we dare do not so much only as we ought to do not considering how lawfull it is but how powerfull we are how weake they are All the prophane Histories are full of worthy examples of many Seruants who are commended for their trust and faithfulnesse Wittinesse and Courage Might and Magnanimity to all posterity and haue not doubted to giue their liues to death in their Maisters quarrell It is not therefore much to bee maruelled at that the Apostle perceiuing how t Heb. 4 12. Mighty the word had bin in Operation vpon Philemons Seruant doth account him as his Sonne and seeketh to reconcile him to his Maister in which respect he was willing and desirous to haue u Phile. 13 14 kept him with him to Minister vnto him He claimeth some authoritie ouer him being his spirituall Father howbeit because he was not only his Sonne but also another mans Seruant he would not retaine him without his Maisters knowledge Let them not therefore for their low degree be contemned nor haue the meanes of instruction denied vnto them Thus I haue set downe to thy view Christian Reader the scope of this Epistle wherein the Apostle in a narrow compasse doth couch together many Mysteries of our Religion which I haue laboured to lay open in this Commentary And howsoeuer the worke is growne in bignesse extended in length vnder mine hands more then at the first I purposed and intended yet I hope the manner of handling heerein obserued shall easily recompence thy labour bestowed in reading I cannot in few words comprehend the matters that are heere and there dispersed throughout the Booke Among many other these points are principally handled Touching affliction for the truth and persecution for righteousnesse sake Touching Christian Equity and Moderation Touching Gods free grace forgiuing offences Touching houshold Gouernment and Priuate possessions Touching the conuersion of Sinners and the Communion of Saintes Touching Faith and Good Workes Touching Friendship and Surety-ship Touching Prayer and Hospitality Touching the Gospell and Almes-deeds Touching Gods prouidence and of the force fruite of the Ministry as is more at large to be seen in the Table of the doctrines Accept I pray thee the paines I haue taken in the discussing of these points pardon the escapes if any be into which I haue fallen as in trauelling so long a iourney it is easie to fall into a slumber and wheresoeuer thou vnderstandest the hand of God to haue beene with me in publishing the truth giue him the glory ascribe the praise vnto his great name to whose grace goodnesse I commend thee Thine in our common Sauiour William Attersoll A BRIEFE RECAPITVLATION OF ALL THE DOCTRINES HANDLED AT LARGE IN THIS EPISTLE Out of the Praeface THe course of the Gospell cannot bee stopped but will haue his passage in the world page 1. The Argument and occasion of the Epistle together with the vses thereof page 7. Verse 1 and 2. Doct. 1. Good things must be followed and sought after earnestly and feruently not coldly and carelesly pag. 9 Doct. 2. It is no disgrace or reproch to the Seruants of God to bee cast into prison for the Gospels sake pag 12. Doct. 3. The persecutions of all true Christians are the persecutions of Christ Iesus when they are imprisoned for Christs sake page 15. Doct. 4. All good duties to God or man are better doone by the helpe of others then alone by our selues pa 21 Doct. 5. A christian friend wil performe any christian duty to his friend page 25. Doct. 6. Christian women should be helpers vnto their husbandes as heires together of the grace of life page 29 Doct. 7. The calling of a Minister is a painfull and laborious a needefull and troublesome calling page 33. Doct. 8. It is the duty of all house-holders to teach and instruct their families that belong vnto them page 38 Verse 3. Doct. 1. The free fauour and mercy of God in Christ Iesus is first and aboue all other things to be desired and prayed for page 48 Doct. 2. Such as are in Gods fauor haue his blessings flowing vnto them and following them page 55 Doct. 3. All blessings temporall and eternall are to be craued from God alone in Christ Iesus page 61 Verse 4 and 5. Doct 1. Men ought to take cause of great ioy to see others growe and proceed in good things page 68 Doct. 2. It is the nature of faith to apply the mercies and promises of God to our owne selues page 76 Doct. 3. It is the duty of the faithfull to pray not onely for themselues but also for others page 82 Doct. 4. True Religion must not onely bee inwardly beleeued but also outwardly confessed and openly professed page 86 Doct. 5. Faith and Loue are the cheefest thinges that commend a man to God and his Church page 95 Doct. 6. Faith in Christ and Loue to the Saints do alwaies go together in all the seruants of God pag. 99. Doct. 7. Christ must be the Obiect of our faith we must looke vnto him and depend vpon him page 106 Doct. 8. The workes of mercy are especially and aboue before others to be shewed to the poore Saints that are godly 111 Doct. 9. Such as truely beleeue in Christ and belong to him are Saints page 117 Verse 6 and 7. Doct. 1. It is our duty to stir vp our selues and others to encrease in good things page 126 Doct. 2. The guifts which we haue receiued must not lye hid in vs but be employed to the good of others 140 Doct. 3. The goodnesse of God bestowed vpon our selus or others must be published abroad and made known to others page 142 Doct. 4. The spiritual graces of God bestowed vpon others doe giue occasion of ioy to the Saints pa. 147 Doct. 5. The workes of mercie are to bee shewed to the poore distressed Saints page 154 Verse 8 and 9. Doct. 1. The Office of the Pastour and Minister of God is an Office of power and authority vnder christ 163 Doct. 2. Gentle meanes are to bee vsed rather then seuere to perswade men to holy duties page 172 Doct. 3. Superiors in guifts or age or both are to bee reuerenced and regarded aboue others pa. 177. Verse 10. Doct. 1. The least and lowest member conuerted to Christ must not bee contemned or condemned page 184 Doct. 2. The same affection that is betweene the Father and the Sonne ought to be betweene the Minister the people committed vnto him 189 Doct. 3. The preaching of the word is the ordinary meanes and instrument of our conuersion and regeneration page 205 Verse 11. and 12. Doct. 1. Christian religion maketh a man profitable and helpfull vnto others that before hath been iniurious and hurtfull page 227. Doct. 2. In godly religious and reformed families are many times vngodly obstinate and vnreformed persons both Children and Seruaunts page 237 Doct. 3. Former Offences albeit great and heynous vppon true repentance are to bee
them and one with them nay we are ioyned with Christ and made one with him so that the deeper we sinke downe vnder the crosse the more we are likened to the son of God This is it which he teacheth his Disciples g Mat. 5 10 11. Blessed are they which suffer persecution for righteousnes sake for theirs is the kingdom of heauen blessed shal ye be when men reuile you and persecute you and say all manner of euill against you for my sake falsly See here a difference between the spirit of God all carnal men All men indeed desire to be happy and blessed in this life in the life to come and they are much deceiued in their iudgement and estimation of true happinesse How many are there that account happinesse to consist in honors pleasures preferments riches friends peace prosperity plenty abundance and worldly dignities and esteeme of troubles afflictions crosses shame persecutions losses as the greatest miseries that can befall the Sons of men But God accounteth otherwise of them and would haue his Saints that suffer for a good conscience to account otherwise of them then the world accounteth seeing the fruits of mens wickednesse are turned to be the meanes of our blessednesse The Apostle Peter teacheth the Church this Lesson h 1 Pet. 3 14. Who is it that will harme you if ye follow that which is good Notwithstanding blessed are ye if ye suffer for righteousnes sake yea feare not their feare neither be troubled Christ our Sauior teacheth that to such belongeth the kingdome of heauen though they be accounted vnworthy of the coÌ„pany of men yet they shal enioy the blessed society of Christ and his holy Angels though they be driuen out of house home yet they shall haue their habitation in the Heauens though they be taunted and tearmed by the most odious names among men yet they shall haue praise and honour of God and their names are written in the Booke of life Vse 3. Lastly we are put in mind by this doctrine of a necessary duty that we faint not vnder the crosse but go boldly forward with our profession vnto the end and reioyce in our afflictions If we did suffer as euill doers as murtherers and malefactors wee could haue no comfort in our sufferings Hence it is that the Apostle chargeth i 1 Pet. 4 15. 1 Pet. 3 17 18 That none of vs suffer as a Murtherer or as a Theefe or an euill Doer or as a Busie-body in other Mens matters But if a Man suffer as a Christian let him not bee ashamed but let him glorifie GOD in this behalfe Many men suffer shame and reproach but it is for their offences in such sufferings we want peace of conscience and comfort vnder the crosse If we suffer as drunkards as robbers as riotous persons we suffer for our merits and deserts we cannot reioyce and be glad when we suffer in this manner But it is better if the will of God bee so that we suffer for well doing then for euill doing for Christ also hath once suffered for sinnes the iust for the vniust that he might bring vs to God Wherefore if God at any time call vs out for the Gospels sake to suffer aduersity let vs heerein reioyce with an exceeding great ioy and neuer be ashamed of the Gospell which is the power of God to saluation vnto all that beleeue Many k Phil. 3 19. there are that glory in their own shame but some are ashamed of their glory We see how many make a mocke of sinne and foame out the froth and scumme of their owne shame they striue who shall exceede and excell one another in drinking in reuelling in whoring in all vanitie and are not ashamed nay they are past all shame It were as great a shame for vs to bee ashamed of our glory as it is for these to glory in their owne confusion and shame Now to endure affliction for the Faiths sake is our glory and honour and therefore let no man be ashamed of it As for those that are ashamed of the Crosse let them also bee ashamed of the Gospell yea of Christ which is the subiect and substaunce of the Gospell Our Sauiour declaring that this must be the condition of all the Seruants of God to be reuiled and persecuted saith l Math. 5 12. Reioyce and bee glad for great is your reward in Heauen for so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you And the Apostle Peter m 1 Pet. 4 13. willeth the Iewes to reioyce inasmuch as they are partakers of Christes sufferings that when his glory shall appeare they may be glad and reioyce For if it bee no shame or infamy to be persecuted and imprisoned for the truth of Religion and the testimonie of a good conscience what greater matter of reioycing can there be offered vnto vs in the midst of our sufferings What greater occasion of gladnesse and cheerefulnesse of heart can we haue seeing the goodnesse of the cause swalloweth vp the disgrace of the crosse and the glory of the Gospel ouer-shaddoweth all the shame of persecution This made the Apostles depart from the councell of the Pharisies n Acts 5 41. Reioycing that they were counted worthy to suffer for the Name of Christ and the preaching of the truth So the Hebrewes are commended o Heb. 10 33 34. Who being made a gazing-stocke by reproaches and afflictions and becomming Companions of them which were so tossed too and fro did suffer with ioy the spoiling of their goods knowing that they had in Heauen a better and an enduring substance Of Iesus Christ c. Before wee heard that Paule entituled himselfe a Prisoner Now let vs see whose Prisoner he was He was imprisoned by the authority of Caesar and the malice of the Iewes yet for the cause of Christ the preaching of the Gospell to the Gentiles The cause of his bands and imprisonment was not the committing of any hainous crime but the publishing of the glad tidings of saluation to the world In this sense that Paul is a prisoner for Christ that is for the confessing and preaching of Christ he cals himselfe oftentimes by this title as Eph. 3 1. For this cause I Paule am the Prisoner of Iesus Christ for you Gentiles These words are taken in this place passiuely not actiuely passiuely in that he suffered imprisonment for Christs cause and was cast into prison for the maintaining of the glory of â—hrist not actiuely as if Christ had put him in prison for in this sense he might be cald the Prisoner of Caesar to whom he had appealed that the enuy of the Pharisies and mallice of the Iewes might be repeaâ—ed and defeated Doct. 3. The persecutions of all true Christians are the persecutions of Christ The doctrine from hence is this that faithfull 〈◊〉 afflicted for the truth may account their tribulations afflictions to be the tribulations and persecutions
the truth It is the cause that maketh the crosses of Christians to be the Crosse of Christ The Apostle testifieth he was a Prisoner for Christ and the Gospell not for his owne sinnes and offences It is not our suffering barely and nakedly considered can honour vs with the reward of glory and the Crowne of Martyrdome g The cause maketh a Martyr not the punishment but the cause in which we dye and the quarrell in which we suffer True it is afflictions are common to the godly and vngodly they suffer alike they are imprisoned alike arraigned condemned and executed oftentimes alike but albeit the afflictions bee one and the same yet the cause is not one and the same for which they are afflicted The vngodly ate punished for their sinnes the godly are afflicted for a good conscience Abell is murthered of his Brother Caine is curssed and condemned to be a fugitiue vpon the earth both of them are afflicted but the cause is diuerse Abell is killed for his godlinesse Caine is punished for his wickednesse Ioseph is sold to Strangers and cast into prison so likewise are Pharaohs two Eunuches his Butler and his Baker they lye all in one prison but they had not one cause for he is committed through the slaunders and false accusations of his Mistresse they for their demerites and offences against their Maister Christ had his feete and his handes nayled on the Crosse so had the two Theeues they suffered al one punishment but how contrary were the causes of him and them seeing he suffered without cause but they iustly and worthily had the sentence of death executed vpon them Let vs not therefore onely fasten our eies and looke vpon the bare punnishment but consider what the cause is and according to the cause esteeme both of the person and of the punishment Some are prisoners h Math. 5 25. of men i 2 Tim. 2 26. others are Prisoners of the Deuill of whom they are holden captiue and both of them for their wickednesse but if we will be Martirs of Christ we must be the prisoners of Christ This serueth to reprooue the Church of Rome who glory in their Martyrs as sometimes the Donatists did and fill vp their Kalender with such as they haue canonized for Saints in Heauen which were no better then Traytors when they liued vpon the earth The Church of Rome which vaunteth her selfe to be the onely true Church of God and condemneth other honoureth diuers Saintes which neuer were in the World some that were Pagans others that were Iewes in Religion and refused Christ and others that were Heretiques and Traytors that neyther had Faith on Earth nor haue saluation in Heauen beeing Rebels to their Princes and enemies to their Countrey and disturbers of the State And therefore also it condemneth those who albeit they liue vnder the Gospell and shroud themselues vnder the branches of it as vnder a comfortable shaddow whereby they haue refreshed and enriched themselues yet they magnifie the Church of Rome and set vp the Faith professed therein they ballance it equall with the true Church of God among our selues and thereby seeke to shake in sunder the Faith of many These men cry out not onely that there are and haue been learned men on both sides but Saintes and holy men on both sides and true Martyrs on both sides and therefore would haue the people carryed about with vncertainety of Doctrine as with a waue of the Sea But we deny that any haue suffered among vs for the Roman Faith or haue beene led to execution for their Religion The truth is they haue but too much fauour shewed them and too great liberty giuen them Indeede such as haue beene found factious and forward to aduance forraigne power to adhere to forraigne enemies to stirre the people to rebell and take armes against the Prince to compasse the death and destruction of the Prince such as haue beene Authors of treacheries and conspiracies and beene conuinced to be trumpets of sedition by the deposition of witnesses by the forme of their tryall and by their owne confessions haue beene iustly executed among vs as by all men must needes be acknowledged In the Cittie of Rome all that will not take the Popes part or shall take him to be no Pope or refuse to ioyne with him if an Army should bee sent against him are adiudged to be no lawfull Subiects but disloyall Traytors No forraine Prince will repute them for his people and Subiects that shall deny to take his part against any forraine Vsurper or Inuador whatsoeuer So the Lawes of our Land haue seized vpon some who haue busied themselues in matters of State bringing ouer Buls declaring that the Prince was to bee deposed and the Subiects discharged of their alleagiance As for pointes of Faith they were neuer mentioned in the proceedings against them they were not called into question for their opinion concerning the Masse for transubstantiation for worshipping of Images or for any other point of the Romish Religion or rather superstition Therefore it is false that any haue dyed among vs as Martyrs or any otherwise then as Traytors The true k Who are true Martyrs and who not Church of God euer held them for Martyrs that dyed for the profession of the Faith and the testimony of Christ but such of the Popish faith and faction as haue beene executed among vs dyed for maintenance of the Popes pleasure and tyranny taking vpon him to depose Princes and seeking by open armes and secret Treasons to murther them True Martyrs suffered for the truth wrongfully and therefore deserued commendation according to the rule of the Apostle l 1 Pet. 2 19. It is thanke-worthy if a man for conscience toward God endure greefe suffering wrongfully but these suffer not in matter of wrong nor for a good conscience vnlesse the will of the Pope be the rule of their conscience True Martyrs must be endued with Charity m 1 Cor. 13 3. for as the Apostle teacheth If I giue my body to be burned and haue not loue it profiteth nothing but these haue not any shaddow of charity who plot the death of their Prince and seeke the destruction of their Countrey To conclude this point vnlesse Treason be Religion and falshood truth and vnlesse Antichrist be to bee receiued for Christ these men cannot be esteemed and honoured as Martyrs among vs who dyed not for Christ but for practising against the Doctrine of Christ which teacheth to be gentle patient humble and not any way to seeke reuenge Vse 4. Lastly from this Doctrine ariseth great comfort to the Seruants of God and as great terror to all their Enemies It is a great consolation for them that are afflicted for Christs sake to asswage their sorrow and a great meanes to worke in them patience to consider that Christ putteth all their teares in his Bottle and accounteth their afflictions to be his afflictions If we
suffer with Christ we shall raigne with him if we dye with Christ we shall liue with him if we n Rom. 8 29. 2 Tim. 2 11 12 1 Pet. 4 12. be made like vnto him in ignominy wee shall be made like vnto him in glory The Apostle Peter exhorteth the people of God Not to thinke it strange concerning the fiery tryall which was among them to prooue them as though some strange thing were come vnto them but to reioyce inasmuch as they were partakers of Christs sufferings If any thing be able to lift vp your handes and to raise vp your harts vnder the Crosse this consideration is able to refresh our weaknesse and comfort our feeble Spirits that our afflictions shall no otherwise bee respected and regarded then if the load were laid vpon Christ himselfe On the other side this serueth to terrifie the hearts of all persecuters of the godly and Enemies of all righteousnesse they can neuer escape the hand of God and of Christ whom they do persecute in his members They haue not to doe onely with men like vnto themselues but with him that is the eternall God against whom they can neuer preuaile This is it that deceiueth the proud persecuters of the poore people of God they dreame they haue to doe no further then with weake men who are not able to resist them and that they haue no farther account to make But they must know that their persecutions reach to Christ and that they slander reuile reproach and hurt the person of Christe himselfe so often as they slander reuile reproach and hurt the least and lowest member of Christ and therefore shall not escape fearefull punnishment Hence it is that Christ speaking vnto Saule when hee was conuerted to the Faith o Acts 9 5. It is hard for thee to kicke against prickes It is therefore a fearefull thing to be a persecuter p 2 Thess 1 6. It is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you and to you which are troubled rest with vs when the Lord Iesus shall shew himselfe from Heauen with his mighty Angels c. So the Apostle Iohn describing the tribulation of the Church saith q Reuel 2 10. Behold it shall come to passe that the Deuill shall cast some of you into Prison He doth not say the persecuters shall doe it but the Deuill because he ruleth in them hee carrieth them to do his will albeit they be blind and see it not albeit they be hardned and vnderstand it not albeit they be senselesse and regard it not And our Brother Timotheus c. Heere is the second person writing this Epistle Paule ioyneth vnto him Timothy a man of reuerent account and famous in the Church as he doth in many other places of his Epistles The former Epistle to the Corinthians r Magdeb. Centur. lib 2. cap. 7. was written by Paule and Sosthenes the latter by Paule and Timothy Paule and all the Bretheren which he had with him at Rome ioyned together in the writing the Epistle to the Galathians Paule Siluanus and Timothy wrote the Epistles to the Thessalonians So in this place Paule ioyneth Timothy with him in his suit because howsoeuer he were in great credit with Philemon and able to obtaine a great matter at his hands yet he knew he should preuaile better by the helpe and assistance of another then he could do himselfe alone seeing two may preuaile more then one He honoureth him also with the name of a deere Brother whom oftentimes hee calleth his naturall Sonne that his guiftes and graces may be considered with his person and carry the greater waight in his suite and so Philemon sooner yeeld his consent and grant this request beeing requested and as it were set vpon by so many Doct. 4. All duties are better done by the help of others then alone by our selues From this practise of the Apostle we learne that what good thing soeuer we enterprise and take in hand wee shall better effect it with others then alone by our selues The ioyning vnto vs the hand and help of others is profitable and necessary to all things belonging vnto vs for the better performing and accomplishing of them This the Wise man teacheth Eccl. 4. when he saith Å¿ Eccles 4 9 12 Two are better then one Abimelech being directed by God to stirre vp Abraham obtaineth by his meanes t Gen. 20 17. who prayed for him that which he could not compasse and accomplish alone by himselfe The like we might say of the three friends of Iob they obtained the fauour of God u Iob. 42. 8. and the accepting of their Sacrifice through the intercession of Iob which without him they could not obtaine Absolom not beeing x 2 Sam. 14 4 able to purchase procure of himselfe the good will of his Father moueth Ioab to deale for him Ioab vseth the helpe of the subtill Woman of Tekoah whereby hee is reconciled to his Father Heereby it commeth to passe y Ephe. 6 18. Col 4. 3. 2 Thes 3 1. that Paule so often requesteth and requireth the prayers of the Church that vtterance may be giuen vnto him that he may open his mouth boldly to publish the secrets of the Gospell All these places of Scripture prooue plainely and directly vnto vs that what matter of waight and importance soeuer we enterprise and goe about it is good for vs to take to our selues the helpe of others to further vs therein Reason 1. The truth of this Doctrine will better appeare vnto vs if wee weight the causes and consider the reasons For first the labour and wages of two is better and greater then of one alone In all doing of duties there z Psal 19 11. is profit reward but where greater strength is ioyned and force vnited there is greater fruit of the labour seene This is the reason vrged by the Wise man Eccle. 4. where the Doctrine hath his confirmation when hee had taught that two are better then one he addeth immediatly a Eccle 4 9. For they haue better Wages for their labour It maketh vs hauing company to be more cheerefull in labouring it deuoureth the tediousnesse and wearisomnesse of the worke and it prouoketh vs to an holy emulation who shall goe before each other Hence it is that Christ Iesus calling and sending out his Apostles b Mar. 6 7. Mat. 10 2 3. did send them forth two and two and the Euangelist doth couple and as it were yoake them together Peter and Andrew Iames and Iohn Philip and Bartlemew Thomas and Mathew c. Thus they were sent and thus they laboured together When God had called Moses to go to Pharaoh and to will him to let his people go he sent him not alone but ioyned vnto him his brother Aaron When the Lord Iesus appointed the seauenty disciples to second the labours of his twelu Apostles c Luke 10 1.
73. Psalm Å¿ Psal 73 25 26. Whom haue I in heauen but thee And I haue desired none in the earth with thee my flesh faileth and mine hart also but God is the strength of mine heart and my portion for euer So the Apostle Paul accounteth all thinges as losse and dung in comparison of the grace of God Whereby we see that all men should principally and in the first place seeke wish and intreat for the feeling of Gods fauour in Christ as the blessed Fountaine of all good things to come vpon vs. Reason 1. Let vs consider the causes and Reasons of this point First one drop of his free loue is better worth then all the World and it shall yeelde vs more sweet and sound comfort in the latter end If we should put the grace of God and the glory of the world and peize them together in the ballances the least dramme and drop of the fauour of God toward vs would ouer-weigh and ouer-sway all the whole World and all the thinges that are in the World which worldly men make their chiefest Treasure This the Prophet Dauid found by experience so soone as he had prayed for the louing countenance of GOD hee addeth t Psal 4 7. Thou hast giuen me more ioy of heart then they haue had when their Wheate and their Wine did abound This giueth a man more sound comfort then hee can finde else-where Wee haue a common saying that runneth in euery Mans mouth Giue a man good lucke and throw him into the Sea But this is a Diuine truth Let a man haue the free Grace and fauour of GOD and then neyther Sea nor Land neither Fire nor Water neyther Sword nor Pestilence neyther force nor Famine neyther any other thing shall be able to hurt him We see this e Exod. 14 30. in Moses and the Israelites when they were come to the Red Sea and Pharaoh with his Army followed at their backes they were brought through the Sea as on dry Land and were carried safely in the Wildernesse as on Eagles Winges by the prouidence and protection of God The three Children f Dan. 3 27 6 22. were cast into the Furnance Daniell was thrown into the Lyons denne yet they were not consumed with the Fire neyther he deuoured by the Lyons This made the Prophet say g Psal 23 4. Though I should walke through the Valley of the shaddow of death I will feare none ill for thou art with me thy Rodde and thy Staffe they comfort me All other comfort is no better then discomfort all other ioy is no better then sorrow and vexation of Spirit without this according to the saying of the Wise-man h Eccle. 2 2. I said of laughter Thou art mad and of ioy what is this that thou dost Reason 2. Secondly the grace and loue of God blesseth sanctifieth and furthereth all other thinges vnto vs honour wealth wisedome riches strength fauour friendship and whatsoeuer befall the Sonnes of Men. The Prophet testifieth Psalme 45. Because God had blessed him for euer i Psal 45 2 3. therefore it is said vnto him prosper thou with thy glory ride vppon the word of truth and of meekenesse On the other side the want of the loue and grace of God curseth all other things vnto vs yea defileth and poysoneth them and maketh them deadly our honour it turneth into shame our strength into weakenesse our wisedome into foolishnesse our riches into snares our beauty into vanity our sauour into hatred We haue many examples in the word of God and by daily experience offered vnto vs of this truth the wisedome of Achitophell the honour of Haman the valour of Ioab the beauty of Absolom the knowledge of Iudas all these were good and great blessings of God but all are turned to be cursses vnto them because wanting the free grace of GOD they wanted the sanctified vse of them Seeing therefore the loue of God is of greater price and more excellent value then all the world and seeing his grace sanctifieth and seasoneth all other blessings and the want thereof bringeth a cursse vpon them wee conclude and gather from these reasons that the free fauour and mercy of God in Christ Iesus is first and aboue all other things to be intreated and desired for our selues and others Vse 1. Now let vs make vse of this point First let euerie one of vs seeke to haue our hearts established and setled in this free grace to finde and feele in vs his loue shed in our hearts by his holy Spirit Let this bee our first our chiefe our principall and special care to obtaine the loue and fauour of God that wee may be beloued of him This was the prayer of the Prophet k Psal 51 12. Restore to me the ioy of thy saluation and stablish me with thy free Spirit So the Apostle teacheth l Hebr. 13 9. It is a good thing that the heart bee stablished with grace We see how men are filled and carryed away with naturall presumption euen from their Cradle perswading themselues to stand in a sure estate and thinking to escape the wrath of God but of this free grace they haue no tast no desire no feeling of any want They imagine themselues to stand in no neede thereof they presume they are in the fauour of God they dreame that he cannot chuse but loue them If we want any earthlie blessing the helpe of Friendes the health of bodie the Treasure of this World we can very quickly feele it our senses are sharpe enough to discerne it but though we want the grace of God and his fauour toward vs wee haue no more feeling then dead Men hath wee neyther feele it nor desire it nor once regard it We spend our strength wast our life and consume our daies in seeking riches honours pleasures and preferments but wee neuer looke so high as to the grace of God We lye groueling like the Beastes vpon the Earth wee vse euery day nay euery houre nay euerie minute the blessings of God f Acts 17 28. In whom we liue and mooue and haue our being yet wee will not lift vp our eyes to the chiefe cause of all the Grace of God Let vs therefore aboue all thinges seeke earnestly for the grace of God wherein the Foundation of all our happinesse is laid He that liueth in his fauour hath comfort in all sorrowes and miseries He that dyeth out of his fauour dyeth as a Beast nay worse then a beast and shall haue fellowship with the Deuill and his Angels it had beene good if such a one had neuer beene borne For euen as the rich man in the Gospell desired g Luke 16 24 one drop of Water to quench the fire and to coole his tongue and if he might haue gotten it hee would haue preferred it before the gaining and obtaining of a thousand Worlds so when God shall set our sinnes in order before
20. according to that which the Prophet hath They that reward euill for good are mine enemies because I follow goodnesse This agreeth with that which Christ told and taught his Disciples u Iohn 15 19. If ye were of the world the world would loue his owne but because ye are not of the World but I haue chosen you out of the World therefore the World hateth you Thus much touching the deciding of the doubts and answering of the questions that arise out of these two verses Now let vs come to the obseruations that arise therein Obseruations out of these verses The wordes beeing interpreted and diuers questions answered let vs see what points offer themselues fitly to bee deserued First he beginneth with a thanksgiuing to teach that it is meete and necessary to giue thanks to God for benefits receiued at his hands according to the Doctrine of the Apostles x 1 Thes 5 18 In all thinges giue thankes for this is the will of God in Christ Iesus Wee are ready to forget such mercies as we haue receiued and thereby make our selues vnworthy of further fauour Secondly consider to whom he giueth thankes to God not to any Saint or Angell or any Creatuâ—… to guide vs in the performance of this duty Thirdly marke the person for whom for Philemon so that wee are not onely bound to giue thankes for our selues but for other especially when we see Gods word to bring forth fruit in the hearts of Men. Thus doth Paule in this place reioyce for the godlinesse of Philemon and euery where in his Epistles sheweth himselfe exceeding glad for the conuersion of Nations and people to the Faith Thus the Church of the Iewes y Gal. 1 23. are said to glorifie God when they heard of Paules conuersion This is the dutie of all Christians specially of the Ministers to pray continually for the Flock committed vnto them and to praise the name of God for their increase in godlinesse Fourthly obserue that first he mentioneth his thanks-giuing then his praiers for him so that he ioyneth the one with the other Whereby we see that prayers conceiued for our selues or others are not to bee seuered from giuing of thankes For no man is so perfect in this life but be hath neede of dailie encrease in grace and therefore we must so giue thankes for our Bretheren to God in regard of the graces of his spirit which they haue receiued that wee also pray incessantly for their growth in those graces Besides no man standeth so firmely rooted and grounded in grace but hee may fall and by his fall haue his guifts lessened and diminished vnlesse he be strengthened and stayed vp by the meanes and helpes that God hath appointed among the which are Prayers both our owne and others Fiftly hee saith his Faith and loue were heard off and spread abroad farre and neere so that wee see Gods graces bestowed vpon vs will not be hidden and concealed We are set as vpon a Theater to be seene all mens eies are fixed vpon vs all Mens mouths will bee opened to speake of vs z Rom. 1 8. 1 Kin. 18 13. and all mens eares will listen what they can heare of vs euen then when they are absent from vs. On the otherside what euill soeuer we commit wee cannot conceale and couer we haue many eies vpon vs we shall haue a thousand eares to hearken and ten thousand mouths to prattle against vs so that we must so walke as we saw many with vs and many saw vs how we walke Sixtly wee see heere a notable difference betweene vnfained praise and fained flattery The Apostle without any faining and fawning rehearseth in this place the commendation of Philemon a 1 Thes 1 â— 2 13 5 6. as he doth in other places of the whole Churches thereby to encourage them in well doing and to stirre them vp to continue fast and faithfull to the death and to hasten to the end of the race set before them But such as flatter and vse colourable wordes are wholy at the becke of others extolling and admiring whatsoeuer they doe or speake whether it deserue praise or dispraise It standeth vs vpon to consider whom we praise and wherefore we praise them that it be for such good thinges as appeare to be in them I giue thankes to my God c. The Apostle finding and hearing of the excellent and worthy graces of God that were in Philemon was mooued with great ioy and thereby stirred vp to blesse and praise the Lord God Doct. 1. Men ought to take cause of great ioy to see others grow and proceed in good things We learne from hence that al Christians especially Teachers are greatly to reioyce and praise God when they see or know or heare that professors prosper and grow forward in heauenly graces It is a matter of great ioy and comfort to see men grow in graces as they doe in yeares and to encrease in heauenly things as they multiply their daies When the Prophet Dauid saw the forwardnesse of the people in offering willingly vnto the Lord with a perfect heart for the building of the Temple l 1 Chron. 29 10. He reioyced exceedingly and blessed the Lord before all the Congregation And Psal 122. I reioyced m Psal 122 1. when they said vnto me Come let vs goe into the house of the Lord. The Apostle writing to the Romanes giueth thankes through Iesus Christ for them all n Rom. 1 8. Because their Faith was published throughout the whole world When the Churches of Iudea heard that Paule a Persecuter was conuerted to the Faith and made a Preacher of the Faith which before he destroyed o Gal. 1 22 23 They glorified God for him The Apostle Iohn writing to an elect Lady whom he loued in the truth saith p 2 Iohn 4 3 Iohn 3 4. I reioyced greatly that I found of thy Children walking in truth as we haue receiued a Commaundement of the Father And writing to Gaius he saith I reioyced greatly when the Brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee how thou walkest in the truth I haue no greater ioy then these to heare that my Sonnes walke in veritie By these seuerall places alleadged as by so many witnesses produced wee see that it is our duty greatly to reioyce when we behold the Gospell flourish and the professors of the Gospell grow forward in good things Reason 1. And there are many reasons to warrant and confirme this Doctrine First it serueth exceedingly to aduance the glory of God that men grow in godlinesse which ought to be an effectuall reason to mooue vs to reioyce for what is there that should more cheere and reioyce vs then when Gods Name is magnified and his truth extolled among the Sonnes of Men. In all things that we doe if we doe them aright we should ayme at Gods glorie Now as the Name of GOD is
delight hath the Nurse then to see her child liue in health grow vp in strength and stature and prosper in the world So there is no comfort like to this comfort no ioy like to this ioy no delight like to this delight to behold the haruest of the Lord the sheepe of Christ the Children of God to flourish and to encrease more and more to grow from faith to faith from grace to grace b Ephe. 4. 13. vntill they all meet together vnto a perfect man and vnto the measure of the age of the fulnes of Christ Hence it is that after the Apostle had testified his ioy and thankes to God for the faith and loue of the Colossians he addeth c Col. 19. 10. for this cause we also since the day we heard of it cease not to pray for you and to desire that ye might be fulfilled with knowledge of his will in all wisedome and spirituall vnderstanding that ye might walke worthy of the Lord and please him in all thinges being fruitfull in all good workes and increasing in the knowledge of God and let vs by this example comfort our selues in such as increase in good thinges and pray for such as are comming forward We liue in a decaying and declining time wherein many haue forgotten their first loue we see the cold season and Winter of all Godlines wherein men are frozen in the dregs of Sinne. Wee may behold with our eyes if we be not starke blinde a generall wasting languishing and consumption of the heate and heart of Religion If then in this common pining of the vital parts we may discerne any reuiuing and refreshing to appeare or any flourishing of Godlines which seemed dead at the root to spring vp let it be a comfort vnto vs and teach vs to giue God the glory who maketh light to come out of darkenesse and life to arise out of death This serueth to reproue those that neuer desire the profiring of their people nor regard what their estate and how their standing is in heauenly thinges they neuer consider whether they goe forward or backward whether they grow vpward or downe-ward to Heauen or to Hell to God or to the Deuill to Saluation or to damnation These are they that feed themselues to the full but regard not to feed the flocke ouer which the holy Ghost hath made them ouerseers These are they that liue of the Alter but care not to minister at the Alter they will be sure to reape carnall things but they haue no conscience to sow spirituall thinges They liue of the Gospell but they will not preach the Gospell The Apostle testifying his longing and thirsting after the saluation of the Church said I seeke not yours but you But these men if they would speake the truth from their hearts might say we seeke not you but yours we care not what become of you so that we may find the sweetnes of that which is yours How farre are these from the zealous affection of the same Apostle who became all thinges to all men if by any meanes he might saue some he teacheth that a necessity lay vpon him to preach the Gospell and denounceth a woe vpon himselfe if he preach not the Gospell Let vs all in our places follow his example and pray vnto God to giue the grace of conuersion to turne the hearts of men to the sauing knowledge of the Gospell and where he hath granted this mercy let vs pray him to encrease it more and more and to continue it vnto the day of Iesus Christ Vse 2. Secondly as the growing in good thinges is matter of ioy so on the other side it is caused of great sorrow and griefe of heart when the professors of the saith and hearers of the word and such as seemed louers of the truth do not profit but reuolt do not goe forward but goe backward do not grow better and better but become worse and worse It must not seeme strange that great sorrow ariseth vnto the seruants of God when men do not profit in good thinges We see what worldly sorrow is found in worldly men that causeth death the least occasion of losse the least feeling of trouble the least crossing of their humors can draw from them abundance of teares But such as are led by the spirit of God are spiritually minded d 2. Cor. 7. 10. they haue godly sorrow that causeth repentance vnto saluation not to be repented of This was in the Prophet Dauid when he saw a decay in Godlines and a growing in wickednesse e Psal 119. 136. mine eyes gush out with Riuers of water because they keepe not thy law This was in the Prophet Ieremy f Ier. 9. 1. and 4. 19. O that mine head were full of water and mine eyes a fountaine of teares that I might weep day and night for the slaine of the Daughter of my people This was in Christ our Sauiour when he came neere to Ierusalem he beheld the Citty and wept for it g Luke 19. 41. 42. O if thou hadst euen knowne at the least in this day those thinges which belong vnto thy peace but now are hid from thine eyes This was in the Apostle Paule when he saw the reuolting and back-sliding of the Galathians h Gal. 4. 19. and 5. 7. O my little Children of whom I trauaile in Birth againe vntill Christ be formed in you I am in feare of you least I haue bestowed on you labour in vaine ye did runne well who did let you that ye did not obey the truth This is a speciall note to discerne and distinguish true Pastors from hirelings and faithfull shepheards from Wolues for the true Ministers of Christ are inwardly touched and grieuously pained to behold the present sinnes of the people and the future iudgments of God hanging ouer their heads This is a great griefe of heart and goeth neere them to see so little growth of Godlines so little fruit of their labours so great encrease of all vngodlines This reproueth those that make a mocke of sinne and can laugh as heartilie at the committing of iniquitie as at the best ieast and the greatest sport If we begin once to laugh at sinne we will not make any conscience to commit it When once we do not sticke to ieast at it we will quickly come to it in good earnest When we can make a play of it there is but a short step to put it in practise The very Heathen i Plutar. in Solone Valer. Maxim lib. 2. Cap. 6. saw thus much that had but halfe an eye that if they suffered euill to be committed merrily and in sport they should finde it practised in their earnest contracts common affaires And many of the heathen by other Heathen are commended k Tacit. in his description of Germany among whom vices were neuer laughed at But how many are there among vs that would be counted and are indeed called Christians
and refuse to heare him but to shewe himselfe true in his worde and faithfull in his promise hee dooth acknowledge him as his owne because hee confessed him before that sinnefull and wicked generation saying vnto him Verily I say vnto thee to day thou shalt be with me in Paradise The Apostle Iohn liuing when the Deity of our Sauiour beganne to bee doubted of and called into question saith p 1 Ioh. 4 2 3. Euerie Spirit which confesseth that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God and euery spirit that confesseth not that Iesus Christ is come in the Flesh is not of God If therefore wee looke to bee confessed of Christ and to haue our soules saued in the day of the Lord let vs boldly beare and behaue our selues vnder the Crosse and not shrinke in the wetting like deceitfull cloth let vs know that confession and saluation must goe together if wee waite for the one wee must expresse the other if confession go before we may build surely and ground our selues strongly vpon the promise of Christ that the saluation of our soules shall follow after and no man shall take it from vs. This made the Apostle say q 2 Tim. 1 12. For this cause I suffer these things but I am not ashamed for I know whom I haue beleeued and I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I haue committed to him against that day Vse 2 Secondly seeing our Faith and Religion must be confessed it is a duty that lieth vpon vs to seeke to know the truth and labour to expresse the power of godlinesse otherwise it is vnpossible that euer we should make profession of it For profession of the faith presupposeth a knowledge of the faith for how can we confesse that which we kno not or manifest that to other wherof we are ignorant our selues This controlleth and condemneth those that liue in the Church heare the word and haue the Gospell sounding a long time in their eares yet know not what faith is nor how to beleeue so that whereas in regard of their continuance in the Church in regard of the meanes offred to them and in regard of their age wherewith God hath blessed them r Heb. 5 12. they might haue been teachers of others they haue neede to be taught the beginnings of faith the grounds of religion the principles of the word of God and are become such as haue neede of milke and not of strong meate Alas who can consider without great greefe of heart and anguish of spirit in what state the greatest number of our people stand and remember that after al our planting watering sowing and labouring they are apt and fit to receiue any religion because they are blinde and ignorant and know not God aright or any part of his truth to their soules health They are like the potters Clay which is readie to take any forme and receiue any impression or like the earth which altereth and changeth as the winde or weather as the Spring or Winter shall worke vpon it If they were taught to beleeue and receiue the Cabala of the Iewes the Alcoran of the Turkes the Reuelations of the Anabaptists the Traditions of the Papists or such like rotten trash of mans deuises and if they were countenanced by authoritie of Princes and Lawes of men they were as easie to be wrought vpon as waxe that is readie to receiue any stampe and impression A lamentable case that wee should bee still as Babes and children not knowing the right hand from the left carried about with euerie waue of Doctrine and receiuing the darknesse of errour for the light of the truth But we haue not so learned Christ and the Christian Religion When we haue once giuen entertainment vnto the truth and imbraced it soundly in our hearts we must not denie the faith whatsoeuer befall vs whatsoeuer trouble come vnto vs whether prosperity fawne and flatter vpon vs or whether aduersity pinch vs and paine vs whether the Sunne of peace shine vpon vs or whether the clouds of affliction ouer-shaddow vs wee must alwayes be the same and our standing in the faith should not be wauering or wandering to giue ouer at euery assault and to shrink backe for euery brunt and to deny our Lorde and Maister by euery tentation This serueth to reproue those that knowe nothing and therefore can professe nothing and as they know nothing so they will know nothing of whom we may say as the Apostle doth Å¿ 2 Pet. 3 5. This they wittingly know not and so are wilfully ignorant and shut their eies because they would not see and because the light shold not shine into their hearts For seeing God hath commanded the light to shine out of darknes we may truly say t 2 cor 4 3 4 6 If our Gospell be then hid it is hidde to them that are lost in whom the God of this world hath blinded the mindes that is of the Infidels that the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ which is the Image of God shoulde not shine vnto them Thus doth God send them strong delusion that they shold beleeue lies u 2 Thess 2 11 12. That all they might be damned which beleeued not the trueth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse Let vs therefore seeke after knowledge as for great Treasures Let vs search the Scriptures that in them we may find eternall life let vs haue the word of God dwell plentifully in vs which is able to make vs wise vnto Saluation Let vs vse all good meanes to encrease knowledge in vs to begin in Faith to hold out a good confession to maintaine the truth against all the aduersaries that rise against vs. Vse 3. Thirdly seeing it is a duty to open our mouthes and lose our tongues to confesse to his name that hath called vs to his truth it standeth vs vpon continually and constantly to pray for the Spirit of strength or corroboration that we may be made able to stand in the time of danger It is not in all that know and acknowledge the truth to auouch it and to maintaine it to confesse it and to stand to it but onely of such as haue receiued the strengthening power of Christ Hence it is that the Apostle saith of himselfe x Phil 4 13. I am able to doe all thinges through the helpe of Christ which strengthneth me So he prayeth for the Colossians That they might be strengthned with the glorious power of Christ When a man hath once receiued to beleeue hee wanteth a new grace to bee giuen vnto him that the graine of Faith which lyeth hidden in the heart and couered in the Ashes of mans frailty may grow vp openly and bring forth in vs the confession of the mouth This appeareth by the words of the Apostle Iohn who testifieth y Iohn 12 42 43. That euen among the cheefe Rulers many beleeued in him neuerthelesse because of the
perfect and endeuour to drawe on others to perfection Reason 1. Let vs see the Reasons First Christian profession is a way in which men must not stand still but must walke and go forward in the way they must not stay in one estate but be alwayes stirring forward So when the Apostle had exhorted the Thessalonians to encrease more and more hee addeth f 1 Thess 4 1. As yee haue receiued of vs how ye ought to walke and to please God We are now in this life in our iourney we must not thinke that we are come to our iournies end which cannot be before our liues end As then they that haue a great iourney to go do not rest till they come to their iourneyes end so must it be with vs we must make hast on our way and be swift in our race The way which we are to go is our profession the Traueller that entreth into the way is euery true Christian the end of our iourney is the entrance into life the iudge of our going and giuer of the victory is God He that standeth stil can neuer come at his iournyes end it is he that goeth in his way runneth in his race that shall receiue the crowne of euerlasting happinesse Reason 2. Secondly Christians are compared to Children Children are alwayes growing in age encreasing in stature going forwarde in knowledge and in Wisedome if they do not prosper and proceede we commonly call them and account them Vrchins and Changelings So must wee grow in grace vntill we come to a perfect aged man in Christ The Prophet speaking of the faithfull that were zealous in the worship of God saith g Psal 84 7. They goe from strength to strength So the Apostle exhorteth that we h 1 Cor. 14 20. should not be Children in vnderstanding but as concerning maliciousnesse we should be Children but in vnderstanding we should be of ripe age He would haue vs as Children and he would not haue vs as Children he would haue vs Children in malice but he would not haue vs Children in knowledge Wee see they fall out i Terent. in Hecyr pueri inter sese quà m pro leuibus noxis iras gerunt for light offences because the minde is weake that ruleth and guideth them one word will raise anger and another word will make them friends and therefore though they fall out quickly yet their falling out is farre from malice and they are easily reconciled Thus hee would haue vs to bee children but in wisedome in knowledge and in vnderstanding he would haue vs to be of ripe age proceede in these gifts as we do in our yeares No mans life standeth at a stay let vs encrease in the other as we doo in this that so the graces of God may bee perfected in vs. Reason 3. Thirdly we must so walke in our way and hasten to our iournies end that we may obtaine the prize Hee that k 1 Cor. 9 25. Math 24 13. Reuel 2 26 27. 3 5 12. ouer-commerh and holdeth out to the latter end onely shall bee saued Hee that giueth ouer is a faint souldier a weake Worke-man a slow runner a feeble wrastler We must so fight that we may ouercome we must so worke that we may rest we must so runne that we may obtaine we must so wrastle that we may receiue the Crown we must so proue Maisteries that wee may win the victory Staying in one state is a token of reprobation and reiection from God they are cast into a spirite of slumber and drowsinesse they sleep in security and cannot see their way This did the Prophet prophesie and this doth the Apostle testifie to be true concerning Israell l Rom 11 8. God hath giuen them the spirit of slumber eyes that they should not see and eares that they should not heare vnto this day Seeing then that our profession is the way wherein we are to walke toward the heauenly Ierusalem seeing we must be like Children that grow in age and yeares and lastly seeing we must labour to obtaine the Crowne to winne the victory to receiue the price and to get the wages it followeth that we all must endeuour to go forward and to bring others forward toward the Kingdome of Heauen Vse 1. The vses remaine to be handled that we may haue the profit of this Doctrine First we learne that God hath a iust action and suit to commence against all idle bellies and vnprofitable Drones that be Truants and no proficients in the Schoole of Christ The church of God is the Schoole of Chrst he is the Maister all of vs are or should be his Schollers We are brought forth into the world that when we come to yeares of vnderstanding we may be Schollers in his Schoole If any of vs put our Children to a free Schoole to be taught if they should still stay and stand in the lowest forme and neuer a whit proceede in learning we would iudge them either void of ordinary diligence or destitute of ordinary capacity We looke when we set them to Schoole that they should encrease in learning We haue a common prouerbe that Schollers of all other haue the best conscience that whereas others neuer thinke they haue enough they thinke they haue to much for their mony But let vs see how it fareth with vs who are likewise Schollers in the best Schoole that euer was the Church of God and haue the best Master that euer was to wit Christ himselfe God hath put vs to Schoole to learne at the mouth of Christ who hath committed vs to Pastors and teachers as to his Deputies to be instructed It is required of vs that we grow in knowledge in faith in zeale in obedience and in all the workes of sanctification If we be good Schollers we must grow forward and ascend higher we must proceed from grace to grace and from one step to another But alasse how many are there in our congregations who hauing liued vnder the Gospell that offereth saluation to men all the daies of their life and continued ten twenty thirty forty yeares hearing the word of God sounding in their eares m Ephe 4 14. yet are no wiser in Religion then a young Child and are no forwarder then when they first stepped and entred into the Schoole-house of God I doubt not but they are wise in matters of the world but in the booke of God and in matters of their saluation they haue no knowledge They receiue the grace of God in vaine and are Dunses and Dwarfes in this Schoole of Christ without growing and encreasing in Godlinesse They are not in truth able to say vnto their owne Soules I haue receiued some greater measure of knowledge I haue attained better strength of Faith I haue found some increase in Godlinesse I haue felt some care and conscience to please God Nay we may truely say that many are more ignorant in knowledge more lewd
in life more backward in good thinges more prophane in heart more contemning the word of God and loathing the meanes of saluation then they were in the beginning of their dayes This is our estate and condition most lamentable and fearefull and yet wee can complaine of Idle boyes and sluggish Schollers that thinke they take to much learning for their money and neuer consider that we are the men and that the prouerbe concerneth our selues God will enter into iudgement with vs and if we be not learners in his Schoole he will remoue vs and discharge vs out of his Schoole It had beene better for vs that we had neuer knowne God that we had neuer receiued his truth nay it had beene better for vs that we had neuer beene borne or beene borne Turkes and Canibals Pagans and Infidels then to haue the Gospell among vs and not to heare it or to heare it and not to learne by it or to learne by it and not to obey it and grow daily in the practise of it This appeareth by the greeuous threatnings denounced by Christ our Sauiour against those Citties where his word had beene preached and professed and his great miracles had beene wrought and shewed n Mat. 11. 21. 22. 23. 24. Woe be to thee Corazin woe be to thee Bethsaida for if the great workes which were done in you had beene done in Tyrus and Sidon they had repented long agone in sackecloth and ashes but I say vnto you it shall be easier for them at the day of iudgement then for you And thou Capernaum which art lifted vp vnto Heauen shalt be brought downe to Hell for if the great workes which haue beene done in thee had beene done among them of Sodome they had remained to this day But I say vnto you that it shall be easier for them of the Land of Sodome in the day of iudgement then for thee He compareth heere Corazin and Bethsaida with Tyre and Sydon likewise Capernaum with Sodom that is the places where Christ had dwelled where the Gospell had beene offered where many of his miracles had beene manifested with such Citties as neuer had the Law neuer heard the Gospell neuer saw the Prophets neuer knew the Doctrine of saluation but liued in ignorance and in idolatry And in this comparison he teacheth that such Townes and Villages as haue had the preaching of the word and the ministry of the Gospell among them shall receiue greater punishment in the day of iudgement then other poore blind wretches that neuer had these meanes offered vnto them We would all of vs thinke it a very harsh and homely comparison and farre from all likely-hood of truth if I should compare vs euen vs of Isfield with Sodome and Gomorrah wee know o Ezek. 16. 49. how foule and filthy these places were we confesse they are loathsome in our eyes and odious in our eares we know that for their wickednesse they p Gen. 19 â—4 were destroyed with fire and brimstone from heauen and yet I say vnto you in the name of God from the warrant of his sacred word by which we shall all be iudged that if we liue in this contempt of the truth that is preached vnto vs and do not bring forth the fruits of the Gospell it had been better we had beene borne Sodomites and Gomorrheans for our iudgement shall be greater and our punishment heauier because our sinne is heinouser No sinne greater then the contempt of the Gospel as no mercy is greater then the peaceable enioying of the liberty of the Gospell and therefore no reward of sinne shall be more horrible So that we may truely say from the mouth of Christ it shall be easier for Sodome in the day of iudgement then for our Village Let vs apply this to our selues and lay it to our heartes to worke in vs true repentance Corazin Bethsaida and Capernaum had many priuiledges and might glory as much as we in the fauours vouchsafed vnto them and yet they are vpbraided by Christ with their vnthanke-fulnesse toward the Gospell so that the case of Sodome is made better Take heed therefore least we contemne the Gospell and so committing one of the greatest sinnes wee make our selues guilty of the greatest iudgementes that can fal vpon mankind The contempt of the Gospell hath brought the heauy hand of God vpon the Iewes that were Gods owne people Let vs not be high minded we are no whit better but rather feare least God spare not vs and tremble vnder his grieuous but yet righteous iudgements who spareth not those that are deere vnto him when they sinne against him Vse 2. Secondly we are bound to vse the meanes that may further these guiftes in vs that is the ministry of the word which being reuerently vsed hath a promise of blessing It is a light vnto our feet and a lanthorne vnto our paths it setteth vs in our way and directeth vs vnto our iourneies end The Apostle teacheth q 1 Cor 3. 6. that Paule planteth Apollos watereth but it is God that giueth the encrease to wit by the planting and watering of the Ministers The Husbandman tilleth and toyleth about his ground he soweth his Corne but he cannot make it spring vp nor send the earely and latter raine So is it with the Ministers of the Gospell the Lordes Husbandmen they must labour in his field which is the Church that the people may grow in faith and grace This reproueth those that attend not to the ordinance of God with care and diligence but neglect the worke of the Lord in them They will not suffer themselues to be ploughed and tilled that grace may grow in their hearts as Corne doth in the Fieldes They say they increase and proceed in the waies of Godlinesse but they will not vse the meanes which God hath ordained and therefore they do deceiue themselues He that heareth not at all doth not grow at all he that heareth negligently groweth slowly in any good thing For as we sow so we shall reape Againe this checketh the dulnesse and drowsinesse of such as when they haue begun in the spirit would end in the flesh which say the word is profitable and necessary to gather a Church but not to continue it to begin faith but when it is begun and begotten in vs we need not heare still we haue faith already by the preaching of the word we shall not therefore need to frequent the preaching of it still we haue that wrought in vs which the word is appointed to worke These men vnder a colour of hauing faith do scorne and deride the preaching of faith But the word is not onely the immortall seed to beget vs but wholesome food to sustaine vs it is milke for such as are weake and strong meate for such as are of riper yeares He neuer had faith by the word that seeketh not the strengthning of it by the word It is not enough to haue saith but we must
life and the yeares of their age proceed and hasten vnto an end yet they neuer endeauour to proceed in Godlinesse and to hasten to Gods Kingdome whereas we should all prouide that as the outward man decayeth so the inner man may be renewed and as the body is weakened so the spirit may be strengthened Wherefore let all such know that not to go forward is to go backward not to encrease is to decrease not to labour is to loyter not to go before is to come behind and not to proceed is not to profit but to loose all Our Sauiour speaking z Mat 25 18 26 27 28 29. of the seruant to whom he had giuen one Talent that digged it in the earth and hid his Maisters money saith Thou euill seruant and slouthfull thou knewest that I reape where I sowed not and gather where I strewed not thou oughtest therfore to haue put my mony to the Exchangers and then at my comming should I haue receiued mine owne with aduantage take therefore the Talent from him and giue it vnto him which hath ten Talents for vnto euery man that hath it shall be giuen and he shall haue abundance and from him that hath not euen that he hath shall be taken away Cast therefore that vnprofitable seruant into vtter darknesse there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Where we see he went not backward he lost not that which he had but he kept his owne and yet he is called an vnprofitable seruant and is cast into vtter darknesse So the Apostle reproueth the Hebrewes because a Heb 5 12. when as concerning the time they might be Teachers yet they had need againe to be taught what are the first principles of the word of God and were become such as had need of milke and not of strong meat The second reproofe Secondly it reproueth such as runne a while and then giue ouer so that al their righteousnesse is as a morning dew These are they which were zealous but they returne to their old sinnes and start away as if they had neuer beene the men This the Apostle condemneth in the Galathians b Gal 5 7. Chap. 5. Ye did runne well who did let you that ye did not obey the truth Hymeneus and Philetus were held to be great Christians and obtained a good report in the Church c 1 Tim 1 19 20 and 2 Tim 2 18. yet afterward they fell away putting away a good conscience making shipwracke of faith and saying that the resurrection is past already thereby shaking the foundation of religion as it were a maine pillar of the building and so destroying the faith of certaine In like manner he complaineth of Demas a great professor of the Gospell d 2 Tim 4 10. that he had forsaken him and embraced this present world Good beginnings helpe not without good proceedings If a man haue a long iourny to make what auaileth it to go many miles if he stand still in the mid-way he were as good neuer begin as not continue We see this in Lots wife she went out of Sodom with her husband and seemed as forward as he but in the end she looked backe e Gen 19 26. and was turned into a Pillar of Salt We must forget that which is behind we must not pause in our race nor stay to take breath vntill we come to the end of our course when wee shall freely breath and rest from all our laboures We must therefore striue and contend that we may out-go not onely others but euen our selues We must neuer stay our iourney but alwaies hasten and so euery day amend our pace that we runne more swiftly to day then we did yesterday and to morrow then we did to day This the Apostle teacheth setting downe the lawes to be obserued in running f 1 Cor 9 24. Know ye not that they which runne in a race runne al yet one receiueth the prize So runne that ye may obtaine And againe If g 2 Tim 2 5. any man striue for a Maistery he is not crowned except he striue as he ought to do Wee haue in the holy Scriptures many lawes to incite and prouoke vs to walke to goe forward to runne to striue to wrastle but we haue none to sit still to be idle to loyter to be carelesse and secure like to those that stood idle in the Market place h Mat 20 6. to whom Christ said Why stand ye heere all the day idle It is the will of God that we should alwaies make strait steps with our feet in this life that when we haue kept the faith and finished our course we may rest from all our laboures It is a wofull case to runne and neuer to come to the iourneyes end to labour and yet to reape no fruit of his labour This made the Apostle say i 1 Cor 9 26. I therefore so runne not as vncertainly so fight I not as one that beateth the ayre It is not enough to runne except we runne well The third reproofe Thirdly it reproueth such as enuy the good blessings of God vpon their bretheren For if we should desire their profit as well as our owne and their encrease as wel as our owne we ought not to repine at their good successe in or heauenly It is noted to the great praise and commendation of Moses that when Ioshua enuied the guift of prophesie in the Elders and would haue Moses to forbid them he answeared k Num. 11. 29 Enuiest thou for my sake Yea would God that all the Lords people were Prophets and that the Lord would put his spirit vpon them He cared not what became of his owne credit and estimation among the people so that God might be honored glorified among them The like mind was in Iohn Baptist when his Disciples tolde him that all men began to flocke after Christ and to resort to him whereby they feared the fame of their Maister would decay he said vnto them l Ioh. 3 28 30. Yee your selues are my witnesses that I said I am not that Christ but that I am sent before him hee must increase but I must decrease The like wee see when the Disciples of Christ forbad him that cast out deuils in Christs name because hee was not one of the Disciples for Christ said vnto them m Mark 9 38. Forbid him not for there is no man that can do a Myracle by my name that can lightly speake euill of me whosoeuer is not against vs is on our part Let vs take heede of this enuy which is a greefe arising of another mans prosperity alwayes ioyned with a secret kinde of malice towardes him that is enuied This is a wilde plant springing vp in the soule which destroyeth true Charitie reioysing at the euill and sorrowing for the good that befalleth our Brethren And howsoeuer enuie be noysome and pernitious to others it is more hurtfull to him that
GOD pondereth the hearts This is it which Christ spake to the Pharisees i Luke 16 15. Ye are they which iustifye your selues before Men but GOD knoweth your hearts for that which is highly esteemed among men is abhominable in the sight of God Let vs therefore publish the guiftes of God vppon our selues and our Bretheren not to the magnifying of our owne persons but to the extolling of his praises and let vs so spread abroad our graces as that wee remember his glorie that wrought them in vs by his Spirite Verse 7. For we haue great ioy and consolation in thy Loue. Hitherto wee haue spoken of the matter of his Prayer now let vs see the reason why hee made this the matter thereof For the Apostle might haue craued and asked of God many other things for him of God yet he desired that his faith might be communicated to many and so bee manifested to bee effectuall working by loue The reason heere rendered is from the effect or fruite of his prayers they were not vttered in the ayre they fell not without profit good successe to the ground but he felt great comfort and consolation wrought in him by the workes of Philemon performed to the glorie of God to the praise of his Faith and with the approbation of the church Heere then he sheweth that he had occasion offred him of great ioy and gladnesse in regard of the graces of God effects of faith fruits of true piety which he heard and knew to bee in Philemon Doctrine 4. The spirituall graces of God bestowed vpon others giue occasiō of ioy to the Saints From hence we learne that spirituall blessings and graces of God bestowed vpon others do giue iust occasion to the Saints of God of great gladnesse and comfort It is our dutie greatly to reioyce when we see spirituall blessings in heauenly thinges giuen to the Children of God This trueth our Sauiour Christ teacheth in the Parables of the stray Sheep of the lost Groat and of the prodigall Sonne The Shepheard a Luke 15 5 and 10 31. hauing found his sheep layeth it on his shoulder with ioy he commeth home he calleth his friendes saying Reioyce with me for I haue found my Sheep which was lost I say vnto you that likewise ioy shall be in heauen for one sinner that conuerteth more then for ninety and nine iust men which need none amendment of life The poore woman hauing lost a Groat lighteth a Candle sweepeth the house searcheth euery corner and when she hath found it she gathereth together her neighbors saying Reioyce with me for I haue found the Groat which I had lost wherevppon hee addeth Likewise I say vnto you there is ioy in the presence of the Angelles of God for one sinner that conuerteth The Father of that riotous sonne which wasted his goods hath compassion vpon him runneth to meete him fell on his necke and kissed him put apparrell on his back a ring on his finger and shooes on his feete reproued his sonne that enuied and repined at it saying let vs eate and reioyce it is meet we should make merry and bee glad for this thy Brother was dead and is aliue againe he was lost but hee is found Heereunto commeth the Thankesgiuing of Christ to his Father when he saw the encrease of his Church and the ouerthrowe of Satans kingdome c Luke 10 21 That same houre reioyced Iesus in the Spirite and saide I confesse vnto thee Father Lord of Heauen and earth that thou hast hid these thinges from the wise and vnderstanding and hast reuealed them to Babes euen so Father because it so pleased thee The Prophet Dauid reioyced with great ioy when hee sawe that the people d 1 Chron. 29 9 10. offred willingly vnto the Lord with a perfect hart he blessed the Lord God of Israel When the Iewes heard of the conuersion of the Gentiles that the Holy ghost fell vpon them as vpon themselues at the beginning e Acts 11 18. They held their peace and glorified God saying Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance vnto life When the apostle perceiued the notable zeal of the Thessalonians in receiuing entertaining the gospel not as the word of man but as it is indeed the word of God f 1 Thes 2 19 20. he witnesseth that they wer his hope his ioy his crown his glory in the presence of our Lord Iesus Christ at his comming Likewise the Apostle Iohn g 3 Iohn 4. reioyced greatly when the Brethren testified of the truth that was in Gaius how he walked therein Hee had no greater ioy then this to heare that his sons walked in the verity Whereby we see there ought to be great ioy amongst the faithfull when they see the Church prosper and flourish and the graces of God to encrease among them Reason 1. The Reasons are many that confirme this vnto vs. First the glory praise of God is much increased which shold comfort the harts reioice the spirits of the Saints The more wee abound with spiritual blessings in heauenly things the more God is honored and his name glorified This the Apostle teacheth speaking of the releeuing of the Church at Ierusalem h 2 Cor. 9 12. The ministration of this seruice not only supplieth the necessities of the Saintes but also abundantly causeth manie to giue thankes to God Where hee sheweth his ioy that he receiued and conceiued for their voluntary submission to the Gospell and compassion to the brethren this was a speciall cause that God was praised this ministered greater gladnesse to him then that the Saints were comforted and releeued Reason 2. Secondly the general good of the church must lead vs to this duty cause vs to reioyce which next vnto God shold be dearest to vs. For whē we see the Church encrease and many soules of many men women saued when we see their hearts conuerted regeneration wrought in them so that they begin to liue to God who before in the time of their ignorance liued to themselus to sin to condemnation who can haue such hearts of Flint or of Iron as not to be moued with ioy euen tickled with a sweet meditation of Gods mercy beholding the enlarging of the kingdom of Christ The prophet reioysed to see the people willingly affected religiously minded i Psal 122 1 2 to go to the house of the Lord Because Ierusalem did thereby prosper peace was within her wals and prosperitie within her pallaces Where he sheweth that his reioysing was for the wealth and welfare of the house of God Reason 3. Thirdly the Ordinances and Lawes of God are walked in and obserued so his blessings procured and obtained For if we hearken obey his voice we haue a promise to be respected and rewarded Such as walke in the Statutes commandements of the Lord to do them shal be blessed
those that are least esteemed and are of lowest condition were bought with as great and high a price as others and were redeemed not with corruptible things as Siluer and Gold but with the deare and precious bloode of Christ Rich and poore high and lowe great and small had all one price paide for their ransome This is the reason x Math 18 10 11. vrged by Christ See that ye despise not one of these little ones for I say vnto you that in Heauen their Angels alwaies behold the face of my Father which is in heauen for the sonne of man is come to saue that which was lost If then the least be redeemed by his death and saued by faith in him as well as the greatest it followeth that al should bee regarded none contemned all loued none despised Hence it is also that the Apostle chargeth those that are strong to receiue vnto them y Rom. 14 1 3 15. the weaker sort and not to despise them whom God hath receiued and for whom Christ hath dyed Reason 2. Secondly there is no respect of persons with God He doth not esteeme men for accidentall things as for pouertie or riches for honor or dishonour The poore the fatherlesse the widdow the stranger the seruant are as deare to him and as greatly respected of him as those that are set in high places are honoured with great callings When we speake of a person in our talke and communication me meane some man or some woman but the Scripture meaneth a more speciall thing to wit the outward quality or condition of man which may purchase him grace or disgrace fauour or disfauor When God wil cal vs to his truth and bestow his graces vppon vs it is done according to his holy wil and good pleasure he is not moued to it by the outward appearance and condition of the person he respecteth not Country or sex or birth or riches or pouertie or Nobility or wisedome or learning or friends This is it which the Apostle teacheth z Gal. 3 27 28 Al ye that are baptized into Christ haue put on Christ there is neither Iew nor Grecian there is neither bond nor free there is neither male nor female for ye are all one in Christ Iesus And to the same purpose Peter speaketh a Acts 10 34 35. Of a truth I perceiue that God is no accepter of persons but in euerie Nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousnesse is accepted vvith him Seeing then God accepteth the person of no man he wold haue no man reiected for the meannesse of his person Reason 3. Thirdly they shal receiue with others the same recompence of reward the same kingdome of heauen the same measure of glory The differences that now are in this life shal cease As there is now the same precious faith so then there shall be the same precious felicity The poorest members of Christ haue the same spirituall graces that are necessary to saluation and therefore shal be partakers of the same inheritance This the Apostle Iames setteth downe chap. 2. b Iames 2 5. Harken my beloued Brethren hath not GOD chosen the poore of this world that they should be rich in faith and heires of the kingdome which he promised to them that loue him He hath not prepared and prouided one place of glorie for those that are Rich and another place for those that are poore he hath not left one inheritance for the Noble and another for the vnnoble but as they haue one Faith to apprehend Christ so they shall haue one glorie to be like vnto Christ The Lord Iesus himselfe testifieth this c Iohn 14 2 In my Fathers house are many mansion places if it were not so I would haue tolde you I go to prepare a place for you If then wee consider these points that the lowest in the Church and the most vnworthy to be of the Church are bought with one the same price that God accepteth and respecteth no mans person and that they shall receiue with others an eternall waight of glory and immortalitie we may conclude this as a necessary truth that we ought not to bee ashamed of any though of the lowest sort and poorest estate and meanest condition to whom God hath imparted and vouchsafed this mercie to beleeue in Christ and to be a member of his bodie and to be in the number of true beleeuers Vse 1 The Doctrine being made euident the Vses will be as apparent First seeing we are bound to loue the lowest in the Church that belong to Christ we learne that our affections must bee carried most earnestly and in the greatest measure to those that haue the greatest measure of heauenly graces not regarding Riches or Kindred or outward respects before the other It is a sound and sanctified loue that is wrought in vs toward those that are faithfull The Apostle in this place was so farre from beeing ashamed of Onesimus conuerted to Christ and gayned to the Gospell though he were a Seruant and had beene a Theefe and a Runnagate that he glorieth in his Faith reioyceth in his Conuersion accounteth him as his Sonne and respecteth him as his owne bowelles This affection no lesse then fatherly toward him hee expresseth afterward d Verse 16 17 Receiue him not nowe as a Seruant but aboue a seruant euen as a Brother beloued specially to me how much more then vnto thee both in the Flesh and in the Lord If therfore thou count our things common receiue him as my self He saw in this man being a Proselite newly conuerted to the Faith such fruits of sanctification as seales of his conuersion that he loued him most dearely and sought by all meanes to procure fauour for him with his Maister Whatsoeuer the former life of men hath beene when once they make Conscience of their waies beginning to leade an holy life and to blot out the infamy reproach of their conuersation led in the time of their ignorance it is our duty to begin to loue them as entirely as our Brethren in Christ and as children with vs of the same Father The practise heereof we see in Christ our Sauiour and haue this instruction giuen vs from his owne mouth Mathew 12. when it was tolde him as hee was preaching his word to the multitude that came to heare him that his Mother and Bretheren stoode without desiring to speake with him hee answered e Math 12 48 Who is my Mother and who are my Brethren And he stretched foorth his hand toward his Disciples and said Beholde my Mother and my Brethren for whosoeuer shall do my Fathers will which is in heauen the same is my Brother and Sister and Mother To this purpose the Prophet Dauid speaketh f Psal 16 1. All my delight is in the Saints that are vpon the earth The Godly must be most dear vnto vs and we are bound to be kind to them as to our Kin.
that haue once sinned and fallen into grosse and greeuous sinnes and albeit they be come out of the mire in which they wallowed and renounce the wickednesse in which they walked yet they alwaies remember them to their reproach and speake of them to their infamy But when once their sinnes become bitter vnto them and they haue giuen good Testimony of their vnfaigned repentance we must not be vnmercifull and without compassion toward them q Gal 6 1 2. but rather restore them with the spirit of meeknesse considering our selues least we also be tempted The former failings in faith or obedience are not to be obiected or they reiected with reproach after repentance God remembreth their sinnes no more and therefore we ought to forgiue and forget them They that truely turne vnto God and repent of their sinnes from the bottom of their hearts haue blotted out the staine of it before men and must be esteemed of vs as if they had not fallen or offended For euen as the Prophet teacheth r Ezek 18 21 24. that if the Righteous turne away from his righteousnesse and commit iniquity all the righteousnesse that hee hath done shall not be mentioned but in the transgression that he hath committed and in the sinne that he hath sinned in them he shall die so if the wicked shall returne from all his sinnes that he hath committed and keepe all the statutes of God and do that which is lawfull and right he shall surely liue and shall not die all his transgressions that he hath committed they shall not be mentioned vnto him but in his righteousnesse that he hath done he shall liue Sinne indeed bringeth a wound with it but when once repentance commeth the wound is cured and the scarre is healed and the remembrance of it is abolished for God will blot it out of his booke of remembrance Vse 2. Secondly seeing euery mēber of Christ must be much esteemed be he neuer so meane it teacheth vs not to haue the religion of God the faith of Christ in acceptatiō of persons We must esteem of the faith that is grounded on our Lord Iesus Christ simply according to the excellency and sincerity thereof and not regard it in one more and in an other lesse according to the condition of one aboue another in outward things This corrupt opinion and deceitfull iudgement is reproued by the Apostle Iames in his Epistle ſ Iam 2 1. Chap. 2. My bretheren haue not the faith of our Lord Iesus Christ in respect of persons Where he teacheth that the profession of the faith ought to be esteemed with a single eye and a simple affection and that partiall affection of one before another is to be auoided Obiection But may we not preferre one before another and is it vnlawfull to haue respect of degrees among men may I not honour a wicked man with honour due to him and set vp the vngodly in higher place aboue the Godly Answere yes in outward respects euery one is to be aduanced and reuerenced according to his calling without respect of his Godlinesse or vngodlinesse of his Religion or superstition of his faith or infidelity For to whomsoeuer God hath giuen preheminence it is our duty to yeeld them obedience A wicked father is to be honoured no lesse then a Godly an hard Maister is to be feared no lesse then a gentle a wicked Prince is to be serued no lesse then a faithfull It is Gods Ordinance that hath lifted them vp aboue others The purpose of the Apostle is not to take away no not from euill men their externall dignity or to draw others to deny them duty but his meaning is that we ought not to measure the soundnesse of faith or the truth of Religion by outward prerogatiues or to conclude that such haue a right profession and true beleefe because they haue Riches and are men of authority and the faith of others contemned because they are poore in goodes few in number weake in strength low in degree base in birth and meane in all outward thinges which are greatly accounted off in the world This reproueth such as stand vpon mens outward persons and make the quallity and condition of the outward appearance a rule to try and examine their faith and Religion These are such as build vpon the Sand and set their house vpon a slight and slender foundation which is soone shaken and suddainly falleth to the ground These are such as measure the matters of faith by the deceitfull line of mens persons Hence it is that if a man perswade his brother that he houldeth an errour and moue him to embrace the truth though he be conuinced by the Testimony of the Prophets and Apostles yet he will readily reply and answeare you are not learned you are no Scholler you haue not beene at the Vniuersity other great men are of another mind who are before you in age aboue you in knowledge and beyond you in iudgement Exhort a man in these daies to heare the word with all dilligence and to attend vnto it with all carefulnesse as to the Ordinance of God and the ordinary meanes to worke in vs saluation t Iohn 8. tell him that he that is of God must heare Gods word u Iam 1 19. shew him that euery man should be swift to heare slow to speake and slow to wrath x 1 Pet 2 2. conuince his conscience that he must desire the sincere milke of the word that he might grow thereby he is wise in his owne conceit to shift off all these instructions and to deceiue himselfe saying If this were so needfull and necessary a duty we should not haue so many great men and rich men neglect the word They like not this so much preaching and precisenesse we see such are great Clearks and profound Diuines do preach seldome some once or twice a yeare others once a moneth why cannot we be content to follow them They know their duty they read the Scriptures they are deepe learned men they would preach oftner if it were required of vs to heare oftner These are they that build vpon men and thinke to excuse themselues by other mens corrupt examples These are they that looke onely to others and reioyce to follow a multitude to do euill These are they that are like to the Pharisies mentioned in the Gospell who said to their Officers sent out to apprehend Christ returning empty againe y Iohn 7 47. Are ye also deceiued do any of the Rulers beleeue in him or of the Pharisies but this people which know not the Law are cursed We must not hang vpon the pleasure of men though they be great in the world noble in birth rich in wealth high in calling many in number mighty in strength glorious in account and reputation of others We must consider not so much whether great and learned men like and approue of it as whether it be agreeable to the
and preferment vnto them then the want of outward benefites can bring abasement This is a most woorthy and excellent comfort whereof we shall be assured if wee walke in the steppes of faithfull Abraham if we repent and beleeue in Christ and walke woorthy of our calling I beseech thee for my Sonne Onesimus The party for whom the Apostle entreateth is in these words both named and described Hee is described first by relation when he calleth him His Sonne secondly by the meanes and manner how he is his sonne by a spirituall generation through the immortal seed of the Gospell and through the ministry of the worde in the time of his restraint and imprisonment at Rome Touching the former point which is the Title giuen vnto Onesimus hee esteemeth him as his Sonne and therefore accounteth himselfe as his Father If then Onesimus be his sonne the Apostle must needs be his Father and if Paul be his Father he must needs be his son For the Father the Son haue mutual reference one to another cannot consist one without the other Doctrine 2. The same affection that is betweene the Father and the Son ought to be betweene the Minister the people We learne from this name giuen vnto Onesimus conuerted to the Faith that there ought to be the same affection betweene the Pastour and the people which is betweene the Father and the Sonne The same loue that is betweene Parents and their Childeren ought to be betweene the Shepheard and his flocke betweene the Steward the houshold between the Master the Scholler between the Minister the people betweene him that winneth and them that are won to the Faith of the Gospell The Apostle Paule writing to Timothy and Titus calleth them his k 1 Tim. 1 2. 2 Tim. 1 2. Titus 1 4. naturall and beloued sonnes according to the common Faith because he had begotten them by the seede of the Gospell to bee the Children of God without which new byrth they could not belong to his kingdome So when the King of Israell came to the Prophet Elisha who lay sicke in his bed he wept vpon his face and said l 2 Kin. 13 14. O my Father my Father the Charriot of Israell and the Horsemen of the same Likewise Iohn writing vnto his beloued Gaius declareth that he reioyced greatly when the brethren came testified how he walked in the trueth and addeth m 3 Iohn 4. I haue no greater ioy then these to heare that my sonnes walke in verity And Paule writing to the Corinthians toucheth this at large n 1 Cor. 4 14 15. I write not these things to shame you but as my beloued children I admonish you for though ye haue tenne thousand instructers in Christ yet haue ye not many fathers for in Christ Iesus I haue begotten you through the Gospell To this purpose he also speaketh to the Thessalonians o 1 Thess 2 7 8 11 12. Wee vvere gentle among you euen as a Nurse cherisheth her children Thus beeing affectioned toward you our good will was to haue dealt vnto you not the Gospell of GOD onely but also our owne soules because ye were deere vnto vs. And afterwardes in the same Chapter Ye know how that we exhorted you and comforted besought euery one of you as a Father his children that ye would walke worthy of God who hath called you vnto his kingdom and glory These allegations are so many witnesses of this doctrine teaching that it is a most tender affection of Loue and compassion that ought to be between him that teacheth and them that are taught in the word Reason 1. This will farther appeare by the Reasons whereby it is confirmed vnto our Consciences First the Ministers of God giue as a beeing in Christ and consequently to bee the children of God which is the best being and byrth that can be bestowed vpon vs the word of God being the precious and immortal seed and they by teaching and applying it are the Instruments wherby through Gods blessing we are begotten to be new borne babes in Christ and of the children of men or rather the children of the Deuil are made the sons and daughters of almighty God Hence it is that the Apostle saith p 1 Cor. 4 15. In Christ Iesus I haue begotten you through the Gospell And Peter in his first Epistle sheweth q 1 Pet. 1 23. That we are borne againe not of mortal seed but of immortall by the word of God who liueth and endureth for euer So then by their Ministry we are made aliue that before were dead we are made sonnes that before were enemies we are made Cittizens that before were strangers wee are made heyres that before were Aliants Reason 2. Secondly the Ministers of the Gospell are as our Mothers and doe conceiue vs in their wombe trauell with vs in paine and bring vs forth as with labour of Childbed to fashion vs in grace and to perfect vs in Christ We know the Sorrowes the Paines the Passions and the perilles of a Womans trauaile to be exceeding great so the measure of the Ministeriall paines and labour is maruellous great r 2 Cor. 11 23 which the Apostle expresseth 2 Cor. 11 23. He endured labours abundantly stripes vnmeasurably imprisonment plenteously the danger of death continually Eliah being raised vp of God to restore Religion to pull downe Idolatry to destroy Baals Priests and to set himselfe against the enemies of God was at length so worne with care so wasted with sorrowes and so wearied in this busines Å¿ 1 King 19 4. that he desired the Lord to take him out of the world saying It is now enough O Lord take my soule for I am no better then my Fathers The paines and perplexity of the Prophet Esay made him cry out alowde with great anguish of spirite t Esay My leunnesse my leaunesse So Ieremy cryeth out u Ier. 4 19 My belly my bellie I am pained at the verie heart mine heart is troubled within me declaring thereby that his gripings and greefes in his Ministerie were so great that they were like the paines of a vehement Colicke Likewise the Apostle being carefull to bring backe the Galathians to the trueth of the Gospell which they had forsaken saith x Gal. 4 19 My little children of whom I trauell in birth againe till Christ be formed in you meaning that hee endured much trouble and sustained great paines to fit them frame them to Gods kingdome Seeing then the Ministers of Christ be as spirituall Fathers and Mothers Fathers to beget vs and Mothers to beare vs and bring vs forth we may conclvde that the Pastours and people haue as neere a coniunction betweene them as Parents and their children But because somewhat may be obiected against this truth we wil remoue those doubts and take away those Obiections before we proceed any further or handle the Vses that
danger of thy life it may be taken from thee and thou from it which maketh it to bee but a shadow of true gaine But the profit of godlinesse is of a contrary Nature if once we haue gotten this Pearle the Theefe cannot steale it the moth cannot corrupt it the Sea cannot drown it the rust cannot fret it the Land cannot loose it the length of time cannot consume it the greatnesse of danger cannot take it from vs the vnfaithfulnesse of seruaunts the subtlety of enemies the fraud of false Brethren the force of the mighty the violence of the Oppressor the partiality of the Iudge the wresting of the Lawe can neuer depriue vs or debarre vs of this benefite yea b Cicer. pro Archia poeta that which an Heathen man saide once of humaine learning may more truly and iustly be spoken of godlinesse which indeed is true learning the which whosoeuer wanteth what Ornaments of Nature and Art soeuer otherwise he hath is vtterly vnlearned nay a starke foole It will follow vs as a sweete guide abroad to solace vs it will stay with vs a pleasant companion to delight vs at home it will lye with vs as a bed-fellow in the night to teach vs whereon to meditate it will sit downe with vs as a guest at the Table to direct vs it wil bee with vs as a skilfull Physitian in sicknesse to comfort vs it will sticke and stand to vs in prosperity to humble vs it will cleaue fast to vs in aduersity and in the euil day to refresh vs it will waite vppon vs in death it will descend with vs into the graue it will ascend with vs into heauen and alwayes follow vs from place to place as the shadow doth the body This made the Apostle Iohn say Blessed are they that die in the Lord for they rest from their labours and their workes follow them Reuel 14 13. To conclude therefore so often as wee thinke of true Religion or remember the day of our conuersion we must think with our selues that we made the most blessed change that euer was made and hold this for a firme and sure principle that no gaine is like to this gaine no profit like to this profit Vse 2 Secondly seeing Christian Religion planted in the heart of a man maketh him good and helpfull to others who before was vniust and vnprofitable let euery one proue his effectuall calling and true conuersion by earnest seeking after the good of others and by a carefull abstaining from hurting troubling and wronging of others It is to be chosen as a better thing to suffer then to offer wrong to receiue then to requite to take then to giue Obadiah liuing in Ahabs Court is commended for the manifestation of his Faith by his Workes as the Tree that sheweth what it is by the fruites hee hid c 1 Kin. 18 13 the Prophets of God from the sword of the persecutor and fed them in the Caue in the time of famine The Prophet affirmeth and assureth that such shall dwell in the Tabernacle of the Lord and rest in his holy mountain as make much d Psal 15 4. of those that feare the Lord and honour them whome God hath honoured To this purpose the Apostle setteth this downe as a certain signe of our adoption that God accepteth vs as his sonnes and daughters to wit our loue to the Saints e 1 Ioh. 3 14 We know that we are translated from death to life because we loue the Brethren Euery one must be able to shew the soundnesse of his faith and the truth of his conuersion by the fruits of his calling f Math. 3 8. and by the workes of regeneration and amendment of life An iniurious man that loueth himselfe but not another that hath no care to doe good to his Brother but to himselfe onely is not yet truely conuerted to God nor deliuered from the bondage of sinne nor made a member of Christ nor engrafted into the true Church nor endued with the grace of sanctification he is yet in the flesh and not in the spirit he is yet in death not restored to life he is the bondslaue of Sathan not brought into the liberty of the sonnes of God For where there is no change in conuersation there can bee no assurance of true conuersion The meditation of this point must enter deeply into our harts teach vs to try our selus whether as yet we born again by water and the spirit or not Whosoeuer can say thus I haue beene in bondage to sin now I am set free I haue beene the prisoner of Satan now I am at liberty I haue liued vnprofitably to God vnprofitably to my selfe vnprofitably to others now I haue learned to lead my life to the honour of God to the benefite of my brethren and to the comfort of mine owne soule whosoeuer I say can say thus may be assured of his conuersion and turning vnto God and that God hath begun his good worke in him which hee will finish at the appearance of Iesus Christ Let vs all therefore know and consider that it is required of vs to repent of sinnes to turne to God to chaunge our hearts and to amend our liues that so we may bring forth the fruits of righteousnesse and expresse our obedience to the Gospell To be without the fruits of the Gospel is to denie the Gospell and to be without godlinesse of conuersation is to be without Christ and to bee without an heart inwardly sanctifyed and without a life outwardly regenerated is to be without faith It had beene better for vs that we had neuer had the Gospell offered vnto vs then to haue it to contemne it It had beene better we had alwayes remained in darknesse then to haue light come among vs and not to walke in the light It is a worthy exhortation that the Apostle maketh to the Thessalonians g 1 Thess 5 5 6 7 8. Yee are all the Children of light and the children of the day we are not of the night neither of darkenesse Therefore let vs not sleepe as others do but let vs watch and be sober for they that sleepe sleepe in the night and they that bee drunken are drunken in the night but let vs which are of the day be sober putting on the Brest-plate of faith and loue and of the hope of saluation for an Helmet It is not euery h Math. 7 21. one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdom of heauen but he that hath an earnest and carefull endeuour to do his will It is not enough for vs to bee called a Christian to beare the name of a Protestant to renounce the name of a Papist to make shew of the true Religion and to be an hearer of the word we haue learned better things and must giue an account of a farther dutie Obiection We will say peraduenture we hate and detest all the blinde and erroneous
conuerted by vs ought to be deare and feruent We learne from hence that the loue which Christians ought to beare to all the Saints especially to those whom they haue beene meanes to conuert ought to be entire deare hearty earnest most faithfull and most feruent It is our duty to loue all men more especiallie the Saints but most especially such as haue beene gained to the Faith by vs. The Lord himselfe testifieth his tender compassion toward his Children to prouoke them to follow his example The Prophets declare l Deut. 32 10. Zach. 2 8. That he which toucheth them toucheth the apple of his eye So Zachariah blessed the God of Israell m Luke 1 78. Who through his tender mercy gaue life to them that sate in darkenesse and in the shaddow of death and guided their feete into the way of peace This appeareth notably in Christ Iesus n Heb. 2 17. Who was made like vnto his Brethren that he might be mercifull he will not breake the bruised Reede nor quench the smoaking Flaxe o Iohn 15 12 13. and 13 34. These thinges saith he haue I spoken vnto you that my ioy might remaine in you this is my Commaundement that ye loue one another as I haue loued you greater loue then this hath no man when any man bestoweth his life for his friends This affection we finde in many places in the Apostle p Phil. 1 8 9. 1 Thess 3 7 8 God is my record how I long after you all from the very heart-roote in Iesus Christ we had consolation in you in al our affliction necessity through your Faith for now are we aliue if ye stand fast in the Lord. The Euangelist Luke describing the Church of God gathered together after the ascention of Christ saith q Act. 2 44 45 All that beleeued were in one place and had all thinges common and they sold their possessions and goods and parted them to all men as euery one had neede This is a precept giuen in the Law and no duty more often vrged and touched in the Gospell Moses saith r Leuit. 19 18 Math. 5 43. Rom. 13 9. Gal. 5 14. Thou shalt not auenge nor bee mindfull of wrong against the Children of thy people but shall loue thy Neighbour as thy selfe I am the Lord. The Apostle Paule among many precepts that he giueth this is one of the chiefe and principall Å¿ Rom. 12 9 10. and 13 8. Let loue bee without dissimulation abhorre that which is euill and cleane vnto that which is good be affectioned to loue one another with brotherlie loue All these testimonies of God the Father of Christ Iesus our Lord of the Apostle of other Christians and of the whole Church doe sufficiently teach vs that howsoeuer all the Saints of God are to be loued yet those especially that haue beene conuerted to vs. Reason 1. The reasons that may be rendred to vphold as firme pillers to strengthen this Doctrine are many and infallible For first there is great labour imployed long time spent many meanes vsed and continuall care bestowed to conuert a Soule to God It is no idle worke it is not brought to passe without much adoe A Woman hauing had an hard labour with her child doth loue it the more and will vse speech accordinglie saying This was a very deere Childe vnto me I must needes loue it yea her loue t Iohn 16 21. is so heartie and entire that shee forgetteth the paines and sorrow that shee hath sustained Beniamin among all the Sonnes of Iacob was most tenderly beloued in whose byrth the Mother dyed the fruite was saued but the Tree withered and fell downe he cost Iacob therefore dear euen his best beloued wife and indeed his onely lawfull wife whom Laban promised for whom he serued u Gen. 35 18. so that he called him Beniamin the sonne of his right hand If then that which is dearly bought be deepely beloued it is no maruell if it worke effectually in spirituall things where the greatest paines and labor is shewed We see this in the Galathians who had put the Apostle to much trouble and exceeding torment in their recouery to Christ x Gal. 4 11 19 are by him called his Little Children of whom he trauailed in birth againe vntill Christ were formed in them and he was in much feare and perplexity least hee had bestowed on them labour in vaine This appeareth in his behauiour toward the Israelites to whom pertaineth the adoption the glory and the Couenants y Ro. 9 1 2 3. I say the truth in Christ I lye not my Conscience bearing me witnesse in the Holyghost that I haue great heauinesse and continuall sorrow in mine heart for I would wish my selfe to bee separated from Christ for my Brethren that are my Kinsmen according to the flesh The like affection is bewrayed in Moses toward Gods people who had carried them in his bosome as a Nursse doth the sucking Childe when God was offended with them and threatned to consume them he cried vnto the Lord z Ex. 32 31 32 Oh this people haue sinned a great sinne and haue made them Gods of Golde therefore now if thou pardon their sinne thy mercy shall appeare but if thou wilte not I pray thee rase me out of thy Booke which thou hast written Thus he shewed the bowels of his loue toward that people with whom hee had taken so great paines for whom he had so often prayed and by whom he had been so oftentimes prouoked Reason 2. Secondly by testifying of our loue and shewing forth the fruites thereof we gather great assurance that we are of the company of the faithfull of the Communion of Saints and of the society of them that belong to the trueth when we loue vnfaignedly those that are of the truth The Apostle Iohn teacheth that our loue to the brethren is a fruite of true faith a 1 Iohn 3 14 19. Heereby we know that we are of the truth and shall before him assure our hearts And againe hee saith We know we are translated from death vnto life because wee loue the Brethren he that loueth not his Brother abideth in death Whereby hee sheweth that we are assured that we belong to God are his children by the fruites of loue which are certaine tokens of our election to eternall life Reason 3. Thirdly loue is the liuery of Christ and as it were the badge and cognizance whereby we are knowne to be his Disciples and to be taught and directed by his spirit This agreeth with the Doctrine of Christ b Ioh. 13 34 35. A newe Commandement giue I vnto you that yee loue one another as I haue loued you that ye also loue another by this shall all men knowe that ye are my Disciples if yee haue loue one to another Christ Iesus did instruct his Disciples especially in loue and did as it were graft it and engraue
because Loue seeketh not her owne but the good of others Secondly as wee see selfe-loue checked and controuled so they are condemned that place brotherly loue in faire wordes and gentle speeches and yet many faile in these and cannot affoord them as if euery worde of their mouth were worth Gold whereas in such is no sound Religion but a vizard onely of holinesse True loue must be shewed in the fruits in sustaining helping pittying releeuing those that craue our releefe and are in necessity The Apostle teacheth them that are destitute of true faith that shroud themselues vnder the profession of the Gospell and yet are not able to make demonstration thereof by their workes A good Tree bringeth foorth good fruit If the Tree bring forth either no fruite or euill fruite it is an euill tree If we haue onely good words and either no workes at all or euil workes it is a plaine argument we are not yet in the number of true beleeuers z Gal. 5 6. neyther are endued with that faith which worketh by loue Hence it is that the Apostle Iames saith a Iam. 2 15 16 If a Brother or a Sister be naked and destitute of daily food and one of you say to them Depart in peace warme your selues and fill your bellies notwithstanding ye giue them not those things which are needfull to the body what helpeth it Euen so the Faith if it haue no workes is dead in it selfe If then we content our selues to giue the Almes of faire wordes which are but empty shewes it sheweth that we are barren trees full of leaues but voyd of fruite and it shall minister as little comfort to our hearts as it dooth releefe to their bodies We are taught to visit Christ in his members and apply our selues to do them good that in the last iudgement we may finde that mercie and compassion at the hands of Christ which wee haue shewed to the members of his body To giue kinde words is not that feruent loue which heere is commended vnto vs. Lastly it reproueth such as giue themselues to fraud and deceite to cruelty and oppression to subtilty and circumventing their brethren to lying vsing false Waights and Measures For if this should be the rule of our loue that it ought to be feruent we should examine our owne hearts whether wee would haue another man to deceiue and oppresse vs by forgery falshoode The Apostle reprooueth all such wrongfull and iniurious dealing and as a Prophet of God denounceth seuerely certain iudgement vpon such wickednesse b 1 Thess 4 6. Let no man oppresse or defraud his Brother in any matter for the Lord is an auenger of all such things as we also haue told you before time and testified It is common and wicked Obiection May I not do with mine owne as I list who shall hinder me to vse mine owne as I thinke good This is the common argument of Harlots Drunkards and other beasts which ought not to be in the mouths of Christians Let them vse it that are out of Christ let vs bee ashamed of such prophanenesse and ignorance For indeed thou hast nothing that is thine owne thou art but a Steward and the time shall come when thou must giue an account of thy Stewardship because thou mayst be no longer Steward Vse 3. Lastly seeing all are to be loued but especially such as haue bin conuerted by vs it teacheth vs to further their saluation that haue beene brought into the way by vs and neuer to forsake them vntill we haue brought them to their iournies end For what a vaine thing were it to finde a man wandering out of his way and going astray from the right path and when he hath brought him backe to leaue him without farther direction Or what an vnnaturall part were it for a Mother to bring forth her Childe into the worlde and then to take no more care of it neither to wash it in water nor to wrap it in swathling Clowts nor to haue any compassion vpon it but to cast it out into the open field The loue of Moses his Mother was greater toward him c Hebr. 11 23. Exod. 2 3 4. who being borne was hidden three moneths from the cruelty of the Egiptians and being put among the Bul-rushes in the water was watched by his Sister to see how God would prouide for his deliuerance euen so it standeth vs vpon hauing beene made blessed meanes and Instruments of the good of others to be assistants vnto them and to further their saluation as God shall enable vs. It is the part of a good Worke-man not to leaue his worke vnperfect A good Physitian will not leaue his patient when he hath doone but halfe his cure An Husbandman will not giue ouer when he hath halfe sowne but will labour vnto the end Hee that dooth but halfe builde an house is but halfe a Carpenter He that entreth into Christianity and beginneth wel is but halfe a Christian the greatest part of the worke remaineth behind Let vs all follow the example of God when he began the great worke of the Creation of the world he left not his workemanship vnfashioned and vnfinished but in six dayes fully accomplished it to the glory of his name And as he did in the generation of his creatures so he doth in their regeneration c Iohn 13 1. Those whom he loueth he loueth vnto the end This is it which the Apostle teacheth d Phil. 5 5. I am perswaded of this same thing that he that hath begunne this good worke in you will performe it vnto the day of Iesus Christ As then God neuer leaueth him whom once he loueth so shold we haue a care of those that we haue moued to imbrace the truth and watch ouer them for their good The Minister must preach sound Doctrine in loue to the soules of men that he hath vndertaken the charge of for whom he is to giue an account in the great day Wee see the Apostles hauing taught the Gentiles planted a Church among them did not cast off all care of them nor thinke themselues to haue discharged a sufficient duty toward them but knowing the malice of Satan the deceit of false Teachers and the frailty of mans nature e Acts 14 22. They returned back to confirm them in the faith and to settle them in that truth which they had receiued of them When Peter professed great loue to Christ f Iohn 21 15. he willed him to manifest it by feeding of his Sheepe and Lambes the greater his diligence was in feeding the flocke of Christ ouer which hee was made a principall Watchman the greater duty he performed to Christ himselfe When Agrippa the King had heard the defence that Paule made for himselfe and the confirmation of his calling by the heauenly vision that apeared vnto him he said g Acts. 26 28 29. Almost thou perswadest me to become a Christian But
they are done more then what is done This is it which the Apostle expresseth 2 Cor. 8 12. If there bee first a willing minde it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that a man hath not This layeth before vs the abundant kindnesse of God who albeit he be a spirit euery way perfect yet he accepteth our lame and defectiue seruice Our duties shall be all acceptable in his sight though they bee performed in great weakenesse and mingled with many imperfections which were sufficient to cause them to be reiected and refused if we be carefull to do them in the truth and vprightnesse of our hearts and with chearefull and ready minds All things must be done in loue and this must bee considered in all the workes of our hands This ministreth a double comfort First vnto such as are of poore and lowe degree to consider that GOD regardeth the heart more then the hand and our willingnesse more then our worke Hence it is that euen seruants whose condition is lowest in the family and which meddle not in great matters or in waighty affaires or in excellent works yet are charged with this affection and in sincerity to behaue themselues in those inferiour duties x Col 3 22 23 Ephes 6 5. Seruants be obedient vnto them that are your Maisters according to the flesh in all things not with eye-seruice as men-pleasers but in singlenesse of heart fearing God and whatsoeuer ye do do it heartily as to the Lord and not to men Where he sheweth that seruants must do their duties not as seruing for the penny or ayming at the filling of their belly or contenting themselues to please their maisters eie but euen as seruing God looking for a recompence from him knowing that he hath placed them in that estate requireth those things in truth and sincerity to be performed as vnto him For the Lord doth not see as man seeth he doth not look to the outward action but he beholdeth with what hart al things are done and therfore measureth according to euery mans deed whether he be high or low rich or poore Lord or Seruant The best hart hath the best recompence the worst hart hath the worst wages There is a great difference between work and work some are great some litle some beautiful some base some high some mean some low but whatsoeuer I do if I do it chearfully as seruing my master Christ that looketh vpon me albeit my calling be neuer so simple as to wash dishes to wipe shooes to scoure the spit to sweep the house I please God therein as well as he that manageth a kingdom that ministreth Iustice that preacheth the gospel True it is the work is greater to rule the affairs of State then to remain in the kitchen yet he shal be better accepted of God that performeth these smal things hartily then he that doth the greatest works grudgingly either drawn by importunity or cōpeld by necessity Thus it doth fal out that a poor seruant carrying this mark and testimony with him is more acceptable to the Lord then he that hath done greater things to the iudgment of the eie to the shew of the world and to the sight of men Secondly this serueth as a singuler comfort to euery one of vs that groane vnder the burden of sin that feele the weaknesse of our faith and are dismaied at the smalnesse of our sanctification Wee know how busie Satan is to watch his aduantage of our infirmities and imperfections to perswade vs that we haue no faith at all that we are without repentaunce without grace and without regeneration because we feele great defects and many wants in our best workes and our best gifts But this must comfort vs that God accepteth of that measure that he hath giuen vs euen according to that which we haue not according to that which we haue not A weak faith shal be as auayleable to apprehend Christ as a strong faith If we haue a desire and an hungering after grace z Psal 145 15 and 10 17. He will fulfill the desires of them that feare him he also will heare their cry and saue them God hath assured vs that as hee hath begun his good worke in vs so he will finish his work and in his good time bring it to perfection When we finde any dulnesse and vntowardnesse in our selues if we hate and dislike them and labor to profite and grow forward in sanctification God accepteth our willingnesse and readinesse though our strength be not answerable to our desire or the outward worke answereable to our hart For God is faithful and will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue the strength that he shal giue vs and the Lord Iesus is a merciful Highpriest who will not breake the bruised reed nor quench the smoking flax Let vs al therefore looke that a willing and ready mind be found in vs. Againe this must be considered in all things If we come to hear the word and to exercise the duties of Gods worship if we do it for fashion sake for feare of the law for the praise of men or for custom they are nothing worth they ought to be performed in obedience to God in loue of his ordinance in delight of his worship in singlenesse of heart and in an earnest affection to the meanes of our saluation The like we might say of giuing of almes and liberality toward the poore if they be not bestowed with promptnesse of minde with compassion of heart and with feeling of the wants of those that craue our helpe they are nothing at all respected of God nor they that distribute thē rewarded of him Vse 2 Secondly seeing only that duty which is done freely and not by compulsion deserueth due commendation this reproueth al those things that are don vpon wrong grounds and euil foundations It is not enough to doe a good thing but we must do it well It is not sufficient to do those things that are godly but we must do them in a godly manner Let euery one heerein carefully examine his soule and try his owne heart whether hee do the duties of his calling vnwillingly vncomfortably and vpon necessity for feare of danger for auoyding of shame for keeping of his credit for praise of the world or such like causes which are all false motiues or whether he do them hartily and chearfully as in the sight of God before whom all things are naked open This is to be considered as well of the Minister himselfe as of the people that heare him and are partakers of his labours The calling a The Minister must preach willingly and of a readie minde of the Minister is an high and mighty calling he is the Steward of God and a watchman ouer the people for whose soules hee must giue an account in that great day of the Lord. It is not enough for vs to labour among them though wee should worke and
they be Seruants Children Neighbours Pastors People Wife Kinsfolke or Acquaintance In whomsoeuer the greatest store of heauenly things is to be found such as most of all to be loued and regarded tendered and respected The Prophet Dauid teacheth when the Lord who had annointed him to bee King ouer his people should bring him vnto the Kingdome and make him Ruler and Gouernour ouer a great and mightie People what they were that he would most of all regard and vpon whom he would cast his eyes k Psa 101 6 7 Mine eyes shall be vpon the faithfull of the Land that they may dwell with me hee that walketh in a perfect way he shall serue me c. Salomon hath many heauenlie sentences and Diuine Prouerbs l Prou. 14 35. 17 2. 16 13. to this purpose as Chap. 14. 35. The pleasure of a King is in a wise seruant but his wrath shall be toward him that is lewd So in the 16. Chapt. The righteous lippes are the delight of Kings and the King loueth him that speaketh right thinges Likewise in the Chapter following A discreete Seruant shall haue rule ouer a lewd Sonne and he shall deuide the heritage among the Brethren The practise of this dutie we see in Abraham he had a faithfull Seruant whom he made the Steward and Gouernour of his house and made more reckoning of him then he did of Ismaell his Sonne or of the rest that did attend about him m Gen. 15 2. and 24 2. and therefore purposed to haue made him his heire When he purposed to prouide a Wife for his Son Isaac he called him and imployed him to goe to his Country and to his Kindred to bring a wife for him The like we see in Iacob n Gen. 37 2 4. Who loued Ioseph aboue al his Bretheren because he saw most grace in him This was in Elkanah toward his wife Hannah o 1 Sam. 1 8. he comforted her in her affliction and said Why weepest thou And why eatest thou not And why is thy heart troubled Am not I better to thee then ten Sonnes This appeareth in Ionathan toward Dauid p 1 Sam. 20 17 and 18 1 2. He loued him as his owne soule and made a couenant of peace and a league of friendshippe with him not in any worldly respect not for any earthly commodity not to enioy any temporall benefit for he seemed thereby to loose a Kingdome but because he saw the Lord to be with him So the Apostle writing to the elect Lady and her Children testifierh That he loued them in the truth and reioyced greatly that he found them walking in the truth Heereby we see laying all these testimonies together the truth of this doctrine that it is our duty to regard them most that haue greatest grace shining in them Reason 1. The reasons hereof are plaine to informe vs. For first where Grace is it bringeth blessednesse to that society kingdome congregation family and person as appeareth by the confession of Iosephs Maister Gen. 39. 2. 3. whom he serued Now who are more to be regarded or better to bee thought off then such as are blessed and cause blessednesse to others The wicked man is accurssed of God q Iosh 7 1 2. and draweth the cursse of God vpon the places where he dwelleth and vpon the persons with whom he dwelleth But such as haue found grace with God and haue grace laid vp as a precious Treasure in their hearts doe bring the blessings of God to others and serue to conuay them to them as we see by infinite examples in the Scripture Reason 2. Secondly we see that God is most gratious to such as haue most Grace in their harts he tendreth them as the apple of his eye and loueth them as own Sons Indeed he loueth all the works of his handes as they are his Creatures he maketh his Sunne to shine his raine to fall his fruitfull seasons to refresh them he hath not left himselfe without witnesse among the Infidels that he might make them without excuse Hee giueth to r Psal 144 13 and 147 19. 76 1. Beastes and to beastlie men their foode their Corners and Garners are full and abounding with diuers sortes and their Sheepe bring forth thousandes and ten thousands in their Streetes but GOD is speciallie knowne in Iudah his Name is great in Israell he sheweth his Word and his Statutes among them hee hath not dealt so with euerie Nation neyther haue they knowne his iudgements As this is the dealing of God toward those that are his whom he maketh partakers of the secrets of his Kingdome so it is our duty to follow his example and to shew our selues like vnto him in our brotherly kindnesse toward his chosen Children and our beloued Brethren Reason 3. Thirdly the more grace appeareth in any the neerer he doth resemble God the more euidently doth the Image of God shew it selfe in him The Image of God standeth and consisteth Å¿ Ephe. 4 24. especially in holinesse and true righteousnesse The vngodly are stamped and marked with prophanesse and wickednesse t Iohn 8 44. 1 Iohn 3 8. which is the Deuils badge and impression The more they grow in euill and bring forth the fruites of impietie and vnrighteousnesse the neerer they come to Satan and are like vnto him On the other side such as bear the Image of their heauenly father must be exceedingly respected and regarded as the Apostle teacheth u 1. Iohn 5 1. Euery one that loueth him which begate loueth him also which is begotten of him He that loueth the Father will for the Fathers sake loue the Child And he that loueth God will for his sake loue the Child of God Seeing therefore it is blessednesse to euery society and Congregation to haue men therein endued with grace seeing God delighteth to rest among them that seeke after grace and lastly the more grace is found in any the neerer he draweth to God in all these respects we conclude this as a certaine truth that it is our duty to respect them aboue all others that haue the greatest measure of grace abiding in them Vse 1 Let vs gather the vses that arise from this Doctrine First of all this ought to stirre vs all vp to labour to grow in grace and in the gifts of the Spirit that therby we may procure deserue the loue of men They that grow in grace are truly to be reputed and accounted gracious It is noted in Christ x Luke 2 52. That he encreased in wisedome and stature and in fauour with God and men When a man groweth in strength of body it is a signe his meate nourisheth him and doth him good So when we profit in knowledge and vnderstanding in holinesse and sanctification of life it sheweth that we are good hearers of the word Salomon saith in the Prouerbs y Prou. 1 5. A wise man shall heare and
friends The delight that men take in these is vaine and of no value nay it bringeth in the end Gall and Wormewood and biteth as a Serpent If thou delight in thy Wife Children Seruants Friends and Familiars in the flesh in a worldly and wicked manner and neuer considerest from whence thou hast them nor receiuest them as the guiftes and blessings of God that thereby thou mayest haue sound ioy and true happinesse heaped vpon thee it is extream folly and madnesse What was the end of Ahabs ioy in his wife in his sonnes in his posterity They were at the last thogh multiplyed exceedingly cut off from man to beast and none of them left to water a wall How many are there that being free and at liberty to make choise of Friends of Wife of Seruants of Companions do neuer set the Lord before their eyes who hauing little grace in their owne hearts make an election of such as are most vngracious and gracelesse They desire not to be Companions of such as loue the Lord and his Law but respect riches or beautie or honour or such outward Ornaments as perish with the vse and cannot cleanse the soule Wherefore let all superiors know and vnderstand that it is a duty and instruction belonging vnto them to delight themselues and set their hearts vpon such as are religious and vertuous and to shew their anger and displeasure against those that are faithlesse and feare not to offend the Lord with their wicked liues and vngodly behauiour For this shall bee our praise and commendation in the choise of our frends and in the gouernment of our houses to follow the example of God our Creator who is the most prudent and perfect Gouernour His fauour doeth embrace and his goodnesse compasse on euery side such as faithfully serue him and sincerely worship him but his wrath and angry countenance is fierce against those that walke rebelliously in the contempt of his Lawes and liue licentiously in the profession of his seruice Thus ought it to be in his people that gouerne in his feare such as they see feare God they must honor they must commend they must encourage they must countenance but such as are stubborne against themselues and stiffe-necked against God they must reprooue and reiect they must discommend and discountenance by all meanes they can For all such as suffer disorders and misbehauiour in their charges without checke and controulement shall finde the faultes of their Inferiours turne to their owne reproach and reproofe The Wiseman teacheth m Prou. 14 34 that sinne is a shame to a whole people and to a great company much more then shall it turne to be infamous and ignominious to a house and to the Maister of the house as we see in Eli and his sonnes Secondly it reprooueth such as hate and abhorre those that shewe the seeds of Faith and the sparkes of grace and the fruits of the spirit to bee in them It is an euill as we heard before not to preferre and make choyse of such as are good but it is a great deale worse to loath and dislike such as are godly when they haue made choise of them and brought them home into their owne doores They that haue obtained this mercy to finde grace with God do bring the blessinges of God with them into the house they come not empty and alone but full fraught and furnished with great Treasures if that we had spirituall eyes or hearts to discerne it A Religious and a vertuous Wife is n Prou. 31 10 11. a great Iewell her price is farre aboue the Pearles for she will do her Husband good and not euill all the dayes of her life and yet many repine and murmure that their wiues haue so much knowledge and that they are too zealous in the truth They neuer thinke they bring them to much riches and substance but if they labour to be rich in God which is the true Treasure they thinke a little to be too too much They neuer complaine that they are in fauour with great men from whom they may reape a commodity but if they seek to be in fauour with God from whom euery good giuing euery perfect guift proceedeth they make a scoffe and a mock at it They ought to encourage them and stirre them vp to good things and not hinder them in their course They ought themselues to teach and instruct them not discourage them from learning of others Thus it is also many times with many Fathers that pretend a loue to their children but it is in the flesh not in the spirit in the world not in the Lord in earthly things not in heauenly If their Children haue embraced the Gospell in sincerity and seeke after the meanes of their saluation with diligence they thinke they are too forward and feare they wil proue too praecise and so make more account of others that are more loose in life and prophane in conuersation This fault was in good Isaac who preferred his son Esau hated of God before Iacob that was loued of him So do the Fathers of our times delight themselues most in their Children that are most lewd and shew least fauour to such as most deserue it And thus it fareth with many Pastors Teachers of the people who ought to go before them in soundnesse of Doctrine and vprightnesse of life and by all meanes to bring forward such as are comming on to spurre and stirre vp such as are sluggish to comfort such as are carefull and zealous and to discountenance such as are open or secret enemies But how many are there that would be called and accounted faithfull shepherds and true Teachers sent of God who are affraid their hearers should bee too forward like enuious Maisters that are loath to haue good Schollers repine at it to haue any profit too much vnder them Thus they nuzzle them in ignorance that are blinde they strengthen the hand of iniquity they encourage euill doers and discourage those that would faine walke in the wayes of godlinesse It was the earnest desire of Moses o Num. 11 29 That all the Lordes people were Prophets and that the Lord would put his spirit vpon them If wee haue this spirit let vs neuer reproach those with learning too fast that are vnder our charge who ought to be our comfort in this life and shall be our crown in the life to come Vse 3. Lastly seeing it belongeth as a speciall duty vnto vs to shew our greatest affection to such as haue in their harts most religion it serueth as a comfort and encouragement to al callings euen the lowest that are among men to labour after good things and to seeke to serue and feare the Lord seeing such as are the meanest and of basest reckning with many are respected and recompenced of him This is a notable encouragement to consider that God taketh care of vs and requireth of men to do vs good The
pretenses or excuses or delayes shal auaile vs. Then shal the poore begger appeare without his rags the rich Glutton without his Robes Couetous Indas without his bagges Crafty Gehazi without his money Proud Haman without his Honor Aspyring Absolon without his Ambition Murthering Caine without his Weapon Cunning Achitophell without his Pollicy The Kings of the earth must lay downe the glory of their Crownes and the dignity of their Scepters the Nobles must renounce the Ensignes of honor and all persons must set aside outward respects of honor and dishonor of glory and shame of fauor and contempt Neuerthelesse it is to be obserued that albeit these men must stand before the throne of God without these respects that they made their chiefest felicity yet they shall not appeare without their cruelty bribery treachery blasphemy couetousnes such like impiety for their euill works shal follow them cleaue fast vnto them Let vs therefore neuer think to escape when we shal com naked before the eternal Iudge as euer we came into the world more naked then we departed out of the world for wheras some haue their Coffins to couer them others their Tombs to beutify them and all men their winding sheets to wrap their Carkasses in whē the Lord shal descend with thousands of his Angels they shal not haue a rag or a poore fig-leafe to hide their shame Let vs seek while we haue time to put on Christs righteousnesse as a Garment that we may be able to stand before the sonne of man and receiue the glory prepared for vs before the foundations of the earth were laide Specially to me how much more then vnto thee both in the flesh and in the Lord. We haue heard how the Apostle accounteth and how he would haue Philemon account of Onesimus to wit aboue a Seruant euen as a beloued Brother In these words he vrgeth him farther and sheweth that hee had more cause to respect him and greater reason to loue him then himselfe had because he was ioyned to him by more bands whereof two he nameth one of the flesh as being his seruant the other in the Lord as being his brother Paule was mooued to respect him onely in regarde of the common fayth and therefore he saith if he were not so much a Seruant as a Brother to him much more hee ought to bee so to his Maister not because hee was his seruant as other seruants are but because he was the Lords seruant so that hee was bounde to loue him both for the Lordes sake and for his owne sake Doctrine 6. The more bands reasons are giuen vs to care for any the more we are bound to care for him Heereby there is offered to our considerations this Lesson to bee learned that the more bandes and reasons are giuen vnto vs of God to care for anie the more wee are bound to care for him and to respect him A professor of the Gospell is more to be regarded then he that is wirhout One of the same Nation more then a stranger one of our own Kindred more then another farther from vs a Neighbour more then one that dwelleth manie Miles from vs one of a mans house more then him that is out of his house a Kinsman conuerted to the faith becom a true and perfect Christian more then a Kinsman not conuerted A Child that hath the sparks of grace in him more then a Childe voyde of them a Seruant fearing God more then a Seruant in the same family that doth not feare God nor regard his worde nor make Conscience of the meanes of his saluation Abraham loued Isaac the sonne of Promise hauing more graces in him f Gen. 21 9 10 14. 25 5 6. more then Ishmael the son of the bond-woman and a scoffing wretch and more then all the Sonnes of Keturah to whom he gaue guifts and sent them away Wee see this in the dealing of Abraham toward Lot his Nephew he would suffer no contention to rest among them and when he heard he was taken prisoner he would not haue stirred for the wicked sinners that dwelt in Sodome but hee armed his seruants to recouer him out of the hands of his enemies This is it which Salomon teacheth g Prou. 27 10 Better is a Neighbor that is neere then a Brother farre off The Apostle teacheth this truth when he giueth this precept While wee haue time let vt do good to all men h Gal. 6 10. but especially to them which are of the houshold of faith And in another place i Tim. 5 4. If any Widdow haue Children or Nephewes let thē learne first to shew godlinesse towardes their owne house and to recompence their Kindred To this also we are directed in the fift Commandement when we are commanded to Honour Father and Mother Wherby appeareth the truth of this doctrine that it standeth with Gods ordinance to haue the most care of those and to shew the greatest fruits of loue vnto them to whom wee are bound in the greatest and neerest bands Reason 1. The Reasons being wisely considered will make this plainely to appeare vnto vs. It is a generall sentence deliuered by Salomon in the booke of Ecclesiastes k Eccl. 4 9 10. Two are better then one and a threefold Cord is not easily broken Wheresoeuer there are stronger Cordes to tye vs and moe bandes to ioyne vs together our Loue ought to bee the more greater one towardes another Manie stickes make the greater Fire and many stringes the better Musicke Reason 2. Secondly it is a thing verie well pleasing in the sight of God to consider what meanes he hath affoorded to encrease mutuall loue and societie one with another This is the reason vrged by the Apostle to perswade the Children and Nephewes of poore Widdowes to take care for their Parents according to their ability l 1 Tim. 5 4. Because that is an honest thing and acceptable before God Now we are bound vnto them by many effectuall Reasons as it were with barres of Iron and bandes of Brasse to nourish those that haue nourished vs that haue fedde vs that haue cloathed vs that haue begotten vs and brought vs into the world so that wee must acknowledge it both right and reasonable Reason 3. Thirdly such as breake these bands cast away these Cords from them do set themselues against the Doctrine of Christ and may be sent to schoole to the Infidels nay to the brute beasts which are not voide of a certaine naturall affection This the Apostle teacheth m 1 Tim. 5 8. If there be any that prouideth not for his owne and namely for them of his houshold he denieth the faith is worse then an Infidell For howsoeuer they professe the Faith in words yet in deede and in truth they deny it But God is delighted with our workes not with our words and looketh vpon the substance not the shewe of our Religion
need of them or their curtesie but forsooke him in his greatest necessitie g Iob 6 15. These he compareth to Winter brookes which flow and ouer-flow when there is an ouer plus of water but are dry and dammed vp in time of Summer when the earth gapeth and the Grasse withereth and the Flower fadeth for want thereof Such men forget themselues and the condition wherein God hath set them They know how to require and looke for duties from others but they are vnmindfull of their owne and so become vnmercifull to their Brethren They doe not remember that the time shall come when they will preferred one drop of Mercy before a thousand Kingdomes yea befor tenne thousand worlds If thou account our things common c. Hitherto we haue considered the strength of the reason and gathered the Doctrine that ariseth from hence Now we are to weigh the words alone by themselues The Apostle taketh his Argument from the communion and fellowship that is between him and Philemon so that he could not deny him his suit Doctrine 2. Among Christian friends all things are common From hence we raise this Doctrine that among Christian Friends all thinges are common Such as are true friends not in tongue but in truth not in hypocrisie but from the hart should haue great interest one in another to vse themselues their gifts their blessinges without grudging to the naturall comfort one of another When Ionathan entred into a couenant of loue and league of friendshippe with Dauid h 1 Sem. 18 4. By and by he put off his Robe that was vpon him and gaue it Dauid and his Garments euen to his Sword and to his Bow and to his Girdle Yea he discouered the secret counsels and consultations of his Father that hee might deliuer his friend from danger of death This is it which the Apostle speaketh to the Romans i Rom. 12 4 5 As we haue many Members in one body and all Members haue not one office so we being many are one body in Christ and euery one one anothers Members The Euangelist Luke describing the state and condition of the Church after the Resurrection and ascension of Christ saith k Act 2 44 45 All that beleeued were in one place and had all things common and they sold their possessions and goods and parted them to all men as euery one had neede And afterward in the fift Chapter he addeth at large the same point l Act. 4 33 34 Great Grace was vpon them all neither was there any among them lacked for as many as were possessors of Lands or Houses sold them and brought the price of the thinges that were sold and laid it downe at the Apostles feetâ— and it was distributed vnto euery man according as he had neede Hence it is that we are taught in the Articles of Faith to beleeue the communion of Saints yea this is so plaine and manifest a truth m Plato de leg lib. 5. Cicer. offi lib. 1. de Amicit. Aul. Gell. noct Atti. lib. 1. cap. 9. Terent. in Adelph that the Heathen had this sentence as a common Prouerbe commonly in their mouthes that among friends all things should be common Whatsoeuer is bestowed vpon vs we should haue it not onely for our selues but for others If we haue riches it is our friends if we haue any guifts bestowed vppon vs they must be at the commandement of our friends Whatsoeuer we haue to profit them withall it must be theirs as well as ours All these Testimonies of the holie Scripture and common experience teach vs that wheresoeuer Christian friendship is there must bee also a Christian community that there bee no lack but the want of euery one must be supplied by a common hand of those that do abound Reason 1. Let vs see how this is confirmed vnto vs by reasons First it is the ordinance of God that one man should be an hand and helper vnto another in all necessities and hath vnited vs as Bretheren so that they should seeke to comfort one another This is it which Salomon propoundeth n Prou. 27 9. As Oyntment and perfume reioyce the heart so doeth the sweetnesse of a mans friend by heartie counsell If then we be bound to helpe our brethren by our handes by our mouths by our feete by our hearts and by all that wee haue in our power it followeth that there ought to be a communion in the vse of all blessinges that we enioy Reason 2. Secondly the Lord Iesus which is the great peace-maker of the world and sole Mediator betweene God and man who hath ioyned Heauen and Earth together by his Crosse o Ephes 2 18 so that through him we haue an entrance vnto the Father by one spirit he I say hath brought peace vnto vs hee hath made perpetuall friendship betweene his Father and vs and consequently setled sure friendship among our selues This is it which the Apostle speaketh Ephe. 2. p Ephes 2 14 16 1â— Col. 1 20 21 He is our peace which hath made of both one and hath broken the stop of the partition wall to make of twaine one new man in himselfe that hee might reconcile both vnto God in one body by his Crosse and stay hatred thereby It is the Office of Christs Priesthood to make peace not only beâ—ween God and man which notwithstanding is the cheefest worke but betweene man and man whereby we become one body in him Reason 3. Thirdly the faithfull haue the same priuiledges and liue as it were in common together They haue the same Father they expect the same inheritance they heare the same word they receiue the same Sacraments q Gal. 4 26. 1 Pet. 2 2. 1 23. Rom. 8 9 15. they are born of one Mother they are begotten of one immortall seed they are fed by the same sincere Milke they liue as by one soule the spirit of Christ they are as neere as Father and Children and as members of one body we are al one in respect of the promises of saluation Albeit there bee a distinction amongest them in Countrey Nation Age Sex and such like and liue in diuers ages and places yet there is such a spirituall Kindred and neere society between them that these common priuiledges binde them mutually and manifestlie one so another Wherefore seeing it is the ordinance of God that we shold put our helping hand to doe all good to our brethren seeing Christ Iesus hath reconciled vs to God his Father and made peace amongest our selues and lastly seeing the faithfull haue a common interrest and priuiledge in the same holy thinges whereby they are fitted to the Kingdome of Heauen in all these respects we learne that among true Christian friends there should bee a Communion and fellowship of all the blessings of God bestowed vpon them Vse 1. Now order requireth that wee handle the Vses of this Doctrine And first of all we
Bretheren we must haue in common with them and it is our duty to account them our owne We are to mourne for the one and reioyce for the other as if it were our owne estate When any good is befallen vnto them we are to be glad and to be merry at the heart as it had befallen vs and so much the rather seeing we haue our portion in it If we see them weakned in their estate and go backward and not forward in matters of the World it ought to be our greefe and sorrow especially if we see them decline in the best things and turne aside out of the way from him that called them in the grace of Christ wauering and wandering wide from the truth of the Gospell which once they embraced we ought so to take it to hart to be swallowed vp with heauines as if we our selues had gone backward This affection is worthy great praise where it is to be found It assureth vs that we are liuing and feeling members in the body of Christ and haue a neere coniunction with the other parts It greatly pleaseth God and hath an assured promise of a rich reward according to the saying of our Sauiour x Math. 5 7. Blessed are the mercifull for they shall obtaine mercy This serueth to reprehend the common practise of common Christians that liue as those that know not or regard not this Communion and enterchange of the same blessings that they haue receiued at the handes of God These are they that say God for vs all and euery man for himselfe These are they that make what benefit they can of others but wil depart from nothing themselues who prize men as sheep and Oxen and bethinke with themselues how much they may make of them as if they brought them openly into the Market and set them to sale for what will you giue me These are they that neuer esteeme nor make any account of their brethren but when they haue occasion to vse thē and stand in great need and necessity of them These are they that seeke themselues onely and their owne good as for others they regard them so long and so farre as they may get and gaine anything by them according to the common practise of the world deciphered and described by the Apostle y Phil. 2 21. All seeke their owne and not that which is Iesus Christes Is it thus in the partes and members of the naturall body Doth the eye see onely for it selfe Doth it not giue direction to hand and foot and serue to the good of the whole body Doth the hand labour onely for it selfe and to sustaine it selfe or doth it not rather worke both for it selfe for euery member of the body besides The foot doth it not likewise walke vp and down and take paines for the generall good and common benefite euen of the least part that belongeth to the body If it be thus in the seuerall members of our body ought it not much rather to be so in the misticall body of Christ Iesus Shall we then make a Mart or Monopoly of our bretheren and fell them for our owne filthy gaine and priuate aduantage But whereas we ought to reioyce at their good how many are there that repine at it and pine away at the sight of it And whereas we ought to be greatly greeued to see them goe backe in goodes or in goodnesse in the world or in the word they are glad to behold their wantes and are ready to push them downe that beginne to fall These men are not onely without piety but without humanity not onely void of conscience but of common Ciuillity and are no better then rotten members Euery one would be taken and holden for a true member of Christ Iesus but few regard to do the duties of members The partes of our bodies delight and reioyce one in another but many of vs that dwell neere together regard not to see one another in the face or to conuerse and communicate either with other and yet they would be accounted Christians The partes of our body are ready to helpe and defend one another z Iob. 2 4. the hand is at hand to be lifted vp to saue the head to endanger one member to shield another otherwise it were no hand we will not hazard the least trifle for the greatest good of others and yet wee would be accounted Christians The partes of our body a 1. Cor. 12 26 when one is in paine will not leaue it destitute and distressed but seeke by all meanes to free it out of trouble but we are hand-fast in helping the poore and needy members of the same body with vs nay such paymentes as are imposed by Lawe vpon vs are hardlie wrung from vs otherwise we could be content to suffer the poore Seruantes of God to perish and yet wee would be accounted Christians If God loue b 2. Cor. 9 7. the cheerefull giuer how should he then accept of such Guiftes If we haue this worldes good c 1. Iohn 3 17 and 4 20. and see our brother haue neede and shut our compassion from him how dwelleth the loue of God in vs If we say wee loue God and hate our brother are we not liars against the truth For how can he that loueth not his brother whom he hath seene loue God whom he hath not seene Assuredly wee may conclude that there is no loue of God at all in them that haue no eyes of compassion to see their miseries no eares of pitty to heare their necessities no harts of mercy to mercie to melt and relent at their sorrows no hands of liberality to supply their wants For iudgment d Iam. 2 13. 1 Iohn 1 6 7. without mercie shall fall vpon them that will shew no mercy and we shall neuer haue fellowship with the Father if we haue not fellowship and communion with his Children Wherefore as the Apostle saith e Heb. 10 24 25. Let vs consider one another to prouoke vnto loue and to good workes not forsaking the fellowship that wee haue among our selues as the manner of some is but let vs exhort one another and that so much the more because ye see that the day draweth neere Let vs bee ready to practise these fruites of loue toward others that we may tast of the Fruites of Gods loue toward our selues Would wee then breefely know what communitie ought to bee among vs Would we vnderstand how and in what manner we ought to haue all thinges common Would we liue as true Friendes and practise true friendship one toward another The holie Man Iob giueth vs a good and full direction in these duties and such a direction as was sealed vp by his owne example f Iob 31 16 17 19 20 21 24 25. and 29 15 16. He restrained not the Poore of their desire nor caused ehe eyes of the Widdowes to faile he did not eate his Morsels alone but
see a plaine confirmation of it by sundry reasons For first it is a common Prouerbe among vs Fast binde fast finde That which is loosely bounde is lightly lost but a three-fold Cord well tyed and twisted by worde by writing by seale is not easily broken A word affirmeth a writing confirmeth a seale assureth and euery one of them bindeth to performe our promise We see by daily experience that men are both mortall and mutable and wordes proue oftentimes but winde albeit ratified with the greatest solemnitie True it is our word ought to be as good as a thousand Obligations but deceite is bred naturally in our hearts so that we cannot ground vpon the bare word of men to finde good dealing Otherwise the Lord would neuer haue giuen Å¿ Leuit. 19 11 13. so many Lawes to restraine wrong and Iniustice fraud and oppression All these or at least a great part of them are preuented by setting downe our Couenants and Agreements in Writing vnder our hands and seales Reason 2. Secondly it is needfull to haue this manner of dealing among vs to the end that equity and vpright dealing might be obserued among vs and that all occasions of wrangling and wresting of wordes and bargaines may bee cut off as with the sword of Iustice This is it which the Prophet Ieremy expresseth in the 32. Chapter of his prophesies mentioned before where the Doctrine hath his confirmation t Ier. 32 14. Thus saith the Lord of Hoastes the God of Israell Take the writings euen this Booke of the possession both that is sealed and this Booke that is open and put them in an earthen vessell that they may continue a long time Where he maketh mention of a double writing or instrument which is heere called aftet the manner of the Hebrewes A Booke One of them was vnsealed the other was sealed and so concealed both of them were euidences to assure vnto him the Land that he bought and purchased That which was sealed seemeth to be the Original and as it were the Court Rolles authentically recorded and laide vp for the perpetuall rememberance of the matter That which was open and vnsealed seemeth to bee a Coppie deliuered and taken word for word out of the former to bee carried about with them into Captiuitie The end of both was for continuance that the bargaine and sale that passed betweene them might neuer bee forgotten Reason 3. Thirdly that all occasion of Controuersie and couzenage might bee taken away For if there were no writinges to shew the memories of men being fraile and their practises being vnfaithfull the world would bee full of all loose dealings and concord would bee banished from among men The end why Abraham set seauen Lambes by themselues u Gen. 21 30. was because Abimelech should receiue them at his handes to be a witnesse of their agreement and that all controuersies were finished and ended betweene them It appeareth many times when proofes in writing faile that false witnesses are suborned and so the seates of Iustice are subuerted all which are easily remedied when good assurances are at the first taken Reason 4. Fourthly good assurance is to be allowed and receiued to the end wee may safely dispose of such thinges as are in our power and possession eyther to our posteritie or otherwise Hence hath beene in all ages the lawdable and commendale vse of making Willes and Testaments which the word of God approoueth by deliuering diuers rules belonging to that profession The Law of God and of Nature hath taught that the Will and Testament of the dead ought x Gal. 3 15. not to be abrogated or altered and that no y Heb. 9 13. Will is of force vntil the Testator be dead Now we know not whether the gifts that we giue the Legacies that we bequeath be of our own proper goods or the goods of other men except we haue before hand a sufficient assurance of them made vnto vs. Seeing therefore where there is a fast knot there is a sure keeping seeing vpright dealing is to bee obserued seeing occasions of quarrels and contentions are to be stopped and seeing the goods that God hath giuen vnto vs are rightly to be bestowed it followeth that euery one is to prouide for the security and quietnesse of his estate by all lawful means not onely by word of mouth but by assurance in writing that thereby hee may foresee the danger that may come vpon him and be wary and circumspect in all his doings according to the saying of Christ the Teacher and Author of true wisedome z Math. 10 16 Be ye wise as Serpents and innocent as Doues For if wisedome doe season all our affaires then also our contracts that are common in this life Vse 1. We haue heard this Doctrine confirmed Now let vs see how it may bee applyed and what vses may be concluded out of it First of all it setueth for reproofe of the Anabaptists who are heereby directly ouerthrowne that condemne the propertie of goods and possessions together with all contracts and conditions that passe from one to another For we haue shewed that bargaines and sales are lawfull not onely among the Gentiles but euen among the Christians not onely vnder the rudiments of the Law but in the times of the Gospell The end of such writings Obligatory is nothing else but to assure euery one of his owne and to make it appeare what belongeth to another man If then it be lawfull to possesse House and Landes Money and moounables as our owne substance it is as lawfull to craue and take assurance of the possession of them that they may not by fraudulent meanes be alienated from vs. But of this we haue spoken before Secondlie they are reprehended who are offended that men in these cases will not trust them and relye vpon their wordes without farther assurance in writing and refuse to giue men good security For all is little enough and many times too little I haue heard it credibly affirmed and auouched by some Maister of that profession that albeit a conueyance of Land a deede of estate an Indenture of Couenants be drawne as sure and certaine as learned counsell can deuise and contriue yet it is an easie matter to picke holes in them and to take aduantage of them We see daily what quirkes and trickes of Law are broached and inuented whereby such as are simply and honestly minded are defrauded and defeated of Houses Landes and other Chattels Neuer was there so a Psal 62 9. little truth and so great craft and cozenage in the World as in these daies Sathan himselfe seemeth now to haue opened all his packe of deuises and his Instruments as good Schollers of so bad a Maister haue learned sundry deuillish practises whereby true meaning men are oftentimes notoriously gulled Some there are that are thought to study little else then to finde wantes and imperfections in Statutes in Leafes in Lands
them and cursse them and cannot behold them with a friendly looke and a louing countenance as if the fault were in the Clearkes Bayliffes and other publique Officers not in themselues and their owne vnfaithfulnesse which is all one as if a Male-factor should charge the Executioner who is the Minister of Iustice to be the cause of his death forgetting that his owne misdeedes and misdemeanors brought him vp vnto that place and punishment Vse 2. Secondly seeing it is needefull that to confirme our lawfull contractes there be Euidences to shew it is a good point of wisedome required of vs to vse the aduise of such as are learned in the law and are both men of knowledge and of conscience For heere if in any thing else we shall finde the common Prouerbe true That the best is best cheap Many there are that regard the Fee more then the Cause and speake for themselues rather then for the partie that hath chosen them Againe many suites arise through ignorance and vnskilfulnesse of the Law wherefore it is meete we should resort to a learned Counsell so that partly through the want of honesty and piety in some partly the want of skill and practise in others many poore Clients go to wracke We must all deale in the matter of our goods as wise Patients doe for the curing of their bodies and the recouery of their health They will not goe to euery Slubberer or Sorcerer to euery Leach or Mountebanke to take charge of their bodies to whom a man would be loath to commit his Beasts If any doubts arise auoyd all forgery and periury suborning of false Witnesses counterfeiting of Euidences and such like deceitfull practises as the God of this world hath taught the Children of darknesse and confusion Take that course which God alloweth and Iustice warranteth repaire to men of that profession giue him good instruction and follow thou his direction For this purpose I will craue leaue to set downe e Three rules belonging to Lawyers three rules that are required and are to be performed of men of Law the obseruation whereof shall giue peace and comfort of conscience with God and gaine them Crownes and credit among men First of all if they disdaine not to be aduised and taught by vs let the end of all their pleas and proceedings be the finding out of the ttuth Let this be the marke that they shoot at and the starre whereby they direct all their course which seasoneth all their pleadings as it were with Salt If they regard not the tryall of the truth nor which way the cause go so they may receiue their Fee they abuse the ballances of Iustice and turne equity into Iniquity God is truth and euery one that belongeth vnto him should labour to bring the truth to light It is a generall rule taught by the Apostle f 2 Cor. 13 8. We cannot doe any thing against the truth but for the truth Woe therefore vnto them that dig deepe to hide the truth and inuent shifts to bury it out of sight that it may not take place and do all things against the truth and nothing for it The second rule is that they doe not delay the causes of their Clients and protract the time in hope of farther gaine from Tearme to Tearme and from yeare to yeare As there may be too great hast so there may be too great delay and there are Rockes on eyther hand the safest course is to saile in the midst betweene them both for feare of shipwracke It is a dutie of the Surgeon not to linger the curing of his Patient and to torment him a whole yeare where he might restore him in a quarter Suites of Law are tedious and chargeable they are as the fits of a Feauer that vexe the body and trouble the minde It is an euill course to keepe sores alwaies raw and woundes greene in hope to get Mony So it is an vncharitable proceeding to retaine causes and to keepe them alwaies on foot except they may haue for expedition Lastly as the end of their pleading must bee truth and veritie and the course of it without delay so it is required of them when they know the cause to be euill and see the manifest signes of an ouerthrow that they doe not conceale it but discouer and open it vnto their Clients They are to forewarne them of the end that they doe not intangle themselues in vnnecessarie and vnlawfull suites It is deliuered as a dutie of the Physition and of the Minister when they come to a sicke man that lyeth on his death-bed and see manifest signes of death that they doe not hide it from him nor flatter him in his sicknesse saying I hope you shall doe well and recouer and be as merry among your Neighbours as euer you were but rather with wisdome warne him and with discretion certifie him of it to the end he may renounce all confidence in earthly thinges and put his whole affiance in God according to that sentence of the Apostle g 2 Cor. 1 9. We receiued the sentence of death in our selues because we should not trust in our selues but in God which raiseth the dead Thus ought it to be with the carefull and conscionable Lawyer when he seeth the cause of his Clyent desperate and languishing without hope of life he ought not to draw him on and moue him to proceede but perswade him to giue ouer and tell him the danger that will come vpon him It is too late to bid the Souldier beware when the victory is lost The wisest way is to preuent a mischiefe betimes before it be too late So then to trusse vp these thinges closely together and to couch them in a narrow roome if he shall vse his diligence that the truth may be discouered and right take place and make this the end of his pleading if he bend his wits to giue quicke dispatch to the causes he vndertaketh and not to prolong the time for his owne aduantage And last of all if he lay open the weaknesse of his Clyents cause vnto him and forewarne him of the issue thereof he shall doe the part of an honest man of a faithfull Christian of a learned Lawyer and of a discreet Counseller Vse 3 Thirdly from these assurances in writing to confirme our promises one to another we learn the cause why it pleased the Lord to vse so many waies and meanes with vs to giue vs his Word his Oath his promises his Miracles his Couenants and his Seales We learne wherefore all these do serue euen to strengthen our Faith in the good meaning of God toward vs. And as he thereby assureth his owne graces so he prouideth for our weakenesse If there were in vs that measure of Faith that ought to be the bare word of God might be all-sufficient to teach vs to acknowledge him to be the God of our saluation and to depend vpon him for our Redemption But seeing
be not able to doe the like for vs. This is it which our Sauiour meaneth By lending and looking for nothing againe And thus much touching the naturall Interpretation of that place which these men abuse and peruert as they doe also other Scriptures But to leaue them and to returne to the former matter It is a pernicious kinde of Theft in former daies scarse heard off or at the least not so commonly practised that men regard not how great sums or what value of other mens good they get into their handes If a man bee holpen in his neede and he forget it if he doe not acknoâ—…ledge it if hee doe not pray to God to requite and recompence it when himselfe hath no meanes to doe it hee abuseth the liberalitie shewed toward him and is no better then a Theefe But to gather the wealth of others to our selues and to borrow Money or take vp Wares of credit as farre as they can be trusted of one an hundred pound of another fiftie of one more and of another lesse neuer purposing to repay but as soone as they haue laid held on it to breake vp is a more monstrous kind of robbery then the former For then a report is noysed abroad that they are Banckrupt and by and by an agreement must be sought with their Creditors to satisfie them forsooth with the third with the sixt with the tenth part they purposing afterward to liue vpon their stolne goods and the labours of other men whereby oftentimes it falleth out that many godly and honest dealing men are vtterly vndone and their poore Wiues and Children brought to great pouertie It is made a propertie of the wicked by the Prophet to make care to borrow but to take no care to restore Psal 73. m Psal 37 21. The wicked borroweth and payeth not againe but the righteous is merciful and giueth It testifies the wonderful care that was among the Seruants of God to make restitution in that when the Iron where-with one was felling of a Tree fell into the Water he cryed out and said n 2 King 6 5. Alasse Maister it was but borrowed Whereby it appeareth he was more troubled for the lacke and losse of it then if it had beene his owne It is likewise to be considered of vs which the Apostle Paule teacheth Rom. 13. o Rom. 13 7 8 Owe nothing to any Man but to loue one another for he that loueth another hath fulfilled the Law Wherefore it standeth vs vpon to restore the thinges we haue borrowed and to pay those to whom we are indebted albeit it be with the sale of the necessary thinges we haue The Widdow of the Sonnes of the Prophets at the commaundement of Elisha selleth the Oyle that God sent her to pay her Creditor as we see 2. King 4. for the Prophet said vnto her p 2 Kin. â— 4 7. Goe and sell the Oyle and pay them that thou art in debt vnto and liue thou and thy Children vpon the rest Where wee see God would not haue the Creditour defrauded but rather then the debt should be vnpaide the Lord himselfe would pay it and the Prophet did not giue her counsell to raile and rage against the Creditor to call him a Miser and couetous Cormorant or to liue in excesse and aboundance without care to satisfie that debt which might bee demaunded but charged her first of all to pay the whole and if any were left she and her Children should feede vpon the rest Obiection 1. But some man may say what if we be not able What if we haue nothing wherewith to pay What are wee then to doe or what course are we to take Answere I answere God accepteth of a ready and q 2 Cor. 8 12. willing minde where there is no farther strength or better abilitie Offer thy labour and seruice shew thy repentance and remorse of conscience testifie the truth of them by thy sorrow and teares and if euer God make thee able thou must doe it actually Obiection 2. It may be further obiected though a man bee able to restore how if in doing it he shall vtterly shame himselfe and his profession Answere If this of necessitie must follow make choyse of some faithfull Friende that may performe this duty for thee and conceale thy Name Secondly it is better to seek the praise of God then the praise of men Thirdly honour and praise and peace are promised to all that be truely conuerted and the reward of sinne not repented off is shame and reproach and contempt both Temporall Eternall according to the Testimony of the Apostle r Ro. 6 21 22. What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed For the end of those things is death but now being freed from sinne and made Seruants vnto God ye haue your fruit in holinesse and the end euerlasting life Obiection 3. But if it be farther asked How if the parties be dead or what if I know not the speciall persons whose goods I possesse Answere I answere restore them to their Heires if they haue none or thou know none yet keepe them not with thee they will kindle a fire in thy Family that shalt wast all thy wealth and store till nothing be left In this case make the poore their Heires deale as Zacheus Luke 19. Be mercifull toward them Obiection 4. Lastly the question may be demaunded whether the Sonne be bound to restore the goods which the Father hath gotten by oppression Answere I aunswere breefly whatsoeuer the Sonne knoweth to be euilly gotten cannot be iustly kept from the lawfull and iust owners thereof Ezek. 18 14 15. c. Prou. 28 8. If the Sonne follow the abhominations of his Father and walke in them or approoue of them he maketh himselfe guilty of the same offences also Vse 4 Lastly seeing it is our bounden dutie to forbeare and sometimes to forgiue such as are poore and not able to pay we may gather from hence for the strengthening and confirmation of our Faith that much more will God with patience forbeare and in mercy forgiue vs our debts and trespasses He teacheth vs to aske forgiuenesse at his hands Å¿ Math. 6 14. Being assured of it if we forgiue He chargeth vs to forgiue Not onely seauen times t Math. 18 22. but seauenty times seauen times He instructeth vs That if u Luke 17 4. our Brother sinne against vs seauenty times in a day and seauentie times in a day turne againe to vs saying It repenteth me we must forgiue him We haue not one drop of that infinite mercy that is in God whose compassion is higher then the Heauens and greater then the loue of Parents toward their Children He that commaundeth mercy to others will not be vnmercifull himselfe and he that forbids crueltie to others will remember to be mercifull himselfe It is the greatest dishonour done vnto God that can
the former Merchant bringeth in the wares this man is as a Pedler to vtter the wares and to set them to sale And thus the Scripture it selfe speaketh of these broachers and bringers of them as Leuit. 19. 16. Thou shalt not Merchandize tales or walke about with Tales among thy people This sort of men is not ydle but is alwaies stirring vp and downe they sit not at home but frequent many places they are not strangers and vnknowne abroad but are acquainted with many persons and wil insinuate themselues into their company It is a notable Metaphor that the spirit of God vseth to compare them to Pedlers or petty-chapmen We see what the Trade and fashion of Pedlers is so soon as they haue bought their wares of some one or moe Merchants they sel the same commodities to others Thus it is with Backbyters and Tale-bearers when they haue gathered together a fardle of tales of rumors and reports as it were with a packe of Wares they wander from one place to another from one house to another from one person to another that they may set out to sale such stuffe as they haue heard and vtter them in the absence of their Neighbor to his disgrace and infamy These are they which encrease hatred among enemies and make discord among the best Friends Hence it is that Salomon saith i Prou. 26 20. Without wood the fire is quenched and without a Tale-bearer strife ceaseth Such persons are the very plagues and poyson of humaine society they wound a man in his good name they rob him of his goodes they wrong him in his friends they bereaue him of his life This we see in the example of Doeg the Edomite who caused the Priests of the Lord to be slaine of Ziba the false and vnfaithful seruant of Mephibosheth who by slandering his Maister obtained his goodes It is a great iniury to rob a man of his goods it is an heynous Theft in the sight of God it is a greater iniury to spoile a man of his good name which is sweeter then Oyntments and better then Riches for that which is stolne may be restored but the blot of infamy is hardly or neuer wiped away There is some remedy against the byting of Serpents mad Dogges and venemous beasts but against the toong of the slanderer Sycophant there can none be found We see that theeues who come to spoyle and to steale may be preuented or shunned but who can stand before the tongues and tales of the Tale-bearer But it is the greatest iniury to bereaue a man of his life which the slanderer doth oftentimes by sowing discord betweene party and party as we shewed before in Doeg of whome the Prophet Dauid complaineth Psal 52 2 4. That his Tongue did cut like a sharpe Razor and that hee loued all wordes that may destroy They are pronounced happy by the mouth of Christ k Math. 5 9. that are peace-makers are not they therefore to be holden accursed that sow hatred among frends as it were Darnell in the fields that are Make-bates and pick-thankes seeking to please the fansies of others If then the makers of peace be the sons of God surely Tale-bearers that are makers of debate are the Children of the Deuill whose Image they beare These are the Deuils Merchants and carry about with them his wares they are his Apprentises or Iourny-men and serue him for wages And albeit they set vp one Trade yet they sell not after one fashion Some come whispering and leasting secretly to the disgrace of others some come glozing and peruerting the words that they vtter contrary to their meaning some haue no sooner solde their commodities that they carry into one place but they store themselues by and by with new For as they speake to vs of other men freely and fully and falsely so they will speake as largely and lewdly of vs to other men Thirdly heere is condemned another enemy of our name and credit to wit he that loueth beleeueth and entertaineth lies and slanders These are such as deale not toward others as they would haue others deal with them This sinne is reproued in the Law Exod. 23 1. Thou shalt not receyue a false Tale neither shalt thou put thine hand with the wicked to be a false witnesse This the Prophet Dauid teacheth Psal 15 3. He that slandereth not with his tongue nor doth euill to his Neighbor nor receiueth a false report against his neighbour shall dwell in the Lords Tabernacle and rest in his holy hill But on the contrary such as slander and defame and receiue and beleeue false tales are deliuered vp to Satan and are heires of hell In theft we see that such as receyue stolne goods are accessary to the theft so he that willingly heareth and receiueth the reports of whisperers is guilty of the crime of back-byting For it is a true saying If there were no Tale-inuenter there would be no Tale-receiuer and if there were no Tale-receiuer there would bee no Tale-bearer Against all these Maladies and Mischiefes an approued and often tried Medicine is true Charity for if there bee in vs a Charitable Minde a Charitable Tongue a Charitable Eare a Charitable Heart wee shall bee safe from these euilles Where there is a Charitable Minde there will bee no deuising and inuenting of slanders Where there is a Charitable Tongue there will bee no carting and carrying of false reports Where there is a Charitable Eare there will be no hearing of euill surmises one against another And where there is a Charitable Heart there will be no beleeuing of them Many attaine to the first step they haue a Charitable Mind they wil inuent and forge no tales but they misse in the second they want a Charitable tongue for when they haue heard false tales they carry them about from one to another and by that meanes the mischiefe spreadeth farther But many do come to these two first steppes and yet faile in the third they haue Charitable Minds and Tongues they will deuise nothing they will disperse nothing yet they want a Charitable Eare because they take delight to heare false tales and to haue them brought vnto them It behooueth vs to watch ouer our Eares as well as our Tongues and consider that if we did not desire to heare them others would not long take delight to report them Vse 2. Secondly it is our duty to expound and interpret all doubtfull thinges in the best part before the truth do plainly and clearely appeare vnto vs and what we may to couer their infirmities Wee must not be suspitious without great cause or good grounde but to giue all vncertaine and wandering reports of our brethren the best Interpretation according to the rule before remembred l 1 Cor. 13 7. Loue beleeueth all things it hopeth all things True it is we ought not to be ouer-credulous and light of beleefe to credite all things that are brought vnto vs as Dauid was
18. 13. who beeing in distresse and feare of his life said to Eliah Was it not told my Lord what I did when Iezabell slew the Prophets of the Lord how I hid an hundred men of the Lords Prophets by fifties in a Caue and fed them with Bread and Water These men we see found great comfort to their owne Soules in the practise of this duty If the same fruit of Faith and testimony of loue be found in vs we shall not be left comfortlesse when we desire comfort of God Nay if this entertainement of the Saints whom the profession of the faith in time of trouble hath made Strangers be among vs and doe abound it will make vs that we shall be neyther idle nor vnfruitfull in the acknowledging of our Lord Iesus Christ And that we may yet haue farther comfort and encouragement heerein we must vnderstand that whatsoeuer comfort and compassion we shew to the Seruants of God that are harbourlesse and succourlesse the Lord Iesus doth account it as done vnto himselfe For Christ is oftentimes left without help and harbour in his poore members and in them he wandreth vp and downe from place to place to seeke releefe Thus he shall say in the end of the World ſ Mat. 25 35 40. I was a Stranger and ye tooke me in vnto you I was naked and ye cloathed me I was in Prison and ye came vnto mee for verily I say vnto you inasmuch as yee haue done it vnto one of the least of these my Brethren ye haue done it to me Let this comfort and refresh vs let this encourage vs to loue Strangers and to performe all duties of loue toward them considering that Christ Iesus will aboundantly reward our well-doing and accept it farre aboue the worthinesse of the work albeit it be shewed to the poorest and simplest soul that belongs to his Body On the other side this serueth as a great terrour to those that are without naturall affection and spirituall compassion to consider wisely of the poore Strangers to whom Christ shall say I was a Stranger and ye tooke mee not in vnto you sicke and in Prison and ye visited me not for verily I say vnto you in asmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these ye did it not to me This serueth to encrease their sinne and to make the iudgements of God to enter into their bones considering that they haue not to doe onely with men but with Christ and the contempt is offered not onely to a base stranger but to our blessed Sauiour He that striketh and woundeth the hand or the foote maketh paine and greefe to arise in the head inasmuch as one part is touched with a sympathy of the others misery The faithfull are all the members of Christes body whereof he is the head if then any of them be afflicted hee suffereth with them he is greeued for them he is hurt through them Let all the enemies of the godly therefore take heede vnto themselues least they kicke against the truth of God and hurt the least of the professors thereof considering that he that toucheth them toucheth the apple of his eye yea toucheth and pierceth Christ himselfe of whom wee may truely say x Math. 21 44 Whosoeuer shall fall on this stone he shall be broken but on whomsoeuer it shall fall it will crush him in peeces Who is it that dareth breake out into this blasphemy to professe that he wisheth to wound Christ to reproach him to defie him to turne him out of doores to suffer him to perrish and to shut vp their compassion frō him But whiles we are ashamed of our poore Brethren we are ashamed of Christ whiles we deny to stretch forth our handes to help them we passe by Christ and looke awry or a squint vpon him Would we haue the Lord of life and glory deale with vs as we deale with them and behaue our selues toward them We liue if not in the persecution yet in the necessity of the Church and Children of God we cannot but see many want If the enemies of the Gospell hate them for the truths sake shall not we loue them for the truths sake If we desire to finde comfort in the great day of the Lorde let vs now shew comfort as God hath blessed and inabled vs according to our abilitie Hee will neuer bee wanting to them that consider wiselie of the wants of them that feare him If wee doe not deny our comfort to them he will neuer deny to minister comfort to vs in time of neede But if our harts be hardned and our hands full of crueltie we deceiue our selues if we looke for any comfort at the handes of God The Rich man and Miser that had Lazarus at his Gates y Luke 16 19 21 24. Clad himselfe in Purple and fared deliciously euery day yet shutting his eyes from beholding the misery and stopping his eares from hearing the cry of the poore himselfe was cast into torments and cryed with a great cry and a bitter and was not heard nor regarded Then his sumptuous fare could not refresh him then his gorgeous apparrall could not comfort him then his resort and retinue could not reuiue him but he continued in endlesse and remidelesse tortures and tormentes If wee follow his example let vs feare his ende and if wee practise his sinne we must looke to feele his punishment If we behold the troubles of the Ministers and Professours of the Gospell driuen out of house and home and cast out of Land and Liuing and we cannot affoord them a good word nor giue them any thing to supply their wants when God hath giuen vnto vs this worldes good wee our selues shall cry and not be heard We shall all stand in need of the mercie of God If we were rich noble if were Kings and Princes if we haue had thousandes that haue required and receiued mercy from vs yet a time shall come when we shall stande at the Iudgement seate of the Almighty and call for mercy at his hands The Lord in that day shall recompence vs according to our workes Haue we delighted in the deeds of mercy and shewed pitty to the poore wandering Saints Let vs be of good comfort wee shall not finde God a seuere Iudge but a mercifull Father and Sauiour vnto vs we shall receiue the fruite of our Labours in due time gather as we haue scattered and reape as we haue sowed On the other side haue we seene the Saintes of God sicke and not visited them Strangers and not harboured them Hungry and not fed them We shall hang downe our heads in that day when we would giue all the world for one drop or dram of mercy to come neere vs z Iames 2 13. For there shall be condemnation mercilesse to him that sheweth not Mercie and Mercie reioyseth against Iudgement Let vs consider these things whiles we haue time It was too late for the Rich man