truely religious hee will bring forth good workes True religion hath the true fruites of it to Iam. 1. 26. 3. 17. 27. keepe himselfe from the lusts of the world and to visite the sicke the fatherlesse and widdowes So that if hee bee a Saint he is holy if holy he is religious if hee loue not holinesse hee is not religious make what profession hee can though it be neuer so good From the Titles we come to the benefits desired He wisheth 1 Grace 2 Peace Grace the fountaine of all goodnesse is God and the graces of his children are as springes and fruites that proceed from the meere grace loue and fauour of God which fauour and grace of God the Apostle wisheth to them Doct. 1 So that here we learne that all good things whatsoeuer come from Gods grace and mercy alone For if by works then not by grace for then grace were Rom. 5. not grace Secondly he wisheth Peace viz. all things necessary for this life prosperity health c. as is the manner of the Hebrews in wishing peace to vnderstand all outward prosperity Doct. 2 Hee setteth grace before peace to teach vs first to seeke for the fauour of God and then to looke for the fruits of the fauour of God But we vsually doe cleane contrary for we seeke first the fruits of Gods grace for peace wealth prosperity c. and not care for the grace and loue of God But our looking for those things without hauing the loue of God is nothing He that hath all things hath nothing vnlesse he haue Gods fauour but hatred of God our gold no gold our peace no peace our loue of parents and of men hatred of God And better were it that wee had none of all these then to haue them without the loue of God â— CHRIST The Prophet when as two Kings came against Ahaz telling him hee should bee defended Isa 7. 2. from those Kings howsoeuer Ahaz was a wicked King would not beleeue it yet he tels him a signe 2. King 16. 2. 3. Isa 7. 14. and token of it that a Virgin should conceiue and beare a sonne c. Noting therby that all benefits whatsoeuer are from God in CHRIST alone And therefore if we seeke for any thing out of CHRIST wee seeke amisse and if wee desire any thing before the Note loue of God we do as harlots which loue the gifts better then the persons that giue them In that hee saith Grace and peace from God our Father and from the Lord IESVS CHRIST Hee there shutteth not out the Holy Ghost as though it came not as well Note from him as from the Father and from the Sonne For in the word grace the Holy Ghost is included seeing that grace is the gift of the Holy Ghost alone Doct. 3 We praise God viz. He Timothy Here consider that they giue thankes to God alone because all grace mercy both of eternall life and the comforts of this life come from him and therefore our petitions are to be made to him for them and praise to be rendred vnto him for enioying them Question Quest How can this be did he not preach eate and drinke and apply his occupation Answere Ans Here the Apostle meaneth that he kept a constant course of prayer for them And to the Thess he saith Pray without ceasing where as a man is bound to 1. Thess 5. 16. do his businesse in his calling also but the meaning is to keepe a constant course dayly of this duty Therefore the sacrifice in the Law which was done morning and euening is called a continuall sacrifice because of the continuall course of it so here he meaneth that daily so often as they pray they make mention of them in their prayers Doctrine The duty of all Christians to keepe daily a continuall course priuately in prayer More particularly the minister is to pray for his people not only in the Church but priuately at home as the Apostle here did And therfore we must not thinke our selues discharged of priuate prayer for publicke Which sheweth it is a dutie of all Christians as to pray in the Church so also to pray priuately in their families and also by themselues and therfore to set a time apart for that purpose Reasons of it are great Reasons of priuat praier first there is no man or woman of what state soeuer but they haue particular sins which euery one hath not For when they pray in the house they desire pardon of sinnes which are common to the house but I may haue committed a sinne the which they haue not and I may haue receaued particular blessings which others haue not and I haue need of some particular blessing in my place that others haue not need of And therefore it is necessarie that we should make a choise of some particular time wherein by our selues we may haue recourse to God Wee giue thankes whensoeuer he prayed he gaue thanks and for that he prayed he gaue thanks For howsoeuer there were great faultes in the Church Note yet he is thankfull for some good thing left them But such is the corruption of our dayes that howsoeuer we are most especially bound to this duty of thanks-giuing as being the duty of the Angels and that which after this life we shall only performe in heauen yet though both priuately publikly we wil peraduenture pray and aske still of God we are negligent in rendering thanks God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ whereby God is discerned from all other Gods In the Law he was deserned by the God of Abraham Isaac and Note Iacob but this is a more excellent difference which here the Apostle giues that our God is the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ not the God of the Turkes and Infidels c. Then is set forth the cause of his thanks Viz. for their loue and faith Quest Quest Why doth the Apostle giue thanks and prayeth for them which were called already Why doth he not rather pray for heathen and wicked men that ly groueling in their sinnes Answer we are bound indeed to pray for all But we 1. Tim. 2. 1. are more specially bound to loue and pray for those Gal. 6. 10. that are called already for as God shewes more tokens of his loue to a man so must I shew more and more tokens of it For howsoeuer Gods loue cannot increase yet the tokens of it increase but ours must increase as we see the tokens of Gods loue to increase towards any The degrees then of our loue and of our prayers towards others are that we are bound to pray for all but especially for those that are of â—he houshould of faith and amongst them for Ioseph viz. for those that are afflicted and amongst them that are in affliction we are especially to pray for those that suffer for the Gospell sake The end of the second
words and babbling for that will breed further brabling without end And yet answere him in his folly to stoppe his mouth meaning according as is most fit for to be answered vnto him least he be wise in his owne conceite Prou. 26. 5. Verse 7. 8. In this Text the Apostle sendeth these messengers to vnderstand the estate of the Church and to signifie their estate and further for mutuall comfort and to strengthen the Church he therefore sendeth these worthy men Tychicus and Onesimus Doctrine Heere we learne that it is a necessary duty for the Minister to know the estate of his Flock and for the Flocke to know the estate of the Minister For the Minister it is necessary that he know For as a good Shepeheard will know the estate of his Flocke so Prou. 27. 27. A simile ought the Minister of his spirituall charge that hee may accordingly lay forth vnto them his admonitions exhortations and may commend them in their wants vnto God The people are to vnderstand the state of the Minister Note not to the end to pry out his faultes to haue matter to accuse him as the custome is now but to the end they admonish him if hee bee faulty as after shall appeare in the end of this Epistle Secondly that if there be any such want they may the more commend their Minister vnto God to haue supply for their instruction So is the Minister also to do for the people And so is the duty of euery Christian to enquire of the state of the Churches and of the Ministers in all places to the end that for the good wee may bee thankfull vnto God for any euill we may be earnest vnto God in prayer Men for the end their Marchandize may prosper will bee inquisitiue of the state of the place and of A comparison the traffique Much more ought wee to bee of the Churches of God And therefore wee see an example in Nehemiah that when Embassadours came vnto Neh◠2s5s6 the King out of his Country hee was inquisitiue of their estate and went vnto the Lord in prayer in regard of their great afflictions So ought we to do Here also we see the great loue of the Apostle that parteth with Onesimus which as is in the Epistle to Verse 9. Philemon had bene vnthrifty but was now very profitable Philem. 11. vnto the Apostle and therefore writeth to Philemon that if hee would receiue him hee should yet hee was very profitable vnto him And notwithstanding he sendeth him to the Colossians and spareth him from himselfe which was much more to spare Tychicus which was a Minister Doctrine Whereby Ministers are taught to depart from their owne profit for the good of the Church After the Apostle sendeth salutations of diuers Verse 10. but of three especially Aristarchus Marke and Iesus to testifie their loue to the Colossians Doctrine Doct. The duty of Ministers is not to disgrace one another but to commend and praise the good things in their fellow Ministers to the Church that they may nourish and increase the good opinion which the Church hath of them to the furthering of their Ministeries These three hee especially commendeth to bee chiefly accounted of by them in regard of the things common to them all as namely they were of the circumcision being of the Iewes and yet continued constant vnto the truth Then that they were fellow-labourers with him in the Ministery and that they were very comfortable vnto him abiding and staying with in his persecution Particularly hee commendeth Aristarchus vnto them for that he was his fellow-prisoner susteyning the same bonds with him Iesus hee commendeth to be such a one as that by his godly conuersation had gotten this good report amongst the children of God that he was surnamed lust And Marke he commends for that hee was the sisters sonne of Barnabas a worthy man and an Apostle and therefore worthy to be acounted of by thē and well entertained if hee should come vnto them Where we may see what was the cause of the falling Note out of Paul and Barnabas was why Barnabas tooke Markes part when as Marke hauing fainted by the way by reason of the hot persecution Paul refused Act. 15. 39. 40. to take him with him whereas Barnabas was earnest to haue Marke But it seemeth that in the controuersy Barnabas was in fault in that the Church ioyned with Paul against Barnabas who as it is likely was too much carried away with affection How-be-it wee see heere that Marke hauing as wee may well gather confessed his fault and professed his repentance and reconciled himselfe to the Apostle Paul was receiued againe of him Note Where wee see the tender loue of the Apostle who vpon testimony of his repentance receiueth him and loueth him againe after that he had begun to slip start aside The end of the 30. Sermon The 31. Sermon COLOSS. 4. V. 12 to the end 12 Ephaphras the seruant of Christ which is one of you saluteth you and alwaies striueth for you in prayers that ye may stand perfect and full in all the will of God 13 For I beare him record that he hath a great zeale for you and for them of Laodicea and them of Hierapolis 14 Luke the beloued Physician greeteth you and Demas 15 Salute the brethren which are of Laodicea and Nymphas and the Church which is in his house 16 And when this Epistle is read of you cause that it be read in the Church of the Laodiceans also and that yee likewise reade the Epistle written from Laodicea 17 And say to Archippus Take heed to the ministery that thou hast receiued in the Lord that thou fulfill it 18 The salutation by the hand of me Paule Remembre my bands Grace by with you Amen WE haue entred vpon the salutations sent from Paule and from those that were at Rome with him to the Colossians And the Apostle doth here proceed in that matter as if he should say after this sort Ephaphras saluteth you betweene whom and you V. 12. The Metaphrase there is a speciall bond by reason whereof euen now absent from you yet hee is one of you and being as you know a worthy seruant of Christ in the Ministery of the Gospell whereby his prayes are more effectuall hee prayeth continually with great strife and earnestnesse for you that hauing entred into the holy profession of the Gospell you may stand and abide in it with daily encrease both in the knowledge and obedience of the whole will of God vntill such time as by death you shall be complet and perfect men in Christ For howsoeuer I am not priuy to his priuate praiers yet I dare be hold so to write because my selfe am witnesse how notwithstanding his absence hee burneth in much loue towards you and towards the brethren in Laodicea and Hierapolis the rather for your sakes which may either bee furthered by their
another to beare record So when Paul and Luke 10. 2. Acts 14. 12. Barnabas went together Paul spake and therefore they called him Mercury The end of the first Sermon The second Sermon COLOSS. CHAP. 1. VER 2. ad 6. 2 To them which are at Colosse Saints and faithfull brethren in CHRIST Grace bee with you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Iesus Christ 3 Wee giue thankes to God euen the Father of our Lord IESVS CHRIST alwaies praying for you 4 Since wee heard of your faith in CHRIST IESVS and of your loue towards all Saints 5 For the hope sake which is laid vp for you in heauen whereof ye haue haue heard before by the word of truth which is the Gospell BEFORE the Apostle commeth to the substance and point of the Epistle he doth wisely according to his manner draw attention to that he speaketh of And therfore thereis as it were a Preface of the Epistle vnto the 14. verse For as in a house which is stately built there is a Porch to enter in by so the Apostle in this stately building of his hath first a Preface set before to draw attention which he doth first from the authority of the Epistle which we haue heard drawne from his owne person Secondly in the person of Timothy Next from the testification of the loue hee did beare vnto them from this verse to the end of the Preface which he laboureth in as a Minister ought to testifie his affection towards them whereby the word might bee more louingly receiued and accepted willingly and carefully practised Doct. 1 Which should be a duty of all Ministers that the people may be perswaded of the Ministers loue towardes them and then they will bee more easily perswaded by the doctrine he teacheth and in this the Apostle laboureth in all his Epistles And by how much the more hee is to deale sharpely with them by so much the more he laboureth in this point to let them know that it is done in loue That the people may thinke they must be very reasonable persons if when they know whatsoeuer the Minister speaketh yea euen that the sharpe reproues of their Minister are done in loue for their good yet they do not accept it And therefore in the Prouerb it is said that the woundes of a friend are better Prouerb 27. thē the kisses of an enemy And he were barbarous or rather A fit similitude a mad-man that for some grieuous disease being prickt by the skilfull Chirurgion if he will flee vpon him and be reuenged of him so when the Ministers lanch the soares of their soules in the Ministery of the word what a barbarous rudenesse is it to fal out with the Minister for it c. His loue he testifieth 1. by a louing salutation then by testifying that hee daily prayed for them both thanking God and desiring all good things for them and he proueth his prayer in a forme of thanksgiuing petition for them which he setteth downe Of the persons saluting we haue heard the parties saluted are the Colossians described by two titles first title Saints secondly Faithfull brethren For the first they are called Saints for two causes one without themselues in CHRIST the other wrought within them by the spirit of CHRIST by the spirit of sanctification Doct. 2 All that haue the feare of God are Saintes because they haue the righteousnes of CHRIST which is in heauen without them his sufferings are accounted theirs his fulfilling of the law is theirs which is a greater righteousnesse then the Angels haue being the righteousnesse of God as the Apostle saith Againe they are righteous in that being iustifyed they are also sanctified and haue a beginning and a care and indeauour to walke holily vprightly and sincerely for in some measure there is knowledge especially in some measure there is in them a sanctified vnderstanding memory will and Rom. 6. 7. 8. affection and an indeauour to do the will of God Vse 1 This serueth to cōfute the Man of Romes blasphemy which wil haue none to be Saints but those that he canonizeth Vse 2 Againe this serueth to reproue vs which are so far frō this that we will not abide to make profession of holinesse For if it bee told many of their wretchednes they wil say they are no Saints so they may say indeed their liues testifie it He that hath not Rom. 6. the spirit of CHRIST is none of CHRISTS Vse 3 Thirdly this ought to serue as a bridle to withdraw vs from sinne and vnholinesse that when any filthinesse commeth into our hearts to wrong our profession c. we should examine our selues doth this become me which professe holinesse Example we haue in Nehemiah that hauing authority from the King to build the Temple when a false Prophet named Shemagah whom hee tooke to haue bene a true Prophet had bid him hide himselfe in the Nehem. 6. 10. house of God because that night he should be laid in waite for and slaine He considering that hee was the Prince of the people saith shal I do thus Is it not a shame for me c. Where the consideration of his authority did withdraw him from this shamefull and cowardly thing And ought not much more the consideration of our high estate in CHRITT that are Christians with-draw vs from sinne Ought not wee much more to be ashamed of it which is so shameful and abhominable a thing Are not wee Kings as it is said Priests in Christ shall not wee hereby be Reu. 1. 6. with-drawne from sinne then which nothing is more base If a Noble-mans sonne giue himselfe to base things vnfit for his estate wee will rebuke him for it as from a thing vnfit him and will say to him doth this become a Gentleman c. And seeing we can rebuke him why can we not much more rebuke our selues of our sinnes which are farre more detestable and vnseemely for the children of God Faithfull 1 religious which haue receiued the Title 2. truth of God and submit their soules vnto it this the Apostle exhorteth Timothy vnto So that in that he 1. Tim. 6. 11. 2. Tim. 1. 19. saith some had made shipwrack of faith it is not ment of iustifying faith but of religiō in a good cōscience for religion cannot abide to ly in a filthy conscience Doct. 3 These two go together for whosoeuer is a Saint is truely religious working holinesse in the sight of God for none can be holy before God vnlesse he be truly religious before God for a man cannot bring forth good fruite before he be a good tree and hee cannot vnlesse hee bee a new creature bring forth the effects of a new creature Now to bee as a good tree is to be truely religious for those gorgeous workes as building Colledges c. if they be not of religion they are euill So contrary if a man bee
Thus much for the taking away of the ceremonies by our Sauiour CHRIST The application of this doctrine to the Colossians followeth Doctrine Doct. The office of a good Minister is not onely The Ministers duty to deliuer the doctrine generally for then the Colossians had gone away without comfort but hee must apply it particularly And as it teacheth Ministers to deliuer and apply perticularly So the people are to learne that they must be content to heare of perticulars as of the generall for will they say let the Minister teach of adultery but let him not speake of me but Nathan said to Dauid Thou art the man 2. Sam. 12. 7. Let no man iudge you i If any man take this boldnesse to condemne you for eating of those things doing those things let it not grieue you The meates which were forbidden by the Law were those which did not chew the cud or which chewing it had not clouen feete c. But now by 1. Tim. 4. 5. Tit. 1. 15. Rom. 14. 20. the Gospell those things are left to our liberty for if the word of God do teach vs wee may eate it then wee are to eate it so it bee with thanks-giuing For now to the cleane all things are cleane And though this liberty be left vs which was bought by our Sauiour CHRIST yet it doth not take away authority from Magistrates for Nauigation or by reason of want to abstaine from some meates at certaine times in the yeare For the Feasts and new Moone In the new Moone the Lord had commanded in regard of the benefit which God gaue by the lights they should haue Feasts Sabaoths There were three great feasts in the yere First at Easter when came their corne in wherein God commanded them to celebrate a feast of thankfulnesse and therein was the Passeouer celebrated Pentecost was at that time of the yeare that the fruite of the Vines were gathered The third feast was of Tabernacles when all fruits were gathered in This is not meant of the Lords Sabaoths for it is Note said Sabots not Sabaoth Againe the Lords day was neuer no ceremony for it was before all ceremonies euen in the beginning of the world before there was need of CHRIST And therefore the Sabaoth day heere is not meant but it is yet to be kept wholly and holily vnto the Lord. Againe our Sauiour CHRIST prophecying of the things that should come to passe 40. yeares after his death willeth them to pray that their flight should not come as in Winter so not on the Sabaoth Math. 24 20. day whereby the Lords exercises should be hindred which might increase their griefe Last reason because these were shadowes and therfore to cease now the Body was come For our Sauiour CHRIST is the Body therfore what a madnesse Note is it in men that being desirous to looke vpon one had rather to looke vpon his shadow then vpon the person himselfe The end of the 18. Sermon The 19. Sermon COLLOSS 2. V. 18. 19. 18 Let no man at his pleasure beare rule ouer you by humblenesse of minde and worshipping of Angels aduancing himselfe in those things which he neuer saw rashly puft vp with his fleshly minde 19 And holdeth not the head whereof all the body furnished and knit together by ioints and hands increaseth with the increasing of God OF the false doctrine that the Colossians were bewitched withall and infected by false Teachers there were two kinds One which came of the inuentions of the braine and wits of men The other were those ceremonies which were once Gods ordinances enioyned by Moses as the ceremonies of the Law And first we haue heard how the Apostle hath confuted those errours which were concerning the maintaining the ceremonies of the Law Now he setteth himselfe to confute those errors which were of mens inuention As if he said Hauing spoken of the Elements of the world which are the ceremonies of the Law I come now to the vaine Philosophy I gaue you warning of Against the which obserue this rule First that you giue no man of what shew soeuer this power ouer you that for his owne lust in matters pertaining to God hee vsurpe authority howsoeuer the doctrine hee brings carry a shew of humility As for example those that teach the worship of Angels as meanes to come the more easily vnto CHRIST in which thing what do they else but thrust themselues into things which they neuer knew onely grounded vpon a proud conceite of their fleshly minde notwithstanding their great pretence of humility Which errour ought so much the more to bee abhorred as they that are infected with it doe not indeed whatsoeuer they do in word hold CHRIST fast which is the Head of his Church of whom the whole body as it were by ioints and bands being furnished Ephe. 4. and compact together is both nourished and increased with that increase which God both aloweth and is giuer off The summe is to condemne the doctrine of mens braines The parts are Against doctrines of mens braine namely the worshipping of Angels The reason against them The summe then is to set forth vnto vs how they ought to beware of the doctrine of men taught by mens owne heads as namely the doctrine of worshipping of Angels which is set for all others First of the errours which was among the Colossians which they were infected withall Secondly the reasons the Apostle vseth to ouerthrow knocke in peeces grind to powder this and all other such errours First for the worshipping of Angels wee are 1. to know that God onely is to bee worshipped that is with a religious kinde of honour and worship Indeed there is an honour and worship giuen to Magistrates and superiours but that is a ciuill honour And therefore Deut 6. Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and not other idoll gods And on that our Sauiour CHRIST gathereth this conclusion Thou shalt serue the Lord alone A manifest example of this Math. 4. 10. Reuel 22. 8. 9. wee see Saint Iohn being a worthy seruant of God who when the Angell which God sent vnto him had shewed him such glorious and excellent things being raâ—ished there-with fell downe and worshipped the Angel But the Angell being moued saith beware take heed hee cuts short his speech as those that are moued with any thing And hee giueth him a reason why he should not for saith hee I am thy fellow-seruant for though my message bee glorious yet I am appointed of God to doe it and am his seruant Hebrews 1. 14. The Angels are ministring Spirits to serue as the Sunne Moone and Starres for as the Angels are Ministers to serue CHRIST so they are to his seruants beeing one with him and therefore wee are not to serue them Obiection Obiect Whereas wee see oft-times of Angels that appeared as in the booke of the Iudges the Angell that appeared to Sampsons mother and Father when Iudges 13. 15.
his house but bids him Gen. 20. 7. restore her and he shall pray for him for he was a Prophet And the matter of his prayer he setteth downe to be 1. that they may continue vnto the end without any slacking or starting backe 2. that they may be increased in grace vntill they should be accomplished in the end which should not be perfected before they were dissolued And further he doth testifie his zeale and care towards Verse 13. them and mindfulnesse of them which himselfe was an ey-witnesse of though not of his priuate praier After he sendeth salutations of Luke viz. the Verse 14. Phisitian not the Euangelist for then he would haue giuen him that title and he sheweth that this man is to be loued because of the good to the Church in his skil of Phisicke Demas his salutation he setteth downe but giueth him no commendation because that as it seemeth he began now to slide away which after he did shamefully Then after this he desireth them to remember his salutations to the Church of Laodicea Where Verse 15. we learne as in all the other salutations so in this that it is a necessary duty to send salutations to our Note friends especially to those of the Church which professe the truth And amongst this Church he commends himselfe Verse 15. to one Nymphas and to his house which by reason of the good order gouernement in his whole house might be called a little Church For in his house there was obedience of wise children seruants c. Where Note he sheweth what a notable mercy of God it is when a family is well ordered and gouerned that all the family ioyne together in their duties to God and one to an other and therefore this commendation by this Epistle of this man remayneth to the end of the world And therefore sheweth what an excellent commendation it is that the household ioyne togegether in singing vnto God in other religious duties And therefore sheweth our great infidelity that are so carelesse of this duty looking not for the blessing of God which he hath promised But if for one persoÌ„ as for one Ioseph in Putiphars house the whole Note house was blessed for one Iacob Laban blessed and for ten good men Sodom had been spared then when Gen. 18. 32. husband wife children and all are religious when those that command command a right and those that obey do it as they ought obseruing their duties in their place and order there must needs be a great blessing of God vpon that whole family and vpon euery one in the same After he willeth that this Epistle be read vnto the Verse 16. Church of Laodicea as that which not onely bel 〈…〉 d to them but vnto the whole Church of God being the word of God for the word of God as one saith is the Epistle of God to his creature Which teachetâ— vs Note that this belongs not onely vnto them to whoâ—â—t was sent but also vnto vs. And in that he commandeth it to be read we haue therein if there were no Note other place a manifest and plaine confirmation of the publike reading of the word in the Church Then he willeth them to warne Archippus which Verse 17. was their minister to fulfill the ministery which he had receiued of the Lord. Where he semeth to reprehend him of some slackenesse and negligence in executing the duty of the ministery where we learne that it is the duty of the minister to be carefull and diligent in the ministery which the Lord hath called him vnto and that he fulfil the worke committed vnto him and therefore must labour to increase in knowledge vsing the meanes that he may be more and more able to be of vse vnto the Church of God Ier. 48. 10. for as the Prophet Ieremy saith cursed are all they that doe the worke of the Lord negligently Which howsoeuer there it is spoken of the magistrate yet it belongeth as much also vnto the Minister Then doing his owne salutations vnto them Verse 18. He desireth them to be mindfull of him in his bonds and persecution which afterward he suffred doth in Which we haue heard of before which teacheth vs as to be mindfull of all that are in bonds for the truth sake so especially of the Ministers Lastly he commendeth them vnto the grace of God desiring the gracious fauour and blessing of God vpon them And saith Amen assuring himselfe of the grace and 〈◊〉 of God towards them that God would heare 〈…〉 yer for them and shew his fauour towards 〈◊〉 And thus much of this Epistle wherein â—e haue heard the preface and the Epistle it selfe in which the Apostle perswads them vnto a constant embracing of the pure doctrine of Christ Iesus without the mixture of mans inuentions FINIS Trini-vni Deo Gloria
in the sight of God which is a meanes to helpe vs in our particular calling And as it is a true thing that if I loue all men and performe duty to all men as much as I can then much more will I do it to my wife children those that depend vpon me according to this Rule of the Apostle And as that is true so also the diligent and true performance of the duties of our particular calling is a great meanes to helpe and to confirme vs in the generall duties 1. Rom. The Apostle taking an oath and calling God to witnesse confirmeth the faithfulnesse of his oath by his faithfulnesse in his particular office of his Ministery And to Timothy hee saith 1. Tim. 3. 5. that he that is not able to gouerne his wife and family priuately is not fit to gouerne publickely in the Church or Common-wealth For the particular duties first of Wiues In the Epistle to Titus though the Apostle requireth Loue of Tit. 2. 4. the yonger wiues to their husbands and children yet they are not so ready to bee behinde hand in Loue as in this duty of Subiection for when she is admitted to the friendly and amiable vse of her Husband that she hath Power ouer his body as he of hers therefore 1. Cor. 7. 4. she thinkes she is shut out from subiection to his authority and therefore it is that the Apostle so stands especially vpon that duty of subiection for concerning loue it is vsually more exceeding in women then in men And therefore Dauid in his verses on Ionathan saith 2. Sam. 1. 26. his loue exceeded the loue of women But he insisteth vpon her obedience And hee bringeth this reason because it is comely It had beene a notable reason to haue perswaded her to subiection because the Lord commands her will to bee subiect vnto her husband And howsoeuer before the fall she Gen. 3. 16. 1. Cor. 14. 34. was subiected vnto him yet after the fall her yoke was heauier therfore the Lord saith Thy wil shall be subiect to thy husband he shall rule ouer thee Againe as 1. Cor. 11. 9. Hee might haue said the woman was made for the man not the man for the woman And Gen. 2. 18. the woman was taken out of the man not the man out of the woman And a more notable reason is in 1. Tim. 3. 14. The woman was deceiued not the man for hee was led away by affection to her and was not deceiued And to Titus the Apostle rendreth another reason of this Tit. 2. 5. subiection least the Gospell be euill spoken of therefore the wiues should be subiect to their husbands But here the Apostle rendreth this reason that it Note is comely because women delight in neatenesse and comlinesse And howsoeuer they thinke it a disgrace to be subiect yet the Apostle saith this is more comely to be subiect And S. Peter standeth much vpon it 1. Pet. 3. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. teaching that the comlinesse of a woman which is most comely in the sight of God is that she be quiet humble and obedient And therefore if women will haue their rings Iewels and bracelets as an ornament and comelinesse to them let them bee decked with this to bee humble in obedience to their husbands And yet this subiection is restrained that it be in the Verse 18. Ephe. 5. 24. Lord if hee bee too seuere and command things not fit yet she is not to reiect the yoke of obedience but go vnder it but if hee giue commandement contrary to God shee is not to obey therein following the Apostles rule It is better to obey God then Man Acts 4. 19. Then hee setteth downe the duty of husbands Verse 19. And howsoeuer there are many duties inioyned thē yet the principall duty the Apostle requireth is loue because men are vsually short and cold in that affection Indeed in the affection and loue for fornication they will be oftentimes exceeding hot but in this true loue are farre short and too strait-laced The Apostle setteth forth this affection of a man in Ephe 5. saying that he should loue his wife as his Ephe. 5. 28. 1. Pet. 3. 7. owne body And the reason is because shee is weaker and full of infirmities and weakenesses and therefore he is to couer them by loue For if he haue maymes or Prou. 10. 12. blemishes in his body hee will bee ready to vse all meanes to hide them so must the man do to his wife being his owne body And the Apostle Saint Peter sheweth a generall 1. Pet. 4. 8. duty of loue to couer many infirmities Aboue all things saith he haue feruent loue for lour shall couer the multitude of sinnes And the Apostle saith further Note hee is not to bee bitter For loue hath no gall in it and therefore the husband is to exercise his loue toward his wife by auoiding all manner of bitternesse toward her The twenty and 21. are handled in the next Sermon The end of the 27. Sermon The 28. Sermon COLLOSS 3. V. 22. 23. 24. 25. 22 Seruants be obedient vnto them that are your Maisters according to the flesh in all things not with eye-seruice as men pleasers but in singlenesse of heart fearing God 23 And whatsoeuer yee do do it heartily as to the Lord and not vnto men 24 Knowing that of the Lord yee shall receiue the reward of the inheritance for yee serue the Lord CHRIST 25 But he that doth wrong he shall receiue for the wrong that he hath done and there is no respect of persons THE Apostle commeth from the generall duty belonging to all Christian men to the perticular duties of men in the houshold And hauing spoken of the duties of husbands and wiues and of parents and children hee commeth now to the last couple in the houshold of Maisters and Seruants As if hee should say You seruants from a minde subdued obey your Verse 22. The Metaphrase Maisters whose commandement ouer you is but for a time whiles you are in this fraile estate and that in all things which may stand with the keeping of a good cōscience Now your seruice must not be alone when your Maister stands by and looke on as seeking onely to please your Maisters but in singlenesse of heart as fearing God whose eye is alwaies vpon you when your Maisters eye is off Your seruice ought also to bee voluntary and cheerefull as that which is due to the Lord who loueth a cheerefull giuer and not as vnto man that cannot discerne whether it be done frankely Knowing that you shal receiue in reward from the Lord life as an inheritance which hee will freely as vpon his children bestow vpon you for it ought to vphold you in your dutifull seruice that you serue not so much your Maisters which are but men and therefore sometimes vnthankefull and vnable to recompence but the Lord
who is both able and will recompence your well doing Remembring on the other side that whatsoeuer hee bee that doth wrong whether Maister or seruant thereof hee shall receiue the punishment from the Lord who accepteth neither the person of the seruant to pitty him because of his poore base estate nor of the Maister to spare him because of his dignity and high degree The summe is the setting forth of the duty of the last pare and couple in the houshold id est of the Maisters and seruants But first wee are to speake of that which remaineth of the other Text of Children and Parents First childrē are cōmanded to giue obedience to parents Verse 20. by obedience is meant all duties which children owe to their parents which are diuers And first of a duty which belongeth to all them in the household husband wife parents children maisters seruants viz. to pray perticulerly one for another and more perticulerly then for others for parents that they are bound to it we see it in Iob that he prayed Iob. 1. for his children being at feasting least they should let any sinne ouerpasse them in their feasting wherein they might offend And by the same reason children are bound to pray for their parents And also by the commandement the subiects are commanded 1. Tim. 2 1. 2 to pray for their Princes And so Princes to pray for their people as Dauid doth in sundry psalmes wherein he maketh prayer for himselfe and his people 1. Kings 18. Salomon also doth the like in second Chronicles 6. 21. But to come to more perticuler Particular duties of children duties of children to their parents 1. Reuerence viz. a speciall reuerence which they are to cary to their parents aboue others secondly loue a perticuler loue of their parents in regard also that they are set ouer them of God These are inward things Outward duties are first a reuerent behauiour in their countenance and cariage towards them in their wordes and in their workes to be ready to obey and do those things they are commanded not contrary to God And therefore it is said in all things viz. not to Note obey their parents in that which they themselues like but in all things though hard and contrary to their owne liking if it be not against the word of God And one speciall duty of obedience is to beare with all and couer the infirmities of their parents as Sem and Iaphet did to their father Noah Gen 9 23 Further if the parents haue need they are to relieue and maintaine their parents 1. Tim. 5. 4. for if the children be able to maintaine them the Church is not to be burdened Amongst other a most notable duty is that whereby Note children are to yeeld obedience to their parents in being bestowed by their parents in their occupations and manner of life And therefore we see that Adam bestowed his sonnes one in tilling the land the other in keeping cattle But more especially in marriage they are not to suffer themselues to be bestowed without their parents consent Where we see the wretched disobedience of children that will giue themselues at their owne pleasure contrary to their parents consent And a wretched and foolish peeuishnesse-crept into Note the harts of children that they will take it in great dislike if their parents be spoken vnto before themselues cleane contrary to the example of the Scripture and euen contrary to the practise of heathen and naturall men As we see Ismael would not marry but by his mothers consent and contrariwise what a hart-breaking was it to Isaac and Rebecca that Esaw married Gen. 18. contrary to their consent So that this is a speciall duty of children both sonnes and daughters not to marry or choose their husbands or wiues without their parents consent So that their parents do match them so as may be equall and fit for them in regard Note of age estate c. Whereas if parents force their children contrarie to reason for gaine c. they deale wretchedly in that And as parents are not to force their children so children are not to disobey their parents when in age and condition they find out fit matches for them in any sort And a reason that parents are to be obeyed of Note their children in those things that are good is because they are obedient also in the same vnto the Lord. And we know it is an easy matter if with one whiting a man may paint two wals it is more easy for him to paint one But our obedience therefore must be in the Lord viz. onely in those things onely wherein they command according to God And therefore Ioh. 2. our Sauiour CRHIST when his mother bid him change water into wine refused he denied her because the time was not come But we may not speake as he spake for we must if they command vs contrary to the word of God with all reuerence deny to do it and not in any controlling or snappish fashion In that he saith parents he meaneth both father and mother for children because the father hath more authority and because peraduenture the inheritance lyeth vpon his disposition will obey their father but they care not for their mother Howbeit obedience is commanded to both And Ex. 10 12. howsoeuer it commeth oftentimes that the children are disobedient by the too much tendernesse of the parents yet the children are not to trust to that for if they leese their parents loue through their wicked behauiour they can not assure themselues of Gods Note A foolish sonne saith Salomon doth ouerthrow his fathers estate and driues away his mother viz. both ouerthroweth and driueth away both and maketh parents that they cannot abide the sight of them As the hatred of brethren is strong because their A simile loue which was great is broken So if parents loue which is farre greater be broken the hatred will be the more The duties of parents are diuers 1. To see the Parents duties disposition of the children and according to their fitnesse to dispose them in this or that calling specially Eph. 6. 4. to bring them vp in the feare and information of the Lord. Secondly to lay vp for their children 2. Cor. 12. 14. And further not to prouoke them by vndiscreet Verse 21. correction in not correcting them according to their sexes and ages as when they correct their sonnes and daughters and all alike which may prouoke them or giue occasion at the least for children ought to beare it patiently though they be iniuried yet they may discourage their children by indiscret and too hard correction And on the other side parents are to take heed that they kill not their children by too much pampering them which is oft times the cause of the death of their soule body as Dauid did his sonnes who when he was loath to displease them Absolon