exhortation concerning all estates of men indifferently the last day as the Lord gaue grace wee entred into the speciall concerning Three states in a familie euery estate of men There are three estates in a familie The first is the husband and the wife The second estate is the parents and the children The third estate is the master and the seruants The last day we spake of the first estate concerning husbands and wiues now this day we haue to speake of the second estate to wit of parents and children The words are few yet as the Lord giues grace we shall weigh euery one and only shall set downe the doctrine properly as the words shall affoord The exhortation begins at the children the inferiour ranke as before it began at the wife I shewed you the last day the cause The estate of the inferiour is most hard to be borne withall therefore first hee directs his speech to the inferiour estate to instruct them that willingly they take vpon them that burthen which otherwise they must beare or els displease God To come to the words Children obey your parents The word childe in it owne language is common both to the manchild and to the womanchilde both are comprehended indifferently vnder the name of children and therefore this precept is directed indifferently to both The word if ye would marke the meaning of it signifieth him or her who are begotten What the word children meaneth and borne of those which are called parents yet in the second place it is directed to euery one which beares the name of sonnes and daughters whether they be daughters in law or sonnes in law Ruth as ye reade daughter in law to Naomi she tooke this precept to her she would not depart from her good mother and as you reade she promised obedience to her in all things Experience teacheth vs this day that there bee few like these two Then briefly this much for them to whom this precept is directed The next thing to be marked in the words is the dutie commaunded which is this Children obey this is the duty This duty of obediēce is a dutie y t pertaines to the whole man both soule and bodie it must come inwardly frō the hart and outwardly from the hand To let you see it better in the soule it is reuerence because thy parents be thy superiours they be not thine equals and therfore Obedience to parents thou art bound to reuerence thy parents as thy superiours for reuerence is nothing els but an acknowledging of thy superiours Next in the hart soule it is loue because thou art boūd to thy parents by nature and the band wherewith God hath bound thee to thy parents is loue Thou takest substance and being of thy parents al that thou hast in this world vnder God thou hast it of thy parents therefore the bond of nature binds thee to thy parents to loue them Thirdly this obedience in the soule and heart is thankfulnes for the manifold benefits receiued first by thy parents thou art not the beginner of liberalitie but thy parents they begin to be beneficiall to thee and therefore thou art bound to be thankfull vnto them And this much for the duties in the soule To come to the obedience in the bodie which is nothing els but an outward testification of all those things that are in Externall obedience to parents thy soule it stands first in a reuerent speech Secondly in obeying the commaund of thy parents And thirdly in compensation of the benefits receiued of thy parents I reade in the first Epistle to Timothie chap. 5. vers 4. he makes mention especially of the last Let children saith he learne to shew godlinesse first toward their owne familie beginning at their father their mother If thou be not godly to them thou canst not be godly to another And againe vers 3. Thou that wilt not prouide for thy familie art worse then an Infidell Thou that wilt not prouide for thy father and mother thou hast no faith Well ye who are children learne of Ioseph what hee did to his father and brethren It is said he fed them he fed his old father and put meate in his mouth but thou wilt wring it out of their mouth if they haue but one mouthfull Yea if thou haue wealth and they be in pouertie thou wilt not know them nor help them but wilt begin to be ashamed af them Thou wilt not let them come within thy doores and if they come at any time to thine house to be eased thou accounts so lightly of them that thou canst not abide their presence at thy boord or in thy hall but away with them to the chimney corner O villaine thou art vnworthie to be called a sonne and as an vnthankfull bodie thou shalt finde thy reward to be worse then the reward of the worst Infidell in the world Know ye not this to be true yea some children when they come to yeares will wring all from their parents and send them to beg their meate O Scotland thou hast many such children within thee but woe yea double and treble woe be vpon them for euer Then the dutie commaunded is obedience and this commaundement lets vs see how naturally children are inclined to disobedience God Children naturally inclined to disobediēce bound thee in the creation to obedience and now the world is so degenerate that there is nothing to be found in children for the most part but contempt and disobedience euery way O the malicious lowne will not be so despitefull to any as to his parents So this commaundement lets thee see the stubborne nature of children against their parents O but if this commandement enforce thee not to doe thy dutie to thy parents thou shalt be reserued in bonds to thine eternall damnation But to goe forward to whom should this obedience bee shewed Obey saith he Whom not euery one but thy parents him and her that haue begotten thee and borne thee of whom thou hast thy being and all that thou hast vnder God that is the force of the word So in the word there lurkes a forcible argument from nature Vnnaturall bodie will not nature moue thee art thou vnnaturall thou art vngodly to God For thou who breakest the bond of nature thou breakest the bond of pietie So the argument is from nature It is wonderfull to see how Ethnicks children moued by the light of nature haue obeyed their parents There was a law made among the Athenians that the child should feede the old parent or els be bound in fetters so long as hee liued If this law were in Scotland I thinke there should bee many children bound in fetters yea so many as there could be fetters made for them Well wilt thou goe to the beasts they may shame thee thou maist reade of their gratitude to their parents as for thee they may cal thee very wel mother-curse and malison If nature hath
been so forcible in Ethnicks Pagans and brute beasts shall grace doe nothing in thee Wilt thou say thou standest in grace and then wilt not doe the thing that nature requires of thee It is shame to thee to stand vp and say with a brasen brow that thou stands in grace when nature hath no force in thee Thou liest thou hast nothing to doe with grace for that thou hast lost euen thy naturall affection The next thing lets children sâ—â— in what thing they should be obedient apparantly the word hath no exception Obey saith he in all things The word is either of one action and in it is required a perfect and whole obedieÌ„ce If thou wilt obey if it were but in action giue him whole obedience in doing of the same Some will goe to worke with grudging and glonshing the lowne will goe with a backward looke murmuring and whispering with a diuels pater noster This is but halfe obedience and thou shalt get no thankes for it therefore as thou wouldest haue thankes of God let thy obedience be voluntarie and cheerefull or els the Lord loues thee not Or this may be vnderstood of sundrie actions Obey in all things whatsoeuer You will aske Are the children bound in euery thing to obey Apparantly the Apostle meanes so Brethren there are three sorts of actions or things in the world the first that is Three sorts of actions plaine euill forbidden by God when it comes to that action obey him not when the father of heauen countermaunds obey not thine earthly father There is another sort that is good commaunded of God when thy father commands that thou art bound to doe it yea when he bids thee not thou oughtest to obey because God hath commaunded thee And if God and thy father commaund how darest thou disobey The third sort are indifferent actions that are neither bidden nor forbidden but may be done and not done according to circumstances which make them good or euill when thy parents commaunds thee to doe them thou oughtest to obey considering the circumstances yea thou art bound to obey thy parents euen in things that are grieuous to thee The Lord hath bound thee so streightly to thy parents that if the Lord countermand not thou art bound to obey him I say euen in that that is grieuous vnto thee And briefly these are the things in the which obedience is to be done to earthly parents Now followes the argument to moue them to this obedience for saith he that is well pleasing to the Lord he likes well of it for in obeying them thou pleasest not so much them as the Lord Iesus who lookes vpon the inward disposition of the heart Well are they that can please the Lord set thy heart to please him for there is no ioy but when the heart thinkes True ioy that the thing that it doth pleaseth God Wherefore is it pleasing to him There is nothing pleasing to him but that that is iust the iust Lord likes nothing but that that is iust Therefore Ephes chap. 6. vers 1. hee said Children obey your parents in the Lord for this is right or iust Wherefore is it iust because hee hath said it is according to a law and this is the law Honour thy father and thy mother But the word hath further It is well pleasing that is exceeding pleasing and acceptable in an high degree The Lord hath declared this that this obedience to the parents is not only pleasing but in a high sort it likes him wel Looke in the order of the Commandements begins he not in the second table at this Commaundement Honour thy father and mother to serue them that is the next commaundement of seruice he commaunds to be done after him thou art bounden to thy earthly father and more he hath declared that it is pleasing by that promise that is added to that commaundement That thy daies may be long in the land c. So this promise lets thee see that there is not a dutie vnder his owne worship more acceptable to him then this dutie to parents is and if To please parents is a dutie very acceptable vnto God thou omit that dutie and dishonour thy parents although thou shouldest giue to others all thy goods thou shalt neuer doe any thing pleasing vnto the Lord. Well you that are disobedient to pareÌ„ts the Lord shall lay to your charge the breach of the whole law This argument hath an higher ground before it moue children to doe this dutie first of all they must know the Lord Iesus they must studie to please him and then knowing him and studying to please him out of question they will be obedient to their parents Because my heart is set to please the Lord therefore I will obey my father And therefore you that are parents take your lesson As you would haue your children obey you for the Lords sake so traine them vp in the Lord. Tell them what the Lord is and what hee hath done for them and what they are indebted to the Lord. If you Education omit this to instruct them of the iust iudgement of God it may come to passe that thine owne childe may be thy greatest enemie So woe to thee that wilt not let thy sonne know the Lord Iesus Now you see this argument What if the child obey he hath here a faire offer if you obey you doe that is acceptable to God as by the contrarie if thou disobey thou displeasest not so much thy earthly father as thou displeasest God And thinkest thou that thou shalt doe that vnpunished Thy earthly parents cannot get an amends of thee but thou canst not passe away and eschue Gods iudgements Reade you not of the punishment threatned Exod. 21 It is commaunded that the disobedient to parents should bee stoned to death Deut. 27. Among the rest of the curses he that curseth his parents hath a speciall curse and what is this curse is this curse in hell euerlasting damnation Is there no more Prou. 30. vers 17. The eye that mockes the father as there be many lownes that mocke their father and despiseth the instruction of his mother let the Rauens of the valley picke it out and the young Eagles eate it Would you haue an example Reade of Cham the Scripture tels you what an eternall curse he and his posteritie got Reade you not of the curse of Absolon and of Abimelech Iudg. 9. he slew all the lawfull sonnes of Gedeon but the Lord reuenged it We haue no neede to goe to farre examples see we not daily examples of the iudgements of God vpon disobedient children to their parents Thus farre for the dutie of Children Now followeth the dutie of the parents Fathers saith the Apostle prouoke not your children to anger the reason least they be discouraged This commaundement to parents lets you see euen as the children may faile in doing of their dutie to their Duties of parents to children parents so parents may faile in their dutie to their children albeit the failing of the one be not so common as the other for the loue of the father is more entire to the child then is the loue of the child to the father and therefore his failing wil not be so oft nor yet so great And the parent that
in Christ Iesus To whom with the Father and the holy Spirit be all praise now and for euer Amen THE XXXIIII LECTVRE VPON THE EPISTLE OF PAVL to the Colossians COLOS. Chap. 3. vers 22. 23. 24. 25. and Chap. 4. vers 1. 22 Seruants be obndient vnto them that are your masters according to the flesh in all things not with eye seruice as men pleasers but in singlenes of heart fearing God 23 And what soeuer ye doe doe it heartily as to the Lord and not vnto men 24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receiue the reward of the inheritance for ye serue the Lord Christ 25 But he that doth wrong shall receiue for the wrong that hee hath done and there is no respect of persons 1 Ye masters doe vnto your seruants that which is iust and equall knowing that ye also haue a master in heauen THese last daies welbeloued brethren we entred into the particular precepts exhortations concerning particular estates of men and women And first we spake of the dutie of wiues to their husbands and againe of the dutie of husbands to their wiues Next we spake of the dutie of children to their parents and againe of the dutie of parents to their children Now the last estate in a familie is the estate of masters and seruants Therefore wee haue to speake of the dutie of the seruant to the master and againe of the master to the seruant because there is a mutual dutie required and they are so bound the one to the other that they cannot be separate To come then to the words There is one precept giuen to seruants Seruants saith he obey your masters Then after hee insists vpon this obedience and describes it largely First hee sets downe the matter of it in what things they should obey Secondly he comes to the forme of obedience and describeth it Thirdly he goes to the fountaine and ground of all dutie which is the heart Then lastly to moue seruants to this obedience hee brings in two arguments The first is for that rich is the reward in heauen And the second is for that recompence that God shall giue to masters who doe not their dutie to their seruants To the words Seruants saith hee In these daies when the Apostle directed this precept properly here by seruants is vnderstood such as were in a hard estate slaues bought and sold like beasts ouer whom the masters had power Seruants in the Apostles time permitted by lawes to slay and saue them as ouer beasts so their estate was hard and heauie Secondly you must vnderstand they were seruants conuerted to Christ and their estate in that case was blessed Thirdly they were for the most part such as had to their masters Infidels not yet conuerted to the faith of Iesus Christ and so were the more rigorous For oh the crueltie of the Infidell ouer the Christian Now in respect of their estate hearing of the libertie of the Gospell they mistooke it and began to think that Christ and his Gospell came to destroy policie and lawes that binds vp Common-weales And therefore many of them began to turne grace into wantonnes and began to leaue their masters thinking that the Gospel made an equalitie of persons as the Anabaptists teach at this day Therefore the Apostle perceiuing this hee directs this precept to them recommending obedience notwithstanding of the Gospell Thou art a brother and a sister and yet a seruant therefore obey Now howbeit properly and in the first roome this precept bee directed to seruants that were slaues bought and sold yet it is extended also to all kinde of seruants It pertaines to you as well as to them Come to the next what is commaunded them The dutie is obedience Obey saith he Hee that is a seruant should not rule but obey The whole dutie of the inferiour to the superiour is called in one word Honour so the Lord termes it And it hath two speciall parts First reuerence in words The inferiour is bound to reuerence the superiour in his talke The second Honour hath two parts part is obedience in deede he is bound not onely to reuerence him in words but also to obey that hee commaunds Both these must begin at the heart otherwise thy reuerence and obedience auailes not Now the Apostle especially insists vpon obedience The dutie recommended to children is obedience and the like is recommended here because of the two duties obedience is the hardest It is an easie thing to doe curtesie to thy master to put off thy cap and becke but here is al the grauitie and weight of the matter to obey This the Apostle considering he stickes most on it howbeit vnder it all poynts of dutie be comprehended This for the dutie Now followes the persons to whom it appertaines Obey Whom not euery one but your Lords and masters Those that God hath set ouer you It pleases him to make thē superiours you inferiours therefore obey them Yea the name it selfe containes an argument to moue thee to do thy dutie he is thy Lord and master and thou shouldest thinke with thy selfe he is my master therefore I should obey I am bound to doe it Let euery soule saith Paul be subiect to the superiour powers There is the commandement The words that follow be to the consolation of Rom. 13. 1 the seruant your master saith he but how according to the flesh That is according to things bodily not according to the spirit and soule This is thy comfort that art a seruant there is no master that is set ouer thy soule no not a King is set ouer thy soule to sit on thy conscience for that were an absolute power that commaunds as well the soule as the bodie Now brethren there is not a Lord that may commaund so but onely the Lord of heauen and earth that is none that hath an absolute power but onely the Lord Iesus Christ It is shame to Christ the only Lord of the conscience the Monarch to take this name to him It is a blasphemie and a derogation to the name of Iesus no there is none hath power ouer my conscience or thine but onely he So if ye marke narrowly ye may see that as there is one thing commaunded so there is another thing forbidden them Obey them in thy bodie though it were to suffer iniurie but as for thy soule and conscience it is forbidden thee to subiect it to their appetite if thou doe it thou bereaues Christ of his right Therefore Galath 5. it is said be not made the seruants of men if thou doe it thou makes thy selfe a slaue to the foule appetite of flesh and bloud To be short there be two vices in seruice and obediēce that is done to the superiour whatsoeuer which should be eschued Two vices in seruice to be eschued and they are both in extremities and betwixt them there is a gracious vertue The one is when the subiect refuseth obedience in
nature of men they cannot beare superioritie make thee a King thou shalt be a slaue to thy affections So it is profitable to them to be threatned that they may keepe them within the bounds of their dutie And I say they that would euer giue them faire words they are but flatterers and if they would haue them wracked or vndone let them euer speake faire to them Therefore let the Gospell haue it owne freedome Binde men as yee will but binde not the word if thou binde the Gospell O the band thou shalt finde in that day Let euery man be contained within a dutie to other that we may be partakers of the eternall kingdome where there is onely true libertie in Iesus Christ To whom with the Father and the holy Spirit be all honor and glorie now and for euer Amen THE XXXV LECTVRE VPON THE EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE Colossians COLOS. Chap. 4. vers 2. 3. 4. 2 Continue in prayer watch in the same with thanke sgiuing 3 Praying for vs that God may open vnto vs the doore of vtterance to speake the mysterie of Christ wherfore I am also in bands 4 That I may vtter it as it becommeth me to speake WE heard brethren the last day as God gaue the grace certaine speciall precepts of manners that were directed to particular estates of men as to Husbands and Wiues Parents and Children Masters and Seruants now in this text we returne to the generall exhortations that generally concernes euery estate in this world whereof the first set downe here is concerning prayer which is a common dutie that euery one that is borne oweth to God in Iesus Christ To come to the words Continue in prayer be instant in Prayer a common dutie prayer pray continually all is one thing To speake of prayer because it is a common place I will not insist but only so farre as the text will furnish me for the matter is ample and therefore I will bound me within the text As for the causes and necessitie of praier I need not to speake much ye know the Lord giues a commaundement that we should pray and that in the name of Iesus Christ and if there were no more but this it is a Motiues to prayer cause sufficient to moue thee to pray The Lord commaunds thee But there is more to wit a promise the Lord hath promised 1. Charge 2. Promise to euery one that prayeth in faith Aske and ye shall receiue Luk. 11. c. this promise may allure the heart of euery one to pray There is yet more who is he that feeles not the necessitie 3. Necessitie and wants that be in euery one of vs so long as we liue who is he that hath so much that he needes no more Yea though he were a Monarch hath he such sufficiencie that he needs not to seeke more at God Besides this there be such riches plentie and aboundance in God through Iesus Christ that it is able to fill vp all the wants that be in vs. Therefore the very 4. Gods riches riches that be in him should driue vs to desire a portion of that fulnes which is in him But brethren to leaue this and to come to the words If there were no more but this that wee are commaunded to pray it is a sufficient argument to euery one to assure them that there is no merit in vs. Wee deserue nothing of God but all that wee get we get it of free mercie and grace and that in Iesus Christ If thou come on with a deseruing and a merit of thy righteousnes thou shalt neuer get mercie I seclude thee from God for what is praying but begging not of worthines but of the mercie of God in Iesus Christ And when thou hast done all say fie on my workes and aske mercie for that bloud of Iesus Christs sake In the text there be two qualities of prayer set downe The first is an instātnes without tyring The second is watchfulnes Two things in prayer first constancie secondly watchfulnes For he who praieth should not be a sleeper but watchfull both night and day To come then to the first hee saith Be instant perseuer continue all is one thing The thing that he requires is perseuerance ardentnes continuance I neede not to insist vpon the causes of this Needest thou not continually Findest thou not that there is not an houre wherein thou wantest not either things heauenly or earthly if thou wantest not earthly indeede it may be that thou knowest not the want of heauenly things but woe is that soule that findeth not the want of heauenly food and so if thou needest continually why should not thy prayer be continuall for it is prayer that supplies that want Moreouer there is none of you but ye finde this by experience God will not heare a man at the first but crie as thou wilt he will not seeme to heare he will seeme to haue a Luk. 18. 1. 2. 3 deafe eare and all to this end that thou shouldest perseuere in prayer For hee hath pleasure to trie thy patience faith and prayer which is the best exercise And so supposing that thou get not that that thou askest yet if thou get perseuerance Perseuerance Whatsoeuer thou gettest without prayer is but stolen and an argument of wrath thou gettest a greater gift then if thou hadst that that thou askedst at the first yea if thou get all the world without prayer for all is giuen in wrath if he should aduance thee to a kingdome it is but a bait to thy damnation except thou get a heart to pray and to continue in prayer Of all graces a spirituall grace is best a little bit of regeneration is better then all the kingdomes in the earth howbeit thou set light by it now yet when thou art driuen to the vtmost point or at the last gaspe thou wouldest giue all the world to haue a bit of it There is the first qualitie in prayer perseuerance The second is watchfulnes watching in it Watchfulnes is feruencie in prayer when not the bodie onely but when the soule and all the affections are waking and bent to heauen when the Spirit is instant with God in Iesus Christ It is opposed to this coldnes that ouergoes vs all Our prayer is in sleeping and when we are sleeping we are praying and so comes out a cold prayer out of a cold heart and it is opposed to this sluggishnes and deadnes in prayer with yawning and gaping halfe sleeping and halfe waking Alas our necessitie requires another earnestnes it stands vs in the losing of heauen and shutting of vs in hell and damnation The diuell stands to catch vs if wee could see our danger and when thou thinkest thou art most sure he is busiest about thee if thou knew this thou wouldest watch better and wouldest seek more feruently to God to keepe thee But alas all are so blinded and all are
Lord Iesus I presse ye with experience foundest thou euer any true ioy in thy heart when thy hart eye was not on Christ No no there is no actiō if it were neuer so glorious that will minister ioy to thy heart except the eye heart be on Christ No if it were a Preacher if he haue not the eye of him on his Lord his speeches auailes not they will not comfort the soule of him Therefore haue euer thy eye vpon this Lord Iesus as euer thou wouldest haue pleasure and ioy in thy heart and benefit to thy selfe in the Lord Iesus To whom with the Father and blessed Spirit be all honour and praise for euer Amen THE XXXII LECTVRE VPON THE EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE Colossians COLOS. Chap. 3. vers 18. 19. 18 Wiues submit your selues vnto your husbands as is comely in the Lord. 19 Husbands loue your wiues and be not bitter vnto them IN the text preceding the exhortation hath been generall to wit to mortification pertaining to euery estate in the world Now in this text he descends in particular to certaine speciall estates of men and women directing his exhortation particularly to them and namely to three estates The first is to husbands and wiues The second is to parents and children The third is to masters and seruants To come then to the purpose It is to be vnderstood that from the beginning of this world there hath euer been these three principall estates and ranks of men and women in the world The first is the estate of husbands and wiues for ye know Adam ere euer he had children he had his wife The next after Inequality in all estates this was the estate of parents and children and then by processe of time there became some masters and some seruants so that this is the last in order and time In these three estates all be not equall but there is an inequalitie some are superiours and some are inferiours The superiours he hath made to be Husbands Parents and Masters The inferiours he hath made to bee Wiues Children and Seruants For if all were equall no policie could stand nor order on the earth but a confusion The Lord who is onely wise knew this and therefore it pleased him to dispose the world after this manner so that a policie might be kept in it These being the three estates the Scripture hath chiefe respect to them and giues exhortations to these three In all he begins first at the inferiours as in this place he begins at the wiues and then comes to the husbands The cause of this is because the estate of the inferiours is hardest and therefore the spirit of God first informes the inferiours that they should take that burthen the Lord hath laid on them and that they should doe that which they doe willingly for I will not giue a peny for thy seruice and subiection if it be compelled for the subiection that is voluntarie is blessed whether it be by wife child or seruant otherwise all is nothing worth thou hast lost thy thankes But to come to the words First he saith Wiues submit your selues vnto your husbands Few words but pithie Note foure things In them ye shall marke foure things First that dutie that is required of maried wiues the dutie is subiection and obedience The second is to whom they owe this dutie not to euery one but to their owne husbands The third is the manner of subiection how it shall be done to wit in the Lord. The fourth is the argument to moue them and it is taken from that that is comely The dutie then is subiection let vs weigh it The first thing in it is obedience in deede and effect This is the first part of subiection as appeares in the first Epistle of Peter chap. 3. where the Apostle making mention of the ancient women brings in the example of Sara and there he defines that subiection Yet there is more in this subiection then simple obedience The obedience must haue ioyned with it honouring of thy husband in word As thou obeyest Subiection of wiues to the husbands and what required in it him indeede and effect so thou must honour him in word therefore in that same place it is said that Sara called her husband Lord. Yet there is more then all this there is feare and reuerence in the heart required that is the ground of all Paul Ephes 5. 33. speakes expresly of this Looke that the wife feare and reuerence her husband in heart So then there is this subiection in the whole parts thereof In deed it is obedience in word it is honouring of him in heart it is feare and reuerence Note So that wife which will be subiect to her husband must keepe these three points or else she faileth in subiection Come to the second to whom this subiection ought to be giuen not to euery one To your owne husbands This subiection is commaunded not to strange men but to your owne husbands The speciall kind of subiection wherein stands the dutie of the wife to the husband is not to be communicated with any other man It is true the male kind hath a preferment aboue the female it hath honour aboue the other Looke Paul 1. Tim. 2. 13. 14. where he giues two reasons of this preferment The first is from the creation Adam was first created and then Eue. The second is from the transgression the woman fell first and it is sure first in sinne last in honour Notwithstanding this wiues are not commaunded to doe this dutie to euery man but to their owne husbands If you will mark the words narrowly you shal perceiue there lurks an argument in them The argument is taken from their propertie they are your proper goods thou hast nothing so proper as thy husband and therefore seeing thy husband is thy proper good shouldest thou not doe a dutie to thy husband But I leaue this and I come to the manner The manner of this subiection is bounded In the Lord the Lord Iesus must be the rule of it But to consider the words Wiues be subiect to your husbands in the Lord The manner of the subiection in these two respects First when you are subiect to your husbands be first subiect to Iesus Christ obey him honour him there is the first dutie which is according to the law discharge thy dutie to God first otherwise thou art in a backward way Begin neuer then at a man though it were at a King to shew and giue thy subiection but begin first at God and subiect thy selfe first to him Secondly when thou hast done thy dutie to the Lord Iesus Christ then for the loue and pleasure and glorie of this Lord thou shouldest subiect thy selfe to thy husband I will giue thee my counsell let neuer wife be subiect to her husband but for the cause of Christ and not for thy husbands cause First if thou doe it so for the Lords
that my soule may rest in thee Now woe is that soule that knowes not God in Iesus Christ Ye shall not abide here euer therfore seeke to know this God with whom ye must liue foreuer He giues the reason why God should reuenge their cause and wrong done against them by pointing out the nature of God He is a Iudge not like the Iudges of this world They respect the persons of men this is the corruption With God there is no respect of persons of nature but as for this Iudge he respects no person he will not looke to thee who art a King more then to the begger When thou appearest before him come on with robe royall he will not regard thee no more then if thou appearedst in a beggers cloake Therefore looke to him now as thou wouldest see him when thou shalt appeare before his iudgement And there is none of vs but euen now we are before his tribunall howbeit wee see it not There is none of these outward conditions or degrees wee are all alike by nature but wee get sundrie degrees hee of a King and hee of a Lord and so foorth yet none of these outward qualities will be accepted before the Lord no not the outward calling of a Christian if thou haue no more A man may thinke this is a hard matter for all to stand before his tribunall without these outward qualities A King may say shall not my kingdome stand me in steed when I come before that tribunall And the Earle may say shal not my Earldome helpe me when I come before God And the rich man may say shall not my riches helpe me wherewith shall I cloathe me if I cloathe me not with these Now I answere indeed euery man hath this in his mouth I cannot come naked before God Indeede thou must not stand naked thy shame must be hid thou must haue a garment on thee thou must be arayed or els the wrath of the Iudge will deuoure thee Now what a garment shall I get It must bee a bloudie garment no siluer gold or precious stones couering thee from the crowne of thy head to the sole of thy foote yea thou must be died with bloud The high priest durst not enter into the Sanctuary for his life without bloud so on paine of thy life see that thou enter not into the presence of God without bloud Reade the Epistle to the Hebrues ye shall finde this that the high Priest of old durst neuer enter into the Sanctuary except first he had bin sprinkled with bloud and this was the bloud of Bullocks the figure of Iesus Christ So except thou appeare died ouer with the bloud of Iesus no standing for thee before God his tribunall If ye would then haue a garment seeke this garment neuer rest till thou get it And if thou appeare in this garment thou hast this aduantage howbeit thou be full of spots the Lord hath no eye to thy sinne but accepts of thee in that bloudy raiment and forgets all thy sin and thy actions are accepted in that bloud of Iesus But alas the want of the knowledge of sinne this dead conscience that lets vs not feele the weight and burthen A dead conscience of sinne is the cause why wee account not of this bloud of Iesus Now brethren there is a place in the sixt chapter to the Ephesians I would compare with this place recommending the dutie of masters in the ninth verse he vseth the same argument that is here he vseth it there as a terrible argument to the oppressors but heere he brings it in as a comfort to the oppressed Then shal an argument both be comfortable and terrible Yes Then marke the lesson That that is in God terrible to the proud and oppressors in the world the same thing to the poore oppressed ones that are Gods it is so sweete and comfortable as no tongue can tell The firie wrath of God that will terrifie the Kings of the world and which they are not able to looke on will be so comfortable as no tongue can tell to the poore sillie bodie that hee will creepe in vnder it and lurke there yea hee will seeke to the wrath of God to saue him from the wrath of the tyrants of the world So there is nothing in God but is comfortable to his children as by the contrarie there is nothing in him but the wicked abhorre it yea euen his mercie yea they would runne if it were foorth of the world to be out of his sight but they shall not escape Iob. 21. 22 his curse So then acquaint you with God and cloathe you with that garment that he may be comfortable euery way to you This much for the dutie of seruants Now we come to the dutie of masters which is set downe in Here begins the fourth chapter vers 1. the beginning of the fourth chapter Ye masters saith he doe vnto your seruants that which is iust and equall There is the precept The thing he requires is doing the word in the originall is giuing Giue them that which is iust as if hee would say Masters when ye haue commaunded and they haue obeyed meete them with a dutie giue them something This dutie is grounded partly on their poore estate they labour and wearie themselues for their hire so they craue giuing and partly it is grounded vpon the hardnes of masters for looke how faine the one would haue as faine would the other keepe The poore seruant would draw the master holds The Apostle comes in and saith Masters let your hold goe you are ouer holding let your hold goe Brethren ye heard before a faire promise of rewarde made to the seruants now what needes the Apostle considering that reward exhort the masters to giue something of this world which is nothing but dirt in respect of that that is promised and some might haue said so The Apostle answers They serue and obey thee here pining themselues in working for thee therefore thou who art a master must giue them their hire for that is a iust thing so to doe they are men like vnto thy selfe and must be sustained of these earthly things for their labours sake And so the lesson is heauen and heauenly inheritance preiudiceth not a man of his part in this world and worldly things and therefore thou scornest God who saiest thou hast an inheritance whereto shouldest thou haue my poore hire yea thou shouldest be rather moued to part thy pelfe to him if thou knew him to be an inheritour of heauen giue him the rather of thy goods of the earth for an inheritour of heauen is an inheritour of the earth and if thou withhold it from them woe to thee Well I see out of this place that the Lord hath his seruants here to whom he is offering that heauenly inheritance yet so that they should haue their part of this earth also The Minister hath his part of the earth and the
they remember their children whilest they are present with them onely Teachers are negligent or at leastwise short of their dutie if they remember their schollers onely whilest they are in the schoole with them The doctrine of the word is not easily receiued neither doth it quickly bring forth fruite Prayer is a worthie meane to helpe forward the one and the other specially the prayers of the pastor and teacher And if in other cases the prayers of a righteous man are much auaileable specially if they be feruent so saith S. Iames then the supplications of a godly and faithfull minister are likewise piercing Lastly obserue that the Apostle highly yea and as it were before others commendeth Epaphras to the Colossians and particularly for this that he was their minister and preached the Gospell vnto them yea and he giueth him this testimony that he had a certaine feruent affection and earnest desire towards them He doth the like vnto Timothie whom he purposed to send to the Philippians He doth in like manner commend Epaphroditus vnto them Phil. 1. 19. Obserue therefore I say and gather from hence that it is very necessarie that in any yea in euery particular congregation there shuld amongst all be a reuerend regard of the pastor that liueth and teacheth The Pastor of the Church should be reuerently esteemed in the same yea all should be well perswaded not onely generally of his honestie pietie faith charitie learning conscience and other graces necessarie and fit for the Ministerie but also of his singular affection and loue towards them yea specially of his desire and care to doe them good so that hee may as it were possesse the hearts of his people and haue them most strictly conioyned to him For so hee shall more easily bring them vnto Christ whilest they are willing and commit themselues to the faith and trust of their Pastor But where this perswasion is not of their Pastor his labour to amongst the flock though it be neuer so great good should do small good And therfore we may see that we are not only to pray as our Sauiour Christ teacheth vs Matth. 9. to pray the Lord of the haruest to thrust foorth workmen into the haruest but also to intreate him so to linke the hearts of the Pastor and the people together that the work of his glorie in them and their saluation may bee euery day more then other aduanced But where shall a man finde such people where shall he find such Pastors A man may goe from the East to the West from the North to the South and finde very few which should bee so farre off from discouraging vs from this dutie that it should prouoke vs more carefully to performe it And that I say to you I speake to mine owne heart Let vs therefore trauaile againe and againe with God to work such a mutual coniunction betwixt the Pastor and the flocke as his glorie may be daily aduanced thereby and the worke of eternall life furthered through Christ To whom with the Father and the holy Ghost be all power and praise with thanks and glorie now and for euermore Amen THE XLI LECTVRE VPON THE EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE Colossians COLOS. Chap. 4. vers 15 16 17 18. 15 Salute the brethren which are at Laodicea and Nymphas and the Church which is in his house 16 And when this Epistle shall be read among you cause that it be read also in the Church of the Laodiceans as that ye likewise reade the Epistle which was written from Laodicea 17 And say to Archippus Looke to this that thou fulfill the ministerie which thou hast receiued from the Lord. 18 The salutation by the hand of me Paul Remember my bands Grace be with you Amen THe first of these foure verses belongeth to the last treatie touching salutations And therefore we will deale with it by it selfe before we come to the other Hauing shewed before what worthie persons saluted them Now he intreateth the Church to salute and greete from him and them some others Those that are to be greeted are of two sorts First the brethren which are at Laodicea and the rather he intreateth this because hee would haue this Epistle read amongst them Secondly a certaine man named Nymphas together The members of the church specially to be regarded in our salutations with the Church that was in his house From whence wee may perceiue that amongst them of Laodicea he would only haue thē to be greeted that were brethren By which name he meaneth them that were sonnes of one father to wit God and adopted into that grace being ingraffed into Christ through faith The reason whereof is plaine because with them alone and with no other we are conioyned and as it were made one in Christ And as for salutations and greetings they are certaine meanes that God hath appointed to preserue and maintaine that vnitie and coniunction that the members of Christ haue among themselues Which howsoeuer as in respect of the bodie they are distinguished and separated one from another in this present life yet feele they here the communion of Saints and haue hope in their hearts of inseparable coniunction with their head Christ and with that whole holy bodie of the Saints in the life to come Another thing that we may learne hence is in the person of Nymphas who being the father of a familie or master of a household teacheth vs what is the dutie of such as be in that calling namely so to gouerne their families and households Parents and householders dutie and so to instruct them in the knowledge of Christ and saluation that they may be well inured with integritie of life and sanctimonie and so haue them particular congregations as it were famous and worthie commendation amongst all the godly for faith and holines But what man is he I will not say that striueth to this but that thinketh of it at the least carefully From whence it floweth that not onely people proceede to prophanenes but the Churches are not increased which cannot be till speciall families which make particular congregations be well and throughly reformed But wee will leaue this and proceed to that which followeth The two next verses containe in them the fift part of this fourth chapter And they doe containe in them certaine speciall points which he giueth in charge to the Colossians concerning partly their owne benefit and partly the good of the Laodiceans The first thing he chargeth them withall is that after this Epistle had been read among the Colossians themselues they would cause it to be read also in the Church of Laodicea From whence it should seeme we may well inferre that this Epistle was chiefly sent to the Gouernours and Elders of the Church and therfore the Apostle would first haue it read publikely in the Church of Colosse that it might be knowne and vnderstood of all the Saints there Next that he would haue the whole