were ioyntly described by the cause common to them both In this Verse and the seuenth they are described seuerally And first his Prayer in this sixt Verse from the matter of it This was that which he prayed for in PHILEMONS behalfe That the communication of his Faith might be effectuall in the knowledge c. The words are something obscure First then By the Communication of thy Faith vnderstand Thy Faith communicating it selfe Then the words following in the knowledge c. are to bee vnderstood Passiuely not Actiuely Therefore the sence is well expressed in our English Translation That whatsoeuer good thing is in you may be knowne for he speaketh of that knowledge which others should haue of PHILEMONS vertues and not that which PHILEMON himselfe should haue Now here are two Things to bee considered First What that is which PAVL prayes for in PHILEMONS behalfe The Efficacie of his Faith Secondly Wherein this Efficacie of Faith consists first in Communication That the communication of thy Faith may be made effectuall that is that thy Faith by communicating may be made effectuall secondly in the Knowledge of whatsoeuer good was in him by Christ For the first That Efficacie of Faith which here PAVL desireth for PHILEMON was two First in regard of PHILEMON himselfe that it might worke effectually in him secondly in regard of others that it might be examplarie to them and so might be effectuall in prouoking them to the like And that the Apostle had some reference euen to this latter kind of Efficacie the words following seeme to import That whatsoeuer good thing is in you may be knowne For when the light of our Faith shineth to others it very effectually stirreth them vp to the glorifying of GODS Name Matth. 5. Hence obserue First That true Faith may Doct. 1 sometimes faint and be as it were raked vp True faith may faint vnder the ashes A slouthfull kind of Sleepinesse may sometimes seize vpon it and vnfit and disable it for Spirituall Exercises As wee see in the Disciples who being oppressed with carnall griefe for the departure of CHRIST now at hand were not able to attend the Exercise of Prayer no not one houre with our Sauiour So likewise in the Philippians Phil. 4. 10. Of whom when the Apostle sayes That they were reuiued or as the word signifies waxen greene or fresh againe in their Loue and Liberalitie towards him thereby he declareth That for a time they were like Trees that in the Winter are in their Widow-hood hauing lost their Leaues and appearing outwardly as dead all their Sappe being in the Root within And truely as Trees so Faith also hath her Winter namely the Stormes and Tempests of Temptations which by their violence shake off all her greene and glorious Leaues and so make her appeare naked and desolate shee being driuen into the secret corners of the heart and there for a time to lye gasping and panting readie to giue vp the ghost Therefore Reuel 3. 2. they of Sardi are willed to strengthen the things that are readie to die Faith of it owne nature is very laborious and whiles it is strong and healthie tyes her selfe duely to her Taske and is alwayes at worke Yet sometimes the Feuer-Lurden hauing caught her shee begins to be lazie and to haue no list to worke Nay then it is Holy-day and Vacation-time with her till shee recouer her selfe againe Therefore PAVL here prayeth that PHILEMONS Faith might bee preserued from this Lethargie and Sleepinesse to the which in it selfe it was subiect and so might shew it selfe to be a liuely and effectuall Faith Secondly obserue How Faith being by Satans Doct. 2 Craft cast into this dead Sleepe may be awakened Prayer recouers fainting Faith and how it may shake off this Spirituall Lazinesse namely by this Spirituall Exercise of Prayer Therefore here PAVL prayeth for PHILEMON That his Faith might bee effectuall And if other mens Prayers may doe this much more our owne But it may seeme that Faith must rather giue Obiect efficacie to our Prayers then receiue it from them For Faith is that which setteth vs on worke to pray It both giueth and receiueth yea in giuing it Ans receiueth It is the strength of the bodie whereby it moueth and stirreth and yet by this motion it is confirmed and encreased If thy legge be benummed goe vpon it a little and it will come to it selfe so if thy Faith be as it were benummed cause it to moue and stirre in this holy Exercise of Prayer and thou shalt find presently her spirits returning againe to her and the Coales before couered vnder the ashes by these bellowes to be blowne vp and conceiue a flame For Prayer is a notable preseruatiue against Spirituall slumber prescribed by the most skilfull Physician saying Watch and pray that yee enter not into temptation Now those things which are able to preuent Diseases are able also for the most part to cure them Yet thinke not there is any vertue in our Prayer to doe this but in GOD who hauing bound himselfe thereto by promise sendeth his Spirit into our hearts when we are in this exercise whereof see an example Acts 2. 1. Thirdly PAVL here plainely teacheth vs that Doct. 3 true Faith in his owne nature is effectuall liuely Faith is a liuely Grace full of vigour and spirits 1. Thessal 1. vers 3. The worke of your faith that is your working Faith Faith is of a working and stirring disposition and is alwayes quicke-spirited and nimble vnlesse when it bee wounded by some grieuous temptation Thy faith then which like the Sluggard holdeth her hands in her bosome loth to stirre out of doores which alwayes lyes dreaming within leading an idle sedentarie life this Faith I say which is of so heauy a mold of such leaden heeles is a false faith what shewes soeuer it haue For actiuenesse is the property of true Faith I discerne the picture of a man though neuer so liuely to bee no true man because it stands still and stirres not Therefore though it haue shew of eyes mouth feet c. yet when I see it neither goes sees nor speakes I know it is no man So when I looke vpon thy faith and find for all the colours of outward profession that it is idle I conclude forthwith that it is an Idoll a shaddow void of truth and substance Shew mee thy faith by thy works saith IAMES Indeed if Pride Swearing prophaning of the Sabbaths Vncleannesse were fruits of faith then these Braggers would iustifie their faith as very effectuall But since the fruits of Faith are Mortification Meekenesse Loue c. and not the least drop or dram of these Graces are to be seene in them it appeareth that their Faith is a very emptie and imaginatie Faith The second followes namely wherein this Efficacie of Faith here prayed for consists first in Communication secondly in the knowledge of euery good thing For the first Obserue That
dead and deiected spirits which Paul right well knowing hauing commanded vs to reioyce and that euermore euen in our afflictions 1 Thess 5. 16. 17. addeth immediately a commaundement of praying continually as the onely speciall and soueraigne meanes whereby sound ioy and comfort is carried and conueied into the soule of man Would wee then reioyce and refresh our spirits cast downe and lift them vp againe with consolatory meditations See then that thou remember the Apostles rule to pray continually and in prayer to acquaint God with those thy meditations prayer being that which wringeth and presseth out that sweet iuyce and precious liquor of that heauenly comfort which is contained in them They be the sighes of the Spirit in prayer that fetch out the comforts of the Spirit in the word And to them onely and to no other are the doctrines of the word comfortable in affliction who in prayer can vtter them to the Lord with the same spirit wherewithall the Holy Ghosts Secretaries wrote them And this is the reason that many learned men which know the comforts of the word yet reape no benefit by them because they want the Spirit of Prayer to vtter them This one meditation of the blessednesse of the man chastised and taught by God yeeldes comfort onely to him who with this holy Prophet can in the apprehension of this meditation aduance his heart to God and say Blessed is the man whom thou chastizest O Lord c. And surely good reason is there if wee rightly consider of it that matter of comfort conceiued in our harts should be vttered in prayer vnto the Lord. For whence was it that any matter of comfort came into thy minde Was it not of God who hath this as part of his style to be the God of comfort was it not he that poured those comforts into thy soule good reason then thou shouldest againe poure them forth into his bosome and returne them backe to him that is the Father and fountaine of them And in truth such is the nature of spirituall comfort that being shed into our hearts it so enlarges and dilates them that it makes them to poure forth themselues in prayer vnto the Lord. The sweete comfortable rayes of this sunne when once they haue lighted vpon our hearts by our reading and meditating in the word doe forthwith againe rebound and reflect backe vpon God from whom they came by our earnest and feruent prayers sent vp to him And therefore no sooner could the Lord minister an answere to the obiection which rose in the Prophets minde out of his former argument of consolation but the Prophet forthwith as ye see returnes this answere to the Author thereof therein giuing him the glory of that comfort which hee reaped by it saying Blessed is the man c. So much of the scope and coherence of the text The words themselues containe an attribution of blessednes to the man chastised of God and taught by him in his Law In the man therefore here pronounced blessed two things are propounded 1. He is one of Gods chastised 2. He is one of Gods taught And here for the right vnderstanding of the words wee must remember that blessednesse is giuen in both these respects ioyntly together and not seuerally in regard of each The Prophets meaning is not that he who is chastised of God is blessed and so also he that is taught of God but that he in whom both these meete together to bee both chastised and taught of God that such an one is blessed In the handling of the words I will speak of these two points 1. Of the qualities of the man here blessed by the Prophet 2. Of that blessednesse which here is ascribed vnto him in regard of those qualities For the first the qualities are two 1. He is chastised of God Here it may seeme strange that the Prophet speaking of afflictions which came by wicked men vnto the Church as appeares by the former part of the Psalme should yet ascribe them vnto God But wee must know that it is not the Prophets meaning hereby any thing at all to excuse the wicked Persecutors who besides the euill of punishment in correcting the Church which is Gods iust and holy worke are to bee charged with the euill of sinne in that they do this work of God blindly and ignorantly propounding to themselues the satisfying of their owne malicious and spightfull affections as the onely end of that they doe and no such thing as God intendeth What then Surely hereby he would teach vs that Gods holy Doct. hand hath a speciall stroke in those afflictions which come to his Church and children euen by meanes of euill and vnreasonable men Is there any euill in the Citie and I haue not done it Amos 3. 6. And yet we know that many if not most euills are done by some bad men or other But for all that God wil haue all acknowledged as his own doing Hereupon Ioseph though of his enuious brethren sold into Aegypt saith that God sent him thither And Iob robbed of the Sabaans saith The Lord hath taken away Iob 1. The Lords hand in the punishment inflicted on his by euill ones shewes it selfe in these three actions 1. From all eternities he did appoint them Act. 4. 28. to doe whatsoeuer thine hand and counsell hath appointed to be done 2. He being able to hinder and restraine them doth not but willingly suffers them yea he withdrawes that which might hinder as his retaining grace which before kept them in and other outward impediments yea he sends those things which hee knowes through their corruptions will further and forward them as outward obiects and occasions 3. Hee ordereth and disposeth these punishments turning them to his owne glory and the good of his Church Thus Ioseph said of his selling into Aegypt God disposed it to good though his brethren thought euill against him Gen. 50. 20. This must teach vs patience when we are wronged Vse iniuried and oppressed in any sort by euill men because then being vnder them we are vnder Gods rod as Ashur is called Is 10. This vse Dauid made Ps 39. 10. Absalon rising vp against him I was dumbe and said nothing because it was thy doing And this made him so patiently endure Shimies rayling not suffering his seruants to take reuenge because the Lord had commaunded him to curse 2. Sam. 16. 10. As in that persecution of the tongue so likewise in the persecution of the hand it may bee said The Lord hath commaunded Tyrants to imprison to impouerish to beate to banish and to behead his children And therefore as noble men condemned to die do patiently suffer the stroake of death at the hands of the base Executioner therein shewing their subiection and obedience to their Prince so must we patiently and meekly endure all the indignities and iniuries of wicked worldly men therein giuing testimonie of our obedience to God who vseth them as instruments of his
Behold I am vile and abhor my selfe in dust and ashes Iob. 42. Then with the Prodigall child though before thinking our selues to be too good to be sonnes wee iudge our selues scarce worthy the roome of a seruant Then with Dauid though before blessing our selues vvith the pompe and pride of our glorious estate we said we should neuer be moued yet then by experience seeing our former vanitie we despise all the glory and greatnes of this world saying with Dauid Psal 39. 11. When thou with rebukes doost chastise man for iniquity thou as a moath makest his beauty to consume surely euery man is vanity Secondly this inward Humiliation is also in the afflictions whē in the sight of our sins we haue broken 2. In affliction brused and bleeding hearts This humiliation also hath affliction alwaies wrought in the hearts of Gods children Iere. 31. 18. I heard Ephraim lamenting Lam. 3. 20. My soule hath them namely the gall and wormewood of affliction in remembrance and is humbled in mee 2. Outward Which is declared in our outward 2. Outward cariage both towards God and man This also affliction will wring frō vs for it will bring vs downe vpon our knees before God and make vs confesse our owne vnworthinesse as in Iob the Prodigall in Ephraim Iere. 31. 18. confessing his owne vntamednes with teares And Lam. 3. It makes a man to put his mouth in the dust It makes vs also to be of an humble and lowly carriage towards men doing nothing that may sauour of pride contempt or disdaine but rather abasing our selues to our inferiours and Lam. 3. giuing our cheeks to the smiters and patiently meekly without desire of reuenge enduring many opprobrious indignities Hereof we haue a notable example in Dauid who though the King yet beeing throughly humbled by that grieuous affliction of Absaloms treason most quietly and contentedly suffered the base pesant Shimei to be myre him with the durt of his filthy tongue restraining his seruants from reuenge 3. The third act of Repentance which affliction 3. In vocation teacheth vs to renue is after that we haue seen our sinnes and in some good measure haue been humbled for them to pray earnestly as for life death for the pardon of them and for power ouer them In prosperity we pray heauily drowsily as thogh we had no life but in our affliction this lazinesse is shaken off The sense of our present misery sets an edge vpon our prayers puts life and spirit into them yea it giues wings vnto them and causeth them to ascend aloft wheras before they lay groueling on the ground Oh! how sauourly do we pray in affliction how feelingly feruently forcibly Esay 26. 16. Lord in trouble how they visited thee they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was vpon them So fit and seasonable a time is affliction for prayer then it flowes from vs and we can poure it forth but alas how droppingly it comes from vs in prosperity Iam. 5. Is any man afflicted let him aboue any other pray For he most of all feeles his wants and he most of all hath the presence of the Spirit the onely Schoolemaster of prayer to help his infirmities and to stirre vp strong sighes and cryes and groanes vnvtterable Rom. 8. 26. 4. The last and principall act of our Repentance 4. Reformation which afflictions call vpon vs for is reformation of those our sinnes for the which after we had found them out by examination we humbled our selues and prayed earnestly for the pardon of them Iob 36. 10. Elihu hauing set downe the first act of repentance for sinnes past namely the discerning of thē as a fruit of affliction addeth also this last of reformation as another Hee openeth their eares to discipline and commaundeth them to depart from iniquitie So likewise Esay 27. 9. By this namely the afflictions formerly spoken of shall the iniquity of Iaacob be purged and this is all the fruit the taking away of his sinne So then afflictions when by Gods Spirit they are made powerfull Teachers they wil not let vs rest in seeing our sinnes in humbling our selues for them in praying against them but they will commaund vs as Elihu speakes to depart from iniquity to leaue and forsake our sinnes to learn the contrary graces and vertues This Dauid felt in his owne experience Psal 119. who before he was afflicted went astray but hauing been nurtured in this Schoole acknowledges that it was good for him that he had bin afflicted because thereby he had learned to keep the cōmandements The blewnes of the wound saith Salomon serues to purge out euil Pr. 20. 30. when we haue felt the smart of sinne by our affliction then like burnt children will we dread the fire In this respect affliction is compared in Scripture to a Furnace into which gold being cast loses his drosse and comes forth pure and purged 1. Pet. 1. 9. In prosperity we contract and gather together much soyle and drosse which the Lord is fayne to driue out of vs by the heate of this scorching fire that so we might be pure and refined metall for himselfe being made partakers of his holinesse Heb. 12. 10. Therefore Lam. 3. are afflictions compared to a yoake It is good for a man to beare the yoake in his youth because it tameth and mortifies our wilde and vnruly corrupt natures and makes vs in all things plyable to the will of God This Purgatory therefore we willingly acknowledge the Purgatory of afflictions whereby God scowres and cleanses vs from the draffe of many noysome and vnsauory corruptions and as it were by a strong Purge empties and euacuates those superfluities of malice enuie pride security wherewith we were before surcharged Let vs all therefore examine our selues in this one point whether our afflictions haue brought the quiet fruit of righteousnesse vnto our soules whether the Niter and Fullers sope thereof hath washed out our Leopards spots whether the rawnesse of our corrupt and fulsome humours haue beene taken away after that we were sodden and soaked in afflictions For this is the maine vse of our afflictions And that which our Sauiour said to the man healed Ioh. 5. do all our afflictions say to vs both at their comming as also and that more especially at their departure and farewell Go your wayes and sinne no more lest worse things come vnto you The want of this fruite is lamentable in many who howsoeeuer in the extremity of their affliction purpose and promise yea and solemnely vow this reformation yet no sooner is the hand of God off them but with the dog comming out of the water they shake their eares and do againe with the Sow returne to the wallowing in the mire And these be the acts of our Repentance in regard of Sinnes past 2. There is another Act respecting sinnes to 2. Wise preuention of sinnes to come come which affliction also stirreth vp in vs
Temple to Bacchus in his Celler In too many families Venus hath her Altars in the Chambers Bacchus his Sacrifices in the Butteries which two hauing made their diuident in the family shared their Deuotoes alas what poore thirds wil be left for God Whatsoeuer disorders are in publike they will neuer be redressed so long as families especially great Ones are vnreformed The Family the Common-wealth the Church are Sunt igitur tres coelestes Hierarchiae de quibus Asini Sophistae tam multa nugātur aliud nihil quam vita Oeconomica politica Ecclesiastica Luther in Gene. the three heauenly Hierarchies as Luther termes them But surely the first is not heauenly vnlesse the last be in it If the church be not in it it wil proue but an hellish Hierarchy yea and will poyson both the other If families were Churches and religiously gouerned what great ease would Gouernours of the Church and Common-wealth finde The way to heale the naughty waters is with Elisha 2. King 2. 21. to goe to the spring to cast in the salt there It is but a folly to complaine of misorders else-where while our own families are misordred Now R. H. as you graced and gaue countenance to the first of this Authors works printed since his death so may you be pleased to accept this last as a testimony of all thankefull acknowledgement of your great and vndeserued fauours As it was the Authors desire in the handling of this holy Scripture the first fruits of his constant ministeriall labours to perfect that noble and honourable family of your Fathers where it was opened as in many other points of Christianity so in the knowledge of family-duties that it might be brought to greater perfection so is it my desire by publishing the same to further the common good of all good Christians in awakening stirring them vp to the conscionable discharge of teaching and right ordering their families to the honour of God their owne and the endlesse good of many soules And that by your diligent reading hereof you would be pleased to obserue practise all such rules directions as may any way tend to the bettering of your iudgement and family For it is with Families as with Churches on earth none completely perfect during our pilgrimage here The which while you shall doe you shall bring vpon your selfe Abrahams blessing promised for his wel-ordered house and Philemons honour of a Church in your family and in the end peace and happinesse to your own soule The which vnfainedly wishing you from the God of peace I humbly take my leaue and rest Epping in Essex August 15. 1618. Your Honors to be commanded in all seruice in the Lord IER DYKE A COMMENTARY VPON THE EPISTLE TO PHILEMON VERS 1. 2. PAVL a prisoner of IESVS CHRIST and our brother TIMOTHY vnto our beloued PHILEMON and fellow-worker And to our beloued APPHIA and to ARCHIPPVS our fellow-Souldier and to the Church that is in thy house BEfore wee come to The Argument of the Epistle the words wee will a little consider of the argument of this Epistle and of some generall instructions there arising ONESIMVS a naughty seruant running away from his master PHILEMON lights vpon PAVL by whose meanes and ministery hee being conuerted is returned back to his Master with this letter of PAVL in his behalfe written to his Master for pardoning him his former misdemeanour and receiuing him into fauour againe This Epistle is of another nature then any other written either by PAVL or any of the other Apostles for though sometimes they write to some one particular person as this our Apostle to TIMOTHY and TITVS and IOHN to GAIVS and the elect LADY yet euen then they write of matters concerning the whole Church and the common saluation as IVDE speaketh Iude 3. But here as the person is but a particular man so the matter is a personall matter proper to PHILEMON and his family concerning the entertaynement of a fugitiue seruant into his family and fauour againe One would thinke this were too low and meane an argument for the Spirit of GOD to handle But yet questionlesse PAVL was as well moued by the instinct and assisted with the powerfull presence of the Holy Ghost in the writing of this as any other of his Epistles as besides the common consent of the Church by the holy heauenly and gracious Character of speech agreeable to his other Epistles may easily appeare Obserue therefore How hereby the Lord would confirme our faith 1. The Scriptures written by diuine inspiration in the truth and certainty of other parts of Scripture for if euen this Epistle written to one man of a priuate matter respecting his owne family were yet writen by the inspiration of the Spirit of Truth how much more may we ascertaine our selues that other bookes treating of higher matters were not penned by the will of man but indited by the Spirit of God himselfe If when PAVL writes to PHILEMON of the receiuing of a poore slaue the Spirit of God leadeth his hand in writing how much more when he writeth to whole Churches of Christ and our Redemption by him of Faith Repentance Iustification and such like mysteries Secondly As hereby our assurance of the infallible 2. Gods prouidence in the preseruation of the Bookes of Scripture Truth of the Scriptures is confirmed so likewise of Gods Prouidence and watchfull care in the preseruation of them whole without any losse to this present day Some are of opinion that whole Bookes of Scripture are lost and among the rest some of S. PAVLS Epistles written to whole Churches as to Corinth Laodicea c. But this little Epistle riseth vp as a great witnesse against them for if the prouidence of God hath extended it selfe to the lesser how much more to the greater It is the argument of our Sauiour Matth. 6. God by his prouidence clotheth the grasse of the field how much more will he doe the like to men to his owne Elect Are not they of much greater value then Lillies So here by like proportion was not the Epistle to the Corinthians if there euer were such a one lost of greater worth then this to PHILEMON Whereof yet not the least jot or tittle hath miscarryed though in regard of the obiect and comparatiuely in respect of others it may seeme a meane Epistle for otherwise indeed nothing of the Spirits inditing is to bee counted meane How much more then would the Lord by the eye of his prouidence haue watched ouer other Epistles and Bookes handling matters of greater moment and consequence If any part of the Canon should be lost one would thinke in regard of that speciall care which God hath of his Churches good it should be that which might best be spared as not being of so necessary vse as the rest Now howsoeuer euery parcell of the Canon and so this Epistle be of singular vse yet we cannot imagine how an
with the Euangelist TIMOTHY an inferior degree but euen with an ordinary Pastor PHILEMON who was yet of a lower place then TIMOTHY How sweetly doth hee practise his owne precept Rom. 12. Make your selues equall with them of the lower sort whereas now many are so farre from this that they euen scorne and disdayne their equals making an inequality where God hath made a paritie well is it if those that are a great deale their betters may haue the account of equals The Apostle saith When I was as a child I spake as a child and euery way behaued my selfe thereafter familiarly conuersing with my fellowes But many nowadayes though in truth but children yet disdaynfully cast off the company and familiarity of children climbing higher and vndecently placing themselues in the ranke of tall and perfect men Art thou a Pastor speake and doe as a Pastor to thy fellow-Pastors and not as though thou wert an Apostle or Euangelist PAVL an Apostle equals with himselfe an ordinary Pastor and now behold a great difference Ordinary Pastors doe not only equall themselues with but euen aduance themselues aboue Apostles and Euangelists taking more vpon them then euen they did Secondly I obserue the cause of PAVLS loue to PHILEMON by the coniunction of these two things together beloued and fellow-worker The latter is the cause of the former therefore was PHILEMON beloued of PAVL because his fellow-worker in the ministerie Note then that those that are ioyned together Doct. in the same Calling ought in this regard more Those that are ioyned in vocation should be ioyned in affection dearely to loue one another True it is that the generall calling of a Christian should be a sufficient bond to knit together in true loue the hearts of all Christians But when to this bond there commeth a second of our speciall callings our hearts should be more firmely and fastly knit together that so it might appeare that when our hearts shall be linked together by the bond of nature or Christian and speciall calling that a threefold cord is not easily broken But where shall wee find this sweet coniunction of beloued and fellow-worker In the most men the Prouerbe is verified Figulus figulo inuidet One Potter enuies another But farre be this enuy from al Christians of what calling soeuer specially of the Ministerie The Ministers must loue together as Brethren and with one heart and hand giue themselues to the Lords businesse Farre bee from them the mind of the Monopolists that they should goe about to ingrosse the Word of God to themselues nay rather with MOSES let them wish that all Gods people were Prophets Christ taught his Disciples who themselues were Labourers in his Haruest to pray the Lord to send foorth Labourers into his Haruest Matth. 9. The second principall partie to whom PAVL more specially writes is the other head of the Family APPHIA PHILEMONS wife who hath the same title of beloued giuen her with her husband VERS 2. And to our beloued APPHIA c. HEre first obserue that the wife is the Doct. 1 husbands companion in the gouernement The wife is the husbands companion in the gouernment of the Family of the Family and for the ordering of domesticall affaires Therefore PAVL writes not only to PHILEMON but also to APPHIA iudging her consent necessary for the entertainment of ONESIMVS into the Family PAVL did not thinke it fit for the husband to take a seruant into the family against his wiues consent And this is the reason why APPHIA though a woman is set before ARCHIPPVS not onely a man but a Minister because shee had more to doe in this matter being a Mistris in the family then he who as it may not vnprobably bee coniectured boorded only with them Whereas if he had only put in her name for remembrance sake or for salutation then doubtlesse he would haue set ARCHIPPVS before her Howsoeuer then the husband hath the highest place of authoritie in the house yet hee must acknowledge his wife giuen him of God an assistant and fellow-helper in gouernement and therefore not denie her that priuiledge and right which God hath giuen her See Prouerbs 31. vers 27. 1. Tim. 5. 14. PAVL calling APPHIA beloued as well as PHILEMON sheweth vs thereby that they were a holy and religious couple both of them fearing God A great blessing of God to his children when they shall be thus equally yoked so that the Church shall haue cause to acknowledge them both and to loue them both This blessing of God as it is great so rare and seldome seene many DAVIDS are vnequally yoked with mocking MICHALS and many ABIGALS with naughtie and niggardly NABALS This no doubt made BATHSHEBA seeing daily experience hereof in her owne time to crie out Who shall find a vertuous woman If then PHILEMON and APPHIA meete together let them both blesse God each for other Lastly let vs learne by PAVLS example to loue the graces of God in whomsoeuer as well in women as in men Hee cals not onely PHILEMON beloued but APPHIA also Yea by how much the infirmitie of that sexe is naturally greater then in the other by so much should Gods grace be more tenderly and louingly respected Thus much of those parties to whom principally PAVL writes Those whom these his Letters lesse respect follow First ARCHIPPVS of whom mention is made Col. 4. He was one of the Ministers of that Church and as it seemeth dwelt with PHILEMON Therefore PAVL writes also vnto him concerning this priuate businesse as being next to the Gouernours of the House a principall member therein in regard of his calling He therefore by that credit and authoritie which he had with PHILEMON and APPHIA might much further this cause This ARCHIPPVS is set forth by the title of PAVLS Fellow-souldier that is by a Metaphor a fellow-Minister Here then wee see that Ministers are compared Doct. to Souldiers Let vs see then wherein this resemblance Ministers are Souldiers stands A Minister therefore is a Souldier 1. in the Field 1. in the Field 2. in the Garrison first in the Field two wayes 1. in Conflict 2. in Victorie First in Warring and Conflicting and that specially 1. in Conflict with 3. enemies 1. Satans temptations with three enemies first with Sathans Temptations Matth. 4. 1. As soone as euer Christ was installed into the Office of his Doctorship he was led by the Spirit into the Wildernesse to encounter hand to hand with this enemie For how shall he be able to relieue the tempted who himselfe is wholly vnexperienced in temptations It is therefore worthily said That Prayer Reading Meditation and Temptations make a Diuine Therefore PAVL 2. Cor. 12. 7. was buffeted by this enemie Secondly With Persecutions 2. TIM 2. 3. Suffer 2. Persecutions Affliction as a good Souldier of Iesus Christ. The Ministers being principall Souldiers euen the Standerd-bearers in this Spirituall Armie Sathan will most fiercely rage
as the fish drinketh in water neuer saying so much as What haue I done Assuredly they are out of the fauour of God An humbled heart for sinne is the first step to the fauour of God Secondly thou must shrowd thy selfe vnder Christs wings Clothe thy selfe with his righteousnesse and the precious Robes thereof that so thou mayest appeare amiable and louely in the eyes of the Lord for in Christ only is the Father well pleased and so if thou wouldest haue him well pleased with thee thou must become a member of him bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh This thou doest when by Faith thou layest hold vpon Christs righteousnesse and gripest the promises of the Gospell And this act of Faith sheweth it selfe most of all in earnest Prayer and Deprecation when thou cryest with strong cryes Forgiue me my trespasses According to the multitude of thy mercies blot out my offences These be the wrestlings of IACOB who would not let the Lord goe till he had blessed him If thou wouldest find grace thou must come and in this manner knocke at the gate of Grace and it shall be opened vnto thee How can wee looke to haue grace with God when he offring vs his Sonne as a meanes thereof wee will not reach forth the hand of our Faith to take him Thirdly by Faith hauing clad thy selfe with the Robes of Christs imputed righteousnesse thou must be clothed vpon with the garment of thy own righteousnesse and obedience which howsoeuer being in it selfe a menstruous cloth as it comes from vs yet being of the Spirits owne weauing in that regard is acceptable to God and causeth him to take a further delight in vs. Pro. 3. 3. Let not Mercy and Truth depart from thee so shalt thou haue fauour with God and man Pro. 11. 20. They that are vpright in their way are his delight If then we would be Gods Fauoured and Beloued we must put on that party-coloured Coate of the Apostle Col. 3. 12. consisting of many parts Of Humblenesse Mercy Kindnesse and long Suffering c. then shall that be verified Psal 45. 11. The King shall delight in thy beautie and that Cant. 4. 9. My faire One thou hast wounded my heart with one of thine eyes and with a chaine about thy neck Looke how the Spouse that being beautifull of her selfe is withall set forth and decked with precious ornaments is gracious in the eyes of her Louer so shalt thou be in Gods when thou appearest before him in the beautifull face and pleasant rayment of a new creature in Christ Iesus for then thou art made partaker of the diuine Nature And God in thee seeing himselfe an Image of his owne Holinesse and Righteousnesse thou being with DAVID a man after his owne heart how can hee but take great pleasure in thee if so bee hee take pleasure in himselfe Thou then who hast not this pleasant rayment of the new man but the torne rags of the old man thou that lyest wallowing in the mire of sinne a forlorne nasty creature thou that still retaynest the old Ethiopian hide and Black-mores skin these foule Leopard spots how thinkest thou that the pure and cleere eyes of the Lord can abide the sight of so filthy and deformed an obiect Hee that can performe these three duties may assure himselfe of Gods fauour Thus much for the first thing desired namely Grace The second followeth and Peace I doe willingly assent to those who by Peace doe vnderstand all prosperitie and felicitie both earthly and heauenly in this life and that to come In the ordinary salutation among the Iewes wherein they wished peace to the saluted Luk. 10. I thinke only outward prosperitie was meant by peace But as the Apostles augmented the ordinary forme of salutation by adding Grace to Peace because they preached in the Gospell the free Grace of God for our saluation so by the same reason may it well be thought that they inlarged the signification of this word Peace euen to inward peace as well as to outward specially their Gospell being the Gospell and glad tydings of that Peace Extending therefore the signification Foure things comprehended vnder Peace of this word in this Apostolicall salutation further then it was taken in the common greetings of the Iewes it may comprehend all these things within his circuit First the inward peace of Conscience with God which springeth out of the grace and fauour of God Rom 51. A mans conscience will neuer be at quiet within him till it feele this grace There will bee nothing there but the vncomfortable darknesse of terrors and astonishments till the light of Gods countenance arise and shine vpon it Secondly The peace of Charitie among our selues of which the Apostle Be at peace among your selues Let the peace of God rule in your hearts This also is an effect of Gods grace which as it maketh a man at peace with himselfe and God so with his Brethren The loue of God shed into our hearts will make vs loue our Brethren also There can be no true loue then among those that are not in fauour with God but they liue together like Wolues Beares But when our God hath vouchsafed vs his grace he changes our Woluish and Tygrish natures accomplishing that which is prophesied Esai 11. Thirdly The peace of Amitie and a holy kind of League with all Gods creatures Iob 5. The stones of the field shall be at peace with thee This also is an effect of grace for when we haue his fauour who is the Lord wee haue the good will also of his seruants the creatures Rom. 8. If hee bee with vs who can be against vs for all things are at his command who is the Lord of Hosts Nay who shall not be for vs On the contrarie Oh the miseries of the man in disgrace with God! all the creatures are at enmitie and at variance with vs being out of Gods fauour The senselesse creatures themselues in their kind rise vp against vs to fight the Lords battails against vs as the heauens did fight against SISERA Iudg. 5. Fourthly Outward Prosperitie and good successe in our wayes so it is commonly taken in all their salutations as 1. Chron. 12. 18. Peace be vnto thee O sonne of ISHAI And 2. King 9. Is it peace the salutation of IEHORAM to IEHV Hence it is euen from this manner of saluting all kind and good dealing is set out in the Scripture by this phrase of speaking peace as Psal 85. God sayes I will speake peace to my people Now the reason why outward prosperitie is signified by this name of peace is first because to the godly they are Pawnes and Pledges of that sweet Peace they haue with God Secondly they are notable Maintayners of the peace and quietnesse of our affections for in the want of outward things how are we disquieted and vnsettled But Peace in this fourth signification is so taken for outward prosperitie that which all this
your wisdome c. so all the prayse is giuen wholly to God whereas before it was wholly deriued from God to man and so God was defrauded and defeated of his right Not that it is vnlawfull to prayse men endued with the graces and gifts of Gods Spirit nay it is a dutie we owe vnto them but it must be performed in that wise sort that God in the first place be praysed for by this meanes we shall both in our selues take away suspition of flatterie and in our brother commended suspition of pride And this is the speciall difference betwixt Christian encouragement and flatterie The former hath respect to Gods glorie and the good of the partie encouraged who hearing God praysed for his gifts is taught not to swell in a conceit of his owne worthinesse but to referre all to the glorie of God The latter regardeth neyther but as it robbeth God of his glorie and transferreth it to the instrument so it driueth the man flattered vpon the Rocks of Pride Ambition Vaine-glorie and there often to make shipwracke of a good conscience Secondly The Title that PAVL giueth God in this his Thanksgiuing My God Here obserue these two points First The priuiledge of euery true Christian Doct. 1 Hee hath a peculiaritie and speciall proprietie in The priuiledge of a true Christian God That looke as a man may say of his Inheritance his House and Lands These be mine so hee may as truely say of God God is mine I am righted and interessed in him This priuiledge is conferred vpon vs in the Couenant of Grace which runnes in this tenor I will be thy God and thou shalt be one of my people Wee assenting to the Condition of this Couenant to become Gods God forthwith becomes ours so that we may now lay claime to him as our owne hee hauing made ouer himselfe to vs by Couenant Hence it is that the Apostle sayth Rom. 5. 11. Wee glorie or boast of God namely as of our owne being bound to vs as the Husband to the Wife by the Couenant of Marriage Looke then as the Husband is not his owne but the proper possession of his Wife so God is now no longer his owne as it were but the peculiar possession of his Saints This is a Doctrine of great comfort That though thou hast not House Lands Mony Friends to call thine yet there is a God in Heauen whom thou mayest call thine who being thy portion and possession thou mayest ioyfully sing with DAVID Psal 16. The lines are falne to mee in a goodly ground I haue a faire Heritage But this belongeth not to the wicked because the Couenant is not made with them by reason they agree not to the Condition of becomming Gods people Therefore Psal 50. God sayth to the wicked What hast thou to doe to take my Name in thy mouth to brag of me as thy God since thou hatest to be reformed Secondly The nature of true iustifying faith Doct. 2 which is to apply God in speciall to the Beleeuer True faith doth not onely beleeue that God is the God of his Elect in generall but that hee is his God in speciall as PAVL here sayth My God And Christ on the Crosse My Lord My God Christ presently answered THOMAS Because thou hast seene thou hast beleeued Here then is true faith when with PAVL Galat. 2. 2. we can say Christ hath loued me hath giuen himselfe for me This is more then an hypocrite and a temporarie professor can doe The second effect whereby PAVL declareth his loue towards them is his dayly praying for them Making mention of you alwayes in my prayers First in my priuate prayers First euen in our priuate and solitarie prayers Doct. 1 we must be mindfull of our Brethren Many there In our Prayers we must be mindfull of others are that in priuate Prayer not at all Others though they doe sometime pray priuately by themselues yet then onely they pray for themselues And so their priuate Prayers are too too priuate priuate not onely in regard of the place where but also in regard of the Spirit by which they are conceiued they come from a priuate spirit regarding themselues onely and not touched with a feeling of the want of others Saint PAVL writes not to any Church or particular man but hee tells them hee made mention of them in his Prayers And we are to thinke that hee did no lesse for many others that hee neuer wrote to Had he not the Spirit of loue it would haue beene tedious vnto him to haue rehearsed so many names For we are not to imagine that this mention was onely in generall vnder the name of Gods Church for so hee prayed for those whose faith he neuer heard of But most commonly hee makes this to be the cause of those prayers which he sayes he daily offered for those he writes vnto The hearing of their faith and loue as here in this place Let vs therefore according to this example of Saint PAVL euen by name remember our Christian friends in our prayers knowing that the performance of this dutie is one speciall part of the communion of Saints Secondly obserue That PAVL did pray euen for those for whom hee gaue thanks from whence Doct. 2 it followeth That there is no man so perfect that hee hath need only to giue thanks for that good hee hath receiued and not to aske some good thing he wanteth Vnto thanksgiuing therefore for our selues or Thanksgiuing and Petition must goe together others Petition must be annexed both for the continuance and increase of that good wee giue thanks for And to speake the truth thanksgiuing doth necessarily carry vs to Petition for in that wee giue thanks to God for any blessing wee acknowledge him to be the Author thereof then also the Continuer and Encreaser and therefore to haue power to decrease and take it away When therefore we consider of those good things which wee or others haue and thereby in the ioy of our soules are prouoked to the praysing of Gods name we must then withall consider and meditate thus with our selues This or that grace God hath begun in me and I am wholly beholding to him for it But vnlesse his grace follow mee to preserue that which hee hath begun I shall lose all for he it is that worketh both to will and to doe Thus must wee reioyce with trembling and giue thanks with prayer tempering the ioy of our thanksgiuing with the Christian feare of Prayer And most true it is that he which feeleth most ioy in the fruition of any blessing is most fearfull of losing it And therefore in his feare of losing it vnto that thanksgiuing which his ioy caused hee will adioyne earnest Prayer for the continuance of it Wee must not then be like the Pharise in the Gospell who onely giueth thanks but thinking himselfe full and perfect and complete asketh nothing But as the feeling of Gods goodnesse must
were not onely almost but altogether euen such as I am Christians except these bonds But yet a more speciall loue which therefore hath a speciall name of brotherly loue is due vnto those which are alreadie effectually called and so made members of Christ This loue also commeth from faith which causing vs to loue God must needes also force vs to loue all those in whom wee shall see the very face and liuely Image of God himselfe so clearely shining First By this then once againe wee may trie our Vse faith A working faith hath laborious loue euen to our brethren annexed 1. Thess 1. 3. If then thou art of a hard and implacable nature of a memorie fastly retayning iniuries of affections vindicatiue which the Scripture cals Feet swift to shead bloud this bloudie nature of thine shewes thou hast no part in the bloud of Christ by faith The like is to be thought of those which are moued with no compassion towards the soule of their brethren sitting in darknesse and the shadow of death but can suffer them to pine and perish away in their sinnes and neuer reach forth the hand to pull them out of the ditch Certainly if thou hadst euer felt the gaine of godlinesse thy selfe thou wouldest perswade others to deale with this so gainfull a commoditie They that are conuerted of God confirme their Brethren being passed ouer the bridge they will wish others to follow them so farre will they be from plucking vp the bridge The same sentence also is to be passed vpon them that doe not feele their hearts enlarged towards Christians more then to others that are none If the Image of God by Faith were repaired in our selues wee could not but be delighted with those that are like our selues But on the contrarie if thou feelest these effects of loue in thy selfe vndoubtedly thou hast Faith For it is the loue of Christ only felt by Faith which is able to soften and melt our hard and frozen hearts When wee shall see how great a debt hee hath forgiuen vs this will make vs willingly to forgiue small ones to our Brethren yea and to bury all iniuries in the graue of forgetfulnesse neuer to reuiue againe euen as Christ hath done all ours to him though neuer so indigne and contumelious hee lodged them in his owne graue not to rise againe with himselfe the third day though many of vs raise vp our owne iniuries farre sooner out of their graues but to be left behind him in that Den of darknesse to sleepe an eternall sleepe So when Faith shall cause vs to consider how that the Lord Iesus being rich became poore that wee might be made rich this will make vs to earne in the bowells of compassion towards our poore and distressed Brethren and to reach forth our releeuing hand towards them But the most euident demonstration of our Faith is that brotherly loue wherewithall we loue a Christian as a Christian and because a Christian 1. Ioh. 3. Wee know that we are translated from death to life because we loue the Brethren for none can loue any good thing vnknowne Loue presupposes knowledge of the thing loued hee then that loues the Image of God in his Brother sees it But none can see it but by the eye of Faith He that loueth his Brother for his Faith must needs know Faith but no man can know it but hee that hath it Faith is onely knowne by our owne experience Secondly this Doctrine serueth not only for the tryall of our Faith but also of our loue to our Brethren for as that Faith which is without this Loue is an idle and emptie and imaginarie faith so that loue of our Neighbour which commeth not from Faith is blind and foolish and in the end will proue a deceitfull and vnfaithfull loue Naturall men that seeme to loue very dearly to day to morrow are at deadly feud The reason hereof is because their loue comes not from Faith Therefore amongst the true children of God yee shall neuer see such bitter fallings out as amongst worldly men In naturall men and the vnregenerate besides naturall affections which they haue as Fathers Husbands Wiues Children yee shall find further many times a kind and courteous nature to strangers a liberall and free heart to the poore But that which the Apostle speaketh of Faith void of Charitie 1. Cor. 13. is true also of Charitie void of Faith It is worth nothing before God Let vs not then deceiue our selues either trusting in the loue of others or glorying in that loue which is in our selues not proceeding from Faith for the former if wee rely too much vpon it it will giue vs a shrewd fall in the end and the latter will make vs but ashamed when it shal come to be scanned before Gods Tribunall who will esteeme most vilely and basely of all thy kind-heartednesse of all thy almes and liberalitie vnlesse Faith did wring them from thee Thus wee see how Faith when once it raigneth in the heart begetteth both these loues both to God and our Neighbour in vs and so how true that of the Apostle is Rom. 3. in the end By Faith we establish the Law For whereas the summe of the Law is loue of the first Table to God of the second to man Faith as we haue shewed very effectually worketh both Hence PAVL giueth the name of a Law to Faith calling it the Law of Faith because it succeedeth into the roome of the Law commanding the same things that the Law does and so is in stead of Law to the regenerate that are freed from the Law So farre is it as the Papists slander vs for giuing any licence to breake the Law Thirdly here it may be asked How could others Quest declare to PAVL the Loue and Faith of PHILEMON which are secret and hidden Vertues that be in the innermost corners of the heart farre from the sight of the eye They saw not PHILEMONS faith but his outward Answ works and by them they iudged and so did PAVL too of his faith discerning the Tree by the fruit Hence obserue First when we see in any the fruits of Faith and Doct. 1 Loue wee in Charitie are to iudge that there is true Faith and Loue indeed for howsoeuer Hypocrisie may Apishly counterfait the fruits of true Faith yet we are to suspend our iudgement till God shall haue vncased the Hypocrite And it is farre safer for vs to erre of Charitie then of malice and sinister suspition Secondly in that PAVL by a Metonymie of the Doct. 2 efficient giueth the name of Faith and Loue to the outward works of PHILEMON which were reported vnto him Wee learne the manner wherein euery good worke must be done namely in Faith and Loue. The very Spirits and quintessence of our Faith and Loue must be in euery good work else they are but dead works vnlesse they be built vpon the foundation of Faith and Loue easily will they be shaken First
Faith is no sparing Doct. 1 Niggard but of a very bountifull and liberall disposition Faith is a bountifull grace and communicatiue It hoordeth not it hideth not those Treasures which shee receiueth of God but communicateth them to others That the communication of thy Faith For that which Christ said to his Disciples Faith sayth to her selfe Freely haue I receiued freely will I giue This Communication therefore is a most necessarie effect of Faith as the Apostle sheweth in his owne example Rom. 1. 12. That I might receiue Exhortation together with you through our Faith Faith is made the fountaine where-from that mutuall communication of Exhortation or Comfort betwixt PAVL and the Romans should spring If then thou wilt shew thy selfe to haue true Faith let mee see the Communication of thy Faith But this is very rare Men are afraid lest by this meanes all their store will be soone spent and so they shall be drawne drie wherein they are much wide For here not Parsimonie which agreeth not with Faith but this liberall Communication of our gifts is the best thrift and husbandry for as those Loaues in the Gospell so our gifts encrease and multiply euen whilest they are in distributing Euen out of that which the hand reacheth to the mouth it selfe is nourished Againe how should we looke that others should communicate to vs if wee communicate not to them Here then is another benefit of this communication wee doe not encrease our owne but gaine vnto our selues the benefit of our Brethren By the helpe whereof wee shall bee enabled to doe that which of our selues alone we could neuer doe The Blind of himselfe cannot goe a iourney neither yet the Lame man the one for want of eyes the other for want of his legs But now if there be this communication betwixt them the Blind man carry the Lame man on his backe and so become legs to him the Lame man lend his eyes to the Blind and direct him in the way by this meanes they will dispatch that iourney which apart neither of them could haue done God of set purpose hath so disposed of his gifts that we should stand in need one of another euen the Head of the Foot not giuing all to euery one for then finding a sufficiency in our selues we would not seeke for helpe abroad when we might haue it at home but one to this man another to that that so this mutuall communication might be maintayned amongst vs. In these and many other respects must wee haue speciall care of this communication Our owne gifts by their vse will encrease our Brethrens in regard of vse will become ours and both vnited together will be stronger laying our Moneyes together we shall make vp that shot which by reason of our pouertie we could not haue done apart The second thing wherein this efficacy of Faith consisteth is the Knowledge of all that good That Faith then is effectuall which hath all other Doct. Graces at command so that when it sayes to Faith sets all other Graces on worke and makes them manifest one Goe it goeth to another Come it comes to all of them I would haue you knowne of others they forthwith come forth into the open light and by practice make themselues knowne to all If a King command and be not obeyed it shewes his power is not great that hee is not as yet throughly confirmed in his Authoritie So it is an argument that Faith as yet is but weake and of small force when it commands not with a Kingly and Imperiall Majestie and Authoritie so that without further delay his commands are obeyed That thy faith may be effectuall but how In the knowledge of euery good thing that is in you Vnlesse then Faith doe thrust forth all other Graces whatsoeuer in thee and cause them in some manner to be seene and acknowledged of others thy Faith is vneffectuall What then shall wee say of those who vaunt of their Faith Hope Loue and other Graces and yet they giue vs not the least taste of any of them They say they feele the power of these Graces within their hearts though they haue not that gift that others haue of making manifest that which is in them But in saying so they bewray they haue not the gift of Faith at all For Faith cannot suffer Grace to lye inclosed and cloystered in the Closet of the brest but it will presently deliuer them out of this Prison if the doore be shut it will breake it downe and by force make way for them to come out I beleeued therefore I spake Psal 116. Faith then is as it were the Porter that opens the doore of the mouth that when wee haue beleeued with the heart with the mouth also we might confesse to saluation Rom 10. and so not our hearts only but our flesh also might praise the Lord Psal 104. It is to be doubted then that those Graces that loue thus to keepe their Chambers are sicke Graces If they were healthy they would delight to come abroad and take the ayre for as Veritie so likewise Vertue seeketh no corners Nay such is the power of Faith that it driues all grace out of corners and causeth euery secret thing to be euident and euery hid thing to come to light Luk. 8. 17 for the Spirit of God once seated in our hearts is like vnto Wine in new bottels which will breake the bottels but it will haue some vent Iob 32. 19. and like to fire that cannot be pent in but makes way for it selfe and breakes out into open flame Ierem. 20. Againe others there are not altogether drie and emptie of grace as those vaine vaunters but endued with some good portion thereof who yet doe deserue iust reprehension for that they doe not manifest euery good thing that is in them by Christ for as sometimes we make semblance of that Grace wee haue not so againe at other times wee closely dissemble and conceale that Grace which we haue sometimes for feare of danger as PETER did his zeale and affection to Christ and NICODEMVS who came by night and so his light did not shine before men somtimes againe through an vnchristian and indeed shameful shamefastnesse thinking it doth not become vs so to put forth our selues either by word or action and last of all through our owne negligence and carelesnesse whereby suffering Satan to surprize vs wee are disabled for manifesting our spirituall strength The strongest Gyant that is when he is fast fettered and chained and manacled cannot shew his strength as long as hee is in that case no more can wee when through our want of watchfulnesse wee haue suffered Satan to bind vs hand and foote and withall haue banished that good Spirit of grace without whom we are able to doe nothing Thus SAMSON when he had yeelded to Satans temptations in losing the badge of his Profession and so had grieued the Spirit was not able to shew his former
c. our reioycing is not good the end of our mirth wil be mourning wee reioyce not so fast now but wee shall weepe and waile as fast afterward Withall let vs here learne how to minister occasion of ioy to those that desire to haue ioy of vs as our Parents Ministers Acquaintance c. Let vs grow in grace and in the true knowledge and feare of God Otherwise a prophane people giuen to Swearing polluting the Sabbath are thornes and pricks in the sides of godly Ministers and a foolish sonne is a heauinesse to his religious parents The second part of this Verse followeth namely the confirmation of the former part which was that hee had great ioy in PHILEMONS loue This he proues because PHILEMON refreshed the Saints bowels Here obserue First that PAVL doth not say he Doct. 1 hath ioy in his loue because his owne bowels were Loue to be more reioyced in then in the profit of it refreshed by him but because the Saints bowels were refreshed Many will reioyce in that loue which is profitable to themselues But where is he that will as well reioyce in that loue which is profitable only to others It is plaine then that wee reioyce not so much in loue because it is loue because it is a vertue but because it is beneficiall to our selues and that only wee reioyce indeed in our profit that wee reape by that loue and not in the loue it selfe For if wee reioyced in the loue it selfe for it selfe then it would be all one vnto vs whether wee or others were benefited by it For that loue which performeth the duties of kindnesse to others is as well loue as that which sheweth the like kindnesse to vs. Then therefore shall we shew our selues to be of S. PAVLS spirit when wee can heartily reioyce at the graces of Gods children and loue them for those graces whether wee haue any profit by them or not we stand not vpon that yea and when wee haue profit by them wee reioyce yet more in their profit because of the fruit that shall further their reckoning then in our gaine Phil. 4. Secondly marke that then is a most seasonable Doct. 2 time of reioycing when we see the bowels of Gods The fittest time of ioy when it is well with the Church Saints refreshed the Church and People of God releeued in their distresses So on the contrarie if we see the bowels of the Saints wrung with griefe and the Church pinched with the persecution of her Aduersaries and that shee is giuen as a prey into the hands of Wolues and Beares hunted by many mightie NIMRODS and furrowes are made vpon her backe by the Ploughes then wee are to know that it is a time of mourning and of hanging vp our Harps with the captiued Iewes vpon the Willowes But for the most part if it goe well with vs in regard of our owne particular wee care not greatly which way things go with the Church sinke shee swimme shee all is one so we liue at ease and sleepe in whole skinnes If our owne priuate estate be shaken we take on and are much cast downe but teares doe soone waxe drie in the euils of others though they be common to the whole body of the Saints whereas euery mans particular depends vpon the common good of the Church And therefore as when the Church of God flourisheth and holds vp her head we must lift vp ours though otherwise it goe not so well with vs in our owne priuate so when the Church mourneth and hangeth down the head wee must cast downe ours though our owne condition be neuer so good for as the peace of Ierusalem sweetneth our owne priuate grieuances so her afflictions and dangers do sowre and make distastefull vnto vs all priuate comforts whatsoeuer Thus NEHEMIAH distasted his fauour and honor in the Court the Iewes in Babylon their Houses their Orchards and all other their delights whatsoeuer Psal 102. VRIAH his owne house and wife Thirdly in PHILEMONS example we are all according Doct. 3 to our power taught to refresh the bowels The bowels of Gods Saints must be refreshed of Gods poore distressed Saints if we will shew our selues to haue that loue which we professe For this is the effect of PHILEMONS loue the refreshing of the bowels of the Saints for there is a cold charitie and lip-loue which is common euerywhere That which IAMES taxeth Chap. 2. of such as will say to the naked Clothe thee to the hungrie Feede thee to the cold Warme thee But this last they had need to say to their owne frozen charitie for they onely say so they doe nothing for the releeuing of those necessities But true loue as it is seated in and commeth from the heart bowels of him that loueth so it goeth downe into the very heart and bowels of him who it loueth and refresheth them The heart is both the place from whence loue commeth and whither it goeth And then shall our loue iustifie it selfe to be sincere and heartie when as a comfortable Cordiall it doth our Brother good at the very heart But wherein standeth the refreshing of the Saints Bowels I answer in one word In the performing of those parts and offices of kindnesse vnto them which may carrie an expresse signification of our tender commiseration and compassion towards them in their miseries If thus thou giuest but a cup of cold water thou shalt be a refresher of the Bowels of the Saints for nothing grieueth one in miserie more then to see himselfe neglected of others This was that which went very neere DAVIDS heart in his affliction and therefore he complaines bitterly of it Psal 69. 20. But when others shall pitie them moane and tender their case and in a Christian fellow-feeling put vnder their shoulder to helpe them in their weakenesse therein imitating the Spirit Rom. 8. 24. This is a great ease and refreshing to their heauie and oppressed mindes Now more specially wee are to expresse this our compassionate affection towards them in these duties First in speeches of Comfort Psal 41. 1. Blessed Three things in which we must refresh the Saints is he that hath respect of the Poore saying namely vnto the poore Saints The Lord will deliuer him in the time of trouble Thus IOSEPH confirmed and raysed vp the hearts of his poore-brethren cast downe with feare by speaking kindly vnto them Genesis 50. Now these Consolatorie speeches wherewithall wee are to reuiue and refresh the spirits of our disconsolate brother are especially to be taken from the sweet promises of GODS Word which in the best and wisest sort wee can wee are to apply vnto them Secondly in commending and remembring their afflicted Estate to GOD in our prayer And this also is another thing which the Psalmist in the former place maketh another part of our respect towards the afflicted In the third Verse after his words of Comfort he setteth downe his prayer to GOD
they are nothing but seruants If thou lookest to haue more then other ordinarie seruants thou thy selfe must become more then a seruant Though yet a worldly Master will make thee lesse then a seruant and thy condition with him will be worse then of other seruants not fearing God But this is their sinne If thy seruant be more then a seruant why then hath he lesse at thy hands then hee that is a seruant and a seruant onely Specially vnto me THat which PAVL presses PHILEMON vnto hee vrges from his owne example by an Argument drawne from the lesse to the greater on this wise I desire nothing of thee but what first I doe my selfe I plead but for that affection from thee toward ONESIMVS which I my selfe beare to him If he be deare to me then much more ought hee to bee so to thee for I am tyed to him but in one bond as he is a Christian but thou art bound to him with a twofold cord which cannot be easily broken Onely spirituall and gracious respects challenge affection from mee but together with these doe outward and naturall bonds plead for regard from thee who art bound to him both in the flesh and in the Lord both as he is a seruant and as a Christian seruant Hee is deare to mee onely as a member of the houshold of Faith thou art also bound to him as a member of thine owne houshold If then I vpon this single bond hold him so deare how deare then should he be to thee thus doubly obliged to him The reason may be drawne into this forme If I PAVL thus dearely loue ONESIMVS then oughtest thou PHILEMON to doe the like But I dearely loue him Therefore c. The Consequence of his Argument hee proueth thus Hee that is bound to a man by a double bond ought to regard him more then he that is bound to him by a single bond But thou art bound to ONESIMVS by a double bond I but by a single one Therefore c. First PAVL vrges PHILEMON from his Doct. 1 owne example I loue him Therefore oughtest Ministers should be exemplarie in what they teach thou and what I require at thine hands I doe my selfe I that plead for affection doe shew affection I that call for loue doe shew loue Then a man pleades strongly indeed when hee makes himselfe a precedent Ministers should bee exemplarie in all they vrge and teach Then is there life in their Doctrine when there is Doctrine in their life Men in this case are readier to liue by sense and sight then by Faith Religion hath a Truth and a Power People will neuer beleeue the Truth of a doctrine in our mouthes where they see not the Power of it in our liues The want of sight causes the want of Faith Except with THOMAS in another case they see they will not beleeue Their eyes must be taught as well as their eares Philip. 4. 9. Those things which yee haue both learned and receiued and heard and seene in me doe As GIDEON to his Souldiers so should Ministers to their people be able to say Looke on me and doe likewise as I doe so shall yee doe Iudg. 7. vers 17. Therefore PAVL wishing TIMOTHY so to carry himselfe in his Ministrie as hee might bee free from contempt and scorne counsels him to be exemplarie 1. Tim. 4. 12. Let no man despise thy youth but be thou an example to them that beleeue How many bring contempt both vpon their persons and their doctrine whilest their doctrine condemnes their owne liues or their liues confute their owne doctrine while they stand like way-markes and point out the way to others and yet stirre not themselues It is poore comfort for a Minister to be no further then a Pharise Of the Pharises was our Sauiours caution Matth. 23. 3. Doe yee not after their works for they say and doe not Such as say and doe not doe after their works While wee doe after their works which is to doe no works how shall wee make our peace with that Text Except your righteousnesse exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharises yee shall not enter into the Kingdome of heauen Wee exceed them not vnlesse wee be practicall they were verball Doctors If dangerous not to goe beyond a Pharise how much more to come short To vsurpe MOSES his Chaire and not to open MOSES his Law is to be worse then a Pharise But yet onely to open the mouth and no more what singular thing is this Did not the Pharises the same And what art thou the better that thou art not worse then a Pharise so long as thou art not better As good neuer a whit as neuer the better Physicians and Ministers that in diuers things doe agree yet herein must disagree Physicians will often prescribe that to others which they will not venture to practise vpon themselues Ministers practice with EZRA should goe before their prescriptions Ezra 7. vers 10. For EZRA had prepared his heart to seeke the Law of the Lord and to doe it and to teach in Israel Statutes and Iudgements Where they faile in this let them make account to bee choked with that prouerbiall speech Physician heale thy selfe And they will bee as ridiculous as LVCIANS Apothecarie who sold Medicine to cure the cough and yet was shrewdly troubled with it himselfe It censures therefore such as haue their tongues of a larger size then their hands hauing indeed in regard of any practice withered hands A Kingdome diuided against it selfe cannot stand No more can a Ministrie diuided against it selfe Such a Ministrie is that whose practice giues the doctrine the lye It is not enough for Ministers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Tim. 2. vers 15. to diuide aright but they must also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Galat. 2. vers 14. Walke aright See how sharpely PAVL takes vp such Rom. 2. vers 21. Specially to mee And yet the bond whereby hee was tied to him was the generall bond of Religion Doct. 2 No bond stricter then that of religion and Christianity Euen this generall calling is a speciall ligament of affection Religion hath it's name from binding As it bindes to God and obedience to him so it bindes the religious in speciall and hearty loue each to other Though Religion and Christianity be our generall calling yet workes it speciall affection Gal. 6. 10. Doe good to all but especially to the Houshold of faith That affection betweene persons that haue the speciall bands of naturall and ciuill relations is not so speciall as that which this generall band causes Nature makes Husband and Wife but one flesh Grace makes them euen one Spirit How often is there no affection where a speciall band Not to instance in the neerer band of naturall brother-hood in the which how generall and superficiall oftentimes are affections how slight and slender is the affection betweene masters and seruants But be it that there is the
mother because a mothers counsell whereas so much the rather to be regarded because good counsell from a mother and from a good mother Is shee not thy wife nay a good wife therefore to neglect her aduice aggrauates thy sinne for the more the bonds betweene thee and her the more art thou bound to regard her From hence doth the Lord aggrauate those husbands sinnes Malac. 2. 14. Thou hast dealt treacherously against the wife of thy youth yet is she thy companion and the wife of thy couenant The more the bonds the more their sinne It will not serue the turne therefore to make but a tush at a wiues a soones a seruants a mothers counsell so farre are they therefore from being neglected because such that therefore they are to be regarded because such to whom thou art obliged by so many bonds As fowly also to blame are such whom all the bonds of nature grace reason religion affinity necessity pouerty honesty cannot binde to the works of mercy How many are farre more cheerefull and open handed and hearted in releeuing the necessities of strangers then the necessities of such to whom nature alliance bloud and religion bindes them Hence the prouerb of much kinred and few friends whereas on the contrary by this rule the more kinred the more friends should a man haue One cannot prouoke hard hearts more then by pleading for releefe for their neere poore and religious kinred This was the inhumanitie of the Virgin MARIES kinred for so they were that came together to Bethelem to bee taxed that they would not amongst them afford her the kindnesse of the worst roome in the house being in trauell but though their neere kinswoman yea and the Top-branch of their family Inheretrix of the Kingdom and a gracious woman besides yet notwithstanding all these bonds of birth of grace her present condition and exigent they can bee content against all all humanity and ciuility she should bee deliuered in a stable When the Persian Sages came to Bethlehem they shewed themselues farre more respectiue and they presented CHRIST with gold frankincense and myrrhe Surely if his mother had been among them in Persia they would haue prouided her a better roome then a stable A vile shame that MARY should finde more kindnesse in Persia then in Bethlehem from meere strangers then from those that were neere vnto her in bloud and in religion So IEREMY found more curtesie from the barbarous Caldeans then from his owne people The Iewes imprisoned him the Caldeans gaue him his liberty VERS 17. If thou count mee therefore a partner receiue him as my selfe IF you count me a partner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or if you count me one that hath fellowship or communion with thee if thou count our things common Here then is another argument wherewith PAVL presses PHILEMON to receiue ONESIMVS and it is drawn from a ground of our faith the communion of and betweene Saints So that he pleads here much after that manner Phil. 2. 1. 2. If any communion or fellowship of the Spirit fulfill yee my ioy So heere if any fellowship or communion betweene vs then fulfill my request and as thou wouldest receiue mee receiue him The reason then stands thus If we haue communion and fellowship together in all things then receiue him but wee haue such a fellowship therefore receiue him which conclusion is farther illustrated by the manner how hee would haue him be receiued As my selfe In which reason two things may bee considered 1 The force 2 The ground of it 1 The force of it And that teaches thus much That the communion which is betweene Saints Doct. should make vs respect the Saints So much implies the force of this argument for PAVL reasons from the communion that is betweene them that he ought to regard his request This argument hath a kinde of adiuring force with it for either doe the duties of this communion or in effect thou deniest this communion So Phil. 2. 1. 2. If any fellowship fulfill my ioy that yee be like minded c. As if hee had sayd you professe a communion and fellowship amongst you I adiure you by this fellowship which you professe to performe these duties of loue and peace ABRAHAMS argument to LOT buts much vpon this Gen. 13. 8. Let there be no strife betweene mee and thee for wee are brethren That communion which is betweene Saints should make them faithfull in the performance of all duties that belong to their fellow-Saints If thou count me a partner There is a partnership betweene Christians they are fellow-partners One partner will not wrong another will not hinder another one partner will further and helpe another loue and make much of another Let there be no strife betweene vs no want of loue and duty betweene vs for wee are fellow-partners This language and this practise doth this communion teach 2 The gound of this reason and it implies thus much That there is a communion a fellowship a partnership Doct. betweene Christians by vertue whereof The partnership of Christians and in what it stands they may be sayd to haue all things common There is a double fellowship in which Christians are interessed a fellowship with GOD in CHRIST a fellowship among themselues both ioyned together 1 Ioh. 1. 3. That which wee haue seene and heard declare wee vnto you that yee may haue also fellowship with vs and that our fellowship also may bee with the Father and with his Sonne Iesus Christ And indeede the communion of Saints flowes from the communion with CHRIST Hence those titles of fellowship in Scripture so often in this short Epistle wee haue vers 1. Fellow-labourer vers 2. Fellow-souldier vers 23. Fellow-prisoner and in this verse a fellow-partner And Galat. 2. 9. the right hand of fellowship For the vnderstanding of this poynt two things may be considered 1. Wherein or in what particulars this partnership and communion stands 2. What be the ligaments or bonds thereof 1. The things in which it consists are set downe by PAVL 1 Cor. 3. 21. All things are yours In all things haue the Saints a communion more particularly in these things consists their partnership 1. They haue one common Father Ephes 4. One God and father of vs all Hence our Sauiour teaching vs to pray teacheth vs to say Our father not my father which art in heauen euen in the first word of that prayer putting vs in minde of our communion And heerein this partnership exceedes all earthly ones which though they make other things common to such as are ioyned in partnership yet cannot their partnership make them haue one common father It may make them neere friends it cannot make them brethren as this Christian partnership doth which makes vs all brethren of one father Ioh. 20. 17. I ascend to my father and to your father to my God and to your God Hence these two ioyned together Ephes 2. 12. to be aliens from the Common-wealth
and execution of their functions when the vniust tyrranny of man hath hindred and difabled them Not onely the gifts of Ministers but their liberties are the gift of GOD. Oh if men knew but this gift of GOD and were answerably thankfull for so great a gift Sathan enuies the Church this gift and it grudges him that any of GODS Saints but much more that any of his Ministers should haue their liberties This hope of PAVLS is set forth by the ground of it through your prayers Euen the greatest and most gracious stand in need of the prayers of their inferiors The greatnesse of Doct. The most gracious need their inferiors praiers mens graces places doth not free them from needing the prayers of meaner ones Nay the greater either places or graces the greater is their neede of others helpfull prayers Sathan followes that policy of the Syrians 1 King 22. Fight neither against small nor great saue against the King of Israel The sharpest brunt of Sathans enmity is bent against those especially whose graces and places are highest in the Church The more Sathans malice is against them the more our charity should bee towards them the greater our charity the more our prayers for them Therefore PAVL often desires the prayers of others Ephes 6. 18. 19. Pray for all Saints and for me 1 Thess 5. 25 Brethren pray for vs. The prayers of inferiours are beneficiall to their superiours whether in outward things as 2 Cor. 1. 10. 11. or inward and spirituall things as Rom. 15. 30. GOD is no respecter of persons hee regards the hearts not the conditions of those which pray vnto him It is not in the court of heauen as in Kings courts where onely the Nobles and great personages may speake for a man poore plaine men can doe a man no good with their petitions But heere it is otherwise the poorest and meanest Christian may do a man a pleasure by speaking for him in prayer to the King of heauen Great comfort to inferiours that GOD hath so ordered Vse 1 the matter among the members of the mysticall body as that the inferiours doe not more neede the gifts of their superiours then superiours neede the helpe and prayers of inferiours The meanest member is of vse in this body Despise wee not then our inferiours but esteeme Vse 2 well of him that hath the least measure of grace Who would despise a fauourite in court whose good word may pleasure him Euen the meanest officer in the Kings house shall be regarded of a petitioner though a better man if hee may pleasure him in his suit Note the duty of the Church towards Ministers Doct. 2 they are to remember their Ministers in their prayers Ministers to be prayed for Therefore PAVL in the closure of diuers Epistles doth not onely pray for them but prayes them to pray for him Neither desires hee this onely for complement in his valediction but desires it to bee done heartily and earnestly in his behalfe Rom. 15. 30 Also brethren I beseech you for our Lords Iesus Christs sake and for the loue of the spirit that yee would striue with me by prayers to God for me 2 Cor. 1. 11. So that you labour in prayer for vs. See Heb. 13. 18. 19. If PAVL an Apostle who had the immediate assistance of Gods spirit stood in such neede of their prayers how much then doe our Ministers now And great reason is there to challenge this duty at our hands 1. In regard of the loue which is due from people And why to Minister People are bound to loue their Pastours Now loue seekes not her owne things Hee that prayes not for his Minister loues him not 2. In regard of their great charge wherewithall they are betrusted A charge of greater worth then all the world the soule of their people The greater the charge the greater the gifts required to discharge it The more graces they neede the more earnest should our prayers be to procure the same 3. In regard of their danger as in the former point They are in danger of Sathans malice hee knowes if he can but with his taile cause these starrs to fall from heauen that hee shall cause the greater darknesse and the greater scandall their corruption in life or doctrine will be exemplary and infectious They are also in danger of vnreasonable men 2 Thess 3. 2. The greater reason that they should bee holpen with our prayers 4. Pray for your Ministers because in praying for them you pray for your selues and procuring their good you procure your owne The better Ministers are the better is it for people many people complaine of the insufficiency of their Teachers and as many Ministers may complaine of the negligence of their people For if they were more diligent in prayer their Ministers would bee more able to preach if they would pray more for them then should they be able to preach better vnto them Quest What be the things wee should begge for them Answ PAVL specifies some particulars wherein he would be remembred As 1. Free and bold vtterance of the Gospell Ephes 6. 19. Col. 4. 3. 4. 2. Free passage of his Ministry 2 Thess 3. 1. 3. Deliuerance from wicked men Rom. 15. 30 2 Thess 2. 3. 4. Other particulars are mentioned Rom. 15. 31. Pray then for all these pray for the guidance and blessing of Gods spirit with and vpon them pray for all such gracious endowments enablements as may fit them for the worke of the Ministry This taxes peoples grosse negligence Some there are that neuer pray for themselues it is no Vse 1 wonder if they pray not for their Pastours for well ordred charity begins at home Others yet pray in and with their families and commend onely family necessities to God without particular mention of their Ministers in their prayers But a worse sort there is that is so farr from praying Vse 2 for that they heartily pray against their Ministers onely out of an euill will at their fidelity They pray they were well rid of them or in steed of praying for them doe curse and ban them with vile imprecations To condemne yet another sort who in steed of praying for vs doe prey vpon vs and are so farre Vse 3 from helping by their prayers that they rather hinder by their vniust molestations More particularly yet obserue The power and efficacy of prayer I trust that Doct. 1 thorough your prayers I shall be giuen vnto you It is a The efficacy of prayer key that wil vnlock as heauen so likewise the prison doore It is not so much petitioning to NERO that PAVL trusts vpon as to the Lord Praier opened heauen Luk. 3. 21. what wonder if it open a prison Prayer prooues the same to Gods children oftentimes that the Angell did to PETER Acts 12. It opens the prison gates and brings them forth Nay the truth is it was prayer rather then the Angell which brought PETER out
of prison Acts 12. 5. So Peter was kept in prison but earnest prayer was made of the Church vnto God for him The Church first sent vp their praiers before GOD sent downe his Angell And Acts 16. 25. 26. At midnight Paul and Sylas prayed vnto God and suddenly there was a great earthquake so that the foundation of the prison was shaken and by and by all the doores were opened and euery mans bands were loosed Oh sweet comfort to all the imprisoned Saints of GOD. The enemies of the Gospell haue not them in so sure hold as they make account of they haue a key about them which if GOD see it good shall open the prison doores and vnloose their bands and set them at liberty There is more power in the Saints prayers then in their enemies threatnings and so more comfort in the one then matter of feare in the other There is no prison so strong but prayer if God see it good is able to open It is no lesse powerfull to fetch downe the prison walls then the trumpets of Ramms-hornes were to fetch downe the high walls of Iericho Obserue the speciall meanes of restoring GODS Doct. 2 Ministers if euer restrained I trust thorough your prayers I shall bee giuen vnto you The prayer of the righteous auaileth much Iam. 5. It auaileth to the restoring of PAVL to his liberty if GOD see it fit for him If the prayer of one righteous man is of such force what are the ioynt and vnited prayers of the whole Church Heb. 13. 18. 19. Pray for vs and I desire you somewhat the more earnestly that yee doe so that I may bee restored to you the more quickly I trust thorough your prayers I shall be giuen that Doct. 3 is freely giuen vnto you Euen those blessings Prayer merits not which we haue from God by prayer are free and franke blessings Though wee obtaine blessings by prayer yet not for our prayers that is not by the merit of our prayer Prayer is a begging of blessings from the Lord what can the begger deserue by his begging Though we giue when one beggs yet not for any worth in his begging but wee doe it out of meere compassion without any desart on his part The prayer of the righteous auaileth much not simply because prayer but because the prayer of the righteous whose person is iustified and reconciled in CHRIST and accepted in his merits If our praiers were meritorious then could it not stand with GODS Iustice so much as to deferre much lesse to deny them sometimes What Iustice is it to keepe backe that from a man which is his due by desart He that obtaines no more then his prayers deserue will finde little heart to pray and may spare the labour of thankesgiuing VERS 23. There salute thee Epaphras my fellow-prisoner in Christ Iesus 24. Marcus Aristarchus Demas and Luke my fellow-labourers 25. The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ bee with your spirit Amen THE conclusion of the Epistle which is spent in saluation and in prayer First hee salutes PHILEMON from EPAPHRAS MARCVS c. EPAPHRAS is mentioned Coloss 1. 7. and 4. 12. MARCVS is mentioned Acts 12. 12. ARISTARCHVS is also named Acts 19. 29. 30. and Coloss 4. 10. DEMAS is well knowen by that place 2 Tim. 4. 10. And LVKE no lesse knowen by his Gospell Concerning salutations and their manner wee heard before verse 3. Heere then onely obserue the descriptions of these men EPAPHRAS is called his fellow-prisoner in CHRIST IESVS PAVL in prison hath a fellow GOD leaues not Doct. his comfortlesse and alone but sweetens the affliction Gods prouides for the comfort of his children in the prison of the prison with the communion of Saints PAVL ioyed not that EPAPHRAS was imprisoned hee had rather hee might haue beene preaching at Colossus but yet heerein see the good prouidence of God and therin might PAVL ioy so disposing that EPAPHRAS being imprisoned should be imprisoned in the same prison with PAVL If PAVL had beene alone in one prison and EPAPHRAS in another they had beene depriued of that sweet communion which now they had together in prayer in conference and holy discourse Heerein therefore did God graciously prouide for them both to bee fellow-prisoners not onely in the same cause but happily in the same house because he sends salutations from EPAPHRAS Yea God doth not onely prouide EPAPHRAS to be a fellow-prisoner to PAVL but rather then they shall want fellowes God himselfe will beare them company in their prisons Gen. 39. 20. 21. And Iosephs master tooke him and put him in prison in the place where the Kings prisoners lay bound and there hee was in prison but the Lord was with Ioseph Who would not be in IOSEPHS prison to haue IOSEPHS companion I am not alone saith our Sauiour Ioh. 16. for the father is with me GOD will prouide fellowes for his prisoners if not hee will recompence the solitarinesse of the prison with the sweet fellowship of his Spirit The cause of EPAPHRAS imprisonment is layd downe In Christ Iesus And indeed it was their fellow-ship in the cause rather then in the house that makes PAVL giue him the title of fellow-prisoner Happily there might bee others in the same prison for other causes which iustly deserued the prison but they were none of PAVLS fellow-prisoners because though put into the same prison yet not for the same cause What else might be here obserued was handled before verse 1. The other foure are described by another title of fellow-ship fellow-labourers to wit in the worke of the Ministry The ministry then is a painfull a laborious calling It is not a calling of ease or pleasure Mat. 9. Pray Doct. The Ministry a laborious and a painfull calling to the Lord of the haruest that hee would thrust forth labourers into his haruest Ministers are labourers yea haruest labourers which of all others are the sorest no labour more toylesome then the labour of the haruest man of all others it is the most sore sweating labour Surely the sweat of the Ministry exceedes the sweat of other callings and with the sorest labourer the Minister eats his bread in the sweat of his browes 1 Thess 5. 12. Now wee beseech you brethren know them which labour among you Men ordinarily will not know them nor know their labor yet GOD himselfe takes notice of it for a labour Reu. 2. 2. I know thy workes and thy labour GOD acknowledges the Ephesian Angells labour The Elders that rule well of double honour especially they that labour in the word and doctrine 1 Tim. 5. 17. we shall finde 1 Thess 2. 9. two sore words ioyned together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yee remember our labour and our trauell Heereupon in Scriptures so often compared to souldiers shepheards husbandmen nurses all callings of no ease The pastorall toyle in the cure of soule is no lesse then was IAAKOBS in the keeping of LABANS sheep Gen. 31. 40.
contrary to this corruption as alwaies one contrary is prouoked by another it will be also exasperated by the contrarietie of corruption to oppose and encounter it There is no time for the Martialist to shew his valour but in the time of vvarre The time of affliction therefore being the time of the spirituall war and conflict betwixt the flesh and spirit then questionlesse howsoeuer before the spirit lay asleep in vs yet then he will awaken and stirre vp himselfe and declare his mighty power and puissance in vs. Hence it is that afflictions by Peter are called the triall of our faith 1. Pet. 1. 7. And as they are the triall of our faith so of our patience hope obedience courage constancie c. Therefore Rom. 5. 3. Afflictions are said to bring forth patience because by them this grace of Gods Spirit is stirred vp in his children and in their afflictions they haue experience of their patience Afflictions in themselues bring forth impatience and by this impatience of the flesh the patience of the spirit is excited Our Sauiour is said Heb. 5. to haue learned obedience by the things which he suffered How was that Being before disobedient did hee then learne to become obedient Not so but hee learned it experimentally that is he had triall of his obedience which was alwaies in him before but had not so fit an occasion to shew it selfe till then So in the same sense may it be said that Abraham learned loue by that greeuous affliction of beeing put in feare of losing Isaac For so God tells him Gene. 22. Now I knowe that thou louest mee God knew it before but the meaning is that now by manifest experience it was made known indeed that Abraham did in truth loue God Therefore it is said that God tempted Abraham in giuing him that commaundement of sacrificing his sonne By affliction therefore wee come to haue knowledge of that grace to be in vs which before wee either knew not to be in vs at all because there is no occasion for it to shew it selfe vnlesse in affliction as how can a man shew his strength vnlesse some burthen bee layd vpon his backe or else wee knew not to be in our selues in that measure and sinceritie that it was because there can be no occasion of so sound a triall of affliction Reue. 13. 9. Iohn hauing foretold some grieuous persecution he addeth Heere is the faith and patience of the Saints That is to say Here is matter now for the faith of the Saints to work vpon Hope is compared to an Anchor Heb. 6. whose vse is specially in a storme For though in prosperity we may haue experience of our faith and hope and loue to God yet nothing so soundly and throughly as in affliction In prosperity there is place for the Diuels obiection Doth Iob serue God for nought but in affliction it is taken away and it appeares plainly that wee loue God serue and obey him not as mercenaries for our owne profit but euen for himselfe Againe though in our prosperitie wee might haue some experience of the sinceritie of our graces yet not of that great measure of them which we haue in affliction Many of the Martyrs that before they were in question quaked and trembled after GOD brought them into the field were emboldened and strengthened to suffer the most exquisite torments their aduersaries could deuise While the corne stands in the field wee may giue some gesse what it will amount to but when it is cut downe threshed out the yeeld proues more oftentimes then we could before possibly expect So is it with Christs haruest till wee bee threshed with the flayle of aduersity we cannot tell what increase of corne we shall yeeld to our heauenly Master So much for the vse of affliction respecting Knowledge 2. For Practice The vse of affliction in matter 2. Practice 2. of practice is either in renuing graces decayed or else in increasing these decaied graces after we haue afresh renued them 1. And first of all our afflictions teach vs to renue 1. Renuing graces decayed and take vp afresh the practice of all Christian duties which prosperity had caused vs to intermit For oftentimes the children of God beeing drunken and besotted with ease and prosperity fall into dangerous Lethargies and such dead sleepes of carnall carelesnes that they euen forget God and themselues Now by affliction God comming giuing them a priuy nip in their flesh awakeneth them and causeth them to return again vnto themselues So that in this respect affliction is to the children of God as the pricke to the brest of the Nightingale whereby she being awakened out of her sleepe singeth most melodiously See how the Apostaticall Church of the Israelites pricked with the thornes of affliction Hosea 2. 7. playes the Nightingale sweetly singing the song of her returning againe to the Lord her first husband So the Prodigall sonne feeling the prick of famine Luke 15. hauing been once a member of the Church a sonne liuing in the house of his Father and afterwards running away what is it that sends him home againe and makes him renue his conuersion The present misery wherewithall hee was pinched To this purpose excellently speakes Elihu Iob 33. 15 16. that God in trouble rounds men in the eare that lye securely snorting in their sinnes and so arouses them by the noyse of his voice speaking in affliction Haue we therefore beeing wise Virgins begun to slumber with the foolish haue we left our first loue and decayed in the graces of the Spirit then surely if affliction come vnto vs the lesson we are to learne is to remember from whom we are fallen to repent and doe our first works and to quicken those things that are ready to dye Now these decaying and languishing graces Which are 2. which affliction calls vpon vs to reuiue and stirre vp afresh in our selues are either generall and the maine foundation of all the rest or else speciall depending vpon the former 1. The generall and fundamentall graces the renouation 1. Generall 2. whereof affliction teacheth are Faith Repentance And first affliction teacheth vs to renue our 1. Faith 2. Faith both in regard of Gods prouidence for this temporall life as also of his mercy for the life to come in the saluation of our soules 1. For the first wheras in prosperitie we hauing 1. In Gods prouidence all things according to our hearts desire as health strength credit countenance maintenance wee did too too much rest and rely our selues vpon these for the preseruation of this transitory life now when in affliction God takes from vnder vs these proppes these stilts and staues of our confidence then we are constrained by faith to fly vnto him and depend on his good prouidence Deut. 8. 2. Therefore he humbled thee and made thee hungry that thou mightest learne that man liueth not by bread but by euery word that