outward Prosperitie hath Securitie annexed vnto it and is a fore-runner and beginning of that eternall Prosperitie and Felicitie in Gods Kingdome for both these things are vnderstood by the name of Peace Securitie Psal 4. 9. I will lay me downe and sleepe in peace first securely and the perfection of all prosperitie in the life to come Psal 37. Marke the iust man the end of that man is peace First from hence obserue that as wee may lawfully Doct. 1 desire for our selues and others outward prosperitie We may lawfully desire outward blessings and how and the blessing of this life Giue vs our daily bread Petit. 4. Food conuenient Pro. 30. so how and in what manner we must desire them First hauing desired grace in the first place Mat. 6. First seeke the Kingdome of God and then in the second place we may seeke temporall things but now men are all for peace Who will shew vs any good few or none for grace peaceable men as I may call them enough very few gracious men that doe first of all seeke Gods grace and then in the second place peace Secondly in desiring of outward things wee must moderate our desires that they goe not beyond their bounds to desire abundance and superfluitie of them for we desire them by the name of Peace therefore no more must wee desire but that which will serue vs to attend the works of our Calling with free and quiet minds without disturbance or distraction Thus AGAR prayed against pouertie and for a competency of outward things lest otherwise falling into Satans snare hee should take the name of God in vaine Thus farre may our desires goe And our heauenly Father knoweth wee stand in need of these things namely of a competency of them as a very necessarie helpe for Gods seruice Secondly againe PAVL first desiring Grace and Doct. 2 then Peace sheweth vs that peace namely outward Peace is a fruit of Grace prosperitie is a fruit of Grace and so that the neerest and most compendious way to get peace is first to get grace and fauour with God IOSEPH and DAVID had wonderfull successe in all their wayes and the reason the holy Ghost yeeldeth thereof is this The Lord was with them Genes 39. 1. Sam. 18. The way of man first of the iust man of whom hee had formerly spoken is directed by the Lord but what is the reason hereof Because the Lord loueth his way that is is well pleased with him and his course of life Psal 37. 23. therefore hee had shewed before how the wicked man borrowes and payes not againe though rich and wealthy whereas the godly though poore is able to lend And all this because as he addeth Vers 22. The blessed of the Lord shall inherit the Land It is the grace and blessing of God that is all in all And as it is the cause of good successe in the generall course of our liues so likewise in euery particular action Psal 44. The Israelites victorie ouer the Canaanites is ascribed not to Sword or Bow but to the light of Gods countenance because hee did fauour them NOAHS preseruation in the Floud MARIES honour to bee Christs Mother giuen to this cause they found fauour with God Would we then enioy the comforts of this life would we prosper and thriue in our endeuours and works of our Calling Labour then for Gods grace and fauour Grace is the onely meanes to draw on Peace When wee haue got Christs righteousnesse it is that Grace which makes vs gracefull to God Matth. 6. then outward things come voluntarie as it were of their owne accord without our seeking or desiring no maruell then if oftentimes things goe crosse with vs wee by our sinnes hauing drawne downe the curse of God vpon all our enterprises This is the reason why Gods children liue better euen with greater credit and reputation in the world with a little then many times the wicked doe which haue farre more Gods blessing sets forward the one and his curse blowes vpon the other But we oftentimes see those that are not in greatest Obiect fauour with God abounding with these earthly blessings Psal 17. The men of this world whose bellies thou fillest and fattest with the hid treasures of the earth And on the contrarie those that haue greatest store of Grace to haue a very small pittance of Peace First For the godly who hauing their part in Answ grace haue alwayes in some measure their portion in peace also for first The end of all his afflictions whereto they are disposed is peace Psal 37. The end of the iust man is peace Secondly He hath the peace of Securitie in his greatest distresses Psal 3. 6. I laid mee downe and slept and rose againe because thou Lord sustaynedst me and Psal 4. 9. I will sleepe in peace Thirdly He hath the peace of Contentation Grace supplying and sweetning the want of Peace and turning very Warre it selfe into Peace darknesse into light to the godly his heart is at rest and at peace within it selfe There is no warring of the affections against God whatsoeuer his outward estate is Therefore Psal 37. A little to the righteous is more then great riches to the wicked for godlinesse is great gayne bringing contentation Secondly For the wicked It is farre otherwise with them in their peace which being a gracelesse peace a peace not founded on grace is in truth a peacelesse peace for in the middest of their peace they want the peace of Securitie their hearts tremble like an Aspen lease in feare of change or if they haue securitie it is a presumptuous and false securitie for when they crie Peace Peace then is their destruction at hand 1. Thess 5. 3. And let their Peace be neuer so flourishing yet still want they the Peace of Contentation they thinke all too little if they had the whole World with ALEXANDER they would grieue there were no more for them to get Againe as the end of the godly mans Warfare is Peace so the end of the wicked mans Peace is Warfare euen an eternall Warfare and wrestling with the anger of God in Hell Therefore a sound and safe Peace ariseth onely from the Grace of God The Peace of the wicked deserueth not the name of Peace There is no Peace sayth my God to the wicked Esa 57. Thus much for the things desired Now let vs see from whom they are desired first from God the Father secondly Christ Iesus our Lord. The Holy Ghost is not here excluded though not named But in all actions of God respecting the creatures when one Person is named the rest are to be included By God being here opposed to Iesus Christ wee are to vnderstand the first Person who is called our Father not onely in regard of Creation Luk. 3. ADAM the sonne of God Heb. 12. the Father of Spirits but also and especially of adoption in Christ And that to this end that as wee might hence assure
out amaine as Ioseph did though before with him wee hide and dissembled our affections I am IOSEPH your brother In Histories we read that CROESVS his sonne hauing beene alwayes dumbe yet the Citie being surprized by enemies he seeing one ready to kill his father Nature so wrought in him that it violently as it were broke the impediments and strings of his tongue caused him to cry out with great passion O kill not King CRoeSVS If we then will shew our selues true and naturall Sonnes of God and so brethren to his children when wee see his Honour readie to be trod vnder foote when we see his children euill intreated then is it high time for vs to manifest our affection A notable example of this we haue in MOSES whose brotherly affection towards the persecuted Israelites all the pompe and pleasure of PHARAOHS Court was not able to smother and suppresse but it brake forth in that manner that it caused him to relinquish the Court and all his hopes there and to choose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God Naturall kindred in some cases may be concealed and specially in the case of danger as ESTHER was counselled by MORDECAI to conceale of what Countrey shee was But our spirituall kindred least of all may be concealed in the time of danger and trouble nay then is the tryall of it for as by SALOMONS wisedome going about to cut that controuerted childe in two the naturall mother was discerned so the like wisedome of God suffering our brethren in the Faith to be in like manner dealt withall as the childe should by SALOMON our affections are tryed and true brothers are notably discerned and base ones detected Let this be remembred then of vs that professe the same holy Truth that wee are Brothers yea Twinnes and therefore wee must alwayes bee knit together in a holy harmonie of wills and affections reioycing and weeping liuing and dying together If wee finde these qualities and properties of brethren in our selues it is no matter for the Worlds scorning at this brotherhood it is our glorie Secondly Obserue that this spirituall brotherhood Doct. 2 is betwixt all Christians indifferently whatsoeuer The spirituall brotherhood is among all Christians indifferently difference there bee amongst them in outward ciuill respects yet they are nothing preiudiciall to this spirituall Fraternitie in Christ for here PHILEMON and ONESIMVS the Master and the Seruant are made these kind of brethren Howsoeuer we are differenced in ciuill policie and in ciuill societies some being Noble some being Base some Rich some Poore c. yet in that spirituall societie of which CHRIST is the Head there is no such distinction Here wee are all equalls all one all brethren Christ in his body giues no speciall place to a King because hee is a King no hee respects not the King more then the Begger This Doctrine is of speciall vse both for comfort to Inferiours and for humiliation and moderation of minde to Superiours in as much as the seruant is Christs Free-man and the Master is Christs seruant 1. Corinth 7. Let then the brother of low degree reioyce in this that he is exalted IAMES 1. in Christ to be equall with the greatest Prince in the world yea to bee aboue him if hee bee out of Christ Againe as Saint IAMES counsells in the same place Let the brother of high degree reioyce in his humilitie euen in this that in Christ hee hath made equall with himselfe the meanest Let him not reioyce in his outward preeminence hee hath ouer them but let him know this is his glorie which in the world is counted humilitie that he hath such a poore begger his equall And surely we haue no cause to bee ashamed of them that bee poore to bee our brethren for if God acknowledge them to bee his Sonnes I hope it is no disparagement to any to acknowledge them their brethren nay a credit and as Saint IAMES sheweth A matter to be boasted in for if we haue them our brethren then we haue God our Father And if we denie them to be the Sonnes of God who bee our brethren in so doing wee openly disclaime God from being our Father Let vs then acknowledge the poorest Christian as our brother though our owne bond-slaue doing the parts and offices of a brother vnto him Naturall men oftentimes by the force of naturall affection acknowledge their naturall brethren though they themselues be highly exalted aboue them in the world And shall not grace exceed nature shall not brothers in the Lord much more euery way acknowledge their brethren though they be neuer so much aduanced aboue them in their ciuill calling The Christian calling will not ouerthrow the ciuill Religion will not ouerthrow Policie nay rather it confirmes this It will not teach thy seruant to slip his necke out of the collar and to denie thee seruice and subiection why then should Policie be so vnkind and vnthankfull to Religion as to ouerthrow it Though in truth it is not so much Policie as our corruption taking occasion by ciuill Policie that would ouerturne Religion It is the pride of mens hearts puffed vp in regard of the outward condition in the world that makes them forget their inferiours and so to carry themselues towards them as if they were not their brethren of the same Christian Calling of the same precious Faith with themselues Neither is this spoken as though Superiours might not lawfully maintayne their superioritie and authoritie ouer their Inferiours but onely that their inequalitie in their ciuill calling cause them not to forget the equalitie in the Christian And this is a point of great wisedome so to temper our carriage that neither our equalitie in Christ make vs to forget our inequalitie in the world nor yet on the other side our inequalitie in the world make vs forget our equalitie in Christ Againe this Doctrine teacheth Superiours not onely moderation to others their Inferiours but also all humilitie and subiection towards GOD. A good Meditation is it for them seeing their Inferiours in the world creeping and crouching to thinke thus with themselues O this man is my brother not onely in regard of creation of the same stuffe with my selfe but also of regeneration hee is as good as I before God O then how ought I much more to abase my selfe before my heauenly Master casting downe my selfe at his foote-stoole though a King with the meanest Begger comming to Gods House with all my Subiects as their Companion Psal 122 This brotherhood betwixt ONESIMVS and Doct. PHILEMON is amplified by the lesser Not as a Religious seruants are more then ordinarie seruants seruant a sole and single seruant but more then a seruant Whereby we learne that seruants fearing God are more then common and ordinarie seruants that are without the feare of God and therefore by good reason more to be respected Euery seruant will looke for speciall fauour and respect though perhaps
our selues that God will euery way carrie himselfe as a Father to vs so wee should teach our selues the behauior and dutifull disposition of good sonnes towards him But here more specially marke what is the cause Doct. of Gods fauour namely God himselfe Grace the fauour of God be vnto you from God It comes not then from any thing in our selues from any fore-seene workes or worthinesse of ours But of this more before The second Author of this Grace and Peace is IESVS CHRIST First He is the Author of Grace of both degrees of the first degree of Grace as God of the second onely as God-man as Mediatour Some of the Papists who teach That the Grace making vs gracefull is the gift of Regeneration in vs doe yet acknowledge the first degree of Gods fauour to be of himselfe who of his owne free fauour giues vs this gift whereby according to them he maketh vs worthie of his fauour But here we learne that as the first degree of Gods fauour so likewise the second is not of our selues First the Apostle sayth Grace be to you from God I but they might say How should we come to be gracious in Gods eyes PAVL therefore addes as shewing the meritorious cause of Gods fauour and from Iesus Christ He sayes not and from the habite of Regeneration CHRIST IESVS then is the Grace that makes vs gracefull Hee hath all the Grace of God Hee is euen full of it and of his fulnesse wee receiue our share of it The fauour of God lights vpon Christ and then from him it is deriued to vs. It is not any thing in thy selfe that can draw the gracious eye of God towards thee Saint PETER commands vs to trust perfectly in that grace which commends vs to God 1. Pet. 1. but wee may not trust in a creature as is any infused habit of grace Therefore we must abandon all other things and cleaue onely to Christ by whom onely wee haue accesse to the Throne of Grace Secondly he is the Author of Peace Euen outward things themselues come to vs by Christ wee lost our right vnto them in ADAM and wee recouer it not but in Christ First then we learne that the true Christian is the True Christians only true owners only right owner of Peace All others are but vsurpers for these outward things are appendances of Christs righteousnesse and are entayled thereto Matth. 6. 33. Secondly we are taught to vse all the blessings of How outward blessings must be vsed this life Christianly moderately and thankfully for they are purchased for vs with no lesse price then the bloud of Christ And when we exceed in the vse of any outward comfort meate drinke sport c. wee are iniurious to the bloud of Christ as though by it were purchased for vs a lawlesse libertie for licentiousnesse wantonnesse and drunkennesse c. Christs bloud hath bought vs right to the moderate vse of all comforts if we goe further we goe beyond our right and vsurpe vpon the creature This checketh those that vse vnlawfull recreations or lawfull vnlawfully for our outward peace is to be receiued from Christ as the Author thereof Oh that we could thinke of this when the creatures present themselues vnto vs though not to keepe our selues wholly from the vse of them as DAVID did from drinking that Water which his three Worthies brought him because it was the Water of Bloud yet from the abuse of them in Gluttonie Surfetting and Drunkennesse because they are the bloud of Iesus Christ and by the eye of faith we must behold the bloud of Christ swimming in euery dish that comes to the table This is the onely sawce to sweeten our meat and all other outward comforts whatsoeuer for we may with good consciences vse them when we can receiue them as fruits of the bloudshed of Christ And this is of all others the most effectuall retentiue from immoderate excesse intemperancie in the vse of any creature to consider the dearenesse of the price wherewith it was bought for vs. Thirdly being in Christ wee must comfort and content our selues in all estates for hee is a Store-house and Treasurie of all Grace and Peace to all that are his Peace I leaue with you my Peace I giue vnto you not as the world giueth it let not your heart be troubled nor feare Iohn 14. Christ Iesus is described by the Title of his Lordship Our Lord. Where we are to learne that Christ is a Iesus to none a dispencer of Grace and Peace to none but to those to whom hee is a Lord. The world would haue him a IESVS a Sauiour but in no case a Lord. They will not beare the burden of his yoke yet they will needes haue him beare the burden of their sinnes But till Christ be become our Lord wee can haue no assurance hee is our Sauiour This I note the rather because euen at this time when wee celebrate the memorie of our Sauiours Incarnation wee most of all denie him the right of his Lordship taking libertie to breake out into all outrage of sinne VERS 4 5. I giue thankes to my God alwayes making mention of you in my prayers Hearing of thy loue and faith c. HEre beginneth the third part of the Preface of this Epistle namely an Insinuation whereby PAVL in godly wisedome to make a more easie way for his Petition doth labour to possesse PHILEMON with an opinion and conceit of his owne loue and affection towards him and this hee doth by letting him vnderstand two effects of his loue towards him first his congratulation and reioycing with him for his good namely those Graces God had bestowed vpon him the which gratulation is propounded in a Thanksgiuing I giue thanks to my God secondly his continuall praying for him both these viz. both Thanksgiuing and Prayer set forth by the causes which caused him to pray and giue thankes VERS 5. Hearing of thy loue c. More specially the Prayer is set forth by the matter thereof VERS 6. And then the Thanksgiuing by the speciall and proper cause thereof VERS 7. Of all which in their places First For his Gratulation or reioycing with Doct. PHILEMON in his Graces it is set downe in the The manner of true congratulation forme of Thanksgiuing I thanke my God Where obserue first the manner of true Christian congratulating and reioycing with our friends for any good thing they haue namely to reioyce in the Lord giuing him first of all his due the prayse of all that good they haue The reioycing of the world is carnall and prophane God is neuer so much as thought vpon The parties whom wee congratulate they are dignified and almost deified O I admire your Wisdome Eloquence Learning c. will the Flatterer or the inordinate louer of his friend say But PAVL would say I admire the goodnesse and mercie of God towards you in enriching you with these gifts I thanke God for
were not onely almost but altogether euen such as I am Christians except these bonds But yet a more speciall loue which therefore hath a speciall name of brotherly loue is due vnto those which are alreadie effectually called and so made members of Christ This loue also commeth from faith which causing vs to loue God must needes also force vs to loue all those in whom wee shall see the very face and liuely Image of God himselfe so clearely shining First By this then once againe wee may trie our Vse faith A working faith hath laborious loue euen to our brethren annexed 1. Thess 1. 3. If then thou art of a hard and implacable nature of a memorie fastly retayning iniuries of affections vindicatiue which the Scripture cals Feet swift to shead bloud this bloudie nature of thine shewes thou hast no part in the bloud of Christ by faith The like is to be thought of those which are moued with no compassion towards the soule of their brethren sitting in darknesse and the shadow of death but can suffer them to pine and perish away in their sinnes and neuer reach forth the hand to pull them out of the ditch Certainly if thou hadst euer felt the gaine of godlinesse thy selfe thou wouldest perswade others to deale with this so gainfull a commoditie They that are conuerted of God confirme their Brethren being passed ouer the bridge they will wish others to follow them so farre will they be from plucking vp the bridge The same sentence also is to be passed vpon them that doe not feele their hearts enlarged towards Christians more then to others that are none If the Image of God by Faith were repaired in our selues wee could not but be delighted with those that are like our selues But on the contrarie if thou feelest these effects of loue in thy selfe vndoubtedly thou hast Faith For it is the loue of Christ only felt by Faith which is able to soften and melt our hard and frozen hearts When wee shall see how great a debt hee hath forgiuen vs this will make vs willingly to forgiue small ones to our Brethren yea and to bury all iniuries in the graue of forgetfulnesse neuer to reuiue againe euen as Christ hath done all ours to him though neuer so indigne and contumelious hee lodged them in his owne graue not to rise againe with himselfe the third day though many of vs raise vp our owne iniuries farre sooner out of their graues but to be left behind him in that Den of darknesse to sleepe an eternall sleepe So when Faith shall cause vs to consider how that the Lord Iesus being rich became poore that wee might be made rich this will make vs to earne in the bowells of compassion towards our poore and distressed Brethren and to reach forth our releeuing hand towards them But the most euident demonstration of our Faith is that brotherly loue wherewithall we loue a Christian as a Christian and because a Christian 1. Ioh. 3. Wee know that we are translated from death to life because we loue the Brethren for none can loue any good thing vnknowne Loue presupposes knowledge of the thing loued hee then that loues the Image of God in his Brother sees it But none can see it but by the eye of Faith He that loueth his Brother for his Faith must needs know Faith but no man can know it but hee that hath it Faith is onely knowne by our owne experience Secondly this Doctrine serueth not only for the tryall of our Faith but also of our loue to our Brethren for as that Faith which is without this Loue is an idle and emptie and imaginarie faith so that loue of our Neighbour which commeth not from Faith is blind and foolish and in the end will proue a deceitfull and vnfaithfull loue Naturall men that seeme to loue very dearly to day to morrow are at deadly feud The reason hereof is because their loue comes not from Faith Therefore amongst the true children of God yee shall neuer see such bitter fallings out as amongst worldly men In naturall men and the vnregenerate besides naturall affections which they haue as Fathers Husbands Wiues Children yee shall find further many times a kind and courteous nature to strangers a liberall and free heart to the poore But that which the Apostle speaketh of Faith void of Charitie 1. Cor. 13. is true also of Charitie void of Faith It is worth nothing before God Let vs not then deceiue our selues either trusting in the loue of others or glorying in that loue which is in our selues not proceeding from Faith for the former if wee rely too much vpon it it will giue vs a shrewd fall in the end and the latter will make vs but ashamed when it shal come to be scanned before Gods Tribunall who will esteeme most vilely and basely of all thy kind-heartednesse of all thy almes and liberalitie vnlesse Faith did wring them from thee Thus wee see how Faith when once it raigneth in the heart begetteth both these loues both to God and our Neighbour in vs and so how true that of the Apostle is Rom. 3. in the end By Faith we establish the Law For whereas the summe of the Law is loue of the first Table to God of the second to man Faith as we haue shewed very effectually worketh both Hence PAVL giueth the name of a Law to Faith calling it the Law of Faith because it succeedeth into the roome of the Law commanding the same things that the Law does and so is in stead of Law to the regenerate that are freed from the Law So farre is it as the Papists slander vs for giuing any licence to breake the Law Thirdly here it may be asked How could others Quest declare to PAVL the Loue and Faith of PHILEMON which are secret and hidden Vertues that be in the innermost corners of the heart farre from the sight of the eye They saw not PHILEMONS faith but his outward Answ works and by them they iudged and so did PAVL too of his faith discerning the Tree by the fruit Hence obserue First when we see in any the fruits of Faith and Doct. 1 Loue wee in Charitie are to iudge that there is true Faith and Loue indeed for howsoeuer Hypocrisie may Apishly counterfait the fruits of true Faith yet we are to suspend our iudgement till God shall haue vncased the Hypocrite And it is farre safer for vs to erre of Charitie then of malice and sinister suspition Secondly in that PAVL by a Metonymie of the Doct. 2 efficient giueth the name of Faith and Loue to the outward works of PHILEMON which were reported vnto him Wee learne the manner wherein euery good worke must be done namely in Faith and Loue. The very Spirits and quintessence of our Faith and Loue must be in euery good work else they are but dead works vnlesse they be built vpon the foundation of Faith and Loue easily will they be shaken First
haue beene shamefully neglected as it seemeth IOHN was by many of his hearers whom our Sauiour vpbraideth with this That they reioyced only in him for a season namely whilest he enioyed his Ministerie peaceably And this their forgetting of him in the Prison is not improbably thought by some to be the cause that made Christ breake forth into so large commendations of IOHN being then in the Prison The third speciall illustration followeth namely of the last part of the Proposition of the Petition which is the partie sued for viz. ONESIMVS for it is a matter of great moment in suing for any that the partie we sue for be such a one that he may sufficiently commend himselfe euen without our commendation Now here PAVL sheweth that ONESIMVS was such a one entituling him his Sonne Withall he noteth the circumstance of the place where he begot him in the Prison The name of Sonne is Metaphoricall and implyeth onely thus much That by PAVLS Ministerie ONESIMVS was conuerted to the Faith First Here I obserue That the Ministers are moued Doct. 1 with a speciall kind of affection equalling if Affection of Ministers to their Conuerts not surpassing the naturall affection of Parents towards those whom they haue gayned to Christ Therefore PAVL here calleth ONESIMVS whom hee had conuerted his Sonne and afterwards his Bowels And so Esay 8. Behold I and my children whom thou hast giuen me Wee must loue all Christians but yet more specially those that are of our owne begetting the workmanship in some sort of our owne hands As men naturally loue all little children but yet their owne in a higher degree For it is true which the Philosophers once said Euery man loues his owne Worke as we see in Poets louing their owne Poesie hatched in their owne braines and Artificers louing their owne inuentions And hence it must needes follow that the affection of the Apostles towards the Church as being the Fathers and Founders thereof must needes exceed the affections of ordinarie Pastors that succeed building vpon their foundations 1. Cor. 4. 15. S. PAVL challengeth the name of Father of the Corinthians as proper to himselfe and calleth those that succeed in that Church but Schoolemasters Now the affection of a Father farre exceedeth the affection of a Schoolemaster to the child Now if Ministers carrie this fatherly affection to them whom they haue conuerted then it behooueth those whom they haue conuerted to carrie the dutifull disposition of louing and obedient sonnes to them aboue any other Ministers If we owe much to naturall Parents the instrument of this Temporall how much then to our Spirituall the instruments of our eternall life Neuer can we come out of their debt Secondly Obserue what Ministers may truly be Doct. 2 called the Fathers of the Church Surely they What Ministers are the true Fathers of the Church which haue begotten children vnto God and with Esay can present themselues before the Lord with the goodly traine of their Spirituall progenie This name belongeth first of all and principally to the Apostles who layed the first foundation of the Church as wee shewed a little before how PAVL claymed this name in speciall sort in regard of the Corinths because howsoeuer other ordinarie Pastors that succeeded him begat no doubt some particular persons yet hee begat the whole Church They then haue a speciall interest in this name that begat whole Churches at once thousands at one clap as PETER Acts 2. Now this which is spoken of the Apostles that gaue the first constitution to the Church of the New Testament is true also of others sage men of extraordinarie and Apostolicall spirit as LVTHER CALVIN and many others who gaue a restitution to the Church falne in these latter dayes They also more specially may be called the Fathers of the Church Secondly this name also belongeth to ordinarie Pastors and amongst them more especially to such that encrease the Church established with new off-spring For although they are farre more noble and excellent Fathers that are Fathers of the whole Church then they who onely are Fathers of some few particular members of a Church yet these latter also are Fathers for it is not the multitude of sonnes but a sonne that makes a Father And PAVL here calling ONESIMVS his sonne makes himselfe a Father as well in regard of him as of the whole Church of the Corinthians The Pope then and Popish Prelates are vnworthie of the honour of this name with all idle and slouthfull Ministers seruing onely their owne bellies Rather may they be called Betrayers of the Church then Fathers thereof who eyther conuert not at all or els peruert and make their Conuerts as the Pharises in our Sauiours time seuen times more the children of the Deuill then they were before But yet among the Pastors of the Church not onely those whose Ministerie God honoureth with the conuersion of Soules are to be honoured also with this name of Fathers and none else Honour thy Father and Mother sayes the fifth Commaundement where God honoureth our Superiors with the name of Parents and so in the Commaundement does that himselfe which he biddeth vs doe Now all true and lawfull Ministers set ouer vs by the Lord are our Superiors and yet how many such are there whose Ministerie though it be very faithfull yet is nothing fruitfull in the gaining of Soules These though they haue no Spirituall posteritie How Ministers that conuert not are called Fathers yet in the fifth Commaundement are called Fathers And so well may they be called for these two respects First Because they doe their best endeuour to be Fathers they cast forth continually the Spirituall Seed of the Gospell and sow it in the furrowes of our hearts Indeed it is not sufficient for the getting of the name of a naturall Father to doe thy endeuour vnlesse the euent answer thy endeuour because the fault may be in the Seed vnfit it may be for generation but here the Spirituall Seed of the Gospell is incorruptible subiect to no fault and therefore the blame of the Ministers sterilitie cannot be imputed to themselues faithfully doing their best endeuour Secondly Because they carrie the affections of Fathers towards their people such as PAVL describeth 2. Cor. 6. 11 12. And in this respect S. IOHN in his generall Epistle calleth all the members of the Church his Children though not all begotten by his Ministerie This fatherly affection they shew principally in these points First In seeking not the Churches but the Foure things in which the fatherly affection of Ministers appeares Church it selfe 2. Cor. 12. 14. and that with so earnest a desire that they preferre the good of the Church before their owne liues as PAVL sheweth in the same place for this is the affection of naturall Fathers as we see in the example of DAVID towards ABSALOM that they can be content to redeeme their childrens liues with their owne Hirelings
therefore that make this the only end of their Ministerie that they may warme themselues with the fleece of their Sheepe setting the Church at sale for their owne lucres sake are not in any wise to be called Fathers of the Church Are Children thus dealt withall by their Parents The true Fathers of the Church preferre the good thereof before their owne liues these men their owne priuate commoditie before the very life of the Church it selfe Secondly Parents nourish their children at their owne Table and that they may be able so to doe they are content to take any paines whatsoeuer So must and doe Ministers that are faithfull prouide Spirituall nourishment for the Church And for this purpose are alwayes and plentifully furnished with store both old and new which they may bring forth for the benefit of the Church as need shall require Therefore idle and ignorant Ministers killing the people with the Famine of the Word are iustly depriued of the honour of this name Parents lay vp for their children 2. Cor. 12. sayth the Apostle These men lay vp no Spirituall Treasures for the Church therefore the Church cannot acknowledge them as their Fathers Thirdly They resemble Fathers in that they doe not only giue their people Spirituall food but with a fatherly and motherly affection 1. Thess 2. 10. As you know how we exhorted and comforted euery one of you euen as a father his child It is not ynough to exhort to admonish to teach and instruct but all this must be done with the affection of the Father so that we may giue them their Spirituall sustenance as Nurses doe little children their bodily This is that in his owne example the Apostle commendeth vnto vs 1. Thess 2. 7 8. We were gentle among you euen as a Nurse cherisheth her children Thus being affectioned towards you our good will was to haue dealt vnto you not onely the Gospell of God but also our owne soules because ye were deare vnto vs. This phrase of dealing his owne Soule signifieth that effectuall affection wherewithall he deliuered the Word vnto them as Esa 58. God commaunds to giue Almes to the Poore with feeling and compassion vseth the same phrase Thou shalt powre out thy selfe to the hungry So Phil. 1. 5. God is our witnesse how we long after you from the very heart root Fourthly They resemble naturall Fathers in this that as there so here likewise Loue descends rather then ascends The naturall Parent cannot blot out naturall affection no not towards vntoward and rebellious children as wee see in DAVIDS mourning for ABSALOMS death Can a Mother forget the fruit of her Wombe sayes the Prophet Esay 49. No certainely she cannot though the degenerating child should forget her Here then doe good Ministers shew themselues true Fathers when yet they continue to loue them that are wicked and vnthankfull yea iniurious towards them Thus it was with PAVL 2. Cor. 13. 15. We will willingly be bestowed for their Soules though the more we loue you the lesse we be loued of you Now the ground of this so strange and strong affection in the former verse he made to be this that he was to them a Father and they to him in stead of Children If Ministers are thus Fathers and must thus behaue Vse themselues to their people as to sonnes then it becommeth them to put vpon them the disposition of sonnes and to carry themselues to their Ministers as towards their Fathers If then Ministers be Fathers where is the filiall reuerence of their Flockes Where is the reciprocation of like affection Where is the imitation of the Storke nourishing his old Damme 2. Cor. 6. 3. After the Apostle had most liuely deciphered and as it were in an anatomie layed open and naked his fatherly bowels inferreth forthwith thus I speake vnto you of like recompence as vnto children Be ye also enlarged Idolatrous MICAH shall iustly condemne many of vs who entertaining that rouing Leuite into his house promised vnto him the honour of a Father Iudg. 17. Thou shalt be said he vnto me as a Father Thirdly obserue in that PAVL saith he begat that Doct. 3 is conuerted ONESIMVS that the Scripture vseth sometimes to giue that to the Instrument of God which properly belongeth to the Lord God himselfe for the Apostle speaking of our Regeneration calleth vs Gods owne Creatures his Workmanship Eph. 2. 10. Therefore we are not in regard of our Conuersion the Creatures of any Minister yet because God doth it not without the Ministerie of his Seruants therefore this blessed worke is oftentimes giuen to them also This PAVL telleth TIMOTHY He shall saue those that heare him And all Ministers of the Gospell are called Sauiours Obadiah the last and yet properly Christ is our Sauiour This may serue to checke the Papists vrging against vs these places of Scripture which seeme to ascribe some vertue to the Sacraments as Titus 3. He saued vs by the washing of the new Birth 1. Pet. 3. Baptisme saueth If they can vnderstand how TIMOTHIES preaching may saue the hearers after the same manner let them know that Sacraments doe conferre grace not as in themselues not by the worke wrought but because without them God ordinarily vseth not to worke Fourthly Note the Dignitie of the Ministerie Doct. 4 Whom I haue begot Properly God onely is the Father The dignitie of the Ministerie of Spirits Heb. 12. Call no man Father yee haue but one Father that is in Heauen Matth. 23. And yet we see in some sort how God taketh the Ministers into the Societie of the same Honor with himselfe Naturall Parents count it a blessing to haue faire and well-fauoured children but the Sunne neuer saw so goodly and so glorious a Creature as is this new Creature in Christ the workmanship of the Ministerie If then vnto naturall Parents hauing store of children that of the Psalmist may truly be said Blessed is the man that hath his Quiuers full of such Arrowes certainely much more fitly may it be applyed to those Spirituall Fathers for naturall children oftentimes proue those fooles SALOMON speakes of that are a shame and discredit to their Parents and that euen in the Gate opening the mouthes of the aduersaries to triumph and insult But these Spirituall children cannot proue such fooles therefore they cannot disgrace their Parents but doe offer iust matter vnto them of stopping the mouth of their aduersaries For this did that famous Father of our restored Church IOHN CALVIN of blessed memorie answer the Papists vpbraiding him with his want of children in marriage Oh said he God hath in stead of such children giuen me many thousands of farre more excellent kind of children through the whole world Since then God hath vouchsafed so great an honour to the Ministerie that he will vse their helpe in this Spirituall Generation goe to then let vs that are Ministers labour that we may attaine to this so high an honour accounting this barrennesse no
by the rite and ceremony of annoynting and that typically to shadow out that CHRIST was ordained of his father our spirituall King Prophet and Priest Priests were annoynted Leuit. 21. 10. Kings were annoynted 1 Sam. 10. 1. Prophets were annoynted 1 King 19. 16. This name CHRIST therefore teaches that hee is the true annoynted King Priest and Prophet of his Church Acts 4. 27. Thine holy sonne Iesus whom thou hast annoynted Acts 10. 38. God annoynted Iesus of Nazareth with the holy Ghost and with power Psal 45. 7. God euen thy God hath annoynted thee with the oyle of gladnesse aboue all thy fellowes There is his annoynting as King which is also found Psal 89. 20. And CHRIST applying that Isa 61. 1. to himselfe Luk. 4. 18. shewes thereby his annoynting as a Prophet yea and this is to bee marked that the three offices of King Priest and Prophet though they were in some doubled yet neuer had any one all of them ioyntly but CHRIST who was annoynted with the oyle of gladnesse aboue his fellowes MELCHISEDEC was King and Priest SAMVEL was Priest and Prophet DAVID was King and Prophet but onely CHRIST King Priest and Prophet Hee alone was indeede that annoynted One at whom all legall vnctions poynted For the better vnderstanding of this poynt consider breefly foure things 1. The parts of his annoynting They are two First his consecration whereby hee was set a part to doe the office of a Mediatour betweene God and Man For as the Priest vnder the Law Exod. 30. 30. when he was annoynted was thereby separate and set apart for the office of the Preist-hood and consecrated vnto that function So Christs annoynting consists first in this in being from all eternity set apart to be a Mediatour between God and man and the King Priest and Prophet of his Church Secondly the effusion or powring forth the fulnesse of Gods spirit and grace into his man-hood And therefore Isa 61. 1. and Acts 10. hee is sayd to bee annoynted with the Holy Ghost Wherein Christs annoynting excells the annoyntings of all Kings Priests Prophets inasmuch as the oyle wherwith he was annoynted was the spirit of God it selfe 2. The obiect of this annoynting The obiect or subiect is the whole person of Christ God and man He was annoynted in both natures for hee was annoynted as Mediatour now he is Mediatour not as man onely but in both natures and therefore in both natures annoynted But this must rightly bee vnderstood Hee was annoynted in the Godhead onely in regard of the first part which was Consecration by which hee was designed to be Mediatour 3. The manner or measure of his annoynting That we finde Ioh. 3. 34. Hee hath not receiued the spirit by measure that is hee hath receiued the spirit of GOD in a wonderfull extraordinary measure Indeede we all receiue the Spirit in measure Ephes 4. 7. But vnto euery one of vs is giuen grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ But his measure was a measure well heaped and thrust euen so great a measure as a finite nature was capable of Therefore Psal 45. 7. Thy GOD hath annoynted thee with the oyle of gladnesse aboue thy fellowes More grace hath he then all others yea all that others haue they haue from him for of his fulnesse wee all receiue Yet was not this measure infinite for the man-hood is finite 4. The benefits wee haue by his being CHRIST that is Annoynted They are these three 1. Wee are heereby made Kings and Preists Reuel 1. 6. 2. Wee by his annoynting are also annoynted with the gifts of GODS spirit 1 Ioh. 2. 27. and hence GODS Saints are called GODS annoynted Psal 105. 15. and wee called Christians from CHRIST And if CHRIST had not beene annoynted neither should we For the oyle that was powred on AARONS head Psal 133. 2. ranne downe vpon his beard and the border of his garments but yet first vpon his head and then to the garments So wee are annoynted but our head first and so this oyle of grace runnes downe from the head vnto all the parts of this mysticall body 3. Hereby GOD smells a sweet sauor of rest in all our sacrifices duties and seruices CHRIST being annoynted with that sweet oyle and wee being in him are a sweet sauor vnto the Lord yea hence haue our prayers their sweetnesse Whatsoeuer touched any thing that was annoynted with the holy oyle was holy Exod. 30. 29. yea the altar of incense was annoynted with holy oyle CHRIST is that annoynted altar our incense our prayers layd and offered thereon thereby come to be sweet and holy By this mayest thou try whether CHRIST be in Vse 1 thee or no. Hee is Annoynted and the sweet oyle powred out vpon him if hee bee in thee thou shalt know it by the sweetnesse of the oyntment When the box of oyntment was broken vpon CHRISTS feet the sauour thereof filled the whole house How can I then beleeue that CHRIST is in that heart where are nothing but the dunghilly sauours of the world the nasty sauours of rottennesse and corruption and the vile stench of carnall thoughts This sweet oyntment should draw our affections to him Cant. 1. 2. They are wise and blessed virgins Vse 2 that labour to smell the sweetnesse of GODS annoynted and in the sense of the sweetnesse of his graces enflame their affections towards him But the sauour of the earth and the noysome smells of the lusts of the flesh doe so stuffe our heads that we cannot smell any such sweetnesse as should make our affections to long after him That CHRIST our head is annoynted it is great Vse 3 comfort to vs. Thou feelest thy selfe dry and empty of grace but yet remember our head is annoynted with the oyle of grace euen whole riuers of this oyle are powred forth vpon him and that not for himselfe but for vs. Whence we are called Christians because euery one of vs in our measure shall bee made partakers of this vnction If wee be members of CHRISTS body though the meanest the lowest the foot the very skirts of the garments thou canst not misse of thy share in this oyle It will runne downe all the body from the head Thus wee see what a sweet name this name of Christ is his name is indeede as an oyntment powred out Cant. 1. 2. 2. The thing prayed for The grace of c. of this before verse 3. Thus as PAVL begun with prayer so ends he with prayer So should all our actions be both begunne and closed with prayer So Col. 3. 17. And whatsoeuer yee shall doe in word or in deed doe all in the name of the Lord Iesus Therefore the Israelites when they remooued and pitched their tents they did neither without prayer Numb 10. 35. 36. Prayer should beginne and prayer should end the day Then if our actions prooue successefull wee may reioyce in the successe as of GOD of whom wee begged it if not wee