Children of God c Psal 123 3. Haue mercy vpon vs ô Lord haue mercy vpon vs for we haue suffered to much contempt This is the direction that the Apostle Iames giueth d Iames 5 5. If any of you want wisedome let him aske of God which giueth to all men liberally and reprocheth no man and it shall be giuen him This is that which the Apostle both teacheth and craueth The Grace of our Lord Iesus Christ the loue of God and the Communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all The like we see vsed by the Apostle Iohn Reuel 1. 4. All which testimonies serue directly to teach vs that what blessings soeuer we want we must beg them of God and of him onely Reason 1. Let vs see the Reasons to confirme vs in this truth First God is the fountaine of all good thinges and the Well-spring of all graces whatsoeuer Hee is a most bountifull and liberall Giuer none can helpe vs but he alone If hee shut his handes who can open them If hee stoppe his eares who can heare If hee turne awaie his eye from vs who can see our wantes If hee close vp his heart who can shew mercie Hence it is that the Apostle saith e Rom 11 36. For of him and through him and for him are all thinges to him bee glory for euer Amen And Iames in the first Chapter of his Epistle Iam. 1. 17. f Iames 1 17. Euery good giuing and euery perfect guift is from aboue and commeth downe from the Father of lights with whom is no variablenesse neither shaddow of turning Reason 2. Secondly the three persons in Trinity doe worke ioyntly together euen from the first beginning of our creation to the last finishing of our saluation It is said all things were made by the Sonne g Iohn 1 3. and that without him nothing was made that was made the Spirit also did sustaine and vphold that confused Lumpe which was the matter of the vniuersall so that they are said and set downe to be Creators as well as the Father In the worke of our saluation the Father willeth it and electeth vs the Sonne meriteth and deserueth it the Holy Ghost applyeth and appropriateth it This is it which Christ himselfe h Iohn 5 17. 16 13. saith Ioh. 5. My Father worketh hitherto and I worke And Chap. 16. When he commeth which is the Spirit of truth he will lead you into all truth So we might say the like touching the guifts of Sanctification and Iustification the Father forgiueth and washeth away sinne by the blood of Christ through the sprinkling of the Spirit he mortifieth sinne by the power of the death of Christ through the working of the Holy Ghost he raiseth vnto newnesse of life by the power of Christes Resurrection applyed by the Spirit hee iustifieth vs by the righteousnesse of Christ imputed and appropriated vnto vs by the Spirit Seeing therefore that God is a most munificent and liberall giuer rich vnto all and niggardly to none and seeing these three persons beeing one God doe worke ioyntly together in all things touching the creation of the World and the saluation of man and the redemption of our Soules it followeth whensoeuer we want any guifts needefull for Soule or body for this life or the life to come we must aske the supply of them at the handes of God onely the Father the Sonne and holy Ghost Vse 1. Now let vs handle the Vses breefely that arise from hence First we see that it is necessary for all that would pray aright and would obtaine that which they desire to be well instructed in the Vnity of the Godhead and the Trinity of the persons and to know the distinct properties of the persons without the vnderstanding whereof wee worship not the true God but an Idoll Our Sauiour in his conference with the Woman of Samaria chargeth the i Iohn 4 12. Samaritans to worship they know not what so doe many in our dayes both Heretiques and ignorant persons they call vppon God confusedlie but they haue no particular knowledge of God at all We must conceiue no otherwise of God in our minde then he hath expressed in his word The scripture teacheth to knowledge to beleeue to worship one God and him onely If we conceiue or imagine or receiue a multiplicity of Gods wee turne the truth of God into a lie and we erect vnto our selues so many Idols Againe the same Scripture setteth before vs three persons in that Godhead the Father which is the first person in the Trinity of himselfe the Son which is the second person begotten of the Father the holy Ghost which is the third person proceeding from the Father and the Sonne The Father is God the Sonne is God the holy Ghost is God and yet these three persons are not three Gods but one onely God And heere we haue in this place a notable Testimony of the God-head of the Sonne where the Apostle desireth and prayeth for grace and peace to be giuen to Philemon and his Wife to Archippus and the Church not onely from God the Father but from the Lord Iesus Christ This had bin monstrous horrible Idolatry and blasphemy Lastly if Christ had not bin in Nature Maiesty and glory equal with the Father hee of whom and from whom we craue spirituall and eternall gifts k Iohn 1 16. And of whose fulnesse we receiue and grace for grace must be confessed and beleeued to be God but such is Christ Iesus and therefore let this be an article of our Faith written in our hearts acknowledged with our mouth and confessed in the Church for euer that Christ is true God Vse 2. Secondly all good things are to be craued of God whether it be the supplying of his graces or the remoouing of our troubles we are taught to goe immediatly to God by Christ whensoeuer he blesseth vs and to returne vnto himselfe the praise of his owne worke This duty being required it serueth to meete with many corruptions that are too common in the world It conuinceth such Heathnish minded men as are of dead harts and haue no spark of the life of Gods Spirite in them that receiue and swallow vp daily diuers blessinges yet neuer looke to GOD that blesseth them but wee are like vnto the Swine that goe groueling to the ground like the Horse and Mule that haue no vnderstanding at all and so vse all the profites and pleasures of this life without any acknowledgement and consideration from whence they come and of whom they haue receiued them l Ezek. 32 6. or like vnto the Israelites when they had forsaken God They sate downe to eate and drinke and rose vp to play or as c Gen. 25 34. Esau He did eate and drinke he rose vp and went his way he filled his paunch and such was his prophanenesse that hee was touched with nothing These men doe daily deuour infinite
Answer I answer It is a generall rule in all Arts and true in Diuinity That which is vnderstood is not wanting So then the holy Ghost the third person in Trinity is not omitted though not expressed for he must of necessity be vnderstood who proceedeth from them both namely from the Father and the Sonne Christ saith in his m Iohn 17. Prayer This is eternall life to know thee to be the onely true God and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ yet the holy Ghost in this place is not excluded from both the persons but included and comprehended together with them for these three are one n Iohn 5. as the Apostle teacheth Thus much touching the order and meaning of the words Now let vs proceede to the obseruations out of the same and then come to the Doctrines Obseruations out of this ver The obseruations out of this verse containing the salutation are not many which we will point out First of all we see the matter of his Prayer what it is he asketh not the fauour of Men but of God he craueth not earthly and worldly peace but spirituall and heauenly True it is the fauour and good will of Men the outward peace and tranquilitie one with another are worthy and excellent guiftes but the free and fatherly fauour of God together with peace with GOD the Father beeing reconciled vnto vs in his deare Sonne are much to be preferred in our desires Heereby wee haue that peace o Phil. 4 7. of conscience which passeth all vnderstanding which teacheth vs to rest in God as in a most louing Father with all confidence and assurance Secondly as wee learne cheefelie to aske spirituall blessings so wee see what blessings among such as are spirituall are the principall and predominant to wit the fauour of God and peace of conscience He that is possessed of these two hath an hid Mine of Treasures with which all the Wealth and Riches of the World are not to bee compared vnto For these blessings are heauenly are spirituall are eternall whereas the substance of this World is Temporall is Transitorie is corruptible The Worlde it selfe must passe and vanish away and all these earthly things must decay and perish with it Thirdly the Apostle in some of his Epistles vseth three wordes p 1 Tim. 1 2. and 2 Tim 1 2. 2 Iohn 3. Grace Mercy and Peace heere hee contenteth himselfe with naming two Grace and Peace omitting and leauing out Mercy wherein there is no contrariety or diuersity for as much as Mercy is included vnder Peace For by Mercy is vnderstood our Iustification which consisteth partly in the forgiuenesse of our sinnes and partly in the imputation of Christs righteousnesse which do bring true peace with them Fourthly we see from whom hee asketh all these to wit first from God the Father to teach that he is the Authour of euery good giuing and perfect guift If then we stand in neede of them we must goe to him we must aske them of him we can receiue them of none but of him q Iam. 1 5 17 as the Apostle Iames teacheth Fiftly we see that to God the Father he ioyneth Iesus Christ for all blessings are bestowed vpon vs through Christ the Mediator of the New Testament God the Father is the Fountaine Christ is the Pipe or Cunduit by whom they are conueied vnto vs. He that hath not him hath not the Father Hee that is not in him remaineth in death Hence it is that the Euangelist saith r Iohn 3 36. He that beleeueth in the Sonne hath euerlasting life and hee that obeyeth not the Sonne shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him Sixtly obserue the Title giuen vnto him he is called the Lord of his Church it is a Kingdome whereof he is the Prince it is a Citty whereof he is the Gouernor it is an house whereof he is the Maister it is a body whereof he is the head So then all obedience is due to him and all men how great soeuer must acknowledge his Lordship ouer them Lastly in that he craueth grace and peace from Christ our Lord as well as from God the Father it confirmeth our Faith in a Fundamentall point of Christian Religion touching the Deity of Christ n Phil. 2 6. Who is GOD equall with the Father against the Arrians and other Heretiques that deny his Eternity For seeing hee giueth grace and peace as well as the Father we conclude him to be true God Co-eternall and Co-equall with the Father Grace c. This word in the Scripture hath two significations the ignorance whereof hath bred great errour and be one the occasion of stumbling in the Church of Rome First it signifieth Gods good will and fauour Secondlie some guift of God freely bestowed which is grace of his grace and so the o Rom. 5 15. Apostle doth distinguish the grace of God from the gift that is by grace In this place we must vnderstand not any particular gift of God infused into vs as faith hope loue and such like but the free fauour and loue of God whereby he accepteth of some in Christ for his owne Children for wee see heere it is discerned and distinguished from peace which is a guift of Grace and therefore cannot signifie the same thing This grace and good will of God is the Fountaine of all Gods blessings and the foundation of all mans happinesse All that we haue is of Grace it is the beginning of all good thinges in vs. Our p Rom. 11 5. 2 Tim. 1 9. Rom 3 24. Ezek. 36 27. Ephe. 2 10. Rom. 6 23. Election Redemption Vocation Iustification Sanctification Glorification is of grace onely we can ascribe nothing to our selues Now in this Diuine Salutation and Apostolicall Benediction mark that the Apostle beginneth with this grace Doct. 1. The free fauor of God is of vs chiefely to be desired From hence we learne that the fauour of God is to be sought for aboue all other thinges The free grace and vndeserued loue of God is the first and highest and onely cause of all blessings is aboue al things to be desired and intreated at the hands of God Consider the example of Dauid Psal 4. Many say q Psal 4 6. who will shew vs any good But Lord lift thou vp the light of thy countenance vpon me As if he should say let worldly men seek what they will and let them place their happinesse in riches pleasures and vanities but my desire is after thy loue and fauour aboue all Hence it is that he calleth and accounteth God his portion r Psal 16 5. 18 2. his lot his inheritance his rocke his refuge his shield and Castle of defence to shew that all his ioy was in Gods fauour all his comfort in Gods loue and that he preferred his grace before all thinges in the world besides This affection is also expressed in the
horror of conscience vexation of spirit and confusion of face Woe then woe I say to all idle Ministers and sluggish people that when they are to bee gathered vnto their Fathers and ly vpon their death beds cannot remember what good they haue done but shall bee troubled and tormented with the consideration of this what good they might haue done that they might haue beene fruitfull trees but haue beene barren Good ground but haue beene euill These men haue nothing else to muse and meditate vpon but how they haue spent whol dayes and nights whole moneths and yeares in eating and drinking in feasting and company in pleasures and pastimes in surfetting and drunkennes and what comfort shall their poore distressed soule and languishing bodye feele in that day but crie out with a lamentable cry and a pittifull howling able to mooue the stones and to pierce the rockes that all is vanity and then condemne their folly that haue placed their happinesse in this vnhappinesse and the ioy of their spirit in this sorrow of their heart For if that be true which the Prophet saith o Psal 128 1 2 Prou. 10 4. Blessed is euerie one that feareth the Lord and walketh in his wayes when thou eatest the labours of thine hands thou shalt be blessed and it shall be well with thee It is no doubt as true that such as eate not the fruit of their labors but eate the fruite of their lazinesse and loytering are accurssed This is it which our Sauiour addeth p Luke 12 45 46. If that seruant say in his heart My Maister doth deferre his comming and shall begin to smite the Seruants and Maidens and to eate and drinke and to be drunken The Maister of that seruant will come on a day when he thinketh not and at an houre when he is not ware of and will cut him off and giue him his portion with the vnbeleeuers that Seruant that knew his Maisters will and prepared not himselfe neither did according to his will shall be beaten with many stripes Where he teacheth that as eternall life is the reward of diligence and discharge of our duty so is eternal destruction the wages of all idle bellies Such as do no good to others shall know at the last that they haue indeed done no good vnto themselues The more seruiceable wee haue beene to others the more profitable shall we be in the end to our selues and the comfort of all shall be felt in our hearts when wee shall say with the Apostle q 2 Tim. 4 7 8 I haue fought a good fight I haue finished my course I haue kept the Faith henceforth is laid vp for me the Crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous iudge shall giue me at that day and not to mee onely but vnto all them also that loue his appearing A notable example heereof wee haue in Obadiah who was Gouernor of Ahabs house when he saw himselfe in distresse of famine in fear least Eliah should depart he called to remembrance the fruits of his Faith the worship of God and the fauour shewed to his children and heerein hee was comforted When Iezebel r 1 Kin. 18 13 slew the Prophets of the Lord he hid an hundred men of the Lords Prophets by fifties in a Caue and fed them with bread and water Let vs therefore neuer bee without such arguments to comfort vs wee shall finde the benefit of them when we are in trouble and especially when we are going out of the world And that whatsoeuer good thing is in you through Christ Iesus may be knowne The Apostle in these wordes mentioneth this to be the cause why he would haue the guifts of God bestowed vpon Philemon to be communicated to others because by that meanes they might be made knowne to others and acknowledged by others and so spread abroad farre and neere Doctrine 3. The goodnesse of God toward our selues or other must be made knowne Wee learne from hence that it is the duty of euery one to manifest and shew forth yea to spread abroad and to speake of the guifts of God bestowed vpon themselues and others When God is good toward vs and distributeth his graces among vs we must be ready to confesse and acknowledge them when we feele them in our selues or see them in others This our Sauiour a Mat 5 16. teacheth Math. 5. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in Heauen Thus the spirit of God in the Scriptures remembreth the righteousnesse of Noah the faith and obedience of Abraham the patience of Iob the chastity of Ioseph the meeknesse of Moses the single heart of Dauid the sincerity of Nathaniell the labours of Paule the repentance of Peter the restitution of Zacheus Christ Iesus publisheth the graces of God that shined in Iohn Baptist b Iohn 5 35. he saith he was a burning and shining Candle and that they would for a season haue reioyced in his light The Apostle declareth c 1 Tim 4 14. that the faith of the Romanes is published throughout the whole world The praise of Timothy was noysed and notifyed in the Church wherof Paule putteth him in mind to make his proceedings answearable to his beginnings and to the hope that was conceiued of him c 1 Tim 4 14. Despise not the guift that is in thee which was giuen thee by prohecie with the laying on of the handes of the company of the Eldership So likewise the fact of Mary annointing the body of Christ and working a good worke vpon him to bury him is commanded to be made knowne and not kept secret d Mat 26 13. Verily I say vnto you wheresoeuer this Gospell shall be preached throughout all the world there shall also this that she hath done be spoken off for a memoriall of her Thus the Apostle remembreth the e 1 Thes 1 3. effectuall faith and diligent loue and the patience of that hope in our Lord Iesus Christ which was in the Thessalonians So he recordeth and commendeth the liberallity that was in them of Macedonia toward the poore Saintes at Ierusalem that were in distresse All which Testimonies serue to teach vs that it is our duty to publish the guifes of God vpon vs or our bretheren not to hide them to spread them abroad not to smother them to make them knowne not to couer and conceale them to our selues Reason 1. And albeit these examples may be sufficient to moue vs to embrace this as a certain truth yet we haue sundry reasons yeelded in the Scriputre farther to confirme it vnto vs. First to the end that Gods graces being seene knowne he may be glorified and blessed for them who is the author and giuer of them It ought to be our chiefest desire and study that God may haue his praise and glory among vs. This is that reason which Christ our Sauiour
are to be learned of vs. Obiection 1. First our Sauiour sayeth Math. 23 9. Call no man your Father vpon the earth y Mat. 23 9 10 for there is but one your Father which is in heauen Bee not called Doctours for one is your Doctor euen Christ If then God onely be our Father and no man is to bee called by this name either we must account the Ministers Goddes which were blasphemy or debarre and deny them this Title which were contrary vnto other Scriptures Answere I answere Christ doth not in these words forbid the denomination but restraine the ambition of men as appeareth by the conclusion of the words Verse 12. Whosoeuer will exalt himselfe shall bee brought lowe and whosoeuer will humble himselfe shall be exalted Hence it is that the Apostle calleth himselfe z 1 Tim. 2 7 1 Cor. 4 15. as well the Doctor of the Gentiles as the Father of the Corinthians It is one thing to haue the name and another thing greedily to hunt after it and proudly to challenge it to our selues Besides touching the fountaine of our first birth and the foundation of our faith and regeneration he is our onely Father we ascribe it to no man vpon the earth But euen as touching our naturall being hee hath ordained subordinate causes as his Instruments and fellow-workers to beget vs and bring vs into this world and to giue vs life a Exod. 20 12. whom he doth honor with the titles of Fathers and Mother So touching our new birth although it be the sole worke of the spirite and therefore proper to God yet because he worketh it by the word Sacraments the preaching and dispensation whereof he hath committed to the Ministers and appointed to be conueyed to men by their meanes he dooth communicate to them the appellation of Fathers as those whom he vseth to bring vs beget vs vnto God So then Paul so giueth himselfe the name of Father as that he neither robbeth God nor taketh from him the least iot of the honor that is due to his name For it is a common rule that they are not contrary which are subordinate When one is vnder another and inferiorly ordered ordained to another there is a good agreement betweene them God is the choise cause Paule is the Instrumentall Obiection 2. Againe the Apostle depresseth and derogateth from the Ministerie and sayth b 1 Cor 3 6 7 I haue planted Apollos watered but God gaue the encrease So then neither is he thar planteth any thing neyther he that watereth but God that giueth the encrease How then doth it come to passe that he doeth there so much debase them and heere so greatly honour them as to make them fellow workers yea fellow-fathers with God He may seeme to be vnconstant as a Reede shaken with the winde and to lift vp and cast downe at his owne pleasure Answere I answere the contrariety is not in the wordes of the Apostle the difference is in the persons with whom he dealeth and to whom he writeth So there seemeth a contradiction betweene Paule and Iames in the matters of Faith and Good-works c Rom. 3 20. Iames 2 24. Gal. 2 16. Paule saith We are not iustified by workes Iames saith We are iustified by Workes Paule saith We are not iustified but by Faith Iames sayeth We are not iustified by Faith onely Heere is a shew of dissention but it is onely in shew not in trueth for then in one of them should be no truth The Reason why they vse a different order of teaching is the diuersity of the Schollers which they instructed and the contrary affection of such as they taught and informed Paule had to do with Iusticiaries that sought to be iustified partly by faith and partly by works partly by Christ partly by themselues partly by somwhat in another and partly by somwhat in themselues partly by the merits of another and partly by their own strength and merits Iames had not to do with such persons but with Libertines and loose liuers which confessed in wordes free Iustification thorough Faith in Christ yet they were deceiued and had not learned that all those that are iustifyed are also sanctified that all that are in Christ are become newe Creatures that they are borne anew and walke not after the flesh but after the spirit and therefore thought workes needlesse and fruitlesse Thus Paul dealt in this place If at any time he saw so much honour giuen to the Ministers as that Gods honour was diminished or any way obscured and so hee robbed of his glory then hee pulled downe their estimation that God might haue his right and be vnto vs all in all But if on the other side they were debased and disgraced as in these dayes they are whereby the word also was abhorred and God the Author of it and the ordainer of them dishonoured they ought to haue their due they are to magnify their office and to be esteemed as the Ministers of Christ As for example when we haue to deale either with the Anabaptists that wait for reuelations and vtterly reiect the Ministry Ministers of the worde or with those prophane Atheists of our time who contemn them and count them idle and of no vse and so haue no regard of them or respect vnto them wee are to shew in what an high calling God hath seated them He saith of them d Math. 10 20 It is not you that speake but the spirite in you He saith of them He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me He saith of them Whose sinnes ye remit they are remitted whose sinnes ye retaine they are retained This serueth to stop the mouthes of carnall men and alloweth vs to know our selues when the worlde will not know vs or acknowledge vs. But when we haue to deale with those of the Church of Rome who make their Pope a God on earth and set their Cardinals and Clergy aboue the word we are to be taught what the Ministry is of it self being separated from the spirit of God an empty sound without force and a bare Instrument without effect in the hand of the workeman that can do nothing of it selfe but as it is vsed and applied by the worke-man Thus much of the remoouing of such Obiections as might hinder the vse and profit of this Doctrine Vse 1. Now let vs come to consider the Vses which are either general belonging ioyntly both to the Pastors people or special belonging to either of them First seeing the Minister and people ought to loue as Father and Sonne it teacheth them to cut off all occasions of discord and diuision and to nourish loue and mutuall concorde one with another It may bee many occasions may arise which if by wisedome they be not smothered and suppressed in the beginning they are as little sparkes that quickly break out into a flame and the flame
ſ Gen. 31 40. Hee was in the day consumed with heate and with frost in the night and his sleepe departed from his eyes whatsoeuer was torne of Beastes he brought it not vnto him but made it good himselfe This is it which the Centurion in the Gospell confesseth and commendeth in his seruants t Math. 8 9. For I am a man also vnder the authority of another and I haue Souldiers vnder me and I say to one Goe and he goeth and to another Come and hee commeth and to my seruant do this and hee doth it These examples also of that seruant and Souldier that waited vppon Cornelius is notable to this purpose u Acts 10 7. who being trained vp in the feare of God shewed all fidelity and forwardnesse to performe the will and commaundement of his Maister and went to bring Peter by whose Ministerie they might bee further instructed Thus we see that religious seruants are the best Seruants the most dilligent Seruants the most true and trustie Seruants the most prouident and profitable Seruants and therefore it belongeth to al Masters of families to be carefull to teach them the feare of the Lorde and to traine them in the wayes of godlinesse Heereby they shall honor God heerby they shal do great good to their soules heerby they shal discharge a good Conscience heereby they shall procure their owne profite and further their owne gaine Which in times past was to thee vnprofitable but nowe profitable both to thee and to mee The Apostle in this place speaking of the estate of Onesimus and shewing what hee was before his Conuersion and what hee was after dooth fitly distinguish the times and sayeth that before his Calling to the Faith hee was vnprofitable seruing to no other purpose but to feede himselfe and fill vp a place but no good no grace no godlinesse appeared to bee in him But where did he conuerse and lead this life Was it where the name of God was not knowne or where the sound of the Gospell was not heard No it was in faithfull Philemons house This may at the first seeme a very strange and wonderfull thing that he liuing in so religious an house in so reformed a family with so godly a company which had the reputation of a little Church should fauour nothing of piety nothing of Christianitie but remaine in vnfaithfulnesse toward God and in vnrighteousnesse toward his Maister Doctrine 2. In godly families are manie times vngodly Children and Seruants In godly families are manie times vngodly Children and Seruants From this description of Onesimus in the time of his ignorance before his eyes were opened and his heart reformed wee learne that it falleth out notwithstanding the desire and diligence of the Gouernors of the house that in reformed families are oftentimes found vnreformed persons In godly places do many times lurke vngodly Children and vncorrigible seruants into whose hearts no instruction will enter and whose disposition no meanes of reformation can alter We see this in the first family that euer was vpon the earth and there haue beene no more wicked men in the world then they that haue had the best meanes to direct them Adam had malicious and murthering Caine Abraham had persecuting and sauage Ishmaell Noah had scoffing and cursed Cham Isaac had vngracious and prophan Esau Dauid had ambitious and aspyring Absalom So it was with Eli with Samuel with Hezekiah with Iosiah sundry others who after good means vsed by themselues haue found much euill practised by their Children The Fathers are often carefull to lay a good foundation to nurture their children with good instruction a Homer Odysis lib. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet few children prooue like their Fathers but are a degenerate and vnregenerate off-spring Reason 1. And albeit this do sufficiently appeare vnto vs by Testimonies of Scripture and by daily experience yet we shall farther be confirmed in this truth if we waigh the Reasons whereupon it standeth First Religion commeth not by inheritance and grace cannot be conueyed by propagation but euery man begetteth his like as he himselfe is by nature as one Serpent engendereth another This Moses teacheth that when Adam was faln from God and had lost the grace of sanctification b Gen. 5 3. He begat a child in his owne likenes after his owne Image Godly Parents may leaue their children temporal possessions but they cannot bequeath vnto them Faith and a good conscience which are not to be found in the naturall man Reason 2. Secondly there must be a new byrth begun by Gods spirit for the grace of regeneration whereby we are brought to haue one foote in Gods Kingdome is not of flesh and blood but of water and the spirit it is not of the will of man but of the worke of God This is it which our Sauiour setteth downe c Iohn 1 12 13 and 3 3 5. As many as receiued him to them he gaue prerogatiue to be the sonnes of God euen to them that beleeue in his Name which are borne not of bloode nor of the will of the Flesh nor of the will of man but of God Likewise when hee disputed with Nicodemus who was ignorant of this Doctrine he saith Verily verily I say vnto thee except that a man be borne of Water and of the spirit he cannot enter into the kingdome of God It is he onely that gaue the heart that is able to change the heart it is hee that gaue the eyes that is able to open the eyes Reason 3. Thirdly albeit the vnregenerate persons and loose liuers doe not want education and good bringing vp yet they are not amended and reformed because God doth not purpose their conuersion but appoint their confusion The Lord stirred vp Pharaoh d Rom. 9 17. to this same purpose that hee might shew his power in him and that his name might be declared throughout al the earth yet he sent vnto him Moses and Aaron to cleare his owne Iustice to make him without excuse The like the Scripture speaketh of the sonnes of Eli who were reproued of him for making the Israelites to trespasse and to abhorre the offerings of the Lord yet they regarded not his reproofe beeing the Father of their bodies the Priest of the most high God and the iudge of the people and this reason is rendered why they obeyed not his voice hearkned not to his Counsell e 1 Sam. 2 25. Because the Lord would slay thē So then whether we do consider that grace cannot be conueyed by propagation or that it is the proper worke of the spirit to effect our regeneration or that God will glorifie his great name in the confusion of such as break the bands and cast away the Cordes of Discipline from them wee cannot greatly maruaile that in reformed places are oftentimes to bee found vnreformed persons Vse 1. Let vs make vse of this Doctrine and see
Catechizing instruction we are not to present our selues rashly and vnreuently as if wee went to heare a Play or to see some pastime or to dispatch some worldly busines but we must performe these holy actions with a conscience of our duties to God with a care of our own saluation We haue not of our selues eares to heare nor eyes to see nor hearts to vnderstand we are not able to conceiue the things that are of God without the assisting and strengthening Spirit of God Before we come to heare the word read vnto vs or the principles of Religion laid before vs or to ioyn in prayer with our Brethren h Iames 1 19. 1 Pet. 2 1. Eccle. 4 17. Exod. 19 10 we must purge our affections of wrath filthinesse maliciousnesse dissimulation hypocrisie enuy and euill speaking For so long as these corruptions are found in vs to offer vnto vs the Word is all one as if most pure Waters were powred into a stinking and polluted Vessell whereby they are made vnprofitable We must vse earnest and hearty prayer vnto the Lord to open our blind eyes and deafe eares i Psa 119 18. That we may vnderstand the wonderfull things of his Law k Ezek. 36 26 That he would take away our stony hearts and giue vs hearts of Flesh in which his Word may be deepely imprinted And whensoeuer we are performing these heauenly duties l Actes 10 33 1 Thes 2 13. Luke 10 16. we must account our selues to be in Gods presence wee must remember that he is either speaking to vs or we are speaking to him and we must stirre vp our selues to all attention Thus it shall come to passe that the word of God which worketh in many to condemnation shall bee to vs the Seede of regeneration the food of the soule the curing of our corruptions the light of our waies and the meanes of working in vs all necessary graces of God in this life and of assuring vnto vs euerlasting happinesse in the life to come Verse 12. Whom I haue sent againe thou therefore receiue him that is mine owne Bowels Hitherto the Apostle hath named and described the party or person for whom he prayeth Now he sheweth breefely the matter of his request and the account that he maketh of him The request is that he would receiue him into his House and retaine him into his seruice againe the account made of him that he was to him as his Bowels euen most deare and tender being made a member of Christ though a poore Slaue and abiect Seruant by his calling and a Fugitiue Runna-gate by his former condition whereby we see the louing affection and tender compassion of Paule toward him for our imitation As if he should haue said If I thought or imagined that he would be as vnprofitable vnto thee hereafter as he hath beene heeretofore I would neuer haue giuen him my Letters of commendation nor haue sent him backe vnto thee in this manner For I should be of this mind rather to haue him punished then receiued But now I am not afraid of it or discouraged from sending him vnto thee I haue had a comfortable experience of his faithfull seruice who ministred vnto me in my necessities I haue therefore good cause to conceiue a good opinion of him and to giue this testimony of him that hee was neuer so vnprofitable to thee as I haue found him profitable to me Doctrine 3. Former offences vppon true repentance are to be forgiuen and forgotten We learne from hence that former offences vpon true repentance and amendment of life are to bee remitted and pardoned by all true Christians Whensoeuer our Bretheren haue trespassed against vs and offended vs it is our duty vpon their vnfained repentance to forgiue them to forget their iniuries and to receiue them into fauour againe Whereas Onesimus fled from his Maister it was a sinne from so good a Maister it was a greater sinne but whereas he conueyed away with him his Maisters goods and did steale from him at his departure this was more heynous and made his offence worst of all yet vpon his repentance he laboureth to haue him forgiuen and to haue his trespasse put out of remembrance This is offered to our considerations in the Parable of the prodigall Sonne when once hee resolued to leaue his loose life and to returne backe to his m Luke 15 20 Fathers house from which he shamefully departed he was entertained with a kisse and receiued into fauour and had his former misdoings and misdemeanours forgiuen When Peter came to Christ and said n Math. 18 21 22. Maister how oft shall my Brother sinne against me and I shall forgiue him Vnto seauen times Iesus saide vnto him I say not vnto thee Vnto seauen times but vnto seauenty times seauen times To this purpose Christ propounded a parable of a certaine King o Verse 23 32 33 34 35. which would take an account of his Seruants and finding one that was vnmercifull and hard-hearted to one of his Fellow-Seruants he called him vnto him and saide vnto him O euill Seruant I forgaue thee all that debt because thou prayedst me oughtest not thou also to haue had pitty on thy Fellow-Seruant euen as I had pitty on thee So his Lord was wroth and deliuered him to the Tormentours till he should pay all that was due to him so likewise shall mine heauenly Father doe vnto you except ye forgiue from your hearts each one to his Brother their Trespasses We haue in the Scriptures sundry examples of the practise of this Doctrine and of the performance of this duty We see this in Ioseph toward his brethren when they desired forgiuenesse and craued pardon at his handes after the death of their Father p Gen. 50 20 21. he said vnto them When ye thought euill against mee God disposed it to good that hee might bring to passe as it is at this day and saue much people Feare not now therefore I will nourish you and your Children and he comforted them and spake kindely vnto them This Paule himselfe practised and moued others to practise toward the incestious Corinthians q 2. Cor. 2 7 8 9 10. It is sufficient vnto the same man that he was rebuked of many so that now contrary-wise ye ought rather to forgiue him and comfort him least the same should bee swallowed vp with ouer much heauinesse Wherefore I pray you that you would confirme your loue toward him to whom ye forgiue any thing I forgiue also for verily if I forgaue any thing to whom I forgaue it for your sakes forgaue I it in the sight of Christ To this purpose the same Apostle saith r Ephe. 4 26 27 31 32. Be angry but sinne not let not the Sunne goe downe vpon your wrath neither giue place to the Deuill And afterward Let all bitternesse and anger and wrath and crying and euill speaking be put away from you with all
faces from the faithfull as the Priest and Leuite did in the Gospell but be ready to helpe as God giueth ability and offereth opportunity Nay it is not enough for vs to succor such religious Saints as we see want succour but we must learne and labour to know the state of the Church and aske of others howe it fareth with the godly poore among vs. The children of God haue gone before vs in the doing of this dutie It is noted of Abraham the Father of the faithfull that he waited not till the strangers craued entertainment at his hands but he ran to meete them from the Tent doore and prayed them to take some refreshing at his hands z Ge. 18 19 Heb. 13 2. whereby he receiued Angels into his house at vnawares If we beleeue him to be the Father of the faithfull as the Scripture calleth him that we would be accounted as his children wee must be carefull to doo the workes of Abraham They are not children that tread not in his steps and follow not his example The like we might say of Lot who sat at the gate of Sodom and rose vp to meete the men and prayed them to turne into their seruants house and to lodge with him all night The holy man Iob iustifieth his innocency cleareth himselfe from Hypocrisie a Iob. 31 32 That he suffered not the stranger to lodge in the street but opened his doores vnto him that went by the way Nehemiah was carefull to know the state of the Church b Nehem. 1 2. and asked his brethren that came from Ierusalem concerning the Iewes that were deliuered which were of the residue of the captiuity by whom he heard that they liued in great affliction in reproach that the Citty was broken downe and the gates thereof burnt with fire So the Shunamite hauing prepared a Chamber for Elisha to lodge him and set therein a bed and a Table a Stoole and a Candlesticke constrained him to come into her house to eate bread We see how Lazarus and his two Sisters Martha and Mary receiued the Lord Iesus to house c Luke 10 38. Iohn 11 3. ministred vnto him They fed him and hee fed them they gaue him the meate that perisheth but he gaue them the bread of life and the meate that endureth for euer Likewise the Euangelist Luke noteth in the Acts of the Apostles that when the heart of Lydia was opened to attend to the thinges that Paule deliuered she besought them saying d Acts 16 15. If ye iudged me to be faithfull to the Lord come into my house and abide there and she constrained them These are worthy examples of faithfull men and women that teach vs by their owne practise what maner of seruice is due to the Saints not onely to helpe those whose miserie we know but to enquire of them whose state we do not know This indeed is pure and perfect loue when we do to our brethren as we desire they shold deale toward vs. The Wise-man would haue euery one e Prou. 27 23 to bee diligent to know the state of his flocke much more it is required of vs to enquire the state of Gods flocke which is his Church that hee hath redeemed with his precious blood It is not therefore enough for vs to say wee knew not their wants seeing all those are wilfully ignoraunt that haue the meanes to come knowledge and yet will not vse the meanes We may oftentimes know the necessities of the Saints but we will not enquire of them because we wil not know them This shal not excuse vs in the sight of God but accuse the more because our ignorance is affected ignorance inasmuch as we might knowe and yet we do not desire to know Verse 14. But without thy minde would I do nothing that thy benefit should not be as it were of necessitie but willingly We haue seene already the reason why Paul was desirous to haue retained Onesimus with him to wit that hee might haue ministred vnto him and serued him in his afflictions that did befall him for the Gospels sake Now he declareth the reason why without the knowledge and consent of Philemon he would not detaine him to the end that the dutie or good turne which he might that way receiue at his handes might be done freely willingly and chearefully not by constraint and compulsion Doctrine 2. All Christian duties done to God or man must be done willingly and cheerefully Heereby we learne that all Christian duties doone to God or man must be done with a free willing chearefull and hearty affection This is it which the Lord requireth Deut. 6. Heare ô Israell the Lord our God is Lorde onely And thou shalt loue the Lord thy God f Deut. 6 5. Math. 22 37. with all thine hart and with all thy soule and with all thy might So the Prophet Dauid g Psa 119 108 prayeth O Lord I beseech thee accept the free offerings of my mouth and teach me thy iudgments No other Sacrifices please God but such as are free and voluntary all things must bee done in loue with a ready minde The Apostle teacheth that h Rom. 12 8. Hee that distributeth must do it with simplicity he that ruleth with diligence he that sheweth mercie with chearefulnesse This also was figured out vnto vs in the shadowes and Ceremonies of the Law when the people were commaunded to offer a male without blemish presenting him i Leuitic 1 3. of his owne voluntarily vvill at the doore of the Tabernacle of the congregation before the Lorde declaring thereby that our seruing of him must not be grudgingly but wee must performe it frankly and freely and with a willing minde The Apostle moouing the Corinthians to bountifulnesse toward the poor Saints at Ierusalem teacheth them that they must offer a free will offring k 2 Cor 8 19 I sent the brother whose praise is in the Gospell which seemeth to bee l Acts 13 2. Barnabas who is also chosen of the Churches to be a fellow in our iourney concerning this grace which is ministred by vs vnto the glory of the same Lord and declaration of your prompt minde All these vvords of Scripture are vvitnesses of this trueth beyond all exception that God neuer liketh of constrained seruice but will haue men to doo their duties to him voluntarily as is fit to be performed of the creature toward his Creator and of the Childe tovvard his Father Reason 1. Let vs see hovv the reasons vvil make this better to appeare vnto vs that vve may haue strong proofe to put the matter out of all doubt First God loueth a cheerefull giuer a cheerefull seruant a cheerfull seruice It is the hart and the invvard affections that he accepteth regardeth vvhich is the principall part of a man and the fountaine from whence al outward actions proceed He will haue the heart or else he will