the truth It is the cause that maketh the crosses of Christians to be the Crosse of Christ The Apostle testifieth he was a Prisoner for Christ and the Gospell not for his owne sinnes and offences It is not our suffering barely and nakedly considered can honour vs with the reward of glory and the Crowne of Martyrdome g The cause maketh a Martyr not the punishment but the cause in which we dye and the quarrell in which we suffer True it is afflictions are common to the godly and vngodly they suffer alike they are imprisoned alike arraigned condemned and executed oftentimes alike but albeit the afflictions bee one and the same yet the cause is not one and the same for which they are afflicted The vngodly ate punished for their sinnes the godly are afflicted for a good conscience Abell is murthered of his Brother Caine is curssed and condemned to be a fugitiue vpon the earth both of them are afflicted but the cause is diuerse Abell is killed for his godlinesse Caine is punished for his wickednesse Ioseph is sold to Strangers and cast into prison so likewise are Pharaohs two Eunuches his Butler and his Baker they lye all in one prison but they had not one cause for he is committed through the slaunders and false accusations of his Mistresse they for their demerites and offences against their Maister Christ had his feete and his handes nayled on the Crosse so had the two Theeues they suffered al one punishment but how contrary were the causes of him and them seeing he suffered without cause but they iustly and worthily had the sentence of death executed vpon them Let vs not therefore onely fasten our eies and looke vpon the bare punnishment but consider what the cause is and according to the cause esteeme both of the person and of the punishment Some are prisoners h Math. 5 25. of men i 2 Tim. 2 26. others are Prisoners of the Deuill of whom they are holden captiue and both of them for their wickednesse but if we will be Martirs of Christ we must be the prisoners of Christ This serueth to reprooue the Church of Rome who glory in their Martyrs as sometimes the Donatists did and fill vp their Kalender with such as they haue canonized for Saints in Heauen which were no better then Traytors when they liued vpon the earth The Church of Rome which vaunteth her selfe to be the onely true Church of God and condemneth other honoureth diuers Saintes which neuer were in the World some that were Pagans others that were Iewes in Religion and refused Christ and others that were Heretiques and Traytors that neyther had Faith on Earth nor haue saluation in Heauen beeing Rebels to their Princes and enemies to their Countrey and disturbers of the State And therefore also it condemneth those who albeit they liue vnder the Gospell and shroud themselues vnder the branches of it as vnder a comfortable shaddow whereby they haue refreshed and enriched themselues yet they magnifie the Church of Rome and set vp the Faith professed therein they ballance it equall with the true Church of God among our selues and thereby seeke to shake in sunder the Faith of many These men cry out not onely that there are and haue been learned men on both sides but Saintes and holy men on both sides and true Martyrs on both sides and therefore would haue the people carryed about with vncertainety of Doctrine as with a waue of the Sea But we deny that any haue suffered among vs for the Roman Faith or haue beene led to execution for their Religion The truth is they haue but too much fauour shewed them and too great liberty giuen them Indeede such as haue beene found factious and forward to aduance forraigne power to adhere to forraigne enemies to stirre the people to rebell and take armes against the Prince to compasse the death and destruction of the Prince such as haue beene Authors of treacheries and conspiracies and beene conuinced to be trumpets of sedition by the deposition of witnesses by the forme of their tryall and by their owne confessions haue beene iustly executed among vs as by all men must needes be acknowledged In the Cittie of Rome all that will not take the Popes part or shall take him to be no Pope or refuse to ioyne with him if an Army should bee sent against him are adiudged to be no lawfull Subiects but disloyall Traytors No forraine Prince will repute them for his people and Subiects that shall deny to take his part against any forraine Vsurper or Inuador whatsoeuer So the Lawes of our Land haue seized vpon some who haue busied themselues in matters of State bringing ouer Buls declaring that the Prince was to bee deposed and the Subiects discharged of their alleagiance As for pointes of Faith they were neuer mentioned in the proceedings against them they were not called into question for their opinion concerning the Masse for transubstantiation for worshipping of Images or for any other point of the Romish Religion or rather superstition Therefore it is false that any haue dyed among vs as Martyrs or any otherwise then as Traytors The true k Who are true Martyrs and who not Church of God euer held them for Martyrs that dyed for the profession of the Faith and the testimony of Christ but such of the Popish faith and faction as haue beene executed among vs dyed for maintenance of the Popes pleasure and tyranny taking vpon him to depose Princes and seeking by open armes and secret Treasons to murther them True Martyrs suffered for the truth wrongfully and therefore deserued commendation according to the rule of the Apostle l 1 Pet. 2 19. It is thanke-worthy if a man for conscience toward God endure greefe suffering wrongfully but these suffer not in matter of wrong nor for a good conscience vnlesse the will of the Pope be the rule of their conscience True Martyrs must be endued with Charity m 1 Cor. 13 3. for as the Apostle teacheth If I giue my body to be burned and haue not loue it profiteth nothing but these haue not any shaddow of charity who plot the death of their Prince and seeke the destruction of their Countrey To conclude this point vnlesse Treason be Religion and falshood truth and vnlesse Antichrist be to bee receiued for Christ these men cannot be esteemed and honoured as Martyrs among vs who dyed not for Christ but for practising against the Doctrine of Christ which teacheth to be gentle patient humble and not any way to seeke reuenge Vse 4. Lastly from this Doctrine ariseth great comfort to the Seruants of God and as great terror to all their Enemies It is a great consolation for them that are afflicted for Christs sake to asswage their sorrow and a great meanes to worke in them patience to consider that Christ putteth all their teares in his Bottle and accounteth their afflictions to be his afflictions If we
chalenge the name of Saints Reason 2. Secondly the seruants of God must be Saintes to the end there may be a conformity and likenesse vnto him that hath had mercy vpon vs. It is requisite that there should be a resemblance betweene God and his people God is holy it is one of his names he is called the holy one Christ is holy and he is called the holy one of God Seeing therefore God is holy that hath called vs it followeth that holinesse belongeth vnto vs. The sonne beareth the Image of his father and thereby is easily knowne whose sonne he is If we be the sonnes of God we must expresse his Image in holines and true righteousnes This is it which Moses declareth and repeateth Leuit. 11. i Leuit 11. 44. I am the Lord your God be sanctified therefore and be holy for I am holy and defile not your selues with any creeping thing that creepeth vpon the earth Heereunto accordeth the saying of the Apostle Peter k 1 Pet 1. 14. 15. As obedient Children fashion not your selues vnto the former lustes of your ignorance but as he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conuersation because it is written be ye holy for I am holy If then he that is the God of all the Saintes be holy if it be one of his essentiall attributes so that he can no more cease to be holy then he can cease to be God the Saintes themselues must be Saintes not onely in name but in deed they must be transformd into a likenes of him they must shew the fruites of holines and be partakers of the diuine nature in that they flee the corruption which is in the world through lust Reason 3. Thirdly the faithfull are called by the name of Saintes that there might be a difference betweene that which we haue of our selues and that which wee receiue from God betweene the old man and the new man betweene our first birth and our second birth betweene nature and grace No man is a Saint by nature we haue not holines from our selues but we are strangers to it and that is a stranger to vs nay we are enemies to holines who loue nothing else but prophanenesse and desire to be any thing else then to be Saintes and holy The Apostle putting vs in mind of our first birth that we might so much the more magnify the grace of God which is marueilous and glorious in his Saintes saith l Ephe 2. 12. 13. Remember that ye being in times past Gentiles in the flesh and called vncircumcision of them which were called Circumcision in the flesh made with handes that ye were at that time without Christ and were Alians from the common wealth of Israell and were strangers from the Couenants of peomise and had no hope and were without God in the world but now in Christ Iesus ye which once were farre off are made neere by the bloud of Christ And to the same purpose he speaketh in the Epistle to the Colossians m Col 1. 21. 22. You which were in times past strangers and enemies hath he now reconciled in that body of his flesh through death to make you holy and vnblameable and without fault in his sight Seeing then that we are called to holines seeing we must as Children resemble our father and seeing God will haue a difference betweene our naturall condition and the estate wherein we stand by grace we may conclude that all such as are in the number of true beleeuers are also Registred in the number of true Saintes sanctified inwardly by the spirit of God Vse 1. Let vs now make vse and application of this Doctrine vnto our selues First wee see plainely heereby that there are Saintes vpon the earth that is men and woemen regenerate and sanctified The prophet Dauid saith n Psal 16. 3. All my delight is in the Saintes that are vpon the earth whereby it appeareth that there are two sorts of Saintes one in heauen the other on the earth one sort is the spirits of iust and perfect men the other such as are clothed with flesh who haue a righteousnes begun in them but are yet farre from perfection some that haue already receiued their Crownes that are already glorified not hauing spot or wrinkle or any such thing others that are yet in warfare against sinne the world and the deuill and carry about with them the remnants of naturall corruption Therefore we professe to beleeue in the Articles of our Faith the Cōmunion of Saints So the Apostle saith o 1 Cor. 6 1 2 11. Dare any of you hauing businesse against another be iudged vnder the vniust and not vnder the Saints Do ye not know that the Saints shall iudge the world And afterward Such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are iustified in the name of the Lord Iesus and by the Spirit of our God This serueth to reprooue all those which in scorne and derision mock the seruants of God and vpbraide them with their profession saying O you are a Saint you are of the little flocke you are an holy man A yong Saint an old deuil Thus is Religion made a Prouerbe and common by-word and thus are men come to sit downe in the seate of Scorners but heare this O ye contemners of God! and know that whosoeuer is not holye is prophane he that is not pure is impure he that is not a Saint of God is a bond-slaue of the Deuill there is no meane betweene the one and the other He that is not of the little flocke of Sheepe is of the great Heard of Goats and of the multitude of vnbeleeuers that shall be condemned He that entreth not in at the straite gate that leadeth to life walketh in the broad way and entereth at the wide gate that leadeth to destruction He that is not a Saint before hee dieth is a Deuill incarnate before his death This is that which our Sauiour speaketh concerning Iudas p Iohn 6 70. Haue I not chosen twelue and one of you is a Deuill Now he spake of Iudas Iscariot the sonne of Simon for he it was that should betray him This Iudas was not a Saint and he is pronounced to be a Deuill Now choose whether thou wilt be a Saint or be accounted a Iudas a Deuill a member of the deuill For he that is not in some sort changed renewed regenerated and sanctified in the inner man shall neuer see life If we begin not the way to saluation in this world we shall neuer be receiued into glory in the world to come This is the Doctrine which Christ preacheth to Nichodemus q Iohn 3 5. Verily verily I say vnto thee except that a man be borne of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdome of God So the Apostle saith r Ro. 8 13 14 If ye liue after the flesh ye shall
giue light to al that are in the house And what vse is there of the Salt vnlesse application bee made of it to the meate that it may be kept from putrifaction Away therefore with this Monkish life out of the Church which standeth neither with the ordinance of God nor the society of man and let vs maintain concord and company one with another not forsaking the fellowship as the maner of some is but remembring that God hath said It is not good for man to be alone and that two are better then one Vse 2. Secondly this teacheth vs to maintaine the publike meetinges and assemblies of the Saints and to magnifie the Lords Sabbaoths when all the Church ioyne in prayers prayses and other exercises of our Christian Religion making euen k 1 Kin. 1 40. Heauen and Earth to ring with the sound of their thanksgiuings and consents in the Doctrines of Faith and fruits of their obedience For seeing the doctrine we haue in hand teacheth that the company of others chiefly of the faithfull is very auaileable to helpe vs forward and to further vs in all good duties wee learne the excellent vse of all Church-meetings where with one mind and with one mouth we glorifie God the father in Iesus Christ Surely l Bab. on Exo. Chap. 25. as many stickes make a greater fire and many strings a fuller Musick so is the meeting of many in the Church to pray to God together to heare the word together to receiue the Sacraments together to sing the prayses of God together it is a fire that casteth abroad a great heat and an harmony passing pleasing in the eares of the Lord. Now the more gracious these meetings are the greater is their sinne that breake off this fellowship of the Saints and dissolue the people of God which came m Psal 110 3 willingly together at the time of mustring together his Army in perfect beauty Now the Standard seemeth pulled downe and the Campe to be broken vp and the people disperced and scattered as Sheepe without their Shepheards wandring heere and there as it were vpon the Mountaines to seeke pasture to saue their liues It is noted in the holy History that a great Famine was sent vpon Samaria when the Prophets were destroyed n 1 King 18 5 So that they sought for the Fountaines of Waters and the streames of the Riuers if so bee they might finde to saue the Horses and the Mules aliue least the Land were vtterly depriued of them The word of God groweth precious in our daies and the people that hunger after the Bread of life are constrained to goe from place to place to sustaine themselues This made the Prophet to cry out o Psa 84 1 2. O Lord of Hoasts how amiable are thy Tabernacles my soule longeth yea fainteth for the Courts of the Lord for my heart and my flesh reioyce in the liuing God This serueth to reprooue those that shew no loue or liking to Church-meetings that despise the grace of God offered vnto them and preferre any assemblies in the World and of worldly and wicked men before the assemblies of the Church These men if they be asked say they hope to be saued but they will not vse the meanes of their saluation they looke to come into the Kingdome of Heauen but they regard not the way and path that leadeth vnto it they will needs be of God but they will not heare the word of God p Iohn 8 47. and therefore we may truely conclude that because they heare it not they cannot be of God Vse 3. Lastly we must not content our selues or thinke it sufficient to pray vnto God or to praise him alone in the Closset of our house or of our heart or in the company of our Family when we should doe our duties to God publikely and ioyne with the rest of the Congregation Christ Iesus himselfe repaired to the Temple q Luke 2 42. at the set times of Gods worship so did the faithfull in all ages of the Church they were terrified neyther by the coldnesse of the weather r Psal 84 6 7. nor by the greatnesse of the heat nor by the length of the iourney nor by the costlinesse of the worship but had the greatest solace and chiefest delight in those holy meetings Å¿ Mat. 18 20. Gen. 28 17. where is the presence of God the ioy of the godly the gate of heauen Hence it is that the Prophet saith Blessed are they that dwell in thine house they will euer praise thee a day in thy Courts is better then a thousand other where I had rather be a doore-keeper in the house of my God then to dwell in the Tabernacles of wickednesse Psal 84 5 10. True it is we are commaunded to make priuate prayers and to poure out the secret Meditations of our hearts before the Lord but when wee ought to assemble with our Bretheren in one place and frequent the meetings of the Church God will not heare vs nor accept vs if we refuse such solemne meetings although wee priuately call vpon him in our houses They that come sildome to publique Prayers doe also most sildome vse priuate prayers And such as enter into their Chamber when they haue shut the doore do pray vnto their Father which is in secret will make conscience to enter into the Lords Courts and to pray vnto him with the rest of the faithfull For if God promise his presence where two or three are gathered together in the Name of God much more will his eares be ready to heare vs and his mouth open to answere vs and his hands stretched out to help vs when we shall ioyne together with the rest of our Brethren as one man to call vpon him See then the difference between the godly and vngodly The Children of God haue desired nothing more then to abide and continue in the house the Lord all the daies of their life as the Prophet maketh known his t Psal 27 4. 42 1 2. 137 1. request Psa 27. One thing haue I desired of the Lord that I will require euen that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the daies of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to visite his Temple And nothing hath more troubled and disquieted them then when they haue been constrained to goe from the house of God and beene banished from the exercises of their Religion This wee see in the example of the Iewes carried into captiuity By the Waters of Babell we sate and there we wept when wee remembred Sion But the vngodly are neuer more merry nor better contented then when they are out of the Church nor neuer more heauy and discontented then when they are in the house of God They thinke euery houre seauen They count euery Sabbaoth the losse of a day and no time worse spent then that which is spent in the seruice of
wealth a good name fauour friendship or other gifts of the Spirit wee must begin at the roote that is intreat first for the grace of God take hold of his free loue and aboue all thinges beg his fatherlie fauour to compasse vs as with a garment and to defend vs as with a shielde It is in vaine to aske any thing it is in vaine to hope for and to expect any blessing as a blessing before this be asked and obtained This order is to be obserued if wee would enioy and possesse Gods blessinges When the grace of God commeth and maketh vs accepted it commeth not alone but commeth accompanied and bringeth a traine of all other blessings with it Hee that will seeke a benefite from a Prince must first seeke to bee gratious with the Prince and get his fauor he must neuer look to be respected and regarded in his suit that is out of the Princes fauour so if wee would haue wealth welfare ease honour peace prosperity or any other guifts we must before all things labour to bee gratious with the great God of Heauen and seeke to be accepted in his beloued This serueth to reprooue the preposterous course of carnall Men h Horac epistol lib. 1. Epist 1. who set the Cart before the Horse and place the Boby before the Soule and aduance the Earth aboue the Heauen and so ouerthrow the whole order of Nature labouring first for wealth and afterward for vertue first for Riches afterward for Religion first to bee great in the World afterward to bee gratious with God These men seeke from day to day and from yeare to yeare for earthly profites and vanishing pleasures but neuer thinke on the root of all blessings the grace of God This corruption is reproued by Christ who prescribeth vnto vs a better way when he saith i Math. 6 33. Seeke ye first the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and all these things shall be ministred vnto you If the things of this world be the first in our thoughts the cheefest in our desires the greatest in our estimation and the best in our imagination we haue our reward wee must looke for no other reward at the hands of God Vse 4. Lastly when we haue found our hearts perswaded and our Soules possessed of this grace of God let vs delight in it let vs rest vpon it let it bee made our stay and comfort in all times and vpon all occasions Let vs remember to be more thankfull to God for it and more ioyfull in it k Esay 9 3. then those that reioyce in Haruest or such as finde great spoiles and rich booties If thou shouldst finde Mines of Siluer and Gold and Mountaines of Pearles and precious Stones they could not giue such comfort and contentment vnto thy Soule as this grace of God is able to doe which is a Iewell of Iewels Blessed is the man that findeth this Treasure and getteth it into his heart for the l Pro. 3 14 15 Marchandize thereof is better then the Marchandize of Siluer and the gaine thereof is better then Gold it is more precious then Pearles and all thinges that thou canst desire are not to bee compared vnto it For these treasures of the earth which worldly men haue in so great price and estimation are bought at a deere rate of the owners but the Lord offereth and giueth his grace frankly and freely vnto vs which neede the same as we read in the prophesie m Esay 55 5 1 Iames 1 2. of Esay and in the Epistle of Iames. Secondly the Marchandize of these Pearles may be stolne from vs we cannot so safely and closely lay them vp but time will consume them rust will rot them and Theeues will steale them n Math. 6 19 as our Sauiour teacheth in the Gospell But the grace of God shall neuer dye or decay but is euer flourishing and euerlasting Lastly the gain of Siluer Gold if we could possesse it in the greatest measure is but to maintaine the body and to prouide for this present life for a season but the gaining of grace and the fauour of God is an entituling of vs to the Kingdome of heauen and to eternall life which he that hath this grace of God in his heart shall possesse for euer Indeed few men do beleeue this because they make more reckoning of thinges earthly then heauenly but all men shall finde it to be true in the end This treasure the poore may haue as well as the rich In all tentations this will stand by vs and raise vs vp when we are cast downe and strengthen vs when we are weake This grace whereby wee are freely beloued will goe with vs abroad will stay with vs at home will lye downe with vs in bed will sit with vs at Table will direct vs in prosperity will sticke to vs in trouble will comfort vs in sicknesse will solace vs in death and will accompany vs to heauen To desire this is the best couetousnesse and that which onely hath alowance and approbation from God o 1 Cor. 14 1 and therefore the Apostle chargeth vs to couet spirituall thinges All these thinges teach vs to rest and rely vpon the grace of God as vppon the onely comfort of our Soules and the very life of our liues according to the practise of the Prophet Psal 4. after he had desired of God to lift vp his louing countenance vpon him he addeth p Psal 4 8. I will lay mee downe and also sleepe in peace for thou Lord onely makest me dwell in safety And peace c. Hitherto we haue spoken of the first blessing which the Apostle craueth for them to wit the grace of God which is the grace of graces Now followeth the second which is peace which is a notable fruit growing vpon the blessed tree of grace This signifieth the quiet concord and vnity which the faithfull are made partakers of beeing once ingrafted into Christ and brought into the bosome of the Church They find peace and are at an agreement which hath many branches and standeth of many parts euery one whereof is a most worthy blessing First q Rom. 5 1. wee are at peace with God when we are reconciled vnto God in Christ so that he hath no quarrell or controuersie against vs. Rom. 5. 1. Secondlie wee are at peace with the elect Angels r Psal 91 11. which pitch their Tents round about vs and are set to guard vs least we dash our foot against a Stone Thirdly we are at peace with our selues when our consciences enioy quietnesse and tranquility not accusing or condemning but excusing and cleering vs being washed in the blood of Christ Å¿ Phil. 4 7. This is that peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding Fourthly wee are at peace with Gods Children t Esay 11 6. foretold by the Prophet that the wilde Beasts and tame should dwell together the cruell and the gentle should
contrary to the Doctrine deliuered by himselfe contrary to the rest of the holy Scriptures and contrary to the Articles of our Faith Contrarie to himselfe because he teacheth i Rom. 10 13 14. that we cannot call vpon any whom we do not know out of Gods word and beleeue to be both able and willing to help vs saying Whosoeuer shall call on the Name of the Lord shall be saued how then shall they call on him on whom they haue not beleeued Where he reasoneth thus that we must beleeue onely in God and therefore pray onely to God Hee should be contrary to other Scriptures because we are k Heb. 4 16. taught by them To come with boldnesse to the Throne of Grace therefore the inuocation of Saints is vaine and needlesse seeing we haue a free accesse and bold approching vnto God through Christ againe they are l Ier. 17 5. Curssed that trust in man and make flesh their Arme and so with-draw their heart from the Lord. Christ calleth vs vnto himselfe and commaunded m Iohn 16 20 vs to aske the Father in his Name for the Father himselfe loueth vs. He should be contrary to the Articles of Faith wherein we are taught to beleeue onely in God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost Againe such as are not obstinately blinded and peruersely disposed may easily distinguish the Apostles words and see that he referreth not Faith both to Christ and the Saints but Faith to Iesus Christ and loue to the Saints For after that he had commended Philemon for two chiefe guifts of God Faith and Loue in both which consist the perfection of a Christian man he assigneth to eyther of them their propper subiect namely that Faith is in our Lord Iesus Christ and Charity is toward all the Saints which distinction and diuerse Relation may appeare by the Latine Interpretour and by their owne Rhemish Translation altering the preposition and reading it thus n In Iesu Christo in omnes Sanctos Loue and Faith in Iesus Christ and toward all the Saints Thirdly the Apostle else-where hauing occasion to mention these two graces of God he doth describe them distinctly by their seuerall obiectes and expresly referreth Faith to Christ and loue to the Saints o Ephe. 1 15. Col. 1 3 4. as writing to the Ephesians he saith Therefore also after that I hear of the Faith which ye haue in the Lord Iesus and loue toward all the Saints I cease not to giue thankes for you making mention of you in my prayers So in the Epistle to the Colossians We giue thankes to God euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ alway praying for you since we heard of your faith in Christ Iesus and of your loue toward all Saints Compare these two places with the words of Paule in this place and wee shall see they serue as a Key to open this and doe vtter that plainely which here is spoken more darkely Thus we see by the way that the Scripture is the best Expositer and Interpretour of the Scripture p August lib. 2 de doctr Christ cap. 6. and that which is spoken obscurely in one Book is made euident and manifest in another Fourthly it were not hard to produce and alledge sundry authorities and testimonies of elder times thus distinguish the words as we doe and auouching that no Faith and confidence is to be put in any of the Saints q Theodoret Ambrose Theophylact as if the Apostle had saide I know how great Faith thou hast reposed in our Lord which hath saued vs and with how great Charity thou hast releeued them that are the Seruants of God and esteeme godlines Lastly Faith in the Saints cannot bee prooued and inuocation of them established and grounded from hence because the Apostle speaketh of the Saints liuing not departed in the Church Militant not Triumphant the Saints on Earth not in Heauen For the Saints on Earth want our help and craue our releefe to be extended toward them but they that are in glory and haue receiued their Crowne doe not stand in neede of our comfort and refreshing and therefore this is a weake foundation to builde the Popish Faith and beleefe in Saints that are dead and departed out of this life seeing the Apostle vnderstandeth it of one sort and they take it and stretch it to another The third question answered The third question is this why the Apostle restraineth Philemons loue to the Saints whereas loue is a common debt that we owe to all men as the Apostle saith r Rom. 13 8. Owe nothing to any Man but to loue one another for hee that loueth another hath fulfilled the Law Seeing therefore loue should not be restrained to the Saints as though we ought to shut vp our bowels of pitty and compassion from others and seeing we are not to despise our owne flesh but honour the Image of God engrauen in our Nature how is it that his loue which ought to comprehend all mankind and enlarge it selfe to all others is onelie mentioned to haue beene toward the distressed Saints and Members of the Church The reason is they which are of the Houshold of Faith are tyed to vs by a stronger and straighter band of friendship and familiarity and God commendeth them vnto vs more particularlie and so they ought to challenge the first place in declaring the fruits of our loue The Apostle doth direct vs to this point when he saith Å¿ Gal. 6 10. While we haue time let vs doe good vnto al men but especially to them which are of the Houshold of Faith We are charged to loue all but we must loue the Saints with a peculiar and speciall loue euen as heires with Christ and Members of the same body with vs. God requireth of vs to loue al men as his Creatures but the godly as his Children Though therefore our loue should be common and extend it selfe farre and neere into all the world yet there should bee certaine degrees and an order in our loue should be obserued We are commaunded to loue all but we are not commaunded to loue all alike We are bound to loue the godly and vngodlie but we are not bound to loue the vngodly as the godly the Reprobates as the elect the Vessels of wrath as the Vessels of honour the Children of Belial as the Children of God We are therefore heere directed whom we are most neerely and deerly to loue euen those that haue Christ dwelling in their harts and grace shining in their faces Contrary to the practise of worldly Men who onely loue such as are of this World their loue is like themselues prophane men a prophane loue carnall men a carnall loue they loue euill men for their euill because they partake with them in euill they hate the godly for their godlinesse because they are vnlike them and will not runne with them into all excesse of ryot t Psal 38
threw him into the water to drowne him and at all times sought to destroy him when he beheld with the eyes of a Father that his childe fomed at the mouth gnashed with his teeth pined away in his body and was bruised in his bones hee was tempted with vnbeleefe and this made him cry out with teares a Marke 9 24 Lord I beleeue helpe mine vnbeleefe This is it wherein the Lord forewarned and fore-armed Peter b Luke 22 32. Behold Satan hath desired you to winnow you as Wheat but I haue prayed for thee that thy faith faile not He prayed not that their Faith should not be tried but that it should not be destroyed forasmuch as they must on euery side be assayled But the Faith of many is such that they say they perfectly beleeue and they thanke God they neuer doubted in all their life This Fath is no Faith it is an idle conceite a vaine perswasion a foolish presumption Lastly the true Faith encreaseth by degrees it is like vnto a graine of mustard seede which at the first is the least of all seedes c Math. 13 31 which afterward groweth vnto a Tree that the Birdes of the Ayre come and builde their Nestes in it and therefore wee must d Rom. 1 17. proceede from Faith to Faith But many amongst vs that will needes be in the number of the faithfull neuer feele these Degrees of Faith they see not any encreasing or decreasing any shining or ecclipsing of their Faith Nay they neuer examine themselues whether they be in the Faith or not They neuer consider whether they go forwarde or backeward in the wayes of Godlinesse they can cast vp their accounts euerie Weeke with the worlde but they can suffer whole moneths and yeares to passe ouer their heades and neuer once offer to make leuell with the Lord. If wee will assure our owne hearts that wee haue this true and perfect Faith in Christ let vs obserue the manner and measure of it the steppes and degrees of it how we walke by it and labour by all holy meanes to encrease it in vs. Thus much touching the Obiect of Faith Now let vs consider the Obiect of Loue. Loue toward the Saints The meaning of these words is first to be obserued and then the Doctrines are to be gathred which the Spirit of God offereth in this place to our considerations By loue we are to vnderstand the fruits of loue mercy consolation compassion brotherly kindnes reliefe pity and whatsoeuer fruits of charity we see them want stand in need of It standeth in the affection of the mind in the words of the mouth and in the workes of the hand By Saints we do not vnderstand such as are deade and deceased but those that are liuing not such as are of the Church Triumphant but in the Church Militant not such as are crownd with glory in heauen but those that dwell vpon the earth not such as are inrolled in the Popes Register and stand in redde Letters in the Popish Kalender but the faithfull whose Names are Written in the Booke of life which are the true members of Iesus Christ Thus much touching the true Interpretation of the Wordes We see heere that Loue is described by the Obiect thereof to wit the Saintes For as Christ is not the Obiect of our Charity e Psal 16 2. for our wel-dooing extendeth not vnto him so the Saints are not the Obiect of our Faith but as Faith hath respect and relation to Christ so hath loue reference to the Saints Now we haue shewed already that Philemons loue is commended toward the Saints because he had a principall and speciall care of them True it is he neglected not others but he was most of all mindfull of the godly poore and distressed Brethren Doct. 8. The works of mercy are especially to bee shewed to the poore that are godly We learne heereby that the workes of mercy are especially to be shewed to the poore among vs that are faithfull which may bee accounted of the fellowship and Communion of the Saints Howsoeuer all such as are poore are in their pouertie to bee regarded inasmuch as Christ hath taught vs that the poore we shall haue alwayes with vs yet the Godly poore that haue piety ioyned with their pouertie are before others and aboue others to be respected and releeued In the performance of this duty we see the practise of the Prophet Dauid going before vs a psal 16 2 3. and leading vs the way O my soule thou hast said vnto the Lord thou art my Lord my well-dooing extendeth not to thee but to the Saintes that are in the earth and to the excellent all my delight is in them In like manner also our Sauiour Christ describing the manner of the last Iudgement when hee shall giue to euerie one according to his Workes b Math. 25 40 declareth that the fruites of mercie bestowed vpon the members of Christ beeing sicke imprisoned hungrie thirstie naked and in necessity are allowed as notable fruites of a iustifying Faith and of a true loue and accepted as done to Christ himself So the Euangelist Luke testifieth in the Acts that c Acts 4 32. the multitude of them that beleeued were of one heart and of one mind they had all thinges common no man accounted any thing he possessed his owne but to serue the necessary vse of the Saints The Apostle hauing prooued in the Epistle to the Romanes that we are iustified freely by the grace of God without the works of the Law wherby we are at peace with God commeth to set down the fruits of Faith Chap. 12. Reioycing in hope continuing in Prayer d Rom. 12 13 distributing vnto the necessities of the Saints giuing your selues to Hospitality Heereunto come diuers Lawes which God ordained among his people e Deut. 15 17 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 need All these testimonies of Scripture doo proue that the poore which are godly are most of all to bee succoured and sustained as they that for the most part stand in greatest need to be helped Reason 1. The Reasons heereof are to be considered First it is a fruit of our election which we ought to assure to our selues more and more The Apostle Iohn testifieth this f 1 Iohn 3 14. We know that wee are translated from death to life because wee loue the Brethren he that loueth not his Brother abideth in death We ought daily to gather arguments to perswade our hearts of Gods loue towardes vs which we shall see by our loue toward our brethren The election of God is hidden in himselfe the cause of it is not in our selues but we
of them when a Caiet tract de concept de indulgent many among themselues doo seeme not much to respect them and affirme that the Saints canonized may be no Saints and the myracles whereupon it is grounded no myracles And because the Church of Rome speaking of Saints doo alwayes meane such as are in the Popes Kalender and of his canonization who is now helde to be the onely Saint-maker vpon the earth and propound such to the people to the honoured and worshipped let vs consider a little what those Saints are whom they adore and call vpon Our Sauiour Christ accuseth and reproueth be Samaritans b Iohn 4. Because they worshipped the thing which they knew not a worship they performed but they knew not what But this falleth flatly and fully vpon the papists heads for they worship many fictions for Saints shadows for men whereas there were neuer any such that liued vpon the earth It were easie to alledge sundry of this stampe but a fewe shall serue and suffice insted of many Saint George is worshipped among the Papists as a renowned Saint but such a Saint as they report and receiue this George to be was neuer extant in the world who is saide to haue killed a Dragon that was so big that foure yoake of Oxen could hardly draw him out of the City which c Baron notat in Martyr Roman Aprilis 23 sundry of their owne writers esteeme little better then a fable Secondly S. Christopher is solemnly adored by the Church of Rome who is reported of some to be a man of twelue foot long and of other to be twelue cubits high this is he that went vp and downe to seeke the Deuill to serue him for he said I go to seek my Lord the Deuill to serue him If this were a Saint hee was one of the Deuilles Saints whom he serued and called him Lord and not one of Gods Saints The like we might say of S. Catherine and infinit other whome falshood hath forged and deuised and superstition norished and retained Moreouer their Legends of Saints are so full of fables and fooleries that they doe not onely set them downe for Martyrs which neuer had being in the worlde but they adore deuoutly for Saints and Martirs those which by the confession of their wisest writers were pagans Iewes traitors hereticks men of a wicked life of a doubtful faith what was the soldier I pray you that pierced the side of christ but an Infidel for otherwise he would neuer haue thrust his speare so spightfully and offred that villany and violence to the body of our blessed sauiour yea it may probably appeare be gathered out of the scripture d Reuel 1 7. that hee was not only a cursed vnbeleeuer but a damned wretch reprobate and no approued history maketh mention of his calling and conuersion yet the blinde ignorant papists do worship this souldier as a Saint vnder the name of Longinus what is this but to make Pagans and Infidels Saints yea when so manie dead mens bones and blood their reliques and ashes are worshipped in euery coast and corner where popery raigneth what assurance can any man haue that he doth not worship the bones bodies of pagans heathens Gamaliell mentioned in the Acts was an incredulous Iew a right Pharisee e Acts 5 39. as apeareth by the counsel which he gaue to the Iewes in the Counsel fit for a Politician vnfit for a Christian shewing rather a wily witty head then a religious hart if he had beleeued in Christ he wold not haue feared to confesse his name yet hath he a place among the Romish Saints and reuerently are his relicks esteemed of them How many of their f Anselme Becket More Fisher Campian Sherwin c. English Martirs were diuellish traitors odious perfidious disloyall seditious rebellious vnfaithful to their Prince enimies to their country Some endeuoured to stir vp forrain Princes against their Soueraigne Lord which no man can deny to bee an act of treason Some went about to stirre vp the Kinges Subiects to rebellion and stood at open defiance and at the swords point with the Prince Others haue bin slaine in the field in the midst of the rebellion which themselues raised among the rebels which themselues armed Others were executed as notorious Traitors for maintaining the Popes Buls of deposing princes and would by no meanes condemn them none of them would promise to ioyn with the Princesse side and take her part if the Pope should send an army against hir to depose her person to spoile her subiects to inuade hir country Of this sort heere set downe thus qualified and sanctified are Becket More Fisher Forest Sanders Campian Sherwin Parry Ballard Babington Someruil and such like who are canonized by the Pope and agnized for Saints by the Papistes they pray vnto them and keep their bones and rags for holy reliques and worship them whereby it apeareth that they put those in the Popes kalender as rubricated Martirs and imagine them to be Saints in heauen who by al likelyhood are tormented damned with the deuils in hel The time will not suffer vs to make a Catalogue of these their Saints but this may suffice to shewe that the Papists honour diuers Saints which neuer liued in the world but are meerely fansied and fondly imagined others that are doubtful not certainly known to be such as they are reported others likewise that were pagans in superstition Iewes in religion Hereticks in profession traiotrs in practise and wicked men in their conuersation of whose damnation in hel there is more certainty then either of their faith in earth or saluation in heauen And thus wee will leaue them their Saints and their Saint-maker Vse 3. Thirdly seeing all they that belong to Christ are Saints it belongeth to euery man to try the assurance of his saluation by the fruits of his sanctification For heerby we may assure our selus that we are in the communion of saints if we lead a sanctified life If we haue our conuersation in holinesse wee shall haue in the end euerlasting life The Apostle teaching that the foundation of God abideth sure so that the Lord knoweth who are his sheweth how wee shal know that we are the Lords euen euery one for his owne assurance g 2 Tim. 2 19. must depart from iniquity Heereunto commeth the saying of Iohn in his first Epistle h 1 Ioh. 1 6 7. If we say we haue fellowship with him and walke in darknesse we lie do not truely but if we walke in the light as he is in the light wee haue fellowship one with another and the blood of Iesus Christ his sonne clenseth vs from all sinne And Paul writing to the Romaines saith i Rom. 8 10. If Christ bee in you the body is dead because of sin but the spirit is life for righteousnesse sake We
those that are least esteemed and are of lowest condition were bought with as great and high a price as others and were redeemed not with corruptible things as Siluer and Gold but with the deare and precious bloode of Christ Rich and poore high and lowe great and small had all one price paide for their ransome This is the reason x Math 18 10 11. vrged by Christ 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 If then the least be redeemed by his death and saued by faith in him as well as the greatest it followeth that al should bee regarded none contemned all loued none despised Hence it is also that the Apostle chargeth those that are strong to receiue vnto them y Rom. 14 1 3 15. the weaker sort and not to despise them whom God hath receiued and for whom Christ hath dyed Reason 2. Secondly there is no respect of persons with God He doth not esteeme men for accidentall things as for pouertie or riches for honor or dishonour The poore the fatherlesse the widdow the stranger the seruant are as deare to him and as greatly respected of him as those that are set in high places are honoured with great callings When we speake of a person in our talke and communication me meane some man or some woman but the Scripture meaneth a more speciall thing to wit the outward quality or condition of man which may purchase him grace or disgrace fauour or disfauor When God wil cal vs to his truth and bestow his graces vppon vs it is done according to his holy wil and good pleasure he is not moued to it by the outward appearance and condition of the person he respecteth not Country or sex or birth or riches or pouertie or Nobility or wisedome or learning or friends This is it which the Apostle teacheth z Gal. 3 27 28 Al ye that are baptized into Christ haue put on Christ there is neither Iew nor Grecian there is neither bond nor free there is neither male nor female for ye are all one in Christ Iesus And to the same purpose Peter speaketh a Acts 10 34 35. Of a truth I perceiue that God is no accepter of persons but in euerie Nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousnesse is accepted vvith him Seeing then God accepteth the person of no man he wold haue no man reiected for the meannesse of his person Reason 3. Thirdly they shal receiue with others the same recompence of reward the same kingdome of heauen the same measure of glory The differences that now are in this life shal cease As there is now the same precious faith so then there shall be the same precious felicity The poorest members of Christ haue the same spirituall graces that are necessary to saluation and therefore shal be partakers of the same inheritance This the Apostle Iames setteth downe chap. 2. b Iames 2 5. Harken my beloued Brethren hath not GOD chosen the poore of this world that they should be rich in faith and heires of the kingdome which he promised to them that loue him He hath not prepared and prouided one place of glorie for those that are Rich and another place for those that are poore he hath not left one inheritance for the Noble and another for the vnnoble but as they haue one Faith to apprehend Christ so they shall haue one glorie to be like vnto Christ The Lord Iesus himselfe testifieth this c Iohn 14 2 In my Fathers house are many mansion places if it were not so I would haue tolde you I go to prepare a place for you If then wee consider these points that the lowest in the Church and the most vnworthy to be of the Church are bought with one the same price that God accepteth and respecteth no mans person and that they shall receiue with others an eternall waight of glory and immortalitie we may conclude this as a necessary truth that we ought not to bee ashamed of any though of the lowest sort and poorest estate and meanest condition to whom God hath imparted and vouchsafed this mercie to beleeue in Christ and to be a member of his bodie and to be in the number of true beleeuers Vse 1 The Doctrine being made euident the Vses will be as apparent First seeing we are bound to loue the lowest in the Church that belong to Christ we learne that our affections must bee carried most earnestly and in the greatest measure to those that haue the greatest measure of heauenly graces not regarding Riches or Kindred or outward respects before the other It is a sound and sanctified loue that is wrought in vs toward those that are faithfull The Apostle in this place was so farre from beeing ashamed of Onesimus conuerted to Christ and gayned to the Gospell though he were a Seruant and had beene a Theefe and a Runnagate that he glorieth in his Faith reioyceth in his Conuersion accounteth him as his Sonne and respecteth him as his owne bowelles This affection no lesse then fatherly toward him hee expresseth afterward d Verse 16 17 Receiue him not nowe as a Seruant but aboue a seruant euen as a Brother beloued specially to me how much more then vnto thee both in the Flesh and in the Lord If therfore thou count our things common receiue him as my self He saw in this man being a Proselite newly conuerted to the Faith such fruits of sanctification as seales of his conuersion that he loued him most dearely and sought by all meanes to procure fauour for him with his Maister Whatsoeuer the former life of men hath beene when once they make Conscience of their waies beginning to leade an holy life and to blot out the infamy reproach of their conuersation led in the time of their ignorance it is our duty to begin to loue them as entirely as our Brethren in Christ and as children with vs of the same Father The practise heereof we see in Christ our Sauiour and haue this instruction giuen vs from his owne mouth Mathew 12. when it was tolde him as hee was preaching his word to the multitude that came to heare him that his Mother and Bretheren stoode without desiring to speake with him hee answered e Math 12 48 Who is my Mother and who are my Brethren And he stretched foorth his hand toward his Disciples and said Beholde my Mother and my Brethren for whosoeuer shall do my Fathers will which is in heauen the same is my Brother and Sister and Mother To this purpose the Prophet Dauid speaketh f Psal 16 1. All my delight is in the Saints that are vpon the earth The Godly must be most dear vnto vs and we are bound to be kind to them as to our Kin.
went in and lay with his Fathers Wiues Heere are sundry deuillish and wicked practises Incest Murther Rebellion treason all abhominable enormities and yet God saith k 2 Sam. 12 12 He did all these things These sinnes were most foule and filthy to looke vpon as they were the inuentions of the Deuill the perswasions and practises of euill men but as they are punishments sent of God vpon Dauid for his offences they were beautifull in their time they were the righteous sentence of a iust Iudge who cannot deale vniustly in iudgement Thus much of answering these few Obiections Now let vs proceede to conclude some Vses out of this truth Vse 1 The Vses that will arise from hence are many but wee will onely touch the principall This Doctrine serueth for reproofe for comfort and for obedience For it serueth to reprooue and conuince sundry persons that eyther know not or knowing doe abuse this prouidence of God whereby he taketh care of all thinges that are in the World and directeth them to a right end And first of all we set against it and oppose vnto it the dreames and dotages of Atheists Epicures Libertines and such like Wretches who either deny wholy there is a God or make him sit as idle in heauen as themselues are vpon the earth so that albeit he know and see all thinges yet hee worketh or ordereth not the speciall actions of men that fall out These are they that pull God out of his Kingdome and set vp Chance and Fortune as an Idoll and make it their God We must all learne and confesse that the Lord that is the Creator of Heauen and Earth is also the Ruler and Gouernor of all euen the least Creatures The whole world from the highest heauen to the center of the Earth is subiect to his prouidence He worketh all things according to the counsell of his owne will he giueth life and l Acts. 17 28 breath he preserueth them so that nothing commeth to passe without his appointment Whether they be things with life or without life with reason or without reason generall or particular euill or good Angels or Men necessary or not necessary all are ruled by his decree So then Chance Fortune are words of the Gentiles and are blindly vsed by such as are called Christians whereas nothing can be done without his will and working who is omnipotent What seemeth more casuall then the Lot Yet The lot is cast into the lap but the whole disposition is of the Lord. Prou. 16. 33. This is it which our Sauior teacheth m Math. 10 29 30. and 6 26. Are not two Sparrowes sold for a farthing and one of thē shall not fall on the ground without your Father Yea and all the haires of your head are numbred So that we see Chance and Prouidence cannot stand together but the one ouerturneth the other Secondly it reproueth such as frō hence take encouragement to commit sin to breake out into sundry outrages or to liue securely because God can turne it to our good and maketh it serue to set forth his mercy This is that presumption and sin of rebellion touched by the Apostle Why do we not euill that good may n Rom. 3 8. come thereof whose damnation is iust So in another place o Rom. 6 1 2. What shall we say then Shall we continue still in sin that Grace may abound How shall we that are dead in sinne liue yet therein We confesse indeed that God is the Soueraigne cause of all euents that are brought to passe and whatsoeuer the enemies of the Church intend and enterprise whether the Sonnes of Men or the Deuill and his Angels he staieth and hindreth or represseth and disappointeth and alwaies disposeth it to the good and saluation of his children Neuerthelesse this doth not excuse or free the Instruments that he vseth from fault They do the will of God blindly and ignorantly but they do crosse his will openly and purposely so that his prouidence doth not exempt the wicked from their euill doing Dauid knew well enough and confesseth as much that Shemei was sent of God most iustly to cursse him and to raile vpon him when he fled from the face of his son Absolon yet in his last speach to the King his Sonne he doth not defend him or excuse him o 1 King 2 8 9 But giueth charge and commaundement to be reuenged of him and not to account him innocent If then euill instruments cease not to be guilty before men much more faulty shall they be before the iudgement Seate of the Almighty and much lesse shall they escape punishment for transgressing the Law of God For howsoeuer wicked men be well moued by God to execute his worke by them who may vse any of his creatures according to his owne power pleasure yet in asmuch as they being moued of God do peruersely and crookedly and wickedly moue themselues to will and work euill so that themselues are the workers and causers of their own euill works whereby it commeth to passe both that they grieuously offend God and afterward seuerely punished of him Wherefore such as resist God rebell against his law and striue against his will cannot say they haue done his will inasmuch as they had no purpose to keep his ordinances therefore make themselues subiect to all his iudgements Lastly this reproueth the Church of Rome that among many slanders cast out against vs are not ashamed to lay to our charge that we mainetaine that God is the author of sin We hold we teach priuatly publikely by word by writing in Schooles in Churches that God is not the author of sin but the deuil mans own corrupt wil whosoeuer teacheth and preacheth otherwise if it were an Angell from heauen we hold him accurssed Hence it is that the Prophet saith p Psal 5 4. Thou art not a God that loueth wickednesse neither shall euill dwell with thee So the Prophet Habakuke q Hab. 1 13. Thou art of pure eyes and canst not see euill thou canst not behold wickednesse Likewise Zephany saith r Zeph. 3 7. The iust Lord is in the midst thereof he will do none iniquity In like manner the Prophet Zachary saith ſ Zach. 8 17. Let none of you imagine euill in your harts against his neighbour and loue no false Oth for all these are the things that I hate saith the Lord. Thus we heare that he loueth righteousnesse and hateth wickednesse so that he is the authour of all good of no euill If we would heare this farther opened the Apostle Iames is a witnesse of it t Iam. 1 13 14 Let no Man say when he is tempted I am tempted of God for God cannot be tempted with euill neither tempteth he any man but euery man is tempted when he drawn away by his owne concupiscence and is entised This is the conscionable Doctrine of pietie and the contrary wee renounce and
haue practised nor the example of the Church at Hierusalem hath warranted To this Pestilent and poysoned Sect of detestable Heretiques we may ioyne as Cozin-Germans those mischieuous and miserable Male-contents that hold in word the lawfulnesse of priuate possession but follow in practise the vnlawfulnesse of more then an Anabaptisticall communion These are they that bring discontent to see others enioy more then themselues endeuour by vnlawfull and vngodlie actions to bring in an equality of all thinges pulling downe Hedges filling vp of Ditches burning of Houses remoouing of Markes breaking downe Fences digging downe Enclosures dispaling and disparking the boundes of Landes and laying all things common as they did in the Insurrection of f In the raigne of Richard the second Wat Tyler Iacke Straw and many others which we haue seene or heard done in our daies yea many idle and disordered people hoped and looked for a commotion in the latter daies of our late Soueraigne For as Esau hating his Brother and thirsting after the murther of him thought in his mind g Gen. 27 41. The dayes of mourning for my Father will come shortlie then will I slay my Brother Iacob so these ryotus routs of Rebels intending to fish in troubled waters and minding to make a prey of the richer sort said among themselues The daies of mourning for Queen Elizabeth will come shortly then we shall haue enough then we shall make the Churâ—…es pay for all then we will want nothing that is to be had Let vs take heed of such vngratious person as begin a conspiracy and lay the foundation of an Insurrection Though they call vs to come with them and would haue vs to ioyne in league with them let vs beware we cast not in our lot among them nor walke in the way with them for their feete run to euill and their broad paths are the beaten paths of death Vse 2. Secondlie seeing euery man hath a state in his own goods it teacheth vs this duty that we ought to be content with that portion which we haue be it more or lesse be it small or great be it a simple or a worthy portion and to be by all meanes thankfull for it considering with our selues that the difference of places Lands Possessions with the properties thereof be of God and are to be acknowledged as his guift True it is men do sometimes encrease their wealth by vnlawfull meanes by robbing and wronging of others to their owne condemnation but then they want comfort and peace in the possessing of them they cannot say they eate their owne Bread they cannot esteeme God to be their helper Let vs hate such wicked shifts and renounce from our hearts all deceitfull dealing Let vs seeke for a blessing vpon our labour at his handes that is the disposer of all thinges in Heauen and Earth Let vs learne h 1 Tim. 6 6 7 8. That godlinesse is great gaine if a Man bee content with that he hath for we brought nothing into the World and it is certaine that we can carry nothing out therefore when wee haue food and rayment let vs therewith be content This is it which the Apostle teacheth Heb. 13. i Heb. 13 5 6. Let your conuersation be without couetousnesse and be content with those thinges that yee haue for hee hath saide I will not fayle thee neither forsake thee so that wee may boldly say The Lord is mine helper neyther will I feare what man can doe vnto me Wee shall neuer deale faithfully with the goods of other men nor for Conscience sake abstaine from wrong and Iniustice vntill we rest contented in our hearts with things present and depend by Faith vpon Gods prouidence knowing that hee hath by his gracious promise bounde and charged himselfe with vs and for vs in all thinges necessarie as well for our bodies as for our soules He is a mighty God and a mercifull Father that neuer fayleth nor forsaketh his Children that trust in him that call vnto him that depend vpon him If this Faith be in vs it will swallow vp many cares and consume many feares which distract and distemper vnbeleeuers in this life Let not our heart thercfore be addicted to Couetousnesse nor let vs suffer our selues to be carried away from God by the greedy and gaping desire of Riches nor seeke to augment them abound in them by vnlawful means nor possesse them with vexation of mind or with affiance in them But let vs rest in our seuerall Callings and conditions of life with contentation and a quiet Conscience not swelling in heart or disquieting our selues in vaine with longing after an higher state and standing then the Lord hath allotted and allowed vnto vs. If once our affections ouer-flowe the bankes of our present conditions so that we cannot vse with thankfulnesse that which we haue receiued we can neuer be perswaded to bee contented but wee will not stick now and then to borrow of the Law of equity shifting prouiding for our selues what wayes wee can without difference and breaking out into vnhonest and vnorderly courses without conscience Let vs therefore k Rules to be remembred to worke in vs contentation for our better instruction in this point lay vp in our hearts these few Rules followes to worke in vs contentation First that all of vs enioy more then we deserue and can iustly challenge at the hands of God If we would haue a crum of bread wee must craue it of him and say l Math. 6 11. Giue vs this day our daily bread Secondly that we oftentimes doe want outward thinges because we esteeme no more of inward graces and spirituall blessings We haue no promise of God to bestow vpon vs earthly gifts any farther then we aske by praier and seeke by faith heauenly things according to the saying of Christ m Math. 6 33. First seeke the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and all these thinges shall be ministred vnto you It is therefore Gods great iudgement vpon such gracelesse and thanklesse men as contemne these thinges that belong to a better life that oftentimes they are brought to feele the want of the transitory things of this life Thirdlie that it is a great subtiltie and pollicy of Sathan to inueigle and intangle our mindes with the desire of such benefits as we want thereby to cause vs to murmure and to mooue vs to distrust for them and to disgrace the present benefits which we enioy and so to prouoke vs to be vnthankefull The people of Israell abounded plentifully in many great blessinges in the Wildernesse and tasted liberally of Gods goodnesse yet n Exod. 14 11 and 15 23. 16 2. 17 2. when they suffered the least want of Water or Bread and had not their lusts satisfied at their owne desire they did breake out into impatiency of spirit and forgate the mighty works that he had done for them Their present want made them to
day of the wrath of the Lord they shall not satisfie their Soules neither fill their Bowels for this ruine is for their iniquity The rich man thinketh himselfe fenced against all dangers of soule and body and knoweth not his owne errour and ignorance and folly It is the spirituall Armour that gineth strength it is the spirituall Graces of God that doe defend vs one drop of them is better then an whole Riuer or a great Sea of earthly blessings Reason 3. Thirdly the obtaining of spirituall thinges is the cause of the other blessings They bring with them when they come earthly thinges When we get wealth we doe not by it get Heauenly wisedome for many times they haue the greatest riches that haue the least Religion But when we get Godlinesse into our hearts it bringeth with it a competent and conuenient measure of all outward thinges The Prophet saith p Psal 34 10. The Lyons doe lacke and suffer hunger but they which seeke the Lord shall want nothing that is good He knoweth what is good for vs better then we doe for our selues as the Father knoweth what is good for the Childe better then the Childe doth and therefote he doth not say they shall want nothing but nothing that is good Likewise the Apostle 1 Tim. 4. q 1 Tim. 4 8. Godlinesse is profitable vnto all thinges and hath the promises of this life and of the life to come He doth not say that riches are profitable to all thinges neither doth he affirme that they haue the promises of this life and of the life to come but Godlinesse hath those profits and promises So then if we lay these thinges together and consider that the spirituall blessings being incorruptible and inuisible and eternall are in themselues more excellent that they are of great force and power with God whereas the earthly are vaine and transitory weake and vnable to remoue any iudgement and that Heauenly blessings are causes of the earthly and companions with them we may truely gather and collect from hence that it is our duty to preferre and pray for spirituall things before transitory for heauenly thinges before earthly for eternall thinges before temporall Vse 1. Now let vs see what vses will arise from hence First of all this serueth to condemne the practise of the greatest part of men that go cleane against this rule There is no truth of God oftner confessed in word that is more commonly denied in deede We are willing to acknowledge in iudgement the excellency of spirituall thinges aboue all thinges that are mortall and mutable and among spirituall blessings the price priueledge of Gods grace which bringeth a goodly traine and troope of his greatest Treasures yet notwith-standing our iudgement r The first reprofe our affections are chiefly set vpon the world and our desires runne after earthly thinges Such men are wholly earthly and carnall according to the rule of our Sauiour ſ Math 6 21. Where your treasure is there will your heart be also Such can neuer lift vp their mindes vnto Heauen that account the earth and earthly thinges their chiefest Treasure as on the other side they can neuer settle their desires and studies vpon the earth that esteeme the Heauens and Heauenly thinges their greatest Treasures When the Stomacke is ouerladen with meate and ouer-burdened with the same there followeth an obstruction and stopping of the passages of Nature so the inordinate desires of the world pressing downe better things bringeth a forgetfulnesse of God and so ouerfilleth the heart that it oppresseth and suppresseth all care and cogitation of a better life For euen as we see that when the shadow groweth lesser the heate groweth greater but when the shadow groweth greater the heat groweth lesser so it fareth and falleth out with vs whē this world which is but a shadow taketh vp the least roome in our hearts then the loue of the world to come is the greatest in vs but when this present world and the thinges therein occupie the gretest space and place in our heartes then the heat that was kindled in vs toward heauenly thinges is abated and diminished These two the loue of this world and of the world to come are so crosse and contrary one to another that they cannot rest and remaine in the highest degree within vs but one cooleth and quencheth the other one ouercommeth and ouermastereth the other We would account him a foole and destitute of ordinary vnderstanding a simple man or a very Child that would preferre Copper before Gold a graine of Barly before a Pearle or precious Stone or would make choise of Chaffe before the Wheate or chuse the Huskes before the Corne and yet there are a thousand and ten thousand worse Fooles in the World which take themselues to be great wise men prudent and politike men of deepe and profound reaches who would disdaine and scorne at it to be accounted either Childish or foolish Naball was t 1 Sam. 25. 25. a rich man and no doubt tooke himselfe and was taken of others to be a wise man yet setting his minde wholly vpon his goods he is called by the Scripture a foole The rich man mentioned in the Gospell u Luke 12 16 17 18 19 20. when his ground brought forth fruits plentifully thought with himselfe I will pull downe my Barnes and build greater and saide to his Soule Soule thou hast much goods laid vp for many yeares liue at ease eate drinke and take thy pastime but though he were rich and therefore thought himselfe wise yet God saide vnto him O foole this night will they fetch away thy Soule from thee and then whose shall those thinges be which thou hast prouided Neither was this the case and condition of this man alone but it is the case and condition of euery one that gathereth riches to himselfe and is not rich in God This rich man is dead and gone but hee hath left a plentifull of spring and a great generation behind him Looke vpon mens liues and see whether the cares of this life be not the first in their thoughtes purposes prayers and practises Giue them enough of this world and let him that will take the world to come All their study all their toyling and moyling is for the red and white earth that is for Gold and Siluer and other trash of this world as if they could neuer be full of it as if they would neuer be weary of it as if they should neuer depart out of it It is saide of Salomon Prou. 30 x Prou. 30. 15. The Horsse-leech hath two Daughters which cry bring bring so is it with these worldly minded men they can neuer be satisfied they alwaies cry out for more they will not be content they cannot say they haue enough It is a token of a brood basely borne that respecteth not the inheritance of sonnes so it is an euident signe that wee are not the sonnes
yet hee returned and repented hee went out from that wicked Company and wept for his greeuous fall most bitterly Many good Souldiers are sometimes daunted at the sight of their Enemies and runne out of the Field like Cowards not without some reproch and impeachment of their Man-hoode who afterward gather strength and are ashamed of their owne folly both resisting those that fight against them most couragiously and pleasing the Captaine that hath made choise of them Hence it is that the Lord proclaimeth Mercy and reneweth his Couenant of forgiuenesse to such as turne vnto him The Prophet Ioel saith Chapter 2. m Ioel 2. 12 13. Turne you vnto mee with all your heart with fasting weeping and mourning Rent your hearts and not your Garments and turne vnto the Lorde your God for he is gracious and mercifull slow to anger of great kindnesse and repenteth him of the euill Heere is mercie offered and a generall pardon published which God will performe to all penitent persons Likewise the Lord for better assurance if we doubt of his word once vttered saith by his Prophet Ezekiell Chap. 33. n Ezek. 33 10 11. O thou sonne of man speake vnto the house of Israel Thus ye speake and say If our transgressions and our sinnes be vppon vs and wee are consumed because of them How should we then liue Thus do wicked persons when they heare of Gods Iudgements câ—st off all confidence in his mercies and murmure at his threatninges But what followeth Say vnto them as I liue saith the Lord I desire not the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his way and liue Turn you turn you from your euil waies for why will ye die O ye house of Israell When the sinful woman came to Christ in the house of Simon the Pharisee humbly confessing her sins shedding abundance of teares for them and by them both testifying her loue to Christ he turned vnto her and said o Luke 7 48. Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee On her part we see repentance weeping and Prayer On Christs part we see Forgiuenesse offred and pardon bestowed It is well saide of Cyprian p Cypr. epist ad Nouat haeret Legimus adoramus nec praetermittimus coelestem domini sententiam qua ait negaturum se negantem nunquid poenitentem that is we read and reuerence and do not go about to reuerse the heauenly sentence of the Lord when he saith I will denie him that denieth me But doth he any where or at any time say he wil deny him that repenteth of his sinnes from the bottome of his heart Or doth he allow any to q Rom. 14 4. iudge another mans seruaunt which standeth or falleth to his owne Maister This is it which maketh the Church Triumph in the experience and feeling of Gods Fauour and Mercie Micah 7 8 9. Reioyce not against mee O mine enemy though I fall I shall arise When I shall sit in darkenesse the Lorde will be a light vnto me For as the righteousnes of the righteous r Ezek. 18 21 24. man shal not deliuer him in the day of his transgression so the wickednes of the wicked man shal not hurt him whensoeuer he turneth froÌ„ his iniquity Such is the care of God ouer the sheep of his pasture his loue toward theÌ„ that he denounceth a fearful wâ— against the shepherds of Israel that feed Å¿ Ezek. 34. 4. themselus not the flock he chargeth them that they did eate the fat and clothed themselues with the wooll but the weak they haue not strengthned the sicke they haue not healed neither haue they bound vp the broken nor brought againe that which was driuen away neither haue they sought that which was lost but with rigour and cruelty haue they ruled them Ezek 34. To conclude this point our Sauiour sheweth that when a man hauing an hundred Sheepe hath lost one of them he leaueth ninety and nine in the Wildernesse and goeth after that which is gone astray vntill he finde it u Luke 15 4 7 10. and then Hee layeth it on his shoulders with ioy and carrieth it home to the sheepefold I say vnto you that ioy shall be in heauen euen in the presence of the Angelles of God for one sinner that conuerteth Seeing then the Lord Iesus who is the LORD of life teacheth in the Gospell that there is so great ioy in Heauen for a penitent sinner x Cypri lib. 2. epist 12. how great ioy ought there to be on earth when wee see the kingdome of God enlarged and a fellow member pulled out of the iawes of Satan whom he had holden captiue and taken as a prey to deuoure and destroy for euer It is the end of Christs comming y Luke 19 10. To seeke and to saue that which was lost Luke 19 10. And seeing our gracious God is so ready to remit offences done against him who are we and of what matter or mettall are we made that are so hard-hearted and stif-necked and implacable against our Bretheren Wee are taught to aske forgiuenesse z Math. 6 11 and 18 35. as we Forgiue and in the Parable of the miserable and mercilesse seruant propounded Math. 18. Who being forgiuen ten thousand Talents refused to forgiue his fellow an hundred pence was deliuered to the Tormentors till he should pay all that was due to his Lord We are taught that in like manner shall our heauenly Father do vnto vs except we forgiue from our hearts each one to his Brother their Trespasses This Doctrine doth the Apostle publish at large in this Epistle crauing pardon at the hands of Philemon for his penitent and prostrate seruant not doubting but as God had forgiuen him and giuen him repentance so hee also for his part would remit the trespasse and iniury done vnto himselfe Thus wee see what to iudge of these Nouatians a Aug. de haeres cap. 38. who are indeede the true Puritans and contrary to the whole course of the Scriptures deny repentance and reconciliation to such men as after baptisme through infirmity and force of persecution and feare of daunger doe yeeld so farre as to deny the faith We haue a noble example of Gods notable compassion toward such as offend of frailty and weaknesse in Peter who was receiued to mercy and Christ would neuer haue saide b Math. 18 18 Whatsoeuer ye loose on earth shall be loosed in heauen if such persons as repent were altogether to bee barred out of the bosom of the Church Can these proud spirites then be the Disciples of Christ c Danae de haeres page 97. that are harder and straiter laced then their maister Thus they frustrate true repentance take away all admonitions both publick priuat which are of great force to reclaime and recouer a sinner The third and last point remaineth For as we haue considered the person that writeth this Epistle and the person
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
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
we iustifie them both these belong vnto God and therefore are not to be vsurped by any man We must iudge the best of them according to the rule of Charity l 1 Cor. 13 7. Which hopeth all thinges and beleeueth all thinges We know God reserued to himselfe m 1 King 19 18. 7000. in Israell in the daies of Ahab that neuer bowed the knee to Baall and he hath a few n Reuel 3 4. names yet in Sardis which haue not defiled their garments which shall walke with him in white for they are worthy We may say with the Apostle of them o Acts 17 30. The time of this ignorance God regardeth not but now he admonisheth all men euery where to repent We are not therefore to looke what they haue done but consider what by the word they should haue done and what by the same wee ought to doe And touching the thriuing and prospering of them that neglect this duty this is an Obiection fitter for Atheists then Christians to vse Christ hath taught vs that this is no rule to measure good or euill he sheweth p Math. 5 45. That the Father maketh his Sunne to shine and his raine to fall vpon the iust and vniust vpon the godly and the vngodly The Wiseman hath taught that by outward thinges we cannot q Eccle. 9 1 2 vnderstand whether we be loued or hated of God We see the wicked for the most part prosper more in the World in worldly things then the godly as we read Psal 73. 3 4 5. and Iob 21. 8. 9. Obiect 7. Lastly it is obiected that some which haue beene diligently and duely taught doe yet liue as leudly and prophanely as they that neuer knew any thing of God I answere it may be this is thy wrong and rash iudgement The world speaketh euill of those that will not follow them into all excesse of ryot But let vs grant it to be so yet heerein they play the wrangling Sophisters and Cauillers alleadging a false cause for a true For I am sure this course of learning is not the cause of the loosenesse of their liuing If grace had beene in their hearts it would bee a meanes to make them beleeue and liue better He that knoweth his Maisters will is more likely to performe it then he that knoweth it not nor careth for the knowing of it He that hath his eye-sight is more likely to walke without stumbling and falling then he that is blinde so he that is instructed in the waies of godlinesse hath better meanes to walke in the feare of God then hee that is ignorant and knoweth nothing True it is some that know their Maisters will doe it not some that haue their eyes open fall downe now and then yet none can be so voide of reason to conclude from hence that it is not necessary to know his will or to open our eyes Thus much for the remouing of the obiections and the scattering of those Mists and Clouds that stood before vs. Vse 1. Now let vs come to the Vses of this Doctrine First seeing it belongeth to the Maisters and Gouernours of Families to instruct them in godlinesse we gather that it is not enough for them to prouide for the bodies of such as are vnder them and belong vnto them in this life but they must care most especially for their soules and bodies in the life to come They then are greatly deceiued who when they haue giuen them meate and Money thinke themselues sufficiently discharged If we onely feede them and fill them to the full what doe we more to them then to our brute Beasts If we onely cloath them and pay them their wages r Math. 5 20. what doe wee more to them then the Turkes and Infidels that feare not God that know not God doe performe to their Children and Seruants If we thinke our selues discharged by prouiding for them and leauing vnto them a temporall patrimony and possession and neuer regard to make them heires and Inheritors of the Kingdome of Heauen what do we more then the Iewes or Gentiles that are ignorant of Christ and his Gospell What should it auaile vs or them to leaue them rich in the World and poore in God To lay vp for them treasures on earth and to neglect the treasures of Heauen which are the true and enduring substance True it is Fathers and Mothers are bound concerning this bodily life to make honest prouision for the sustenance of their Children and therefore all vnthrifty Dicers and Drunkards which wast and wash away their goods whose Children may well bee accounted fatherlesse and their Wiues as Widdowes haue no Å¿ 1 Tim. 5 8. spark or portion of naturall Fathers in them neuerthelesse they are charged not onelie to bring them vp in the World but to prepare them for the World to come It is a vaine and foolish imagination to dreame that wee haue done our part or discharged a Fathers and a Mothers duty when we haue nourished appartelled and brought vp our Children whereas wee haue a farre greater account to make before God for their soules They are also greatly deceiued who if they send them to the Church on the Sabbaoth day and bring them to the place of Gods worship they thinke they haue answered the charge required of them These men post ouer all their dutie to the Minister and lay the burthen to ease themselues vpon his shoulders They care not they spare not to lay load vpon anothers backe that they may not beare it or touch it with their little finger But God cannot thus be mocked or deluded or defrauded who commaunded that themselues should rehearse his Lawes and Commaundements to their Children and Housholds Indeed it is a commendable duty to see that they serue God and to accompany them vnto the house of God but this is onelie halfe if halfe our dutie or rather to do our dutie to halues we must both prouide that they may bee taught and also teach them our selues when the Minister hath planted wee must water when he hath preached wee must see how they profit and by all meanes assist him in the worke of the Lord. They are also greatly deceiued who take themselues to be discharged of their duty when they haue taught them to say the ten Commaundements the Lords Prayer and the Creede or the Articles of Faith because they say they haue done what they can and are able to performe no more If they can doe no more it is a shame for them that they will be Fathers before they can doe that which is the duty of fathers It is one thing to teach them to say them another to vnderstand them It is not enough for vs to helpe them to speake the wordes vnlesse wee labour to make them conceiue the meaning of the wordes The Commaundements of the Law and the petitions of the Lords Prayer stand not in the bare wordes but in the true meaning
73. Psalm Å¿ Psal 73 25 26. Whom haue I in heauen but thee And I haue desired none in the earth with thee my flesh faileth and mine hart also but God is the strength of mine heart and my portion for euer So the Apostle Paul accounteth all thinges as losse and dung in comparison of the grace of God Whereby we see that all men should principally and in the first place seeke wish and intreat for the feeling of Gods fauour in Christ as the blessed Fountaine of all good things to come vpon vs. Reason 1. Let vs consider the causes and Reasons of this point First one drop of his free loue is better worth then all the World and it shall yeelde vs more sweet and sound comfort in the latter end If we should put the grace of God and the glory of the world and peize them together in the ballances the least dramme and drop of the fauour of God toward vs would ouer-weigh and ouer-sway all the whole World and all the thinges that are in the World which worldly men make their chiefest Treasure This the Prophet Dauid found by experience so soone as he had prayed for the louing countenance of GOD hee addeth t Psal 4 7. Thou hast giuen me more ioy of heart then they haue had when their Wheate and their Wine did abound This giueth a man more sound comfort then hee can finde else-where Wee haue a common saying that runneth in euery Mans mouth Giue a man good lucke and throw him into the Sea But this is a Diuine truth Let a man haue the free Grace and fauour of GOD and then neyther Sea nor Land neither Fire nor Water neyther Sword nor Pestilence neyther force nor Famine neyther any other thing shall be able to hurt him We see this e Exod. 14 30. in Moses and the Israelites when they were come to the Red Sea and Pharaoh with his Army followed at their backes they were brought through the Sea as on dry Land and were carried safely in the Wildernesse as on Eagles Winges by the prouidence and protection of God The three Children f Dan. 3 27 6 22. were cast into the Furnance Daniell was thrown into the Lyons denne yet they were not consumed with the Fire neyther he deuoured by the Lyons This made the Prophet say g Psal 23 4. Though I should walke through the Valley of the shaddow of death I will feare none ill for thou art with me thy Rodde and thy Staffe they comfort me All other comfort is no better then discomfort all other ioy is no better then sorrow and vexation of Spirit without this according to the saying of the Wise-man h Eccle. 2 2. I said of laughter Thou art mad and of ioy what is this that thou dost Reason 2. Secondly the grace and loue of God blesseth sanctifieth and furthereth all other thinges vnto vs honour wealth wisedome riches strength fauour friendship and whatsoeuer befall the Sonnes of Men. The Prophet testifieth Psalme 45. Because God had blessed him for euer i Psal 45 2 3. therefore it is said vnto him prosper thou with thy glory ride vppon the word of truth and of meekenesse On the other side the want of the loue and grace of God curseth all other things vnto vs yea defileth and poysoneth them and maketh them deadly our honour it turneth into shame our strength into weakenesse our wisedome into foolishnesse our riches into snares our beauty into vanity our sauour into hatred We haue many examples in the word of God and by daily experience offered vnto vs of this truth the wisedome of Achitophell the honour of Haman the valour of Ioab the beauty of Absolom the knowledge of Iudas all these were good and great blessings of God but all are turned to be cursses vnto them because wanting the free grace of GOD they wanted the sanctified vse of them Seeing therefore the loue of God is of greater price and more excellent value then all the world and seeing his grace sanctifieth and seasoneth all other blessings and the want thereof bringeth a cursse vpon them wee conclude and gather from these reasons that the free fauour and mercy of God in Christ Iesus is first and aboue all other things to be intreated and desired for our selues and others Vse 1. Now let vs make vse of this point First let euerie one of vs seeke to haue our hearts established and setled in this free grace to finde and feele in vs his loue shed in our hearts by his holy Spirit Let this bee our first our chiefe our principall and special care to obtaine the loue and fauour of God that wee may be beloued of him This was the prayer of the Prophet k Psal 51 12. Restore to me the ioy of thy saluation and stablish me with thy free Spirit So the Apostle teacheth l Hebr. 13 9. It is a good thing that the heart bee stablished with grace We see how men are filled and carryed away with naturall presumption euen from their Cradle perswading themselues to stand in a sure estate and thinking to escape the wrath of God but of this free grace they haue no tast no desire no feeling of any want They imagine themselues to stand in no neede thereof they presume they are in the fauour of God they dreame that he cannot chuse but loue them If we want any earthlie blessing the helpe of Friendes the health of bodie the Treasure of this World we can very quickly feele it our senses are sharpe enough to discerne it but though we want the grace of God and his fauour toward vs wee haue no more feeling then dead Men hath wee neyther feele it nor desire it nor once regard it We spend our strength wast our life and consume our daies in seeking riches honours pleasures and preferments but wee neuer looke so high as to the grace of God We lye groueling like the Beastes vpon the Earth wee vse euery day nay euery houre nay euerie minute the blessings of God f Acts 17 28. In whom we liue and mooue and haue our being yet wee will not lift vp our eyes to the chiefe cause of all the Grace of God Let vs therefore aboue all thinges seeke earnestly for the grace of God wherein the Foundation of all our happinesse is laid He that liueth in his fauour hath comfort in all sorrowes and miseries He that dyeth out of his fauour dyeth as a Beast nay worse then a beast and shall haue fellowship with the Deuill and his Angels it had beene good if such a one had neuer beene borne For euen as the rich man in the Gospell desired g Luke 16 24 one drop of Water to quench the fire and to coole his tongue and if he might haue gotten it hee would haue preferred it before the gaining and obtaining of a thousand Worlds so when God shall set our sinnes in order before
couch together and practised by the Church and beleeuers u Actes 4 32. who are saide to be of one Soule and of one heart Fiftly we haue peace with our enemies who are charged not to touch the Lords annointed and to doe his Prophets no harme This is so farre verified as is expedient to set forth the glory of God to procure the safety of the godly and to represse the rage of the Reprobate Thus Ioseph was at peace with Pharaoh Obadiah with Ahab and Daniell with Nabucadnezzer Mordecai and the Iewes with Ahashuerosh and thus is the saying of the Wise-man verified x Pro. 16 7. When the waies of a Man please the Lord he will make also his enemies at peace with him Lastly we haue peace with the Beasts of the fielde the Foules of the Heauen and all the Creatures of God so that we shall find help and comfort from them y Hos 2 18. as we see in the Prophet God maketh a Couenant with them for his people Hos 2. In that day I will make a Couenant for them with the wilde Beasts and with the Foules of the Heauen and with that which creepeth vpon the earth I will breake the Bow and the Sword and the battell out of the Earth and will make them to sleepe safely Loe heere how large and ample is this peace and how many and woorthy preheminences there are thereof This peace followeth grace as a fruit of it and therefore we see it is ioyned vnto it both in this place and in sundry other Epistles Doct. 2. Such as are in Gods fauour haue all his blessings following them We learne hereby that such as are vnder the grace and couenant of God liuing vnder his protection and obedience haue assurance of all Gods mercies spirituall and temporall of this life and of the life to come all which doe belong vnto them and shall follow them and ouertake them I say such as are vnder the grace and fauour of God haue all his blessings following them so farre as they may further their eternall happinesse Moses sheweth z Deu. 28 3 4 Deut. 28. that when once they belong to God and are vnder his grace as vnder the shaddowe of his Wings all his blessings should follow them and come vpon them from Heauen and Earth from house and fielde from soule and body that they should be blessed in the fruit of their body in the increase of their Cattle and in the aboundance of all things Aaron and his Sonnes did thus blesse the people Num. 6. 6. The Lord lift vp his countenance vpon thee and giue thee peace Where we see he setteth peace after the shining of Gods gratious countenance vpon them This the Apostle teacheth in the Epistle to the Romanes hauing proued at large that we are iustified without the workes of the Law hee addeth a Rom. 5 1. Being then iustified by Faith we haue peace toward God through our Lord Iesus Christ The Prophet Dauid expressing that God is his Shepheard to refresh him with his grace to feede him with his word to rule him by his staffe and to deliuer him from danger b Psal 23 1 6 and 84 11. concluded hereupon I shall want nothing doubtlesse kindnesse and mercy shall follow me all the daies of my life and I shall remaine a long season in the house of the Lord. The like we see in another place The Lord God is the Sunne and Shield vnto vs the Lord will giue grace and glorie and no good thing will he with-hold from them that walke vprightly The Apostle Paul setteth downe at large the blessings flowing from this loue of God c Ephe. 1 5 6. Who hath predestinated vs to be adopted through Iesus Christ in himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will to the praise of the glory of his grace where-with hee hath made vs freely accepted in his beloued by whom we haue Redemption through his blood euen the forgiuenesse of sinnes according to his rich grace whereby hee hath beene aboundant toward vs in all wisedome and vnderstanding Where he teacheth that the free grace of God whereby wee are accepted in his beloued in whom hee is well pleased and exceedingly contented is the cause of all other mercies and therefore such as are in his fauour shall finde the fruites thereof to their comfort and haue all his blessings to ouertake them Reason 1. If any doubt yet remaine in vs to trouble vs and hinder our faith from receiuing and beleeuing this Doctrine as a pregnant and certaine truth consider with me a little farther the reasons to ground and establish vs herein For first when the wrath of God is once appeased and the loue of God opened vnto vs we haue free and bold accesse vnto him and to the Throne of grace as to a most mercifull Father The Apostle hauing declared that we are at peace with God through Christ he addeth immediatly d Rom. 5 2. By whom also thorough Faith we haue this accesse into this grace wherein we stand and reioyce vnder the hope of the glory of God We may freely come into the presence of God we haue boldnesse to aske any thing that we want we haue assurance to be heard when we call vpon him Reason 2. Secondly it is the free loue and fauour of God that spared not his owne Sonne but bestowed him vpon vs who is our life our peace our attonement Now seeing it is his grace onely that hath giuen vs the blessing of all blessings we shall with him and by him haue all other guiftes to compasse vs about and to come vpon vs according as the Apostle teacheth Rom. 8. If God be on our side who shall be against vs Who spared not his owne Sonne but gaue him for vs all to death e Rom. 8 32. how shall he not with him giue vs all things also Reason 3. Thirdly his loue reconcileth all his Creatures and openeth the way to his mercies toward them whom hee loueth This is it which Moses speaketh to the Israelites f Deut. 7 8. Because the Lord loued you and because he would keepe the oath which he had sworne vnto our Fathers the Lord hath brought you out by a mighty hand and deliuered you out of the house of bondage And afterward he putteth them in minde g Deut. 23 5. That the Lord would not hearken vnto Balaam but the Lorde their God turned his cursse to a blessing vnto them because he loued them Thus doth the Prophet tell the people of God h Psal 44 3. That they inherited not the Land by their owne Sword neyther did their owne Arme saue them but his right hand and his Arme and the light of his countenance because he did fauour them Reason 4. Lastly they loue God againe whom he loueth His loue worketh loue and constraineth them to expresse back againe that which they haue receiued They that loue him
shall neuer be destitute but feele the fruit thereof to their endlesse comfort The Prophet saith i Psal 91 14. to this purpose Psal 91. Because he hath loued me therefore will I deliuer him I will exalt him because hee hath knowne my Name Lay now all these things together and consider that seeing we haue free accesse to the Throne of grace seeing wee haue Christ the greatest blessing of all giuen vnto vs seeing all Creatures are reconciled vnto vs and lastly we being loued do loue God againe and poure out streames issuing from his Fountaine and all this proceedeth from his grace wee conclude that such as are in Gods fauour haue his blessings following them Vse 1. Now let vs handle the vses First seeing the fauour of God is the Fountaine of all goodnesse and graces in vs we learne that no fauour is like to the fauour of God The grace and loue of Princes bringeth many priuiledges and preferments with it but can they assure vs of euery good thing Or doe they remaine and continue with vs for euer Nay they are most vnstable and vncertaine their honour is turned into dishonour and all their glory is changed into shame and confusion Haman was the happiest man in the kingdome in his owne eyes and in the eyes of many others one day hee was next vnto the King k Ester 5 12. and 7 9. the next day he was most wretched one day in fauor the next day out of fauour one day honored the next day hanged Nay thus it fareth falleth out oftentimes with the godly as wee see in Dauid who was greater in Sauls Court then he Who was more praised and preferred Was made the Sonne in Law of the King and the Captaine of the Hoast yet by and by hee was disgraced degraded and depraued by flatterers and false informers cast out of the fauour of the King and put in danger of his life It is not so with God it is not so with his fauour shewed toward the godly whom hee loueth once l Iohn 13 1. hee loueth euer he dooth not change he cannot lye he will not repent He is vnchangeable there is no shaddow of change with him his gifts are without repentance There is great comfort in such fauour seeke therefore for his fauour aboue the fauour of Princes and make much of it when we haue found it Great is the loue of Parents toward their Children but the loue of God surmounteth them all and that loue which can be in them Vse 2. Secondlie seeing such as are gratious with God are laden with many blessings we may see heereby the blessed estate of all that liue vnder the grace of God all thinges doe serue them that serue the Lorde and haue tasted how gratious the Lord our God is He is counted happy in the World that hath the fauour of Princes The Queen of Sheba pronounced m 1 Kin 10 8. the people and seruants of Salomon happy which did stand euer before him to hear his wisedom When Elisha demaunded of the Shunamite n 2 Kin 4 13. what hee should doe for her or whether there were any thing to be spoken for her to the King or to the Captaine of the hoast she answered I dwell among mine owne people She liued in peace and quietnesse she had no cause to make any complaint against any her Neighbours she was not driuen to make any suit to King or Captaine shee troubled not others and others troubled not her and this she accounted an happy life But the happy estate and blessed condition of the faithfull is a thousand times greater they are at peace with heauen and earth with Men Angels with themselues and with all others with life and death nothing shall be able to hurt them True it is they haue no promise to bee free from tentations and troubles Famine may come Persecution Pestilence nakednesse pouertie perill and tribulation may come and death shall come but we haue a gratious and sure promise that they shall not hurt vs or destroy vs or hinder our saluation they are all Enemies without Armour as Souldiers without a Sword as Serpents without a sting and as Aspes without venome This is it which the Prophet handleth at o Psal 91 1 3 5 6 7 10. large Psal 91. Who so dwelleth in the secret of the most High shall abide in the shaddow of the Almightie surely he will deliuer thee from the Snare of the Hunter and from the noysome Pestilence thou shalt not bee afraide of the feare of the night nor of the Arrow that flyeth by day nor of the Pestilence that walketh in the darknesse nor of the Plague that destroyeth at noone-day A thousand shall fall at thy side and ten thousand at thy right hand but it shall not come neere thee there shall none come vnto thee neyther shall any Plague come neere thy Tabernacle He meaneth not in these wordes that the godly shall bee free from troubles sicknesses al calamities but that God doth so care for them and watch ouer them that nothing shall be able to hurt and harme them but he will giue them a sanctified vse of the Crosse and make all thinges turne to their good and further their saluation This is it which the Apostle Paul offereth to our considerations p 1 Cor. 3 21 22 23. Let no man reioyce in men for all things are yours whether it be Paule or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death whether they bee thinges present or thinges to come euen all are yours and ye Christes and Christ Gods Great is the dignity and excellency of the godly that all things are made to serue to their vse and are appointed in the ordinance of God to serue for their profite according to that which he hath in another place q Rom. 8 28 We know that all thinges worke together for the best vnto them that loue God euen to them that are called of his purpose Where we see he teacheth that not onely thinges present are ours but thinges to come not onely life is ours but also death which is a gaine and aduantage to the godly and an entrance or doore that leadeth to euerlasting life What greater glory can befall vs or what greater happinesse can we desire then to haue all things ours Life is ours death is ours the world is ours the Crosse is ours the Crown is ours heauens is ours the Angels are ours Christ is ours God is ours all is ours and what is there that is not ours What a great honour is this Or who is it that can doubt of these thinges Or whom should not these priuiledges mooue The World is a place of our resting Life the time of our bettering Death is a change of our misery and an entrance into glorie things present are the beginning of our comfort things to come are the consummation of our comfort the Crosse is our
instruction the Angels are our Watchmen the heauen is our happinesse Christ is our Sauiour God is our Father all thinges are fauourers and furtherers of our saluation It is a comfort of all comforts that we are at peace with God that he is our friend and that hee hath no controuersie against vs. If God were against vs who should bee able to stand for vs or dare take vpon him the protection and defence of vs But beeing iustified by Faith we are at peace with God It is a great blessing to be at peace with men but it is a greater blessing to be at peace with God We are at peace with the blessed Angels r Hebr. 1 14. Who are all ministring Spirits sent forth to Minister for their sakes which shall be heires of saluation They guard vs from dangers they carry vs as a Nurse doth her Childe in her Armes that we be not hurt by the Deuill or his Angels or his Instruments We are at peace with the Church that is with all such as feare God and beleeue in Christ The Prophet Esay speaking of the Kingdome of Christ and of the fruits of the Gospell foretelleth That Å¿ Esay 11 6. the Wolfe shall dwell with the Lambe and the Leopard with the Kidde and the Calfe and the Lyon and a fat Beast together and a little Child shall lead them c. Meaning thereby that when a man is called into the State of grace howsoeuer by Nature he haue the greedinesse of a Wolfe the wildnesse of a Leopard the fiercenesse of a Lyon the cruelty of a Beare hee shall lay away his sauage and brutish Nature and become gentle and liue peaceably with all men We are at peace with our own selues which is the peace of a good conscience when it being washed in the blood of Christ ceaseth to accuse and terrifie and beginneth to excuse and comfort vs when neither Hell nor Death nor damnation nor any daunger doth dismay vs or bring vs to despaire but in the midst of all t Col. 3 15. we haue the peace of God ruling in our hearts as the Apostle speaketh Coloss 3. 15. If a man weare at peace with the Angels with men and with all the Creatures if he had no Enemy to encounter him but liued at peace with others yet if he were at warre and Mortall enmity with himselfe if he felt the terrors of conscience and his owne heart condemning him hee should quickly finde what a great blessing it is to haue a cleere conscience which is a continuall Feast This peace was in Dauid when he said in the midst of manifolde dangers u Psal 3 5 6. I laid me downe and slept and rose againe for the Lord sustained me I will not be afraid of ten thousand of the people that should beset me round about This is of such excellency that it is called o Phil. 4 7. The peace of God that passeth all vnderstanding it is in stead of a guard to keepe our hearts and minds in Christ Wee are at peace with our enemies both because so soone as we beleeue in Christ wee seeke to haue peace with all men so farre as is possible p Rom. 12 18 and as much as lieth in vs and because God restraineth the mallice of the Enemies and inclineth their hearts to embrace peace Thus God brought Abraham and Isaac into fauour with Abimelec King of Gerar that he was ready and willing no onely to receiue peace when it was offered but to craue peace when it was not desired Thus God brought Daniell into fauour with the chiefe of the Eunuchs and sundry others to finde the fruits of loue at the handes of their enemies because he hath the harts of all men in his owne hand to wind them and turne them at his owne pleasure Lastly we are at peace with all Creatures in Heauen and Earth aboue and beneath which are made to serue for our benefite and saluation The Prophet saith q Psal 91 13. Thou shalt walk vpon the Lyon and the Aspe the young Lyon and the Dragon shalt thou tread vnder foot And God promiseth To make a r Hos 2 18. Couenant for them with the Beastes and Fowles that they shall walk safely All these priuiledges teach vs hauing such a large peace with God and his Angels with the Church and our owne selues with our Enemies and all Creatures that it is the most comfortable thing in the world to be vnder the grace and Couenant of God and that nothing is more to bee desired then to feele the fauour of God towards vs for hauing this we possesse all things If wee want him and his fauour though we haue all the world it will not nor cannot content vs but all things are curssed to vs and we to them Vse 3. Lastly seeing all that are accepted of God are blessed with all good things this teacheth vs the wretched and fearefull condition of all such as by reason of sinne are out of fauour with God they shall finde no rest they shall haue no peace heauen and earth shall conspire against them and deny them succour and comfort in the day of Gods punnishment and visitation It is said of Ismaell that his hand should be against euery man and euery mans hand against him so is it with all the vngodly not reconciled to God they shall find no sound comfort in any Creature but shall haue all the World against them This is a great misery and torment lying heauy vpon the wicked and piercing their Soules as the flashings of Hell according to the saying of the Prophet s Esay 57 19 20 21. I create the fruit of the lippes to be peace peace vnto them that are farre off and to them that are nere saith the Lord for I will heale them but the wicked are like the raging Sea that cannot rest whose Waters cast vp Mire and Dirt There is no peace saith my God to the wicked God setteth himselfe against them and all Creatures shall confound them and fight against them vntil they are confounded and ouerthrowne And as the Apostle speaking of the blessed and happy estate of the godly declareth that all things are theirs so on the other side we may truely say of the vngodly that nothing is theirs they haue Title and interest in no creature to receiue any comfort in them or stay from them or protection by them God is become their Enemy the Angels are armed to destroy them their owne consciences conuince and condemne them the Heauen is shut against them death is the gate of Hell vnto them affliction is a meanes of murmuring in them the World is a Snare vnto them Christ is a Rocke of offence vnto them the Gospell is the fauour of death vnto them the mercy of God is made a Packe-horse for their sinnes all the ordinances of God are abused by them and all the workes of Gods handes shall bee Instruments of
their confusion If any thing may be accounted theirs it is t Dan. 12 2. Math. 13 42. destruction of their Soules confusion of their faces contempt of their persons horrour of their consciences the company of the Deuils the tormenting of their bodies the feeling of Gods wrath and the separation from his presence and glory all these shall indeede be theirs and wholly theirs and onely theirs and alway theirs when their secret sinnes and wickednesse shall bee reueiled Then they shall call to the Hils to couer them and try to the Mountaines to keepe them from the sight of God from the seat of his iudgement and from the fiercenesse of his wrath and indignation And as the Apostle teacheth concerning the godly as we shewed before that all things worke for the best to them so we may truely teach on the contrary that to those which loue not the Lord nor the Lord them all thinges turne to their destruction and further their condemnation the Word the Sacraments and all other exercises of Religion u Deut. 32 15 and 2â— 4. as we see in the Israelites and in Iudas whom no instructions could conuert no miracles could mooue no meanes could profit or bring to repentance If a man had any suit in some Princes Court to make or a supplication to put vp and there should finde the Prince the Peeres the Nobles the Commons and all men set against him to crosse him and contradict him to resist and gaine-say him his case would be iudged of all men to bee most miserable but thus the case standeth with all euill and vngodly men that stand in neede of God and of good men and of all Gods Creatures yet shall haue no releefe or refreshing from them God will deny them Christ wil not know them the Spirit will not comfort them the Angels will not guard them the Prayers of the Church will not help them the Gospell shall not pardon them the Sacraments shall not strengthen them the Beasts shall not spare them the Creatures shall not sustaine them And if they shall peraduenture finde any comfort or consolation in them yet what would that auaile them when their owne conscience within their owne breasts should arraigne them as a Malefactor conuince them as a witnesse condemne them as a Iudge and torment them as an Executioner This we see in the example of Caine when hee had made a breach and wound in his conscience he could rest no where he could abide in no place he stood in feare of euery Creature he cryed out x Ge. 4 13 14 My punishment is greater then I can beare Behold thou hast cast me out of this day from the Earth and from thy face shall I be hid and shall be a Vagabond and a Runnagate in the Earth and whosoeuer findeth me shall slay me In this State and condition doe all the Reprobate and vnregenerate stand they shall finde no peace in any Creature in Heauen and Earth and their owne conscience as a thousand witnesses shall torture and torment them And if any time they seeme to haue peace and to finde rest their peace is a false and deceitfull peace They laugh sometimes but it is from the teeth outward and in mirth the heart is heauy They haue riches but they are as Vsurpers and as Theeues haue them who shall come to be arraigned and condemned for them Their outward estate seemeth happy but it is most slippery and vncertaine when they say peace peace then commeth sudden destruction as the paine vpon a Woman in trauaile But the righteous howsoeuer they seeme many times miserable in trouble and destitute of all good thinges do indeede want nothing which God seeth to be for his glory and their good they haue that true peace which our Sauiour promiseth to leaue with them and to bestow vpon them y Iohn 14 27. Peace I leaue with you my peace I giue vnto you not as the world giueth giue I vnto you let not your hart be troubled nor feare Marke then the difference betweene the godly and the vngodly the condition of the godly is in shew miserable but indeede most blessed z 2 Cor. 6 9. They are as vnknowne and yet knowne as dying behold they liue as chastned and yet not killed as sorrowing and yet alway reioycing as poore and yet making many rich as hauing nothing and yet possessing all thinges On the other side the condition of the wicked is in shew blessed and happy but indeede and in truth most wretched lamentable and miserable Their laughter is madnesse their peace is vnquietnesse their ioy is sorrow of heart and the end thereof is heauinesse To this purpose the Wise-man saith a Pro. 14 12 15. There is away that seemeth right to a man but the issues thereof are the waies of death So then howsoeuer the vngodly eate and drinke sing and daunce iest and talke of vaine thinges howsoeuer they labour to auoid greefe and put away the euill day farre from them howsoeuer they passe away the time merily and liue as if they had made a Couenant with death yet they cannot be in quiet and rest for they haue an Hang-man and Tormentor within them from whose hands they cannot be deliuered to wit their conscience which doth checke them and terrifie them before the iudgement seat of God although they striue to make themselues beleeue that there is neither God not Deuill neither heauen nor hell neither saluation nor damnation Thvs much of the blessings craued in this saluation From God our Father and from the Lord Iesus Christ Now we come to consider from whence these guifts come and who is the Author of them to wit from God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost So then these graces heere intreated are craued and wished from the blessed Trinity distinguished into three persons Doctrine 3. All blessings are to be craued from God alone in christ Iesus Wee learne from hence that all good things of what sort soeuer either for obtaining blessings or auoiding iudgements are to be intreated and requested from God All thinges temporall and eternall are to be asked and begged from that one God which is reueiled vnto vs by the Scripture in the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost When Isaac purposed and prepared a Gen. 27 28. to blesse his Sonne Iacob and to pronounce what blessings should come vpon him and his posterity hee said God giue thee of the Dew of Heauen and of the fatnesse of the Earth and of the plenty of Wheat and Wine God gaue this forme to Aaron and his Sonnes of blessing the Children of Israell b Num. 6 24 25. The Lord blesse thee and keepe thee the Lord make his face shine vpon thee and be mercifull vnto thee the Lord lift vp his countenance vpon thee and giue thee peace The Booke of the Psalmes doth plentifully offer this truth vnto vs in the practise of Dauid and other the deare
of prayer both publicke and priuate for our selues and others is most necessary It is a speciall gift of the spirit which is common to all for all haue not the grace of Prayer The Apostle saith i 1 Tim 2 1. I exhort that first of all supplications prayers intercessions and giuing of thankes be made for all men The neglect of this is a note of a ranke Atheist k Psalme 53 4. who is described not to call vpon God Christ Iesus did oftentimes pray he was feruent and continuall in it hee spent whole nights in Prayer When he was in his Agony he prayed once and againe and the third time This condemneth those that are carelesse and negligent in the practise of this dutie that are so couetous for themselues that they can craue nothing for their Brethren If one member of the body should scrape all to it selfe what would become of the rest Such are vnnaturall members as take care onely for themselues These can say the Lords Prayer and rehearse the wordes but their hearts are farre from the meaning and right vnderstanding They say Lord giue vs our daily Bread that is to me and to my brethren not to me alone nor to them alone but to me and to them to these my Brethren as well as to my selfe These men are liberall in words bur couetous in mind their mouths are opened and enlarged but their harts are restrained and instraightned they thinke they neuer haue enough and that their Brethren haue too much They are farre from giuing thankes vnto God for them who repine at euerie morsell that they eate and at euery blessing that they enioy Vse 2. Secondly we learne that the weakest and meanest in the Church are not to be despised and contemned inasmuch as they may by their prayers and other meanes helpe the strongest and the greatest The Apostle teacheth that God hath so framed the members of the body l 1 Cor. 12 21 22. That the eye cannot say vnto the hand I haue no need of thee nor the head againe to the feete I haue no neede of you yea much rather those members of the body which seeme to be feeble are necessarie The strongest stand in need of the helpe of the weakest the greatest of the meanest the highest of the lowest the richest of the poorest the Prince of the people All mankind are so created as that they are not perfect of themselues but euery one wanteth the ayde of another One Nation standeth in need of another no Countrey yeeldeth all commodities No man hath all the gifts of Nature but some one some haue others We see it euen among the brute beasts such as are excellent in craft and mighty in strength yet haue their wants together with their wiles and their maimes ioyned with their great might The Fox is subtle to keepe himselfe from snares yet hee is weake to guard himselfe from Wolues on the other side the Lion is strong enough to guard himselfe from Wolues but he is not subtle enough to keepe himselfe from nets We haue not all thinges requisite and necessary for vs we haue not all properties to be commended wee runne into many dangers from whence the meanest may helpe to deliuer the mightiest So then seeing we are enioyned to pray one for another and thereby may helpe one another let vs know that we must despise no man reproch no man hate no man but consider that at one time or other we may want the help hand of him This doth the Wise-man point vnto m Eccl. 9 14 15. when he mentioneth a little City and few men in it and a great King came against it compassed it about and builded forts against it and there was found therein a poore and Wise-man and he deliuered the Citty by his wisedome And wee haue a notable example heereof in the siedge of Abell by Ioab a wise woman cried out of the Cittie and mooued him to returne from the assault We see how forcible the praiers of Abraham were to mooue the Lord to spare the n Gen. 18. Sodomites if tenne righteous persons had beene found in the Citty Thus God testifyeth that he was restrained by the Prayers of Moses and as it were o Exod. 32 10 tied with bands that hee was not able to destroy the people Let vs therefore make much one of another and let no man hate his Brother in his heart but know that his prayers auaile with God for him Wee see the Prayers of the Church profited Peter much though he were an Apostle p Acts 12. for thereby he was deliuered out of prison and from the daunger of death by the Ministry of an Angel So they profit vs if they be faithfull and seruent Vse 3. Lastly it is our duty to entreat the mutuall Prayers one of another We heard before how all the people prayed Samuell to pray for them So did the people come to Moses and entreat this duty of him q Num. 21 7. that they might be deliuered from the fiery Serpents The Apostle is oftentimes earnest in requiring this at the Churches handes r Rom. 15 30 Brethren I beseech you for our Lorde Iesus Christs sake and for the loue of the spirit that ye would striue with me by prayers to God for me When we are poore and can doe our Brethren no other good yet may we benefit them by our Prayers When we see our Brethren in necessity in danger in affliction in persecution in sicknesse and in great misery when we haue no hand to help them no power to deliuer them no means to succour them no fauour to speake for them yet wee haue hearts to lifte vp for them to God the Father of all mercies and the God of all consolation and by praying vnto him for them we shall do them much good giue them much comfort minister vnto them much helpe and procure vnto them speedy deliuerance This shall bee more auaileable and profitable vnto them then all other meanes of helpe and succour vsed for their safety without this Let such as are of the greatest giftes earnestly craue and call for the prayers of those that haue lesser and smaller gifts This reproueth such as neuer regard them nor require them that thinke they haue no neede of them nor know the necessity of them It is all one to these men whether they bee prayed for or not whom God no doubt doth oftentimes crosse in the works of their hands that they do not prosper because they make no account of the Churches Prayers It reprooueth such also as regard not the publick assemblies of the faithfull and the meeting of the Congregation of Christ in one place where Prayers are made for the Church where praises are sung and thankes are rendred for the blessings of God yea heauen and earth are made to ring and rebound with sounding out his glorie as it were with the voice of one man All our
at home Fot it is their Religion that is a broaching of lies and of all liberty to do euill as all men by the light of Nature not blinded with the loue of error might soone espy Behold therefore some kinds of their Catholick Faith taught by their holy Mother the Church They teach the lawfulnesse of deposing Princes and discharging their Subiects of their allegeance and obedience toward them This Doctrine filleth Kingdomes and Countreyes with Treasons and Rebellions and alloweth Traitours and Assassinates and Murtherers of them at the Popes pleasure They doo teach and allowe the worship of Images and bowing downe to Stockes and Stones whereby the people are drawne away from the liuing God to palpable Idolatry as common experience hath declared o Polid. Virg. de inuent rer lib. 6 cap. 13. and some of themselues haue confessed They publish at large the benefit of Pardons which may easily be procured for money which open wide the Flood-gates of al vngodlynesse For who will spare to commit sinne that is able to redeeme it with his purse Yea this emboldned certaine p Chemni exam conc Trident de poenit men to rob the Popes pardoner who before hand had giuen them a pardon to commit the next sinne though it should bee a great sinne They teach touching the Sacrament of the Lordes Supper that a Dogge or Mouse or Swine or any Beast eating a consecrated host eateth the very flesh and bodie of our Sauiour q Treatise of the Sacram. in the conclusion as I haue shewed else-where They maintaine the filthy Dunghill of Stewes and Brothell-houses which giueth allowance vnto open whoredome and vncleannesse yea they say it is good for a r Hard. against the Apology Common-wealth and the Pope tollerateth the Curtezans in Rome and in other places vpon a yearly rent to practise and professe Bawdry Vnto this rablement of their Catholicke conclusions Å¿ See White of the way to the true Church we might adde many others which suffice to discouer what the holinesse of the Romish Religion is and to direct vs to come out of it betimes least partaking with the same sinnes we also partake in the punishments The second reproofe Secondly this coniunction of these two Vertues ouerthroweth the carnall loosenesse of all Libertines such as are Hypocrites and vaine boasters of Faith which thinke it sufficient to speake of Faith and to boast that they beleeue These men doth the Apostle Iames plainly reproue in his Epistle teaching that where there is want of works t 1 Tim. 1 5. there is also want of Faith of a true Faith which is the right Faith Wee must therefore examine our Faith by the fruits and prooue our beleeuing by our working We haue many such in our daies that glorie of their Faith and boast that they are of a right beleefe and yet lay them to the triall and examine their liues what they are and we shall finde them to be lyars against the truth and deceiuing their owne soules Knowe therefore that our faith is as our liues are A good life a good Faith a dead life a dead Faith an vnfruitfull life an ydle Faith And thus much of Faith and Loue ioyned together Now let vs speake of them seuerally as they are described first touching Faith and afterward touching Loue. Faith in Christ The first Vertue which is heere commended to bee in Philemon is Faith which is saide to respect Christ This Faith is a guift of God whereby we apprehend Christ and his benefits beleeuing the remission of our sinnes and our reconciliation with God Marke therefore that the faith heere set forth is saide to be toward Christ and Christ who is the proper obiect of Faith dooth also point vs vnto the Father who willeth and ordaineth our Saluation Redemption Reconciliation and Saluation and to the Holy-Ghost who applyeth and appropriateth to the elect these benefits which are willed by the Father and merrited by Christ Doctrine 7. Christ is the obiect of our Faith So then when the Apostle saith of Philemon that his faith was in Christ hee teacheth that true faith looketh vnto Christ dependeth vpon him trusteth and resteth in him for saluation and not vpon any creature in heauen or earth Our faith must direct vs to Christ to beleeue in him to haue recourse to him and to looke for saluation from him as the Israelites did health from the Brazen serpent This is proued vnto vs by many consents of the word of God The Apostle Iohn in his Gospell a Iohn 1 12. 3 16 17 20 6 29. 3 14 15 and 12 44 46. and 14 12. offereth plentifull Testimonies of the truth as Chap. 1 12. As many as receiued him to them he gaue prerogatiue to be the sonnes of God euen to them that beleeue in his name And Chap. 3. God so loued the world that hee hath giuen his onely begotten Sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life And again Chap. 17. I pray not for these alone but for them also which shall beleeue in me through their word So before in the third Chapter As Moses lift vp the Serpent in the Wildernesse so must the sonne of man be lift vp that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue eternall life Thus he speaketh in another place This is the worke of God that ye beleeue in him whom he hath sent When Phillip saide to the Eunuch If thou beleeuest with all thine heart thou mayst be baptized He answered b Acts 8 37. 16 31. I beleeue that Iesus Christ is that sonne of God So Paule and Silas willed the Keeper of the prison to beleeue in the Lord Iesus Christ and he should he saued And the Apostle Gal. 2. teacheth That a man is not iustified by the Workes of the Lawe c Gal. 2 16. but by the faith of Iesus Christ euen we I say haue beleeued in Iesus Christ that we might be iustified by the Faith of Christ All these places of Scripture plainly instruct vs in this principle of our holy religion that Faith must be in Christ in whom it findeth a sure ground to rest vpon Reason 1. The Reasons are to be marked and considered which confirme this Doctrine First because the worke of saluation is wholly and onely wrought by him and no part thereof is reserued to any creature in whole or in part To be called Iesus is as it were the proper name of Christ who is a perfect and absolute Sauiout beginning continuing and finishing our saluation This is it d Acts 4 12. which Peter preacheth Among men there is no other name giuen vnder heauen whereby we may be saued but by the Name of Iesus And the author to the Hebrews saith that he e Heb. 7 25. is able perfectly to saue them that come vnto God by him seeing he euer liueth to make intercession for them Thus
we see Christ is made the Author and finisher of our saluation Reason 2. Secondly to put a difference betweene the Creator and the Creatute betweene the things pertaining to God and the things pertaining to men No creature is to be beleeued in nor any blessing that we receiue from Christ We beleeue the Church not in the Church the Communion of Saintes not in the Communion of Saints the forgiuenesse of sinnes not in the forgiuenesse of sinnes as wee shall see afterward Seeing therefore we haue Iustification and saluation from no other then from Christ and seeing we must make a difference and distinction betweene him and all other creatures it foloweth that we must beleeue in him and fasten our Faith as a sure Anchor of our soul vpon him Vse 1. Let vs see what are the Vses of this Doctrine and how wee may profitably apply it to our instruction and edification First seeing it is our dutie to beleeue in Christ we learne that Christ Iesus is true and eternall God equall with his Father to be worshipped and glorifyed together with the Father the blessed spirit This serueth to conuince the Heresie of the Arrians Iewes Turkes Persians and sundry other Infidels who deny the Deity of the sonne of God and cast him downe into the row and ranke of meere creatures who notwithstanding f Phil. 2 6 10. being in the forme of God thought it no robberie to bee equall with God at whose Name euery knee must bowe both of thinges in Heauen and things in earth and things vnder the earth Therefore we saw before that the Apostle in his salutation wisheth Grace and Peace to come vpon them to whom he writeth this Epistle as well from Iesus Christ as from God the Father If Grace and Peace come not onely from the Father but from the Sonne it followeth that he is God equall with the other Hence it is that he sayth in the Gospell g Iohn 14 1. 11 and 12 44. 10 30 and 14 11. 9 38 Ye beleeue in God beleeue also in mee let not your heart be troubled And againe He that beleeueth in mee beleeueth not in me to wit an ordinary man as they falsly imagined but in him that sent me And in another place Beleeue me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me I and my Father are one So when Christ had restored sight on the Sabaoth day to him that was borne blinde he sayd Lord I beleeue and worshipped him Whereby we see that whosoeuer is without the Sonne is also without the Father he that beleeueth not in the Sonne beleeueth not in the Father Hee that worshippeth not the Sonne Worshippeth not the Father So then this is a certaine and inuincible Argument of the Deitie of Christ that wee are to beleeue in him forasmuch as Faith is a Worshippe due onely vnto God Vse 2. Secondly seeing it is a principle necessarie to be holden of al men that we must beleeue in the Son we must put a difference betweene these sayings to beleeue God to beleeue in God For albeit hee that beleeueth in God beleeueth God yet it is not so on the contrary euery one that beleeueth God doth not by by beleeue in God The Deuils themselues as we shewed before do beleeue God they beleeue Christ they confesse him to bee the son of the Father they know him to be the Iudge of the Worlde the Sauiour of mankinde the holy one of God and yet they doo not beleeue in him they put no confidence in him they looke not for life and saluation from him but are assured they are reserued to destruction This maketh them cry out in h Math. 8 29. the Gospell Why art thou come to torment vs before the time And the apostle Iames sayth i Iames 2 19. The Deuils beleeue and tremble They beleeue God touching his Nature and attributes they beleeue Christ touching his Person Natures and Offices They beleeue the Holy-Ghost touching his Person and Guifts They beleeue there is a Church and singular prerogatiues imparted to it and bestowed vpon it And albeit our Faith must goe beyond the faith of the Deuils yet they goe farther then many professors of the Gospell among vs that haue no knowledge of these things So then it is required of vs not onely to beleeue that there is a Sauiour of the world but wee must beleeue that he is our Sauiour beginning our saluation in this life and perfecting it in the life to come This confuteth the Popish opinion that holdeth that wee may beleeue in the creatures as well as in the Creator in the Saints as well as in Christ in mortall men as well as in the eternall God They teach that wee may beleeue not onely the Church but in the Church not onely Moses k Rhem. Test vpon Rom. 10. but in Moses not onely the Prophets but in the Prophets Wee are charged to beleeue in the blessed Trinity in God the Father in God the sonne and in God the Holy Ghost but l Ruffin in Symbol when the speech is not of the God-head but of the Creatures and Mysteries we are not taught to beleeue in them and therefore we are no more to beleeue in the Church then to beleeue in baptisme in the resurrection of the bodie the Communion of Saints and in the participation of glory We are indeede to beleeue m Exod. 14 31 2 Chro. 20 20 Moses and the Prophets that they spake not of themselues that their word is not the worde of man that they ran not before they were sent but we are not to beleeue in them We are indeed to beleeue Peter and Paule n Angast tract 2â— in Iohan. but not in Peter and Paule Wee are to beleeue the Scriptuers but not in the Scriptures o Euseb Emissen de Symb. hom 2. for that were to bestow vpon the seruant the honour of the Lorde and to giue to man that which is proper to the diuine Maiesty Wee must beleeue in Christ Iesus our onely sauiour as for those that beleeue in any other or seek saluation in any other then in Christ whether in Saints or in Angels or in themselues they beleeue not in Christ as in their onely Sauiour For p Cyprian de duplic martyr he beleeueth not in God who doth not place in him alone the trust of his whole felicity who doth not put his affiance in him who doth not depend vppon him who is not assured of his good will and fauour looking for saluation from him and for deliuerance from all euils Vse 3. Lastly seeing it is necessary for vs to haue faith in Christ it is our dutie to vse all meanes to attaine to this Faith Many there are which are deceiued in thinking they haue it who indeede haue it not These suppose they are full of Faith who are as empty vessels and neuer tasted the sweetnesse of it as
may appeare by examining the common practise of our common professors by these six notes First true Faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word preached as the Apostle sheweth Rom. 10. How shall they cal vpon him in whom they do not beleeue q Rom. 10 14 How shall they beleeue in him of whom they haue not heard how shall they heare without a Preacher and how shall they preach except they be sent This place is not vnfitly called a Ladder that reacheth to Heauen whereby as by certaine steppes we climbe vp to heauen God sendeth the Minister preacheth the people beleeueth The same Apostle asketh the Galathians r Gal. 3 2. Iohn 17 20. Whether they receiued the spirit by the workes of the Law or by the hearing of Faith But the Faith which many talke and boast of is conceiued and conceited without the preaching of the worde for they cannot abide it they will not attend vnto it they regard not to heare it True it is if they be asked whether they haue Faith or not they will thinke it a straunge question and maruell that we shold make doubt thereof they suppose themselues to haue a sound Faith in Christ but how come they by this faith They say they beleeue in Iesus Christ for their saluation and yet they liue in a perpetuall neglect and continuall contempt of the publicke Ministerie of the word Such is their beleeuing as is their hearing and their Faith is aunswerable to their attending It is a great foolishnesse worse then madnesse for any man to imagine to attaine to Faith by any other meanes then God hath ordained When God hath sayde that the ordinary way to obtaine Faith is by the preaching of the worde wilt thou in the high pride of thy ignorant heart say I can haue Fayth without preaching This is to crosse the ordinance of God and to thinke thy selfe wiser then God For although all haue not Faith that ordinarily heare yet ordinarily none haue faith that doo not heare If then we would haue Faith we must seeke it as God hath appointed where it is to be found and when it is to be found let vs be diligent hearers attentiue hearers constant hearers and then we shal see the blessing of God vpon vs that we shall be sauing hearers Secondly true Faith is also ioyned with Prayer to God and with repentance from dead workes for how shall they call vpon him in whom they doe not beleeue And the Apostle Å¿ Acts 15 9. Peter teacheth that Faith purifieth the hart Paule exhorting the Elders of Ephesus saith t Acts 20 21 That he witnessed both to the Iews and to the Grecians the Repentance toward God and faith toward our Lorde Iesus Christ It was the substance of Christs Sermons which he preached when hee came into Galile u Marke 1 15 The Kingdome of God is at hand repent and beleeue the Gospell But there are many amongest vs that professe Faith which haue a Faith of another kinde and Nature it is not ioyned with inuocation of Gods name they make no Conscience to call vpon him they haue not the Spirite of Prayer that cryeth in their hearts Abba Father it worketh not in them conuersion of heart a turning of the minde a chaunge of life they boast of Faith but they remaine the same men they were before a deade life a deade Faith a prophane life a false Fayth that will in the end deceyue them Thirdly true Faith worketh in vs an holy contentation in our estate and teacheth vs to depend vpon Gods prouidence touching Food Raiment and all things necessary for this present life This Christ our Sauiour teacheth vs from the example of the Fowles of the Heauen of the stature of our body of the Lillies of the fielde from the grasse of the earth what doo pensiue thoughts distracting and distrustfull cares auaile to sustaine vs or preserue our life Wherefore seeing the Birdes are nourished our stature is encreased the Lillies are beautified the Grasse is cloathed by the power and prouidence of God x Math. 6 30. and 8 20. Shall hee not do the same much more to you O ye of little Faith Faith therefore maketh vs rest vpon God want of Faith taketh away all trust in him But many among vs that will needes boast of Fayth in Christ want this Faith in his prouidence for they dare not trust GOD with their life they doo not depend vpon him for their liuing they are affraid he will leaue them and forsake them they do not beleeue he will bee a mercifull and gracious God vnto them they haue not that affiance confidence reposed him that naturall children haue in their Parents A Childe doth not wearie him-selfe with matters of the World hee dooth not fore-cast for manie yeares hee is not intangled and choaked with earthly Cogitations all his care is cast vppon his Father hee trusteth vppon him hee knoweth hee will prouide for him and so passeth his dayes without distrust or dispaire And shall wee not be ashamed to bee sent to Schoole to learne of little Children that depend vpon their Father whereas we haue not learned to lift vppe our eyes vnto our Father that dwelleth in the Heauens but vse vnlawfull meanes and vngodly shifts to helpe our selues A plaine argument that wee haue not that Faith which we falsely imagine and vainely imagine our selues to haue Fourthly true Faith is the Mother of loue and maketh vs liue in peace one with another the Apostle y Gala. 5 6. Paule teacheth That Faith worketh by loue And Iohn in his first Epistle saith z 1 Iohn 3 23 This is his commandement that we beleeue in the name of his son Iesus Christ loue one another But many that wil seeme to haue faith in Christ shew no fruits of loue toward their Brethren they are not careful if it be possible and so farre as lieth in them to haue peace with all men they do not seeke after peace and ensue it but liue in hatred and contention in malice and enuy and least of all do affect the children of God An enuious Faith is no Faith and therefore let such men looke vnto it Fiftly true faith is mingled with doubting and vnbeleefe with wauering and feare and oftentimes strongly shaken and assayled as with a mighty Tempest This we see in the Father of him that was possessed with an vncleane spirit he was readie to rest vpon Christ but he felt the fruite of his owne corruption the spirit was willing but the flesh was weake he found a fight within himselfe betweene Faith and Infidelity When he considered the infinite power of Christ that was able to cast out Satan and to binde the strong man he was moued to beleeue On the other side when he saw the strangenesse the continuance the incureablenesse of his sonnes disease when he marked that the Deuill tooke him tare him cast him into the fire to burne him
GOD pondereth the hearts This is it which Christ spake to the Pharisees i Luke 16 15. Ye are they which iustifye your selues before Men but GOD knoweth your hearts for that which is highly esteemed among men is abhominable in the sight of God Let vs therefore publish the guiftes of God vppon our selues and our Bretheren not to the magnifying of our owne persons but to the extolling of his praises and let vs so spread abroad our graces as that wee remember his glorie that wrought them in vs by his Spirite Verse 7. For we haue great ioy and consolation in thy Loue. Hitherto wee haue spoken of the matter of his Prayer now let vs see the reason why hee made this the matter thereof For the Apostle might haue craued and asked of God many other things for him of God yet he desired that his faith might be communicated to many and so bee manifested to bee effectuall working by loue The reason heere rendered is from the effect or fruite of his prayers they were not vttered in the ayre they fell not without profit good successe to the ground but he felt great comfort and consolation wrought in him by the workes of Philemon performed to the glorie of God to the praise of his Faith and with the approbation of the church Heere then he sheweth that he had occasion offred him of great ioy and gladnesse in regard of the graces of God effects of faith fruits of true piety which he heard and knew to bee in Philemon Doctrine 4. The spirituall graces of God bestowed vpon others giue occasiō of ioy to the Saints From hence we learne that spirituall blessings and graces of God bestowed vpon others do giue iust occasion to the Saints of God of great gladnesse and comfort It is our dutie greatly to reioyce when we see spirituall blessings in heauenly thinges giuen to the Children of God This trueth our Sauiour Christ teacheth in the Parables of the stray Sheep of the lost Groat and of the prodigall Sonne The Shepheard a Luke 15 5 and 10 31. hauing found his sheep layeth it on his shoulder with ioy he commeth home he calleth his friendes saying Reioyce with me for I haue found my Sheep which was lost I say vnto you that likewise ioy shall be in heauen for one sinner that conuerteth more then for ninety and nine iust men which need none amendment of life The poore woman hauing lost a Groat lighteth a Candle sweepeth the house searcheth euery corner and when she hath found it she gathereth together her neighbors saying Reioyce with me for I haue found the Groat which I had lost wherevppon hee addeth Likewise I say vnto you there is ioy in the presence of the Angelles of God for one sinner that conuerteth The Father of that riotous sonne which wasted his goods hath compassion vpon him runneth to meete him fell on his necke and kissed him put apparrell on his back a ring on his finger and shooes on his feete reproued his sonne that enuied and repined at it saying let vs eate and reioyce it is meet we should make merry and bee glad for this thy Brother was dead and is aliue againe he was lost but hee is found Heereunto commeth the Thankesgiuing of Christ to his Father when he saw the encrease of his Church and the ouerthrowe of Satans kingdome c Luke 10 21 That same houre reioyced Iesus in the Spirite and saide I confesse vnto thee Father Lord of Heauen and earth that thou hast hid these thinges from the wise and vnderstanding and hast reuealed them to Babes euen so Father because it so pleased thee The Prophet Dauid reioyced with great ioy when hee sawe that the people d 1 Chron. 29 9 10. offred willingly vnto the Lord with a perfect hart he blessed the Lord God of Israel When the Iewes heard of the conuersion of the Gentiles that the Holy ghost fell vpon them as vpon themselues at the beginning e Acts 11 18. They held their peace and glorified God saying Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance vnto life When the apostle perceiued the notable zeal of the Thessalonians in receiuing entertaining the gospel not as the word of man but as it is indeed the word of God f 1 Thes 2 19 20. he witnesseth that they wer his hope his ioy his crown his glory in the presence of our Lord Iesus Christ at his comming Likewise the Apostle Iohn g 3 Iohn 4. reioyced greatly when the Brethren testified of the truth that was in Gaius how he walked therein Hee had no greater ioy then this to heare that his sons walked in the verity Whereby we see there ought to be great ioy amongst the faithfull when they see the Church prosper and flourish and the graces of God to encrease among them Reason 1. The Reasons are many that confirme this vnto vs. First the glory praise of God is much increased which shold comfort the harts reioice the spirits of the Saints The more wee abound with spiritual blessings in heauenly things the more God is honored and his name glorified This the Apostle teacheth speaking of the releeuing of the Church at Ierusalem h 2 Cor. 9 12. The ministration of this seruice not only supplieth the necessities of the Saintes but also abundantly causeth manie to giue thankes to God Where hee sheweth his ioy that he receiued and conceiued for their voluntary submission to the Gospell and compassion to the brethren this was a speciall cause that God was praised this ministered greater gladnesse to him then that the Saints were comforted and releeued Reason 2. Secondly the general good of the church must lead vs to this duty cause vs to reioyce which next vnto God shold be dearest to vs. For whē we see the Church encrease and many soules of many men women saued when we see their hearts conuerted regeneration wrought in them so that they begin to liue to God who before in the time of their ignorance liued to themselus to sin to condemnation who can haue such hearts of Flint or of Iron as not to be moued with ioy euen tickled with a sweet meditation of Gods mercy beholding the enlarging of the kingdom of Christ The prophet reioysed to see the people willingly affected religiously minded i Psal 122 1 2 to go to the house of the Lord Because Ierusalem did thereby prosper peace was within her wals and prosperitie within her pallaces Where he sheweth that his reioysing was for the wealth and welfare of the house of God Reason 3. Thirdly the Ordinances and Lawes of God are walked in and obserued so his blessings procured and obtained For if we hearken obey his voice we haue a promise to be respected and rewarded Such as walke in the Statutes commandements of the Lord to do them shal be blessed
in the house in the field in the City in body in soule in temporall things in spiritual thinges Now when God is obeyed men should reioyce and be glad and when his Lawes are broken they should be much greeued and troubled The Apostle Iohn writing to an elect Lady k 2 Iohn 4. reioyced greatly that hee found of her children walking in truth as they had receiued a cōmandement of the lord On the other side wee see Dauids l Psal 119 136 eyes did gush out with Riuers of teares because Wicked men kept not his Lawes These Reasons beeing duely waighed and rightly considered do teach vs that Gods blessings bestowed vppon our Bretheren must minister matter of ioy and great comfort vnto vs. Vse 1. Let vs now proceede to the handling of the Vses that wee may haue the benefit of this Doctrine and not suffer it to passe from vs without profit First of all seeing Gods graces vpon others must worke ioy in our selues we learn the truth of that article of our faith which al professe to beleeue but many do not vnderstand to wit the communion of Saints There is a double communion m What the munion of Saints is which we beleeue one which we haue with Christ the other which the church hath among themselues the former is the cause of the latter For Christ our head hath giuen himselfe vnto vs whereby we haue the right of adoption the imputation of his righteousnesse and a title to the kingdome of heauen From hence as from a fountaine issueth that communion which all the members both in heauen earth haue among themselues howsoeuer seuered in place one from another howsoeuer the one sort be dead the other liuing howsoeuer the one sort is triumphant the other Militant Our Brethren in heauen wish well to the Church pray for it generall desire the perfect consummation of it and craue the full and finall deliuerance of it from all troubles The Apostle bringeth them in speaking on this maner n Reuel 6 10. How long Lord holy true Doest not thou iudge and auenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth True it is they know not they see not they heare not what things are done vpon the face of the earth and therefore they cannot pray in particular for the particular conditions and persons of men On the other side we who liue vppon the earth o Phil. 3 20. haue our conuersation in heauen our minds our harts soules are there we do in our desires and affections conuerse with them we pray to be dissolued and to be with Christ Our Communion among our selues consisteth in three things first in the affection of the heart secondly in the gifts of the spirit thirdly in the vse of temporall riches The first in heart when we are so linked and coupled together that we are like affectioned one to another so that when one is greeued the rest are greeued and when one reioyceth the rest are refreshed The Euangelist describing the estate of Christes Church saith p Acts 4 32. The multitude of them that beleeued were of one heart and of one soule The Heathen wish well to their owne blood and kindred but wee must wish well to all Christians as to our selues we must not onely know heare of but feele their miseries and mourne with them that mourne we must not tell them as newes but lay them to our hearts The second branch is in the blessings of God bestowed vpon vs we must impart to our Brethren our spirituall gifts we must teach them by our example we must aduise them by our Counsell we must guide them by our admonition we must stirre them vp by our exhortation we must raise them vp by our comforts we must helpe them by our Prayers The third part of our communion q Galat. 6. 10. standeth in temporal thinges when wee are content not onely to leaue our superfluities but euen to spend our selues for the good of our fellow-members wee must be readie to feede the hungry to cloath the naked to harbour the harbourlesse which are not onely of our owne flesh but of our owne faith not onely cloathed with the same Nature but adorned with the same Name This is the communion which wee professe and beleeue and is confirmed and concluded in this place Vse 2. Secondly we learn to desire the best guifts that we may reioyce and comfort the godly For when we profit in good things we chear the harts and minds of al the faithful Euery liuing thing hath his prospering proceeding and is known to haue life in it by encreasing from one degree of perfection to another The grasse springeth the plant shouteth the corn florisheth the tree groweth If we haue any life in vs of Gods Spirit be not as grasse that is withered as plants that are dead as Corne that is blasted and as trees that are plucked vp by the roots we must go forward from one measure of grace to another from a lesser to a greater This serueth to reprooue sundry abuses and to meet with many corruptions that abide and abound among vs. First it condemneth such as delight to offend to grieue and vexe the Saints of God For if we should seeke to reioyce and comfort them and to Minister all occasion of ioy vnto them then we are not to discomfort and trouble them wee are not to worke sorrow and anguish in them The estate of these offensiue liuers is fearefull as Christ our r Math. 18 7. Sauiour declareth Woe vnto the world because of offences for it must needs be that offences shall come but woe be to that man by whom the offence commeth whosoeuer shall offend one of these little ones which beleeue in me it were better for him that a Milstone were hanged about his neck and that he were drowned in the depth of the Sea Wee ought to giue no offence eyther to Iew or Gentile or to the Church of God for woe shall bee to them that offend their Brethren that greeue the Spirit of God and cause the enemies of our Faith to blaspheme Secondly it reprooueth such as conuerse onely with the vngodly and can be merry onely in their company The Children of God haue alwayes accounted it a great crosse and vexation to dwell with such as are leud in their course of life and are bare and barren in good things The Prophet saith ſ Psal 120 5. Woe is me that I remaine in Meshech and dwell in the Tents of Kedar It is an heape of miseries and a verie representation of Hell to be continually vexed and exceedingly greeued with their wicked conuersation Iust Lot was vexed with the t 2 Pet. 2 7 8. vncleane conuersation of the wicked for hee being righteous and dwelling among them in hearing and seeing vexed his righteous soule from day to day with their vnlawfull deedes And in what place almost now
can a man liue where all kinde of vile and vicious dealing is not practised where all vncleannesse of life is not vsed There is great comfort in the society of the faithfull and not only great comfort but great profit The Wiseman teacheth u Prou. 13 20. That he which walketh with the wise shall bee wise but a Companion of fooles shall be worse On the other side the company of the wicked is accompanied with danger It is a presumption of our own strength to thrust our selues among wicked companions Such as are continually in the Sun must needs be Sun-burnt Such as walke in the mist must needes bee berayed such as touch pitch cannot but be defiled so such as abide in bad company liue in places of danger by reason of the infection of sinne of the weakenesse of the flesh of the forsaking of God and of the power and liberty that Sathan hath in such places where he setteth vp his Throne For wheresoeuer sinne is practised defended and maintained where it couereth the earth as water doth the Sea there the Deuill x Reuel 2 13. raigneth there he keepeth his court there hee hath his residence remaineth there he possesseth al things So long therefore as we keepe company with those that commit sinne with greedinesse and runne on in their euill courses without controulement wee shall be sure to learne their wayes and are in daunger to receiue destruction to our soules Thirdly it reprooueth those that go backeward in their profession that are corrupt trees and without fruite twice dead and plucked vp by the roots Where shall we in these daies find matter of ioy to comfort our selues when godlinesse so much decayeth and wickednesse is set aloft The Apostle sayth notably to the Corinthians y 2 Cor. 2 31. I feare least when I come againe my God abase me among you and I shal bewaile many of them which haue sinned alreadie and haue not repented of the vncleannesse fornication wantonnes which they haue committed Suffer me a little to paint out vnto you in his colours the vnclean leprosie and filthy morphew that hath by sprading so disfigured the face of this world as it is made odious in the eyes and iudgments of al that haue any light of Gods spirit to discerne it If we consider the times wherein we liue wee may truely say they are the perilous seasons y Luk 18. 8. 1 Tim 3 1 2. foreshewed by Christ and his Apostles when faith is scarce found vpon the earth What can we heare or see in any company to which we resort and not be either greeued or guilty For when we behold iniquity practised without feare maintained without shame if we be not greeued at the committing of it we are made guilty of it If all Recordes were searched from the beginning and a narrow vew of other times taken it would be found by experience our helpes and meanes greater then theirs considered that we ouermatch them all in all kind of prophanesse and abominations As forswearing lying whoring pride Atheisme wantonnesse loosenesse vnmercifulnesse oppression coueteousnesse sacriledge luxury drunkennesse enuy Hipocrisie malice contempt of the word and such like they haue ouerspread the whole world as a running soare as a fretting Canker and as a loathsome vlcer whereby our age is become as the dregs and lees of all that haue gone before vs yea as a common sinke that receiueth all filthinesse and corruption into it If any obiect there was neuer more light of knowledge then is in our daies and that the word was neuer so plainely and plentifully preached I answere if it be granted that the light of knowledge is wonderfull great yet it is also as true that there was neuer more darknesse of impiety neuer moe mistes of vngodlinesse then now remain among vs so that it seemeth our greatnesse of knowledge serueth to no other purpose then to add to the greatnesse of our condemnation We are growne worse then our predecssors and forefathers because if there had not been such light there could not be such darknesse If we had beene blind and not seen the light we should not haue so greatly sinned Thus our Sauiour speaketh to some of the Pharisies z Ioh 9 41 If ye were blind ye should not haue sinne but now ye say we see therefore your sinne remaineth The Sunne of the Gospell hauing shined vpon our marish groundes hath raised these stenches and giuen liâ—e and growth to these monsters For where the Gospell doth not soften it hardneth where it worketh not conuersion it worketh confusion where it effecteth no good it maketh men worse yea worse then Tyre and Sidon worse then Sodome and Gomorah Thus truth compelleth me and wofull experience constraineth me to be a witnesse of that I would not if I could otherwise chuse touching the common corruption and iniquity of our age Obiection But some man may say the goodnesse of our professors will make amends and heale this soare yea make a full recompence of the former disorders and abuses Answere Indeed I acknowledge with all thankfulnesse and reioysing that God hath his Church and chosen flocke among vs contrary to the opinion and practise of such as haue made a rent and separation from vs. But although we haue a true Church of Christ with vs it is a little flocke a small remnant a gathering after the Haruest a gleaning after the vintage It is an hard matter to finde a true Isralite in whose heart is no guile They are rare handes that are free from the contagions of the times and pure from the spots of filthinesse now raigning We may take vp the complaint of the Prophet a Mica 7 4. The best of them is a briar and the most righteous of them t s sharper then a Thorny heage A man would haue thought he might haue ingaged his life and pawned his soule for the sincerity of some whom now we may behold to be gone as farre as Demas was in the loue of this world Their loue to the Saintes their zeale to the word their affection to the Ministers seemed to be such that no man doubted but their names were written in the booke of life who now seeme to be rased out of that booke which God hath written They indured the bitternesse of the Crosse they despised the shame of the world they suffered the taunts of the wicked who now are set downe in the seate of the scornefull and are become luke-warme in their profession Selfe-loue hath quenched brotherly loue mercy is swallowed vp through hardnesse of heart compassion is turned into sencelesnesse yea all ciuill and iust dealing seeme to haue taken their Winges and to be fled vp into heauen or else to be sunke downe into the Center of the earth and to haue left the society of our new Christians It is now accounted a rashnesse an heat of youth yea a sinne worthy of sharpe punishment to stand
Ecclesiastes o Eccl. 11 2. Giue a portion to seauen and also to eight for thou knowest not what euill shall be vpon the earth In all these considerations being compassed about and hemmed in on euery side with a worlde of vncertainties it standeth vs vpon to follow the counsel and aduise of Christ our Sauiour p Luke 16 9 who willeth vs to make vs friends with the riches of iniquitie that when wee shall want they may receiue vs into euerlasting habitations which is not spoken of goods euilly and wrongfully gotten but of goods that may be wickedly and wrongfully taken from vs by open force or secret fraud by violence of Robbers by pretence of right by colour of Lawe or by the power of the oppressor Reason 3. Thirdly the poore cannot recompence and repay again that which is bestowed vpon them but God himselfe will restore it seauen fold into thy bosome We must heerein imitate our Heauenly Father who is readie to shew mercy to all This is the precept of Christ q Mat. 5 42 45 Giue to him that asketh and from him that would borrow of thee turne not away c. that ye may be the Children of your heauenly Father for he maketh his Sonne to arise on the euill and the good sendeth raine on the iust and vniust So likewise it behooueth vs to follow the example of Christ r 2 Cor. 8 9. Who beeing rich for our sakes became poore that wee thorough his pouerty might be made rich This was the greatest grace and mercie that could be shewed Reason 4. Fourthly the poore haue beene in all ages and shall alwayes remain with vs to the end of the world to the end that their bowels may feele our refreshing and their loynes blesse vs and pray for vs. For if it had pleased God hee could haue made all men rich and none to stand in need of the ayde and assistance of others but this difference in degrees among men placing some aboue and others beneath making some rich and others poore setting some on high and others low serueth most for the aduancement of his glory and the maintaining of fellowship and friendship of concord and vnity one with another If all were rich and abounded in outward wealth we should neither know God nor our selues nor our Brethren we would be ready to say ſ Prou. 30 9. Who is the Lord We would be ready to disdaine and despise our Bretheren If all were poore and in necessity there would be nothing but robbing stealing periury and all confusion Wherefore it is the ordinance of God that some should be rich and some poore some wealthy and others in want Hee maketh some poore to exercise their patience and to try howe they will beare that burden and behaue themselues vnder the crosse He maketh others rich to exercise our mercie to be obiectes of our pitty and compassion and that we should neuer want some occasions to shew forth the fruits of a liuely faith Seeing therefore we shal receiue a great aduantage in this life and be recompenced at the resurrection of the iust seeing we are vncertain what shal happen heereafter and know not what euill may fall vppon the earth seeing wee are commanded to follow the example of God the Father who is good to al and of Christ his sonne who being rich made himselfe poore and of no reputation and lastly seeing we must alway haue the poore to exercise the workes of mercy and to releeue their misery it followeth that we are to distribute the outward blessings of this life to those that be in want and stand in need of comfort Vse 1. The Doctrine being thus cleered and confirmed let vs see the vses that arise from hence First this being so necessary a duty required of all men it teacheth a difference betweene the Heathen and Christian religion The Heathenish Religion neuer tooke order for the poore nor required any compassion toward them but the profession of Christ chargeth this duty vpon all true beleeuers and teacheth that iudgement shal be without mercy to those that shew not mercy When Paule departed from the rest of the Apostles at Ierusalem they t Gala. 2 10. warned him onely that he should remember the poore which thing also he was diligent to doe But this was neuer remembred nor regarded nor intended among the Nations that were vnbeleeuers True it is the Painims and Philosophers haue held and deliuered many morrall instructions and spoken well of Iustice Temperance Clemency Prudence and Friendship of obedience toward parents of Gentlenesse toward men of liberality toward the poore of loue toward our Country of Loialty toward Princes and such other vertues He that should deny u Antimachia preface before the second booke their precepts in part to be wel spoken and in part to be wel practised should do them great wrong But the Christian Religion as it hath all these in common with them approuing and allowing of them yea not disdaining to read their bookes and to learne such Doctrine of them as they haue left in writing so it hath lanched out a great deale deeper and entred farther and considered better of the precepts of good life and the practise of good manners then the Heathen and Infidels haue done It was a rule of one of the wisest among the Gentiles x Plato that we are not borne onely for our selues but that our birth is partly for our Country partly for our Parents and partly for our friendes A goodly and Golden sentence much admired and greatly commended and oftentimes alleaged But if it be compared with the Doctrine of Christ and the duty of all Christians it will be found maimed in his limmes and defectiue in his parts neither hauing a good beginning nor making a perfect ending For first of all he prescribeth that our Charity should be imployed toward our selues which they haue well marked allowed and followed which say that a well ordered Charity beginneth at himselfe But this is farre from the Doctrine of Chist and his Apostles Christ himselfe cōmandeth vs y Mat 22 39. to loue our Neigh-as our selues and Paule teacheth z 1 Cor 13 5. that Charity seeketh not her owne things Againe he maketh mention of our Country of our parents and of our friends and rangeth them into good order but what becommeth of the poore where or in what place of this notable sentence doth he place them he speaketh not of them at all let them shift as they can they are quite forgotten the Philosophers Charity stretcheth not to them let them sinke or swimme liue or die feed or starue it was all one to him and to that Religion that he beleeued And indeed a poore person in the time of the Painims had no other meanes to liue and sustaine himselfe and his family then to sell himselfe as a slaue to him that would buy him if no man were found that would buy him
20. are Ambassadors but the Ambassador is not sent without authority from him that sendeth him They are b Hebr. 13 7. Captains of the Lords hoast but the Captaine hath rule and gouernement ouer those that are vnder his charge and regiment If then the true Ministers of Christ be Fathers Shepheards Ambassadors and Captains vnder Christ the great shepheard of the Sheepe their Office cannot be without iurisdiction and authority ouer the people of God committed to their charge Reason 2. Secondly if we consider the fruits and effects that are ascribed in the word to the Ministers of the word we shall see that their Ministry is ioyned with authority They are the meanes and instruments to bring vs to the knowledge of Christ to the bosome of the Church and to the Kingdome of Heauen Their Office is to conuert sinners and to saue soules When Christ ascended vp into Heauen he appointed Pastors and Teachers in his Church c Ephe 4 11 12. for the repairing of the Saintes for the worke of the Ministry and for the edification of the body of Christ till we all meet together in the vnity of faith and that acknowledging of the sonne of God vnto a perfect man and vnto the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ So the Apostle exhorteth Timothy to take heed to himselfe to exercise his guifts to giue attendance to Reading to be diligent in exhortation and to continue in deliuering sound Doctrine d 1 Tim 4 16. because in dooing these thinges he should saue both himselfe and them that heare him God hath put into them and their mouths the word of reconciliation so that faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the preaching of the word of God and therefore the Ministers are said to saue their owne soules and the soules of others Reason 3. Thirdly there is a coâ—peration of God and the Ministers Office together and an admirable simpathy betweene them If then God and the Minister do worke together he may lawfully inioyne men to do their duties This is it which the Apostle teacheth e 1 Cor 3 9. and 2 Cor 6 1 We are together Gods labourers and in another place We therefore as workers together beseech you that ye receiue not the grace of God in vaine where to comfort the Ministers against the contempt of the world he declareth that it pleaseth God to vse their Ministry to worke faith in whom he will True it is the Ministers are not able to giue or worke faith in the hearers either in whole or in part it is God onely that giueth encrease and a blessing vpon his owne meanes but they are the instruments which he imployeth He commandeth the Ministers to preach and he giueth a blessing to their preaching The Minister laboureth on the heart and conscience God reformeth it and giueth the grace of repentance The Minister deliuereth the Doctrine of faith God giueth the gift of faith The Minister teacheth righteousnesse and holinesse of life God saith be it so he shal be righteous and holy The Minister pronounceth mercy to the penitent God bestoweth mercy and forgiuenesse of sinnes vpon him Thus God ratifieth their word and after a sort tieth his blessing vnto it Seeing rherefore that the Ministers of the word haue many titles of power and iurisdiction giuen vnto them seeing they are the meanes and instruments appointed to bring vs to saluation and Lastly seeing they worke with God and as it were helpe him in bringing men to faith and eternall life we may conclude that their Office is ioyned with power and authority Vse 1. Let vs see what are the vses of this Doctrine First touching the Office it selfe we gather that it is a worthy calling an honourable Office an excellent Function how base and meane soeuer it be esteemed among men of this world This the Apostle setteth downe writing to Timothy f 1 Tim 3 1. If a man desire the Office of a Bishop that is a Minister of tâ—e Gospell he desireth a worthy worke not onely a worke but a worthy worke Therefore this Office is not onely a lawfull calling but a worthy calling It is hard to discharge it aright for who g 2 Cor 2 16. is sufficient for these thinges but those thinges that are hard are excellent The Minster beareth the person of Christ in preaching the word and administring the Sacraments We heard before that in furthering and finishing the saluation of men God worketh with them It is a great and glorious account which God maketh of his word in the mouth of his Ministers when it is truely preached and rightly applied he giueth grace by it and ordinarily worketh not saluation without it This is no small honour and estimation to the Ministers of God and to the Ministry of his word that he admitteth them as ioynt-workers and as it were fellow-labourers with him he worketh when they worke he exhorteth when they exhort he reproueth when they reproue he teacheth when they teach This the Prophet teacheth to be the Ministers commission giuen him of God when he hath preached righteousnesse to man h Iob 33 24. God will haue mercy on him and will say to the Minister Deliuer him that he go not downe into the pit for I haue receiued reconciliation This the Apostle saith i 2 Cor 5 20. Now then are wee Ambassadours for Christ as though God did beseech you through vs we pray you in Christs stead that ye be reconciled to God This our Sauiour Christ also himselfe speaketh and auoucheth in the person of Peter k Mat 16 19. I will giue vnto thee the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt binde vpon earth shal be bound in Heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt loose on earth shal be loosed in Heauen Whereby he teacheth that the Ministers are the Porters of Heauen they haue the Keyes committed vnto them they are appointed to bring the Children of God into the sheepefold of Christ They shut the Kingdome of Heauen against all vnbeleeuers by preaching that they shall not enter but be cast into vtter darknesse and be tormented in Hell They open the Kingdome of Heauen to all beleeuers and penitent persons by preaching that they shall enter into the kingdome of Heauen and enioy eternall life To this end and purpose Christ speaketh to his Apostles after his ascension l Iohn 20 23. Whose sinnes soeuer ye remit they are remitted and whose sinnes ye retaine they are retained True it is God onely forgiueth sinnes properly but he hath appointed his Ministers to preach publish and to witnesse to their consciences that repent and beleeue the Gospell that all their sinnes are forgiuen And on the other side to preach and declare that such as will not beleeue and repent shall neuer haue their sinnes forgiuen them For how the Ministers binde and loose shutte and open forgiue and retaine the Prophet Esay sheweth m Esay 44 25
his kingdome The fourth reproofe Fourthly if it be a calling of such dignity it reprooueth those that run before they be sent and wait not a lawful calling from God that they discharge it afterward with peace of heart and comfort of Conscience We see manie young men make more hast then good speede in entring into the Ministery who for the most part want that iudgment staydnesse experience grauity moderation that is meet to be in men of that profession Hence it is that they are called by the name of Elders in the Scripture The Apostle thought it necessary to giue this charge to Timothy a young man though he were of rare hope and of excellent guifts u 2 Tim. 2 22. To fly the lusts of youth and to follow after righteousnesse Faith Loue and peace with all them that call on the Lord with a pure heart And in another place he saith x 1 Tim. 4 12. Let no man despise thy youth but be vnto them that beleeue an ensample in word in conuersation in Loue in Spirite in Faith in Purenesse If hee had this neede of instruction howe much more others The fift reproofe Fiftly it reproueth those that are so hand-fasted that they repine at their maintenance that labour among them How many places and Parishes are there that regard not how they be taught or whether they be taught or not so they may be well dealt withall in their Tithes that is if they might pay little or nothing to maintaine their Minister There is growne in many congregations this agreement and bargaine betweene the Pastor and the people if he will spare them in temporall things they regarde not how hee deale with them in spirituall things If they may pay little they are content hee shall preach little If they may enioy their Tithes at a low rate they are well pleased that he take his ease and teach them seldome But albeit he preach in season and out of season and do his dutie with all diligence yet they murmure and repine at his allowaunce and thinke euery thing too much that is bestowed that way The sixt reproofe Lastly it reproueth such as regard not the censures of the Church inflicted vpon euill doers The censures of the Church are made as a scar-Crow and esteemed of many as a mocke But if that power and authority were regarded in the Ministers hand that the word of God alloweth and appointeth wherby he is authorized to exercise spirituall iurisdiction in Church-matters not onely to preach but to punish not onely to teach but to correct not onely to instruct but to excommunicate then would the Office be magnified then would the Ministry be esteemed according to the institution of them Our Sauiour giuing order and direction to informe the Gouernors of the Church when scandals and offences arose among them addeth y Math. 18 18 Verily I say vnto you whatsoeaer ye binde on earth shall be bound in Heauen and whatsoeuer ye loose on earth shall be loosed in Heauen We see God promiseth to ratifie the sentence pronounced and denounced in his name The abridgement of this power is the contempt of the men and of their Ministry and the curbing cutting short of their authority doth open a gappe to all contumely and reproach of their persons and office If a Magistrate shoulde prescribe and ordaine that Law which is wholesome and profitable to the Common-wealth and haue no power at all to punish the Malefactors and misdoers that transgresse who is it that would regard the Commandement If a School-maister had authority onely to rule and to teach but were restrained to take vp the rod to correct and chastise the obstinat sluggard what Scholler would harken or giue eare to his teaching In like manner so long as the Minister is allowed only to speake the word or to threaten but stinted that he shall go no farther his Ministry will be little regarded as if a Maister should tell some of his Schollers of their shrewde trickes but were not licensed to punnish their euill doing God hath ioyned authority to the Pastors office put into his hand the discipline of the Church and the Ministers of God haue exercised executed the same according to his ordinance Hence it is that the Apostle reprouing an heinous offence amongst the Corinthians and shewing the vse of Ecclesiasticall correction saith z 2 Cor. 4 21 What will ye Shall I com vnto you with a rod or in loue and in the spirit of meekenesse Vse 2. Secondly seeing boldnesse to command vnder Christ belongeth to the office of the Minister it teacheth vs and putteth vs in minde of manie good duties as first to aske this guift of God and craue of him to indue vs with the zeale of his glory and other graces of his spirit that we may speake the word a Ephes 6 20. boldly as we ought to speake We see an example heereof in the Apostles when they heard the threatnings of the enemies of the Gospel b Acts 4 29. 5 28 29. They lift vp their voices to God with one accord and said O Lord thou art the God which hast made the heauen and the earth the sea and all things that are in them beholde their threatnings and graunt vnto thy seruants with all boldnesse to speak thy word So when the cheefe Priests said Did not we straightly commaund you that yee should not teach in his name And behold ye haue filled Ierusalem with yoar Doctrine and ye would bring this mans bloud vpon vs. Then Peter and the Apostles answerd We ought rather to obey God then mē Many men are endued with great gifts of learning and knowledge but they want the tongue of the Learned to minister a worde in season they want zeale and vtteraunce to deliuer the word of God to the people Let euery one therefore seeke to fit and furnish himselfe to this calling and in Christ Iesus be bold to do this dutie This the Prophet saith c Esay 58 1. Crie alowd spare not lift vp thy voice like a Trumpet and shew my people their transgression and the house of Iacob their sinnes This reproueth those that haue the worde in respect of persons who dare not do their duties and are afraid of mens faces They would be counted the Embassadors of God but they are affraide to do their Maisters message Let such learne of Iohn Baptist who shrunke not backe but was bold to tell Herod that it was not lawfull for him to take his Brothers Wife Wee must not bee Dastards and faint-hearted souldiers to fight the Lords battels but first be sure we haue a good warrant out of the word and then go boldly into the fielde and feare not to looke the enemy in the face True it is if wee haue not our Commission signed and sealed vnto vs wee haue iust cause to feare we speake in our owne names and not in the name
reuerence to their persons there is the want of the feare of God for he ioyneth rising vp before the Elders and the reuerencing of God together Where the feare of God is not there can bee no duty performed to men This reprooueth the rudenesse the common and customable sausinesse that is in young persons that refuse to giue them liberty and freedome to speake before them In all Companies the younger is the readier to speake although he vtter nothing but words of folly and of vanity Likewise it reprooueth those that will not giue them roome and place when they come in presence It is vndecent and vncomely in the Church or else-where to see weake and feeble olde Men stand and young Boyes to sit downe on their seats without wagging stirring or giuing place vnto them This is directlie contrary to the Law of God Thou shalt rise vp before the hore-head and honor the person of the old man We may now renew the complaint of the Prophet in regard of this conclusion z Esay 3 5. The Children presume against the ancient and the vile against the honorable Vse 3. Lastly seeing we must haue a great respect to such as are in guifts aboue vs or in age before vs or goe beyond vs in both it teacheth vs so to liue and behaue our selues that we may be worthy of al honor reuerence Let such as haue good guifts imploy them to the greatest good of others He that hath receiued much must bring forth much fruit a Math. 25 20 as the Seruant that had fiue talents committed vnto him gained fiue other talents So old men must be graue and sober and carry a Maiesty in their countenance that they may after a sort resemble the Maiesty of God As grauity and sobriety agreeth to euery age so most especially to the elder age contrary to which is lightnesse lasciuiousnesse and waywardnesse which make them not honorable but odious not to be reuerenced but to be dispised in the eies of the younger sort Let them adorne their yeares with those vertues b Tit. 2 1 2. which the Apostle nameth Let the elder-men be watchfull graue temperate sound in the faith in loue and in patience If they be carefull to expresse these thinges which become wholesome doctrine they shall manifestly shew that their liuing so long in the World hath not beene in vaine The Wise man c Prou. 20 29. saith The beautie of the young men is their strength and the glory of the aged is the gray-headed that is Wisedom Counsell Experience whereby they are more adorned then the young man is beautified by his bodily strength For the Ornaments of the minde are to be preferred before the properties of the bodie Againe they must bee examples of a godly life and holye conuersation that youth may stand in feare to commit any vndecent and vnseemely thing in their presence Thus Iob saith of himselfe d Iob. 29 7. Chap. 29. When I went out of the gate the young Men saw me and hid themselues But when the Elder sort are Ring-leaders aad examples of an euill and corrupt life there is more grauity on their heads then piety in their hearts in their white haires then in their behauiour and so the Crowne of honour is taken from them and they are iustly contemned despised and reproached of those of whom they should be honoured For wee may see olde men so hardned in Wickednesse that if a man would find whole heapes of wickednesse he neede seeke no farther but to them Some by their age and long experience haue learned nothing but craft and spightfulnesse so as if a man should frame himselfe after their example he should haue neither faithfulnesse in him nor vpright dealing Others are loose and disordered in their whole life Some haue beene giuen to swearing and blaspheming in their youth and they are not reformed nay they are more deformed in their age Others are so drenched and sapped in Couetousnesse and Whoredome as that they infect all places and defile all persons where they come they delight in such rotten and filthy communication that euen yong men are ashamed to heare them spew out such vngodly and vnsauoury talke Such as lead their liues as Fathers in the Church and adorne their age with godlinesse shall not neede to be offended at these things nor to say with the Lawyers in the Gospell e Luke 11 45. In saying this thou puttest we to rebuke also We are all to honour the gray-head and to magnifie old age For as Salomon f Prou. 16 31. saith Age is a Crowne of Glorie when it is found in the way of Righteousnesse Whereby hee meaneth that olde age seasoned with a Godly life and vpright bringeth with it as great glorie as a Crowne on the heade and a Scepter in the hand dooth vnto a King and therefore such olde men are greatly to be reuerenced and highly to be esteemed But many except they should be honored for their Ignoraunce Superstition Frowardnesse Maliciousnesse Waywardnesse Couetousnesse Drunkennesse Licentiousnesse and Selfe-will there is nothing else to be found in them to be learned of them to be gathered from them By these foule enormities they bring themselues into contempt and bring shame and reproach vpon their owne heades so that no man defameth and dishonoureth them so much as themselues For doe they behaue themselues with such Stayednesse Wisedome and Grauity that yong men feare to behaue themselues lewdly and licentiously in their sight Or do they shew themselues examples of good thinges Nay they serue for nothing but to corrupt and infect youth they be patternes nay Patrons and Maintainers of all filthinesse and loose liuing Surely if young men mis-behaue and misgouerne themselues they are not to be excused but to be reprooued because they ought to order their liues aright g Eccles. 12 1. and Remember their Creator in the dayes of their youth and not deserue to bee euill spoken or reported of but Olde folke are double worthy of the shame that men doo them if they bee not honoured for their Vertues They should learne by their long life and olde age to growe in the knowledge of GOD and his Sonne Iesus Christ to hate sinne to delight in righteousnesse and daily to dye vnto the Worlde that as they beare about them a bodie declining and decaying in strength so they should bee renewed in the inner man long after eternall life and not nestle them-selues heere vppon the earth as if they shoulde continue for euer therein nor pursue so greedily after the Worlde when they can scarse go or creepe vp and downe in the world It is a testimonie of Gods great mercy toward vs when he lengthneth our life and prolongeth our dayes to the last period and power of Nature Oh how might wee haue profited in the knowledge of Religion in the feare of God in the wayes of godlinesse in the meanes of saluation and in good
are to be learned of vs. Obiection 1. First our Sauiour sayeth Math. 23 9. Call no man your Father vpon the earth y Mat. 23 9 10 for there is but one your Father which is in heauen Bee not called Doctours for one is your Doctor euen Christ If then God onely be our Father and no man is to bee called by this name either we must account the Ministers Goddes which were blasphemy or debarre and deny them this Title which were contrary vnto other Scriptures Answere I answere Christ doth not in these words forbid the denomination but restraine the ambition of men as appeareth by the conclusion of the words Verse 12. Whosoeuer will exalt himselfe shall bee brought lowe and whosoeuer will humble himselfe shall be exalted Hence it is that the Apostle calleth himselfe z 1 Tim. 2 7 1 Cor. 4 15. as well the Doctor of the Gentiles as the Father of the Corinthians It is one thing to haue the name and another thing greedily to hunt after it and proudly to challenge it to our selues Besides touching the fountaine of our first birth and the foundation of our faith and regeneration he is our onely Father we ascribe it to no man vpon the earth But euen as touching our naturall being hee hath ordained subordinate causes as his Instruments and fellow-workers to beget vs and bring vs into this world and to giue vs life a Exod. 20 12. whom he doth honor with the titles of Fathers and Mother So touching our new birth although it be the sole worke of the spirite and therefore proper to God yet because he worketh it by the word Sacraments the preaching and dispensation whereof he hath committed to the Ministers and appointed to be conueyed to men by their meanes he dooth communicate to them the appellation of Fathers as those whom he vseth to bring vs beget vs vnto God So then Paul so giueth himselfe the name of Father as that he neither robbeth God nor taketh from him the least iot of the honor that is due to his name For it is a common rule that they are not contrary which are subordinate When one is vnder another and inferiorly ordered ordained to another there is a good agreement betweene them God is the choise cause Paule is the Instrumentall Obiection 2. Againe the Apostle depresseth and derogateth from the Ministerie and sayth b 1 Cor 3 6 7 I haue planted Apollos watered but God gaue the encrease So then neither is he thar planteth any thing neyther he that watereth but God that giueth the encrease How then doth it come to passe that he doeth there so much debase them and heere so greatly honour them as to make them fellow workers yea fellow-fathers with God He may seeme to be vnconstant as a Reede shaken with the winde and to lift vp and cast downe at his owne pleasure Answere I answere the contrariety is not in the wordes of the Apostle the difference is in the persons with whom he dealeth and to whom he writeth So there seemeth a contradiction betweene Paule and Iames in the matters of Faith and Good-works c Rom. 3 20. Iames 2 24. Gal. 2 16. Paule saith We are not iustified by workes Iames saith We are iustified by Workes Paule saith We are not iustified but by Faith Iames sayeth We are not iustified by Faith onely Heere is a shew of dissention but it is onely in shew not in trueth for then in one of them should be no truth The Reason why they vse a different order of teaching is the diuersity of the Schollers which they instructed and the contrary affection of such as they taught and informed Paule had to do with Iusticiaries that sought to be iustified partly by faith and partly by works partly by Christ partly by themselues partly by somwhat in another and partly by somwhat in themselues partly by the merits of another and partly by their own strength and merits Iames had not to do with such persons but with Libertines and loose liuers which confessed in wordes free Iustification thorough Faith in Christ yet they were deceiued and had not learned that all those that are iustifyed are also sanctified that all that are in Christ are become newe Creatures that they are borne anew and walke not after the flesh but after the spirit and therefore thought workes needlesse and fruitlesse Thus Paul dealt in this place If at any time he saw so much honour giuen to the Ministers as that Gods honour was diminished or any way obscured and so hee robbed of his glory then hee pulled downe their estimation that God might haue his right and be vnto vs all in all But if on the other side they were debased and disgraced as in these dayes they are whereby the word also was abhorred and God the Author of it and the ordainer of them dishonoured they ought to haue their due they are to magnify their office and to be esteemed as the Ministers of Christ As for example when we haue to deale either with the Anabaptists that wait for reuelations and vtterly reiect the Ministry Ministers of the worde or with those prophane Atheists of our time who contemn them and count them idle and of no vse and so haue no regard of them or respect vnto them wee are to shew in what an high calling God hath seated them He saith of them d Math. 10 20 It is not you that speake but the spirite in you He saith of them He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me He saith of them Whose sinnes ye remit they are remitted whose sinnes ye retaine they are retained This serueth to stop the mouthes of carnall men and alloweth vs to know our selues when the worlde will not know vs or acknowledge vs. But when we haue to deale with those of the Church of Rome who make their Pope a God on earth and set their Cardinals and Clergy aboue the word we are to be taught what the Ministry is of it self being separated from the spirit of God an empty sound without force and a bare Instrument without effect in the hand of the workeman that can do nothing of it selfe but as it is vsed and applied by the worke-man Thus much of the remoouing of such Obiections as might hinder the vse and profit of this Doctrine Vse 1. Now let vs come to consider the Vses which are either general belonging ioyntly both to the Pastors people or special belonging to either of them First seeing the Minister and people ought to loue as Father and Sonne it teacheth them to cut off all occasions of discord and diuision and to nourish loue and mutuall concorde one with another It may bee many occasions may arise which if by wisedome they be not smothered and suppressed in the beginning they are as little sparkes that quickly break out into a flame and the flame
wisedome in the end be turned into folly our presumption into despaire our dallying with the word into destruction Thirdly wee are put in mind by this meanes of our regeneration to acknowledge the happy estate and condition of that Nation of that people of that parish to whome God hath vouchsafed the preaching of his word because it is a sure pledg proof of his loue toward them and a manifest argument and testimony that he hath a Church there to be gathered a people to be conuerted and many soules to be saued For euen as God withholdeth the meanes of saluation from those that he doth not determine to saue i 1 King 17 1. As he stayeth the heauens from raining vpon the earth when he will bring a famine so when he will shew mercy he wil send the meanes plentifully It was a great mercy to the Iewes when Christ called his Disciples k Math. 10 6. and bad them Go and preach to the lost sheepe of the house of Israel that the kingdom of heauen was at hand It was a great blessing intended to the Macedonians when a vision appeared to Paul in the night l Acts 19 6 10 and 18 10 11. There stood a man of Macedonia and prayed him saying Come into Macedonia and help vs whereby Paul was assured that the Lord had called him to preach the Gospell vnto them It was a great fauour bestowed vppon the Corinthians when the Lorde saide to Paul Feare not but speake and hold not thy peace for I am with thee and no man shall lay hands on thee to hurt thee for I haue much people in this City so he continued there a yeare and sixe months and taught the word of God among them Where the Lord telleth his seruant that he had people there whome he meant to saue and therefore he sent them his word to saue them yea he had much people there to saue and therefore the Apostle must bestow much time and diligence among them to bring them to saluation When God would preserue Moses out of the waters that might haue drowned him hee sent m Exod. 2 5. Pharaohs daughter to the Riuer to take vppe the Childe and to prouide for it who brought him vp at her owne cost So when God will saue a people from their sinnes and make them partakers of his Kingdome hee offereth vnto them the meanes he sendeth his word he giueth guiftes vnto his Ministers hee toucheth their hearts with a Conscience of their duties and causeth them to preach vnto them that so they might be conuerted and saued If God haue thus blessed vs and bestowed this mercy vpon vs which he hath denied to many places and persons n Amos 4 7. causing it to raine vpon one Cittie and not vpon another Cittie so that one peece was rained vppon and the peece vvhereupon it rained not vvithered Let vs therefore acknowledge this goodnesse and walke worthy of this benefit least the Gospell bee remoued from vs and giuen vnto another Nation that will bring forth the fruites of it When the Gospell was offered vnto the Iewes o Acts 18 6. and they resisted blasphemed the Apostle shooke his raiment and saide vnto them Your blood be vpon your owne head I am cleane from henceforth will I go vnto the Gentiles It had beene better for vs we had neuer had the word preached among vs then to haue it offred and we not regard it It shall bee easier for the Turkes and Sarazens in the day of judgement then for vs for if they shall be condemned that neuer had the truth of God among them and knewe not what the preaching of it meaneth much more iustly shall we perish that haue had the Gospell taught in our streets and brought vnto our doores and Christ Iesus described in our sight and among vs crucified Let vs therefore take heede that the Gospell be not the sauour of death to death vnto vs and that Christ be not a rocke of offence to stumble at least if we fall on him he grind vs to peeces and to powder Vse 2 Secondly seeing the word preached is the meanes whereby we are regenerated it teacheth the Minister to be careful to exercise his duty with faithfulnesse and seruiceablenesse to Christ and his Church Heereby he shal deliuer his owne soule gaine glory to God and turne many vnto righteousnesse This made the Apostle say p 1 Tim. 4 15 16. 1 Cor. 4 1. 2 Cor. 4 5 6. We preach not our selues but Christ Iesus the Lord and our selues your seruants for Iesus sake The Lord Iesus himselfe went about all Citties and Townes preaching the Gospell and healing the sicke The Apostle Paule saith of himselfe q 1 Cor. 6 19. A necessity is laide vpon me and woe vnto mee if I preach not the Gospell And thus he exhorteth the Elders of Ephesus Take heede vnto your selues and to all the flocke whereof the Holy-Ghost hath made you Ouer-seers to feede the Church of God which hee hath purchased with his owne blood Acts 20 28. It is his dutie to be well studied in the word of God to exercise himselfe carefully in the reading thereof that he may be able to declare the same vnto the people He must be as a plentifull Store-house of all necessary prouision that they may resort to him and seeke the Lawe at his mouth For how shall he be able to teach another that which hee himselfe hath not learned Or how shall he deliuer that which himselfe neuer receyued Neither is it enough for him to seeke knowledge himselfe and to keepe continually in his study till he become as r Greenh part 4. Sermon 4. one saith as a Tun that wil not sound being full when one knocketh vpon it but he must come foorth and preach the word of God and deliuer wholsome doctrine and declare by feeding the flocke of Christ that hee loueth his Maister and the Maister of the Sheepe whose seruant he professeth himselfe to be This is it which the Apostle Peter teacheth Å¿ 1 Pet. 5 2 3 4 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 minde not as though ye were Lords ouer Gods heritage but that ye may be ensamples to the flocke and when that cheefe Shepheard shall appeare ye shall receiue an incorruptible crowne of glory If we do not thus labour but loyter in the Lords Vineyard we cannot assure our selues to be the Ministers of the Lord but robbers and spoylers nay murtherers and man-slayers who do not onely eate the sins of the people and fill our bellies with the sweat of other mens browes but make a prey of their soules and expose them to bee destroyed and deuoured of their enemies When the great day of the Lord shall come and the great Shepheard of the Sheepe shall appeare and a great account of our Stewardshippe
shall bee taken of vs wee shall beare the burthen not onely of our owne sinnes but of all the sinnes of the people and euerie soule belonging vnto our charge that hath perrished thorough our owne negligence shall bee laide to our charge and his blood be required at our handes and so shal becom horrible Reprobates in Hel to be tormented with euerlasting pains For euen as the holy mā speaking of this calling teacheth that a faithful messenger of God and interpreter of his wil is but as one of a thousand that though they be many that vndertake the office yet the number is few rare that make Conscience of their dutie to God and his people so on the other side few of this many shall be saued but be cast as notable diuels into hell draw with them thousands into destruction Neither is it sufficient for the Ministers discharge if he teach sildom or now and then as at euery quarter day when he commeth to reckon with them or once a month to auoide the Law but he must watch and teach and feede his flocke continually t 2 Tim. 4 1 2 And preach the word in season and out of season The greatest labor shall haue the greatest reward They u Dan. 12 3. that turne many to righteousnesse shall shine as the Stars for euer and euer Euery x 1 Cor. 3 8. man shal haue his wages according to his worke They that imployed their Maisters mony y Mat. 25 30. gained by it are accounted good faithfull seruants but the ydle and loytering seruant that would do nothing but hid his talent that was giuen vnto him was cast into vtter darknesse and rewarded according to his deserts Let vs therefore labour to haue a cleare conscience toward God and man The more paines we take the greater shal be our comfort the more diligently we sow the more plentifull shall be our haruest If we be painful in our callings and diligent in teaching the people z Co◠3 1 2. We shall not neede as some other Epistles of re-commendation vnto them or Letters of re commendation from them for they shal be our Epistle written in our harts which is vnderstood and read of all men And concerning those committed to vs to feed we see by experience that they cannot liue without food they cannot grow and prosper without a daily supply so their soules cannot liue vnto God a spirituall life vnlesse they bee often fed and plentifully nourished by the milke of Gods word When Paule tooke his leaue to depart from Ephesus he propoundeth before the Elders his owne example a Acts 20 31. Remember that by the space of three yeares I ceased not to warne euery one both night and day with teares This faithfulnesse is to be found in vs as our comfort in this life our crowne in the life to come alwaies prouing when God wil giue faith and repentance neuer to be repented of We know not the times and seasons that God hath kept in his owne hand If he touch not the heart at one time and leaue a blessing behind him he may touch it and frame it vnto obedience at another time It behooueth vs therefore to vse the meanes to sowe vnto them spirituall things and to commit the successe of our labours vnto God b 1 Cor. 3 6 7 seeing Paule planteth and Apollos watereth but it is GOD that giueth the encrease Vse 3. Thirdly seeing the word preached is the ordinary meanes of our regeneration it teacheth the people to looke to their feet when they enter into the house of God and to take heede how they heare It is not left to their owne choise whether they wil hear or not no more then it is to the Minister whether he will preach or not It is required of them that they reuerence them obey their Doctrine loue them prouide for them pray for them and in al things esteeme of them as the messengers of Christ as the Ministers of the word as the ouerseers of the Church yea it standeth them vpon to heare the word at their mouths to account of it as the meanes of their saluation It is great ignorance impiety to desire any other means to haue faith then that which he hath appointed for vs. It is the great mercy and goodnesse of God to appoint mortal men subiect to sin and al infirmities as we are at whose handes we may be fed at whose mouths we may be taught and with whom we may talke familiarly and yet by their simple Ministry may haue as good assurance of saluation in this life and of glory in the life to come as if the Lorde himselfe should speake from heauen For the word of God is as the gate of heauen and hee hath committed the Keyes thereof to his faithfull Stewardes c Math. 16 19 That whatsoeuer they binde on earth should be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer they loose on earth should be loosed in heauen True it is many foolish faithlesse men perswade themselues that they should repent and beleeue the Gospell if they might heare God himselfe speake or if one came from the dead to tell them what they should do to be saued When Caine had conceiued malice and murther in his heart and intended to kill his Brother d Gen. 4 6. the Lorde spake vnto him set his sinnes in order before him and threatned iudgment against him vnlesse he repented but did hee repent at the voice of God and turne vnto him with all his heart No he fell from euill to worse and added one sinne vnto another till he had filled vp the measure of them All the Israelites heard the Law of God in the wildernesse and saw his wonderfull workes that hee shewed among them yet they beleeued not neither ceased to murmure and rebell against him Iudas one of the twelue was reprooued of Christ for his treason so were the Scribes and Pharisees for their hypocrisie yet none of them repented or at the least many of them repented not at his preaching vnto them wherefore it is not the hearing of the voice of God can giue vs repentance it is his changing of our hearts and renewing of vs in the inner man that casteth vs into a new mould and worketh in vs a new birth When Christ Iesus was nayled vpon the Crosse they said e Math. 27 42. He saued others but hee cannot saue himselfe if he be the King of Israell let him now come downe from the Crosse and we will beleeue in him But if he had come downe at this taunt cast out vpon him wold they or could they haue beleeued Or could Christ haue beene the true Messiah if he had discended seeing it was the end of his comming into the world that hee might suffer f Esay 53 7. Psal 22 17. 69 21. and fulfill the thinges that were foretold by the Prophets Or would they not rather
were filled with the Spirit of God in wisedom in vnderstanding in knowledge and in al workmanship If couetousnes be the cause of placing such blind guids which is as great an ouer-sight as to set a blind man to be a Watch-man or a dumb man to be a Messenger or a Lame man to be a Post or a deafe man to bee a Iudge we must obserue that the Lord compiaineth in the Prophet n Mal. 3 8. that he was spoyled and robbed when the Tithes and offerings were taken away from the true vse and from the right Owners and therefore would visit it with a greeuous plague and heauy iudgement The Iewes in the Gospell alledge it vnto Christ as an Argument of loue to them and their Nation that the Centurian whose Seruant was sicke o Luke 7 5. had built them a Synagogue so that on the otherside they would haue branded him with the note of hating them and their Nation if he had spoiled the Synagogue or taken away the priuiledges belonging vnto it The Prophet Dauid as we heard before would not drinke p 1 Chron. 11 16. of the Water of Bethleem because it was gotten with the danger of some few mens Temporall liues Ought not this to teach a great conscience to euery one to take heede that he doe not eate and drinke that which hazzardeth the Soules and bodies of many of their Brethren and to make them afraid to cloath themselues and their families by leauing the people naked to their enemies to be a pray vnto them and to be destroyed by them It is noted as a thing worthy of note and memory q Possid in vita August 10. 24. in the life of S. Austine that he sharpely rebuked and reproued a Gentleman in his time for re-calling and taking away his owne guift which before he had giuen to the maintenance of his Church how much more would he haue beene offended if he had liued in our daies wherein many are as friendlie and fauourable to the Ministery as the East wind is to the fruits of the earth how much more seuerely would hee haue censured those Caterpillers and Cormorants that take away by iniurious customes and corruptions the maintenance of the Church which neither they nor their Fathers haue giuen The ancient Romaines by the light of Nature as Liuy r Decad. 5. lib. 2 testifieth disliked and checked Qu. Fuluius Flaccus because he had vncouered a part of Iunoes Temple to couer another Temple of Fortune with the same Tiles they tolde him that Pirrhus or Hanniball would not haue done the like and that it had bin too much for him to haue done it to a priuate Cittizens house being a place farre inferior to a Temple and in conclusion forced compelled him to send home those Tiles againe by a publike decree of the Senate Let those things be duely waied and make these men ashamed to come behinde the Heathen who did more to their Idols then they will doe for the honour of the true God If they be not hewen out of Oakes and haue hearts of Flint let them open their eyes and behold the oppressions of the Church and the pulling away in whole or in part the prouision appointed for the Pastor whereby it commeth to passe that many places want the preaching of the Word and many Soules perrish for the want thereof When the Å¿ 1 Sam. 6 3. Philistims sent home Gods Arke from them they sent it not backe empty they returned it not without a guift When Zaccheus repented of his iniurious dealing t Luke 19 8. hee offered to restore foure-folde If these Church-pollers who haue robbed the Church and enriched themselues with the spoiles thereof will not restore that which they haue wrongfully taken and make vp the breaches which they haue wastfully made beeing without the feare of God and any fruit of true Religion they shall in the end receiue iudgement according to their workes and in the meane season their owne consciences shall sting and torment them It goeth indeede hard with the poore Church that is oppressed and it groneth and sigheth vnder the burden of her oppression yet in the end when the Lord cheefe-Iustice of Heauen and Earth shall pronounce sentence against them it shall bee knowne that they who oppresse others do u August epist 211. more hurt themselues then those whom they oppresse in as much as the sorrow and smart of the oppressed haue an ende but the woe and torment of the oppressour shall be euerlasting because he heapeth vnto himselfe wrath against the day of wrath and of the declaration of the iust iudgement of God 11 Which in times past was to thee vnprofitable but now very profitable both to thee and to me 12 Whom I haue sent againe thou therefore receiue him that is mine owne Bowels The order of the Words HItherto we haue heard the cheefe matter of this Epistle propounded and amplified Now let vs see how it is proued and confirmed The matter handled is that Onesimus should be receiued and entertained againe by his Maister This is first strengthned and then concluded To effect his purpose Paule draweth diuers reasons some taken from Onesimus others from the Apostle himselfe From Onesimus in the eleauenth verse because he should find him very profitable and seruiceable which is amplified by the contrary albeit he haue beene vnprofitable and vnthrifty vnto thee The reason may be thus framed If he will proue profitable vnto thee then thou oughtest to receiue him least thou be found an enemy to thine owne profit But he will proue profitable vnto thee Receiue him therefore This hath included in it the force of a close and secret Obiection Obiection For Philemon might obiect I haue found him hurtfull why then should I receiue into my House as a member of my Family that Seruant which will cause more harme then bring profit I haue had experience of the damage that he hath done me what homage he will doe me I know not Answere To this the Apostle maketh a double answer first by graunting then by correcting that which he had graunted and both waies by comparing the time past with the time present the time before he embraced Religion with the time of his conuersion as if he should say true it is and I grant he was once vnprofible to thee for while he was vnfaithfull to God he could do no faithfull seruice vnto thee but why dost thou vrge the time of his ignorance And why dost thou consider so much what he hath beene For now hee is become a new man he hath tasted of the true Religion he hath learned to know God to know himselfe to know thee and to know me To know God his mercifull Creatour to know himselfe a wretched Sinner to know thee his louing Maister to know me his spirituall Father whereas in former times he was ignorant of all these As he regarded not to know
ſ Gen. 31 40. Hee was in the day consumed with heate and with frost in the night and his sleepe departed from his eyes whatsoeuer was torne of Beastes he brought it not vnto him but made it good himselfe This is it which the Centurion in the Gospell confesseth and commendeth in his seruants t Math. 8 9. For I am a man also vnder the authority of another and I haue Souldiers vnder me and I say to one Goe and he goeth and to another Come and hee commeth and to my seruant do this and hee doth it These examples also of that seruant and Souldier that waited vppon Cornelius is notable to this purpose u Acts 10 7. who being trained vp in the feare of God shewed all fidelity and forwardnesse to performe the will and commaundement of his Maister and went to bring Peter by whose Ministerie they might bee further instructed Thus we see that religious seruants are the best Seruants the most dilligent Seruants the most true and trustie Seruants the most prouident and profitable Seruants and therefore it belongeth to al Masters of families to be carefull to teach them the feare of the Lorde and to traine them in the wayes of godlinesse Heereby they shall honor God heerby they shal do great good to their soules heerby they shal discharge a good Conscience heereby they shall procure their owne profite and further their owne gaine Which in times past was to thee vnprofitable but nowe profitable both to thee and to mee The Apostle in this place speaking of the estate of Onesimus and shewing what hee was before his Conuersion and what hee was after dooth fitly distinguish the times and sayeth that before his Calling to the Faith hee was vnprofitable seruing to no other purpose but to feede himselfe and fill vp a place but no good no grace no godlinesse appeared to bee in him But where did he conuerse and lead this life Was it where the name of God was not knowne or where the sound of the Gospell was not heard No it was in faithfull Philemons house This may at the first seeme a very strange and wonderfull thing that he liuing in so religious an house in so reformed a family with so godly a company which had the reputation of a little Church should fauour nothing of piety nothing of Christianitie but remaine in vnfaithfulnesse toward God and in vnrighteousnesse toward his Maister Doctrine 2. In godly families are manie times vngodly Children and Seruants In godly families are manie times vngodly Children and Seruants From this description of Onesimus in the time of his ignorance before his eyes were opened and his heart reformed wee learne that it falleth out notwithstanding the desire and diligence of the Gouernors of the house that in reformed families are oftentimes found vnreformed persons In godly places do many times lurke vngodly Children and vncorrigible seruants into whose hearts no instruction will enter and whose disposition no meanes of reformation can alter We see this in the first family that euer was vpon the earth and there haue beene no more wicked men in the world then they that haue had the best meanes to direct them Adam had malicious and murthering Caine Abraham had persecuting and sauage Ishmaell Noah had scoffing and cursed Cham Isaac had vngracious and prophan Esau Dauid had ambitious and aspyring Absalom So it was with Eli with Samuel with Hezekiah with Iosiah sundry others who after good means vsed by themselues haue found much euill practised by their Children The Fathers are often carefull to lay a good foundation to nurture their children with good instruction a Homer Odysis lib. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet few children prooue like their Fathers but are a degenerate and vnregenerate off-spring Reason 1. And albeit this do sufficiently appeare vnto vs by Testimonies of Scripture and by daily experience yet we shall farther be confirmed in this truth if we waigh the Reasons whereupon it standeth First Religion commeth not by inheritance and grace cannot be conueyed by propagation but euery man begetteth his like as he himselfe is by nature as one Serpent engendereth another This Moses teacheth that when Adam was faln from God and had lost the grace of sanctification b Gen. 5 3. He begat a child in his owne likenes after his owne Image Godly Parents may leaue their children temporal possessions but they cannot bequeath vnto them Faith and a good conscience which are not to be found in the naturall man Reason 2. Secondly there must be a new byrth begun by Gods spirit for the grace of regeneration whereby we are brought to haue one foote in Gods Kingdome is not of flesh and blood but of water and the spirit it is not of the will of man but of the worke of God This is it which our Sauiour setteth downe c Iohn 1 12 13 and 3 3 5. As many as receiued him to them he gaue prerogatiue to be the sonnes of God euen to them that beleeue in his Name which are borne not of bloode nor of the will of the Flesh nor of the will of man but of God Likewise when hee disputed with Nicodemus who was ignorant of this Doctrine he saith Verily verily I say vnto thee except that a man be borne of Water and of the spirit he cannot enter into the kingdome of God It is he onely that gaue the heart that is able to change the heart it is hee that gaue the eyes that is able to open the eyes Reason 3. Thirdly albeit the vnregenerate persons and loose liuers doe not want education and good bringing vp yet they are not amended and reformed because God doth not purpose their conuersion but appoint their confusion The Lord stirred vp Pharaoh d Rom. 9 17. to this same purpose that hee might shew his power in him and that his name might be declared throughout al the earth yet he sent vnto him Moses and Aaron to cleare his owne Iustice to make him without excuse The like the Scripture speaketh of the sonnes of Eli who were reproued of him for making the Israelites to trespasse and to abhorre the offerings of the Lord yet they regarded not his reproofe beeing the Father of their bodies the Priest of the most high God and the iudge of the people and this reason is rendered why they obeyed not his voice hearkned not to his Counsell e 1 Sam. 2 25. Because the Lord would slay thē So then whether we do consider that grace cannot be conueyed by propagation or that it is the proper worke of the spirit to effect our regeneration or that God will glorifie his great name in the confusion of such as break the bands and cast away the Cordes of Discipline from them wee cannot greatly maruaile that in reformed places are oftentimes to bee found vnreformed persons Vse 1. Let vs make vse of this Doctrine and see
signe of their Reprobation Lydia is commended in that she l Acts 16 4. attended vnto the things which Paule spake but it was the Lord that opened her heart before she could be a faithfull and fruitfull hearer To this purpose Moses speaketh to all Israell m Deut. 29 2 3 4. Ye haue seen all that the Lord did before your eyes in the Land of Egypt vnto Pharaoh and vnto al his seruants and vnto all his Land the great tentations which thine eyes haue seene those great Myracles and wonders yet the Lorde hath not giuen you an heart to perceiue and eyes to see and eares to heare vnto this day Nowe as this ouer-throweth such as teach and maintaine an vniuersall Vocation so it must serue to settle vs in the trueth of the Doctrine of particular election and predestination n Rom. 9 15 16 18 13 14 That it is neither in him that willeth nor in him that rundeth but in God that sheweth mercy He sheweth mercie vpon whom he will shew mercie and will haue compassion vpon whom he will haue compassion therefore he hath mercie vpon whom he will and whom he will he hardneth God loued Iacob and hated Esau so that it was saide The elder shall serue the younger The Lord electeth some vnto life and saluation before the foundations of the world he elected some and therefore not all before the beginning of the world and therefore not for their deserts who then had not their beeing vppon the earth Who art thou o Iob 9 4 Rom. 9 20. that wilt dispute with GOD Or what shall it auayle vs to question it and quarrell it with the Almightie May the p Esay 10 15. Rom. 9 21. Clay reason with the Potter or the Axe with the Carpenter or the Sawe with him that draweth it or the Rodde with him that taketh it Or shall the thing formed say vnto him that formed it Why hast thou made mee thus Dare any Seruant pry and search into all the secrets of his Maister Canst thou follow track the way of the Fish in the Waters of the Fowles in the Ayre of a Serpent vppon a stone of a Shippe in the Sea Let vs not aske a reason of his will but rather say with the Apostle q Ro. 11 33 34 O the deepenesse of the Riches both of the wisedome and Knowledge of GOD Howe vnsearchable are his Iudgementes and his wayes past finding out For who hath knowne the minde of the Lorde or who was his Counsellor or who hath giuen vnto him first and he shall be recompenced If God should doo equally well vnto all his Creatures then were hee after a sort so much lesse to be praised and magnifyed of some for his benefites seeing he should do nothing specially and singulerly to them more then to others Neither is there are iniquitie in our God in so doing for may hee not r Math. 20 13 do with his owne what he will May he not lighten what eyes hee will or shoot away what arrowes he is disposed without our certaine knowledge of his secret counsels Obiection But some man may say when an whole assembly haue the same meanes the same Ministery an whole Family the same teaching and instruction How is it that some beleeue others will not beleeue Some are conuerted others are hardned Some are elect others are reiected Answere I aunswere it is not for the Creature curiously to search into the workes of the Creator but to bee wise according to sobrietie and as well a man might demaund why all in the fielde is not pure Corne but some Tares Why all in the Barne is not Wheate but some Chaffe Why Trees beare some leaues and not all Fruite Why in a great house there are Vesselles of Golde and Siluer some to an honourable and others to a dishonourable vse Why there are as well Goats that will not heare as Sheepe that heare the voyce of the Shepheard The Lord Iesus adoreth the Counsell of his Father heerein and confesseth the reason to bee his will and heauenly pleasure and farther then this whosoeuer goeth higher then this whosoeuer ascendeth and deeper then this whosoeuer searcheth shall wander as in a maze and neuer returne shall fall downe headlong into a Gulfe and neuer rise vp againe Our Sauiour saith Å¿ Mat. 11 25 26 I giue thee thankes O Father Lord of Heauen and Earth because thou hast hid these thinges from the Wise and men of vnderstanding and hast opened them vnto Babes It is so O Father because thy good pleasure was such As for the condemnation of the wicked and the execution of the heauy wrath and iust iudgements of God there is more then sufficient due desert in the Reprobate and though the righteous Lord worke therein yet beware thou imagine any euill in him The raine moystneth an euill Tree and therefore it beareth bitter and no better fruite In that it beareth fruite it commeth of the moysture but in that it bringeth foorth euill fruite it commeth of his owne Nature The Sunne by the strength of his heate and vertue of the Beames thereof rayseth out of the Dirt and Dunghill many foule and filthy sauours that infect men and corrupt the Ayre the raising of them vp is from the Sunne the vnwholsome and noysome smelles are from the places themselues The Raine is not properly the cause of the euill fruite but the Nature of the Tree and therefore it woorthily calleth for the Axe to cut it downe and then iustly deserueth to be throwne into the fire The Sunne is not directly the cause of those filthie sauours that are extracted out of stinking Ponds and puddles but the Miery and marish Ditches themselues So is it with God he is as the Raine that falleth and as the Sunne that shyneth from Heauen t Acts 17 28. Hee mooueth the euill man who worketh euill the action is of God the euill is from the free will of man and from the soule spirite of the Deuill God is not the Authour of the euill and therefore let u Iam. 1 13 14 no man say when he is tempted I am tempted of God for God cannot be tempted with euil neither tempteth he any man but euery man is tempted when he is drawne away by his owne concupiscence and is entised Seeing then the grace of Election of Redemption of Iustification of Vocation of Sanctification is not generall nor generally giuen vnto all but according to the free purpose and pleasure of him that chooseth redeemeth calleth iustifieth and sanctifieth Let vs acknowledge his great mercie to the praise and glorie of his name when hee maketh his owne ordinances auayleable which we see in many to bee vnprofitable let vs confesse his louing kindnesse toward vs when he doth beget vs by the immortall seede of regeneration and worketh effectually our saluation For what haue wee in vs to mooue the Lorde to sauour vs and followe vs with a
multitude of his compassions Doth he see vs any better by Nature then others whome hee hath reiected and refused No in no wise We are of the same moulde with them and by nature no better then they Let vs not stand vpon the righteousnesse of our owne nature or the deserts of our own works or the goodnesse of our Ancestors but seeke to haue grace in our hearts x Ouid. Metamorph lib. 13. Quae non fecimus ipsi vix ea nostra voco and not to call that our owne which we our selues haue not done The Father shall not be saued by the Childe nor the Childe by the Father y Ezek. 18 25 26 27. but euery man shall confesse the wayes of God to bee equall and giue an account for himselfe Manie godly and faithfull parents haue had children appointed to wrath and reserued to destruction and therefore whether our fore-fathers were beleeuers or vnbeleeuers let not vs looke so much vpon them to glory in them or to rest vpon them or think to be saued by them as enter into our selues and labor to approue our obedience in the sight of God Vse 3. Thirdly seeing that in good houses are found euill persons it putteth all Parents and Maisters in minde of a necessary duty and offereth them comfort in the discharge of their duty Their duty is not to forget or neglect to pray vnto God earnestly constantly and continually for Gods blessing vpon his labours in their family For when wee haue doone our best endeuours and vsed the greatest diligence there remaineth somwhat behinde to be performed for our Children and people euen to wait for the encrease of our labors and the worke of Gods Spirit to season and sanctifie their hearts that belong vnto vs. It is not the outward worke of teaching that can conuert the soule and reforme the life We can but speake vnto the eare it is God that speaketh vnto the heart Hence it is that some beleeue and others blaspheme some are bettered by the word others are made worse by instruction and become desperate and extreamly wicked as the Sun that softneth the wax and hardneth the Clay The Iewes that were fedde by the word z Acts 13 45. and 19 9. were filled with enuie and contemned the ordinance of God offered vnto them and spake euill of the way of God and the meanes of saluation So it was with Pharaoh the more Moses and Aaron spake vnto him so much the more his heart was hardened For the word thorough the corruption of our nature is as an Hammer that hardeneth the Anuile as a fire that consumeth the Stubble and as a Raine that bringeth vppe briars and bushes that are reserued to be burned There is no godly Housholder but if he be diligent to marke the manners and to know the behauiour of the people about him he shall espy not onely many vnreformed in themselues but secret enemies to reformation in others So that it is their parts to entreat God both before and after the meanes vsed to make them effectuall and profitable and to desire him to encline their hearts to practise and obedience We must follow the example of the Husbandman who after the sowing of his seede and Tilling of his ground a Iames 5 7. looketh for the early and the latter raine to come from heauen so must we call vpon God our Heauenly Father to send a gracious raine to moysten their hard hearts and so to soften them as that they may bee fit to receyue instruction This the Prophet Ieremy teacheth b Ier. 31 18. I haue heard Ephraim lamenting thus Thou hast corrected me and I was chastised as an vntamed Calfe conuert thou me and I shall be conuerted for thou art the Lord my God And in another place the Church saith c Lamen 5 21 Turne thou vnto vs O Lord and we shall be turned renew our dayes as of old Whereby we see that we must depend vppon God to poure out his grace vpon them and to beginne in them the work of regeneration Moreouer this serueth to comfort all faithfull Parents and godly Maysters who haue with a good conscience beene carefull to discharge their duties and to reforme their families albeit many remaine obstinate and continue setled in the Dregges of their sinnes It is vnpossible for the d Ier. 13 23. blacke Moore to change his skin and the Leopard his spots it is hard for them to do good that are accustomed to do euill Our labour shall not bee in vaine to our selues albeit it be in vaine to others our worke shall return into our owne bosome albeit it will not enter into the bosome and breast of others This is it which Christ our Sauiour saide to his Disciples whom he sent vnto the lost Sheepe of the house of Israell When e Math. 10 12 13. ye come into an house salute the same and if the house be worthy let your peace come vpon it but if it be not worthy let your peace returne to you Our carefull endeuours shall be rewarded of God albeit they be smally regarded of men they are approued in Heauen albeit reproued reiected in earth When the Prophet Esay bringeth in the Lord Iesus complaining that his preaching tooke none effect among the vnthankfull people of his owne hard-hearted Nation hee comforteth himselfe in this assurance that he knew his labors should not be in vain in the Lord f Esay 49 4. I said I haue laboured in vaine I haue spent my strength in vaine and for nothing but my iudgement is with the Lord and my work with my God So shal it be with euery one of vs that are deuout and diligent in doing our duties and in instructing our families God will not measure our paines by their profit nor reward our diligence according to their negligence g 1 Cor. 3 8. For euery man shall receiue his wages according to his labour This ought to be an encoragement to al men to take pains with their people and to comfort them against al discomforts that arise in their way to slake their diligence to cool their zeal to hinder their paines and to stop the course that happily they haue begun to win their families to a loue of the truth Vse 4. Lastly seeing euill persons are found where good meanes are vsed it teacheth all those that are vnder the gouernment of godly Masters not to blesse themselues as though they were happy because they dwell not in prophane places because they serue not prophane Maisters because they are partakers of instruction which many thousandes want but it belongeth vnto them to labor by all meanes to make the vse of the meanes offered vnto them to bee fruitfull and effectual for their saluation For as when we come into the congregation of the faithfull we ought to bee prepared and fitted to receiue the spirituall food of our soules so in comming to the priuate exercises of
it in their hearts and thereby made Charitie a note of Christianity seeing that where loue doth not rest there Christ doth not dwell If then we wold make it manifest that we haue beene brought vp in the Schoole of Christ we must loue one another Reason 4. Lastly seeing it is the sum of the Law and a token and testimonie that we make Conscience to walk in the wayes and commandements of God Heerunto commeth the laying of the Apostle c Rom. 13 8 9 Owe nothing to any man but to loue one another for he that loueth another hath fulfilled the Law For this Thou shalt not commit Adultery Thou shalt not kill Thou shalt not steale Thou shalt not beare false witnesse Thou shalt not couet and if there be any other commandement it is breefely comprehended in this saying euen in this Thou shalt loue thy neighbor as thy selfe This is a speciall praise and singuler commendation of loue that it is a short summe and briefe abridgement of the whole Lawe and of euerie Commandement contained in the Law This truth is taught in sundry other places and repeated againe and againe d Gal. 5 14. Colos 3 14. 1 Tim. 1 5. All the Law is fulfilled in one worde which is this Thou shalt loue thy Neighbor as thy selfe And Col. 3. Aboue all things put on loue which is the bond of perfectnesse Likewise 1 Tim. 1 5. The end of a commandement is Loue out of a pure heart and of a good Conscience and of Faith vnfaigned Loue therefore comprehendeth all duties for Charity is the Law abridged as the Law is Charity enlarged Loue is as it were a generall Vertue like vnto the soule which is said to be whole in the whole in euery part or as the blood which is dispersed through the whole body so is loue enlarged and lengthned through all and euery vertue Seeing then such as are conuerted by vs are the fruit of our labour and that Loue to the brethren is the seale of our saluation the badge of our profession and an Epitome or a breuiary of the whole Law it followeth that it ought to be harty earnest and feruent toward all the faithfull especially such as haue gone astray and bin brought by vs into the right way Vse 1. This then being a vertue so necessary that euery one which belongeth to the Lord Iesus Christ must yeeld their obedience euen to loue the Bretheren and shew himselfe a true Christian by shewing Charity to his neighbor let vs consider the nature and properties of this Loue that wee may haue the right and true vse of this Doctrine For heere is occasion offered vnto vs to search into the knowledge of this Vertue which is almost banished from among men or weeded and worne out of the world or caried from hence into the wildernesse from the sonnes of men or departed vp from heauen from whence it came and to haue quite and cleane abandoned the grosse earth which is vnworthy to entertaine so precious a Iewell any longer First therefore let vs know e What Loue is what Brotherly loue is It is a work of Gods spirit whereby a man is moued to affect his Brother for Gods sake and to shew forth the fruite of this affection I call it a worke of Gods spirite because it is not Naturally in vs it is not borne with vs. Naturally euery one is a louer of himselfe and vnnaturally is an hater of his neighbour so that true loue is the print of Gods finger and a marke set vpon vs by his spirit Hence it is that the Apostle setting downe the fruites of the spirit reckoneth vp Loue in the first place as one of the principall f Gal. 5 12. Ephes 6 23. The fruite of the spirite is loue ioy peace long-suffering gentlenesse goodnesse c. So then wee want this grace vntill God worke it in vs. We neede not seeke farre for selfe-loue for Loue of the world and the things that are in the world for the Loue of pleasures carnall vanities we haue these neere vnto vs euen within vs but we can neuer loue the godly for Gods sake vntill it be giuen vs from aboue of whom only we must aske it and from whence onely we can receiue it Againe to be well affected toward our Brother is to wish and seeke his good to reioyse at his prosperity and to be greeued at his misery True loue is not ydle g 1 Iohn 3 18 and it maketh vs that we shal not be vnfruitfull and vnprofitable vnto others We must be ready to helpe them beare their burthen and shewe the bowelles of compassion toward them That loue which doeth not manifest it selfe to the releefe and helpe of his neighbor is no true Loue but beareth only the shadow of it Moreouer it is added that we must doe it for Gods cause because God is principally and first to be loued with all our power and for himselfe Our neighbor is to be loued in God and for God because hee is Gods creature and beareth his Image For Loue extended to man is a fruite of the Loue of God Hence it is that the Apostle saith h 1 Iohn 4 21 This Commaundement haue wee of him that he that loueth God should Loue his Brother also God cannot be loued and our Brother hated because there is one and the same Law-maker that commandeth both to loue him and our neighbor also Lastly we must consider who is our Brother and what is our neighbor that we must Loue which are the parties to whom it is to be shewed By Brother we are i Who is our Brother or Neighbor not onely to vnderstand the sonne of our Father that is our owne blood kindred and by Neighbor we must take heede we doe not deceiue our selues restraining it to such as are ioyned to vs in friendship or neer vnto vs in dwelling or such as beare vnto vs good will but such as are of the same Nature with vs euen any of mankinde He is to be accounted as our neighbour that is a man as we are and doth beare the Image of God as we do of what condition so euer he be whether he dwell neere vnto vs or farre from vs whether he be our owne Countrey-man or a Stranger whether he bee worthy or vnworthy whether he be a friend or an enemy whether he bee knowne or vnknowne because we are to consider him in God not in himselfe as we noted before This our Sauiour teacheth in the i Luke 10 29 30 31. Rom. 13 8. Esay 58 7. parable of the Samaritan answearing the Scribes question Luke 10. that we must shew the duties of loue to him that wanteth our helpe and releefe though he were our enemy one that did hate vs as the Samaritans were vnto the Iewes whether he be godly or vngodly we must extend the duties of loue toward them Thus did Dauid deale toward Saul his enemy
from whence he came Doctrine 5. The Gospel doth not abolish or diminish ciuil ordinances and distinct degrees among men Heereby we learne that the Gospell of Christ doth not dissolue or abolish but confirme establish ciuill ordinances distinct degrees and politick constitutions among men as between Princes and Subiects Parents and Children Husband and Wife Maister and Seruants Superiors and Inferiors This appeareth in many places of the worde where the seuerall and distinct duties of n Rom. 13 1. seuerall and distinct callings are mentioned and required by the Apostle Heereunto commeth that which he setteth downe Rom. 13. Let euery soule be subiect to the higher powers for there is no power but of God and the powers that be are ordained of God Likewise o Ephes 5 22 25. 6 1 2 5 9. Col. 3 18 19 20 21 22. writing to the Ephesians he chargeth Wiues to submit themselues vnto their husbands as vnto the Lorde he willeth Husbands to loue their wiues euen as Christ loued the Church and gaue himselfe for it he requireth of Children to obey their Parents in the Lorde for this is right he commaundeth Fathers not to prouoke their Children to vvrath least they be discouraged but to bring them vppe in instruction and information of the Lord he prescribeth vnto Seruants to be obedient vnto them that are their Maisters according to the flesh with feare and trembling in singlenesse of their hearts as vnto Christ and he setteth downe the duties of Maisters that they should deale iustly with their seruants putting away threatning knowing that euen their Maister also is in Heauen with whom there is no respect of persons In like manner when he writeth to Timothy he saith p 1 Tim. 6 1. Titus 2 9 10 and 3 1. Let as many Seruantes as are vnder the yoake count their Maisters worthy of all honour that the name of God and his Doctrine be not euill spoken of And Titus 2. Let Seruants bee subiest to their Maisters and please them in all things not answearing againe neither pickers but that they shew all good faithfulnesse that they may adorne the Doctrine of God our Sauiour in all things for that grace of God that bringeth saluation vnto all men hath appeared The like exhortations and establishing of ciuill ordinances we see in Peter q 1 Pet 2 13 14 and 3 1 2 7 Submit your selues vnto all manner ordinance of man for the Lordes sake whether it bee vnto the King as vnto the Superiour or vnto Gouernours as vnto them that are sent of him for the punishment of euill dooers and for the praise of them that do well So likewise hee chargeth the Wiues to bee Subiect to their Husbands that euen they which obey not the word may without the word hee won by the conuersation of the wiues while they beholde their pure conuersation which is with feare And the Husbands he teacheth That they should dwell with them as men of knowledge giuing honour vnto the woman as vnto the weaker vessell euen as they which are heyres together of the grace of life that their prayers be not interrupted Christ our Sauiour willeth vs to r Math. 22 21. Giue vnto Caesar the things that are Caesars and vnto God the thinges that are Gods The Apostle hath heaped together manie such precepts vnto the same Å¿ 1 Cor. 7 3 5 10 11 12 13 20 21 22. purpose 1 Cor. 7. Let the Husband giue vnto the wife due beneuolence and likewise the wife vnto the Husband defraude not one another except it bee with consent for a time vnto the married I commaund not I but the Lorde let not the wife depart from her Husband and let not the Husbande put away his wife If any Brother haue a wife that beleeueth not if shee bee content to dwell with him let him not forsake her and the woman that hath an Husbande which beleeueth not if hee bee content to dwell with her let her not forsake him Let euerie man abide in the same Vocation vvherein hee was called Bretheren let euerie man wherein hee was called therein abide with GOD. All these rules and commaundements serue to teach vs this truth that howsoeuer the gospel doth make vs al as brethren and ioyne vs together in one body yet it doth not abrogat and abolish the difference betweene man and man and bring in an Anarchy and confusion but setleth a distinction betweene Prince and subiect betweene Maister and seruant betweene high and low Reason 1. This Doctrine of the gospel will better appeare if we marke the reasons For first God is not the author of confusion and disorder but of peace and order Look vpon al the creatures of God in heauen earth on high and beneath and we shal be constrained to cry out with the prophet t Psal 104 24 O Lord how manifold are thy works In wisedom hast thou made them al the earth is full of thy riches Al tumult and sedition al disorder and insurrection commeth from the deuill he is the author thereof For he first brought in sin and sin brought in disorder Hence it is that the apostle saith u 1 Cor. 14 33 40. Colos 2 5 God is not the author of confusion but of peace as we see in al the churches of the Saints He commandeth that al things be done honestly and in order he commendeth the goodly order that is obserued among the faithfull and therefore he teacheth not any disorders nor alloweth them where they are Reason 2. Secondly Christ came not into the world to abolish the Lawe but to establish it x Mat. 5 17 18 as he testifieth Mat. 5. Thinke not that I am come to destroy the Law or the Prophets I am not come to destroy them but to fulfill them for truely I say vnto you till heauen and earth perish one iot or one title of the Law shal not escape till all things be fulfilled Now we know that the moral Law commandeth the honor of Father and Mother that is of all superiors who beare a part of his image If then the end of his comming were to ratifie the Law then it followeth that the Law making a difference betweene superiors and inferiors remaineth and shall remaine in his full strength power and vertue Reason 3. Thirdly the Gospell commaundeth hearty obedience as vnto God and therefore doth not dissolue or disanull true obedience nay it is a praise and ornament to the Gospel when all sortes walke in the duties of their seuerall Callings and specially such as are the obedience of others Seruants are the lowest condition in the Church and yet the Apostle teacheth that by vprighnesse of their life and obedience to their Maister for Conscience sake y Titus 3 10. 1 Tim. 6 1. they may adorne the Doctrine of God our Sauiour in all things and on the other side by the euil life stubbornesse and disobedience of seruants that professe
the knowledge of the Gospell the name of God and his Doctrine is blasphemed and euill spoken of Likewise speaking of beleeuing Wiues that haue vnbeleeuing Husbands he putteth them in minde of subiection to the end that by their holy conuersion they may winne their husbandes to embrace true Religion To this purpose the Apostle Paul teacheth seruants to be obedient to them that are their Maisters according to the flesh and chargeth them z Col. 3 22 23 that whatsoeuer they do they do it heartily as to the Lord and not to men Seeing therefore that God is the authour of order not of confusion seeing Christ came not to abolish but to establish the Lawe and lastly seeing the Gospell teacheth subiection and doth not release or acquite any of their duty it followeth that the gospel doth not bring in parity and equality among al the Mother of al mischiefe but discerneth and distinguisheth of the Callings of men it doth not giue liberty to peruert all order it maketh not Seruants to be Maisters and Maisters to be seruants but directeth euery one to keepe his place and to abide in his vocation Vse 1. Seeing this is the honor commendation of the gospel let vs see what Vses arise from the knoledge of this point First of al we conclude from hence necessarily that it hath alwaies bin a lying deuise and diuellish slander to Christian religion to be the author and fauorer of carnal liberty and to Christian professors to be enemies to states and commonwealths to magistrats lawes ciuil ordinances This hath alwaies bin the accusation of slāderous tongs to brand the Gospell as the breeder and bringer in of all vprores and conspiracies yet there is no Doctrine vnder the Heauen that lesse deserueth to bee defamed For the Gospell was a friend to Princes when Princes were enemies to the Gospell it teacheth to be subiect vnto them to pray to God for them to obey all their godly constitutions and therefore it is the Father of lies and enemy of al truth that hath sought to disgrace discredit the holy truth of God and such as in truth do embrace it Hee seeth and perceiueth that if the Gospel stand his kingdome must fal if the Gospel florish his kingdome must decay Hence it is that the church people of God haue in al ages and times of the world bin accused of rebellions treasons seditions insurrections many other greeuous impieties Heerof the scripture experience affoord plentiful examples In the book of Ezra the enemies accuse the guiltles Iewes z Ezra 4 15. 1 King 18 17. Ester 3 6. to be a rebellious people that they haue of old bin alwaies giuen to sedition Ahab burdeneth Elias that it was he his fathers house that trobled Israel Haman suggesteth vnto the king against the Iewes that their lawes were diuers from al people that they did not obserue the kings lawes and therfore it was not for the kings profit to suffer them The Apostles are accused to be authors of sedition troublers of cities raisers of tumults causers of rebellion breakers of lawes and teachers of ordinances not lawful to receiue they said of them b Acts 16 19 20. and 24 5. These men that are Iewes trouble our City they preach ordinances which are not lawful for vs to receiue neither to obserue seeing we are Romans Where we see they couer their couetousnesse with a shadowe pretence of standing against innouation but they discouer the hollownesse hypocrisie of their harts when they ioyn trobling of the state and preaching of the gospell together Whereby it appeareth that their troubling of the city was nothing els but because they preached the word which the deuill his instruments could not beare and abide Paule is accused by Tertullus to be a pestilent fellow and a moouer of sedition among all the Iewes thoroughout the world and that he taught al men euery where against the law of Moses And no maruel for thus they dealt with the son of God when he taught the truth without mixture of error and without respect of person he was accounted accused not onely to be a Sorcerer a Samaritan a Drunkard a glutton a deceiuer a deuil c Luke 23 2. but an enemy to Caesar and a troubler of the publick peace Now al these things being considered let vs remember what the Lord Iesus sayth to vs d Iohn 15 20. The seruant is not greater then his maister if they haue persecuted me they will also persecute you The heathē after Christs time cried out against the christians that they were the authors and causes of al publick plagues calamities that fel vpon kingdoms countries If Nilus flowed not ouer the fields if the heauen stayed if the earth quaked if famine encreased if the pestilence continued by and by the poor Christians as the sheep of Christ were cast vnto the lyons They charged them to make priuy conspiracies e Euseb lib. 5. cap. 11. Tertulli in Apologel Cyprian contra Demetrian to deuise secret counsels against the commonwealth to murther children to feed themselues with mans flesh and to practise all Iniquity they were so blinded that they could not perceiue that their Idolatries brought Gods iudgments Thus we see how the church hath lien open to all false surmises and suggestions of sedition But what can be immagined more vniust or vetrue If there be any peace in this world in any lande it is for the Gospels sake and it commeth through the bountifulnesse of God for his peoples sake that call vppon him Neuerthelesse as the Gentiles dealt with the Iewes and Christians from time to time so doe the wicked in these dayes with the godly they lay to their charge that they keep no lawes that they disobey Princes that they are seditious and tumultuous and enemies to the State If we see or heare the Saints of God thus handled and euilly intreated we must know that this is an olde deuise of the deuill practised against the Prophets against Christ against the Apostles and against all true Christians euen from the beginning And let this serue to comfort vs when wee finde such slaunderous imputations and accusations layde to our charge considering that thus they haue reuiled and railed vppon the Seruants of GOD that haue beene before vs in all times and that wee haue Christ Iesus the witnesse of our innocency who if not in this life yet in the life to come will reueale the thinges that are hidden in darknesse and bring to light the things that are couered In the mean season we must remember f Math. 5 11. that they are pronounced blessed that are reuiled and persecuted for righteousnesse sake and wee must labour to conuince them not so much by words as by deeds g Demosth de corona answearing the falshood of their slanders by the vprightnesse of our liues which shal be able to speak
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
thine holy Sonne Iesus whom thou hast annointed both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and the people of Israell gathered themselues together to doe whatsoeuer thine hand and thy counsell had determined before to be done So then albeit they wickedly intended nothing but to shew their hatred and testifie their enuie in the death of Christ yet God brought another matter out of their mallice and made his endlesse mercy to man appeare in his worke of Redemption God would haue him dye Caiphas would haue him dye Pilate would haue him die Iudas and the Iewes would haue him die but God for our Redemption they for other ends as Iudas for couetousnesse and the Priestes for enuy The History of Iob is a plaine and direct proofe of this point that now we haue in hand he was robbed of his goods depriued of his Seruants and Children through the rage and couetousnesse of his Enemies and by the crueltie of Sathan the p Iob 1. and 2. enemies intended heerein to satisfie their owne couetousnesse the Deuill purposed to bring the Seruant of God to dispaire neither of theÌ„ aimed at any good to Iob but God that ouer-ruleth and ouer swaieth all had another end to try his patience to make knowne his Faith to try his obedience and to giue the deuill the foile ouerthrow Thus then we see that all things whatsoeuer they be are ordered and disposed by the prouidence of God to the good of those that belong vnto him euen then when they doe not intend it Reason 1. The reasons of this Doctrine are apparant to settle our hearts and consciences therein The first is the infinite wisedome and vnsearchable power of â—od who as the Apostle teacheth q 2 Cor. 4 6. bringeth light out of darkenesse worketh by contrary means such as men count foolishnesse r 1 Cor. 1 21. as to saue men by the foolish preaching of the Gospell that is which is esteemed among the wise men of the World no better then foolishnesse When Christ would make a blind man see and restore his sight vnto him Å¿ Iohn 9 6 7. He spat on the ground and made Clay of the spittle and annointed the eyes of the Blinde with the Clay A naturall man would thinke this had beene a way and meanes iudging by humaine reason rather to make a man that seeth to be blind then a man that is blinde to see Christ was able to haue healed him with a word or to haue giuen vnto him new eyes but he chose rather to vse these weak means that in themselues had no power or strength in them Thus was Naaman the Syrian cleansed of his foule Leprosie whereas he imagined the Prophet would come t 2 Kings 5. forth vnto him lay his handes vpon him and call vpon God for him it pleased God to worke by other meanes and to cleanse him by washing seauen times in Iordan We see this in nothing plainer then in the glorious worke of our Redemption The Lord Iesus u Hebr. 2 13. By death ouercame death by humbling of himselfe beneath all x Phil. 3. he was exalted aboue all By making himselfe poore he made many rich By suffering himselfe to be condemned he hath brought vs to be iustified and saued Thus he also dealeth with his owne Children hee bringeth men to Heauen by Hell he leadeth to immortalitie by corruption he guideth them through fire and water to set them in a wealthy place He worketh not by ordinary waies by extraordinarie so often as it pleaseth him When hee would comfort he terrifieth when he would raise vp he casteth downe when he would reuiue he mortifieth when he would exalt he bringeth low when he would make a man rich he maketh him poore This it is which Hannah setteth downe in her Song of Thanks-giuing y 1 Sam. 1 6 7 8. The Lord maketh poore and maketh rich bringeth low and exalteth the Lord killeth and maketh aliue bringeth downe to the Graue and raiseth vp This also the Prophet z Esay 28 21. Esay signifieth The Lord shall stand as in Mount Perazim he shall be wrath as in the Valley of Gibeon that hee may doe his worke his strange worke and bring to passe his Act his strange Act. This is one of the workes of the strange workes one of the actes of the strange actes of God when he turneth euill into good and ordereth the wicked actions of men to the glory of his Name and the good of his Children Reason 2. Secondly it is the pleasure of God to confound the wisdome of Man that cannot attaine to great matters but by great meanes For x 1 Cor. 1 27 God hath chosen the foolish thinges of the World to confound the wise and GOD hath chosen the weake things of the World to confound the mighty things And vile thinges of the World and things which are despised hath God chosen and things which are not to bring to naught things that are that no flesh should reioyce in his presence God disposeth of all things as pleaseth him and oftentimes crosseth the deuises of men They intend one thing but God bringeth to passe another they purpose one end but he will haue another come forth to teach mans wisedome to be but foolishnesse Reason 3. Thirdly he expresseth his wonderfull loue making all things that fall out in the world to serue his Church True it is the Church of God is beset with many enemies that as wilde Boares seeke to roote it out of the Earth as the Deuill which is the Captain of this Army vnder whose Banners are gathered together the wicked world the flesh hell death sin all which multitude as a great hoast muster together to work the vtter ouerthrow thereof yet God that sitteth in heauen maketh all their endeuours and enterprises further the saluation of his Church This the Apostle teacheth y Rom. 8 28. We know that all things worke together for the best vnto them that loue God euen to them that are called of his purpose He blesseth their troubles and afflictions and worketh in them patience vnder the crosse humility in suffering and experience of his mercies and maketh them confesse that it was good for them that they haue been afflicted We see this euidently in the example of Iobs troubles and torments that he endured there were many work-men set on worke to wast his goods to destroy his Children to kill his Seruants to afflict his Body to torment his Soule all ayming at this to bring him to despaire and all these Wheeles were set to moue by the Deuill but the Lord out of their sinnes wrought his great good z Iames 1 3 4 Rom. 5 3 4. Making tryall of his Faith to bring forth patience and patience experience and experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed So then seeing God is able to work and doth work both aboue and contrary to means that men imagine seeing he
place so we reape a double benefit First we are kept from the corruptions of the world for liuing in a corrupt aire we are readie to gather infection and to take the scent as quickly as flax is apt to take the fire But by taking vs from hence into a sweeter dwelling we are preuented kept from many sins which otherwise we wold fall into This is it which the Prophet Dauid sheweth m Psa 125 3 4 The rod of the wicked shall not rest on the lot of the righteous least the righteous put forth their hand vnto wickednesse do well O Lord vnto those that be good and true in their harts He knoweth wherof we are made he seeth our infirmities how prone we are to decline after euil examples that are set before vs so that it is a benefit vnto vs to goe hence before we haue corrupted our hearts and defiled al our waies Enoch liued in a most dangerous time when wickednes began to couer the face of the earth but because he walked with God he was taken away that mallice should not change his heart This is n 1 Cor. 11 30 31 32. it which the Apostle Paul testifieth For this cause many are weak and sicke among you many sleep for if we wold iudge our selues we should not be iudged But when we are iduged we are chastned of the Lord because we should not be condemned with the world Secondly God dealeth mercifully with his people in remouing them out of this life that they should not feele the present miseries nor see the iminent calamities which hee knoweth hang ouer them and is determined to bring vpon the sons of men and be ouerborn and swept away by them with others This we see in the example of Abijah the son of Ieroboam that made Israell to sin who is branded with this note of reproch in sundry places of the holy history o 1 Kin. 14 16 That he did sin made Israel to sin the Prophet said of this one onely good son of this wicked father that he should die being a child and al Israell should mourn for him he onely of Ieroboam should come to the graue because in him there is found some goodnesse toward the Lord God of Israell in the house of Ieroboam God in great mercy toward him took him away being a child that he shold not be infected and afflicted For if he had liued to see the white hairs of his old age he had bin in great danger of the fearful sins of his fathers house bin in great afflictiō to behold the horrible iudgments that were to fall vpon that godlesse and gracelesse family The like might be said of p 2 Kin. 22 20. good Iosiah he was gathered betimes to his fathers and was put in his graue in peace that his eies shold not see al the euil which the lord would bring on the land He took him out of this world before his wrath fell vpon the vngodly This is it which the Prophet Esay telleth vs q Esay 37 1 2. The righteous perisheth no man considereth it in hart merciful men are taken away and no man vnderstandeth that the righteous is taken away from the euil to come Peace shall come they shal rest in their beds euery one that walketh before him Lastly God calleth away his children out of this transitory life to make them partakers of a blessed life r Reuel 14 13 Seeing they are blessed that die in the lord they cease frō their labors their works follow them Neither do the godly lose by this bargaine neither doth God falsify his word but is better then his promise For if he take away a short frail life and reward with a long and eternal life the promise faileth not but changeth for the better Change as we commonly say is no robery but this change is a commodity If a man promised yard of cloth and perform an ell if he promise siluer and pay gold if he promise to giue a cottage and put him in possession of a Pallace if he promise little and performe much he breaketh not his promise but performeth it with aduantage thus doth the Lord deale with vs who is not as man that he shold lie nor as the son of man that he should deceiue who ofttimes granteth more then we ask and bestoweth more then we beg but neuer denieth that which he promiseth If any farther reply how then is God true in his promises that promiseth long life in this life I answer that al Gods promises concerning earthly blessings must be vnderstood with a condition namely so far forth as he shall see them to be expedient for his glory and our saluation But so far as long life shal be a benefit vnto vs so far he wil giue it but if in his all-seeing and al-serching wisedom he know it to be better for vs to dy then to liue to be gathred to our fathers then to continue with our children he taketh vs away and recompenseth the want of temporal life with a kingdom of eternal glory This is it which the Apostle expresseth ſ Ephe. 6 2 3 who repeating this blessing to come vpon them that honor father mother doth not only say That thou maist liue long on earth but addeth That it may be wel with thee and thou maist liue long vpon earth So then long life is not alwaies a blessing for somtimes it is better to leaue the world then to liue in it to depart out of it then to inioy it The vngodly man the longer he liueth the greater is his sin and his condemnation for sin This the wiseman setteth down t Eccl. 8 12 13 Thogh a sinner do euil an hundred times God prolongeth his daies yet I know that it shal be wel with them that fear the Lord do reuerence before him but it shal not be wel with the wicked neither shal he prolong his daies he shal be like a shadow because he feareth not before God Heerunto agreeth the Prophet Esay u Esay 65 10. There shal be no more there a child of years nor an old man that hath not filled his daies but he that shal be an hundred years old shal dy as a young man but the sinner being an hundred year old shall be accursed Thus then we see how to expound the promise of long life which God performeth really or if he take away such as are godly and obedient hee recompenceth it more fully with a better life and so he bestoweth a great deale more then he taketh away and granteth a better measure then he with-held from them Vse 3 Lastly we learne for our obedience when we suffer losses not to be vexed through impatiency nor to break out in storming fretting and fuming maner against God but to rest our selues vppon him beeing ready to blesse his name not to cast away al hope confidence
increase in learning and a man of vnderstanding shall attaine vnto wise counsels We must therefore proceed in good things that we may be well pleased that we may be enriched in his graces and established more firmely in the waies of godlinesse For there cannot be a better means to keep vs from a fearfull Apostacy and to preserue vs from a dangerous back-sliding then to go forward in that iourney into which we are entred and to make strait steps to the place of our rest So long as we walke to the end of the race set before vs there is no feare of fainting or falling backward But when once we begin to stand still and do not go forward our case is to be pittied we haue giuen roome to Sathan and taken the foile who will not rest there but take farther hold of vs. Whosoeuer standeth still and remaineth at one stay in matters of Religion will shortly turne backward The heauenly bodies are euer in motion it is the earth that standeth still at one stay so such as are heauenly minded are alwaies going and growing toward heauen whereas such as think vpon nothing but the earth are so cloyed and clogged with that grosse matter that they cannot moue a foot forward to lay hold of happinesse Hence it is that the Apostle exhorteth the Corinthians z 2. Cor. 7 1. Seeing we haue these promises dearely beloued let vs cleanse our selues from all filthinesse of Flesh and spirit and finish our sanctification in the feare of God Likewise writing to the Thessalonians a 1 Thess 4 1. He stirreth them vp and exhorteth them in the Lord Iesus that they increase more and more as they had receiued of them how they ought to walke and to please God Thus also speaketh the Apostle Peter b 2 Pet. 3 17 18. Ye therefore beloued seeing ye know these things before beware least ye be also plucked away with the error of the wicked and fall from your owne stedfastnesse but grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ This serueth to reproue those that either stand still or go backeward and and are not proficients in the Schoole of Christ who heare much and learne little who know somewhat and practise nothing at all who thinke they haue gotten enough and that now they may be idle and slothfull It was not so with the Apostle who was a better Scholler then these Drones he laboured euermore to be better better as himselfe testifieth c Phil. 3 3 14. I forget that which is behinde and indeuour my selfe to that which is before and follow hard toward the marke to the price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus He was not like vnto a foolish Runner who running in a Race for a great price will euery foote be looking backe how much ground he hath runne and rid but his eyes were fully fixed vpon the marke considering how farre hee had yet to passe and waighing how much he was distant from perfection It had been better that we had neuer made profession of Christ or beene called by his Name then to stand at a stay or to start aside whereby it may be probablie suspected if not rightly gathered that wee neuer had any soundnesse in vs. Let vs therefore d Rom. 15 14. labour to abound more and more in wisedome and in all godlinesse Whosoeuer glorieth that hee hath so much Grace as he desired did neuer truelie desire any grace Whosoeuer sitteth still and neuer intendeth to goe forward shall neuer come at his iournies end And whosoeuer thinketh himselfe to be good enough and purposeth neuer to be better will presentlie grow to be worse and neuer cease vntill that he be starke naught On the other side such as haue a care to proceed and are at the mending hand though they doe it slowly and slackely though they haue many defects and defaults though they feele in themselues many infirmities and imperfections yet it is a notable comfort and testimony vnto their hearts that GOD will giue them grace to continue vnto the end and to perseuer in the Faith vnto the death For such doe get ground of their enemies do weaken the force of sinne doe strengthen the guifts of the Spirit and doe profit daily in the exercises of Religion which they frequent Secondly this reproueth such as regard most of all and bestow the greatest fruits of their loue and compassion vpon the most vngodly and vngratious which are most vnworthy to be respected For the more men grow in wickednesse and prophanesse the lesse they ought to be loued and liked of vs. It is true godlinesse that should ioyne vs in mutuall friendship one with another and vnite our affections one toward another The more godlinesse appeareth to bee in them the neerer ought our coniunction to be with them And as they grow in good thinges so ought our loue to encrease toward them This the Prophet Dauid teacheth Psalme 15. 4. Lord who shall dwell in thy Tabernacle who shall rest in thy holie mountain e Psal 15 4. and 16 3. He in whose eyes a vile person is contemned but he honoureth them that feare the Lord. And in the Psalme following Thou art my Lord my well doing extendeth not to thee But to the Saints that are in the earth and to the excellent All my delight is in them But how many are there among vs that haue no societie or familiaritie with the faithfull and such as feare the name of the Lord That thinke themselues in a Prison or in Hell so long as they are among them That can bee merrie and pleasant among prophane Companions but hang downe their heads when they are with the godly and neuer rest till they be gone from them If a Man or a Woman should alwaies delight to be in the company of Beares and Wolues and to conuerse among Dogs and Swine that when you seeke for them you should neuer find them but among the Beasts as if they had abandoned the company of reasonable Creatures we would thinke them strange bodies we would wonder at their humors and be ready to say they were of a wild and woluish Nature and as it were transformed into the qualities of Beastes like vnto Nebuchadnezzar who had his vnderstanding taken from him and his dwelling appointed among the Beastes of the field Dan. 4. 30. So is it with those that frequent no company but of wicked persons and vse no societie with any but of such as are as blinde as Beetels and as senselesse as stones as brutish as beasts in matters of Religion may we not truly conclude of them that they are beastlie minded and like to them with whom they sort and to whom they resort The Prophet saith I am a Companion of all that feare thee but these may say I am a Companion of them that forsake thee He saith Do not I hate them that hate thee f 2 Sam.
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
need of them or their curtesie but forsooke him in his greatest necessitie g Iob 6 15. These he compareth to Winter brookes which flow and ouer-flow when there is an ouer plus of water but are dry and dammed vp in time of Summer when the earth gapeth and the Grasse withereth and the Flower fadeth for want thereof Such men forget themselues and the condition wherein God hath set them They know how to require and looke for duties from others but they are vnmindfull of their owne and so become vnmercifull to their Brethren They doe not remember that the time shall come when they will preferred one drop of Mercy before a thousand Kingdomes yea befor tenne thousand worlds If thou account our things common c. Hitherto we haue considered the strength of the reason and gathered the Doctrine that ariseth from hence Now we are to weigh the words alone by themselues The Apostle taketh his Argument from the communion and fellowship that is between him and Philemon so that he could not deny him his suit Doctrine 2. Among Christian friends all things are common From hence we raise this Doctrine that among Christian Friends all thinges are common Such as are true friends not in tongue but in truth not in hypocrisie but from the hart should haue great interest one in another to vse themselues their gifts their blessinges without grudging to the naturall comfort one of another When Ionathan entred into a couenant of loue and league of friendshippe with Dauid h 1 Sem. 18 4. By and by he put off his Robe that was vpon him and gaue it Dauid and his Garments euen to his Sword and to his Bow and to his Girdle Yea he discouered the secret counsels and consultations of his Father that hee might deliuer his friend from danger of death This is it which the Apostle speaketh to the Romans i Rom. 12 4 5 As we haue many Members in one body and all Members haue not one office so we being many are one body in Christ and euery one one anothers Members The Euangelist Luke describing the state and condition of the Church after the Resurrection and ascension of Christ saith k Act 2 44 45 All that beleeued were in one place and had all things common and they sold their possessions and goods and parted them to all men as euery one had neede And afterward in the fift Chapter he addeth at large the same point l Act. 4 33 34 Great Grace was vpon them all neither was there any among them lacked for as many as were possessors of Lands or Houses sold them and brought the price of the thinges that were sold and laid it downe at the Apostles feetâ— and it was distributed vnto euery man according as he had neede Hence it is that we are taught in the Articles of Faith to beleeue the communion of Saints yea this is so plaine and manifest a truth m Plato de leg lib. 5. Cicer. offi lib. 1. de Amicit. Aul. Gell. noct Atti. lib. 1. cap. 9. Terent. in Adelph that the Heathen had this sentence as a common Prouerbe commonly in their mouthes that among friends all things should be common Whatsoeuer is bestowed vpon vs we should haue it not onely for our selues but for others If we haue riches it is our friends if we haue any guifts bestowed vppon vs they must be at the commandement of our friends Whatsoeuer we haue to profit them withall it must be theirs as well as ours All these Testimonies of the holie Scripture and common experience teach vs that wheresoeuer Christian friendship is there must bee also a Christian community that there bee no lack but the want of euery one must be supplied by a common hand of those that do abound Reason 1. Let vs see how this is confirmed vnto vs by reasons First it is the ordinance of God that one man should be an hand and helper vnto another in all necessities and hath vnited vs as Bretheren so that they should seeke to comfort one another This is it which Salomon propoundeth n Prou. 27 9. As Oyntment and perfume reioyce the heart so doeth the sweetnesse of a mans friend by heartie counsell If then we be bound to helpe our brethren by our handes by our mouths by our feete by our hearts and by all that wee haue in our power it followeth that there ought to be a communion in the vse of all blessinges that we enioy Reason 2. Secondly the Lord Iesus which is the great peace-maker of the world and sole Mediator betweene God and man who hath ioyned Heauen and Earth together by his Crosse o Ephes 2 18 so that through him we haue an entrance vnto the Father by one spirit he I say hath brought peace vnto vs hee hath made perpetuall friendship betweene his Father and vs and consequently setled sure friendship among our selues This is it which the Apostle speaketh Ephe. 2. p Ephes 2 14 16 1â— Col. 1 20 21 He is our peace which hath made of both one and hath broken the stop of the partition wall to make of twaine one new man in himselfe that hee might reconcile both vnto God in one body by his Crosse and stay hatred thereby It is the Office of Christs Priesthood to make peace not only beâ—ween God and man which notwithstanding is the cheefest worke but betweene man and man whereby we become one body in him Reason 3. Thirdly the faithfull haue the same priuiledges and liue as it were in common together They haue the same Father they expect the same inheritance they heare the same word they receiue the same Sacraments q Gal. 4 26. 1 Pet. 2 2. 1 23. Rom. 8 9 15. they are born of one Mother they are begotten of one immortall seed they are fed by the same sincere Milke they liue as by one soule the spirit of Christ they are as neere as Father and Children and as members of one body we are al one in respect of the promises of saluation Albeit there bee a distinction amongest them in Countrey Nation Age Sex and such like and liue in diuers ages and places yet there is such a spirituall Kindred and neere society between them that these common priuiledges binde them mutually and manifestlie one so another Wherefore seeing it is the ordinance of God that we shold put our helping hand to doe all good to our brethren seeing Christ Iesus hath reconciled vs to God his Father and made peace amongest our selues and lastly seeing the faithfull haue a common interrest and priuiledge in the same holy thinges whereby they are fitted to the Kingdome of Heauen in all these respects we learne that among true Christian friends there should bee a Communion and fellowship of all the blessings of God bestowed vpon them Vse 1. Now order requireth that wee handle the Vses of this Doctrine And first of all we
be to doubt of his fauour and to call his louing kindnesse into question We must build vpon his promises as vpon a stable and steadfast foundation that shall neuer be remooued Heauen and earth shall passe away x Math. 5 18. But his word shall not passe away We haue the word and Oath of God y Hebr. 6 18. as two vnchangeable Witnesses so that it is vnpossible that he should lie or we be deceiued We haue the Sacraments of God as two Authenticke Seales to ratifie his promises and to make them most sure vnto vs. We haue the earnest penny as a certaine pawne left vnto vs z Rom. 8 16. And the spirit of adoption testifying with our Spirits that we are the Sonnes of God Wee haue the grace of Sanctification written in our hearts whereby we are dead to sinne and crucified vnto the world Wherefore seeing we haue so many waies to warrant his gracious goodnesse vnto vs why doe we yet stand in doubt and wherefore are our minds wauering in his mercies a Iames 1 6. As a Waue of the Sea tossed by the violence of the Windes Let vs enter into our owne hearts and consider our owne dealinges toward our Brethren If we finde our selues ready to forgiue and inclined to remit the iniuries done vnto vs and willing to release or at least to forbear the debts that we may worthily challenge of many our poore and needy brethren we may from this compassion toward them gather an vndoubted perswasion as a necessarie conclusion to our selues that his mercie shold be extended in great measure toward vs that he will neuer forget his wonderful compassion knowing that whomsoeuer he loueth vndoubtedly he loueth vnto the end He is neuer wearie of well-doing his gifts are without repentance He is not as man that he should lye nor as the Sonne of Man that he should change b Iames 1 17. With whom is no variablenesse nor shaddow of turning We are variable and vnconstant but hee is alwaies the same and will make good the words that are gone out of his owne mouth Let mee obtaine this pleasure in the Lorde c. The Apostle in these wordes doth testifie that these things which he requested of Philemon were in the Lord that is agreeable to the will of God He doth not craue them to please himselfe or to pleasure Onesimus onely but he asketh them because he knoweth that the obtaining of the same will be acceptable to God Here then he sheweth what ought to be the end that we propound to our selues in making suites and requests to others we must consider not so much what may content vs as what God commaundeth and alloweth Doctrine 2. Whatsoeuer we desire prouoke and perswade others to do must be in the Lord. From hence we learne that whatsoeuer we doe mooue desire prouoke and perswade others to doe must be in the Lord that is warrantable and conscionable standing with the will of God and a good conscience This is it which the Apostle handleth Phil. 4. Whatsoeuer thinges are true b Phil. 4 8 18. whatsoeuer thinges are honest whatsoeuer thinges are iust whatsoeuer thinges are pure whatsoeuer things are worthy loue whatsoeuer thinges are of good report if there be any vertue or if there be any praise thinke on these thinges And afterward in the same Chapter commending them for a worke of mercy he sheweth That it was an odour that smelleth sweete a Sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God Likewise Ester 4. 14. When Mordecai would perswade Ester c Ester 4 14. to aduenture her credit and life in the behalfe of the Church which was sold to the mercy of the Sword and to the tyranny of the Enemies hee sheweth the equity and lawfulnesse of it though it were dangerous for her and threatned death vnto her Who knoweth whether thou art come to the Kingdome for such a time As if he should say Thou owest this duty to God and seruice to his Church being aduanced to the Kingdome for this end and purpose and therefore it is well-pleasing in his sight Thus doth Nehemiah exhort the Rich and the Rulers among the peoole to restore the Landes the Vine-yards the Oliues the Houses together with the hundred part of the Siluer and of the Corn and of the Wine and of the Oyle that they exacted of them shewing that in so doing d Nehe. 5 9 11 12. They should walk in the feare of God and redeeme themselues from the reproach of the Heathen Thus the Apostle perswadeth the Thessalonians to sanctification e 1 Thes 4 3 7 Because it is the will and pleasure of God who hath not called vs to vncleannesse but vnto holinesse By all these consents as by most strong Euidences and firme Witnesses it appeareth that we ought to haue the warrant of Gods word and approoued will to allow whatsoeuer we require or prouoke others to doe Reason 1. This will be made very plaine and manifest by sundry reasons First of all true loue will require onely such thinges as are honest Such as proceed further and make their owne will the rule and line to square out other mens actions with all doe want true loue and are not indeede true Frrendes The Apostle describing the Fruites and effects of loue saith f 1 Cor. 13 6. It reioyceth not in Iniquity but reioyceth in the truth It is a good sound note of a right friend to request such thinges onely as are iust and seemely The very Heathen by the light of nature could g Cicer. de amicitia see thus farre and teach how farre we are bound to pleasure and profit our friends Reason 2. Secondly such requests as are lawfull and lawdable doe giue warrant in crauing boldnesse in asking and comfort in obtaining Such requests shall neuer make vs ashamed to mooue them nor cause vs to take the repulse or denyall when we haue mooued them We see this in the example of Mordecai when he craued of Ester to make intercession for her people shee looked more into her owne danger then into the Churches deliuerance and respected more her owne person then their safetie notwithstanding hee h Ester 4 13. knowing his request to be honest and lawfull would not giue ouer but continued his suit though hee were delayed yet he was not daunted though he were denyed yet he was not discouraged but went forward boldlie vntill he receiued a gracious aunswere The like wee see in the Woman of Canaan who came to Christ for her Daughter that i Math. 15 22. Was miserably vexed with a Deuill albeit she receiued a three-fold repulse or a three-fold delay yet such was her Faith that she would take no denyall but did stride ouer all things that might seeme to hinder her and neuer would cease vntill shee had obtained her request Whereby we see that her honest request was granted and she went not away empty Reason
Superior power which is aboue all power in Heauen and earth Whatsoeuer they are commaunded to do can bind the conscience no farther then standeth with the pleasure of God It is not enough for them to say I was moued to it by others I was commanded to do it it lay not in my power to preuent it or resist it I am vnder the iurisdiction of others and am tyed to obey This will not goe for currant payment but beareth a counterfeit stampe it is like the Figge-leaues of Adam where-with he couered himselfe which serued his turne well enough vntill God came to examine him and to enter into iudgement with him So these weake excuses seeme wise reasons to iustifie our wicked obedience vntill they come to be searched and sifted by the light of Gods word For this cause the Apostle teaching subiection to Parents saith z Ephe. 6. 1. Children obey your Parents in the Lord for this is right Whereby we learne how to vnderstand that precept which seemeth to exact a generall or vniuersall obedience Coloss 3. Children obey your Parents in all thinges namely that it must be in good and lawfull things In like manner as the obedience of Inferiours is instinted and restrained not left at randome and at libertie so the iurisdiction of such as are in Superiour places is not so great as to tyrannize ouer mens consciences to require what they please and to commaund what seemeth good in their own eies but it must know the bounds that God hath appointed and not exceede the same This made the Apostle say to the Church of the Corinthians a 1 Cor. 11 1 Be ye followers of me as I am of Christ He chargeth them to goe no farther with him then they saw him to walke with Christ and therefore in another place he sheweth b Gal. 1 9. That if any Man or any Angell from Heauen should Preach otherwise then they had receiued he must be holden accursed This serueth to reprooue all such as binde their Inferiours to doe whatsoeuer they commaund This is to set vppe our selues in stead of GOD. Absolute obedience in all thinges without restraint is due to none but vnto him that hath an absolute power and commaund ouer all Creatures His authoritie is infinite and receiueth no limitation As for the Sonnes of men how great soeuer their power be yet it is finite and it vrgeth vs no farther then they haue warrant to commaund vs. Wherefore they are greatly deceiued and take too much vpon them that thinke themselues abused their places contemned and their authority diminished when they are not in all things obeyed Nay they themselues doe not sufficiently know themselues nor their high callings that looke for more then is due vnto them and require of their Inferiours so much as they with a good conscience cannot performe These are they that say Doe they not owe vs a dutie Are they not vnder vs Haue not wee power ouer them May not we commaund subiection and obedience vnto vs True it is all reuerence and obedience is due vnto them in the Lorde but if they will haue subiection against the Lord and against his will they forget their places they take too much vppon them and they vsurpe a Dominion that was neuer committed and communicated vnto them Let all that are in authoritie beware of this pride of hart and aduancing thēselues aboue that which ought to be in them This we see to haue beene in Saule as he persecuted Dauid from place to place so he commaunded c 1 Sam. 22 17 the Sergeants that stood about him To turne and slay the Priestes of the Lorde as if they were bound to doe it at his desire The like appeareth in Absalom when he would satisfie his owne mallice and reuenge the dishonour done to his Sister Tamar d 2 Sam. 13 28 he commaunded his seruants saying Marke now when Amnons heart is merry with Wine and when I say vnto you Smite Amnon kill him feare not for haue not I commaunded you Be bold therefore and play the Men. He doth not goe about to perswade their consciences of the lawfulnesse of the fact but he is blinde himselfe and seeketh to blinde the eyes of other he is carried away with mallice and filleth the handes of others with blood Thus are the wicked possessed with pride and presume in the height of their iniquity that all their vngodly commaundements whatsoeuer are to be obeyed But as they are reprooued that execute whatsoeuer they are required to doe so are they reprehended that will require euery thing that they list to glut their owne anger and mallice They that do commaund and such as are commaunded are both culpable of iudgement Saul in commaunding to slay the Priestes of the Lord was an horrible Murtherer so was also Doeg the Executioner of it Absalom charging his Seruants to kill his Brother was a detestible Parricide so also the Seruants had their handes defiled with blood that obeyed his commaundement Let vs therefore all of vs remember the rule of the Apostle 2 Cor. 13. 8. e 2 Cor. 13 8. We cannot doe any thing against the truth but for the truth So let all Superiors say We can commaund nothing against the Lord but for the Lord. And let all Inferiours say we cannot obey against the Lord but in the Lord and whether it be better to obey God or Man iudge you We must all consider before we require obedience what it is that wee would haue done that we may haue warrant to exact it and others comfort to execute it Refresh my Bowels in the Lord. This is another variable phrase whereby the Apostle requireth that Onesimus be receiued againe into his Maisters seruice This earnestnesse for him argueth both that the Man before his calling was most wicked but now after his conuersion was turned to bee most godlie and religious besides that his Maisters heart was wonderfullie estranged from him So then wee are heerein to consider two thinges first that vnlesse he had greatly wronged his Maister and done him iniurie in some heynous manner the Apostle would not haue been so vehement nor haue doubled his request for him Secondlie vnlesse he had beene throughlie assured and perswaded of his vnfained repentance doubtlesse he would neuer haue pleaded his cause with such effectuall Reasons earnest asseuerations and often repetitions Now in these wordes of comforting and refreshing his Bowels he witnesseth that he should receiue exceeding great ioy if Philemon would release Onesimus and receiue him into his loue and fauour againe as he desired of him Doctrine 3. Men ought greatly to reioyce at the good and benefit of their Brethren in temporall and eternall blessings We learne from hence that it is a speciall dutie required of vs to reioyce at the good and benefit of our Bretheren both in Temporall and Eternall blessinges When we see any good befall them in matters concerning this life or the life
euill continually by the second birth we are enabled and strengthened by the spirit to do good and to walke in the wayes of God that are well pleasing in his sight so that this ought to bee much more esteemed of vs then the former and to comfort vs aboue all thinges and times in the world We see this in the example of Zaccheus y Luke 19 6. who at his newe birth was comforted exceedingly he receiued Christ Iesus ioyfully he acknowledged him as the Father that begat him willingly hee made a great feast for gladnesse and gaue great guifts to the poore with al alacrity The like appeareth in the Iaylor recorded in the Acts of the Apostles z Acts. 16 32 33. Who being conuerted at the same time he tooke his two Fathers Paule Silas and washed their wounds he set meat before them reioysed greatly with all his houshold We ought therefore to know them that haue begotten vs in the Lord and haue bin Instruments of our conuersion These examples serue as a reproofe against those that neuer had knowledge either of the time when or of the place where or of the maner how or of the person by whom they were conuerted and begotten againe as new borne babes in Christ that neuer had the feeling of this grace of regeneration This is a wretched condition and a fearfull signe that they sauour stil of the flesh and lie in the corruptions of the old Adam and knowe not what a second birth meaneth Thus it was with Nicodemus a Iohn 3 1 3 4 a man of the Pharisies a Ruler of the Iewes and a Teacher of Israel when Christ had taught him That except a Man be borne againe he cannot see the Kingdome of God hee answered How can a man be borne which is olde Can hee enter into his Mothers wombe againe and be borne We see in al Churches there is an order appointed and to good purpose that a note should bee taken and a Register kept of our birth and the birth of our Children If there bee a good vse of this much more benefit and comfort shal we find by the recording of our second birth of our life in God and our dying to sinne by remembering the time the place the party other such like circumstances to the euerlasting peace of our owne Consciences by whom we haue beene brought to this life And indeede it is vnpossible that euer we should reioyce at the conuersion of a sinner except wee haue learned to conceiue great ioy and gladnesse when our hearts are opened and softned to receiue the Graces of God into them Vse 4. Lastly seeing we are to reioyce at the good of our brethren wee must from hence be drawn to an higher and farther duty Namely to giue thanks to God for them as for the blessings bestowed vpon our selues It is our duty to craue of God such thinges as they want and to giue him the praise for such things as he hath bestowed vpon them Our ioy must not be carnal but our reioysing must be in the Lord. If then we order our ioy and gladnesse aright it will lift vs vp to behold and consider from whence al good things proceed We oftentimes receiue at the hands of God many good guifts but neuer remember to returne vnto him the praise So it falleth out that diuers will seeme ioyful and glad at the prosperity and happinesse of their brethren who neuerthelesse are tongue-tied neuer open their mouths to giue glorie to the giuer and granter of them We must therefore know that it is our duty to render thankes to God for his benefits vouchsafed to his people And this is a notable signe and token whereby we may try and examine what our mirth and gladnesse is and whether it bee rightly ordered and disposed or not If it be Spirituall and not Carnall Holy and not Prophane Heauenly and not Worldly it will stirre vs vp to cast vp our eyes and hearts to the Father of Lights acknowledging al to come from the seat of his holinesse The Apostle directing the Church what their ioy ought to be saith Phillip 4 4. Reioyce in the Lord alwaies againe I say reioyce This vse which now wee vrge of this Doctrine is expressely confirmed and concluded in the practise of Iethro as we see Exod. 18 10 11. before remembred vnto vs so soone as he had testified his reioysing at all the goodnesse which the Lorde had shewed to Israell immediately he saide Blessed be the Lord who hath deliuered you out of the hand of the Egiptians and out of the hand of Pharaoh who hath also deliuered the people from vnder the hand of the Egyptians now I knowe that the Lord is greater then all the Gods for as they haue dealt proudly with them so are they recompensed Thus Moses declareth that the great workes and wonders that God had shewed to Israell wrought great ioy of heart in Iethro his Father in Lawe but he rested not there nor stayed in an outward reioysing his ioy did end in thankesgiuing which sanctifieth all our mirth and gladnesse For if our mouths be filled with laughter and our tongue with ioy and yet God bee shut out of our minds there is nothing in vs but pride and prophannesse of hart Then is our mirth true mirth and our ioyfulnesse true gladnesse when God is al in all when we acknowledge him to bee the author of it This appeareth in the people b Ps 126 1 2 3 when God brought againe the captiuity of Syon They were like them that dreame and became very ioyfull Then said they among the Heathen The Lord hath done great things for them the Lord hath done great things for vs whereof we reioyce Where we see that their ioy of heart was accompanied with giuing of thankes The like wee might say of Melchizedek King of Shalem and Priest of the most high God who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the Kinges and blessed him saying c Gen. 14 19. Blessed art thou Abram of God most high possessor of Heauen and Earth and blessed be the most high God which hath deliuered thine enemies into thine hand This reproueth those that know no ioy but that which is fleshly like vnto themselues who as they are carnall so they reioyce in nothing but that which is carnall The end of this ioy is heauinesse It is the faithful onely that are of God in Christ Iesus that can truly reioyce and be merrie from the heart as for the ioy of others it is but from the teeth and tongue outwardly it commeth not from the inward parts This the Prophet teacheth Psal 32 21. and 33 1. Be glad ye righteous and reioyce in the Lord and be ioyfull al ye that are vpright in heart Thereby declaring that the vngodly and prophane men of the Worlde haue nothing to doe with this gladnesse whereof wee speake their ioy is not in the Lorde but in the
of mercy to bee shewed vnto them So Lot his Nephew who had beene brought vp in his house and had learned of him to expresse the duties of Charity m Gene 19 1. sate at the Gate of Sodome into the which strangers did enter to call them to his House to refresh them with meate and to defend them from iniuries to which otherwise they lay open aboue all other This reprooueth those that grudge and are greeued when any occasion falleth out that they are tryed what affection and compassion they beare vnto them We see this euidentlie in Naball toward n 1 Sam. 25 14 Dauid and his men for when hee was intreated by the Messengers that were sent vnto him to giue whatsoeuer came to his hand he railed at them and sent them away empty he was lauish of his tongue but sparing of his pursse they had words but they had nothing but wordes It was otherwise with Abraham when he saw men come toward him hee ranne to meete them he bowed himselfe vnto them he intreated them to receiue the meanes of refreshing themselues at his handes he pressed vppon them very earnestly that they should not deny him To this purpose we heard out of the Apostle Peter That we should be harborous without grudging We must therefore not onely doe good to Strangers but doe good cheerefullie and with a ready minde without murmuring and repining at the occasion offered vnto vs. We now dwell in our owne Countrey and among our Kindred we rest quietly in our Houses and in our Beddes wee liue in peace and quietnesse but we know not what daies may shine vppon vs and what times may come ouer our heads We that now hate and abhorre strangers in our owne Land it may happen that our selues may be Strangers in a Land that is not our owne Moses exhorting the people of Israell to be mercifull toward such as aboue all others stand in neede of mercy to wit Strangers Widdowes and fatherlosse Children maketh this as a reason vnto them Loue the Stranger for ye were Strangers in the Land of Aegipt And albeit this reason doe not hold in many of vs neyther can be perswaded to deale kindly with Strangers because we haue beene already Strangers yet this Argument may be alleadged vnto vs to be carefull to loue Straungers because we our selues may be strangers in another Land For we know not where we shall end our daies or in what manner any more then when wee shall dye which all of vs know to be vncertaine If then we be hard-harted vnto others we must not looke to finde others pittifull to our selues It is Gods will that we should be Strangers in this World as appeareth by the example and confession of the faithfull Heb. 11. 9. 10 13. By Faith Abraham abode in the Land of Promise as in a strange Countrey as one that dwelt in Tents with Isaac and Iacob Heires with him of the same Promise for he looked for a Cittie hauing a Foundation whose bulder and maker is GOD. Thus did all the godly cast vp their accounts and confessed that they were Strangers and Pilgrims on the Earth yea we are his Children vpon other condition The Lord is in Heauen and we liue vpon the earth yet he commeth downe vnto vs and gouerneth vs he sheweth that he hath not forgotten vs but giueth vs an example what pitty we ought to haue of them that fly vnto vs as poore sheepe that are scattered by rauenous Wolues we should deale with them as we would haue the Lord deale with vs and shew that mercy that we expect of him True it is the Apostle noteth it among the properties required of the Pastour and Minister o 1 Tim. 3 2. Tit. 1 8. That hee should be giuen to Hospitality but he meant it also in generall to all the faithfull howbeit the Ministers must shewe them the way and hold out the Candle to giue them light For his purpose is not to binde the Ministers onely to beware of intemperancy to fly Couetousnesse to auoyde Pride and on the other side to moue them onely to be iust sober curteous chast and harborous in the meane season leauing all others to doe what they would and liue as they lift p Reasons why generall duties are appropriated to the Minister But the Apostle singleth them out by themselues and chargeth these duties vpon them first because the word of God should not be euill spoken off by the enemies beholding such scandals and faults to be in them Secondly to the end they should approoue their Doctrine by their good life and ratifie it to the consciences of all that heare it and so make it better welcome to them and them more willing to embrace it Thirdly that the people should follow them and frame their liues according to those vertues and graces which they see in their Shepheards And by the way let vs note that if chiefely among others the Minister must be harborous and it be a vertue that commendeth him to the Church to be giuen to Hospitality then the meanes should bee cheerefully and plentifully affoorded vnto him that he may be fitted and inabled to performe it This duty indeed is looked for from him and he lyeth open to obloquy and reproach when he doth not discharge it and yet in the meane season his present abilitie or rather disabilitie and insufficiency is not considered yea the means eyther are denied vnto him or with great grudging much lessening yeelded vnto him contrarie to the precept of the Apostle q Gal. 6 6. Let him that is taught in the word make him that hath taught him partaker of all his goods To conclude this point let vs learne to reioyce when we can do good to the distressed Saints that offer themselues as obiects of our compassion and bee glad that God hath inabled vs to helpe them Remembring that it is r Acts 20 35. a more blessed thing to giue then to receiue We saw before how God plagued the Sodomites and the men of Gibeah for their sauagenesse and cruelty toward the strangers that came to lodge among them God oftentimes blesseth those places and persons where and by whom they are entertained as on the other side many iudgements and punnishments fall from Heauen vpon their heads that are currish and vnkind vnto them Vse 4. Lastly it is a great comfort and peace to a mans conscience that God will in his Son Christ regard him when with a single heart he hath beene carefull to testifie his loue toward distressed Strangers for the truths sake Let vs reioyce in this consolation that we shall be assured that God wil pitty vs when we haue thus pittied others This perswasion we see in Nehemiah who resteth himselfe vpon it and raiseth comfort of obtaining from it Nehe. 5. 19. Remember me ô Lord in goodnesse according to all that I haue done for this people The like appeareth in Obadiah 1. King
as seeke to be iustified by the Law are fallen from Grace Therefore the Apostle Paule saith Rom. 11. There is a remnant according to the election of Grace e Rom. 11 5 6 and if it be of Grace it is no more of workes or else were Grace no more Grace but if it be of workes it is no more Grace or else were worke no more worke This serueth to confute the Romish Doctrin giueth vs iust cause to come out from among them and to make a separation from them as being no true Church of God For in asmuch as they take away the foundation and cheefe pillers whereupon the house of God standeth they pull it downe and bring it to ruine We see how they exclude Grace and bring in Merrit They establish a two-fold kind of Merit and both of them as they vnderstand them plants of their owne setting but meere Strangers in the Garden of the Scriptures and therefore shall fall according to the Doctrine of Christ who saith f Math. 15 13 Euery Plant which mine heauenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted vp One sort is the g A two-folde merrit taught in the Church of Rome merrit of the person the other is the merrit of the worke The merrit of the person they make to be a dignity in the person wheredy hee is esteemed worthy of eternall life and this they say is found in Infants dying after Baptisme who though they want the merit of good workes yet they want not the merrit of their persons by which they receiue the Kingdome of heauen The merrit of the worke is a Dignity or excellency in the worke in it selfe whereby it is fitted and inabled to deserue life euerlasting Hence it is that they teach that the worke and the deed are meritorious two waies first by Couenant because God hath made a promise of reward vnto them Secondly by their owne Dignity because Christ hath merited that our workes should merrit A strange opinion and a strange language and manner of speaking neuer heard of in the Booke of God As for vs wee renounce all personall merrits that is all merrits within the person of any meere man also all merrits of workes done by any meere man whatsoeuer The true merrit whereby we looke for the fauour of God and life euerlasting is to be found in the person and workes of Christ alone who is the treasurie and store-house of all our merrits Obiection But heere some man might obiect and say The promise of reward is made to them that beleeue and worke therefore our workes doe merrit for merrit and reward be Relatiues Answere I answere there is a double reward one of Merrit the other of Mercy Euery good worke be it neuer so little done in Faith done to the glory of God done in that manner that he commaundeth shall bee rewarded but the reward is not giuen for the worthinesse of the worke but through the liberality of him that hath promised Hence it is that eternall life is called an Inheritance The obedient Childe hath promise from his Father to be his Heire and to inherit his Lands Goods and Possessions after his decease yet not for his obedience sake but because his Father loueth him and in kindnesse and compassion preferreth him before others Let it suffice vs to haue the Kingdome of Heauen as a free inheritance and not dreame as Hirelings that we shall haue it as an hire and Wages of our worke for then we shall be deceiued of our hope and expectation It is a vaine confidence to set vp such an high price of our workes as thereby to make them able to buy Heauen These men do know neither the weakenesse of their owne strength nor the vnworthinesse of their owne workes nor the wretchednesse of their owne persons nor the excellency of Gods Graces nor the praise of his glory whereof he is iealous which hee will not giue to any other They are like to Simon Magus h Actes 8 18. who offered to buy the guifts of God for his Money as a purchase or like to the i Math. 6 7. Heathen that looke to be heard for their much babling sake or like to Seruants that doe all for their hire So these Merit-mongers will haue no Heauen except they may haue it as their hire and as a penny-worth for their penny they will not be indebted vnto God nor beholding vnto him for it As for vs we value not our good workes at so high a rate we know their imperfections we craue eternall life as a Sons portion and an inheritance freely promised vnto vs and freely bestowed vpon vs. Indeede it is the will and pleasure of God that wee should labour and bring forth good workes to expresse our thankfulnesse to him that hath adopted vs for his Children and after our labour receiue the inheritance yet we cannot deserue it by our obedience and we haue a better claime vnto it by being Sonnes then working as Seruants We confesse that the reward shall be giuen of bounty not of necessity by guift not by debt by promise not by desert by Gods acceptation not through our perfection As for the Papists that glory in their owne workes let them take heede they do not deceiue themselues and whilst they rob God of his honour let them beware they doe not robbe themselues and depriue themselues of the honour promised to the Saintes and whilst they challenge and lay claime to euerlasting life as to the Wages of Seruants let them in time looke to themselues least they be denyed the Inheritance that belongeth vnto Sonnes Vse 3. Lastly seeing all Gods guifts come from him to vs of Grace and Mercy It is our dutie aboue all things to desire Mercy and to craue the free guiftes of God The Children of God whensoeuer they presented themselues into his presence they haue stripped themselues of all thinges they haue renounced all priuiledges of the flesh they haue acknowledged their owne vnworthinesse and haue craued nothing but his fauour and to bee satisfied with his Image This we see in the Prophet Dauid Psal 6. k Psal 6 3. 6. 63 3 4 5. My Soule is sore troubled but Lord how long wilt thou delay Returne ô Lorde deliuer my Soule saue me for thy mercies sake He desireth nothing but of Mercy hee pleadeth nothing but fauour hee standeth not vppon his owne righteousnesse he willeth not God to respect him according to his owne worthynesse Againe Psal 63. Thy louing kindnesse is better then life therefore my lippes shall praise thee thus will I magnifie thee all my life and lift vp mine hands in thine Name my Soule shall be satisfied as with Marrow and fatnesse and my mouth shall praise thee with ioyfull lippes Where hee preferreth the goodnesse of God before all things in Heauen and Earth whiles he aduanceth it aboue life signifying thereby that his life could not bee pleasant vnto him and that he would
the holy Scriptures that Peter was euer at Rome Whereby we learne that the Popish Religion is a doubtfull and vncertaine religion their Faith is vncertaine their Hope is vncertaine their Heauen is vncertaine For the supremacie of the Pope and subiection to him is made a fundamentall point of Religion and the beleeuing of it necessary to saluation Bellarmine a Cardinall of Rome q De Ecclesia militante lib. 3. cap. 2. defining the Church maketh it to be a Company of men professing the faith and partaking of the Sacraments vnder the iurisdiction of the Byshop of Rome so that such as hold no Pope are iudged and censured to build vpon a false foundation and therefore to be no true Churches no sound Catholickes no right Christians The cheefe Controuersie betweene vs and the Papists is for the Popes Monarchy and Authoritie ouer the Vniuersal Church which is maintained by many of them as a materiall point and necessarie for euery one to holde that looketh to be saued Which is an Opinion both absurd and ridiculous and vnreasonable The Church Triumphant in Heauen is not subiect to the Pope of Rome The Church of the Old-Testament was neuer subiect to the Pope of Rome The Church of the New-Testament which was when Christ liued vpon the earth was not subiect to the Pope of Rome The Primitiue Church that was in the dayes of the Apostles was not subiect to the Pope of Rome For during all this time there was no Pope of Rome at all and yet there was during al this time a Church or else they must say that the Triumphant Church the Iewish Church and the Christian Church are no Churches at all Moreouer the necessity of subiecting euery soule to this supposed supremacy and pretended primacy doeth blot out of the number of Churches the East-Churches and the South-Churches and leaueth onely the Roman Church to whom the Title least of all belongeth or at least as little as to any of the rest Besides at the death of euerie Pope and in euery vacancie of that Sea which sometimes hath beene no small time the Church should faile and fall for how should the faithfull then bee subiect to the Byshop of Rome when there is no Byshoppe of Rome at all in the World Furthermore when there falleth out a Schisme so that there are two or three Popes that are together by the eares for the Popedome and Prelacie the people are vncertaine to which of them to cleaue and whether of them to obey Lastly it is false that the members of the Church must be subiect to the Pope seeing he is no better nor no other then that Antichrist which the Scripture hath fore-shewed time hath discouered and the faithfull haue felt and suffered Thus then we haue seene that howsoeuer the Romanists make it a principall matter of faith to put our heades vnder the Popes Girdle to bowe our knees to kisse his holye feete and to feare the Thunderbolts of his wrath yet all his iurisdiction is besides the Scriptures nay contrary to the Scriptures seeing Peters Byshopprick and being at Rome is verie vncertaine To say no more If then it be vncertain whether Peter were euer at Rome then it must also be vncertaine whether hee were Byshop of Rome and if it be vncertaine whether he were euer Byshop of Rome then it must also be vncertaine whether the Pope bee Byshop of Rome and his successor in that Sea and if the Popes succession and Dominion ouer the Church be vncertaine his Triple Crowne shaketh and beginneth to totter all which waighty burthens do hang by a twines-thred of Peters beeing at Rome which hath no foot-step or foundation in the Scriptures True it is we dare not directly and peremptorily say that he was neuer at Rome wee know how hard a thing it is to prooue a negatiue yet it is more likely and probable that he was neuer there then that he was euer there the Scriptures being Iudges Who would willingly trauaile in a blinde and vncertaine way where he cannot be assured whether he goe right or wrong But such is the iourney that the popish passengers enter into they walke in vnknown pathes and tread the Mazes of many doubtfull steps The Popish Writers cannot agree r Bellar. lib. 2. cap. 6. de pont Roma in what yeare Peter came to Rome One hath assigned one time Another pointeth vnto another time They agree Å¿ Onuph in Annot post petr not how many yeares he stayed there when he departed from thence how long he sate t Bellar. de pontif Rom. lib. 2. cap. 5. Byshop there who succeeded in his place immediatly after him whether Clement or Linus or Cletus or Anacletus It is made of absolute necessitie by them to receiue the Saeraments yet by their Doctrine no man can certainly know whether he be partakers of them or not inasmuch as they teach that all standeth vpon the Priests intention which can be knowne to none but to God and himselfe Thus we see how weak and wofull a Religion the Romish Religion is and vpon what silly and sandie foundations it resteth Let vs leaue these vncertaine by pathes and tread in the beaten way of the Scripture which cannot deceiue let vs build our faith vpon the rocke which cannot be shaken and forsake that Church that goeth a way she knoweth not and leadeth her Children shee knoweth not whether and teacheth them to receiue she knoweth not what and beleeueth those things which she cannot proue Thus much for the generall Obseruations There salute thee Epaphras my Fellow-prisoner c. These Verses doe containe mutuall salutations with kinde and Christian wishes one toward another This is the winding vp of the whole matter wherein hee reporteth the friendly greetings of the faithfull which they sent to Philemon This we see to be verie common in the beginning of euerie Epistle Doctrine 1. Courteous speeches louing salutations are beseeming the seruants of God From hence we learne that courteous speeches and friendly salutations are to bee vsed of one Christian toward another whether present or absent All kinde and courteous dealing ought to be shewed mutually toward each other When Melchizedek met Abraham hee blessed him Gen. 14. When the Angell came vnto Gideon he saluted him thus t Iudg. 6 12. The Lord be with thee thou valiaunt Man When Boaz in haruest time came among his Reapers u Ruth 2 4. he said vnto them The Lord be with you and they answered him The Lord blesse thee that is so soone as he saw the Labourers that reaped his fields hee beganne kindly to salute them and to wish them well they likewise returned the like answere backe againe as an Eccho vnto him The Angell Gabriell being sent of God vnto the Virgin Marie he saide vnto her Luke 1 28. Hayle thou that art freely beloued the Lorde is vvith thee blessed art thou amongst Weomen When Christ sent out his Apostles and gaue them Commission
euident that some of them are false and manie of them verie vncertaine Of this sort is the former Epistle to the Corinthians which is sayde to bee written from Philippi and likewise to bee sent by Stephanas and Fortunatus c. where two thinges are auouched and both of them seeme to bee false For first it appeareth a 1 Cor. 16 5. that he was not then ar Phillippi a cheefe Citty in Macedonia that is in Europe b 1 Cor. 16. 8. 19. but at Ephesus which is in Asia Secondly it may be gathered that it was sent by the hands of Timotheus and Erastus c 1 Cor. 16. 10. partly out of that Epistle and partly out of the Actes of the d Acts 19. 21 22. Apostles The like we may say of the Post-script of the latter Epistle of both the Epistles to the Thessalonians of both the Epistles to Timothy of that to Titus and others And as we shew that these Post-scripts whether true or false were not written by the Apostles but by some other men after their dayes e Beza for the most part either vnlearned or not so well aduised so we might affirme and confirme the same touching the Inscriptions or titles prefixed and set before the Epistles of Paule Iames and the rest For first both the inscriptions and subscriptions are variably set downe in Coppies that there can no certainety be gathered out of them which of them should stand as Authenticall Secondly some of them haue both strange and vnfit Titles as when the seauen Epistles written by Iames Peter Iohn and Iude are called sometimes Canonicall and sometimes Catholique Epistles which are Names not found in the Scriptures and seeming derogatory to the rest of the Epistles as though none were Canonicall but they Thus much shall serue and suffice to giue warning both touching Inscriptions and Subscriptions both which are of one stampe and no part of the pure word of God whereof more might be spoken if it were eyther necessary or profitable or expedient Obseruations pointed out in this verse The next point according to the order obserued in the former wordes is to point out such obseruations as might be enlarged and amplified for our instruction First of all we see heere that as in the entrance of the Epistle and as it were at their first meeting he wished vnto him the Grace of Christ so he doth in the farewell and departing thereby teaching that nothing is better or more to be desired then his Grace that all our Salutations and Farewels should be grounded in his Grace this must be the beginning and the ending of all our talke and communication Secondly when the Sonne of God is called Iesus wee obserue againe that he is a perfect and absolute Sauiour the alone Sauiour inasmuch as the worke of our Saluation and Redemption is wholly and onely wrought out by him and no part left vnfinished and reserued for any Creature in heauen or in earth f Acts 4 12. For among Men there is no other Name giuen vnder Heauen whereby we may be saued but by the name of Iesus And the Apostle saith Heb. 7. g Heb. 7 25. He is able perfectly to saue them that come vnto God by him seeing he euer liueth to make intercession for them Let vs learne by this Name giuen to the Sonne by the Father and brought from Heauen by an Angell that in our selues we are as lost Sheepe and going astray We are wretched Sinners lying vnder the heauy wrath of God hee came to seeke and to saue that which is lost Wee are Prisoners he came to set vs at liberty we are wounded he came to cure vs we are dead hee came to restore and reuiue vs. No man can truely and with a feeling heart say Christ is my Sauiour vnlesse he finde that without him he is vtterly lost and cast away Againe this is a wonderfull comfort to our hearts that beeing shut vp vnder sinne and condemnation the Lord had mercy vpon vs and made an euerlasting Couenant of Grace with vs that his owne Sonne shall bee our Redeemer Hence it is that the Angels h 1 Pet. 1 12. Who desire to looke into the Mysteries of the Gospell so greatly reioyced when Christ was borne and themselues sent to publish the glad tydings thereof Luke 2. i Luk. 2 10 11 Behold I bring you tydings of great ioy that shall be to all the people that vnto you is borne in the Citty of Dauid a Sauiour which is Christ the Lord. If these blessed Spirits bee thus affected at the birth of Christ who came not to bee a Sauiour and Redeemer vnto them because they did want the benefit of Redemption how much more ought we to reioyce whom this glorious worke doth cheefely concerne yea so much that if we wanted this Sauiour it had beene better with the Beastes of the field and the creeping thinges of the Earth and the Fishes of the Sea and the Fowles of the Ayre then with vs with vs I say that were fallen from him For the end of the vnreasonable Creature is the ende of his woe but the death of man without a Mediator is the beginning of woe Thirdly the Sonne of God is called Christ which signifieth as much as annointed In the time of the Old Testament three sorts of men were annointed with Materiall Oyle Kings Prophets and Priests This Legall annointing was a Type and Figure of the annointing of Christ let is who k Iohn 6 17. was set apart from all Eternity to doe the Office of a Media our beetweene GOD and Man l Psal 45. 7. Esay 61 1. Iohn 3 34. and had the fulnesse of the Spirit powred into his Man-hoode and therefore hee is a King to gather and gouerne his Church a Prophet to reueale and teach the will of his Father a Priest to make satisfaction and intercession for the sinnes of his people From nence we learne that when we are baptized into Christ and are called to the profession of the Gospell we are after a sort consecrated and set apart to bee m Reuel 1 6. spirituall Kings spirituall Prophets and spirituall Priests we haue the same Oyle of gladnesse not indeed as he hath it which is without measure but a small pittance of it and a little measure whereby we are called Christians of Christ that is men annointed with the Oyle wherewith Christ himselfe was annointed albeit in a farre inferiour degree This the Apostle Iohn setteth downe n 1 Iohn 2 27. The annointing which ye receiued of him dwelleth in you c. and that same annointing teacheth you all thinges Euery one pleaseth himselfe in the title of a Christian all men chalenge the name of Christians as their proper right and would cry out of extreame wrong to be denied a portion in this honour but aske them what Christ signifieth and how themselues become Christians they are able to answeare nothing at all
But let vs take heede we doe not deceiue out owne heartes and flatter our selues in a bare title when the truth of the thing doth not belong vnto vs. If a poore simple Begger that hath nothing but ragges and rents to brag and boast himselfe off should foolishly perswade himsefe he were a King and Monarch of the world could this vaine opinion any whit auaile him or minister any comfort vnto him In like manner if we delight to be called Christians and yet want the annointing of Christ we are as farre from being true Christians as the former begger is from being a Prince of the earth Wherefore if wee will haue the thing with the name and the truth with the title we must bee as Kings bearing sway ouer our owne lustes and proclaiming continuall warre against the Deuill the World and the flesh We must thus raigne ouer our selues and then we shall be Kings indeed We must be carefull to haue the word dwell plentifully in vs and endeuour to instruct others We must offer vp spirituall sacrifices acceptable vnto the Father we must make prayers and supplications vnto him and resigne vp our selues our soules and bodies to his seruice A carnall Christian that liueth in the flesh is no Christian An ignorant Christian that walketh in darkenesse is no Christian Such then as are led by their owne lustes and carried away by their owne corruptions giuing themselues ouer to all loosenesse of life are not spirituall Kings but very Slaues and Bond-men nay the basest Vassals that breath vpon the earth Such as are blinde in the matters of God and haue nothing in their mindes but grosse ignorance knowing nothing of religion nor desiring to know nothing of the meanes of saluation cannot bee spirituall Prophets but sottish persons and blinde men that are not farre from falling into the pit of destruction Such as approach not to the Throne of grace with broken and contrite heartes and call not vpon God are not spirituall Priests but come neerer to the prophane Athiestes who are saide not to call vpon God and thinke it no profit to pray vnto him Fourthly let vs consider the third title giuen to the Sonne of God hee is called our Lord which teacheth vs to acknowledge him to be the Ruler and Gouernour of his Church and of euery particular member thereof And if he be the Gouernour and guide woe vnto them that will not be ruled and gouerned by him When he perswadeth vs to perfourme obedience to the morrall Law he giueth this as the reason o Exod. 20 2. I am the Lord thy God Thus doth the Prophet bring in the lord speaking vnto vs p Mal. 1 6. If I be your Lord where is my feare We must therefore conforme our willes to his will and resigne body and soule to be ordered and directed by him All men are willing to acknowledge Christ a redeemer but not a Ruler a Sauiour but not a Lord. Euery man would gladly and willingly haue a portion in Christes redemption but they regard not to perfourme him any obedience They are forward to heare of this Mediatorship but they take no delight to heare of his Lord-ship they loue not to be vnder his dominion they care not for the bearing of his yoake they desire not to yeelde subiection to his word They determine to make their lustes to be their Lordes and themselues seruants and slaues to their sinnes These are such as haue another Lorde set ouer them which ruleth in their hearts to wit the Prince of darknesse and the God of this world his workes they do his lusts they fulfill and to him they obey These are those enemies mentioned by Christ Luke 19 27. that will not that he should raigne ouer them who in the end shall be brought and slaine before him Wherefore if euer we looke to finde Christ our Sauiour let vs first make him our Gouernour if wee would haue him be our iustification let him become also our sanctification if we would haue him ease vs of our burthen and refresh vs of our wearinesse we must take his yoake vppon vs and suffer our neckes to be acquainted with it Fiftly obserue that the Grace heere asked for Philemon and others to whom the Apostle wrote is called the grace of Iesus Christ to teach vs that Gods graces and benefits come vpon vs thorough him and as nothing was made without him that was made so nothing is giuen without him that is giuen If then we would haue right and interest in any of the blessinges of God we must labour to be in Christ and to haue assurance that wee are in Christ If we touch and tast any of them and yet be not ingrafted into him we are Vsurpers and no better then Theeues and Robbers wee haue no more right and Title to any of the Creatures or Graces of God then the Theefe hath to the true mans purse Christ Iesus is heire of all things and we by him For if p Rom. 8 17. we be sonnes then are we heyres euen the heires of God and heyres annexed with Christ as for the vngodly they are Bastards and not sonnes and the Bastard cannot inherit hee is barred from claiming any interest in the inheritance True it is such as are out of Christ doe many times abound in earthly blessings and they enioy Houses and Landes and Temporall possessions and they can shew their Writings and Conueyances and Leases Deeds and Euidences how they holde their inheritances from men yet notwithstanding all these in the middest of them they are miserable and that for three causes Wicked mens case euen in earthly things is most miserable First because albeit they may haue many thinges yet they can haue right to nothing and they lay hold on such things as doe not belong vnto them God made the world and all things therein for his own sonnes not for the base borne for his Seruants not the Deuils slaues They are like the Moth which breedeth in another mans Garment but is soone shaken out the Moth hath no right to be there and therefore is brushed off or picked out and cast away This is the comparison q Iob 27 16 17 18. of the Holy-Ghost teaching that all vnregenerate persons are Intruders and can lay no lawfull claime by the Law of God to the thinges they possesse and therefore the Land-lord of the world may and will thrust them out at his pleasure Secondly as their right is nothing so they want the right vse of them If they had right vnto them yet had no comfortable vse of them it were a great iudgement but these men haue neither The Apostle teacheth r Titus 1 15. that Vnto the pure are all things pure but vnto them that are defiled and vnbeleeuing it nothing pure but euen their Minds and Consciences are defiled There is no peace to the wicked in the midst of ioy they are in heauinesse in the midst of life
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
credit in my Maisters House He doth not thus consent with Flesh and blood neyther consent to her filthy lust to the dishour of God to the iniury of his Maister to the blot of his owne name and the wounding of his owne conscience but standeth at denyance and defiance with her notwithstanding her great flattery and daily importunity Thus ought it to be with euery one of vs though it be our Maister our Gouernour our Parents our Friendes we must not yeelde to them in euill we must not graunt any wicked requestes that may bring vs out of fauour with God and procure his iust iudgements to come vpon vs. It were better for vs to be out of fauour with Men then out of fauour with God and to fall into their hands then to sinne in the sight of the Lord. It were better to endure a little reproach for a small season for well-doing then to vndergoe the wrath of God for euer for euill-doing The Mother of Zebedeus Children came with her Sonnes to Christ worshipping him and desiring a certaine thing of him to wit that her two Sonnes might sit the one at his right hand and the other at his left hand in his Kingdome he denyed them and sayd p Math. 20 22 Ye know not what ye aske are ye able to drinke of the Cuppe that I shall drinke off and be baptized with the Baptisme that I shall be baptized with all The like we see in Peter and Iohn when they were commaunded in no wise to speake or teach in the Name of Iesus q Actes 4 19. they aunswered vnto them Whether it be right in the sight of GOD to obey you rather then God iudge you This is duely to be considered and carefullie to be practised of vs. Let vs not bee carryed away with the entisements and suggestions of others knowing that if we follow their direction and counsell in euill we shall incurre the same punnishment with them Vse 2. Secondly this serueth to reprooue and condemne their follie that in making suites and requestes neuer consider what they ought to aske and what another may graunt vnto them but respect their owne lustes anger mallice reuenge honour and aduantage What did the Wife of Potipher respect in her raging and burning lust Did she respect the Couenant of GOD or the credit of her Husband or her owne honour or honestie No vncleanenesse had possessed her heart Lust carryed her eye Impudencie ruled her tongue and all partes of Soule and Bodie were out of order The Mother of Salomon requested as she thought r 1 Kin. 22 18 22. a small request of him that Abishag the Shunamite might bee giuen to Adonijah his Brother to Wife and the King promised not to say her nay but when he heard it he reuoked his promise denyed his Mother and executed Adonijah as one that aspired to the Kingdome Wherefore shee was not well aduised what shee asked The like we might say of Herodias her daughter For when Herods Birthday was come and kept the dancing Minion pleased the eyes of a light lasciuious King so that he promised with an Oath Å¿ Mat. 14 7 8. That he would giue her whatsoeuer she should aske and she being before instructed of her Mother saide Giue me heere Iohn Baptistes head in a Platter The marke that these lasciuious Women sought after in this request was the murthering and making away of Iohn which also followed the giuing of this counsell and the asking of this request It is an euill thing to make any euill motion yea albeit no euill follow after it and albeit no consent be giuen vnto it It was euill in Sathan the Tempter to tempt our Sauiour in the Wildernsse t Iohn 4 46. albeit hee found nothing in him and could fasten no infidelitie no presumption no sinne vpon him So is it in his Instruments although they cannot preuaile to seduce any vnto sinne and draw them to offend God yet they haue wicked hearts and intents in laying snares and baites to intrap others Wee see this in Iosephes vnchast Mistresse albeit shee could not draw away his heart from the feare of God nor weaken the Faith hee had in him yet her sinne was not the lesse nor her purpose any whit the better We see this likewise in the suit that Haman propounded and obtained u Ester 3 9. If it please the King let it be written that the Iewes may be destroyed Now albeit the Church was deliuered yet his mallice was insatiable and in the ende turned to his owne destruction This ought to terrifie all gracelesse Suppliants that make no choyce or conscience what they demaund for when they are not carefull to desire such thinges as are warrantable and consonant to the will and heauenly pleasure of God their owne requestes doe many times in the iust iudgement of God turne to their owne confusion Wherefore it standeth all men vpon to looke with a single eye into the cause which they mind before they seeke it and sue for it that it be iust reasonable conscionable and honest against such as neuer haue in themselues such consideration but so they may speede in their purpose they regard not what they desire This is a point worthy to be marked of all especially of those that depend vpon others to be aduanced and preferred It is a greeuous sinne to abuse the fauour and authority of others to bring their bad and leud purposes to passe It is the manner of many men that are in credit with great persons to be bold to sollicite any of them without difference or due regard of equitie not considering the lawfulnesse or vnlawfulnesse of the thing the making or marring of others the doing of good vnto them or the vtter vndoing of them Hence it is that Iohn Baptist exhorteth the Souldiers that came vnto him to be instructed x Luke 3 14. Doe violence to no Man neyther accuse any falselie and be content with your wages We must therefore take heed what we aske into what inconueniences we draw and driue others into Our requests must be seasoned with the feare of God Vse 3. Lastly we learne that no man hath an absolute power and authority ouer others but limited and restrained within certain bounds Paul had the highest office of Apostleship committed vnto him yet he could not require and commaund what we list he could goe no further then the will of the Lord which is declared and doubled in this place Albeit God haue lifted vp our heads aboue others and made vs Rulers to commaund yet we cannot command what we list The Maister must remember y Eph. 6 9. That he also hath a Maister in heauen The Father must consider that he also hath a Father which is in Heauen Such as are inferiours are not bound to yeelde an absolute obedience in all thinges but they are tyed to obey their Superiors so farre as they do not disobey the