were not onely almost but altogether euen such as I am Christians except these bonds But yet a more speciall loue which therefore hath a speciall name of brotherly loue is due vnto those which are alreadie effectually called and so made members of Christ This loue also commeth from faith which causing vs to loue God must needes also force vs to loue all those in whom wee shall see the very face and liuely Image of God himselfe so clearely shining First By this then once againe wee may trie our Vse faith A working faith hath laborious loue euen to our brethren annexed 1. Thess 1. 3. If then thou art of a hard and implacable nature of a memorie fastly retayning iniuries of affections vindicatiue which the Scripture cals Feet swift to shead bloud this bloudie nature of thine shewes thou hast no part in the bloud of Christ by faith The like is to be thought of those which are moued with no compassion towards the soule of their brethren sitting in darknesse and the shadow of death but can suffer them to pine and perish away in their sinnes and neuer reach forth the hand to pull them out of the ditch Certainly if thou hadst euer felt the gaine of godlinesse thy selfe thou wouldest perswade others to deale with this so gainfull a commoditie They that are conuerted of God confirme their Brethren being passed ouer the bridge they will wish others to follow them so farre will they be from plucking vp the bridge The same sentence also is to be passed vpon them that doe not feele their hearts enlarged towards Christians more then to others that are none If the Image of God by Faith were repaired in our selues wee could not but be delighted with those that are like our selues But on the contrarie if thou feelest these effects of loue in thy selfe vndoubtedly thou hast Faith For it is the loue of Christ only felt by Faith which is able to soften and melt our hard and frozen hearts When wee shall see how great a debt hee hath forgiuen vs this will make vs willingly to forgiue small ones to our Brethren yea and to bury all iniuries in the graue of forgetfulnesse neuer to reuiue againe euen as Christ hath done all ours to him though neuer so indigne and contumelious hee lodged them in his owne graue not to rise againe with himselfe the third day though many of vs raise vp our owne iniuries farre sooner out of their graues but to be left behind him in that Den of darknesse to sleepe an eternall sleepe So when Faith shall cause vs to consider how that the Lord Iesus being rich became poore that wee might be made rich this will make vs to earne in the bowells of compassion towards our poore and distressed Brethren and to reach forth our releeuing hand towards them But the most euident demonstration of our Faith is that brotherly loue wherewithall we loue a Christian as a Christian and because a Christian 1. Ioh. 3. Wee know that we are translated from death to life because we loue the Brethren for none can loue any good thing vnknowne Loue presupposes knowledge of the thing loued hee then that loues the Image of God in his Brother sees it But none can see it but by the eye of Faith He that loueth his Brother for his Faith must needs know Faith but no man can know it but hee that hath it Faith is onely knowne by our owne experience Secondly this Doctrine serueth not only for the tryall of our Faith but also of our loue to our Brethren for as that Faith which is without this Loue is an idle and emptie and imaginarie faith so that loue of our Neighbour which commeth not from Faith is blind and foolish and in the end will proue a deceitfull and vnfaithfull loue Naturall men that seeme to loue very dearly to day to morrow are at deadly feud The reason hereof is because their loue comes not from Faith Therefore amongst the true children of God yee shall neuer see such bitter fallings out as amongst worldly men In naturall men and the vnregenerate besides naturall affections which they haue as Fathers Husbands Wiues Children yee shall find further many times a kind and courteous nature to strangers a liberall and free heart to the poore But that which the Apostle speaketh of Faith void of Charitie 1. Cor. 13. is true also of Charitie void of Faith It is worth nothing before God Let vs not then deceiue our selues either trusting in the loue of others or glorying in that loue which is in our selues not proceeding from Faith for the former if wee rely too much vpon it it will giue vs a shrewd fall in the end and the latter will make vs but ashamed when it shal come to be scanned before Gods Tribunall who will esteeme most vilely and basely of all thy kind-heartednesse of all thy almes and liberalitie vnlesse Faith did wring them from thee Thus wee see how Faith when once it raigneth in the heart begetteth both these loues both to God and our Neighbour in vs and so how true that of the Apostle is Rom. 3. in the end By Faith we establish the Law For whereas the summe of the Law is loue of the first Table to God of the second to man Faith as we haue shewed very effectually worketh both Hence PAVL giueth the name of a Law to Faith calling it the Law of Faith because it succeedeth into the roome of the Law commanding the same things that the Law does and so is in stead of Law to the regenerate that are freed from the Law So farre is it as the Papists slander vs for giuing any licence to breake the Law Thirdly here it may be asked How could others Quest declare to PAVL the Loue and Faith of PHILEMON which are secret and hidden Vertues that be in the innermost corners of the heart farre from the sight of the eye They saw not PHILEMONS faith but his outward Answ works and by them they iudged and so did PAVL too of his faith discerning the Tree by the fruit Hence obserue First when we see in any the fruits of Faith and Doct. 1 Loue wee in Charitie are to iudge that there is true Faith and Loue indeed for howsoeuer Hypocrisie may Apishly counterfait the fruits of true Faith yet we are to suspend our iudgement till God shall haue vncased the Hypocrite And it is farre safer for vs to erre of Charitie then of malice and sinister suspition Secondly in that PAVL by a Metonymie of the Doct. 2 efficient giueth the name of Faith and Loue to the outward works of PHILEMON which were reported vnto him Wee learne the manner wherein euery good worke must be done namely in Faith and Loue. The very Spirits and quintessence of our Faith and Loue must be in euery good work else they are but dead works vnlesse they be built vpon the foundation of Faith and Loue easily will they be shaken First
Behold I am vile and abhor my selfe in dust and ashes Iob. 42. Then with the Prodigall child though before thinking our selues to be too good to be sonnes wee iudge our selues scarce worthy the roome of a seruant Then with Dauid though before blessing our selues vvith the pompe and pride of our glorious estate we said we should neuer be moued yet then by experience seeing our former vanitie we despise all the glory and greatnes of this world saying with Dauid Psal 39. 11. When thou with rebukes doost chastise man for iniquity thou as a moath makest his beauty to consume surely euery man is vanity Secondly this inward Humiliation is also in the afflictions whē in the sight of our sins we haue broken 2. In affliction brused and bleeding hearts This humiliation also hath affliction alwaies wrought in the hearts of Gods children Iere. 31. 18. I heard Ephraim lamenting Lam. 3. 20. My soule hath them namely the gall and wormewood of affliction in remembrance and is humbled in mee 2. Outward Which is declared in our outward 2. Outward cariage both towards God and man This also affliction will wring frō vs for it will bring vs downe vpon our knees before God and make vs confesse our owne vnworthinesse as in Iob the Prodigall in Ephraim Iere. 31. 18. confessing his owne vntamednes with teares And Lam. 3. It makes a man to put his mouth in the dust It makes vs also to be of an humble and lowly carriage towards men doing nothing that may sauour of pride contempt or disdaine but rather abasing our selues to our inferiours and Lam. 3. giuing our cheeks to the smiters and patiently meekly without desire of reuenge enduring many opprobrious indignities Hereof we haue a notable example in Dauid who though the King yet beeing throughly humbled by that grieuous affliction of Absaloms treason most quietly and contentedly suffered the base pesant Shimei to be myre him with the durt of his filthy tongue restraining his seruants from reuenge 3. The third act of Repentance which affliction 3. In vocation teacheth vs to renue is after that we haue seen our sinnes and in some good measure haue been humbled for them to pray earnestly as for life death for the pardon of them and for power ouer them In prosperity we pray heauily drowsily as thogh we had no life but in our affliction this lazinesse is shaken off The sense of our present misery sets an edge vpon our prayers puts life and spirit into them yea it giues wings vnto them and causeth them to ascend aloft wheras before they lay groueling on the ground Oh! how sauourly do we pray in affliction how feelingly feruently forcibly Esay 26. 16. Lord in trouble how they visited thee they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was vpon them So fit and seasonable a time is affliction for prayer then it flowes from vs and we can poure it forth but alas how droppingly it comes from vs in prosperity Iam. 5. Is any man afflicted let him aboue any other pray For he most of all feeles his wants and he most of all hath the presence of the Spirit the onely Schoolemaster of prayer to help his infirmities and to stirre vp strong sighes and cryes and groanes vnvtterable Rom. 8. 26. 4. The last and principall act of our Repentance 4. Reformation which afflictions call vpon vs for is reformation of those our sinnes for the which after we had found them out by examination we humbled our selues and prayed earnestly for the pardon of them Iob 36. 10. Elihu hauing set downe the first act of repentance for sinnes past namely the discerning of thē as a fruit of affliction addeth also this last of reformation as another Hee openeth their eares to discipline and commaundeth them to depart from iniquitie So likewise Esay 27. 9. By this namely the afflictions formerly spoken of shall the iniquity of Iaacob be purged and this is all the fruit the taking away of his sinne So then afflictions when by Gods Spirit they are made powerfull Teachers they wil not let vs rest in seeing our sinnes in humbling our selues for them in praying against them but they will commaund vs as Elihu speakes to depart from iniquity to leaue and forsake our sinnes to learn the contrary graces and vertues This Dauid felt in his owne experience Psal 119. who before he was afflicted went astray but hauing been nurtured in this Schoole acknowledges that it was good for him that he had bin afflicted because thereby he had learned to keep the cōmandements The blewnes of the wound saith Salomon serues to purge out euil Pr. 20. 30. when we haue felt the smart of sinne by our affliction then like burnt children will we dread the fire In this respect affliction is compared in Scripture to a Furnace into which gold being cast loses his drosse and comes forth pure and purged 1. Pet. 1. 9. In prosperity we contract and gather together much soyle and drosse which the Lord is fayne to driue out of vs by the heate of this scorching fire that so we might be pure and refined metall for himselfe being made partakers of his holinesse Heb. 12. 10. Therefore Lam. 3. are afflictions compared to a yoake It is good for a man to beare the yoake in his youth because it tameth and mortifies our wilde and vnruly corrupt natures and makes vs in all things plyable to the will of God This Purgatory therefore we willingly acknowledge the Purgatory of afflictions whereby God scowres and cleanses vs from the draffe of many noysome and vnsauory corruptions and as it were by a strong Purge empties and euacuates those superfluities of malice enuie pride security wherewith we were before surcharged Let vs all therefore examine our selues in this one point whether our afflictions haue brought the quiet fruit of righteousnesse vnto our soules whether the Niter and Fullers sope thereof hath washed out our Leopards spots whether the rawnesse of our corrupt and fulsome humours haue beene taken away after that we were sodden and soaked in afflictions For this is the maine vse of our afflictions And that which our Sauiour said to the man healed Ioh. 5. do all our afflictions say to vs both at their comming as also and that more especially at their departure and farewell Go your wayes and sinne no more lest worse things come vnto you The want of this fruite is lamentable in many who howsoeeuer in the extremity of their affliction purpose and promise yea and solemnely vow this reformation yet no sooner is the hand of God off them but with the dog comming out of the water they shake their eares and do againe with the Sow returne to the wallowing in the mire And these be the acts of our Repentance in regard of Sinnes past 2. There is another Act respecting sinnes to 2. Wise preuention of sinnes to come come which affliction also stirreth vp in vs
And this is that fauour which so often in the Psalmes is called the light of Gods countenance The consideration of these distinct not kinds but degrees of Gods fauour is very necessary For hereby wee shall see how the death of Christ is both the cause and the effect of the fauour of God A cause of this latter fauour an effect of the former hereby also we see how both the fauour of God is merited by Christ for vs and yet free because it was of the free fauour of God to vouchsafe vnto vs the merits of Christ for the procuring of his fauour Now in this place both these fauours are meant So that the full meaning of the Apostle saying Grace be vnto you from God is this The Lord grant vnto you his fauour both that fauour whereby you may be made capable of his fauour in being iustified through Christ as also that sweet acceptation of you being thus fitted for his fauour What need the Apostle wish vnto them the first Obiect fauour since that was granted vnto them from euerlasting as also some fruits thereof namely their Election in Christ and in time the other fruits thereof their ingrafting into Christ Iustification and Adoption Though God had vouchsafed them this fauour Ans before all Worlds and they by it were made fit to be entertained into his speciall fauour yet PAVL might pray that God would continue it still towards them For as it was the cause of those good things which makes vs acceptable to God so likewise is it the cause of the continuance of them namely of Christ and all his Blessings and so consequently of our Acceptation for we are readie to forfeit Christ and his Righteousnesse dayly and so to lose all that Grace which by his meanes we haue with God Therefore it is needfull that still wee should require that first degree of Gods fauour to hold out and be continued towards vs for the continuation of all other mercies whatsoeuer which depend vpon it And in truth this second fauour being an effect of the former hee that desireth the latter must needs withall desire the former But as I take it both here and elsewhere the word Grace especially is to be vnderstood of the latter degree of Gods fauour which is the most proper signification of the Word as when wee say Hee is in great grace with the King And that which the Apostle addeth from IESVS CHRIST declareth the same who is the effecter of this second fauour but an effect of the former But yet the other Grace is alwayes necessarily to be included First then the Apostle prayeth for these to whom hee writeth that God would lift vp the light of his countenance vpon them and secondly for that purpose because the pure eyes of God cannot behold iniquitie such as they were in themselues that he would of his free fauour worke and continue that in them which might draw his sweet eye towards them and cause him to cast a gracious and amiable aspect vpon them First from hence let vs obserue the chiefest and Doct. 1 principallest cause of Gods fauour to vs namely The cause of Gods fauour his owne free will and gracious disposition to fauour vs. For though indeed Christs obedience doe merit the fauour of God for vs yet there was nothing in vs to merit at Gods hand that so precious a Treasure but it is a free gift of Gods grace as the Apostle notably sheweth Rom. 8. Who hauing giuen vs his owne Sonne the word signifieth to giue gratis and freely So then Gods grace being the cause of Christ his being giuen it is also the cause of that acceptance which wee find with him through Christ for that which is the cause of the cause is the cause of the thing caused And therefore Grace is the cause of Grace that is to say Gods owne gracious inclination of his Will towards vs to doe good to vs is the cause of that so great grace which we find in his eyes And herein differeth Gods fauour from mans Mans fauour though it make him doe good to the partie fauoured yet first of all it presupposeth some good in the man fauoured an attractiue and drawer of this his fauour Now Gods fauour as it is the cause of all other mercies wee dayly receiue so is it also the cause of it selfe as wee shewed and therefore it doth not presuppose any good thing in vs before but bringeth with it that good thing namely CHRIST IESVS which must vphold and maintaine this his fauour The vse of this Doctrine is to humble vs in our selues as hauing not the least sparke of goodnesse in our selues and to make vs ascribe all prayse and glorie in euerie thing to God whose Grace is the fountaine and foundation of all good things whatsoeuer Let no man then talke of Christs merites and therefore in this regard clayme the fauour of God and life eternall as his due From whence is it that we haue Christs merits imputed vnto vs and the imputation of them daily continued but of the free mercie of God And so for all this the Apostle Rom. 3. sayes Wee are iustified freely by his Grace Though wee are clothed with Bracelets Iewels and Ornaments where withall Gods holy Eye is affected Ezech. 16. yet haue we no cause to be proud for it was God that put vpon vs these Robes when wee were in our ragges and filthie nastinesse and so he doth but loue his owne beautie in vs. Secondly in the example of PAVL in all his Salutations Doct. 2 wishing first of all Grace that is the fauour The grace and fauour of God to be desired aboue all things of God we learne what it is that we should chiefely and principally desire eyther for our selues or others our children wiues kindred fathers and mothers acquaintance c. viz. this Grace of S. PAVL Psal 4. 6. Many say Who will shew vs any good Lord lift thou vp the light of thy countenance And ABRAHAMS wish for ISMAEL was Oh that ISMAEL might liue in thy sight ABRAHAM had goods ynough to leaue ISMAEL but that contented him not hee desired better things for him That he might be ioint-heire of the gracious Promise together with ISAAC The reason why we should thus desire this Blessing is specially in these two regards First Gods fauour is the ground of all other Mercies whatsoeuer It is the maine and Mother-Blessing 2. Reasons the very Seed of all other Mercies whatsoeuer so that in desiring it we desire all other and getting it we get other This is the reason men seek as SALOMON speakes after the face of the Ruler to get into fauour with him because his fauour is as the latter Raine and promiseth a fruitfull Haruest of many benefits Hereupon it is that those who are in fauour with Princes presume so farre and make themselues sure of any thing As HAMAN being asked by the King What should bee done to the man
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
and can easily ouer-reach and make starke fooles of the wisest by making their owne counsels and endeuours like CHVSHAIS to ouerthrow those intentions which they seeme to support Secondly Gods power in conuersion is to be noted Doct. 2 who as here wee see in ONESIMVS lets men Gods honour in our Conuersion goe on a long time in their wicked courses till they come to the very height of wickednesse and then contrarie to all expectation suddenly turnes them ONESIMVS all the while he liued in PHILEMONS house a godly Master vsing the best meanes for his good still grew worse and worse Hauing now wofully banished himselfe out of this house and so Gods presence was hee not now in mans reason desperate and past all recouerie But yet see here how God pursues him being runne away makes huy and cry after him seizes vpon him by his Spirit and causeth him to returne to his heauenly Master and then his earthly After the same manner was PAVL conuerted Acts 9. This God doth first That the worke of our Conuersion might euidently appeare to bee his owne and so hee might haue the sole glorie of it What disposition of ONESIMVS his will could there be now to conuert that Runne-away from the meanes of Conuersion In PAVL when hee went with a mind to persecute the Faith Here then doth Gods power appeare in that euen then when wee are most rebellious and stiffe-necked most vntoward and auerse yet euen then he catches vs and makes vs yeeld and drawes vs to Christ making our wills of stiffely nilling desirously willing And when we shall be conuerted on this manner then shall wee forthwith be forced to admire our Conuersion as a strange miracle and wholly abasing our selues to giue all the glorie to God reasoning thus with our selues Running downe so steepe a Hill like a furious Horse in so mad a mood I could neuer haue possibly stayed or saued my selfe nor any man els It was then surely the Diuine Power of God that hath done this Secondly God taketh this course in our conuersion that wee might cleaue the faster vnto him in heartie and sincere loue for to whom much is forgiuen they loue much This made PAVL exceed his fellowes in zeale and painfulnesse in his Apostleship Thirdly that hereby wee might learne to despayre of none though neuer so outragious and violent in sinne notwithstanding many good meanes which God hath vsed to reclaime them God is able to call those into his Vineyard at the twelfth houre and to make them faithfull Labourers therein that one would thinke by standing idle so long were so habituated and radicated in idlenesse that it were impossible for them to set themselues to labour Thirdly Gods manner in taking away some of his blessings oftentimes is here to bee obserued Doct. 3 God restores our losses with aduantage Surely his taking of them is but a kind of borrowing of them that he as it were occupying of them for vs for a time they might afterwards returne vnto vs in a holy kind of Vsurie with vantage and great encrease PHILEMON loses ONESIMVS and with him and his seruice some of his goods which he tooke away with him and yet see in the end how he loses nothing by all this but rather is made a great gainer Whilest ONESIMVS was with him before hee could haue no great good of him being an vngodly and vnfaithfull seruant but now in his absence God so workes vpon him that hee makes him of ONESIMVS before in name onely ONESIMVS indeed that is truly profitable as was shewed in the eleuenth Verse and hauing thus fitted and prepared him for PHILEMON he returnes him vnto him againe not as he was before but with vantage such vantage as might sufficiently counteruaile not only the want of his seruice all the while of his absence but the losse also of PHILEMONS money for a good seruant such a one as ONESIMVS was made now is worth much Gold and haply PHILEMON could not haue got such a profitable Seruant as this new ONESIMVS was no though hee would haue giuen tenne times as much as that which ONESIMVS tooke away But the saluation of his precious soule farre exceeded the worth of the whole World and no doubt if money might haue done his soule good PHILEMON would haue thought it much more vile in comparison See then the increase of the absence of ONESIMVS and losse of his money This must teach vs patience when God takes away any mercy from vs for in his good time either it or as good or a better thing shall returne vnto vs. ABRAHAM must part with ISAAK and in a manner was taken from him but presently hee receiues him againe as a surer pledge of Gods loue and confirmation of his faith then before At death our poore soules shall haue their bodies taken from them yet wee must not bee discouraged for they are seuered only for a season that they may returne againe for euer at the Resurrection and that in another manner then wee left them not mortall and coruptible but glorious and spirituall bodies 1. Cor. 15. Sometimes God taketh away his Word and Gospell and Ministery from his people as he did in Queene MARIES dayes But how Only for a season that they might haue it againe afterward more confirmed and better established then before as it was in worthy Queene ELIZABETHS dayes Sometimes which is worst of all God himselfe departs from vs and hides his face as Exod. 33. from the Church of the Israelites but it is but for a season for a little while for a moment Esai 44. 7 8. that hee might make vs the more seeke after him and so returne vnto vs afterward with greater comfort making the falling out of louers to be only the renuing of loue Specially must this point be thought vpon when wee are called to suffer for the Truths sake the losse of outward comforts of life as Libertie Lands Liuing yea Life it selfe He that loses his life for my Names sake shall find it sayes our Sauiour We lose these things no otherwise then the Husbandman loseth his Seed for the losse of these things is but as Seed cast into the ground which shall euen in this life according to our Sauiours promise returne vnto vs the increase of a hundreth fold and in the World to come life eternall Mat. 19. Fourthly Note the priuiledge of the spirituall Coniunction in Christ aboue any other ciuill Coniunction whatsoeuer that it lasts for euer That thou mightest receiue him for euer Ciuill Societies and Coniunctions whatsoeuer shall end onely this spirituall Coniunction shall continue eternall This must teach those that are conioyned each Doct. 4 to other in ciuill and carnall Coniunctions of kindred The spirituall Coniunction is eternall and callings in the World as Husband and Wife Master and Seruant Parents and Children to labour likewise to bee conioyned together in Christ for the other Coniunction will not hold
long and if they bee not knit together likewise in the bond of the Spirit O then there will bee a wofull parting euen betwixt those that are knit fastest and neerest together in these fleshly bonds the Husband and the Wife Two shall bee in one bed one shall bee refused the other shall bee receiued It serueth also for comfort to Christians when by death carnall Coniunctions are dissolued for still the spirituall Coniunction continueth Fiftly from the scope of the Apostle in these Doct. 5 wordes obserue that the consideration of that The good end of crosses must quiet vs. good end whereto God turneth those things which are grieuous vnto vs whether iniuries offred vs by men or afflictions immediately by his owne hand must quiet our minds and minister contentment vnto vs. It could not choose but bee a great griefe to PHILEMON for ONESIMVS to runne away for besides his owne losse of the money he grieued no doubt much more for ONESIMVS owne sake who was posting on in the high and readie way to Hell and for the Gospels sake which was subiect to the slanders of the wicked vpon occasion of this accident falling out in the house of such a Professor and Preacher as PHILEMON was yet here PAVL stops his mouth with this that this was turned now both to his owne and ONESIMVS his good Afflictions for the present are grieuous but when they shall bring with them happy fruits whether that of righteousnesse Heb. 12. or any other whether to our selues or others wee are then to reioyce more in that then we were grieued before in our owne hurt Thus IOSEPH quieted himselfe in those iniuries which his Brethren had done him and would not nourish any desire of reuenge in his minde because God had turned them all to so great a good Now howsoeuer whilest wee are in the bitternesse of our afflictions wee see not what is that good whereunto God will dispose it in the end yet sure we haue the promise of God that all things shall worke together for our good Rom. 8. and wee haue heretofore in our owne and others experiences seene the like practice of God This must make vs comfortable in the midst of our distresse knowing assuredly that God will make a good and happie end of it And then wee shall condemne our selues of folly in wishing our owne hurt and hinderance then wee shall thanke GOD for our crosses being made meanes of that good which wee would not for any good haue missed Bee not then impatient fret not murmure not at any iniuries whatsoeuer or any afflictions whatsoeuer that befall thee wait a while and thou shalt see GODS speciall prouidence ouer thee in those crosses insomuch that thou wouldest not for any thing but those crosses had befalne thee Martha though shee was grieued much at her Brother LAZARVS death and beganne euen to murmure saying Lord if thou haddest beene here my Brother had not dyed yet afterward when shee saw her Brother raysed againe and by this many to beleeue in CHRIST then shee could not but wonder at her owne folly that would haue hindered that so glorious a worke of God and the saluation of so many soules VERS 16. Not now as a seruant A Confirmation as wee shewed in the former Verse because now by his departure ONESIMVS was become a Conuert which is set foorth by the Metaphore of a Brother and therefore now by his departure was ioyned to him for euer for this spirituall Coniunction of Brethren in CHRIST shall neuer faile but shall continue for euer By a Brother then is here meant a true Christian as 1. Cor. 5. If any who is called a Brother and Gal. 1. 2. and the Brethren that are with me First Here note the spirituall kindred that is Doct. 1 betwixt true Christians they are all Brethren Brethren The spirituall kindred and brotherhood betweene Christians by the Fathers side hauing one Father God the Father of Spirits Brethren by the Mothers side lying in the same wombe of the Church hauing one and the selfe-same elder brother CHRIST IESVS begotten with the same spirituall Seed fed at the same Table with the same nourishment This Brother-hood must farre exceed the naturall euen as Gods Father-hood towards vs farre exceedeth the naturall Father-hood among men looke then what nature tyeth naturall Brethren to that doth grace much more tye spirituall vnto as First of all vnto Amitie and Vnitie Psalme 133. What duties it teaches 10. How happy a thing is it for Brethren to dwell together in Vnitie Let there be no strife said ABRAHAM to LOT betwixt thee and mee for wee are Brethren How then doe they shew themselues Brethren that doe bite yea and deuoure those that are of the same holy Profession with themselues Euen as in the Sea the greater Fishes swallow vp the lesser When there bee Schismes and Factions partakings in the Church EPHRAIM against MANASSES and MANASSES against EPHRAIM and the Children of the Church striue together in her wombe as once ESAV and IAAKOB it argueth that some at least are vnnaturall Brethren Againe it is the part of Brethren to take one anothers part to cleaue one to another taking that which is done to their Brother as done to themselues as wee see in the examples of IAAKOBS sonnes taking the abuse offered to their sister as to themselues and thinking it a sufficient excuse for their ioyning together in the reuenge of the Sichemites it was done in their sisters quarrell Should they abuse our sister as a Whore Well spirituall Brother-hood ought to bee more effectuall then naturall for there is a friend that is aboue a brother Prou. 16. that is the Christian friend who also is a spirituall Brother In euill causes therefore shall naturall Brethren thinke themselues excused that they doe it in defence of their Brethren and to manifest their naturall affection How then shall we be able to excuse our selues if in good causes we flinch one from another as DEMAS and diuers others did from PAVL leauing him to answere for himselfe O this is not the part of good Brothers How doe wee shew our selues Brethren Sonnes of the same heauenly Father when wee will not ioyne together in those things which are for the honour of that our Father and the good of our Mother the Church Thirdly it is the propertie of a Brother though at other times hee haue beene something more vnkinde to his Brother yet in his affliction and extremitie then to feele nature working in him and to shew and expresse his affection by doing his best This is that which SAEOMON noteth Prou. 17. 17. A friend loueth at all times and a brother is borne for aduersitie Wherefore howsoeuer in the time of peace wee haue not so manifested our loue to Christians as wee ought to haue done yet in persecution if there be any brotherly affection we cannot then containe it nay then it will breake forth Then wee shall cry