for Faith it hath a speciall stroke in euery Euery good must be done in Faith and good action For first it clenseth the conscience and purifieth the heart so fitteth it for the bringing forth of a good worke for out of a defiled Fountayne no pure Riuers can come A good man brings forth good things but whence out of the good treasure of his heart Now this good treasure is a worke of Faith 1. Tim. 1. 6. Acts 15. 9. Secondly it setteth before our eyes the Commandement of God enioyning vs that which is to be done and withall perswadeth vs that the Commandement belongs to vs and bindes vs Rom. 14. Whatsoeuer is not of Faith is sinne Thirdly it sharpneth the Commandement of God set downe in that word and driueth it in more deeply into our minds by adding thereto a Commandement of her owne For as wee shewed before Faith to the regenerate is in stead of a Law Hence our obedience Rom. 1 6. is called the obedience of Faith because it harkneth not onely to the Word of God but also to Faith vrging and pressing that Word of God In euery good worke which wee doe vnto the Commandement of the Word must come the Cōmandement of our Faith The which by the apprehension of the loue of God the Commander sweetly inuiteth and gently allureth vs to performe obedience Wicked men are moued sometimes by Gods Commandement to doe some good things but yet not by the Commandement of Faith they haue none at all Vnlesse therefore when thou goest commest doest this or that thou heare thy Faith like the Centurion in the Gospel saying Goe Come Doe this or that assuredly thy comming thy going thy doing this or that though groūded vpon the Word are yet sins in thee Fourthly fiftly it presenteth to our memories the Promises First the promises more specially to that particular good work which is to be don This is a notable spur to our obedience Vnto this Commandement Apoc. 2. 10. Be thou faithfull to the death is added this Promise I will giue thee the Crowne of life Now that wee may more cheerfully obey this Commandement our Faith as MOSES his did Heb. 11. must behold the Promise annexed Secondly the Promises that are made generally to all good works concerning the couering of their defects and blemishes For the best works we do are tainted and stayned with our naturall corruption Here then is the last action of Faith the vpshot and conclusion of all namely the apprehension of the merits of Christ whereby both that euill which we haue mixt with our good works may be remoued and that good which is wanting may be supplyed In the second place when Faith shall thus haue In loue both to God and done her part comes Loue succeeding and seconding Faith in the bringing forth of euery good worke First Loue towards God For this is the difference betwixt the obedience of the godly and that shew of obedience that is to be found in the Ethnicks Papists Ciuill men and all such Iustitiaries The loue of God thrusteth forward the godly but these the loue of themselues for they thinke to demerit God to themselues by that they doe And therefore they say with that young man in the Gospell What good thing shall I doe that I may get eternall life Loe the base mind of a seruile Mercenarie they doe all like hyrelings for their wages But a child like ingenuitie drawes forth the obedience of the godly The child when hee does any thing for his Father lookes for no recompence but his intent is onely to shew his loue towards his Father The obedience of the godly is wholy Filiall and a testimonie of their thankfulnesse for benefits alreadie receiued Therefore their voice is not What good thing shall I doe for the getting of Life but for Life already gotten What shall I render to the Lord Psal 116. Secondly Loue also to our Brethren must be Our Brethren the ground of our obedience This as it is plaine in the works of the second Table wherein that of the Apostle hath place Doe seruice one to another by loue so it is true also in the works of the first Table Euen those works of obedience which concerne God immediately must be done in loue to our Brethren namely that by our example wee may doe good vnto them prouoking them to doe the like Thus PAVL in his sufferings for the Gospell had a speciall regard of the Elect 2. Tim. 2. vers 10. Thus much of these Vertues of Faith and Loue. Their obiects follow First the obiect of Faith is onely one viz. Christ. How is Christ the obiect of Faith Quest Faith is taken two wayes First properly for an Answ action of the Vnderstanding in assenting to some Christ the obiect of Faith truth Secondly improperly and Metonymically for an act of the Will in resting and relying vpon some thing which is called Confidence which way soeuer wee take it Iustifying faith hath Christ her obiect First if it be taken for assent which we call beliefe or credence Christ may worthily be accounted the obiect thereof for this is the truth whereto shee assenteth namely that Christ is hers If it be taken the second way for confidence so also is Christ the obiect of Faith for in the merits of Christ onely and nought else can wee safely repose any trust of him may wee depend onely for our saluation Here then first of all is ouerthrowne the Doctrine of the Scholemen that make God simply the obiect of our Faith without making any mention of Christ who yet is the Way by the which we goe to the Father otherwise dwelling in the light inaccessible so our Sauiour Ioh. 14. 1. You beleeue in God beleeue also in mee As if hee should say Yee cannot truely beleeue in the Father vnlesse also yee beleeue in mee so most excellently are both these coupled together Ioh. 17. 3. The knowledge of the Father and of whom hee hath sent Iesus Christ. So 1. Pet. 1. vers 21. By whom namely Christ you beleeue in God By this see then what to iudge of the faith of the Turks Iewes and all those that know not Christ yea of the Papists destroying that Christ indeed whom they grant in word The way of God is hedged vp considered in himselfe simply without Christ He only is the foundation of Faith Secondly here againe the Papists are met with that dare ioyne with CHRISTS merits of Saints for Faith to leane vpon But it is Christ onely that Faith can leane vpon In him onely can shee find that which is to be opposed to the Lawes rigour to Gods anger and iustice Therefore it is oftentimes called the Faith of Iesus Christ as Rom. 3. It is only the bloud of Christ that will stay and strengthen our hearts in the houre of death and it is only that which will choke Satan with his temptations Tell him of the merits of Saints and hee
Temple to Bacchus in his Celler In too many families Venus hath her Altars in the Chambers Bacchus his Sacrifices in the Butteries which two hauing made their diuident in the family shared their Deuotoes alas what poore thirds wil be left for God Whatsoeuer disorders are in publike they will neuer be redressed so long as families especially great Ones are vnreformed The Family the Common-wealth the Church are Sunt igitur tres coelestes Hierarchiae de quibus Asini Sophistae tam multa nugātur aliud nihil quam vita Oeconomica politica Ecclesiastica Luther in Gene. the three heauenly Hierarchies as Luther termes them But surely the first is not heauenly vnlesse the last be in it If the church be not in it it wil proue but an hellish Hierarchy yea and will poyson both the other If families were Churches and religiously gouerned what great ease would Gouernours of the Church and Common-wealth finde The way to heale the naughty waters is with Elisha 2. King 2. 21. to goe to the spring to cast in the salt there It is but a folly to complaine of misorders else-where while our own families are misordred Now R. H. as you graced and gaue countenance to the first of this Authors works printed since his death so may you be pleased to accept this last as a testimony of all thankefull acknowledgement of your great and vndeserued fauours As it was the Authors desire in the handling of this holy Scripture the first fruits of his constant ministeriall labours to perfect that noble and honourable family of your Fathers where it was opened as in many other points of Christianity so in the knowledge of family-duties that it might be brought to greater perfection so is it my desire by publishing the same to further the common good of all good Christians in awakening stirring them vp to the conscionable discharge of teaching and right ordering their families to the honour of God their owne and the endlesse good of many soules And that by your diligent reading hereof you would be pleased to obserue practise all such rules directions as may any way tend to the bettering of your iudgement and family For it is with Families as with Churches on earth none completely perfect during our pilgrimage here The which while you shall doe you shall bring vpon your selfe Abrahams blessing promised for his wel-ordered house and Philemons honour of a Church in your family and in the end peace and happinesse to your own soule The which vnfainedly wishing you from the God of peace I humbly take my leaue and rest Epping in Essex August 15. 1618. Your Honors to be commanded in all seruice in the Lord IER DYKE A COMMENTARY VPON THE EPISTLE TO PHILEMON VERS 1. 2. PAVL a prisoner of IESVS CHRIST and our brother TIMOTHY vnto our beloued PHILEMON and fellow-worker And to our beloued APPHIA and to ARCHIPPVS our fellow-Souldier and to the Church that is in thy house BEfore wee come to The Argument of the Epistle the words wee will a little consider of the argument of this Epistle and of some generall instructions there arising ONESIMVS a naughty seruant running away from his master PHILEMON lights vpon PAVL by whose meanes and ministery hee being conuerted is returned back to his Master with this letter of PAVL in his behalfe written to his Master for pardoning him his former misdemeanour and receiuing him into fauour againe This Epistle is of another nature then any other written either by PAVL or any of the other Apostles for though sometimes they write to some one particular person as this our Apostle to TIMOTHY and TITVS and IOHN to GAIVS and the elect LADY yet euen then they write of matters concerning the whole Church and the common saluation as IVDE speaketh Iude 3. But here as the person is but a particular man so the matter is a personall matter proper to PHILEMON and his family concerning the entertaynement of a fugitiue seruant into his family and fauour againe One would thinke this were too low and meane an argument for the Spirit of GOD to handle But yet questionlesse PAVL was as well moued by the instinct and assisted with the powerfull presence of the Holy Ghost in the writing of this as any other of his Epistles as besides the common consent of the Church by the holy heauenly and gracious Character of speech agreeable to his other Epistles may easily appeare Obserue therefore How hereby the Lord would confirme our faith 1. The Scriptures written by diuine inspiration in the truth and certainty of other parts of Scripture for if euen this Epistle written to one man of a priuate matter respecting his owne family were yet writen by the inspiration of the Spirit of Truth how much more may we ascertaine our selues that other bookes treating of higher matters were not penned by the will of man but indited by the Spirit of God himselfe If when PAVL writes to PHILEMON of the receiuing of a poore slaue the Spirit of God leadeth his hand in writing how much more when he writeth to whole Churches of Christ and our Redemption by him of Faith Repentance Iustification and such like mysteries Secondly As hereby our assurance of the infallible 2. Gods prouidence in the preseruation of the Bookes of Scripture Truth of the Scriptures is confirmed so likewise of Gods Prouidence and watchfull care in the preseruation of them whole without any losse to this present day Some are of opinion that whole Bookes of Scripture are lost and among the rest some of S. PAVLS Epistles written to whole Churches as to Corinth Laodicea c. But this little Epistle riseth vp as a great witnesse against them for if the prouidence of God hath extended it selfe to the lesser how much more to the greater It is the argument of our Sauiour Matth. 6. God by his prouidence clotheth the grasse of the field how much more will he doe the like to men to his owne Elect Are not they of much greater value then Lillies So here by like proportion was not the Epistle to the Corinthians if there euer were such a one lost of greater worth then this to PHILEMON Whereof yet not the least jot or tittle hath miscarryed though in regard of the obiect and comparatiuely in respect of others it may seeme a meane Epistle for otherwise indeed nothing of the Spirits inditing is to bee counted meane How much more then would the Lord by the eye of his prouidence haue watched ouer other Epistles and Bookes handling matters of greater moment and consequence If any part of the Canon should be lost one would thinke in regard of that speciall care which God hath of his Churches good it should be that which might best be spared as not being of so necessary vse as the rest Now howsoeuer euery parcell of the Canon and so this Epistle be of singular vse yet we cannot imagine how an
will answere thee as once those Exorcists Acts 19. Iesus I know but these merits I know not Thirdly this Doctrine of the obiect of Faith is the rather to be marked that we may more cleerly vnderstand the doctrine of our iustification by faith For the Papists alwayes haue it in their mouthes that Faith is a worke and so if wee be iustified by Faith then by Works But with Faith wee must ioyne the obiect of Faith viz. Christ for Faith iustifies not in regard of the subiect in which it inhereth but of the obiect to which it adhereth not as a qualitie created in the mind nor as an action of this qualitie for both are imperfect but as it applyeth Christ and so in him couereth as all other defects so also her owne whereby shee is disabled from iustifying in her selfe This Doctrine is full of comfort to those that are discouraged in regard of the small measure of their Faith But it is not the measure of thy Faith or the strength of thy Faith that iustifies but Christ apprehended by thy Faith whether strong or weake And a Palsie-trembling hand will receiue an almes as well as a stronger So the squint-eyed or purblind Israelite was healed by the looking on the brazen Serpent as well as they whose eyes were better Lastly from this manner of phrase wherein Christ is made the obiect of Faith namely Faith in Christ. Some doe gather that Faith properly is an act of the will resting it selfe on Christ and not of the vnderstanding beleeuing the Truth of the promise in particular for then they say the Scripture should rather speake thus Faith to Christ and to beleeue Christ and not in Christ This particle In they thinke argueth that confidence which we haue in Christ whereby we cast our selues vpon him and as it were goe into him But these men seeme to me to be deceiued for First it is most certayne that this particle In is 1. Three Reasons prouing Faith to be an act of the Vnderstanding as well as of the Will often giuen to the Faith of persons vnregenerate who haue not that confidence in Christ as Ioh. 2. 23. Many beleeued in his Name seeing his miracles where by beleeuing in his Name is meant onely that credence which they gaue to Christ as a true Prophet and no Deceiuer which was wrung from them by force of his miracles for heare Christs iudgement of them in the next Verse Iesus would not commit himselfe vnto them for he knew what was in the heart of man where they that before are said to beleeue in his Name are closely touched for their hollownesse and perfidiousnesse If they had put their trust in Christ Christ questionlesse would haue put more trust in them then he did So Exod. 14. ver 31. They beleeued in MOSES as it is in the Hebrew that is they beleeued MOSES as the learned haue well expounded it Certainly to beleeue in Christ and to beleeue Christ sounded all one in the eares of those Iewes that conferred with Christ Iohn 6. for whereas Verse 29. Christ had said This is the worke of God that yee beleeue in him whom he hath sent they presently answere What signe doest thou shew that wee may see and beleeue thee Secondly the Scripture distinguisheth Faith and Confidence very plainly By whom we haue accesse with confidence by faith Ephes 3. 12. Now it would be absurd for the Apostle to say Wee haue accesse with confidence by confidence Thirdly Reason it selfe is against this opinion for how can we rely vpon him of whose good will towards vs wee are not perswaded First wee must beleeue that Christ is ours and loueth vs before we can be able to commit our selues vnto him for the will and affections follow the vnderstanding Yet I denie not but that oftentimes yea very vsually in the Scripture this Confidence is put for Faith because it is an immediate and most excellent fruit of Faith For when once the vnderstanding shall iudge of the truth and goodnesse of the Promise the wil forthwith must needs claspe about them And withall wee feele diuers times this action of our wills in cleauing to the Promises when yet wee feele not so cleerly the action of our vnderstanding in assenting vnto them But our feeling must not be the rule to determine matters by wee feele Repentance before Faith which is yet a fruit of Faith and commonly we feele the effects before the causes themselues As wee see and discerne the light of the Candle before the Candle it selfe and yet the candle in order of nature is first Thus much for the obiect of Faith Now of Loues obiects They are two The Obiects of Loue two former shee hath in common with Faith viz. Christ. The latter proper to her selfe and all Saints The first obiect of our loue is Christ who is to First Christ be loued in many respects First As he is God for himselfe For the matter of loue is good Christ being God the chiefe good in whom lye hid all the Treasures of goodnesse he is to be loued chiefly and aboue all Secondly As he is our Lord which respect the Apostle may seeme to insinuate here saying towards our Lord Iesus Good is to be loued in and for it selfe but much more when that which is good in it selfe shall be good also to vs from whence ariseth this title of Lord here giuen him for first Hee created vs of nothing good and perfect in our kind Secondly Falling away from this perfection hee hath restored vs to an estate better then the former being restored he preserues vs in it and reserues vs for eternall glorie in the meane time lading vs daily with his blessings Here then is place for that Song of DAVID Psal 18. 1 2. I loue the Lord he is my Rocke and Psal 116. I loue the Lord he hath heard my prayer Thirdly As he is our Brother not only because we are all as ADAM Luk. 3 in the end the sonnes of God by creation and hee hath the same humane nature with vs created by God but also by adoption and that through his meanes But wherein consists our Loue of Christ Quest In Loue there are especially these two things Answ first the violent running and rushing as it were of Wherein the loue of Christ consists the desire to the thing we loue that we may enioy it secondly the resting of the mind and the reioycing of the heart in it after once we haue obtained it Would we then know how to loue Christ First before all other things thou must with great earnestnesse and contention of desire long after Christ and that in two respects first that thou mayest come to him and be vnited by Faith as PAVL Philip 3. being desirous to redeeme Christs righteousnesse with the losse of all other things whatsoeuer secondly that he may come to thee by sight and take thee into his owne Companie in the Heauen as PAVL
also did Phil. 1. I desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ Againe thou must feele thy heart reioycing in Christ euen in that apprehension of him which thou hast in this life feeling the want of all other things made vp in him and so fully contenting thy selfe with his loue else thou doest no more loue Christ then that woman her husband which receiuing small contentment from him desireth the companie of other men This was in PAVL 1. Cor. 15. 31. calling Christ his reioycing And when we feele these things then may we truly call Christ our Loue as IGNATIVS did saying His Loue was crucified But if these things be wanting no hungring no thirsting after Christ and his Righteousnesse no reioycing nor resting of the heart in Christ but we linger in our desire after worldly things and find more comfort in them then in Christ nor yet no desiring for the comming of Christ to Iudgement it is an argument that in truth there is no loue of Christ in vs. Againe obserue as before concerning Faith the same thing was obserued That not God simply and absolutely in himselfe but God in Christ is the obiect of our Loue. I graunt indeed that wee owe Loue to God as in himselfe he is good and as our Creator though he should neuer haue further manifested his Loue vnto vs in Christ But wee can in no wise pay this debt of Loue but vnto God considered in Christ The reason is because our Loue of him ariseth of his loue to vs as S. IOHN witnesseth And he loues vs onely in Christ Matth. 3. in the end The Iewes that denyed Christ pretended a zealous Loue of God but the Apostle worthily condemnes it for no man can truely loue God out of Christ Vainely therefore doe all Papists and all prophane Protestants brag of their Loue to God The second Obiect of our Loue followes And towards all the Saints HOw may any thing besides Christ be loued Quest. for God in his Law requires That wee loue him with all our heart c. If God challenge all to himselfe what then will be left for any other thing 2. The Saints Againe Good only is the matter of Loue And God onely is good Matth. 19. therefore he onely to be loued It followes not if God onely be to be loued Answ that therefore our brethren are shut out from hauing any part in our loue for the loue of the Creature is subordinate to the loue of God Wee may loue God in the Creature God indeed is onely good originally and of himselfe yet he imparteth his goodnesse to his Creatures And this deriued goodnesse of the Creature is Gods owne goodnesse And therefore it followeth on the contrary that because we must loue God therefore also the Creature the basest Creature that is hauing some obscure Lineaments of the Image of God First Marke the Order of our Loue First it Doct. 1 must be directly carried to God then to the Creature The Order of our Loue. to Christ the Head then to the Saints the members All Creatures therefore are to be loued in God and for God onely so that the Loue of the Creature must be so farre from taking any thing from our Loue of God that rather it must confirme and encrease the same And then is the loue of the Creature lawfull when it is referred to the Creator So that wee loue not so much the Creature as the Creator in the Creature Now this is done Two wayes how the Creator is loued in the Creature these two wayes First in regard of the Beginning from whom the Loue of the Creature ariseth namely the Loue of God for whose cause wee loue the Creature his Workmanship as the Sonne for the Fathers cause Secondly in regard of the End to which it tendeth Now that Loue of the Creature which is lawfull tendeth to the Loue of the Creator For the glorie of God is that end which we must propound to all our actions and so consequently to our Loue of any Creature And this must be the end of all those duties of Loue which we are to performe to our brethren that by that meanes we may prouoke them to the Loue of God If wee loue the Creature otherwise then thus we sinne grieuously in as much we cleaue to the Creature and contrarie to that of the Psalmist Psal 62. We set our heart vpon it which God claymeth as his owne peculiaritie The Riuers that come out of the Sea as they passe doe lightly touch the Earth but they stay not there but goe on forward till at last they returne againe into that Sea from whence they first came So it is here our Loue must first come from God to the Creature but being so come it must not rest and settle there howsoeuer like a Riuer it may in passage touch it no it must returne backe into that infinite Sea euen God himselfe whence first it came But how many shall we see so blinded and bewitched with the Loue of the Creature that God is wholly forgotten of them Thus is God robbed of his Honor with the Loue of whom only the heart is to be possessed and wholly taken vp and the Creature abused and transformed into an Idoll For for this cause is Couetousnesse called Idolatrie because it glueth and fasteneth the heart to Riches Now the adhering of the heart is proper onely to God Therefore also is the excessiue Loue of the Creature called Adulterie because thereby we withdraw our affections from Christ our Spirituall Husband Iames 4. 4. O yee Adulterers and Adulteresses know yee not that the Loue of the World is Enmitie with God Let vs take heed of being enamoured with any Creature though neuer so glorious and pleasing vnto vs forgetting in the meane time the Creator Blessed for euer If it shall please God to take from vs any Creature we loue as our Children Wiues Husbands Goods Health Credit c. which hee doth oftentimes because he seeth we loue them too well let vs willingly suffer our selues to be seuered from them Let no man in the losse of Children crie out with DAVID as bereft of reason ABSALOM ABSALOM O my sonne ABSALOM would God I had died for thee or with RAHEL feed their sorrow wilfully refusing comfort for then wee shew plainely wee loued the Creature for it selfe If wee loued it for Gods cause and rather loued God in it then it selfe alone wee should then with AARON without any more adoe hold our peace Leuit 10. For though thy Sonne thy Spouse thy Wife whom thou louedst as thine owne soule dearely and tenderly be taken away from thee yet God whom thou louest in them still remayneth with thee Therefore if the presence of God cannot comfort thee in the absence of the Creature which thou louedst nor thou canst not yeeld quietly to God parting thee and the Creature which thou louest it is a plaine argument thou art too farre gone in thy
were ioyntly described by the cause common to them both In this Verse and the seuenth they are described seuerally And first his Prayer in this sixt Verse from the matter of it This was that which he prayed for in PHILEMONS behalfe That the communication of his Faith might be effectuall in the knowledge c. The words are something obscure First then By the Communication of thy Faith vnderstand Thy Faith communicating it selfe Then the words following in the knowledge c. are to bee vnderstood Passiuely not Actiuely Therefore the sence is well expressed in our English Translation That whatsoeuer good thing is in you may be knowne for he speaketh of that knowledge which others should haue of PHILEMONS vertues and not that which PHILEMON himselfe should haue Now here are two Things to bee considered First What that is which PAVL prayes for in PHILEMONS behalfe The Efficacie of his Faith Secondly Wherein this Efficacie of Faith consists first in Communication That the communication of thy Faith may be made effectuall that is that thy Faith by communicating may be made effectuall secondly in the Knowledge of whatsoeuer good was in him by Christ For the first That Efficacie of Faith which here PAVL desireth for PHILEMON was two First in regard of PHILEMON himselfe that it might worke effectually in him secondly in regard of others that it might be examplarie to them and so might be effectuall in prouoking them to the like And that the Apostle had some reference euen to this latter kind of Efficacie the words following seeme to import That whatsoeuer good thing is in you may be knowne For when the light of our Faith shineth to others it very effectually stirreth them vp to the glorifying of GODS Name Matth. 5. Hence obserue First That true Faith may Doct. 1 sometimes faint and be as it were raked vp True faith may faint vnder the ashes A slouthfull kind of Sleepinesse may sometimes seize vpon it and vnfit and disable it for Spirituall Exercises As wee see in the Disciples who being oppressed with carnall griefe for the departure of CHRIST now at hand were not able to attend the Exercise of Prayer no not one houre with our Sauiour So likewise in the Philippians Phil. 4. 10. Of whom when the Apostle sayes That they were reuiued or as the word signifies waxen greene or fresh againe in their Loue and Liberalitie towards him thereby he declareth That for a time they were like Trees that in the Winter are in their Widow-hood hauing lost their Leaues and appearing outwardly as dead all their Sappe being in the Root within And truely as Trees so Faith also hath her Winter namely the Stormes and Tempests of Temptations which by their violence shake off all her greene and glorious Leaues and so make her appeare naked and desolate shee being driuen into the secret corners of the heart and there for a time to lye gasping and panting readie to giue vp the ghost Therefore Reuel 3. 2. they of Sardi are willed to strengthen the things that are readie to die Faith of it owne nature is very laborious and whiles it is strong and healthie tyes her selfe duely to her Taske and is alwayes at worke Yet sometimes the Feuer-Lurden hauing caught her shee begins to be lazie and to haue no list to worke Nay then it is Holy-day and Vacation-time with her till shee recouer her selfe againe Therefore PAVL here prayeth that PHILEMONS Faith might bee preserued from this Lethargie and Sleepinesse to the which in it selfe it was subiect and so might shew it selfe to be a liuely and effectuall Faith Secondly obserue How Faith being by Satans Doct. 2 Craft cast into this dead Sleepe may be awakened Prayer recouers fainting Faith and how it may shake off this Spirituall Lazinesse namely by this Spirituall Exercise of Prayer Therefore here PAVL prayeth for PHILEMON That his Faith might bee effectuall And if other mens Prayers may doe this much more our owne But it may seeme that Faith must rather giue Obiect efficacie to our Prayers then receiue it from them For Faith is that which setteth vs on worke to pray It both giueth and receiueth yea in giuing it Ans receiueth It is the strength of the bodie whereby it moueth and stirreth and yet by this motion it is confirmed and encreased If thy legge be benummed goe vpon it a little and it will come to it selfe so if thy Faith be as it were benummed cause it to moue and stirre in this holy Exercise of Prayer and thou shalt find presently her spirits returning againe to her and the Coales before couered vnder the ashes by these bellowes to be blowne vp and conceiue a flame For Prayer is a notable preseruatiue against Spirituall slumber prescribed by the most skilfull Physician saying Watch and pray that yee enter not into temptation Now those things which are able to preuent Diseases are able also for the most part to cure them Yet thinke not there is any vertue in our Prayer to doe this but in GOD who hauing bound himselfe thereto by promise sendeth his Spirit into our hearts when we are in this exercise whereof see an example Acts 2. 1. Thirdly PAVL here plainely teacheth vs that Doct. 3 true Faith in his owne nature is effectuall liuely Faith is a liuely Grace full of vigour and spirits 1. Thessal 1. vers 3. The worke of your faith that is your working Faith Faith is of a working and stirring disposition and is alwayes quicke-spirited and nimble vnlesse when it bee wounded by some grieuous temptation Thy faith then which like the Sluggard holdeth her hands in her bosome loth to stirre out of doores which alwayes lyes dreaming within leading an idle sedentarie life this Faith I say which is of so heauy a mold of such leaden heeles is a false faith what shewes soeuer it haue For actiuenesse is the property of true Faith I discerne the picture of a man though neuer so liuely to bee no true man because it stands still and stirres not Therefore though it haue shew of eyes mouth feet c. yet when I see it neither goes sees nor speakes I know it is no man So when I looke vpon thy faith and find for all the colours of outward profession that it is idle I conclude forthwith that it is an Idoll a shaddow void of truth and substance Shew mee thy faith by thy works saith IAMES Indeed if Pride Swearing prophaning of the Sabbaths Vncleannesse were fruits of faith then these Braggers would iustifie their faith as very effectuall But since the fruits of Faith are Mortification Meekenesse Loue c. and not the least drop or dram of these Graces are to be seene in them it appeareth that their Faith is a very emptie and imaginatie Faith The second followes namely wherein this Efficacie of Faith here prayed for consists first in Communication secondly in the knowledge of euery good thing For the first Obserue That
out amaine as Ioseph did though before with him wee hide and dissembled our affections I am IOSEPH your brother In Histories we read that CROESVS his sonne hauing beene alwayes dumbe yet the Citie being surprized by enemies he seeing one ready to kill his father Nature so wrought in him that it violently as it were broke the impediments and strings of his tongue caused him to cry out with great passion O kill not King CRoeSVS If we then will shew our selues true and naturall Sonnes of God and so brethren to his children when wee see his Honour readie to be trod vnder foote when we see his children euill intreated then is it high time for vs to manifest our affection A notable example of this we haue in MOSES whose brotherly affection towards the persecuted Israelites all the pompe and pleasure of PHARAOHS Court was not able to smother and suppresse but it brake forth in that manner that it caused him to relinquish the Court and all his hopes there and to choose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God Naturall kindred in some cases may be concealed and specially in the case of danger as ESTHER was counselled by MORDECAI to conceale of what Countrey shee was But our spirituall kindred least of all may be concealed in the time of danger and trouble nay then is the tryall of it for as by SALOMONS wisedome going about to cut that controuerted childe in two the naturall mother was discerned so the like wisedome of God suffering our brethren in the Faith to be in like manner dealt withall as the childe should by SALOMON our affections are tryed and true brothers are notably discerned and base ones detected Let this be remembred then of vs that professe the same holy Truth that wee are Brothers yea Twinnes and therefore wee must alwayes bee knit together in a holy harmonie of wills and affections reioycing and weeping liuing and dying together If wee finde these qualities and properties of brethren in our selues it is no matter for the Worlds scorning at this brotherhood it is our glorie Secondly Obserue that this spirituall brotherhood Doct. 2 is betwixt all Christians indifferently whatsoeuer The spirituall brotherhood is among all Christians indifferently difference there bee amongst them in outward ciuill respects yet they are nothing preiudiciall to this spirituall Fraternitie in Christ for here PHILEMON and ONESIMVS the Master and the Seruant are made these kind of brethren Howsoeuer we are differenced in ciuill policie and in ciuill societies some being Noble some being Base some Rich some Poore c. yet in that spirituall societie of which CHRIST is the Head there is no such distinction Here wee are all equalls all one all brethren Christ in his body giues no speciall place to a King because hee is a King no hee respects not the King more then the Begger This Doctrine is of speciall vse both for comfort to Inferiours and for humiliation and moderation of minde to Superiours in as much as the seruant is Christs Free-man and the Master is Christs seruant 1. Corinth 7. Let then the brother of low degree reioyce in this that he is exalted IAMES 1. in Christ to be equall with the greatest Prince in the world yea to bee aboue him if hee bee out of Christ Againe as Saint IAMES counsells in the same place Let the brother of high degree reioyce in his humilitie euen in this that in Christ hee hath made equall with himselfe the meanest Let him not reioyce in his outward preeminence hee hath ouer them but let him know this is his glorie which in the world is counted humilitie that he hath such a poore begger his equall And surely we haue no cause to bee ashamed of them that bee poore to bee our brethren for if God acknowledge them to bee his Sonnes I hope it is no disparagement to any to acknowledge them their brethren nay a credit and as Saint IAMES sheweth A matter to be boasted in for if we haue them our brethren then we haue God our Father And if we denie them to be the Sonnes of God who bee our brethren in so doing wee openly disclaime God from being our Father Let vs then acknowledge the poorest Christian as our brother though our owne bond-slaue doing the parts and offices of a brother vnto him Naturall men oftentimes by the force of naturall affection acknowledge their naturall brethren though they themselues be highly exalted aboue them in the world And shall not grace exceed nature shall not brothers in the Lord much more euery way acknowledge their brethren though they be neuer so much aduanced aboue them in their ciuill calling The Christian calling will not ouerthrow the ciuill Religion will not ouerthrow Policie nay rather it confirmes this It will not teach thy seruant to slip his necke out of the collar and to denie thee seruice and subiection why then should Policie be so vnkind and vnthankfull to Religion as to ouerthrow it Though in truth it is not so much Policie as our corruption taking occasion by ciuill Policie that would ouerturne Religion It is the pride of mens hearts puffed vp in regard of the outward condition in the world that makes them forget their inferiours and so to carry themselues towards them as if they were not their brethren of the same Christian Calling of the same precious Faith with themselues Neither is this spoken as though Superiours might not lawfully maintayne their superioritie and authoritie ouer their Inferiours but onely that their inequalitie in their ciuill calling cause them not to forget the equalitie in the Christian And this is a point of great wisedome so to temper our carriage that neither our equalitie in Christ make vs to forget our inequalitie in the world nor yet on the other side our inequalitie in the world make vs forget our equalitie in Christ Againe this Doctrine teacheth Superiours not onely moderation to others their Inferiours but also all humilitie and subiection towards GOD. A good Meditation is it for them seeing their Inferiours in the world creeping and crouching to thinke thus with themselues O this man is my brother not onely in regard of creation of the same stuffe with my selfe but also of regeneration hee is as good as I before God O then how ought I much more to abase my selfe before my heauenly Master casting downe my selfe at his foote-stoole though a King with the meanest Begger comming to Gods House with all my Subiects as their Companion Psal 122 This brotherhood betwixt ONESIMVS and Doct. PHILEMON is amplified by the lesser Not as a Religious seruants are more then ordinarie seruants seruant a sole and single seruant but more then a seruant Whereby we learne that seruants fearing God are more then common and ordinarie seruants that are without the feare of God and therefore by good reason more to be respected Euery seruant will looke for speciall fauour and respect though perhaps
they are nothing but seruants If thou lookest to haue more then other ordinarie seruants thou thy selfe must become more then a seruant Though yet a worldly Master will make thee lesse then a seruant and thy condition with him will be worse then of other seruants not fearing God But this is their sinne If thy seruant be more then a seruant why then hath he lesse at thy hands then hee that is a seruant and a seruant onely Specially vnto me THat which PAVL presses PHILEMON vnto hee vrges from his owne example by an Argument drawne from the lesse to the greater on this wise I desire nothing of thee but what first I doe my selfe I plead but for that affection from thee toward ONESIMVS which I my selfe beare to him If he be deare to me then much more ought hee to bee so to thee for I am tyed to him but in one bond as he is a Christian but thou art bound to him with a twofold cord which cannot be easily broken Onely spirituall and gracious respects challenge affection from mee but together with these doe outward and naturall bonds plead for regard from thee who art bound to him both in the flesh and in the Lord both as he is a seruant and as a Christian seruant Hee is deare to mee onely as a member of the houshold of Faith thou art also bound to him as a member of thine owne houshold If then I vpon this single bond hold him so deare how deare then should he be to thee thus doubly obliged to him The reason may be drawne into this forme If I PAVL thus dearely loue ONESIMVS then oughtest thou PHILEMON to doe the like But I dearely loue him Therefore c. The Consequence of his Argument hee proueth thus Hee that is bound to a man by a double bond ought to regard him more then he that is bound to him by a single bond But thou art bound to ONESIMVS by a double bond I but by a single one Therefore c. First PAVL vrges PHILEMON from his Doct. 1 owne example I loue him Therefore oughtest Ministers should be exemplarie in what they teach thou and what I require at thine hands I doe my selfe I that plead for affection doe shew affection I that call for loue doe shew loue Then a man pleades strongly indeed when hee makes himselfe a precedent Ministers should bee exemplarie in all they vrge and teach Then is there life in their Doctrine when there is Doctrine in their life Men in this case are readier to liue by sense and sight then by Faith Religion hath a Truth and a Power People will neuer beleeue the Truth of a doctrine in our mouthes where they see not the Power of it in our liues The want of sight causes the want of Faith Except with THOMAS in another case they see they will not beleeue Their eyes must be taught as well as their eares Philip. 4. 9. Those things which yee haue both learned and receiued and heard and seene in me doe As GIDEON to his Souldiers so should Ministers to their people be able to say Looke on me and doe likewise as I doe so shall yee doe Iudg. 7. vers 17. Therefore PAVL wishing TIMOTHY so to carry himselfe in his Ministrie as hee might bee free from contempt and scorne counsels him to be exemplarie 1. Tim. 4. 12. Let no man despise thy youth but be thou an example to them that beleeue How many bring contempt both vpon their persons and their doctrine whilest their doctrine condemnes their owne liues or their liues confute their owne doctrine while they stand like way-markes and point out the way to others and yet stirre not themselues It is poore comfort for a Minister to be no further then a Pharise Of the Pharises was our Sauiours caution Matth. 23. 3. Doe yee not after their works for they say and doe not Such as say and doe not doe after their works While wee doe after their works which is to doe no works how shall wee make our peace with that Text Except your righteousnesse exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharises yee shall not enter into the Kingdome of heauen Wee exceed them not vnlesse wee be practicall they were verball Doctors If dangerous not to goe beyond a Pharise how much more to come short To vsurpe MOSES his Chaire and not to open MOSES his Law is to be worse then a Pharise But yet onely to open the mouth and no more what singular thing is this Did not the Pharises the same And what art thou the better that thou art not worse then a Pharise so long as thou art not better As good neuer a whit as neuer the better Physicians and Ministers that in diuers things doe agree yet herein must disagree Physicians will often prescribe that to others which they will not venture to practise vpon themselues Ministers practice with EZRA should goe before their prescriptions Ezra 7. vers 10. For EZRA had prepared his heart to seeke the Law of the Lord and to doe it and to teach in Israel Statutes and Iudgements Where they faile in this let them make account to bee choked with that prouerbiall speech Physician heale thy selfe And they will bee as ridiculous as LVCIANS Apothecarie who sold Medicine to cure the cough and yet was shrewdly troubled with it himselfe It censures therefore such as haue their tongues of a larger size then their hands hauing indeed in regard of any practice withered hands A Kingdome diuided against it selfe cannot stand No more can a Ministrie diuided against it selfe Such a Ministrie is that whose practice giues the doctrine the lye It is not enough for Ministers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Tim. 2. vers 15. to diuide aright but they must also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Galat. 2. vers 14. Walke aright See how sharpely PAVL takes vp such Rom. 2. vers 21. Specially to mee And yet the bond whereby hee was tied to him was the generall bond of Religion Doct. 2 No bond stricter then that of religion and Christianity Euen this generall calling is a speciall ligament of affection Religion hath it's name from binding As it bindes to God and obedience to him so it bindes the religious in speciall and hearty loue each to other Though Religion and Christianity be our generall calling yet workes it speciall affection Gal. 6. 10. Doe good to all but especially to the Houshold of faith That affection betweene persons that haue the speciall bands of naturall and ciuill relations is not so speciall as that which this generall band causes Nature makes Husband and Wife but one flesh Grace makes them euen one Spirit How often is there no affection where a speciall band Not to instance in the neerer band of naturall brother-hood in the which how generall and superficiall oftentimes are affections how slight and slender is the affection betweene masters and seruants But be it that there is the