all wranglings suites one against another not the lending and borrowing of Money or money-worth Hence it is that God neuer forbiddeth in his Law the vse of hiring or of borrowing but rather rectifieth the iudgement directeth the practise and prescribeth the rules of the right and lawfull vse thereof Hence it is that the Lord saith in the Law Å¿ Ex. 22 25 26 If thou lend Money to my people that is to the poore with thee thou shalt not be as an Vsurer vnto him ye shall not oppresse him with Vsurie If thou take thy Neighbours Rayment to pledge thou shalt restore it vnto him before the Sunne goe downe for that is his couering onely and this is his Garment for his skinne wherein shall he sleep Therefore when he cryeth vnto me I will heare him for I am mercifull In these words he forbiddeth lending vpon interest to the poore and forbiddeth crueltie in retaining pawnes and pledges taken from them that are in necessitie whereas they ought to be restored To this end and purpose Moses speaketh in another place t Deut. 15 7 8. If one of thy Brethren with thee be poore within any of thy Gates in thy Land which the Lord thy God giueth thee thou shalt not harden thine heart nor shut thine hand from thy poore Brother but thou shalt open thine hand vnto him and shalt lend him sufficient for his neede which he hath So the Prophet saith u Psal 37 21 26. The wicked borroweth and payeth not againe but the righteous is euer mercifull he giueth and lendeth and his seede enioyeth the blessing To these sayings of Moses and the Prophets accordeth the Commaundement of Christ x Math. 5 42. Giue to him that asketh and from him that would borrow of thee turne not away All these rules of direction serue to instruct vs in the practise of the duties of loue and teach vs how to behaue our selues in buying and borrowing in letting and lending vnto our Bretheren that call vpon vs for our helpe in the time of neede Secondly heereby they are reprehended that binde themselues by vow or oath from binding themselues in any respect or in any cause or vpon any occasion for any person This is an vngodly and vnlawfull shift that some men vse to disable and to barre themselues from doing this work of charity and shewing this fruit of loue to their Brethren For many to the end they might not be enwrapped and entangled in the deceitfull snares of suretiship doe enter into couenant one with another and doe firmely binde themselues vpon a great penaltie and forfeiture neuer to enterpose their credit for any man whatsoeuer But it is sometimes a necessarie dutie of piety and a testimonie of the soundnesse of our Religion and a great comfort to our conscices to stand betweene our Brethren and the harmes that are comming toward them It is a generall rule taught in the word of GOD deliuered by the law of nature and obserued by the Gentiles that we should so deale with others as we would be dealt with all our owne selues It is taught by the mouth of Christ y Luke 6 30 31. Giue to euery man that asketh of thee and of him that taketh away the thinges that be thine aske them not againe and as ye would that men should doe to you so doe ye to them likewise There is no man if he were in want and stood in neede of the bare word or honest promise or firme band and Obligation of another but he would be ready to request it and willing to vse it and content to accept of it Wherefore we are to remember that we ought not to hang backe when as we ought to performe the like seruice and to shew like compassion to our brethren It is therefore a great sin and a great signe of the want of loue when we are called vnto this duty not to be forward faithfully to discharge it We ought at all times to be louingly affected and charitably disposed one toward another so that when God calleth vs and withall enableth vs with no damage or trouble or losse to our selues to deliuer our neighbor out of his misery then to shut vp our compassion and to refuse to passe our promise for him is an euident token that little loue and small kindnesse abideth in vs. If then the not doing of this duty be an offence against God and our Brethren how much more to couenant and condition with our selues or others or to enter into great bands that wee will neuer enter into any bands great or little for them that call vppon vs and meane honestly to discharge whatsoeuer we mercifully vndertake for them No Vow can be good no Oath can be lawfull no Band can be allowed no Couenant can be equal no promise can be warranted that is not wel grounded and aduisedly vttered For seeing suretyship is not of it selfe and in it selfe vnlawfull to binde our selues wholly from it cannot be esteemed to be lawfull Let vs therefore in the acknowledgement of this trueth shew brotherly Loue as occasion serueth as the neede of our Neighbour requireth and as our owne ability permitteth Some are willing to helpe their bretheren by word and deede and are not able In these z 2 Cor. 8 12. a willing hart and a ready mind are to be accepted Others are able to do much good by their wealth and by their word yet they cannot be brought to shew any reliefe either by the one or by the other Wherefore it standeth you vppon that haue this worlds good to be ready to employ it as faithfull Stewards this way a Luke 16 9. And to make you friends with the Riches of iniquity that when ye shall want they may receiue you into euerlasting habitations And in the meane season b Luke 12 33 Make you Bags which wax not old a treasure that can neuer fail in Heauen where no theefe commeth neither Moth corrupteth But howe many are there that are euen dead in good workes They are dumbe and tongue-tyed when they should speake for the poore or giue their word for them their handes haue a shaking palsie that they cannot write their names to do them good so that if one poore man were not more ready to plight his promise for another then the rich they might many times starue and be vndone These are they that care not what become of those that are in necessitie which shall one day giue an account of their Stewardshippe and leaue behinde them the Goods wherein they delighted and made them the Goddes wherein they trusted Vse 2 Secondly seeing we haue shewed it to be lawfull to enter into suretyship for if it had bin simply and altogether forbidden Paule would neuer haue proffered himselfe to be surety vnto Philemon for Onesimus This serueth diuers wayes for our instruction For heereby we are directed to be carefull to vse it lawfully A thing that is of it selfe and
of God when we minde not the Kingdome that the father hath prepared for vs and the sonne hath purchased vnto vs. The Beastes were borne and fashioned to looke downe-ward man created after the Image of God looketh vpward and beholdeth the Heauens It is a great discord and iarre betweene the eye and the heart which should goe together when the eye is cast vpward and the heart of man groweth downeward the eye is fixed aboue and the heart delighteth to be alwaies groueling vpon the ground and glued vnto the earth Secondly as this Doctrine meeteth with their corruption that haue their conuersation below in the center and bowels of the earth y Phil. 3 20. y The 2. reprofe whereas it should be in heauen from whence we looke for a Sauiour euen the Lord Iesus Christ so it reprooueth such as regard not the obedience to the first Table and duties of piety and holinesse which are to be perfourmed immediately to God Our Sauiour speaking of the first Table of the Law calleth it the first and great commandement first in dignity and order in dignity because it comprehendeth and containeth the duties we owe to God In order of Nature because from the loue of God proceedeth the loue to our Neighbour Likewise great because it is of greatest waight and stretcheth farthest and is chiefly to be respected of vs. Hence it is that when an expounder of the law asked him a question z Math 22 36 37 38. Maister which is the greatest commandement in the Law He answered him Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thine heart with all thy soule and with all thy minde this is the first the great commandement These precepts are first commanded but they are last practised and least regarded They are called of Christ great but they are very small and little in the eyes of the greatest part and sort of men If they lead an honest and ciuill life before men if they deale iustly and truely with their Neighbours they thinke all is well they esteeme themselues as perfect men though they liue ignorantly prophanely and irreligiously though they haue no knowledge of God and of his worde though they regard not his worshippe priuatelie or publikelie If they can say wee are no Theeues or Murtherers we are not defiled with Fornication and Adultery we pay euery man his owne and do as we would be done vnto they suppose they beare as good a Soule to God as the best and shall bee saued as soone as any But aske them any thing of the worship of God or marke what their practise is touching his worship they haue no loue to it they take no delight in it their meditation is not vpon the word their care is not to sanctifie the Sabboath and consequently the duties which they perfourme toward men haue no right ground to stand vpon and therefore though they may bring profit to others yet can they minister no comfort to themselues The first Table is the heart of all Religion and the foundation whereupon the duties of Righteousnesse are builded If they proceed not from a religious respect to God they are as an house set vpon the Sand which wanteth a sure ground-worke Vse 2. Secondly we are put in mind from hence not to care ouer much for earthly thinges or to runne so farre after them that we forget our selues where we are True it is wee are bounde and charged in duty to vse the meanes that God hath appointed for vs and to exercise our selues with diligence labour and industry in our callings but we must not trust in these meanes and put our confidence in them and distrust the care and prouidence of God toward vs. There is a double care for the thinges of this Life there is a good and godly care which is necessary for euery one the contrary whereof is to be carelesse idle wasting and spending vnthristily and wickedly such thinges as are gotten by our labour This prouidence and fore-cast is commended and commanded in many places of the Scripture This the Apostle teacheth and speaketh off 1. Tim. 5. a 1 Tim 5 8. If there be any that prouideth not for his owne and namely for them of his houshold he denyeth the faith and is worse then an Infidell The other sort of care is a care ioyned with griefe and pensiuenesse and of this the Apostle saith b 1 Cor 7 32. I would haue you without care This care is an ouer-great care disquieting the heart and maketh it bond to the vnrighteous Mammon this is alwaies to be condemned as that which breedeth in vs a distrust in Gods prouidence and choaketh the loue of heauenly thinges and therefore is hurtfull and pernicious This our Sauiour reproueth in the Gospell according to Mathew Chap. 6. c Math 6 25. I say vnto you be not carefull for your life what ye shall eate or what ye shall drinke nor yet for your Body what ye shall put on c. Behold the Foules of the Heauen for they neither sow nor reape Which of you by taking care can adde one Cubite to his stature And why care ye for Raiment Behold how the Lillies of the field do grow and yet they neither labour nor spinne Therefore take no thought what ye shall eate or what ye shall drinke or wherewith ye shall be cloathed for your Heauenly Father knoweth that ye haue need of all these thinges c. Wee haue the Lord to care for vs who knoweth our wants and the meanes how to supply them He made all thinges before we had our being to teach vs his prouidence All the Mines of Siluer and Gold that lye in the heart of the earth are his and at his commandement Hence it is that the Apostle saith Heb. 13 d Heb 13 5 6 7. Haue your conuersation without Coueteousnesse and bee content with those thinges that ye haue for he hath said I will not faile thee neither forsake thee so that we may boldly say The Lord is mine helper neither will I feare what man can do vnto me Can we therefore doubt of his succouring of vs and the supplying of our wants If we consider his power he is God if his will he is our Father Will God forsake or forget his Creatures Or can a father be vnmindfull or vnmercifull toward his Children This were to make him no God no Father which is Blasphemy and impiety The Prophet Dauid hauing himselfe had a long experience of Gods watchfull eye ouer him teacheth vs also to depend vpon him Psal 55. e Psal 55 22. Cast thy burden vpon the Lord and he shall nourish thee he will not suffer the righteous to fall for euer It is great vanity to be ouergreedy and gaping after the transitory thinges of this world to be carking and caring in the seeking for them and to eate the bread of sorrow in going about them We should vse them as though we vsed them
forgiuen and forgotten page 243 Doct. 4. Our loue to al the Saints especialy such as haue bin conuerted by vs ought to bee deare and feruent page 254 Doct. 5. The Gospell doeth not abolish or diminish ciuill ordinances distinct degrees among men pag 262 Verse 13. and 14. Doct 1. Euery Christian is bound to serue the common good of the church by what meanes soeuer GOD hath enabled him thereunto pag 272 Doct 2. All christian duties done to God or man must be done willingly and chearefully performed pa 282 Verse 15 and 16. Doct 1. All thinges euen sinne it selfe are ordred and turned by the prouidence of God to the good of the elect page 295 Doct 2. God oftentimes taketh from his seruants outward commodities to bestow vppon them greater page 305 Doct 3. The fals and sinnes of our brethren wherof they haue repented are not to be encreased and amplified with odious and extreame words but rather to be buried and forgotten page 311 Doct 4. The more grace apeareth in any the more should they be tendered and regarded of vs. page 322 Doct 5. Although christian religion do not take away the degrees of persons yet it maketh vs al equall and brethren in Christ page 330 Doct 6. The more bandes and reasons are giuen vs to care for any the more wee are bound to care for him page 337. Verse 17. Doct 1. The consideration of our communion one with another ought to moue vs to regard one another and to do all good one to another pa 348 Doct 2. Among Christian friends all things are common page 350 Verse 18 and 19. Doct. 1. The communion of Saints doth not take away any mans right interest in his priuate possessions and things of this life page 365 Doct. 2. It is lawfull for one man to become surety for another and to engage himselfe and his credit pa 373 Doct 3. Couenants in Writing for debts bargaines and sales are honest and lawfull page 385 Doct 4. Such as haue gayned vs vnto God ought aboue all others to be most deare vnto vs. page 394 Verse 20 and 21. Doct 1. No man ought to be eager and extreame in exacting and requiring their debts dues and demandes from the poore and needy page 407 Doct 2. Whatsoeuer wee desire prouoke and perswade others to doe must be in the Lord. page 415 Doct. 3 Men ought greatly to reioyce at the good and benefit of their brethren in temporall eternal blessings which they see to befall them page 421 Doct 4. Men ought alwayes to hope well and to thinke the best of their brethren not to suspect the worst of them page 426 Doct 5. The faithfull being moued to christian duties haue yeilded more then hath bin required at their hands page 431 Verse 22. Doct 1. Hospitality that is the ioyfull and courteous entertainment of distressed strangers for the truths sake is to be vsed and practised of al the seruants of God page 440 Doct 2. The prayers of the faithfull are auayleable for themselues and others both to obtaine blessinges to them and to remoue iudgments from them page 447 Doct 3. The guifts of God bestowed vpon his Seruants come from his free grace not from our free will or deserts page 457 Verse 23 24. Doct 1. Courteous speeches and louing Salutations are beseeming the Seruants of God page 471 Doct 2. We must not vtterly cast off the weake but shew our compassion toward them page 478 Doct 3. Many that seeme forward in the profession do afterwardes fall backe page 484 Verse 25. Doct 1. Spirituall thinges are to bee prayed for and preferred before earthly things page 500 An Exposition of the Epistle of the Apostle Paul to Philemon The time whē this Epistle was written THIS Epistle is short in Words low in Argument and priuate in regard of the Matter yet the manner of handling is high and heauenly and the Doctrine generall and common to the whole Church It was written as appeareth to Philemon at what time the Apostle was growne olde in yeares was drawing neere his end and was clapt vp and kept in Prison at Rome from whence also he directed sundry Epistles to diuers Churches and particular persons From thence he wrote to the Galathians to the Ephesians to the Philippians to the Colossians and the latter Epistle to Timothy a 2 Tim. 4. which was penned not long before his death and dissolution For albeit he were held in durance and restrained of his liberty that he could not visit the Churches where the Gospell was planted nor lay a new Foundation where as yet it had not beene preached yet he was not idle or vnfruitfull but laboured to do good to the Church by writing when he could not come to bestow some spirituall Graces among them by teaching We see heere that Paul writeth out of Prison and slacketh not to instruct both generall Churches and particular persons From hence we learne that b Doct. 1. The course of the Gospell cannot be stopped the course of the Gospell cannot be stopped but keepeth on his way and passage in the World The truth of the Gospell will haue his free libertie it can be hindred by no Chaines it can be restrained by no Bandes and Boults it can be shut vp by no barres of Iron and Gates of Brasse but breaketh forth as the light of the Sunne out of a darke Cloud We see this euidently in the example of Paul c Act 26 22 28. albeit he were in bondes and Chaines yet he pleadeth his cause with such grauitie of speech with such power of the Spirit with such piercing of the matter with such efficacy of words and with such respect of the persons before whom we spake that he had almost gained perswaded Agrippa to Christianitie The like we see in another place d Act. 28 30 31. when he was brought Prisoner to Hierusalem confined to an House and deliuered to a Souldier to be kept he receiued all that came vnto him Preaching the Kingdome of God and teaching those thinges which concerne the Lord Iesus Christ with all boldnesse of speech without let This appeareth more euidently in none then in Christ himselfe who as at all times he sought all occasions and opportunity to doe good to the soules and bodies of men e Luke 23 43. so when he was vpon the Crosse he conuerted the Theefe and was ready to seeke and to saue him that was lost These consents of Scripture come directly to the former point and serue to teach vs that whatsoeuer the purposes and pretences of men be yet they shall neuer bee able to stoppe the streame of the word of God which floweth plentifully to the comforting and refreshing of the dry and barren hearts of sinfull men Reason 1. Let vs breefely consider the Reasons First the doctrine deliuered is of God not of Men from Heauen not from the Earth If man were the Authour of it it might
meanes we can bee pursued after It is not enough to doe good thinges but we must doe them in a right manner we must bee forward and feruent in the doing of them So dooth Paul in this place set vpon Philemon and omitteth nothing that may serue his present purpose Great was the a Exod. 32 19 20 22. zeale of Moses for Gods glory against the Idolatry of the people and afterward for their pardon and forgiuenesse The first Table requireth our loue to God b Math. 22. Withall our heart with all our soule with al our strength and the second Table requireth vs To loue our Neighbour as our selfe so that whether wye performe the duties of the first or of the second Table we must performe them heartily sincerely and earnestly The Prophet Dauid had a zeale as hot as fire c Psal 96 10. So that the zeale of Gods house did eate him vp When we call vpon the Name of God d Rom. 12. Wee are commaunded to be feruent in Prayer In the high work of the Ministery e 2 Tim. 4 2. we are charged to Preach the word in season and out of season to improue rebuke and exhort with all long suffering and doctrine In hearing the word wee are willed to be swift to heare In all the workes of Sanctification we are f Gal. 6 10. warned while we haue time to doe good to all men and to redeeme the time because the daies are euill The Apostle noteth of himselfe touching his owne practise g 1 Cor. 9 19. That to the Iewe he became as a Iew that he might winne the Iewes To the Gentiles he became as a Gentile that he might win the Gentiles to the weake he became as weake that hee might win the weake and he became all thinges to all men that by all meanes he might saue some All which testimonies and consents prooue directly that we must follow after good things diligently Reason 1. The Reasone remaine to be considered First God is delighted with diligence and earnestnesse in our callings and is wont to yeelde a blessing vnto it He promiseth that such h Pro. 2 3 4. As cry after knowledge and search for wisedome as for Siluer and desire it as a Treasure shall vnderstand the feare of the Lord and finde the knowledge of God Earnest Prayer alwaies preuaileth and auaileth much with God Luke 18 2. Iam. 5 16. Feruent zeale addeth wings and maketh it mount vp on high and pierce the Heauens where Lip-labour is lost labour and bringeth nothing but returneth empty to him that made it like the Dew that being raised vp in the day by the beames of the Sunne falleth downe againe in the euening Reason 2. Secondly earnestnesse and zeale are of great waight and force to prouoke others to imitation We must bee examples to them and seeke to draw them to follow vs. This should comfort and encourage vs vnto well doing insomuch as we shall stirre vp other to be like vs and to walke in our steppes This is the reason which the Apostle teacheth writing to the Corinthians i 2 Cor. 9 2. I know your readinesse of minde whereof I boast my selfe of you vnto them of Macedonia and say that Achaia was prepared a yeare agoe and your zeale hath prouoked many Reason 3. Thirdly mens hearts are hardned and their affections frozen they shut their eyes they stop their eares and they turne away their hearts from the truth and therefore in regard of this Iron or Brazen age into which wee are fallen all meanes that can be taken and all occasions that can be vsed are too little though most earnest to worke vpon such tough and rough Mettall This doth the Apostle prophesie of long age when perswading Timothy to wait with all diligence vpon his office hee addeth this as a reason k 2 Tim. 3 4. For the time will come when they will not suffer wholesome Doctrine but hauing their eares itching shall after their owne lusts get them an heape of Teachers and shall turne their eares from the truth and shall be giuen vnto fables Seeing therefore the earnest doing of good thinges bringeth downe a blessing from God prouoketh men to an imitation and seeing many are hard-hearted that they will not easily bend and yeeld it followeth that we are bound to do all good duties that belong vnto vs diligently not carelesly forwardly not faintly feruently not coldly Vse 1. Let vs now see what good Vses may necessarily be concluded from hence First we learne that zeale and forwardnesse is a grace and guift of the Spirit to be commended honoured and magnified in the Seruants of God The Lord himselfe commended and blessed the zeale of Phinehas The Apostle l Gal. 4 18. saith It is a good thing to loue earnestly alwaies in a good thing This reproueth those that reproach it and cannot abide it in others They scorne and scoffe at the Seruants of God for doing their duty and so make themselues culpable of an horrible sinne But let not vs be ashamed of the taunts and reproches of them that hate vs and deride vs because we desire to serue the Lord in the vprightnes of our hearts The time will come when we shall receiue the ioy and they the shame We haue a notable example hereof in Michall Sauls Daughter and Dauids Wife When she not able to comprehend the inward motions of Dauids ioyfull heart leaping and dancing before the Lord bringing home the Arke with shouting of voyce with sound of Trumpet and with gladnesse of heart despised him in her heart and came out to meete him and said m 2 Sam. 6 20 O how glorious was the King of Israell this day c. Then Dauid said vnto Michall It was before the Lord which chose me rather then thy Father and all his House and I will be yet more vile then thus and will be low in mine owne sight Where we see it is and euer hath been the lot of Gods Seruants to be branded and vpbraided for their zeale it was neuer liked of cold and carelesse men that are neuer earnest in any thing but in wickednesse nor forward but in following the prophanenesse of their owne hearts While they delight themselues in the pleasures of sinne and walke in their owne corrupt desires they are earnest enough but when they should practise the duties of godlinesse and shew by their godly conuersation whose Seruants they are there appeareth no life of Gods spirit in them they remaine as dead and sencelesse men Vse 2. Secondly negligence and coldnesse in Religion and in performing the duties of Christianity are great sinnes which wound the Soule and procure the wrath of God The Prophet pronounceth those accursed that doe the worke of the Lord negligently The Church of the Laodicea is seuerely threatned to be Spewed out n Reuel 3 16. of the mouth of Christ because it was neither hot
is the best friendshippe These loue in the Faith and therefore cannot start backe Such friendshippe as beginneth in the Flesh and ariseth vpon carnall causes and worldly respectes is easily broken and dissolued the least displeasure dooth ouer-turne it but the friendship which is in God and for God endureth for euer no enuy shall vndoe it no occasion shall breake it no time shall dissolue it This appeareth f Prou. 18 24. by the wordes of the Wise-man Prouerb 18. 24. A man that hath friends ought to shew himselfe friendly but a friend is neerer then a Brother Seeke such friends as feare God and be Christianly minded Chuse none to be thy friend but him that is the friend of God Let none be thy Brother that is not the Brother of Christ One such friend is worth ten thousand others If thou haue in all thy life found by tryall and experience such an one make more account and reckoning of him then of a naturall Brother which band is but in the flesh assuring thy selfe that grace will worke aboue nature and therefore prefer him before al earthly treasure If then thou be careful to keep thy temporal Riches and Possessions much more oughtest thou to bee carefull to keepe a faithfull friend and ioyne thy selfe in amity with him True it is there is a kinde of friendship and familiarity among Drunkards among Adulterers among Robbers and among all Malefactors as g Prou. 1 14. Salomon teacheth Prouerb 1. 14. These sometimes seeme most neerely ioyned but by the least occasion that can be they are easily separated There is in all places and parishes almost a band and knot of these friendes and good fellowes But such as the word of God maketh Friendes and the band of the Spirite gleweth together are not easily sundred and disioyned but haue a sure and stedfast coniunction and are builded vppon a strong and stable foundation These loue more in aduersity then in prosperity in time of need do shew what their friendship is whereas the friendship arising vpon worldly causes will faile and abate when wealth decayeth when the world lowreth when trouble commeth so shew themselues not to haue beene the friendes of vs but of our wealth not of our persons but of our prosperity Vse 2. Secondly we learne from hence to be bold with all Christian friends and to suffer them to be bold with vs. It is a true note of a true Friend of a faithfull friend to deale plainely to reprooue comfort exhort commend without flattery without partiality There is none of vs all how great soeuer our knowledge be how great soeuer our graces bee how much soeuer wee haue profited in the faith of Christ but sometimes we haue need to be instructed sometimes to be comforted sometimes to be reprooued and sometimes to be threatned It is a great blessing of God when hee giueth a friend by whom as by a true Glasse wee may perceiue and know our wants and blemishes We shall find euery where such as will be ready to sooth and flatter vs in our offences to tell vs all is well done but few there are that will deale faithfully with vs. This a great plague and a great iudgement commonly waiting vppon great men and rich men that they finde few or none that dare admonish them of their faults or tell them of their offences and so many times are suffered to runne on to their destruction Let vs account it as a speciall blessing sent vnto vs of God when wee haue a friende by whom wee may heare what is amisse in vs. We could giue him thankes that would tell vs of some spot in our faces or blemish on our Garments and shall wee enuy or maligne him that will discouer vnto vs the sinnes of our Soules which doe more soile and defile vs then all the blemishes of the Body The Prophet Dauid hauing found the benefit and comfort of a godly reproofe when hee was reprooued by Nathan the Prophet saith h Psal 141 5. Let the righteous smite me for that is a benefite and let him reprooue me and it shall be a precious Oyle that shall not breake mine head To this end speaketh Salomon in the Prouerbes i Prou. 9 8. Rebuke not a Scorner least he hate thee but rebuke a wise Man and he will loue thee The correction of a Friend is as the Rodde of a Father the end is not to destroy but to saue not to ouerthrow but to deliuer from death We are all of vs bound as it were in a bond or Obligation to performe this duty one to another and wee must in humility submit our selues vnder the reproofe of our Christian friends We cannot better make manifest our loue vnto our Bretheren then by admonishing of them and reproouing of them This is it which Moses teacheth in the Booke of Leuiticus k Leu. 19 17. Thou shalt not hate thy Brother in thy heart but thou shalt plainely rebuke thy Neighbour and suffer him not to sinne Can a Physition shew his loue better then by telling his patient his disease and declaring vnto him the meanes whereby to cure it Can a Man meeting his Brother wandering out of his way in Hilles and Dales in Woodes and Wildernesse shewe his loue better vnto him then by bringing him into the way and laying his errour before his face So that no man can giue a sounder Testimony of his sincere heart and vnfained loue toward his Brother then by dealing plainely with him when he walketh not vprightly For a Friende is vnto the Soule as Phisicke is to the Body and the admonishing of our Brother is as the directing of a Trauailer Let vs therefore suffer the word of exhortation k 1 Thes 5 14 Knowing that such as are out of order must be admonished the feeble-minded must bee comforted the weake must bee strengthned the euill must be reprooued the obstinate must be terrified and threatned And let vs not fret and rage against our Bretheren when we are checked and controlled for our sinnes It is a signe wee are perswaded and resolued to continue in our sinnes when we cannot abide to be reprooued but are ready to say with Ahab Hast thou found me ô mine Enemy The word of God is good to him that walketh vprightly and wee shall finde in the ende l Prou. 27 5. That open rebuke is better then secret loue yea that the Woundes of a Louer are faithfull and the Kisses of an Enemy are pleasant Vse 3. Lastly seeing one Friende especiallie a Christian Friend may challenge and claime much from his Friende wee must know that it is a fearefull sinne vnder colour and shew of friendship to betray or vndermine one another Of such false and fained Friendes Dauid complaineth in sundry places of the Psalmes m Psal 41 9 55 12 13 14. My familiar Friende whom I trusted which did eate my Bread hath lift vp the heele against me
6. Faith Loue do alwayes go together We learne hereby that faith and Loue are allwaies coupled together faith is not without Loue nor Loue without faith but faith and Loue goe together in all the seruants of God and can neuer be seperated and put asunder When Paule praied for the Thessalonians he remembred these two z 1. Thes 1. 3. to be in them their effectuall faith and their diligent loue It is said of the Church gathered together after the assention of Christ a Acts. 2 44. that all they which beleeued were in one place and had all things common Such as were true beleeuers were also commoners together such as had Faith in Christ had Loue toward the Saints This Luke sheweth more plainly afterward b Act. 4. 32. The multitude of them that beleeued were of one heart and of one soule neither any of them said that any thing of that which he possessed was his owne but they had all thinges common Heere we see Faith and the manifestation of Faith by the fruits of Charity ioyned together To this purpose the Apostle saith c Gal. 5. 6. In Iesus Christ neither Circumcision auayleth any thing neither vncircumcision but faith which worketh by Loue. Heere also he coupleth Faith with Loue in one Yoake declaring that Faith is effectuall in the duties of Loue. So the Apostle Iohn teacheth that faith in Christ and Loue one toward another are thinges euer ioyned together d Iohn 3. 23. This is then his Commandement that wee beleeue in the Name of his sonne Iesus Christ and loue one another as he gaue Commaundement And the Apostle Iames speaking of the effectuall faith of Abraham whereby he beleeued and was iustifyed declareth that e Iam. 2. 22. the Faith wrought with his workes and through the workes was the Faith made perfect All these Texts and Testimonies of Scripture serue to teach vs that our faith must be accompanied with Loue and the one not deuided from the other Reason 1. The truth heereof will better appeare to euery one of vs If wee consider the Reasons For first they are as the Tree and the Fruite as the Roote and the Branch as the Fountaine and the Streame as the cause and the effect Faith is the Tree the Roote the Fountaine the cause Loue is the Fruite the Branch the Streame the effect The cause and the effect are Relatiues and haue relation and reference either to otherâ— so that the cause cannot be without his effect nor the effect without his cause and therefore both these must goe together The Prophet describeth the blessed man f Psal 1. 3. to be like a Tree planted by the Riuers of Waters that will bring forth her friute in due season whose Leafe shall not fade so whatsoeuer he shall do shall prosper Reason 2. Secondly faith separated from Loue or Loue separated from faith is a false faith and a false Loue. Faith without Loue or separated from the fruits of Loue is dead and without life a naked name without the thing an empty shaddow without substance a dead carcasse without breath It is nothing worth without Loue. The Apostle saith If a man had all faith so that he could remoue Mountaines g 1. Cor. 13. 1. 2. and had not Loue it were nothing he should be as sounding Brasse or a tinkeling Cymball So we read in the Epistle of Iames i Iames 2 20. That the Faith which is without workes is dead it is a Bastard Fayth a counterfet Faith an idle Faith which is no true Faith indeede but onely in Name For as a painted hand is no hand so a seeming Faith is no Faith Againe Loue without Faith is without his right order yea without his life soule his true cause and forme and so not good but euill not approued but reiected of God k Heb. 11 6. Rom. 14 23. For without Faith it is vnpossible to please God and whatsoeuer is not of Faith is sinne All workes of Iustice Mercy Righteousnesse to releeue the poore to feed the hungry to cloath the naked without Fayth are nothing worth nay all these beautifull shewes are beautifull sinnes except they be seasoned with Faith Againe to afflict thy soule to humble thy selfe to heare the word to receiue the Sacraments without Loue that is to do the duties of the first Table and to neglect them of the second Table is but Hypocrisie and maketh vs abhominable in the sight of God Seeing then Faith and Loue are as the cause and the effect that liue together seeing they loose their Names and Natures being disioyned and diuided one from another wee see it euidently and strongly to appeare that Faith in Christ and Loue to the Brethren as Mother and Daughter are ioyned together in euery true Christian Vse 1. The Vses are now to be considered First seeing these two guiftes are coupled together one with another it followeth that they must neuer be separated in a Christian man He that is ioyned with the head must also bee ioyned with the members and hee that hath his part in the Communion of Saints hath his fellowship also with Christ If it be a generall rule deliuered by Christ l Math. 19 6. that the thinges which God hath coupled together no man must separate it holdeth in this particular that Faith and Loue are not to be disioyned and dismembered forasmuch as God hath lodged them as two ghests in one house locked them vp as two Pearles and Iewels in one Closset It is a rule published by the m Cicer. de offic lib. 2. Heathen that all Vertues are knit together in one Chaine so that he which hath one hath all of them hee that wanteth one of them wanteth all so is it with this worthy paire of Heauenly graces we must not haue a Faith without Workes nor Workes without Faith but our Faith must be fruitfull to bring forth Workes and our Workes must bee thankfull to confesse them to be receyued from Faith Our Faith worketh by Loue our Loue liueth by Faith our Faith respecteth Christ our Loue respecteth the Saints Thus must these two be found in euery one of vs for they meete together in all such as shall be saued This n Titus 3 8. made the Apostle say in his Epistle to Titus Chap. 3. This is a true saying and these thinges I will thou shouldest affirme that they which haue beleeued God might bee carefull to shew forth Good-Workes These thinges are good and profitable vnto men Let vs examine our owne hearts whether we finde these two graces in vs which must bee as two twins that reioyce and take delight to bee together or two Sisters that accompanie one with another like Martha and Marie in one house so must these be two Vertues in one heart Hence it is that the Apostle Iohn saith in his first Epistle o 1 Iohn 4 20 21. If any man say I Loue
which requireth his ordinary presence Fourthly it is against the order of Nature the rule of reason and the law of Iustice to take wages for that worke which he doth not performe and to eate where he doth not labour It is a great wrong and iniury done to those that labour in feeding the Flocke to bee denyed to eate of the Milke of the Flocke to do the seruice and another to receiue the reward to take the Corne and to giue others the Straw to sow spirituall things and to be depriued of temporall thinges to beare the burden and to endure the heate of the day and other to come and take away the penny and price for which they couenanted It is a kind of theft to eate without labour and to feed themselues without taking paines Fiftly the danger is very great that groweth both to the Pastors and people by this sin of absence and want of attendance For if any of the Soules which belong vnto their charge doe perrish through their negligence and starue through want of foode they shall be arraigned as guilty of their death and destruction The Prophet Ezekell setteth downe the threatning of God z Ezek. 33 8. When I shall say vnto the wicked O wicked man thou shalt dye the death if thou dost not speake and admonish the wicked of his way that wicked man shall dye for his iniquity but his blood will I require at thine hand Heereunto accordeth the saying of Christ a Math. 15 14 If the Blind lead the Blind both shall fall into the Ditch The losse of the b Ierom. epist ad Furiam flocke is the reproach of the Shepheard and the peoples destruction shall be the Pastors confusion And when the Pastor is absent the people wil soone decline from zeale to coldnesse fall from vertue to vice turne from the worship of God to Idolatry reuolt from the workes of piety to damnable security Let a man with-hold his hand and cease from sowing good seede or vnder-sow his ground by sparing his Corne Thistles and Weedes will spring vp in stead thereof Let a man haue food withdrawne from him and abstaine from nourishment that feedeth the body he shall be filled with winde and fall into weaknesse When Moses was absent from the Children of Istaell but forty daies while he was talking with God in the Mountain c Exod. 32 1. they committed horrible Idolatry and turned the glory of God into the similitude of a Calfe that eateth hay Iehoash the King of Iudah d 2 King 12 2 3. 2 Chro. 24 17 did that which was good in the sight of the Lord all his time that Iehoiada the Priest was with him and taught him but after his death both King and Princes people left the house of the Lorde God of their Fathers and erected Groues and serued Idols so that wrath came vpon them because of this their trespasse This also experience taught the Apostle in the Church of the Galathians while he was present e Gal. 4 18 20. they kept the Faith they turned neither to the right hand nor to the left they did cleaue to the Doctrine of Christs Gospell but when he was gone the false Apostles entred and tooke occasion by his absence to sow Tares among the Wheat and to corrupt the truth with Leauen of false Doctrine When the Shepheard is gone the Wolues may safely enter into the Sheepefold not sparing the Flocke When the Watch-man is gone or fallen asleepe the Enemy may enter and sacke the Citty When the Husbandman that sowed good seede in his fielde is departed f Math. 13 25 the enuious man came and sowed Cockle and Darnell among the Corne. While the people haue the presence and residence of their faithfull Pastor to feede them and to goe in and out before them both in Doctrin and example yet such is the weaknesse of Flesh the corruption of Nature the strength of sin the subtilty of the Enemy the vanity of the world the vnconstancy of humane thinges that they are ready to fall and to giue ouer albeit I say that he be with thē and conuersant among them and remain in the midst of them If then much euill be done while the Ouer-seers are present much more will be committed while they are absent while there is none to stay them while the Bridle is cast in their owne neckes Thus Moses proueth that the people would corrupt themselues and turn from the right way after his death because they had beene rebellious and stiffe-necked he being aliue Deut. 31 27 29. I g Deut. 33. know thy rebellion and thy stiffe-necke behold I being yet aliue with you this day ye are rebellious against the Lord how much more then after my death Sixtly the necessity of hauing the presence of the Pastour continually to call vpon the people appeareth heerein because the danger of the Wolfe is continuall and therefore the vse of the Shepheard is continuall The Apostle telleth the Elders of Ephesus h Acts 20 29. That he knoweth this that aftcr his departing grieuous Wolues would enter in among them not sparing the Flocke Besides Sathan is busie in tempting subtile in vndermining crafty in deceiuing malicious in spoyling and cruell in destroying he compasseth the earth too and and fro and walketh vp and downe in it Now the more diligent the spirituall enemy is the more violent and watchfull ought the Pastour to be If the good man of the House knew at what houre the Theefe would come to rob and to steale doubtlesse he would watch and not suffer his house to bee broken downe Hence it is that Peter saith Be sober and watch i 1 Pet. 5 8 for your aduersary the Deuill as a roaring Lyon walketh about seeking whom he may deuour And surely this is the cause that in some places the people are defiled with all abhominations in other places they are peruerted and seduced by Iesuits and Seminary Priests and in all places grow cold and carelesse in Religion because they want meanes to guide them and stay them in the right way they haue not zealous Pastours to stirre them vp to godlinesse and to driue away the Wolfe farre from them Seuenthly it is of euill report a note of couetousnesse or euill suspicion of it and giueth great offence to the Church of God For where there is an vnnecessary absence of the Minister from his cure and charge hee giueth occasion to suspect that he rather desireth to feed vpon them then to feed them to seeke theirs then them to prey vppon them then to pray with them to possesse their goods then to win their Soules We are commanded to abstaine from all appearance of euill And the Apostle approoueth his Ministery to the consciences of the Corinthians by this k 2 Cor. 12 14 That hee sought not theirs but them Eightly the inconuenience is great that commeth by this absence it is the cause of a Vagrant
like to the Priestes c Num. 7 9. 2 Sam. 6 3. who beeing commaunded to beare the Arke vppon their owne Shoulders did set it vpon a Cart and draw it with Oxen. So ought the Ministers to feede their Flockes themselues and not put them to bee fed of others Some d Damasus epist 4. compare such foolish and idle Pastours that put ouer their charges to others vnto Harlots which so soone as they haue brought forth their Children by and by commit them to be kept and nourished of others that they may sooner giue themselues to their lusts againe Others resemble them to a e Espenc lib. 3. digress ad 1. Timoth. man that doth marry a Wife and being himselfe vnapt for generation or vnwilling to giue due beneuolence is content she become fruitfull and made the Mother of many Children by another Father so is he accounted and presumed to be as vaine a man who being espoused and married to a Church as a man to his Wife doth vse the help of others in getting spirituall Children vnto God Christ Iesus is the Shepheard f 1 Pet. 5 4. the cheefe and great Shepheard of the Sheepe all other Pastours are but his Seruants and Substitutes and therefore themselues being his Deputies they cannot make a Deputy no more then one Seruant discharge himselfe by another So then we must know that they can no more be saide to preach the Word that preach by others then to be resident that are resident by others or to bee godly that lead a godly life by others and thus they may be saued by others and themselues goe to Hell But as euery man is bound to liue godly himselfe so is euery Pastour bound to preach in his owne person This appeareth vnder the comparisons and similitudes of Builders Captaines Ambassadours Stewards and Shepheards which wee spake of before When a man hath made choyce of a skilfull and cunning Builder to build his house the Worke-man hath not done his duty if he put it out to bee finished by another When a Prince hath made choyce of a Generall to lead his Army against the Enemy he may not send another in his roome and himselfe sit idle at home but his alleageance bindeth him to goe in his owne person The like we might say of the rest Thus we haue seene at large that the loue betweene the Pastour and people ouerthroweth the ordinary absence without iust and conscionable causes the one from the other so that if the Minister would assure his owne heart that he loueth the sheepe which he hath taken vpon him to teach he must shew it by feeding them with the wholesome and heauenly pastures of the word of God Secondly it reprooueth such as outwardly are in sheepes cloathing but inwardly are rauening Wolues vnto the Flocke not carefull Pastours not louing Parents but such as haue no prouision no store no food no Bread of Life to breake vnto them but seeke to starue and famish them through want of Milke and meat to put in their mouthes If they be resident and remaine with them and yet doe not instruct them and preach vnto them it is all one as if they were absent from them If there be meat and drinke in the house and none set vpon the Table or giuen to the Children they may dye and perish for hunger These idle Drones are no better then Murtherers and Man-slayers nay Soule-slayers which is the greatest and most bloody Murther For as the Steward that should feede the bodies of such as are in the Family and pineth them to death is a Murtherer and the Nurse that vndertaketh the nourishing of the Childe and yet eyther through daintinesse or idlenesse or wilfulnesse will not draw out the breast but suffereth the Child to languish and perish is a Murtherer of the Childe so such as are Stewards of Gods house and Nurses of Gods people yet feede not their Soules but starue them to death are Bloud-suckers and Murtherers in the highest degree They are worse then the Canibals that liue vpon bloud for these liue vpon the soules of men and carry them head-long to Hell The Lord complaineth in the Prophet g Hos 4 6. That the people perish through want of knowledge Such as are blindely led doe fall into the Ditch with their blind Leaders The bloud of such as perish in their ignorance through want of teaching h Ezek. 3 18. shall be required at the Watch-mans hand The Prophet Dauid hauing the Water of the well of Bethlehem that he longed and lusted to tast brought vnto him i 2 Sam. 23 17 yet would not drinke thereof when he had it but poured it for an offering vnto the Lord because it was the bloud of the men that went in ieopardy of their liues O that these men would consider of their sinne and had a feeling of their iniquity that they eate and drinke the bloud of Men and maintaine themselues by the destruction of their soules Suppose he lead an vnblameable life giue good example to others keepe hospitality fill their bellies make peace among his Neighbours be able priuately to exhort and comfort them and to performe other common workes of Charity yet he hath not discharged the duty of a Minister vnlesse he preach vnto them diligently and faithfully and diuide the word of truth aright Vse 3. Lastly seeing the Minister and people ought to be as Father and Sonne this sheweth the duty of the people that are vnder their Ministery that they regard their Ministers as their Parents honouring them yeelding them due recompence esteeming them as Fellow-workers with God to beget them to Christ to turne them to Saluation to nourish them vp and continue them in the estate of Christ Nay we should account of them if it be possible more then of naturall Parents Of our Parents wee haue receiued onely to be Of our Ministers we haue receiued to be well Of our Parents we haue taken our first birth of our Ministers we haue obtained our second birth Of our Parents we haue beene brought into the World by Generation of our Ministers we haue bin brought into the Church by Regeneration Our first begetting was to death our second or new birth is to Life and Saluation By the first birth wee are Heires of Wrath by the second we are made the Sonnes of God So then if it be better for vs to be borne againe of Water and the Holy Ghost k Iohn 1 13. which cannot proceede from the will of the flesh nor from the will of Man but of God we ought to esteeme of those that are Instruments of our Regeneration as dearelie and tenderly as if they were our Parents and to say with the Apostle l Rom. 10 15 How beautifull are the Feete of them which bring glad tydings of pcace and bring glad tydings of good thinges Hence it is that he speaketh to the Thessalonians m 1 Thes 5 12 We
that sought his life to take it away he spared him when he might haue slaine him and hee cut off onely a peece of his coate when he might as easily haue cut off his head which kindnesse of his heaped vp coales of fire vppon his head and so wrought with him k 1 Sa. 24 17 that hee called him Sonne and prayed God to recompence vnto him that goodnesse that he had shewed and ceased from persecuting of him at that time The like example wee haue in Elisha l 2 King 6 22 23. who woulde not suffer the Horsemen that were sent to take him to be smitten with the sword but commanded Bread and water to be set before them so they did eate and drinke they refreshed themselues and returned to their Maister Let vs follow these worthy presidents and account all men our neighbors let vs account our selues bound in dutie to help them and do vnto them as we would haue them deal toward vs. Thus we see what loue is we haue heard from whence it commeth wherein it consisteth and to whom it is to be shewed It commeth from God and is the worke of his spirit it consisteth in a fellow-feeling of their good and greefe of their prosperity and aduersity so that we shold reioyce with them and mourne with them according to the condition wherein they are it is to be shewed to all such as are of the same nature and are couered with the same flesh that is to all mankinde Secondly we are to consider the property of this Loue m The property of Loue. how it is to be performed For as we haue seene the parties who are to be loued euen al so we must marke the manner how they are to be loued that is feruently and earnestly This is taught by the Apostle Iohn n 1 Iohn 3 18 11 12. My little children let vs not loue in word neither in tongue onely but in deede and in truth This also he pointed out a little before This is the Message that yee heard from the beginning that wee should Loue one another not as Caine who was that wicked one and slew his Brother And the Apostle Paule saith o Rom. 12 9. Let Loue be without dissimulation Likewise in the Epistle to the Galathians p Galat. 4 18. It is a good thing to Loue earnestly alwayes in a good thing and not onely when I am present with you Our Loue therefore must not onely be true but feruent and that for these causes We haue the perfect example of Christ q Iohn 10 11 Who gaue his life for his Sheepe and suffered the shamefull death of the crosse to redeeme them Againe if occasion require it and our calling will beare it r 1 Iohn 3 16. we ought so to Loue them as wee shoulde giue our liues for the brethren which duty wee can neuer fulfill except our Loue bee feruent Lastly there are manie meanes to quench Loue as wronges iniuries vnkindnesse vnthankfulnesse hatred and emulation all these corrupt affections are as water to the fire Seeing then it is so quickely and by so many meanes cooled and quenched let vs kindle it and labour to continue it that it may alwayes burne and not decay This feruent Loue is a rare Iewell which seemeth almost gone out of the world Thirdly we must know the forme and manner how wee are to Loue our brethren to wit euen as our selues By this rule our practise must bee squared and by this rule shall our loue be iudged As we wish our own good hartily sincerely and vnfaignedly so ought we to desire the good of our neighbor It is the Law of Nature that teacheth vs to doe to others as wee would haue others do to vs. It is the Law of God that commandeth vs to Loue our neighbor as our selues Our Loue must be without hypocrisy and dissimulation from the very heart This hearty Loue is as it were the life and soule of the duty due to our brethren Let vs therefore loue them with a sincere affection and in vnfaigned simplicity This appeareth plainly in such as prayed for their persecutors and vtter enemies as Stephen when they stoned him kneeled downe and cried out with a lowd voyce Å¿ Acts 7 60. Lorde lay not this sinne to their charge And our Sauiour Christ when they crucified him said t Lu. 23 33 34 Father forgiue them for they know not what they do If we can practise and performe the like wish their good as our owne pray for them as for our selues and desire their forgiuenesse as we would be forgiuen of God then is this true loue to our true comfort found in vs. Vse 2 Secondly seeing this is the Loue that must bee found in vs towardes the Saints it serueth to meet with many enormities and to reproue manie sinnes that raigne in the world and are as the fore-runners of the full and finall ruine thereof Our loue to others is a cold loue frozen without heat dead without life barren without fruite such as our Sauior speaketh of in the gospell u Math. 24 12 Because iniquitie shall be encreased the Loue of many shall be cold But our Loue is hot toward our selues we haue abundance of selfeloue which ouerfloweth in vs and ouercommeth true loue This is the onely loue that remaineth in the worlde in these daies which is the corruption nay the bane and poyson of true loue This is it which the Apostle prophesied of long agoe x 2 Tim. 3 1 2 This know also that in the last dayes shall come perrillous times for men shall be louers of their owne selues without naturall affection no louers at all of them which are good Where we see that Paul prophesying of the last dayes daies of great perill and much impiety doth put selfe-loue in the first place as it were in the forefront and make it the fountaine from whence the traine floweth that followeth afterward For he which loueth himselfe will not regard what he doth to others and arrogateth all things to himselfe hee setteth vp himselfe as the onely man of account he magnifyeth himselfe hee contemneth all others Hence it is that he is couetous proud treacherous stubborne heady high minded and heapeth or hoordeth vp sinne vpon sinne till he fill vp the measure The worlde is pestered with these Monopolies which are all for themselues nothing for the common good of Church or Countrey We haue a common Prouerbe rife in their mouthes but more rife and ripe in the practise of the people Euery one for himself and God for vs all The first branch sheweth what is in vse but the second part must be changed for where euerie one is for himselfe there the Deuill is for all Wherefore the former is the Deuils Prouerbe and is no more to be vsed among Gods people The Christian Prouerbe must be Euery one for his Brother and God for vs all y 1 Cor. 13 5
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
earth and licke vp the dust of thy feet That is they shall reuerence and serue Christ and his Church and they shall account it no dishonour vnto them to do any good to the Saints All these Testimonies serue as so many proofes to witnesse this truth that wee must account this our condition that we are all as Seruants to doe seruice to our Brethren and to imploy our selues and best endeuours to do them good according to their wants Reason 1. The reasons follow which will cause this Doctrine to sinke deeper into vs and make the truth appeare without all gaine-saying First whatsoeuer gifts are bestowed vppon vs to this end they are bestowed to profit with all to helpe one another and to edifie that body whereof we are members We are all Fellow-members of one body and therefore are bound to releeue and refresh our Brethren Euery member serueth one another are for the whole Nature it selfe in other things teacheth vs this duty The Sunne as the eye of the World shineth not for it selfe it yeildeth not heat for it selfe but for others The clouds which are as the bottels of heauen do not drop down raine for themselues but for others The earth which is as the Mother of these inferiour things bringeth forth Hearbs and Grasse and Fruit and Corne for the vse of man and not for it owne benefit This comparison drawne from the members of the body seruing one another and euery one caring for the whole is often vrged by the Apostle He teacheth that p Rom. 12 4 5. and 1 Cor. 12 20 25 26. As wee haue many Members in one Bodie and all Members haue not one office so we beeing many are one Bodie in Christ and euerie one one anothers Members And in another place There are many Members yet but one Bodie the Members should haue a care one of another least there should be any diuision in the Bodie Therefore if one Member suffer all suffer with it if one Member be had in honour all the Members reioyce with it If then one of the Members of our naturall body be ready to doe seruice to the other to the whole it should be our care to do the like that are of the Mysticall body of Christ Iesus from whom as from the head we receiue all influence of spirituall grace necessary to saluation Reason 2. Secondly it is our duty to follow the example of our Lord and Maister Christ Iesus he came to serue not to be serued to Minister not to be ministred vnto to redeeme not to rule This our Sauiour preached to his Disciples when they began to thinke of Lordship and to disdaine one another q Mar. 10 43 44. Whosoeuer will be great among you shall be your Seruant and whosoeuer will bee cheefe of you shall be the Seruant of all for euen the Son of man came not to bee serued but to serue and to giue his life for the ransome of many Where hee sheweth that the way to true honour is to serue so that the greater seruice we doe to the Brethren the greater honour we shall receiue at the handes of God The greater our seruice is the greater shall be our reward when euery one shall receiue according vnto his work This we see farther strengthned vnto vs in the example of Christ who humbled himselfe to wash his disciples feete and to wipe them with a Towell being washed and saide vnto them r Iohn 13 4 12 13 14 15. Know ye what I haue done vnto you Ye call me Maister and Lord and ye say well for so am I if I then your Lord and Maister haue washed your feet ye ought also to wash one anothers feete for I haue giuen you an example that ye should do euen as I haue done to you the Seruant is not greater then his Maister nor the Ambassadour greater then he that sent him We are taught to set Christ the most absolute example before our eyes to learne humblenesse of minde and the duty of seruice one to another we must consider him in his glory and in his humilitie First in his glory as our King as our head as our Lord and as our Maister then in his humility as abased and humbled in our Flesh vnto death euen to the death of the Crosse When we haue done this then we are thus to reason with our selues hath Christ in his great glory cast downe himselfe for my sake and ought not I if I were the highest vpon earth stoope downe to my equals Ought not I that am his Subiect his body his Disciple his Seruant to serue the necessities of my Fellow-seruants Thus the Apostle commending Loue to the Saints and meeknes of minde leadeth vs to Christ Å¿ Phil. 2 4 5 6 Looke not euery man on his owne thinges but euery Man also on the thinges of other Men let the same minde be in you that was euen in Christ Iesus who being in the forme of GOD thought it no robberie to be equall with GOD he made himselfe of no reputation he tooke on him the forme of a Seruant hee humbled himselfe and became obedient vnto the death If then we looke vnto Christ Iesus the Authour and Finisher of our Saluation we haue him as a perfect example without blemish and as a pure Glasse without staine to looke vpon who in the greatest glorie hath shewed the greatest abasement in the greatest honor he hath set before vs the greatest humility Reason 3. Thirdly true Religion consisteth in ministring to the Saints in helping and succouring of the poore in imploying himselfe to the good of others as a Candle that spendeth wasteth it selfe to giue light to them that are in the house It consisteth not in bare knowledge but in practise not in an idle Faith but in the fruits of loue This the Prophet Esay sheweth and sets down t Esay 58 10. If thou poure out thy Soule to the hungry and refresh the troubled soule then shal thy light spring out in the darkenesse and thy darkenesse shall be as the noone day And the Lord shall guide thee continually he shall satisfie thy Soule in drought he shall make fat thy bones so that thou shalt be like a watered Garden and like a Spring of Water whose Waters faile not Meaning that they which releeue the poore and comfort such as are comfortlesse their light shall neuer bee put out but shine for euer God will be their comfort in the day of trouble and he will recompence aboundently their good workes Seeing then the giufts u 1 Cor. 12 7. that we haue are giuen to euery man to profit his Fellow-members withall seeing we are to tread in the steps of our blessed Sauiour Iesus Christ and seeing the truth of Religion standeth in the fruits of loue we may conclude necessarily the former Doctrine that we ought to account it no disgrace vnto vs to abase our selues to do seruice and to Minister
according as the Apostle speaketh n Titus 1 16. They professe that they know God but by workes they deny him and are abhominable and disobedient and vnto euerie good worke Reprobate This profession is vaine and hyppocritall and no more regarded of God then the leaues of a Tree of him that looketh to finde fruite vpon it So then seeing two are better then one seeing it is a thing wel pleasing with God and last of all seeing the Faith is denied of those that regard such as are nearest to them nothing at al we learne howsoeuer we owe somwhat to all mankind and there is a common band that knitteth vs fast togither yet where the debt is greatest there we are bound to pay most where the Obligation is straightest there we are to performe the greatest duties Vse 1. The Vses remaine to be considered First of all if it be a dutie of man toward man to require most where most is committed and to yeelde the greatest loue againe where are the greatest occasions to couple and combine vs together then much more are we bound vnto the Lord of whom we haue receiued all to whom we doe owne all and by whom we doe enioy all We must doe homage to him as to our King we must giue honour to him as to our Father o Mal. 1 6. we must yeeld him feare as to our Maister we must performe subiection to him as to our Creator we must shew obedience to him as to our Law-giuer He would be holden as a man vtterlie voyde of all wit and wisedome who being indebted vnto many men and owing to some more and to others lesse bound to some in one band to others in two to others in many bands to some owing all that he hath and to others more then he hath or is able to pay would begin to pay his debts without difference and discretion deliuering much to whom he oweth little and little to whom he oweth much satisfying two bands where he is bound in one onely and regarding onely to haue one cancelled where many other are required at his hands Thus it fareth with euery one of vs to one we owe one Talent to another three Tallents to another fiue Tallents but to God we are aboue all others most deepely indebted we owe vnto him our goods our good Names our substance our libertie our liues our selues our soules our bodies and when wee haue giuen him all all will not serue to pay him seeing we owe vnto him more then we haue Hence it is that our Sauiour saith p Math. 22 37 38 39. Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thine heart with all thy Soule and with all thy minde this is the first and the great Commaundement and the second like vnto this Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe We see then the order of the Commaundements set downe by the God of order that God hath the first place and man the second the duties we owe vnto him are preferred before the duties we owe to our Brethren And if we marke the Lords prayer and the order which we are taught to obserue in our Prayers and Petitions we shall finde those ranged in the first place that touch the honour of his Name before such as belong to our necessities so that the duties are greater the Chaines are stronger the bands are faster and the reasons are firmer to binde vs and knit vs vnto God In him q Acts 17 28. and 14 17. we liue and mooue and haue our being He sendeth Raine and fruitfull seasons he filleth our hearts with ioy and gladnesse He made vs and not we our selues he made vs of nothing and when we became deformed hee reformed vs. He hath written his Lawes in our hearts and our sinnes and iniquities he will remember no more What wrong and iniury hath the Lord done vs that hauing receiued so many pledges of his fauour and sealed so many bands acknowledging the infinite debts that ws owe vnto him wee should preferre Dust and Ashes before him and set vp proud flesh in disgrace and despite of him We see what mightie and waightie reasons wee haue to magnify him aboue all Creatures in Heauen and Earth and to aduance him aboue all excellency that is in man whose breath is in his Nosthrils and yet who is it that giueth him his due and doth not extoll the Creature aboue the Creator who is blessed for euer True it is euery man will pretend loue to God as to him that hath elected him created him redeemed him called him adopted him iustified him sanctified him and preserued him But doe we loue his word aboue our owne pastimes and pleasures Our Sauiour saith r Iohn 14 23. If any Man loue mee hee will keepe my word and my Father will loue him and we will come and dwell with him he that loueth not me keepeth not my word If then we preferre the following of our owne vanities before the hearing of his truth we plainely bewray the hypocrisie of our hearts and shew that our loue is fastned vpon the Earth We will all seeme to loue the Lord and his word least all men should condemne vs and cry shame of vs but this our loue continueth no longer then till some profit or pleasure round vs in the eare and come in comparison as it were to be waighed in the ballance together then farewell God and his Word and his Sabbaoths we will none of them so long as we haue the other to follow after What is more common in continuall practise then this Will not a drunken Feast a ryotous company of prophane Fellowes sooner draw vs to their Lure then a conscience of our duty to God to keepe vs at home to attend to his ordinances for the saluation of our Soules Euery man almost can say the Commandements and pronounce the words but they consider not the meaning of them and how large they are They know the Law Å¿ Exod. 20 3. Thou shalt haue no other Gods but me and they would complain of the iniurie done them if they should be charged to breake the same Neuerthelesse if we loue the World more then we loue God or delight in our Riches more then in his Worship if we trust in the Creature more then in the Creator or if we feare men more then God we offend him and transgresse his Commaundement Let vs now consider with our selues how deeply we are indebted vnto God and remember that we owe many duties vnto him he hath giuen vs much so that he may require much of vs again he hath bestowed many blessings vpon vs and therefore he looketh for the greater seruice at our hands Vse 2 Secondly seeing the Band and Obligation is much more powerfull and astringent to some then vnto others albeit we are required and charged to loue all men as they are men and to wish well vnto them according to the diuers degrees whereby they
are coupled together both by the sense of Nature and by the Commmaundement of God it serueth to reprooue sundry abuses and to meete with many disorders that are most rife and common among vs. The first reproofe First of all it reprooueth the blind superstition not onely of elder times but of the present daies wherein we liue and the wicked sniftes of Popish Monkes which being wise in their Generation would perswade it as meritorious to foolish and sinfull men to giue away all their Landes and possessions and meanes of maintenance from their Children and Kindred and bestow them vpon the feeding of idle Drones and vnprofitable Beastes that liue by the sweat of other mens labours to this end to say Masses for the quicke and the dead and to pray for the puling Soules that languish in Purgatorie For such as was their crueltie ouer mens bodies and their Dominion ouer their consciences and commaund ouer their goods that the poor people haue beene and at this day are besotted and bewitched by them that they are ready to giue a thousand Sacrifices of Rammes and ten t Micha 6 7. thousand Riuers of Oyle and to forgoe their first borne for their transgression euen the fruit of their body for the sinne of their Soules The spirituall consenage and deceit of the fraudulent Iesuits as greedy Cormorants is notorious and famous or rather infamous in this kinde and case whereof we speake who make hast to the sicke person that is rich as the Eagle flyeth to the Carkasse to make a prey of him u See the Quod lib. and other Bookes of the priestes for this purpose and the Priests themselues greeuing that such a fat Morcell should goe by their mouthes and so great a bootie should escape their hands haue lamentably complained of their briberie hypocrisie cruelty and iniquitie These are they that eate Mens sinnes as Bread and regard not to dam their Soules to fat their owne Bodyes and fill their owne pusres The second reproofe Againe this reprooueth the impiety and vnnaturalnesse in men that regard not their owne flesh nor haue a respect to their owne Kindred but are strangers from them vnkinde vnto them and voyde of loue toward them The Apostle prophesieth and complaineth that in the last daies shall come perrilous times x 2 Tim. 3 1 2 3. when men shall be cold in Charity and destitute of naturall affection He would be accounted a starke foole that would seeme to shew compassion to feede another and yet starue his owne body to be liberall abroad and miserable at home to see other mens miseries and to take no notice or knowledge of his owne to quench the fire kindled in another mans house and to suffer his owne to be turned downe sticke and stake and nothing left to couer his head and to giue him shielde and shelter from the wind and weather So standeth the case with all such as open their handes to those that are farre off from them and turne away their eies from such as are their flesh and bone and blood to whom God and Nature hath made them more indebted then to other men It was not so with Ioseph y Gene. 47 12. when he liued in wealth and Iacob was in want he was stored with plentie and his Father tasted of scarsitie he gaue him Corne freely and sustained his Kindred willingly The like care we see in Ruth toward Naomi the Daughter in Law toward the Mother in Law she laboured and trauailed for them both z Ruth 2 6 14 18. she gleaned and gathered after the Reapers among the sheaues and what she left when she was sufficed she reserued it and brought all home to releeue and refresh her olde Mother These examples are agreeable to the rule and these practises are aunswerable to the prccept of the Apostle requiring of Children and Nephewes to recompence the kindnesse of their Parents When Christ our Sauiour was vpon the Crosse he shewed his godlinesse toward his Mother and committed her to the Disciple whom he loued himselfe being ready to leaue the World For when a Iohn 19 26 27. he saw his Mother and Iohn standing by her hee said vnto his Mother Woman behold thy Sonne then said he to the Disciple Behold thy Mother and from that houre the Disciple tooke her home vnto him It is the dutie of Children to honour their Parents not onely by obedience but by maintenance not onely by reuerence but by recompence not onely by subiection but by thankfulnesse for the benefits that they haue receiued If they be hungry they must feede them if poore they must releeue them if in necessitie they must helpe them if weake they must Minister vnto them For if this must be performed to Strangers much more to Parents There is nothing more iust then this kinde of dutie because the light of Nature teacheth to requite one good turne for another and to doe vnto another as thou wouldst haue him doe to thee Wherefore to deny the performance of these duties is vnnaturall and inhumaine but to breake out into the contrary practises is monstrous and beastly Absalom b 2. Sam. 15 10 and 20 1. conspired against Dauid Sheba the Sonne of Bichri a man of Iemini conspired against Dauid both of them raised Israell against him and blew the Trumpet of rebellion Both the persons were wicked both their practises were deuillish both their punishments were iust and righteous But if we consider the manner of the offence by the condition of the offender and waigh the persons in a ballance by the seuerall bands whereby one was tyed aboue the other we shall easily finde that the sinne of Absalom did exceede and his fact was more odious and hatefull in the sight of God and man For Sheba indeede rose vp against his Liedge-Lord and lawfull Prince But Absalom ought to haue shewed himselfe as a Sonne as a Seruant as a Subiect and to haue acknowledged Dauid his Father his Maister his Magistrate He was the Lords annointed to them both and therefore they should haue beene afraid to lay their hands vpon him or to set themselues against him or to take away the Crowne and Kingdome from him Neuerthelesse Absaloms attempt was accompanied with a multitude of offences c Cicer. paradox 3. he wronged him that had begotten him that had nourished him that had nurtered him that had honoured and aduanced him that had giuen him life and all thinges appertaining vnto life All these bands that ought to haue beene as a strong Cord or Cable neuer to be vntwisted and as a Chaine of Iron neuer to be broken he rent in sunder as a thred of Tow is broken when it feeleth the fire and therefore as the fault was most foule so his fall was most fearefull according to the saying of the Wise-man d Pro. 17 13. Whosoeuer recompenceth euill for good euill shall not depart from his house Thus then we see
that such as contemne their Parents and refuse to helpe and succour those that GOD hath made nearest vnto them and so bound them in a greater band doe commit the greater sinne and plainely declare that their hearts are voyd of naturall affection The third reproofe Thirdly this Doctrine reprooueth those that where most causes and reasons concurre and meete together to vrge them to their dutie do not make vse of them nor bind themselues more closely and straightly with them nor shew more kindnesse being moued by them so that the greater and moe the meanes are to tie them in affection one to another the lesse many times their loue is This may be made plainely to appeare vnto vs if we consider the particular practise of the people toward their Minister and the generall behauiour of one of the faithfull toward another God hath bound the people to their owne Pastor by a straighter and neerer coniunction then to the Shepheards of other Foldes because they haue a greater charge of their Soules and must giue an account for them to the cheefe Shepheard of the Sheep and yet we see they are most bitter and violent against them because they reprooue their sinnes and discouer their corruptions that they themselues may see them and forsake them and God may forgiue them Shall the sicke person hate the Phisition because hee sheweth him his disease and offereth his help best endeuour to cure it In like manner shall we be spightfully intreated and cruellie handled and mortally maligned that wish them the greatest good shew our selues their best friends deale faithfull with their Soules and labour to bring them to eternall happinesse This is it which the Apostle speaketh to the Galathians e Gal. 4 16. Am I therefore become your Enemy because I tellyou the truth Thus also the Prophet Ieremy complaineth f Ier. 18 20. Shall euill be recompensed for good For they haue digged a pit for my Soule remember that I stood before thee to speake good for them and to turne away thy wrath from them We pray for them we stand in the gap wee exhort and admonish them we desire to cure them of those sinnes that fight against their Soules to destroy them Secondly we are to draw from hence a generall consideration that as God hath called vs with an holy calling into the bosome of the Church so he hath linked the faithfull in loue one to another and yoaked them together with the sweet yoake of his Gospell and yet how many are there that professe the name of Christ and will needes be accounted true Christians that cannot abide the Children of God but hate them with an vnfained hatred and account them as their Mortall enemies If we should see a man rage against the members of his owne bodie g Marke 5 5. and strike himselfe with stones to the wounding of the flesh like the man possessed would we not seek to binde him with Chaines and say he were mad and out of his wits So likewise if we be in Christ we haue him as our head and are members one of another and therefore such as nourish the passions of hatred as Coales of fire kindled in their breastes are out of their right minde as men distracted and beside themselues No man euer yet hated his owne flesh but nourisheth h Ephe. 5 29. and cherisheth it euen as the Lord doth the Church We haue many effectuall meanes and strong reasons to ioyne our affections one to another i Ephe. 4 4 5. There is one Body and one Spirit there is one hope and one inheritance there is one Faith and one Baptisme there is one God and Father of all which is aboue all and thorough all and in vs all These are so many bands to hold vs together if wee plucke these Chaines asunder and breake the Fetters in peeces that no man can tame vs nor binde vs we are not liuing but dead members and offer violence to our owne flesh The single knot of nature ought to be sufficient to knit vs one to another and the least thred of naturall coniunction of our humane Nature ought to sew vs together as a Garment fitted for our bodie how much more when many occasions meet together which should establish brotherly loue to continue among vs Vse 3 Thirdly seeing coupling of many reasons together and the meeting of many good respects in one giueth the more cause of ioy and gladnesse of louing and caring one for another it giueth a profitable instruction to all Children and Seruants and other inferiors to performe the duties of honor and reuerence to their Fathers and Maisters If there were no other means this were a sufficient meanes to make them tractable and attentiue to the wordes and directions of their Fathers and Maisters euen because they are their Fathers and Maisters For this includeth many reasons and ioyneth them in neerer bandes then they were tyed together before and detecteth them of a greater sin and maketh them guilty of a greater iudgement When it pleased God to open the mouth of Baalams i Num. 22 28. Asse to reprooue the foolishnesse and wickednesse of that false Prophet it was his fault not to hearken nor giue heede to that which is spoken vnto him When God instructeth vs by the Creatures which are the common Maisters of all mankind we must learne the inuisible thinges of God by them When the Wise-man passed by the fielde of the slothfull k Prou. 24 30 31 32. and by the Vine-yard of the Man destitute of vnderstanding which was growne all ouer with Thornes and Nettles he behelde and considered it well he looked vpon it and receiued instruction But when the Lord chuseth one to speake vnto vs and to informe vs in his waies which hath beene the Instrument of our life and being of our peace and welfare of our good and saluation we ought to haue more respect to his person and to his perswasion as he is a more honorable Messenger and as his words do proceede from greater loue and kindnesse toward vs. This serueth greatlie to reprooue all rebellious Children and contemptuous Seruants which dislike and distast the holie instructions and informations of their Fathers and Maisters If they receiue any temporall commoditie from them this doth rellish well in their mouthes but they regard not their counsels they will none of their instructions These are wicked Children these are vngodlie Seruants An euill Child is but halfe a Child an euill Wife is but halfe a Wife an euill Seruant is but halfe a Seruant an euill Subiect is but halfe a Subiect The godly and gratious Child is a Childe indeede a godly and gratious Wife is a true Wife indeede a godly and gratious Seruant is a right Seruant indeede a godly and gratious Subiect is to be accounted and acknowledged a true Subiect indeede For as there are degrees of coniunction of mankinde one to another which are
are as certaine steppes whereby we climbe vp to the society and mutuall loue of others so the moe steps and degrees there are the greater ought our loue to be To be a man created after the Image of God is one degree and challengeth loue from vs to be performed toward him To be ioyned in a Politicall or Domesticall knot to wit in the Common wealth or in the priuate Familie as the Prince and Subiect the Father and Sonne the Maister and Seruant is another and a neerer degree and ought to be the cause of farther loue But if to these naturall and ciuill respects there be added a spiritual Communion in Christ which is the best band that bindeth faster then all the rest whereby the Subiect is made his Princes brother the Child his Fathers Brother and the Seruant his Maisters Brother this requireth a more faithfull and feruent loue and a farther degree of our affection toward them On the other side if the coniunction betweene them be onely in the two former considerations there can be no true and sincere loue betweene them albeit they bee so closely tyed together no although they be Fathers and Children Husbands and Wiues Maisters and Seruants Princes and Subiects For where Christ Iesus is not there can be no singlenesse and soundnesse of the Soule whosoeuer loueth not in the Lord he cannot loue from the heart and where there is no true piety there can be nothing else but hypocrisie which is the bane and poison of true loue Hence it is that hee which hath an euill Seruant doth not in truth possesse him he hath an interest and propriety in the least part of him he may haue his handes but he cannot haue his heart So the Apostle sheweth that while Onesimus was a wicked man and an vnbeleeuer his Maister Philemon could not commodiously vse him he wandred therefore a while from his House that by changing of the place he might be turned into another and returne a new man before an vnworthy Seruant but now a profitable Seruant nay a beloued Brother made neere and after a sort equall with his Maister thorough Faith in Christ Whensoeuer therefore Kinges and Princes Fathers and Maisters being beleeuers haue vnder them and belonging vnto them such as are vnfaithfull and vnbeleeuers they cannot promise to themselues that they haue the whole rule and command ouer them This appeareth euidently in the Popish sort that beleeue the Doctrine of the Councell or rather Conuenticle of Trent if one that professeth the Gospell haue a Wife or Child or Seruant embracing that falsly named Catholike-Religion that rest vpon the deceiueable errors of the Priests and Iesuits and all of them vpon the decree and determination of the Pope he cannot make his accounts except he account amisse that he hath full power ouer them or the rule of their liues or the loue of their hearts We see it oftentimes come to passe in Subiects adhering to the Dregges of Popish superstition that notwithstanding the bands of fidelity and allegiance whereby they are obliged to their Princes they breake out into actions of open Rebellion and seeke the subuersion of King and Countrey and Religion If then a man would haue an absolute and Soueraigne commaund ouer his Inferiours and be assured to haue a whole and entire Wife that his heart may trust in her and her heart rest in him if a man would haue a dutifull Child and a faithfull Seruant to do his will and performe seruice vnto him for conscience sake he must make choise of such as haue in them the feare of God the Faith of Christ the guifts of the Spirit the loue of Religion the desire of instruction and the care of saluation If these be wanting neuer thinke their affection can be firmely setled toward thee but vpon euerie occasion it will be easilie remooued from thee It is the surest and fastest knot that Christ knitteth all other bands will quickly be broken and loosed Vse 4 Lastlie seeing the encrease of many bands meeting together doubleth and trebleth the care and loue one toward another so that where the smallest number of meanes is found there also is found the smallest loue and where the greatest number of occasions concurreth as it were on an heap there ought to bee the surest knot of friendship and amitie it should put all superiours in minde of a necessary dutie to be carefull to instruct those that belong to their seuerall charges and iurisdictions that so they may tye them with a surer knot to themselues and haue the better seruice at their handes For seeing they are neerer coupled vnto them that are vnder the reach of their authoritie or the roofe of their houses then vnto the rest of mankinde they ought to haue a greater respect vnto them and beare a dearer loue vnto them euen vnto their bodies how much more vnto their Soules But wee cannot better testifie our loue vnto them and shew our care ouer them then by making knowne vnto them the workes of the Lord and the waies of saluation If we be commaunded to l Heb. 3 13. Exhort one another while it is called to day and to stirre vp one another to good things m 1 Thes 5 14 if we must admonish them that are out of order and comfort the feeble minded how much more are wee bound in conscience to perfect it to those that depend vpon vs and are neerer vnto vs It was the first and principall care of all the godly Kings that had true Religion in their owne harts to prouide for the instruction of their subiects The Apostle writing to the Ephesians and prescribing the distinct duties of sundry persons forgetteth not the Father and the Son and as he chargeth Children m Ephe. 6 2 4 To obey their Parents in the Lord so he commaundeth Parents to bring them vp in the instruction and information of the Lord. Thus godly Maisters haue vsed all diligence to bring their Seruants to haue a desire of Religion and a loue to the exercises of pietie whereby oftentimes such a good worke hath beene wrought in them that they haue accounted their Maisters as second Fathers and as spirituall Fathers confessed themselues more bound in all dutie to them then to their naturall Parents hauing learned that to the glory of God and the saluation of their Soules by their Maisters instruction which they could neuer vnderstand by their Fathers education They haue confessed themselues to haue gained more by such a seruice then if a large portion a rich inheritance and great reuennewes had beene left vnto them And indeede this is the onely way to teach Children dutifulnesse and to frame our Seruants to obedience to plant godlinesse in them and to water that which is planted The neglect of this care in vs will make them carelesse and the making of no conscience to teach them will bring them to be vnconscionable in their places If we be dumb and open not
our mouths to instruct them we shall haue deafe Children and deafe Seruants that will stoppe their eares against all good admonition that is offered vnto them If we be bound in a double Band common and speciall and doe performe a single dutie vnto them it will follow that as they owe vnto vs a two-folde dutie generall and particular the generall of all mankinde the particular of Seruants they will performâ— a single and maimed and vnperfect seruice Thus much shall suffice for this Doctrine and diuision 17 If therefore thou account our things common Receiue him as my selfe The order of the words HItherto we haue spoken of the former reason drawne from the Apostles action of sending him backe to his Maister together with the conuincing and confuting of the two obiections that might be made against the receiuing of him one touching the retaining of him with himselfe the other touching the Seruants departure from his Maister Now followeth the second reason of the second sort taken from the person of Paule and it is of his communion with Philemon and the participation of the same heauenlie guifts and graces with him This reason is first handled and then another Obiection is preuented The reason is in this 17. Verse the preuention is the two next following to wit the 18. and 19. Verses This reason heere vsed is breefely propounded and yet nothing is omitted which may carrie any force of Argument to perswade and asswage Philemon For he inferreth out of the former wordes wherein he hath commended Onesimus not so much to be accounted as a Seruant as to be receiued as a Brother that hee is worthy to be forgiuen and withall he insinnuateth and signifieth that hee was necessarilie ioyned with him in these bandes of mutuall loue that hee could not be separated and deuided from him whereby it must come to passe that one of these will followe eyther thou must loue vs both or else for euer refuse vs both If thou hate him thou canst not loue me or if thou loue me thou must not hate hate him This reason is thus framed If we haue fellowship together in all common blessings then receiue him But we haue fellowship together in all common blessings Therefore receiue him The first proposition of this reason is in the beginning of this verse If therefore thou account our things common receiue him The conclusion is amplified and made manifest by a comparison of the like Receiue him as my selfe The meaning of the words Thus much of the Method now let vs see somewhat concerning the meaning of the words which are few and not hard When the Apostle saith If thou account our things common the words in the originall are If thou haue mee a Fellow or partaker that is One in common with thee whereby he expresseth his singular affection to this poore fugitiue Seruant and maketh his cause and this request all one so that to reiect him was as much as if he reiected Paule and on the other side to embrace and receiue him is accounted by him as done to himselfe Againe when he craueth to haue him receiued by receiuing we must vnderstand not onely the entertaining of him into his seruice and the taking of him home into his house but therein also he requesteth of him to forgiue him his offences committed against him and to think well of him as of a Brother in Christ Lastly when he addeth As my selfe he meaneth louingly friendly hartily as thou wouldst doe me if I came vnto thee As if he should haue said seeing no man denieth to his companion and familiar friend any thing that is honest and iust it cannot stand with that loue and familiarity that hath euer beene betweene thee and me to deny me this reasonable request but we haue beene and are most deare and inward friends communicating one with another all good things so that I haue accounted thee another my selfe and thou hast accounted me another thy self and therefore I doe not doubt but thou wilt receiue him againe into thy fauour as if he were another Paule or as a member of his body Sundry obseruations arising out of this Verse This is to be marked and considered concerning the meaning The words in this verse are not many but the obseruations are not few that might be concluded and collected out of the same First of all many may maruaile that the Apostle is so earnest vehement and importunate for a Seruant and especially for such a Seruant Surely feare of hard and seuere dealing might haue moued Onesimus to distrust and despaire and therefore he vseth all meanes to hold him vp to cherrish his faith and to further the good work begun in him being as yet a young plant a new conuert as a ioynt newly restored and hauing yet a tender conscience whereby he prouoketh vs and all others to seek tenderly the vpholding maintaining confirming and comforting such as haue giuen witnesse of their true repentance not to quench the smoaking Flaxe nor to breake the bruised Reed For seeing we are with all mildnesse to receiue vnto vs such as are weake in the faith woe vnto them that stay them that are comming forward and lay stumbling blockes in their way to bring them backe and to cause them to returne to their vomit with the Dog and to the wallowing in the mire like the Sow that was washed And seeing the sinner is thus to be helped which hath approued his conuersion vnto vs that we are to make intercession vnto others to obtaine pardon for the penitent we are admonished that they are much more fauourably handled and carefully to be receiued and gently to be remitted by our selues Secondly we see that to the old request he addeth a new reason for we shal neuer finde in this Epistle his petition barely and nakedly propounded He hath vsed diuers Arguments before to perswade Philemon yet heere we haue another annexed to moue him to grant it without denyall or resistance This giueth instruction to the Ministers of the Gospell to teach the truth soundly and substantially as that the consciences of the people may be wel grounded and throughly setled therein When matters of weight and importance are in question they must not deale rawly they must not vse weake proofes and vnsufficient reasons whereby men may be rather hardned in their errors then helped out of their errors Thirdly the Apostle doth not simply say If our things be common as hee might haue done but if thou account them common and vs to haue a communion betweene our selues declaring thereby that it is not enough to know a truth vnlesse we also yeeld vnto it as vnto a truth It is one thing to know what is good and another thing to embrace it in our practises It is one thing to know what is euil and another to refuse it in our actions We must labor not onely to haue our minds cleered our vnderstandings and our iudgments rectified to see
distaste and dislike al the rest of Gods mercies o Gen. 41 4 7 Euen as the euill-fauoured and leane-fleshed Kine did eate vp the well-fauoured and fat Kine or as the thin and blasted eares of Corne deuoured the rancke and full eares in the dreames of Pharaoh Let vs not therefore burne with a desire of an higher estate but labour to finde our hearts and mindes throughly setled in that large and liberall portion which we haue in present possession by the good hand of God toward vs. Fourthly that the Lord doth not alwayes actually bestow vpon his Children the riches and wealth of this World but nurtereth them vp to depend whollie vpon his faithfull promise who hath giuen them his word that hee will not leaue them nor forsake them And in the meane season he worketh in their hearts a patient bearing of the wants and necessities of this life but in the end he will bestow vpon them eternall blessings that neuer shall haue end and heauenly graces that neuer shall decay Fiftly that one drop of Gods fauour toward vs is better worth and more of value then this whole World that is but vaine and transitory If wee cannot rest in this fauour of God in the want of outward thinges it is most certaine we haue not yet learned truely to prize and rightlie esteeme the fauour of God Such as cannot bee content to forgoe and forsake earthlie things neuer truelie felt the forgiuenesse of sinnes Let vs learne to rest in the least tast and touch of the grace and fauour of God whatsoeuer it bringeth with it whether wealth or want whether plenty or pouerty whether prosperity or aduersity Lastly we must remember that Nature is content with a little so that if we haue food and raiment we ought to be content as we noted before This was the vow of Iacob when he went from his Fathers house while he was in the way to Haran p Gen. 28 20 21. If GOD will be with me and will keepe me in this iourney which I goe and will giue me Bread to eate and Cloathes to put on so that I come againe vnto my Fathers house in safetie then shall the Lord be my GOD. There are two pointes of mans life his entring into the World and his going out of the world the space comming between both these receiueth many changes and alterations many differences and diuersities Some are poore and some are rich some noble some vn-noble some high and some low The beginning of all is equall the end of all also is equall touching this life for as we brought nothing into this world so we can carry nothing away with vs We came q Iob 1 21. naked out of our mothers womb and naked we shall return thither The time betweene our rising and falling our birth and death is of short continuance and therefore we ought not to be carefull to heape vp Riches r Psal 49 17. For as much as we shall take nothing away when we dye neyther shall our pompe descend after vs. If a Man haue neede of one onely Pot or Pitcher of Water it is small wisedome and great vanity to try to draw vp a whole streame If a little prouision will serue for the iourney and voyage that we vndertake it is a needelesse and bootlesse thing to hoard and heap vp great store of furniture for a small occasion Let vs therefore take heede of all excesse and content our selues with the moderate vse of outward blessinges enioying such thinges as we haue with cheerefulnesse and thankfulnesse bearing the want of such thinges as we haue not with patience and meekenesse depending vpon GOD for his blessing in all thinges that any way concerne and belong vnto vs. To loue Riches is a token of a base and abiect minde to couet and desire them when we want them is a signe of a wretched and miserable minde to vse them well to our priuate commoditie and the publike vtilitie when we haue them is a Testimonie of a commendable and contented mind Vse 3 Lastly we learne from this Doctrine to take good heede that we do not abuse our propertie and dominion of those guiftes that God hath giuen vs bestowing them onely to our priuate vse and with-holding the comfort of them from others to whom they ought of right to be imparted and imploied For albeit the possession of them bee ours yet there is an vse of them belonging to the Saints the property of goods and the communion of Saints standing together Whensoeuer we haue these outward thinges we must not with-hold them when they may profit the Church and refresh the Saints We must not be couetously and corruptly minded like Naball who when Dauid and his Men were in necessitie in the Wildernesse saide Å¿ 1 Sam. 25 11 Shall I take my Bread and my Water and my Flesh that I haue killed for my Shearers and giue it vnto Men that I know not whence they are Hee challengeth all as proper to himselfe his Bread is his his Water is his his Flesh is his all is his he hath nothing for Dauid nothing for his Seruants nothing for others This we see in the dealing of Laban toward Iacob he saith vnto him These Daughters are my Daughters these Sons are my Sonnes these Sheepe are my Sheepe and all that thou hast is mine He challengeth all to himselfe he leaueth nothing to Iacob Gene. 31. 43. The Apostle Iames teaching vs to prooue our Faith by our workes saith t Iam. 2 15 16 If a Brother or a Sister be naked and destitute of daily foode and one of you say vnto them Depart in peace warme your selues and fill your Bellies notwithstanding ye giue them not those thinges that are needfull what helpeth it Whereby we see that mercifulnesse to our poore and needy Brethren is commaunded so that as we beleeue a communion to be among all true professors so we are charged to be as the Cloudes that drop downe the sweete shewers vpon the Hearbes as liuely Fountaines of Water that flow out plentifully to the vse of others as fruitfull Trees bringing forth store to feed others We must consider that we are but Stewards of our goods that are lent vs for a time for which wee are to giue an account and of which wee are to giue a yearely rent to the cheefe Lord which his poore Children are appointed to receiue at our owne handes whom we are bound to releeue with our goods He hath saide u Math. 26 11. The poor ye shall alwaies haue with you but me ye shall not alwaies haue This duty is oftentimes required and beaten vpon in the word of God This appeareth in the practise of Iob who being accused falsely of his three friends to be an Hypocrite is compelled to boast after a sort of his workes as the fruits of his Faith and the assured Seales of his vnfained profession x Iob 29 12 13. I
in it owne nature lawdable and lawfull may be vsed wickedly vnwarrantably and vnlawfully The Apostle Paule speaking of the Law saith c 1 Tim. 1 8. We know that the Lawe is good if a man vse it lawfully The thing that is good may be vsed in a manner that is not good But it is a true and common Prouerbe That the faults of the Artificers are not to be ascribed to the Arts themselues The Law is not to be blamed but the Teachers of the Law who did falsely apply it and wrongfully wrest it and ignorantly corrupt it Now that which the Apostle speaketh of the Law may rightly be spoken of suretyship It is good and lawfull if a man vse it well and lawfully But if wee vse it and enter into it rashly not rightly ordinarily not warily foolishly not wisely desperately not discreetly if we entangle our selues with it without much deliberation without good circumspection and without due consideration it becommeth vnlawfull vnto vs. True it is it is not euill in it selfe but to him it turneth to bee euill that vseth it euilly according to that which the Lord saith by the Prophet d Ezek. 20 25. I gaue them Statutes which were not good and Iudgements wherein they shoulde not liue because they brake them and abused them and were made more inexcuseable without them in that they framed not their liues according to the obedience of them It falleth out oftentimes that such as haue incombred themselues with rash promises and vnaduised suretyshippe seldome liue in peace and quietnesse without distraction of minde or feare of trouble or daunger of losse or feeling of misery Hence it is that Salomon teacheth vs to behaue our selues wisely and warily in this point and beateth vppon no Doctrine more often more earnestly more effectually then hee doth vpon this matter that wc haue in hand In the sixt Chapter of the Prouerbes hee sayeth e Prou. 6 1. My Sonne if thou be surety for thy Neighbor and hast stricken hande with the Stranger thou art snared with the wordes of thy Mouth and art taken with the words of thine owne mouth Where he compareth him that is free from bils and bands and bookes of the Creditors free from suretyship and fuch like bondage to a Bird that hath the liberty of the whole aire to flie therein at her owne pleasure but he that is bound by Promise or Couenant or Statute is like a bird in the net of the Fowler the which albeit she flutter with hir wing and cry with her voyce and hop with her foot yet is fast caught and may be killed or put in the Cage So is it with him that is entred into bandes or hath giuen his word for another he hath after a sort lost his freedome hee standeth in danger of falling into mischiefe Wherefore that this giuing of assurance to others and for others either by our word or hande may bee performed lawfully to the good of others and not to the hurt of our selues f Two thinges to be obserued in suretyship wee must marke remember and practise two points First consider the persons of others for whom it is doone Secondly our owne persons that doe it Touching those persons for whom we become sureties we must know that we are not to engage our selues and our credite for euery one that will craue it at our handes or will desire vs to pawne our Word and enter into bandes for them and promise vs faire to see vs discharged but in such men who oftentimes haue a greater feeling of their owne wantes and necessities then of freeing them out of woe that haue pledged themselues for them g In the persons for whō we are bound we must consider three things wee are to obserue three things First that they be well knowne Secondly that they bee honest and godly Thirdly that they bee suffient to pay that which they woulde haue vs bound vnto another to assure him that they will pay These are the persons that we are bound to helpe either for Piety or Charitie or Honestie or Amitie or Consanguinity or Affinity all which bandes do binde vs one to another and require some dutie to bee performed towardes them This is set downe as a singular point of true Wisedome by the Wiseman Prou. 11 15. Hee shall bee sore vexed that is surety for a Stranger and he that hateth suretyship is sure And afterward in the same Booke to the same effect h Prou. 20 16. and 27 13. Take his Garment that is suretie for a Stranger and a pledge of him for the straunger As if he should say pitty him not let him feele the smart of his folly and rashnesse and let him beare the punishment of his headinesse and heedlesnesse according to that which is set downe in another place i Prou. 17 18. A Man destitute of vnderstanding toucheth the hand and becommeth suretie for his Neighbour Whereby wee see that we must not bee so ouer-seene to vndertake for all men hand ouer head without difference but for such as are well and thoroughly knowne vnto vs within and without with whom we haue liued and beene long conuersant and eaten as it is k Cicer. lib. de amicitia in the Prouerbe a Bushell of Salt of whose care and Conscience in his dealings with others either in the same or in the like cases we haue had some good triall and experience Hee that doth engage himselfe farre for a stranger whom he doth not know shall repent afterward when it is too late And if we haue seene or heard of his vnfaithfulnesse in former times to others we are deceiued if we expect any better dealing 2. Againe we are to obserue that Salomon by the word Stranger doth not onely vnderstand such an one as is vnknowne vnto vs but would haue vs beware of those that are lewd and vngodly For so throughout the whol book of the Prouerbes for the most part hee taketh and vseth that word By the m Prou. 2 16. Strange Woman he meaneth a wicked Woman So in the former places his purpose is to teach vs to looke to our selues that they be not of prophane life and loose behauiour for whom we promise to become sureties they ought to bee knowne vnto vs for their honesty and piety that so our hearts may trust and rest in them But such as are vngodly and giuen ouer to all licentiousnesse and spend their dayes and wealth in beastly drunkennesse will neuer make conscience of their word or band to saue vs harmlesse They may well flatter vs till we be bound but they regarde not to discharge vs after we are bound They are vnfaithfull to God and therefore we cannot looke to finde them faithfull to our selues Whereby we see how grosly they are deceiued and how greatly they are deluded and how sencelessely they are besotted that will sooner be bound for Shifters Gamsters Bankerouts Tosse-pots and other base
and communication which we haue together among our selues will quicken our Faith and kindle our zeale that it will breake out into a great flame Hence it followeth that they are happy that delight to frequent the company of the godly and of such as may profit vs in the best things He that walketh with the wise shall be the wiser but he that is a companion of Fooles shall learne foolishnesse Wherefore they are hereby reprooued that neuer thinke themselues better at ease then when they are farthest from them that delight in the Lorde and take pleasure in lewd and ryotous company by whom they are misled and carryed out of the right way Lastly wee see that the Apostle alwaies ascribeth much to to the Prayers of the Saints We know that Paule was one of the cheefe of the Apostles whose guifts were great whose labours were painefull whose visions and reuelations were wonderfull yet he reiecteth not the praiers of the Church as appeareth in this place and l Phil. 1 19. Phil. 1 19. I know that this shall turne to my saluation through your prayer and by the helpe of the spirit of Iesus Christ So then the excellency of any member and worthinesse of the cheefest in the Church doth not exempt him from standing in neede of the Prayers of the poorest Christian and lowest part of the Church Nay the greater and higher and more eminent any man is the more he hath need to be praied for and commended to the grace of God inasmuch as he is set in a more slipperie place he lyeth open to greater daunger and is exposed to stronger tentations and assaults of Sathan then those that are in a lower place and a meaner condition Such then as excell others in guifts or calling ought to desire the prayers of the faithfull which auaile much if they be feruent no lesse if not more then others Note also the great necessity and force of prayer that all persons as well high as low stand in neede of it Lastly let euery one labour to haue a feeling of his owne want of the supplication of others yea the higher we are set the greater will be our fal if we be not strongly assisted by all such meanes as God hath left to further our saluation and deliuerance out of troubles that hemme vs in on euery side Hitherto of the obseruations Now let vs come to particular doctrines Moreouer also prepare me lodging He requireth in these words of Philemon an entertaining of such as are destitute and driuen out of house and home for the Gospels sake as if he should say when any of the poore Saints are banished persecuted and put to great extreamities as the World doth alwaies carry an hard and vnmercifull hand toward them be carefull to receiue them cheerefully and to minister al comfort ye can vnto them willinglie The word therefore vsed in this place hath a generall signification and containeth all duties belonging to the entertainement of Strangers And by Strangers we meane not such as ordinarily come to visite vs nor such as trauaile about the businesse of this life and take vp their lodgings in Innes or Tauernes but such as fly from place to place and are compelled against their wils to leaue Countrey or Kindred or House for the Gospels sake The word vsed in this place is not to be restrained to giuing of them lodging as if they had discharged so much as could be required of them but vnder that all duties of the same kind and nature are comprehended as Meate Drink Apparrell and all other thinges necessary for them These the Apostle knew would be ioyfully yeelded by Philemon to him and all other the faithfull especially such as labour in the word and Doctrine Doctrine 1. Hospitality is diligently to be vsed practised of all the Children of God Hereby we learne for our instruction that Hospitality that is the curteous and ioyfull entertainment of distressed Strangers is to be vsed and practised diligently by all the Children of God The succouring of Straungers that are destitute especiallie the poore Ministers that are imployed or would be imployed in the affaires of the Church is required of vs. This we see in the examples of sundry of the faithfull one very famous among the rest is the Shunamites Wife m 2 Kin. 4 8 9 Who called the Prophet of God to her house to eate Bread and she said to her Husband Behold I know now that this is an holie Man of God that passeth by vs continually let vs make him a little Chamber with Walles and let vs set him there a Bed and a Table and a Stoole and a Candlesticke that he may turne in thither when he commeth to vs. This is it which the Prophet Esay commendeth Chapt. 58. 7. Is not this the fasting that I haue chosen n Esay 58 7. to deale thy bread to the hungry and that thou bring the poor that wander vnto thine house When thou seest the naked that thou couer him hide not thy selfe from thine owne Flesh This is noted as a part of the innocency and integrity of Iob Chapt. 31. o Iob 31 32. The stranger did not lodge in the street but I opened my doores vnto him that went by the way The like wee might say of of the Woman of p 1 King 17. Luke 10. Iohn 11. Luke 19. Actes 16. 2 Tim. 1. Sarepta that entertained Eliah in the time of famine of Lazarus and his Sisters that receiued Christ into their house of Zacheus who lodged him ioyfully of Lydia who intreated Paul and his Compaons to come into her house and to abide with her of Onesiphorus who sought out the Apostle diligently refreshed him oftentimes and was not ashamed of his Chaines All these examples Registred and recorded in the Olde and New Testament teach vs that God requireth it as a speciall dutie at our handes to entertaine lodge and refresh such poore Straungers as are constrained to wander vp and downe either for preaching or professing of the Gospell Reason 1. This dutie is vrged vpon vs by diuers reasons in the holy Scriptures First it is to be practised of vs because it is the commandement of God that wee should loue and lodge strangers and shew all pitty and compassion toward them to succour them in their necessity This is it which Moses saith Deut. 10. q Deut. 10 19 Loue ye the Stranger for ye were Strangers in the Land of Aegipt Herevnto commeth the rule of the Apostle Rom. 12. r Rom. 12 13. Distribute to the necessities of the Saintes giue your selues to Hospitality This is the precept of the Apostle Peter Chapt. 4. Å¿ 1 Pet. 4. Be ye harborous one to another without gruding Seeing therefore God commaundeth it is our part to obey and submit our selues to his will and pleasure Reason 2 Secondly as God requireth this duty of vs so wee haue his owne example to teach it vnto vs.
Paule mentioning sundry iudgements that fell vpon the Israelites for their sinnes and offences gathereth this Exhortation wherefore c 1 Cor. 10 12 Let him that thinketh he standeth take heede least he fall They had the vse of the Sacraments and other pledges of Gods fauour yet they could not priuiledge them or defend them from the punishments that God brought vpon them Let no man therefore trust too much to the zeale of one or two yeaers but perseuer to the end and know he must be faithfull vnto the last gasp God hath not hired vs for a season to labour in his seruice for a day or a month or a yeare neither giueth vs leaue to depart at a time appointed nor maketh vs a Certificat vnder his hand that wee are at libertie to serue another but wee must all know that there is one condition of worshipping him to wit that wee dedicate both our Soule and Body both our life and death both our beginning and ending vnto him What did it profit d Gene. 19 25. Lots Wife to go out of Sodome commaunded by the Angell and accompanied by her Husband in as much as she looked backe and was turned into a piller of Salt What profit was it e Iude 5. to the Israelites to depart out of Aegipt and to passe ouer the Red Sea seeing afterward they fell to murmuring in the Wildernesse and were destroyed of the Destroyer What gaine or what good was f 2 Kin. 9. 10 it to Iehu to slay the Priests of Baall with the sword and to be zealous for the execution of the iudgements of the Lord to deface the Image and to throw downe the house of Baal and to make a Iakes of it for euer seeing he departed not from the sinnes of Ieroboam and regarded not to walke in the Law of the Lord God of Israel but worshipped the Golden Calues that were in Dan and Bethel It were as good neuer to begin as not to continue vnto the end When we haue once giuen our Names to Christ and tasted of the good worde of God and see many men come farre behinde vs we flatter our selues in an opinion of our sure standing we are ready to say If all the world should turne to be back-sliders and Apostataes yet we would neuer slide away But let vs take heed we be not deceiued for God will not be mocked It is a woorthy saying of the Prophet Ezechiell Chap. 18 24. If a Righteous Man turne away from his righteousnesse commit iniquity and do according to all the abhominations that the wicked man doth shall he liue All his righteousnesse that he hath done shall not be mentioned but in his transgression that he hath committed and in his sin that he hath sinned in them shall he die It is not enough to purpose well it is not enough to beginne well it is not enough to proceede well it is required of vs to perseuer well and to continue in a constant and setled course vnto the end If a man continue vnto his latter dayes and then giue ouer all is gone al is lost all is in vaine If a Childe that is set to Schoole do go lustily forward in his Learning a long time and afterward prooue an ydle boy and one that will take no paines he will neuer proue Learned nor is euer like to come to any preferment If a man beginne to builde an house and haue laide a good foundation it is neuer the better vnlesse the worke bee brought to an end and perfection He that runneth in a race though he set out neuer so swiftly and haue passed a great part of the way neuer so resolutely yet if hee stay in his course and hold not on to the end h 1 Cor. 9 24. hee receiueth not the prize hee obtaineth not the reward Hee that is Valiant and Couragious in the beginning of the fight neuer winneth the fielde nor getteth the Victory vnlesse he continue to the end of the battell We are taught and trained vp in Gods Schoole wee are partes of the building of his house and as liuely stones fitted to make an holie Temple vnto him we all runne in a Race and prooue Maisteries We are the Lords Soldiers to fight hand to hand against Sinne the World and the Deuill let vs therefore hold out till wee come to the marke and receiue the ende of our Faith euen the Saluation of our soules Saule beganne well but he declined and in the end became an open persecuter Ioash i 2 Chr. 24 17. behaued himselfe vprightly all the dayes of Iehoiadah and repaired the house of the Lord but after his death he fell to Idolatry he left the house of the Lord God of his Fathers and he serued Groues and Idols so that wrath came vpon Iudah and Ierusalem because of this trespasse The Israelites that would haue returned into Egypt dyed in the Wildernesse It shall not be needful to heape vp mo examples we haue too many such stumbling blockes lying in our way and set before our eyes let vs take heede by their falles and learne Wisedome by their foolishnesse and constancy by their inconstancy Vse 6. Lastly seeing many slide backe that haue seemed forward men and of great and eminent note aboue others it is our duty in regarde of the small strength and the little power of our owne Nature to pray heartily and earnestly vnto God not to lead vs into tentation nor to take away his holy spirit from vs but that he would stay vs vp by his grace We must entreat at the hands of God for our continuance as well as for our first conuersion For as the opening of the hart and the beginning of our regeneration and new birth is of Grace so we proceede in the midde way and perseuer vnto the end not by our selues or any thing in vs but by the same grace and goodnesse of God who worketh in vs both the will and the deede Hence it is that the k Psal 51 12. Prophet prayeth vnto God To restore vnto him the ioy of his saluation and to establish him with his free Spirit And in another place he praieth to the Lord who had kept him in his youth that he also would be his keeper in his old age when his head was hoare and haires gray l Psal 71 9 17 18. Cast me not off in the time of age forsake me not when my strength faileth ô God thou hast taught me from my youth euen vntill now therefore will I tell of thy wondrous workes yea euen vnto mine old age and gray head ô God forsake me not vntill I haue declared thine Arme vnto this Generation c. The Prophet knew well enough his pronenesse and inclination to goe backe and that it is at easie to fall through dotage as noneage and by the weakenesse and coldnesse of old age as by the lustes and frailty of youth Yea we see many that haue held a
is in vaine for them to resist God and the power of his might Let them refraine from iniuring his Seruants and from going about to stop their mouthes let them remember what Gamaliell said n Acts 5 38. Now I say vnto you refraine your selues from these Men and let them alone for if this counsell or this worke be of men it will come to naught A notable lesson to bee learned of all malicious men and bloudy persecuters of the Gospell that would if it lay in them bury all remembrance of Christ and his Gospell they shall finde and feele the strength of him against whom they wrastle they shall see the folly of their owne waies and the madnesse of their owne workes and they shall in the end perceiue it to be as vnpossible and themselues as vnable to hinder the free passage of the Gospell as to bind the wind in their Fistes or to stop the Raine of Heauen from watering the earth Hence it is that the Prophet speaketh to like purpose to the Enemies of the Church o Esay 8 9. Gather together on heapes ô ye people and ye shall be broken in peeces and hearken all yee of farre Countries gird your selues and ye shall be broken in peeces gird your selues and ye shall shall bee broken in peeces Take counsell together yet it shall be brought to naught pronounce a decree yet it shall not stand for God is with vs. Vse 3. Thirdly seeing the Gospell cannot be stopped it it is the dutie of all of vs to pray for the free passage of it We haue a promise that God will spread abroade his sauing health and magnifie his great Name ouer all the Earth now it belongeth as a speciall duty to vs to pray vnto him to glorifie himselfe and to make his Name knowne among the Sonnes of Men. This charge doth the Apostle giue vnto the Thessalonians p 2 Thes 3 1 2 Furthermore Bretheren pray for vs that the word of the Lord may haue free passage and bee glorified euen as it is with you and that we may be deliuered from vnreasonable and euill Men for all men haue not Faith It is the duty of all the godly to pray for the enlarging of the Gospell whereby the Kingdome of God is also enlarged Let vs be mindfull daily of this duty desiring of the Lord this grace that the Gospell may be freely preached and cheerfully receiued q Math. 9 38. that he would send forth labourers into his Vineyard and maintaine them against rauening Wolues that seeke to deuour them that he would blesse their labours and remoue all stumbling blockes out of their way that hee would giue them courage and constancy in discharging their duty vtterly remoue al hirelings and false teachers out of his Vineyard It is God that must thrust forth Labourers into his Haruest It is he that fitteth them to the worke It is he that blesseth them in the worke Let vs not therefore be wanting to our selues but pray to the Lord of the Haruest to send out able worke-men to gather the Corne into his Garner The cause why we are not furnished with such Teachers and if we bee furnished yet the worke doth not prosper vnder their hands is because we doe not aske for a blessing from God from whom euery good guift proceedeth Vse 4. Lastly this serueth as a great comfort both to the Pastors and people For seeing the Gospell shall haue his course let the Ministers boldly go forward in the discharge of their dutie and teach the people committed to their charge Let vs not feare the faces of Men. The word which we preach is the word of God who is able to maintaine it and make it mighty in our mouthes to cast downe hils and holds that lift vp themselues against it He is able to danut and dash in peeces all those that set themselues against it The worke is the Lords the Worke-men are the Lordes the blessing and successe is the Lords and they that striue against it fight against the Lorde Let vs comfort our selues in these thinges against all the disgraces and reproaches of the World And concerning the Professors of this Gospell let this Minister comfort also vnto them that they builde not vpon the Sand or vppon a weake Foundation but their building standeth vpon a Rocke which shall neuer be remooued The Apostles comfort themselues and encourage one another r Acts 4 29. in the worke of the Ministery because they were assured that the word which they deliuered was no vaine word nor deceiueable Fable but the Gospell of Christ who chose them to the calling and sent them to the worke and strengthned them to stand and gaue them wisedome to conuince and confound all their Aduersaries Likewise Paule teacheth ſ Phil. 1 14. That many of the Brethren in the Lord were boldned through his bands to confesse and professe the truth of God We cannot fall except the word fall with vs nay except God fall with vs so long as wee stand fast in the Faith Wherefore howsoeuer others shrinke backe and make ship-wracke of a good conscience let vs hold out vnto the end and then wee shall be sure of eternall happinesse in the Heauens The occasion and argument of this Epistle Hitherto we haue handled the time when this Epistle was written and the place from whence it was written to wit when hee was in prison Now let vs consider the Argument thereof and the occasion whereof it was written The occasion of penning and writing this Epistle was double First generall for the instruction and direction of the whole Church in some necessary points of faith and obedience intreating most waightily and wisely of Iustice mercy mildnes meeknes moderation reconciliation Christian equity u Caluin vpon Philemon insomuch that he seems rather to respect the edification of the whole Church then to haue in hand the businesse of one poore and priuate man The speciall occasion was to intreat at Philemons hands to pardon his seruant that had offended him and to accept his subiection and submission vnto him This Phile. as it seemeth was a cittizen of Colosse x Hierom. in prolog Coloss Erasmus in hunc locum a citty scituate in Phrygia not far frō Laodicea whose seruant Onesimus committing either Theft in purloyning away his Maisters goods or some other great and grieuous crime as the manner of leud and euill Seruants is ran away from his M. as far as Rome being many hundred miles distant from Colosse where he supposed he should heare no more of him or if he did would not follow and pursue after him so far This Fugitiue and Runnagate Seruant false fingered and false hearted comming to Rome y Synop. Athana in hanc Epist was by the gratious prouidence of God brought where Paul the Apostle lay bound in prison and hearing him among others preaching the Gospel of Christ to Remission of sins to all
that repent had his hart opened and was by Gods blessing conuerted to the Faith became a sound and sincere Christian and performed sundry duties of loue to Paul ministring continually vnto him in the time of his Captiuity as a dutifull Sonne to his spirituall Father But after the Apostle vnderstood that hee was another Mans Seruaunt and belonged vnto him as it were a part of his possession though he found him in his distressed and afflicted estate very profitable comfortable and necessary vnto him yet he would not detaine him from his Mayster to whom by the Word of God by the light of Nature and by the Law of all Nations he appertained Hence it is that hee sent him backe againe to his Maister with this Epistle in which the Apostle dooth by force of reasons and vehemency of words vrge Philemon to entertaine and retaine with him his fugitiue and offensiue Seruant but now greatly altered and throughly changed by the power of Gods word z Psal 19. 7. Which conuerteth the Soule and giueth wisedome vnto the simple as the Prophet teacheth vs. The vses of the former Argument of this Epistle Thus we see how Paule intreateth and obtaineth pardon for Onesimus a Seruant that was conuerted by the preaching of the Apostle which offereth vnto vs diuers good and profitable vses Vse 1. First we see that Christ Iesus reiecteth none that come vnto him how base and simple soeuer they be All such as repent and beleeue the Gospell whether Maisters or Seruants high or low rich or poore are accepted of him who is Lord of all and with whom is no respect of persons A notable comfort to all of low place and meane condition to consider with themselues that howsoeuer the men of this World haue many times no respect vnto them yet they are deare to God and regarded of him who openeth to them the doore of saluation and reserueth for them a Crowne of righteousnesse He appointeth his Word and Sacraments for them as well as for others and hence it is that for the most part the poore receiue the Gospell a Gal. 3 28. There is neither Iew nor Graecian there is neither bond nor free there is neither Male nor Female for ye are all one in Christ Iesus Vse 2. Secondly this instructeth vs not to contemne or despise any how vile soeuer they may seeme in our eyes but to be carefull for their good and to further their conuersion b Mat 18 10. according to the counsell of Christ our Sauiour Math. 18. 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 Many are basely and badly thought off in this World who are in great price and estimation with GOD. Many are wronged and oppressed of Men of whom the high God of Heauen taketh care and charge We are ready to respect the outward face and person of Men but he regardeth the heart God the Father loueth them woe therefore to them that hate them Christ Iesus came to saue and redeeme them woe therefore to all them that seeke to hurt and destroy them It pleaseth God oftentimes to call the Seruant and to let the Maister alone suffering him to perrish in his sinnes This is the cause that the blessed Virgine magnifieth the Lord and that her Spirit reioyceth in God her Sauiour c Luke 1. 52 53. Because he looked on the poore degree of his Seruaunt and had doone great thinges for her Hee pulleth downe the mightie from their Seates and exalteth them of low degree He filleth the hungry with good things and sendeth away the Rich empty Vse 3. Thirdly we learne that no man ought vnder any colour of Religion and pretence of godlinesse to keepe away other mens Seruants from their owne Maisters Paule found the Seruant of Onesimus faithfull to helpe him and forward to Minister vnto him yea he might be bold with Philemon his Mayster yet he would not detaine him with him without his allowance and approbation The Gospell then doth not destroy and disanull the diuers degrees and orders established in the World but rather confirmeth and strengthneth them It alloweth not the Seruant to resist and rise vp against the Maister although hee should be a beleeuer and his Maister an vnbeleeuer or he be a beleeuer as well as his Maister and in knowledge of godlinesse be equall vnto him but teacheth him to obey for conscience sake d 1 Tim. 6 1 2. and to Count his Maister worthy of all honour that the Name of God and his Doctrine be not euill spoken of And they which haue beleeuing Maisters let them not despise them because they are Brethren but rather do seruice because they are faithfull and beloued and partakers of the benefit These things teach and exhort Vse 4. Fourthly we are to marke that the Lord requireth of vs to bee ready to forgiue and forget the wronges and iniuries that are done vnto vs. Let vs put from vs all rancor and mallice and not suffer the Sunne to goe downe vpon our wrath O how e Math. 18 27 great is the mercy of God toward vs How great is our debt toward him Let vs put on the bowels of pitty and compassion forbearing one another and forgiuing one another f Col. 3 13. If any Man haue a quarrell vnto another euen as Christ forgaue euen so doe ye If we come to any of the exercises of our Religion to heare the Word to receiue the Sacraments or to call vpon the Name of God if the Leauen of maliciousnesse haue infected our heartes the word of life is made the sauour of death the Sacraments are made Instruments of Wrath and our Prayers are turned into Sinne. We are taught in our Prayers to aske g Chrysost hom 1. in Philem. forgiuenesse at the hands of God as we our selues performe this duty toward our Brethren The promise of forgiuenesse is made to them that doe forgiue h Mark 11 25 When ye shall stand and pray forgiue if ye haue any thing against any man that your Father also which is in Heauen may forgiue you your trespasses For if ye will not forgiue your Father which is in Heauen will not pardon you your trespasses This accordeth with the precept of Christ Math. 5. If thou bring thy guift to the Altar and there remembrest that thy Brother hath ought against thee i Math. 5 24. Leaue there thine offering before the Altar and goe thy way first be reconciled to thy Brother and then come and offer thy guift If we desire As new borne Babes the sincere Milke of the word that we may grow thereby k 1 Pet. 2 1 2. We must lay aside all maliciousnesse and all guile and dissimulation and enuy and all euill speaking If we would be
but the Labourers are few pray ye therefore the Lord of the Haruest to thrust forth Labourers into his Haruest Where we see he calleth the Ministers of the Gospell Labourers in the Haruest-fielde and gatherers of the Lords Corne. We see what great paines men take in Haruest and how necessary Labourers are when the Corne is ripe and ready to be reaped The Apostle Paule speaking of himselfe and the rest of the Apostles saith q 1 Cor. 3 9. We together are Gods Labourers And in another place r 1 Tim. 5 17 The Elders that rule well is worthy of double honour specially they which labour in the word and doctrine Heerevnto agreeth that which he writeth in another Epistle Å¿ 2 Tim. 2 15. Study to shewe thy selfe approued vnto God a worke-man that needeth not to be ashamed diuiding the word of truth aright All these testimonies teach vs this truth that the office of the Ministery is not so much a dignity as it implyeth a duty it is not onely an honour but a burthen it is not onely a Title of renowne but a work of labour Reason 1. This will better appeare if wee marke the Reasons following First the ordinance of God appointeth that euery calling should eate their Bread in t Gen. 3 19. the sweate of their browes that is should be industrious and painefull in their seuerall vocations whether it be in bodily or in spirituall labour The bodily calling requireth bodily labour the spirituall calling requireth spirituall labour Idlenesse and negligence in any u Ier. 48 10. worke of the Lord is accursed An idle hearer that ioyneth not practise is abhominable a loose and carelesse professor that addeth not obedience is a bad professor Reason 2. Secondly the Ministers of God fight the Lords spirituall battels for vs by their prayers care watchfulnesse faith and the whole Armour of God by opposing and setting themselues against Heritiques Atheists Worldlinges Schismatiques Wicked men and all thinges that exalr themselues against God Is not this a great worke of great labour to resist the budding and growing of so many sinnes as daily rise vp as men that striue with the whole Earth To labour in study in word in doctrine in zeale in watching According to that which the Apostle saith x 2 Cor. 11 27 28. I was often in wearinesse and painefulnesse in watching often besides the things which are outward I am combred daily and haue the care of all the Churches who is weake and I am not weake Who is offended and I burne not How did Moses fight in prayer y Exod. 32 31 and labour in zeale for the people of Israell when hee stood in the gap and stopped the wrath of God that was kindled against them If then we would reason from the generall to the speciall waying the purpose and appointment of God who hath annexed labour to euery calling or consider that the Ministers of the word are the Souldiers of God to fight his battels against sinne and sinfull men in both respects we may conclude that the calling of the ministery is an office of great necessity and of much labour Vse 1. This doctrine teacheth vs and offereth vnto vs diuers Vses First let vs learne to acknowledge the worke of the Ministry to bee a worke of great diligence painefulnesse and labour if it be performed as it ought to be We must keepe backe z Act. 20 27 28. nothing from the people but shew vnto them the whole counsell of God We must lay the Foundation of Religion among them and build constantly vpon it which cannot be done without faithfulnesse If wee take heede to our selues and to all the flocke whereof the holy Ghost hath made vs Ouer-seers to feede the Church of God which hee hath purchased with his owne bloud we shall find our function to be full of labour and sweating to receiue much euill intreating and hard entertainement heere in this World The Apostle teaching the duty of the hearers toward their Ministers saith a 1 Cor. 3 1 2. Let a man so thinke of vs as of the Ministers of Christ and disposers of the secrets of God and as for the the rest it is required of the Disposers that euery Man be found faithfull So he teacheth in another place b 1 Tim. 3 1. This is a true saying If any Man desire the office of a Bishop he desireth a worthy worke Where he sheweth indeede that the calling is a worthy calling but it requireth also worthy labouring This will farther appeare vnto vs if we consider the Titles that are giuen vnto them They are called Builders that are continually busie in building hewing tough Timber and squaring rough stones No Timber no Stones of themselues so vnfit for building as we are by Nature to be coupled together and to grow vnto an holy Temple in the Lord. They are called Souldiers they are alwaies fighting or looking for their enemies and drawing out the Sword of the Spirit c Ephe. 6 17. which is the word of God Is any calling vnder Heauen more necessary then the profession of a Souldier in time of danger And when an assault is made or the battels ioyne is any profession more painefull Sometimes they are called Husband-men Is not the life of the Husband-man a painefull life and is not the ending of one worke the beginning of another Doth not euery season of the yeare bring his seuerall trauell So that no calling is accompanied with more labour and lesse ease Sometimes they are called Watch-men who stand continually on their watch Tower to discry the comming and approaching of the Enemy Sometimes they are called Shepheards abiding in the fielde and keeping watch by night ouer their flocke they are in the day consumed with heate and with Frost in the night and their sleepe departeth from their eyes Seeing therefore the Ministers aie builders of the Lordes house Souldiers in the Lordes Campe Husbandmen in the Lords fielde Watch-men in the Lordes Citty and Shepheardes ouer the Lordes flocke which hee hath redeemed with his precious blood we must all confesse that the Ministry of the word is a worke of great labour if it be discharged aright For this if wee know not by practise wee may see by experience that to study with constantnesse to meditate with earnesse to instruct with diligence to exhort with carefulnesse to reproue with zeale to comfort with cheerefulnesse to conuince with boldnesse to watch ouer the people with a godly d Heb. 13 17. ouer-sight as they that must giue accountes for their Soules to conceiue godly anger and great sorrow for sinne to pray in publike and priuate to goe in and out before the people of God in the doctrine of Faith and in example of life to prepare themselues to handle the word and to deliuer it with power and euidence of the spirit with earnest affections being thus prepared I say to performe all these duties
dooth more consume the inward parts wast the body impaire nature decay strength spend the vitall Spirits and cause them to be subiect to sundry infirmities sicknesses and diseases then any the strongest labour that is vsed among men For this we may obserue that the labours of the body though they bee great maintaine strength preserue the stomacke encrease the appetite and adde vigour to euery part but it is farre otherwise in the labours of the mind they weaken the naturall powers they wast the vitall Spirits and they decay the health of the body Hence it is that the Apostle giueth this precept to Timothy a Minister of the Gospell e 1 Tim. 5 23. Drinke no longer Water but vse a little Wine for thy stomackes sake and thine often infirmities declaring thereby that it often falleth out that the Ministers of the Gospell wich take paines in their callinges are feeble in body weake in strength sparing in dyet and subiect to diseases Vse 2. Secondly seeing the calling of a Minister requireth paines and labour it reprooueth those that be Idoll Shepheards dumme Dogges euill Beasts slow bellies not labourers but loyterers not worke-men but sleepers which make not the calling painefull but gainefull How many are there that enter into this waighty and worthy calling for their owne ease and to follow idlenes and pleasure How many to enrich themselues and to gather wealth The Prophet Esay f Esay 56 10 complaineth greatly of such in his time Chap. 56. 10. Their Watchmen are all blinde they haue no knowledge they are all dumbe Dogges they cannot barke they lye and sleepe and delight in sleeping Let all such consider the greatnesse and height of their excellent caling and remember the honourable Titles whereby they are called that so they may bee put in minde of their duties Let them g Pro. 27 23. be diligent according to the counsell of Salomon To know the State of their flocke and take heede to the heards for Riches remaine not alwaies nor the Crowne from generation to generation And howsoeuer many that possesse the places occupy the roomes and vsurpe the Titles of Pastors doe glory in their calling and account themselues sent of God yet so long as they loyter in the Lords Haruest and will take no paines to winne Soules to God they are but Idols h Psal 115 6 7 8. They haue eyes and see not they haue a mouth and speake not neither make they a sound with their throat they that make them are like vnto them so are all that trust in them True it is they can say somewhat for themselues and can alledge sundry reasons to maintaine their ease and idlenesse i Pro. 26 16. And the sluggard is wiser in his owne conceit then seauen men that can render a reason as appeareth in the example of the sloathfull Seruant who did hide his Maisters Talent notwithstanding if the diligence in their calling be not answerable to the dignity of their office they shall haue the reward of sluggards they shall haue the Talent and gifts which they haue receiued taken from them and the blood of those that perish through their negligence shall be required at their hands Againe it condemneth and conuinceth the senselesse opinion of vaine and vnthankfull men that cry out against the Ministers in euery place accounting their calling easie and themselues idle as liuing by the sweat of other mens browes and receiuing their meanes and maintenance without any manner of paines Albeit this obiection be indeede idle and deserue no answere and that it is in vaine to reason with the belly that hath no eares to heare nor hart to conceiue and albeit I stand in a slippery place because I should be censured to speake rather for our selues then for others and to respect more our owne gaine then the good of others yet somewhat must be said to this foolish and peeuish conceit Indeede I acknowledge freely some are vnprofitable drones that doe not gather but eate the Honny and some idle Shepheards that fleefe the sheepe but feede not the Flocke these I confesse haue their liuing come in easily who indeed deserue no liuing and because they wil not labour they should not eate and woe bee to them if in time they repent not But these men that obiect as before doe exclaime and cry out not against the abuses of the office or the slothfulnesse and negligence of men but against the calling it sefe contrary to the saying of Christ who teacheth k Math. 10. that the Labourer is worthy of his hire and the workeman of his meat and opposing themselues against the ordinance of God who hath appointed the Ministery to be maintained for as l 1 Cor. 9 13 14. they that Ministred at the Altar did liue of the Altar so God hath ordained that they which preach the Gospell should liue of the Gospell As these men are ignorant of this high ordinance of God so they seeme not to know themselues They are so blinde so brutish and blockish that they knowe not by any experience from themselues m There is a labour of the soule as well as of the body that men haue soules and that there is an immediate soule-labour farre greater then bodily labour and likewise a soule-suffering which they shall one day feele if they repent not many waies exceeding and surpassing bodily suffering or any torment that befals the body Remember with mee and consider a little though it bee in an higher degree the sorrow of the Soule that was vpon Christ in the Garden without any the least touch and visitation of the bodie whether it were painefull and laboursome or not n Luke 22 44 When it so heated and crushed him that it caused him to sweat droppes of blood that trickled downe to the ground Many diseases of the body are very painefull and hard to bee borne but the greefe and anguish and horror of the soule is a thousand times more painefull according to that which Salomon speaketh in the Prouerbs o Pro. 18 14. Chap. 18. The spirit of a Man will sustaine his infirmitie but a wounded spirit who can beare it Furthermore there is persecution p Whitae de apontif Rom. quaest 5. cap. 2. of the Soule as well as a persecution of the body and these two are distinguished and differing one from the other For when Tyrants persecute the Church and rage with fury against the Saints their faith is not shaken but Religion then flourisheth most of all as we see when Israell was in Aegipt The greatest slauery and slaughter is when mens soules are corrupted with false doctrine Lastly is the calling of a Prince of a Counsellour of a Noble-man an idle calling because they vse not bodily labour This is as if a man should say q Cicero de Senectute that the Gouernour of the Ship doth nothing in sayling because while some climbe the Masts other walke vpon the
He had compassion vpon them and shewed great loue toward them We see how Christ applyeth this to the Conscience of Peter e Iohn 21 15 16. willeth him to try his loue toward him by feeding his Sheepe and Lambes thereby assuring him that if he perswaded himselfe to loue Christ Iesus and yet was not carefull to teach his people he deceiued himselfe and lyed to the Holy-Ghost who would finde him out in his sinne This serueth to reproue sundry corruptions and to meete with many abuses in the Ministers that make them vnworthy of the name of Fathers and testifie that their hearts are empty of this vnfaigned loue that ought to bee in them towards Gods people whom they should affect as deare Children First f What Non-residency is it condemneth the wilfull and ordinary absence of the Pastor from his flocke that is committed to his care and charge whereby the duties of teaching and example of life in his owne person are neglected True it is there may iust and lawfull causes of the Pastors absence sometimes fall out so that the Church be not endamaged but as farre as is possible be sufficiently prouided for as sickenesse g Concil Mogunt Can. 25. August epist 138. Tripart hist lib 6. cap. 22. of body whereby he is restrained Church affayres whereby hee is hindered Persecution whereby he is enforced to flye Priuate affaires whereby he is necessarily constrained for a time to be absent but a wilfull long and continued Non-residency from that particular Congregation enioyned him to feed is euidently conuinced by many Reasons grounded vpon the word of God and the practise of the Church of Christ The Scriptures of the olde and new Testament do directly forbid it The Lord saith by his Prophet Esay h Esay 61 6. Ezek. 44 8. Zac. 11 16 17 I haue set Watchmen vpon the walles O Ierusalem which all the day and all the night continually shall not cease ye that are mindfull of the Lord keepe not silence and giue him no rest till he repaire and till he set vp Ierusalem the praise of the world The Prophet Ezekiell is plentifull in this argument who speaking of vnfaithfull Leuites saith Ye haue not kept the ordinances of mine holy things but you your selues haue set others to take the charge of my Sanctuary So the Prophet Zachary setteth downe this as a great iudgement of the Lord I will raise vp a Shepheard in the Land which shall not looke for the thnig that is lost nor seeke the tender Lambes nor heale that which is hurt nor feede that which standeth vppe but hee shall eate the flesh of the fat and teare their Clawes in peeces It is noted of Salomon i 1 Kings 6 10 1 Chro. 28 11 12 13 19. when hee builded the Temple to bee the place of preaching and Prayer which he did according to the word of God he also builded Houses and Chambers round about the Temple ioyned vnto it to teach the Priestes and Leuites that they should bee neere vnto their charges For this cause also it is expressed k 1 Sa. 1 9 12 That Eli the Priest of God sate at the doore of the Tabernacle to espy the manners and to aunswere the doubts of those that came and resorted vnto him And the Apostle Paul expressing the Priests function saith l 1 Cor. 9 13. They did minister about the holy things and did wait at the altar He m Prosedreuontes vseth a word of great force and strength that bindeth them to a continuall residency and sitting at their charge If wee come to the New Testament we shall see sundry directions importing and implying the Pastours presence with his people The Apostle speaking to the Elders of Ephesus n Act. 20. 28 29. saith Take heed vnto your selues and to all the Flocke whereof the holy Ghost hath made you Ouer-seers to feede the Church of God which he hath purchased with his owne bloud for I know this that after my departing shall grieuous Wolues enter in among you not sparing the Flocke The Apostle Peter likewise exhorteth the Elders o 1 Pet 5 2 3 Feede the Flocke of God which dependeth vpon you caring for it not by constraint but willingly not for filthy lucre but of a ready mind The Apostle to the Hebrewes warneth the Church p Heb. 1 3 17. To obey them that haue the ouer-sight of them and submit themselues for they watch for their Soules as they that must giue accounts It is a great wonder that negligent Pastors reading these places and considering these charges laid vpon their shoulders can so easily shake them off or so slightly passe them ouer or so soone forget them They may seeme more then sufficient to conuince them of want of loue of abundance of couetousnesse of excesse of idlenesse of hardnesse of heart of contempt of the word which they should teach to others A great and heauy iudgement of God is vpon them that can passe ouer this duty without feare and trembling that can see neyther the daunger of their owne soules nor the danger of the peoples Soules through want of instruction Againe the Titles giuen to the Ministers vnder the Gospell as also to the Prophets and Priestes vnder the Law doe vrge diligence faithfulnesse and carefull attendance and consequently the personall presence of the Pastor They are called q Ephe. 4 11. Shepheards r Ezek. 33. Watch-men Å¿ Luke 12 42. Stewards t Heb. 13 17. Captains u 1 Cor. 3 9. Builders x 2 Cor. 5 12. Embassadours and such like so that though they teach oftentimes by themselues and continually and constantly by others they are not excused The office of the Minister is set forth in the Picture of a Shepheard who by reason of the multitude of rauenous Wolus other hurtfull Beasts keepeth watch day and night ouer his flocke He is a Watch-man set in his Watch-Tower to discry the enemy and to giue warning of the danger He is a Steward to prouide for the Family and to giue them their portion of meat in due season He is a Captaine of the Lords Hoast to lead them into the obedience of godlinesse and to goe before them in example of life He is a Builder to frame them and fit them to be stones in the Lordes building He is an Ambassadour to deliuer the will of him that sent him and to speak being called as the words of God These comparisons as they serue to teach diligence and continuance in preaching so they are forcible to presse him to attend vpon his charge that attendeth vpon him Thirdly the Apostle speaking of the office of the Minister saith y 2 Cor. 2 16. Who is sufficient for these thinges When he hath done all he can and imployed himselfe to the vtmost of his power yet he shall come farre short of his duty how much more when hee is ordinarily absent from his charge