols then they will doe for the honour of the true God If they be not hewen out of Oakes and haue hearts of Flint let them open their eyes and behold the oppressions of the Church and the pulling away in whole or in part the prouision appointed for the Pastor whereby it commeth to passe that many places want the preaching of the Word and many Soules perrish for the want thereof When the Å¿ 1 Sam. 6 3. Philistims sent home Gods Arke from them they sent it not backe empty they returned it not without a guift When Zaccheus repented of his iniurious dealing t Luke 19 8. hee offered to restore foure-folde If these Church-pollers who haue robbed the Church and enriched themselues with the spoiles thereof will not restore that which they haue wrongfully taken and make vp the breaches which they haue wastfully made beeing without the feare of God and any fruit of true Religion they shall in the end receiue iudgement according to their workes and in the meane season their owne consciences shall sting and torment them It goeth indeede hard with the poore Church that is oppressed and it groneth and sigheth vnder the burden of her oppression yet in the end when the Lord cheefe-Iustice of Heauen and Earth shall pronounce sentence against them it shall bee knowne that they who oppresse others do u August epist 211. more hurt themselues then those whom they oppresse in as much as the sorrow and smart of the oppressed haue an ende but the woe and torment of the oppressour shall be euerlasting because he heapeth vnto himselfe wrath against the day of wrath and of the declaration of the iust iudgement of God 11 Which in times past was to thee vnprofitable but now very profitable both to thee and to me 12 Whom I haue sent againe thou therefore receiue him that is mine owne Bowels The order of the Words HItherto we haue heard the cheefe matter of this Epistle propounded and amplified Now let vs see how it is proued and confirmed The matter handled is that Onesimus should be receiued and entertained againe by his Maister This is first strengthned and then concluded To effect his purpose Paule draweth diuers reasons some taken from Onesimus others from the Apostle himselfe From Onesimus in the eleauenth verse because he should find him very profitable and seruiceable which is amplified by the contrary albeit he haue beene vnprofitable and vnthrifty vnto thee The reason may be thus framed If he will proue profitable vnto thee then thou oughtest to receiue him least thou be found an enemy to thine owne profit But he will proue profitable vnto thee Receiue him therefore This hath included in it the force of a close and secret Obiection Obiection For Philemon might obiect I haue found him hurtfull why then should I receiue into my House as a member of my Family that Seruant which will cause more harme then bring profit I haue had experience of the damage that he hath done me what homage he will doe me I know not Answere To this the Apostle maketh a double answer first by graunting then by correcting that which he had graunted and both waies by comparing the time past with the time present the time before he embraced Religion with the time of his conuersion as if he should say true it is and I grant he was once vnprofible to thee for while he was vnfaithfull to God he could do no faithfull seruice vnto thee but why dost thou vrge the time of his ignorance And why dost thou consider so much what he hath beene For now hee is become a new man he hath tasted of the true Religion he hath learned to know God to know himselfe to know thee and to know me To know God his mercifull Creatour to know himselfe a wretched Sinner to know thee his louing Maister to know me his spirituall Father whereas in former times he was ignorant of all these As he regarded not to know
from them God hath giuen them breath and life to doe good to his Church and hee hath lifted vp their heads aboue others in wealth and authority to serue him but they are going out of the World before they know wherefore they came into the World And when they must leaue the World and depart out of it wherein they haue beene but Tennants at will they remember with anguish and terrour of conscience that they haue done nothing lesse then that for which they were sent into it but haue imployed their goods their strength their wit their wisedome their life their dignity and all to oppresse and vex the Church yea to root it if it were possible out of the earth It were good they could in time remember their fore-Fathers Pharaoh Senacharib Ahab Iezabell Iudas Herod and such like Persecutours and Enemies that breathed out threatnings against the Church and as they resemble them in their life let them take heede they follow them not in their death and after their death But let vs that practise better things know that God doubtlesse will remember them in kindnesse that remember the afflicted Saints and cast such off with shame and dishonour that doe despise and despight them We haue a worthy example heereof in Ebed-melech recorded by the Prophet Ieremy i Ier. 38 8 9. 39 16 17 18. who because he intreated for the Prophet and suffered him not to lie in the Dungeon and to dye for hunger through the false suggestions of his malicious enemies God shewed mercy vnto him and deliuered him from the plague that fell vpon the Citty This serueth as an k How the mister is to comfort himselfe in seruing the Church instruction both to the Minister and people If the Minister haue laboured in the duties of his calling and in the seruice of the Church and in the execution of his Ministry and in the feeding of the flock committed vnto him he hath wherein to comfort himselfe he may be assured of his loue vnto Christ and consequently of Christes loue toward him Wee must remember what Christ saide to Peter Louest l Iohn 21 16 17. thou me Feed my Sheepe feed my Lambs So the Apostle mentioning his great paines and troubles and daungers to preach the Gospell that hee seemed as a man eyther distract of his wits or puffed vp with ambition and vaine-glory he assigneth this as the true cause m 2 Cor. 5 13 14. The loue of Christ constraineth vs. If then we consider what loue the Lord hath shewed toward vs or behold how deare his Church is vnto him and with how great a price hee hath redeemed it wee cannot but in the Meditation thereof be thrust forward if we loue him or regard him to performe the duties of our Ministration although they be mightie painefull in seeding in weeding in plauting in strengthning and in comforting according as daily occasion shall be offered vnto vs. But if wee be entred into this calling and do nothing therein but please men and serue our selues and our owne lusts being entred what comfort can wee finde or what reward do we looke for at his hands that hath chosen vs to bee Shepheards and Watchmen Wee must not be like vnto the Prophets mentioned in the Prophet Micah n Mich. 3 11. The Priests of Sion teach for hire the prophets thereof prophesie for Money If then wee haue greater respect to the fleece then to the Sheepe or to the wages then to the worke we serue our selues and not the Lord Christ and he will accept no such seruice at our hands For wee serue our owne bellies but not the Church we fil our purses wee feede not the people Woe o Ezek. 34 1. be vnto such Shepheards should not the Shepheard feede the flocke What will our gaine and glory profite vs at the last day when they must leaue vs and we must leaue them We shall receiue more sound comfort and peace when we shal depart this world and remember what account we are to giue of our paines taken in our calling in our labours vndertaken in the Ministery then in the heaping vp of many liuinges and the getting of much riches If we haue gained but one soule to God he shall stand vp for vs when all the mucke of this earth shall fall downe He shall be our ioy and our crowne when all other delights shall giue vs the farewell Neyther doth this Doctrine and duty serue onely for the comfort of the Minister p How the people are to comfort them selus in seruing the Church but for the comfort of the people that haue endeuoured in their callings to serue the Church and laboured vnfaignedly to seeke the wel-fare thereof They that haue had a sweete feeling of the loue of God are carefull to loue him againe and they that loue him in singlenesse of heart will be enforced and constrained to loue his children and to doe all the seruice they can vnto them They will thinke no dutie too much they will thinke all they haue done all they can do to the Church to bee too little Hence it is that Christ Iesus commending the Church of Tyatira for such good works as were found therein q Reuel 2 19 beginneth with Loue and Seruice First he mentioneth their Loue then he addeth their Seruice to shew that as our Loue must appeare by our fruits of Seruice so all our Seruice must proceede from Loue to those whome wee serue If a man imploy himselfe neuer so dilligently and take neuer so great paines and trauaile with all his power for the peace and good of the church yet if it proceed not from a sincere loue toward them but either from a loue of gaine or a desire of glory or a fame of praise he shall receiue no rewarde at the hands of God This seruice as at all times we must bee ready to make it appeare so especially wee must shewe it in the necessities of the Church When it lyeth vnder the heat of persecution or feeleth the Arrow of famine or beareth the affliction of pouerty and groaneth vnder the waight of these burdens we must remember that we owe our seruice to them as a dutie and that we are the seruants of the Church This shall bee our crowne and comfort in the last day Vse 3. Thirdly seeing God requireth of all true Christians of what condition soeuer they be according to the meanes affoorded vnto them to vse their guifts their power their possessions and whatsoeuer benefits they haue receiued to vse them I say to the comfort and seruice of Gods Saintes it kindleth the affections of Gods people to blesse and praise God for them to speake well of them to pray vnto God for them and to obtain greater blessings for them then they haue bestowed Thus they that doo good to the Church do good to themselues they that giue much vnto them do receiue more and such as haue beene
they are done more then what is done This is it which the Apostle expresseth 2 Cor. 8 12. If there bee first a willing minde it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that a man hath not This layeth before vs the abundant kindnesse of God who albeit he be a spirit euery way perfect yet he accepteth our lame and defectiue seruice Our duties shall be all acceptable in his sight though they bee performed in great weakenesse and mingled with many imperfections which were sufficient to cause them to be reiected and refused if we be carefull to do them in the truth and vprightnesse of our hearts and with chearefull and ready minds All things must be done in loue and this must bee considered in all the workes of our hands This ministreth a double comfort First vnto such as are of poore and lowe degree to consider that GOD regardeth the heart more then the hand and our willingnesse more then our worke Hence it is that euen seruants whose condition is lowest in the family and which meddle not in great matters or in waighty affaires or in excellent works yet are charged with this affection and in sincerity to behaue themselues in those inferiour duties x Col 3 22 23 Ephes 6 5. Seruants be obedient vnto them that are your Maisters according to the flesh in all things not with eye-seruice as men-pleasers but in singlenesse of heart fearing God and whatsoeuer ye do do it heartily as to the Lord and not to men Where he sheweth that seruants must do their duties not as seruing for the penny or ayming at the filling of their belly or contenting themselues to please their maisters eie but euen as seruing God looking for a recompence from him knowing that he hath placed them in that estate requireth those things in truth and sincerity to be performed as vnto him For the Lord doth not see as man seeth he doth not look to the outward action but he beholdeth with what hart al things are done and therfore measureth according to euery mans deed whether he be high or low rich or poore Lord or Seruant The best hart hath the best recompence the worst hart hath the worst wages There is a great difference between work and work some are great some litle some beautiful some base some high some mean some low but whatsoeuer I do if I do it chearfully as seruing my master Christ that looketh vpon me albeit my calling be neuer so simple as to wash dishes to wipe shooes to scoure the spit to sweep the house I please God therein as well as he that manageth a kingdom that ministreth Iustice that preacheth the gospel True it is the work is greater to rule the affairs of State then to remain in the kitchen yet he shal be better accepted of God that performeth these smal things hartily then he that doth the greatest works grudgingly either drawn by importunity or cōpeld by necessity Thus it doth fal out that a poor seruant carrying this mark and testimony with him is more acceptable to the Lord then he that hath done greater things to the iudgment of the eie to the shew of the world and to the sight of men Secondly this serueth as a singuler comfort to euery one of vs that groane vnder the burden of sin that feele the weaknesse of our faith and are dismaied at the smalnesse of our sanctification Wee know how busie Satan is to watch his aduantage of our infirmities and imperfections to perswade vs that we haue no faith at all that we are without repentaunce without grace and without regeneration because we feele great defects and many wants in our best workes and our best gifts But this must comfort vs that God accepteth of that measure that he hath giuen vs euen according to that which we haue not according to that which we haue not A weak faith shal be as auayleable to apprehend Christ as a strong faith If we haue a desire and an hungering after grace z Psal 145 15 and 10 17. He will fulfill the desires of them that feare him he also will heare their cry and saue them God hath assured vs that as hee hath begun his good worke in vs so he will finish his work and in his good time bring it to perfection When we finde any dulnesse and vntowardnesse in our selues if we hate and dislike them and labor to profite and grow forward in sanctification God accepteth our willingnesse and readinesse though our strength be not answerable to our desire or the outward worke answereable to our hart For God is faithful and will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue the strength that he shal giue vs and the Lord Iesus is a merciful Highpriest who will not breake the bruised reed nor quench the smoking flax Let vs al therefore looke that a willing and ready mind be found in vs. Againe this must be considered in all things If we come to hear the word and to exercise the duties of Gods worship if we do it for fashion sake for feare of the law for the praise of men or for custom they are nothing worth they ought to be performed in obedience to God in loue of his ordinance in delight of his worship in singlenesse of heart and in an earnest affection to the meanes of our saluation The like we might say of giuing of almes and liberality toward the poore if they be not bestowed with promptnesse of minde with compassion of heart and with feeling of the wants of those that craue our helpe they are nothing at all respected of God nor they that distribute thē rewarded of him Vse 2 Secondly seeing only that duty which is done freely and not by compulsion deserueth due commendation this reproueth al those things that are don vpon wrong grounds and euil foundations It is not enough to doe a good thing but we must do it well It is not sufficient to do those things that are godly but we must do them in a godly manner Let euery one heerein carefully examine his soule and try his owne heart whether hee do the duties of his calling vnwillingly vncomfortably and vpon necessity for feare of danger for auoyding of shame for keeping of his credit for praise of the world or such like causes which are all false motiues or whether he do them hartily and chearfully as in the sight of God before whom all things are naked open This is to be considered as well of the Minister himselfe as of the people that heare him and are partakers of his labours The calling a The Minister must preach willingly and of a readie minde of the Minister is an high and mighty calling he is the Steward of God and a watchman ouer the people for whose soules hee must giue an account in that great day of the Lord. It is not enough for vs to labour among them though wee should worke and
wearie and toyle our selues neuer so much but wee must do it diligently and chearfully as seruing Christ the Shepheard of the sheepe If the chiefe end that we respect be to maintaine our selues to liue easily and to increase in riches we haue our reward Or if we preach vnto them because the law doth enforce vs and enioyne vs vnto it and because otherwise the people would cry shame vpon vs if reaping their Temporall things wee do not giue them Spirituall b 2 Tim. 2 4. or if wee so intangle our selues in the affaires of this life that we cannot intend the duties of our calling we cannot possibly please him that hath chosen vs to be as Souldiers to fight his battels and hath appointed vs to be as Shepheards to watch his flocke It standeth vs vpon to be so touched with a care of our duties as that if there were no Lawe to compell vs and vrge vs to be painfull therein yet the zeale of Gods glory and loue of his people should constraine vs. Hence it is that the Apostle Paule speaking of his owne practise saith c 1 Cor. 9 16 17. Though I preach the Gospell I haue nothing to reioyce of for a necessity is layde vpon me and wo is vnto me if I preach not the Gospell for if I do it willingly I haue a reward but if I doe it against my will notwithstanding the dispensation is committed vnto mee Whereby we see he sheweth that such a necessity of the diuine calling did presse sore vppon him that he must preach or perish For if he held his peace and did not do his duty the curse of God would lye hard and heauy vpon his shoulders and bring such intollerable torments vpon him as should make him cry out wo woe alas alas what a wretch am I yet notwithstanding this necessitie hee must haue a willing minde and do his duty gladly A good work done willingly is made much better by the willing doing Againe there is nothing so easie d Terent. Adelph act 4. scen 6. but it becommeth difficult and vnpleasant hard and tedious which a man doth by compulsion No man therefore hath done his duty or discharged his calling that worketh against his wil. Ionah the Prophet went to Niniuie against his will e Ion. 1 3 and 4 2 and 2 1. he could haue wished that his preaching had taken no effect so that he was chastned of God When Moses was called to go to Pharaoh to charge him to let the people goe that they might serue the Lord in the wildernesse f Exod. 4 1 10 13 14. hee prouoked God to anger because he delayed the matter and excused himself framed obiections and shewed himself backward to enter on the work Hence it is that Peter speaketh to al the Ministers of the gospel g 1 Pet 5 2 4 Feed the flock of God that dependeth vpon you caring for it not by constraint but willingly not for filthy lucre but of a ready mind c. that when the chief shepherd shal appear ye may receiue an incorruptible crown of glory That which is not done willingly is not performed conscionably and where there is not found readinesse of mind there cannot be looked for any recompence The Prophets of God being inwardly touched with a feeling of Gods effectual calling haue obeyed imediatly and ran whether he sent them to preach The Prophet Esay speaking of himself saith h Esay 6 8. I heard the voice of the Lord saying whom shall I send Or who shall go for vs Then I sayde Heere am I send me When Christ Iesus called Simon and Andrew his brother and said vnto them i Marke 1 18. Follow me and I will make you Fishers of men they forsooke their Nettes straight way and followed him The like we see in Paul when he was conuerted and called by a voyce from heauen k Acts 26 19. Gal 1 15 16. hee was not disobedient to the heauenly voice and vision he communicated not with flesh and blood but prepared himselfe to the worke whereunto he was separated from his mothers wombe This practise ought to be in all of vs that are entred into this calling we must labour chearefully willingly and gladly that the worke may prosper and go forward vnder our hands The end of our labour should bee the saluation of mens soules the drift of our sowing to see a plentifull haruest and the purpose of our preaching to make ready a people prepared for the Lorde Secondly such as are hearers l The people are to do their duties willingly among the people are from hence also to learne their duty to do those thinges that are required of them not daily but dilligently not heauily but heartily as to the Lord. Many seem desirous to haue the Gospell but they would haue it of free cost and therefore repine at the costs and charges it bringeth with it If we giue maintenance to the Ministery not for conscience but of necessity not for loue to the Gospel but by compulsion of Law not as a free-will offering to God for the recompence of his kingdome among vs but as a taxation which we cannot resist to retain with vs or detaine from them accounting the Gospell not a benefit wherein we delight but a burthen which we should shake and shift off if wee might it is our sinne and eo acceptable seruice vnto God For God in this respect loueth a chearfull giuer These men are wholly carnall and regard not the saluation of their soules If they haue an Horse-keeper that dresseth their horses or a Shepheard that watcheth their Sheep or an Heardman that looketh to their Swine or a Cobler that mendeth their shooes they are more willing to consider him for his paines and to recompence his labors then to minister to the necessities of the Minister They thinke that well gotten that is gotten from him and that ill spent imployed that is bestowed vpon him Again as we are to giue them a liberall maintenance chearfully so when wee come to the exercises of our religion wee must come vnto them willingly not vnwillingly ioyfully not tediously For as he is accursed m Ier. 48 10. that doth the worke of the Lord negligently so is hee also accursed that commeth into the house of the lord grudgingly and grieuously not as one delighting in the work but as one discoraged with the wearinesse whether it be of the way or of the word He is an euil seruant that doth his maisters busines committed vnto him vnpleasantly vntowardly he is an vnfaithful subiect that obeyeth the lawes of his Prince by compulsion he is a disobedient child that performeth his Fathers wil against his wil honoreth him without his hart So he is an euill and vnfaithful hearer that treadeth in the Lords courts vnwillingly reioyseth not when the time commeth to perform his duty vnto him It is noted of the people of God that they
went in and lay with his Fathers Wiues Heere are sundry deuillish and wicked practises Incest Murther Rebellion treason all abhominable enormities and yet God saith k 2 Sam. 12 12 He did all these things These sinnes were most foule and filthy to looke vpon as they were the inuentions of the Deuill the perswasions and practises of euill men but as they are punishments sent of God vpon Dauid for his offences they were beautifull in their time they were the righteous sentence of a iust Iudge who cannot deale vniustly in iudgement Thus much of answering these few Obiections Now let vs proceede to conclude some Vses out of this truth Vse 1 The Vses that will arise from hence are many but wee will onely touch the principall This Doctrine serueth for reproofe for comfort and for obedience For it serueth to reprooue and conuince sundry persons that eyther know not or knowing doe abuse this prouidence of God whereby he taketh care of all thinges that are in the World and directeth them to a right end And first of all we set against it and oppose vnto it the dreames and dotages of Atheists Epicures Libertines and such like Wretches who either deny wholy there is a God or make him sit as idle in heauen as themselues are vpon the earth so that albeit he know and see all thinges yet hee worketh or ordereth not the speciall actions of men that fall out These are they that pull God out of his Kingdome and set vp Chance and Fortune as an Idoll and make it their God We must all learne and confesse that the Lord that is the Creator of Heauen and Earth is also the Ruler and Gouernor of all euen the least Creatures The whole world from the highest heauen to the center of the Earth is subiect to his prouidence He worketh all things according to the counsell of his owne will he giueth life and l Acts. 17 28 breath he preserueth them so that nothing commeth to passe without his appointment Whether they be things with life or without life with reason or without reason generall or particular euill or good Angels or Men necessary or not necessary all are ruled by his decree So then Chance Fortune are words of the Gentiles and are blindly vsed by such as are called Christians whereas nothing can be done without his will and working who is omnipotent What seemeth more casuall then the Lot Yet The lot is cast into the lap but the whole disposition is of the Lord. Prou. 16. 33. This is it which our Sauior teacheth m Math. 10 29 30. and 6 26. Are not two Sparrowes sold for a farthing and one of thē shall not fall on the ground without your Father Yea and all the haires of your head are numbred So that we see Chance and Prouidence cannot stand together but the one ouerturneth the other Secondly it reproueth such as frō hence take encouragement to commit sin to breake out into sundry outrages or to liue securely because God can turne it to our good and maketh it serue to set forth his mercy This is that presumption and sin of rebellion touched by the Apostle Why do we not euill that good may n Rom. 3 8. come thereof whose damnation is iust So in another place o Rom. 6 1 2. What shall we say then Shall we continue still in sin that Grace may abound How shall we that are dead in sinne liue yet therein We confesse indeed that God is the Soueraigne cause of all euents that are brought to passe and whatsoeuer the enemies of the Church intend and enterprise whether the Sonnes of Men or the Deuill and his Angels he staieth and hindreth or represseth and disappointeth and alwaies disposeth it to the good and saluation of his children Neuerthelesse this doth not excuse or free the Instruments that he vseth from fault They do the will of God blindly and ignorantly but they do crosse his will openly and purposely so that his prouidence doth not exempt the wicked from their euill doing Dauid knew well enough and confesseth as much that Shemei was sent of God most iustly to cursse him and to raile vpon him when he fled from the face of his son Absolon yet in his last speach to the King his Sonne he doth not defend him or excuse him o 1 King 2 8 9 But giueth charge and commaundement to be reuenged of him and not to account him innocent If then euill instruments cease not to be guilty before men much more faulty shall they be before the iudgement Seate of the Almighty and much lesse shall they escape punishment for transgressing the Law of God For howsoeuer wicked men be well moued by God to execute his worke by them who may vse any of his creatures according to his owne power pleasure yet in asmuch as they being moued of God do peruersely and crookedly and wickedly moue themselues to will and work euill so that themselues are the workers and causers of their own euill works whereby it commeth to passe both that they grieuously offend God and afterward seuerely punished of him Wherefore such as resist God rebell against his law and striue against his will cannot say they haue done his will inasmuch as they had no purpose to keep his ordinances therefore make themselues subiect to all his iudgements Lastly this reproueth the Church of Rome that among many slanders cast out against vs are not ashamed to lay to our charge that we mainetaine that God is the author of sin We hold we teach priuatly publikely by word by writing in Schooles in Churches that God is not the author of sin but the deuil mans own corrupt wil whosoeuer teacheth and preacheth otherwise if it were an Angell from heauen we hold him accurssed Hence it is that the Prophet saith p Psal 5 4. Thou art not a God that loueth wickednesse neither shall euill dwell with thee So the Prophet Habakuke q Hab. 1 13. Thou art of pure eyes and canst not see euill thou canst not behold wickednesse Likewise Zephany saith r Zeph. 3 7. The iust Lord is in the midst thereof he will do none iniquity In like manner the Prophet Zachary saith ſ Zach. 8 17. Let none of you imagine euill in your harts against his neighbour and loue no false Oth for all these are the things that I hate saith the Lord. Thus we heare that he loueth righteousnesse and hateth wickednesse so that he is the authour of all good of no euill If we would heare this farther opened the Apostle Iames is a witnesse of it t Iam. 1 13 14 Let no Man say when he is tempted I am tempted of God for God cannot be tempted with euill neither tempteth he any man but euery man is tempted when he drawn away by his owne concupiscence and is entised This is the conscionable Doctrine of pietie and the contrary wee renounce and
causes to exercise his children with chastisements eyther to try them or to humble them we shal learn to submit our selues to him m Psal 39 9 to hold our peace because he hath done it and to keepe silence that we offend not against him This wil keepe vs that we do not rage against second causes that we do not mutter and murmure against God that we seeke not reuenge against our enemies We are ready in sicknes to complaine in pouerty to repine in iniuries and oppressions to retaile and returne like for like and in all troubles to be impatient and to vse vnlawfull meanes to deliuer our selues not attending the Lords leisure and the reason is because the prouidence of God is not learned of vs wee cannot depend vpon him we know not that he hath all things in his power to employ them to his glory and to vse them to our good We heard before that Ioseph was sold by his owne brethren made a seruant and slaue to the Egiptians If he had only cald to mind the vnkind vniust dealing of his vnnatural brethren could he haue retained a brotherly affection toward them Could he forgiue the wrong offered vnto him Could he haue repressed his rage and staid him selfe from reuenge and recompence to giue them according to their deedes and deserts toward him But when he lifted vp his mind to the Lord and saw how God had disposed their treachery to another purpose then they meant or imagined he forgaue them their offence hee inclined to mercy and of his owne accord did comfort his Brethren saying n Gen. 45 3 7 8. But now bee not sad neyther greeued with your selues that ye sold me hither for God did send me before you to saue you aliue in this land and to preserue you by a great deliuerance Now then you sent me not hither but God himselfe who made me a Father vnto Pharaoh Lord of all his house and Ruler throughout all the Land of Egipt So the holye man Iob if he had rested in the roberies of the Caldeans Sabeans by whom he was hurt and annoyed had by and by bin kindled with wrath and set on fire to work reuenge but because hee ascended higher and acknowledged the work of a superior hand he possessed his soul with patience comforted himselfe with this notable saying left vnto vs for our imitation o Iob. â— 21. 1 10. The lord hath giuen the Lord hath taken away as it pleaseth the Lord so is it com to passe The like we might say of Dauid when Shemei cursed him as he fled to saue his life p 2 Sam. 16 9 10 11. And Abishai the son of Zeruiah said vnto the King Why should this dead Dog curse my Lord the King Let me go now I pray thee take away his head He answered again What haue I do with you yee sons of Zeruiah For he curseth euen because the Lord hath bidden him curse Dauid Who dare then say wherfore hast thou done so Behold my son which came out of mine own bowels seeketh my life then how much more now may this son of Iemini Suffer him to curse for the Lord hath bidden him He knew that Gods prouidence would turn this to the best therfore he was ready to forgiue the wrong which this wicked man measured vnto him Thus doth the Apostle Peter speak comfortably to the people that gaue their consent to the killing and crucifying of Christ whom God raised from the dead q Acts 3 15 17 18. Now brethren I know that through ignorance ye did it as did also your Gouernors but those thinges which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his Prophets that Christ should suffer hee hath thus fulfilled Such therefore as are malicious to desire reuenge and cannot be intreated to moderate their anger neuer vnderstood the Doctrine of Gods prouidence We haue indeede many excellent reasons and notable Meditations to mooue vs to put vp wronges that are done vs and to roote out of our hearts the weede of reuenge and instead thereof to set the soueraigne plant of patience and long-suffering brought out of the Garden of God which is the Scripture that it may growe and flourish among vs. And neuer was there more need of them neuer was there lesse practise of them for nowe the manner is as one r Perk. on Gal. 5 22. truely speaketh a word and a blow a worde and a stabbe a word and a Writ Hee that hateth his Brother Å¿ 1 Iohn 3 15. Iames 1 19. is a Man-slayer for rash anger is the Fore-runner of murther and a degree and steppe to murther God is of a patient Nature and slowe to anger Christ Iesus t Math. 11 29 is meeke and lowly whose example we ought to remember that we may represse all choller and so finde rest vnto our soules for hee forgiueth more to vs then we can forgiue to others The wrath of God hangeth ouer all their heades that retaine wrath for such as will not forgiue are in danger neuer to bee forgiuen seeing we aske forgiuenesse as we our selues do forgiue It is a property of loue to suffer and beare and it is a note of iniustice to reuenge our owne quarrels for we take away the honour of God and make our selues the parties that receiue wrong the witnesses that accuse the Iudges that condemne and the Executioners that punnish which is against all Lawe of God and Man Lastly al wrongs done to vs by wicked men come by Gods prouidence to which we are to submit and subiect our selues knowing what he is able to do and what he hath promised to do toward vs euen make all things fal out for our comfort and saluation When Saule persecuted Dauid in the wildernesse and had enclosed and compassed him round ready to fall vppon him u 1 Sam. 23 27 28. there came a Messenger to Saule saying Hast thee and come for the Philistims haue inuaded the Land Wherefore Saule returned from pursuing Dauid and went against the Philistims They were the meanes of Dauids deliueraunce but they had no purpose to do him good or to deliuer him out of the hands of Saule or to free him out of trouble for their intent was wicked ambition moued them malice carried them reuenge furthered them and couetousnes resolued them to go to worke and inuade the Israelites Neuerthelesse the Lord vsed their vnlawfull act to his owne glory and ouer-ruled them to doe that which they neuer dreamed euen to be the Instruments of preseruing Dauid that was neere to death To conclude by all these things it appeareth that the Doctrine of Gods prouidence is the ground of all godlinesse but where it is denied the foundation of Religion is pulled asunder For vntil we know and consider that nothing hapneth by hap-hazard but all things are swayed by the determination of the most highest x Psal 29 3.
and feature of the body but looketh vpon the grace and garnishing of the heart so that albeit we be euery way deformed yet if we be thoroughly reformed in the inner man we shall bee accepted before him a thousande times more then such as haue the greatest Ornaments of the body but haue nothing to decke and adorne the soule It may be he departed for a season Note heer how the Apostle describeth the sinne of Onesimus committed against his Maister he doth not aggrauate and exaggerate his offence with big swelling words to shew the greatnes of his sin but doth lessen it by gentle mild termes wherby he calleth it His running away he nameth a departing his absence from his Maisters house seruice the missing of him as it were an hour This the apostle speaketh c Theophyl in Philem. not so much to asswage the anger of Philemon prouoked thorough the offence of his seruant as to testify his vnfaigned repentance wherby he had buried and blotted out the wickednes which he committed by running from his Maister by robbing of him Doctrine 3. The fals and sins of our brethren that repent are not to be encreased and amplified with odious extream words We learne heereby that the fals sins of our brethren that repent are not to be increased with odious and extreame words Whensoeuer I say we see the fruits of vnfained repentance in any of our brethren that haue falne into sinne and beene ouertaken through the weaknesse of the flesh wee are to binde vp their woundes as carefull Surgeons and to comfort them with the sweet promises of the Gospel not to reuile them or raile at them or reproach them for their former falles we must not speake the most or the worst or the hardest of them but in mildnesse of spirit mollifie the greatnesse of the sinne what we can This Doctrine is made euident vnto vs by many testimonies and examples in the word of God When Ioseph saw his f Gen. 45 5 8. Brethren sad and greeued with themselues because they had solde him into Egypt hee comforteth them with the prouidence of God whose worke it was to haue him sent and sold into the hand of strangers Now then you sent me not hither but the Lord who hath made me a father vnto Pharaoh Lord of all his house and Ruler throughout all the land of Egipt This we see in the Lord himselfe toward Iob who reproued him for much weaknesse that he had shewed in the combat and tentation yet g Iob. 39 37. and 42 6. when he had repented in dust and ashes and laid his hand vpon his mouth the wrath of the Lord was kindled against his three friendes because they had not spoken of him the thing that is right like his seruant Iob. The like practise appeareth in Nathan toward Dauid whom he reprooueth first couertly and closely vnder a parable then openly and euidently he chargeth him with adultry and murther together with great vnthankfulnesse toward God that had bin so gracious to him but when he repented and humbled himselfe vnder the stroke of the two-edged sword of Gods word saying h 2 Sam. 12 13 I haue sinned against the Lord the Prophet doth no more vpbraid him with those foule and filthy sinnes of committing Whoredome and shedding of blood but said vnto him The Lorde also hath put away thy sinne thou shalt not die Thus did Christ our Sauiour deale with the woman taken in adultery euen in the verie acte brought before him by the Scribes and Pharisees he preached vnto her the Gospell vpon her repentance i Iohn 8 11. I do not condemne thee Go and sinne no more The like we see in the Apostles dealing with the incestuous Corinthian before his conuersion the Apostle chargeth him with fornication k 1 Cor. 5 1 and 2. Cor. 2 6 7. and Such fornication as is not named among the Gentiles that one shoulde haue his Fathers wife and reprooueth the whole Church that they had not put him away from among them yet when he had confessed his sinne and testified his repentance by his vnfaigned sorrow for his sinne the Apostle would haue his sinne forgiuen and his person comforted Least he should be swallowed vp with ouermuch heauinesse Likewise remembring the Corinthians what they were in the time of their ignorance Theeues Oppressors Fornicators Idolaters Drunkards Railers riotous persons by their conuersion to the Gospell and Faith in Christ they were changed to a better life and so could no longer be charged by such sins l 1 Cor. 6 11. Ye are washed ye are sanctified ye are iustified in the name of the Lord Iesus by the spirit of our God Whereby we see this truth plainly prooued vnto vs that it is our duty not to aggrauate and amplify the sins of such as haue repented them of their sinnes Reason 1. To this duty we shall be better directed and strengthned in the truth of it if we marke the reasons For first we are not to encrease in wordes the sinne of a penitent person because loue worketh softnesse and gentlenesse in vs a care of the good name of our Brother and banisheth all euill surmises suspitions from vs. Hence it is that the Apostle saith m 1 Cor. 13 4 Loue is patient When Peter exhorteth vs that aboue all things we should haue feruent loue among vs to the end he may confirm his exhortation and shew that there is nothing more profitable vnto the faithfull then to maintaine mutuall Charity hee bringeth this reason n 1 Pet. 4 8 Prou. 10 12. For Loue couereth the multitude of sins If this loue rule in our harts remaine among vs one towards another it bringeth excellent benefits and we auoid inumerable euils But if hatred beare sway men in byting and tearing one another are ready to consume one another to reproch and detract one from another to slander and defame to strike and quarrel one with another without measure or mercy Reason 2. Secondly we are not alwayes to vpbraid our Bretheren and cast them in the teeth with their former fals because wee must account it sufficient that they haue beene checked and teproued by vs or by the mouths of many witnesses The nature of God himselfe is gentle toward vs o Ps 103 9 10 that hee will not alwayes chide nor keepe his anger for euer So ought we to deale one toward another For if he doth not deale with vs after our sinnes nor reward vs according to our iniquities we should haue compassion one toward another If he know whereof we are made and remember that we are but dust we must also learne that we haue all neede to be forgiuen as there is no man but desireth to be forgiuen If then it be auaileable to our Bretherens good to haue them reproued wee ought not to proceede to reuiling of them and rayling vpon them for
in his Incest he chargeth them to cast him out from among them but when he heard of his sorrow for sin and of his repentance from dead works c 2 Cor. 2 8. he exhorteth them to confirme their loue toward him more and more We see this offered vnto vs in the example of God and his elect Angelles When we haue sinned against the Lord and fallen into horrible offences whereby he is dishonoured and our Consciences wounded hee sendeth meanes to turne vs from our sinnes and is ready to forgiue vs when we repent he neuer vpbraideth vs with our iniquities that wee haue forsaken but accepteth of vs as wee stand in the state of regeneration This serueth to reproue two sortes of men First such as are so vncharitable and malicious that they neuer forget the falles of their Bretheren but euer remember them and reproach them for them If any of the faithfull haue sodainely falne into any sinne it shall alwayes bee laide to their charge and hit in their teeth and spread abroad from one to another and bee made farre greater then it is Wherein see the peeuishnesse and partialitie of wicked men who loue their owne and beare with a boulster vp one another in wickednesse If the vngodlie that make a continuall practise of sinne and haue their whole delight therein doe runne out of one euill into another without touch of conscience without shame of men without feare of God without turning of the heart by repentaunce they shall finde those that will defend them iustifie them speake well of them as if they had committed no sinne But if any that are true Beleeuers haue beene ouer-taken by the suggestion of the Deuill and the corruption of the flesh one fall of theirs shall neuer be forgotten it shall alwaies be kept on foote it shall runne in the mindes and mouths of prophane men as if it had not beene forgiuen them whereas a thousand enormities of lewd and vngodly men are passed ouer and neuer spoken off The World loueth her owne and speaketh well of her owne euen of such as God abhorreth As for the Godly that desire to please God it cannot abide them all their actions are narrowly pryed and searched into and neuer were they so much hated as in these our daies Seeing then we haue to doe with such sharp sighted Eagels that behold all and more then all that we doe who like deceitfull Worke-men are ready to stretch them vpon the tender-hookes and like slubbering Surgions spare not to make the wound wider then it is whereas they ought to seeke to cure and heale it let vs looke more earnestly into our owne waies and know that we haue a thousand eyes fixed vpon vs and a thousand mouths that will be opened against vs and ten thousand eares that are prepared to listen to any slanders and surmises that shall be reported of vs. Thus shall we take profit and reape a benefit euen by our enemies Thus we see how they are reprooued that vpbraide men with their sinnes which they haue repented off and doe not acknowledge the change that is wrought in them not by Men but by God He that is truely conuerted is made a new man and hath a new work begun in him so that his olde workes are renounced and no man abhorreth them more then himselfe no man is greeued for them so much as himselfe If then we truely loue our Bretheren especiallie whom we see to be sorry for their sinnes past we will thinke of them with all Charitie we will speake to them with all gentlenesse we will haue no euill suspicion of them wee will not hinder their good Name so that when they are euill spoken off by others we will endeuour to excuse them to burie their faultes and to saue their credit True it is wee must not allow of wickednesse d Esay 5 20. nor call euill good but such as haue offended vs we must beare with them and deale with them by admonitions exhortations reproofes threatnings labouring thereby to heale them to giue a remedy vnto them Now if such be worthy reproofe and reprehension that remember the offences of their Neighbours which before they haue practised and now haue renounced how much more are they to be condemned that mocke and deride such as haue vnblameable infirmities and are blinde or deafe or lame or any way blemished in their bodies The Wise-man teacheth in the Booke of the Prouerbs e Prou. 17 5. That he which mocketh the poore reproacheth him that made him So it may be truely saide that whosoeuer reproacheth his Brother for his blindenesse or lamenesse or deafenesse or deformitie reproacheth God that hath made him so And who knoweth what hangeth ouer his owne head Or what iudgement may fall vpon himselfe or his The little Children that came out of Beth-ell mocked the Prophet and said vnto him f 2 King 2 23 24. Come vp thou Bald-head come vp thou Bald-head Where we see they scoffed at him for his infirmitie but what followed He turned about and looked on them and curssed them in the name of the Lord and two Beares came out of the Forrest and tare in peeces two and fortie Children of them A greeuous iudgment fell vpon them notwithstanding the tendernesse of their age and they are made an example vnto vs to teach vs to beware that we make not a mocke at the miseries of others It is our dutie rather to pittie them and shew compassion toward them to defend them not to offend them to comfort them in their affliction not to lay an heauier burthen vpon them This is a notable comfort vnto all Parents when they haue Children borne vnto them any way blemished and deformed that they doe not therefore cease to loue them that they ought not to be ashamed of them that they should not neglect the education of them but rather be the more carefull to traine them vp in the feare of God which shall more beautifie them then their blindenesse or lamenesse shall bee able to blemish them For it may be that God will giue vnto vs more comfort by them then by all the rest that haue the ornaments of Nature And if we thinke them to bee greater sinners then other men because they suffer such things and haue those infirmities we are deceiued When the Disciples asked Christ concerning the blinde man g Iohn 9 2 3. Who did sinne this Man or his Parents that he was borne blinde Iesus answered Neither hath this man sinned nor his Parents but that the workes of God should be shewed on him So then these wants that appeare in many as the blindnesse of the eies the lamenesse of the foot the deafenesse of the eare the baldnesse of the head the maymednesse of the hand the stuttering of the tongue the crookednesse of the body the deformitie of the face or other defects of nature are not in themselues sins but infirmities without blame or blot
therefore seeke to blaunch the foulenesse and filthinesse of it to which they are so continuallie accustomed But howsoeuer these men account of sinne and whatsoeuer they call it they shall find that the lessening of it is the way to encrease it and the diminishing of it is the meanes to make it greater If we would haue our sinnes and offences not to come into account we must forsake them and repent of them Thirdlie it reprooueth such as disclose and reueale a Penitents confession When our Brethren in the anguish of their Soules and in a feeling of the horror of sinne haue sought peace and comfort at our handes and haue discouered their offences that trouble them to vs as the sicke man doth his disease to the Physition that hee may bee healed it is our dutie to comfort them not to disgrace them to conceale them not to reueale them to hide them not to publish them and blaze them abroad to their disgrace and discredit True it is when euill is opened vnto vs e Alexand. Hal. part 4. Quest 28. membr 2. art 2. Siluest in Confess 3. nume 2. not past or present but to be done afterward as if a man confesse his determination and resolution to commit Murthers we are not tied to couer and conceale it but are bound to manifest and make it knowne This sheweth the wonderfull abuse of the Church of Rome committed in holie thinges and thinges supposed by them to be holie The Sacrament of the Lordes Supper is most horribly prophaned of them which being instituted in remembrance of the death of Christ to assure vs of our spirituall communion in him and of our spirituall nourishment from him is often receiued of them to combine them together in wickednesse and to take securitie thereby one of another not to reueale the Treasons and Conspiracies that are plotted among them Thus it is in the supposed Sacrament of Pennance when they would reueale the hidden mischeefe and poysons of their hearts to the Priestes and Iesuits their Confessors they will seeme to doe it by way of confession that so it might be as it were locked vp and sealed with this Seale as a secret neuer to bee disclosed and discouered Thus is confession become nothing else but a couer of Treason and Rebellion But when our Brethren being afflicted in Conscience and wounded with the Darts of Satan and the poyson of sinne shall accuse themselues and confesse some haynous sinne committed that lyeth heauy vpon them and can find no comfort in concealing of it but greater horror thereby are brought to the gates of Hell and like to be swallowed vp in despaire when they shall I say confesse to the glorie of God and the shaming of themselues the wickednesse of their hearts and handes we are not to vtter it to others to their disgrace but by all meanes we can to couer it in secret and silence For as we f Iam. 5 15. are to acknowledge our faults one to another and to pray one for another so we are in loue to conceale the falles one of another and not to open them in choller and mallice to their reproach Lastly this reproueth our remisnesse and wretchlesnesse in dealing with recusant Papists the members of the Pope and Popish Church who because we would not offend them we speake of them honourably and giue them the Name of Catholikes and honour them with the Title of the Church whereas wee should giue them their right and call them by their propper Names of Idolaters and enemies of the Grace of God and disturbers of the State We haue many among vs that are ready to ioyne with them and to giue them the right hand of fellowship who can bee content to mingle together God and Baall Christ and Beliall light and darkenesse the Temple of God and an Idoll But as we beleeue the High-priest of Rome to be the very Anti-christ described in the Scripture so we also hold that the Church of Rome is a false and Bastard-Church and no true Church of Christ Iesus who not onely haue shaken but razed downe the very foundations of Religion maintaining the worshipping of Images and the merrits of workes by making a mocke of Christes merits and satisfaction by deuising other Mediators and by presuming to offer him vp an vnbloody Sacrifice to God the Father Let vs not therefore halt betweene g 1 Kin. 18 21 two opinions nor go about to reconcile those thinges which can neuer hold or hang together The false Apostles would ioyne the Law and the Gospell together the workes of the Law and the grace of Faith in the matter of Iustification which can neuer be the one destroying and pulling down the other because h Rom. 11 6. if it be of grace it is no more of workes or else were grace no more grace but if it be of workes it is no more grace or else were worke no more worke So we haue those that dreame of an vnion between Christ and Antichrist but if the Lord be God follow him if Baall be he then goe after him No man can serue both these Maisters so contrary one from the other so that whosoeuer cleaueth to the one forsaketh the other Verse 16. Not now as a Seruant but aboue a Seruant euen as a Brother c. Heere is a singular commendation of Onesimus expressed by many steps and degrees the one ascending and climbing aboue the other He was not onely as a Seruant but aboue a Seruant not onely as a Brother but a beloued Brother not onely deare to Paule but much more to Philemon himselfe This is so much the more worthy praise and commendation nay of wonder and admiration as the disposition of Seruants in those times was lewd and licentious who albeit they had good and godly Maisters yet they were light-fingered and light-footed and vpon euery occasion they were apt to run away from them i Gen. 16 6. as appeareth in Hagar that liued in the house of Abraham when Sarah began to deale roughly with her immediatlie she fled from her Seeing therefore it was so rare a thing among those kinde of men to finde any well minded and disposed the Apostle maketh the more account of him and would haue his Maister to make account of him As if he should reason thus Him who in Christ Iesus is become thy Brother thou oughtest carefully to tender and dearely to loue But Onesimus is now by his vnfained conuersion become thy Brother Therefore receiue him Heere we see the Apostle reasoneth for Onesimus to haue him receiued and respected aboue an ordinary Seruant because hee was truely conuerted and had in him a good measure of Grace and was become a true and sound Christian Doctrine 4. The more grace appeareth in any the more should they be tendered and regarded of vs. We learne from hence that the more Grace appeareth in any the more should they be tendered and regarded of vs whether
of the Apostle k 2 Tim. 2 15 Study to shew thy selfe approoued vnto God a Workeman that needeth not to bee ashamed diuiding the word of truth aright All men are not to be handled after one maner but one after one manner and another after another He were a badde and mad Physitian that would vse all his patients to one receit Some haue grosse humors in them and stand in need to be purged some more strongly others more gently according to their condition and Constitution Others haue more need to haue nature restored then purged such must haue Cordials and Restoratiues ministred vnto them So is it with such as neede Physicke for the soule The Minister must not be dumb and silent among his people but speake vnto them and instruct them as a good Father doeth his Childe one after one manner another after another manner and euerie one by some meanes or other This the Apostle setteth downe as a duty by his owne practise l 1 Thes 2 7 8 Phillip 2 17. Acts 20 24. Wee were gentle amongest you euen as a Nursse cherrisheth her Children Thus beeing affectioned towardes you our good will was to haue dealt vnto you not the Gospell of GOD onely but also our owne soules because ye were deare vnto vs. Where the Apostle testifieth his great loue and liberality toward them that he accounted not his owne life precious deare vnto himselfe but was content to offer it vp vppon the Sacrifice and seruice of their faith that he might reioyce in the day of Christ So then it belongeth to vs the Ministers of the word to preach the Gospell with all patience diligence and long-suffering Let vs be instant in season and out of season Let vs be gentle i 2 Tim. 2 24. toward all men apt to teach suffering the euill and instructing them that are contrary minded Paul writing to the Romaines and declaring vnto them that he oftentimes purposed to come vnto them that hee might haue some fruit also among them yeeldeth this as the reason k Ro. 1 14 15 I am Debter both to the Grecians and to the Barbarians both to the Wisemen and vnto the vnwise therefore so much as in me is I am readie to preach the Gospell to you also that are at Rome So in another place he testifieth that Albeit he was free l 1 Cor. 9 19. yet he had made himselfe a seruant vnto all men that he might win the moe To the Iewes he became as a Iew that hee might win the Iewes to them that are vnder the Law as though he were vnder the Law that he might winne them that are vnder the Law to the weake hee became as weake that hee might win the weake he was made all things to all men that he might by all meanes saue some Thus we see how the Ministers ought to apply and to imploy themselues in labouring in the Lords haruest to gaine a people vnto him and to bring them into the sheepfold of Christ For how or which way should the people be indebted vnto vs if we neuer commit the Gospell vnto them A Debter and a Creditor are Relatiues and haue reference one to another If we do not seeke to make our hearers pertakers of the treasures of the Gospell nor labour to inrich them with the sauing knowledge of the Doctrine of saluation we cannot be deare vnto them they cannot bee indebted vnto vs. If we reape and receiue their temporall things and eate and drinke feede and cloath our selues by their labor without labour in our places we run continually into their debt and they owe vs nothing but shame and contempt to be powred vpon vs according to our deserts It is a great comfort to the people that make much of them that haue the ouersight ouer them submitting thēselues to them that must giue an account for their souls considering that thereby they may gather confidence and get assurance to themselues that they are true beleeuers and haue embraced the Gospell in sincerity So on the other side it is a singuler point of sound comfort to all the Ministers of the word that haue bin painful in the work of the Lord they may claime as their owne right and proper possession of their people to bee maintained and honoured with double honor of them and nothing indeed can be sufficient or answerable in proportion to their paines But what reason can be alledged that the people should be burthened not instructed Charged with Tiths and not helped with teaching Pay their duties and receiue no Doctrine Hence it is that the Apostle saith m 1 Cor. 4 1 2 Let a man so think of vs as of the Ministers of Christ and disposers of the secrets of God and as for the rest it is required of the disposers that euery man bee found faithfull Whereby wee see the good account and estimation that the Minister receiueth of his people ought to mooue him to faithfulnesse and painefulnesse in his Office so that we must conclude that such as will be reputed for the Ministers of Christ should shew themselues to be so indeede by their care of the flock committed vnto them 20 Yea Brother let mee obtaine this pleasure of thee in the Lorde comfort my bowels in the Lord. 21 Trusting in thine obedience I wrote vnto thee knowing that thou wilt do euen more then I say The order of the words Hitherto we haue seene the Reasons that Paule hath propounded to vrge Philemon to receiue and entertaine his seruant In these words wee see the matter concluded and repeated againe howbeit not ydely or vnprofitably but with gaine and an holy aduantage for in the closing vp of the whole he reasoneth farther inferreth a new argument to perswade Philemon drawn from the benefit and comfort hee should receiue by it This reason is taken from the effects and may be thus concluded If heereby I shall obtaine fruite of thee in the Lorde and if thou doest refresh my bowels in the Lord Then thou shouldest receiue him to thee againe But I shall heereby obtaine fruite and haue my bowels refreshed Therefore receiue him to thee againe Or we may frame the Reason on this manner That which may greatly reioyce me and both please and pleasure mee I am assured thou wilt willingly do But the forgiuing of Onesimus will do so Therefore I am assured thou wilt willingly do it This is contained in the 20. verse In the next verse we haue the preuenting of another Obiection which might be made not against some part but against the whole Epistle and the Apostles manner of handling thereof The Obiection is wanting but may easily be gathered and may be thus supplied out of the Answere which is expressed Why are you so earnest and vehement in this matter Haue you so great distrust and so little confidence in me that you vse so many words and deale so earnestly with me Do you think I haue
euill continually by the second birth we are enabled and strengthened by the spirit to do good and to walke in the wayes of God that are well pleasing in his sight so that this ought to bee much more esteemed of vs then the former and to comfort vs aboue all thinges and times in the world We see this in the example of Zaccheus y Luke 19 6. who at his newe birth was comforted exceedingly he receiued Christ Iesus ioyfully he acknowledged him as the Father that begat him willingly hee made a great feast for gladnesse and gaue great guifts to the poore with al alacrity The like appeareth in the Iaylor recorded in the Acts of the Apostles z Acts. 16 32 33. Who being conuerted at the same time he tooke his two Fathers Paule Silas and washed their wounds he set meat before them reioysed greatly with all his houshold We ought therefore to know them that haue begotten vs in the Lord and haue bin Instruments of our conuersion These examples serue as a reproofe against those that neuer had knowledge either of the time when or of the place where or of the maner how or of the person by whom they were conuerted and begotten againe as new borne babes in Christ that neuer had the feeling of this grace of regeneration This is a wretched condition and a fearfull signe that they sauour stil of the flesh and lie in the corruptions of the old Adam and knowe not what a second birth meaneth Thus it was with Nicodemus a Iohn 3 1 3 4 a man of the Pharisies a Ruler of the Iewes and a Teacher of Israel when Christ had taught him That except a Man be borne againe he cannot see the Kingdome of God hee answered How can a man be borne which is olde Can hee enter into his Mothers wombe againe and be borne We see in al Churches there is an order appointed and to good purpose that a note should bee taken and a Register kept of our birth and the birth of our Children If there bee a good vse of this much more benefit and comfort shal we find by the recording of our second birth of our life in God and our dying to sinne by remembering the time the place the party other such like circumstances to the euerlasting peace of our owne Consciences by whom we haue beene brought to this life And indeede it is vnpossible that euer we should reioyce at the conuersion of a sinner except wee haue learned to conceiue great ioy and gladnesse when our hearts are opened and softned to receiue the Graces of God into them Vse 4. Lastly seeing we are to reioyce at the good of our brethren wee must from hence be drawn to an higher and farther duty Namely to giue thanks to God for them as for the blessings bestowed vpon our selues It is our duty to craue of God such thinges as they want and to giue him the praise for such things as he hath bestowed vpon them Our ioy must not be carnal but our reioysing must be in the Lord. If then we order our ioy and gladnesse aright it will lift vs vp to behold and consider from whence al good things proceed We oftentimes receiue at the hands of God many good guifts but neuer remember to returne vnto him the praise So it falleth out that diuers will seeme ioyful and glad at the prosperity and happinesse of their brethren who neuerthelesse are tongue-tied neuer open their mouths to giue glorie to the giuer and granter of them We must therefore know that it is our duty to render thankes to God for his benefits vouchsafed to his people And this is a notable signe and token whereby we may try and examine what our mirth and gladnesse is and whether it bee rightly ordered and disposed or not If it be Spirituall and not Carnall Holy and not Prophane Heauenly and not Worldly it will stirre vs vp to cast vp our eyes and hearts to the Father of Lights acknowledging al to come from the seat of his holinesse The Apostle directing the Church what their ioy ought to be saith Phillip 4 4. Reioyce in the Lord alwaies againe I say reioyce This vse which now wee vrge of this Doctrine is expressely confirmed and concluded in the practise of Iethro as we see Exod. 18 10 11. before remembred vnto vs so soone as he had testified his reioysing at all the goodnesse which the Lorde had shewed to Israell immediately he saide Blessed be the Lord who hath deliuered you out of the hand of the Egiptians and out of the hand of Pharaoh who hath also deliuered the people from vnder the hand of the Egyptians now I knowe that the Lord is greater then all the Gods for as they haue dealt proudly with them so are they recompensed Thus Moses declareth that the great workes and wonders that God had shewed to Israell wrought great ioy of heart in Iethro his Father in Lawe but he rested not there nor stayed in an outward reioysing his ioy did end in thankesgiuing which sanctifieth all our mirth and gladnesse For if our mouths be filled with laughter and our tongue with ioy and yet God bee shut out of our minds there is nothing in vs but pride and prophannesse of hart Then is our mirth true mirth and our ioyfulnesse true gladnesse when God is al in all when we acknowledge him to bee the author of it This appeareth in the people b Ps 126 1 2 3 when God brought againe the captiuity of Syon They were like them that dreame and became very ioyfull Then said they among the Heathen The Lord hath done great things for them the Lord hath done great things for vs whereof we reioyce Where we see that their ioy of heart was accompanied with giuing of thankes The like wee might say of Melchizedek King of Shalem and Priest of the most high God who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the Kinges and blessed him saying c Gen. 14 19. Blessed art thou Abram of God most high possessor of Heauen and Earth and blessed be the most high God which hath deliuered thine enemies into thine hand This reproueth those that know no ioy but that which is fleshly like vnto themselues who as they are carnall so they reioyce in nothing but that which is carnall The end of this ioy is heauinesse It is the faithful onely that are of God in Christ Iesus that can truly reioyce and be merrie from the heart as for the ioy of others it is but from the teeth and tongue outwardly it commeth not from the inward parts This the Prophet teacheth Psal 32 21. and 33 1. Be glad ye righteous and reioyce in the Lord and be ioyfull al ye that are vpright in heart Thereby declaring that the vngodly and prophane men of the Worlde haue nothing to doe with this gladnesse whereof wee speake their ioy is not in the Lorde but in the
in Gods Mercie by the example of those that were called at the last houre of the day Marke that so soone as the theefe and Laborers were called u Math. 20. 7. by by they repented the reason why they turned from their sinnes no sooner was because grace was no sooner offered vnto them but when God spake they heard his voice when God called they answeared without delay whereas these impenitent persons haue had the meanes oftentimes offered vnto them and yet refuse the calling of the Lord. Thirdly we are to hope the best of our brethren to commend them vnto God to pray for their conuersion There cannot be a greater iniury done vnto them then to passe the sentence of condemnation vpon them and as much as lieth in vs to blot them out of the booke of Life Hence it is that the Apostle saith 1. Cor. 4. x 1 Cor. 4 5. Iudge nothing before the time vntill the Lord come who will lighten thinges that are hid in darknesse and make the counsels of the heart manifest and then shall euery man haue praise of God The secrets of God belong vnto him wee are not to search into them but to adore them Knowing that thou wilt doe euen more then I say This is a confirmation of the former conclusion drawne from a comparison of the greater to the lesse in this manner I doubt not but thou wilt receiue him because thou art ready to perfourme more then I require at thy handes which is amplified and enlarged by an humane testimony I know it well enough Heere then wee may see the good opinion that Paule had conceiued of Philemon that he was willing not onely to graunt whatsoeuer he craued of him but to yeeld more then he required Doctrine 5. The Faithfull being moued to Christian duties haue yeelded more then hath bin required of them The Doctrine arising from hence is this that righteous men being mooued to Honest Charitable Iust and necessary duties will yeeld more then men can well request and require them to doe The people of God haue from time to time shewed themselues ready not onely to do what they haue beene commanded but to practise more then hath beene charged vpon them This we see in the Children of Israell when they were required to bring their Offerings y Exod. 35 5 36 5 6. to the Lord with a willing heart they brought too much more then enough for the vse of the worke and the building of the Tabernacle They were not slacke and backward in furthering the seruice of the Sanctuary but zealous and forward in promoting the glory of God and the place of his worship so that they prepared and presented more then was looked for at their handes When Dauid saw that the plague was stayed and the hand of God remooued from him and his people he was willed to go vp and reare an Altar vnto the Lord in the threshing floore of Araunah the Iebusite where the Angell stood being commanded to stay his hand which he desired to buy with his money but Araunah said vnto Dauid z 2 Sam. 24 21 22. Let my Lord the King take and offer what seemeth him good in his eyes Behold the Oxen for the burnt Offering and Chariots and the Oxen for Wood all these thinges as a King he gaue vnto the King True it is Dauid would not accept of this kindnesse nor offer a burnt offering vnto the Lord his God of that which cost him nothing so that he boght the threshing floore the Oxen of him at a price notwithstanding it sheweth the readinesse willingnesse and forwardnesse of this good man to doo more then was required at his hands And as we saw the free-heartednesse of the people at the building of the Tabernacle so we may see the same in preparing for the building of the Temple for when Dauid prouoked thē by word and example to offer freely and said a 1 Chro. 29 20 21. Who is willing to fill his hand to day vnto the Lord The Princes of the families and the Princes of the Tribes of Israell and the Captaines of thousands and of hundreths with the Rulers of the Kings worke offered willingly and they gaue for the seruice of the house of God fiue thousand Talents of Gold c. and they with whom precious stones were found gaue them to the Treasure of the house of the Lord c. So that among them they brought more to the helping forward of the building of the Temple then Dauid looked for The like we see in the practise of the Churches of Macedonia who prouided for the Saints of Ierusalem not onely as they were able but beyonde that which they were able for though themselues were brought to great misery and extreame pouerty yet they fainted not but became so forward that he saith of them b 2 Cor. 8 3 4. I beare them record that to their power yea and beyond their power they were willing and they prayed vs with great instance that we would receiue the grace and fellowspip of the Ministring which is towardes the Saints The Apostle craueth of them a little and they performe much hee beseecheth them to do according to their power and they bring vnto him beyond their power By all these examples as by a Iury of many witnesses it appeareth that the faithfull will not hang backe but be ready to performe and practise more then is required of them they will not do lesse but more then is looked for at their hands Reason 1. Though this truth be plaine in it selfe yet it will bee made much plainer by reasons First of all the obedience of the faithfull will super-abound because they set before them the example of God and delight to come neere vnto him They haue experience of his bountifull dealing toward them he is ready to graunt not onely what they aske but more then they aske They finde him not onely willing to heare them when they pray c Psal 21 3. But forwarde to preuent them with his blessings before they pray When Salomon desired a wise heart to go in and out before his people he gaue him Wisedome Riches Honour Seeing therefore the godly do feele this vnspeakable liberality of God toward them that he heareth before we call and granteth before wee aske and answereth before we request wee ought to resemble our heauenly Father and to put on his Image that we may shew our selues like vnto him in yeelding more at the suite of our brethren then can be required of vs. Reason 2 Secondly the Children of God haue a free and willing minde and seeke to walke before him with a perfect heart And what will not a willing heart do Will it not striue to attaine to perfection When Moses setteth downe the forwardnesse of the people in offering to the Lord for the worke of the Tabernacle of the Congregation he maketh this to be the cause d
Exod. 35 5. 21 22. They had a willing heart And againe Euery one brought somewhat whose heart encouraged him and whose spirit made him willing both men and weomen as manie as were free-hearted came and brought Taches Earings and Rings c. The like is mentioned of Araunah the Iebusite that he had in the seruice of God e 2 Sa. 24 22. The heart of a King Now where there is a free spirit a willing minde and a perfect heart there is no dallying or delaying in the duties of piety and obedience but so feruent and zealous a proceeding that we see men voluntarily inclined to do more then we could desire of them Reason 3. Thirdly their ioyfulnesse in the workes of righteousnesse and godlinesse do exceed the triall of necessity Though the Lorde try his people with manifold afflictions yet they are so farre from quailing and cooling their willing readinesse and ready willingnesse to do according to that they are required nay aboue that they are required that they make the same much more excellent and famous This is the reason expressed by the Apostle that the Churches of Macedonia were liberall according to their ability beyond their ability f 2 Cor. 8 2. Because in great trial of affliction their ioy abounded and their most extreame pouerty abounded vnto their rich liberality Such ioy and comfort do the faithfull take in doing the duties required of them that they think they can neuer do too much or proceed too farre Reason 4. Fourthly they acknowledge all things to be from God and to bee his and therefore they will yeeld freely where he requireth and what hee requireth and as farre as he enableth them to their vttermost strength This maketh striue with themselues euen to out-go themselues The Prophet Dauid acknowledgeth this vpon the practise of a good dutie performed with an earnest and zealous affection he blessed the Lord before al the Congregation and saide g 1 Chro. 29 10 11. Blessed be thou O Lord God of Israell our Father for euer euer Thine O Lord is greatnesse and power and glory and victory and praise thine is the kingdome O Lord and thou excellest as head ouer all c. The same doth the Apostle remember of them of Macedonia h 2 Cor. 8 5. This they did not as we looked for but they gaue their owne selues first to the Lord and after vnto vs by the will of God All these Reasons being laide together and duly considered do perswade to our Consciences this truth that we should shew our selues readie to yeelde more rather then lesse touching those duties that are required of vs. Vse 1. The Vses remaine to be handled First from hence we learne this point that forwardnesse and zeale in good thinges is greatly to bee commended We cannot yeeld more then is looked for at our hands vnlesse we be earnest and feruent in the spirit as men that are led by the spirite True it is there is no warrant to walke without our warrant or to runne too fast without any guide Hence it is that Salomon saith Eccl. 7 18 19. Be not thou iust ouer-much neither make thy selfe ouer wise wherefore shouldst thou be desolate Be not thou wicked ouer much neither be thou foolish wherefore shouldest thou perish not in thy time Meaning thereby that as we should not suffer sinne to raigne in our mortall bodies though we cannot wholly driue it away so we should not seeke a righteousnesse beyond the Law This ouer-much righteousnes was in him who being commanded in the name of God i 1 Kin. 20 35. to smite the Prophet in smiting to wound him refused to obey because it seemed strange vnto him to wound a man that was godly and not guilty of any crime The like is that which Saul did k 1 Sa. 15 21. who being expresly charged and forbidden to saue aliue any persons or Cattle that belonged to the Amalekites preserued the chiefest of the things and the choisest of the Oxen and Sheep to offer vp in sacrifice vnto the Lord. But the one of them was slaine of a Lyon the other lost his kingdome to teach vs that to obey is better then sacrifice to hearken is better then the fat of Rams So then we must vnderstand that albeit we are to be ready to yeeld more then well can be required of vs yet we must not thinke to do more then God requireth of vs. If we speak of the duties that God commandeth we come far short when we haue done what we can we must confesse we are vnprofitable seruants but when we speak of good and Christian duties which our Ministers or brethren craue of vs desire vs to practise we should willingly perfourme more then they aske at our hands Let vs therefore bee feruent and zealous in al lawful and honest thinges It is good alwayes to be earnest in a good thing The Lord abhorreth and detesteth the Luke-warme Laodiceans that are neither hot nor cold but wil spew them out of his mouth If any should deale in our cause for vs we would not haue him deale negligently and carelesly shal we then be remisse and carelesse when we deale in matters that belong to God and our owne saluation Shal we deale as men benummed with cold that seeme to haue no life in them but are frozen-hearted and haue no motion of the spirit of God in vs Let vs not stand at a stay but alwaies proceed forward as Trauellers that hasten to the end of their iourney or as Sea-faring men that thinke it long vntil they lye at rode in the Hauen as in a safe harbour from winde and weather This serueth to reprooue al those that accuse and reproach others for being too forward and zealous If wee bee not zealous in Religion we are of no religion whatsoeuer we account of our selues Vse 2. Secondly this Doctrine is a comfort to our selues and to other the seruants of God and an occasion of great ioy when as we our selues or others are forward and chearefull beyond expectation in good things A notable example of both is offered to our consideration in the prouision that was made and the furniture that was prouided for the building of the Temple 1 Chron. 29. 9. Where we see that when Dauid himselfe hauing a great zeal and delight in the house of his God gaue of his owne Gold and Siluer and the people and Princes following his example spared no cost and expenses it is said The people reioyced when they offered willingly for they offered willingly to the Lord with a perfect hart and Dauid the King also reioyced with great ioy Againe there is great occasion offred vnto vs to glorifie God to praise his name whensoeuer he worketh this willingnesse in the hearts of his childsen and when we see their zeale to abound and their readinesse to go beyond any request that we can make vnto them
z Ephe. 2 8 9. 1 5 6. By grace are ye saued through Faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God not of works least any man should boast himselfe God will haue the glory of our iustification he will be accounted and acknowledged to bee the Iustifier and Sauiour of vs he hath not left vs to iustifie our selues nor to be our owne Sauiours as shall better appeare afterward Reason 2 Secondly there are no such properties in any mans workes as that they cannot merit or proceed from any other fountaine then Grace Let vs therefore see a What properties must be found in workes to make them merritonous what properties are necessarily required in workes to make them merritorious First they must be done of a man of himselfe by himselfe but we haue nothing of our owne to giue him but are most poore men and meere beggers and can but pay God with his owne The workes that are our owne are sufficient to deserue his wrath but haue no power at all to procure his fauour For in our selues we are wretched and miserable poore naked and destitute of all goodnesse so that it is truely saide by the Apostle Paule b 1 Cor. 4 7. Who separateth thee And what hast thou that thou hast not receiued If thou hast receiued it why reioysest thou as though thou hadst not receiued it Without him therefore we can do nothing it is he that must work in vs the will and the deede Secondly they must be such workes as are not due vnto him they must not be due debt they must come from our owne free will they must be such as God cannot iustly challenge at our hands But whatsoeuer we do we do as poore debters nay we are worse then poore debters wee are miserable Bankrupts we haue nothing we haue lesse then nothing to pay Our Sauiour hath a worthy sentence to this purpose Luke 17 10. When ye haue done all those things that are commanded you say we are vnprofitable seruants we haue done that which was our duty to do And what could Adam do and offer vnto God in his innocency but that which was his duty and whereunto he was bound vnto his Maker for his Creation and other blessings bestowed vpon him Thirdly the worke must be done to the benefit and profit of him from whom we looke to be repayed But our goodnesse and well-doing reacheth not to the Lord Psal 16. We may benefit men but wee cannot benefit our maker from whom we haue receiued life and limbe soule and body all that we haue but we can giue him nothing Now they that cānot giue anie thing to God can deserue nothing from him but wee cannot giue any thing to God according to the saying of Paule e Rom. 11 35. 36. Who hath giuen vnto him first and he shall be recompensed For of him and through him and for him are all things to him be glory for euer Amen therefore it is euident that wee cannot deserue Fourthly whatsoeuer is vnperfect cannot stand in the presence of the most iust and perfect God we must bring nothing before him but that which is absolute and able to beare and sustaine his wrath But all that we doe offer or can offer vnto God is maimed and vnperfect such are our best Workes our Prayers our Meditations our Hearing so that our righteousnesse is like a f Esay 64 6. menstruous cloath Whatsoeuer proceedeth from vs is foule and faulty no man is able to satisfie the Iustice and rigor of the Law according to that of the Apostle g Rom. 3 10 12 20. There is none righteous no not one they haue all gone out of the way they haue beene made altogether vnprofitable there is none that doth good no not one and therefore by the workes of the Law shall no flesh be iustified in his sight Wee must all entreate for pardon and forgiuenesse of our euill Workes and not stand vppon the perfection and sufficiencie of our good workes Lastly the worke and the reward must be in proportion equall for if the reward be more then the worke it is not a rewarde of desert but a guift of good will The Apostle saith Rom. 8 I account that the afflictions of this present time are not worthy of the glory which shall be shewed vnto vs. Thus then we reason Nothing can deserue but that which is equiualent to the thing deserued but nothing that we can do can equall or deserue the guiftes the least guift of God So then albeit we had some-what to giue and that wee were not as most naked and needy beggers yet it cannot be compared or correspondent to that which we receiue For grace and glory are vnvalewable and vnmatchable no price can purchase them no mony can buy them no merits can match them So then whether we consider that GOD will haue the glory of all his workes or that there is a great disproportion betweene Mercy and Merits in both respects we conclude that the guiftes of GOD giuen vnto his faithfull seruants proceede from his free grace not from our free will so that they are not deserued of vs but bestowed vpon vs. Vse 1. This Doctrine being thoroughly strengthned let vs see what Vses may be grounded from thence First we learne from hence that seeing God giueth not by desert but of his mercy that whatsoeuer we haue obtained and receiued by any prayer or other meanes from the hand of God wee must ascribe all to the glory and praise of his name and acknowledge him to bee the Author and giuer True it is we are commanded to call vpon the Lord and to put vp our suits and supplications vnto him and when we haue praied and God hath heard our prayer we must not thinke that wee haue well deserued to speed in our desires and say For my righteousnesse the strength of my Prayers I haue gotten this or that but as we vse the meanes so we must acknowledge that God findeth such faults in our best prayers that he might curse vs rather then blesse vs and condemne vs rather then heare vs and withall consider that in hearing vs he respecteth more that which is in himselfe then any thing that is in vs he is moued rather of his owne mercy then any absolutenesse that he can see in our well-doing Let vs therefore meditate vpon our owne wants and albeit we vse those helpes and Instruments that he hath appointed yet let vs giue him all the glory to whom it is wholly due When a great multitude of enemies came against Iehoshaphat he set himselfe to seeke the Lord and proclaimed a fast through out all Iudah They asked counsell of the Lord and prayed vnto him yet when God had giuen them the vpper hand they blessed not themselues but the Lord they praised not their owne zeale but his mercy and they ascribed not the victorie to their fasting and prayer but
Apostle Iames signifieth and setteth downe when he calleth the tongue a world of wickednesse and an vnruly euill a Iam. 3 7 8. Chap. 3. The whole nature of Beastes and of Birdes and of creeping thinges and thinges of the Sea is tamed and hath beene tamed by the nature of man but the tongue can no man tame The profit of this study together with the hardnesse is noted by the same Apostle in the same Chap. b Iam. 3 2. If any man sinne not in word he is a perfect man and able to bridle all the body Now because it is so excellent and difficult a study to guide and gouerne the tongue aright we must know that there is an Art and Science thereof to be learned and diuerse rules and precepts to be obserued that wee may knowe when to speake and when to holde our peace There is no Art whatsoeuer attained vnto without knowledge practise and experience The first lesson that we must learne in this study is to craue of God his assisting grace that may make this labour easie and the worke pleasant vnto vs without which we shall finde it vnpossible to holde in the Raines of our vnruly and vntamed tongues Hence it is that the Prophet saith c Psal 141 3. Set a watch ô Lord before my mouth and keepe the doore of my lippes Declaring thereby that of our selues we are not able to gouerne our tongues And againe he saith else-where d Psal 51 17. O Lord open thou my lippes and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise If God do not open our mouths we can neuer order our tongues as we ought Before we speake we must diligently consider what we speake and to what end The Wise-man telleth vs e Prou. 18 13. That he which answereth a matter before he heare it it is folly and shame to him To this purpose the Apostle teacheth vs To be slow to speake and swift to heare This vertue appeared notably in Elihu Iob 32. Who waited till Iob had spoken for they were more auncient in yeares then hee In our speaking we must be carefull that our wordes be gracious and seasoned with wisedome truth reuerence modesty meekenesse and sobrietie as it were with Salt which are contrary to the foolish rotten and gracelesse talke that aboundeth in our dayes wherein men are growne to be very Beasts f Ro. 3 13 14. Their Throat is an open Sepulcher they vse their tongues to deceit the Poyson of Aspes is vnder their Lippes their Mouth is full of cursing and bitternesse Nay the venome and Poyson of their tongues is worse then the poyson of Serpents and yet they would thinke themselues greatly wronged if they should be charged to be as a Brood of Adders and a Generation of Vipers For who knoweth not that the Serpent cannot hurt a man except he be present to see him and bite him but such as haue not learned to rule the tongue that is vnruly and to gouerne it from breaking out into vngodly and curssed speaking which is the Deuils Language doe hurt men as well absent as present as well farre off as neere at hand as much when they are from them as when they are with them The holy vse of the tongue is the g Esay 19 18. language of Canaan which we must all couet to speake that it may bee ordered according to the Word and will of GOD. But when the tongue which is an excellent Member giuen vnto vs of God to praise and glorifie his Name is abused h Iames 3 6. it is kindled by the fire of Hell according to the saying of the Apostle Iames Chapter 3. The Tongue is Fire yea a World of wickednesse so is the Tongue set among our members that it defileth the whole body and setteth on fire the course of Nature and it is set on Fire of Hell This he setteth foorth more at large in the wordes following and exhorteth vs that the harder it is to rule the tongue the more care we should vse in the gouernment of it and apply it to the honour of God and the good of our Neighbour Hence it is that he reprooueth those that one while are blessing another while are cursing with it blowing sometimes hot and sometimes cold sometimes praying to God and anone rayling at and reuiling their Bretheren i Iam. 3 10 11 There-with saith he blesse we GOD euen the Father and therewith cursse we Men which are made after the similitude of GOD out of one mouth proceedeth blessing and curssing my Brethren these thinges ought not to so to be Doth a Fountaine send forth out of one place sweete Water and Bitter c. Let vs then vse such meeknesse and moderation in our speech as that we doe not breake out into Choller let our answeres be soft and milde that anger be not kindled nor encreased nor continued If any shall reuile vs and rage against vs our dutie is to blesse and not to raile This is the Commaundement of Christ k Math. 5 44. I say vnto you loue your Enemies blesse them that cursse you do good to them that hate you and pray for them that hurt you and persecute you c. Thus doth the Apostle Peter speak l 1 Pet. 3 8 9. Loue as Brethren be pittifull be courteous not rendring euill for euill neyther rebuke for rebuke but contrariwise blesse knowing that ye are thereunto called that ye should be heirs of blessing If the least occasion of strife and contention arise among men it cannot be decided nay nor heard without such bitter tants reproaches as ought not to be nor to breake out among Brethren We ought to bee of a patient Nature and follow the example of God who beareth with vs al. The Apostle Iude affirmeth m Iude 9. That Michaell the Archangell when he stroue against the Deuill and disputed about the body of Moses durst not blame him with curssed speaking but saide The Lord rebuke thee Where we see that the Arch-angell abstained from all railing hauing to doe with the Deuill the greatest enemy of God and his people Be it that we haue to deale with bad men and such as are notoriouslie euill yet we must not take liberty to our selues to vse reuiling speeches to brawle and contend seeing the Angell would not do it and he would not do it against a worse aduersary then wee haue or can haue any We must commit reuenge vnto God who hath saide Vengeance is mine I will repay Marcus Aristarchus c. Touching Marke mentioned in this place we haue spoken already and declared out of the Actes of the Apostles that he was a Iew of the circumcision and called to be an Euangelist n Euseb lib. 3. cap. 39. who also wrote one of the Gospels as he had learned of Peter It appeareth that his Parents were well acquainted with the Apostles and receiued them into their house whereby it came to passe that Marke
as the Well-spring we haue it not of our selues we haue it from him according to that which the Euangelist Iohn setteth downe r Iohn 1 16. Of his fulnesse we haue all receiued and Grace for Grace Secondly it is called the Grace of Christ not of God the father not of God the Holie-Ghost but of Iesus Christ our Lord because hee is the meanes or as the Cunduit-pipe whereby he it is brought and conueyed vnto vs Thus the same Euangelist speaketh in the wordes following Å¿ Iohn 1 17. The Law was giuen by Moses but Grace and Truth came by Iesus Christ. He it is that is the Mediation and Propitiation for our sinnes he hath purchased the fauour of God he hath wrought reconciliation for vs so that through him we are accepted of God the Father and beloued in his beloued Ephe. 1. 6. Thirdly we must consider the Title giuen to Christ Iesus hee is called a Lord or Ruler and that in many respects First by creation in that he made vs of nothing when we had no being t Iohn 1 3. For all thinges were made by him and without him was nothing made that was made Secondly by right of Inheritance u Heb. 1 2. Psal 2 8. For he is made Heire of all thinges Thirdly by right of Dominion for he hath Dominion ouer all things and ouer vs also so that he ruleth preserueth and keepeth vs as his owne to eternall life being bought with his most preciour blood None of them can bee lost that are committed vnto him neither can any plucke them out of his hands All thinges are put vnder his feet and subiect vnto him Fourthly he is said to be our Lord he is not onely a Lord hauing right and might graunted vnto him ouer others but hee s called our Lord. First because the Father gaue him a people and chosen Generation ouer whom he should rule So then by reason of this donation appointed vnto him before all worlds he is truely called our Lord. Secondly in regard of the work of redemption which he hath wrought for vs he alone hath paid the ransom for vs and deliuered vs from the power of the Deuill so that hee hath the greatest right of possession in vs. Lastly we are thereby put in mind that we ought so to beleeue in Christ our Lord that we put our trust and confidence in him and that we rest throughly perswaded that by him we are throughly freed and deliuered from all euill It is not enough for vs or sufficient to saluation to beleeue Christ Iesus to be a Lord but we must beleeue him to be our Lord. For wee all knowe and beleeue that the Deuill is a Lord and ruleth in the hearts of the Children of disobedience he is the God of this World and a Prince that beareth great sway but wee doe neyther know nor beleeue him to be our Lord as we beleeue Christ Iesus to bee the Lord of vs all Fiftly he addeth With your Spirit He craueth this Grace to be with his Spirit whereby he meaneth as much as if he had said with you one part of man being named for the whole the more principall part being put for the whole person For man consisteth of two essentiall parts of Soule and Body True it is the Apostle Paule doth sometimes deuide man into three partes the Spirit the Soule the Body as when he prayeth for the Thessalonians x 1 Thes 5 23. That their whole Spirit and Soule and Body should be kept blamelesse vnto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ. By the Spirit he vnderstandeth the mind reason or vnderstanding which else-where hee calleth the y Ephe. 4 23. Heb. 4 12. Ephe. 4. 17 18. Spirit of your mind This is nothing else but a faculty of the reasonable soule which is seen in inuention and iudgement By the the Soule he vnderstandeth the inferior faculties and powers as the will and affections both which followeth the body which is the Instrument whereby the Spirit and Soule do worke By the Spirit in this place is not meant onely the minde or onely the Soule but the whole man is to be vnderstood as it is expounded Phil. 4. 23. The Grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with you all And Col. 4 18. Grace be with you yet he nameth the spirit because it is the principall subiect and seat of grace Sixtly the Apostle proceedeth and saith Your spirit hee speaketh not to Philemon alone saying With thy Spirit but he enlargeth his heart and saith With your Spirit as speaking to many Whereby wee are to vnderstand those to whom this Epistle is written and deliuered to wit cheefly to Philemon whose Title it beareth and to Apphia his wife to Archippus the Minister and to the Church that was in his house to all these he wisheth the Grace of Christ Lastly he endeth with the word Amen which is as much as euen so or so be it or so it shall be Indeede it is no part of the former prayer but it betokeneth and signifieth two things First an hearty desire whereby we wish that we may be heard and that God would answere vnto our requests Secondly the certainty of our confidence and the confirmation of our Faith whereby we trust that we shall be heard It is an Hebrew worde retained by the Apostles in their Epistles and in other places wherewith we are taught to conclude our Prayers withall by Christ our Sauiour It is added to shew that we should come with boldnesse and beleeue that we shall obtaine trusting in the truth of Gods promises The postscript of the Epistle Hauing thus laide open the sense and meaning of the wordes in this last Verse it shall not be amisse to speake some-what of the wordes following which are the subscription and vnder-writing of this Epistle in these wordes Written from Rome to Philemon and sent by Onesimus a Seruant It is most likely that this Epistle was written and sent at one and the same time with that entituled to the Colossians both because the same persons are named in both the Epistles the same persons writing and the same persons sending salutations to others and both of them in the Post-script are sayde to be sent by Onesimus as it were by a Carrier only heerein resteth the difference that this Epistle was deliuered to Onesimus alone to bee carried to Philemon a priuate man but the other was conueyed by Tychicus and Onesimus to the whole Church of the Colossians whereof Philemon and his Family were but one part But touching this subscription as also others in other Epistles we must vnderstand that they were added by men and are no part of the Cannonicall Scripture which is the rule of our faith to which we must yeeld without all contention or contradiction and from which we cannot appeale without intollerable iniury to the spirit of God For howsoeuer diuers of these Post-scripts may be true yet it is very plaine and